Greyfax Grimwald (14 page)

His tone disturbed the gray creature, for in it he heard a page from the book, and when he looked at his friend, his eyes were full of firelight gone, the fires of many nights past, spent here and in other distant places now smoky and dim in the dying fire. Otter threw on two new logs to dispel the gloom, and tried singing one of his river songs to brighten up the morose dwarf.

There were others from his book of otter lore, but Dwarf still lolled in his chair, never once helping the song along or moving as Otter danced around the table, bumping into chairs, or falling down in great long gasping giggles.

“Otter, we must find our way again. We’re spending time here we no longer have. I’ve been computing on my calendar, and we should have heard from Greyfax ere now. I’m afraid here, somehow. He spoke to me that day we met near Tubal Hall, and the matters he spoke of were very disturbing.”

“Nonsense, nonsense, pure puff talk. We’ve only just come, Dwarf.”

“It’s been quite a long time, Otter, and you know how it is out there nowadays. We haven’t seen or heard anything in months. No armies, almost no animals, no nothing. And it’s the emptiness that frightens me most of all.”

His voice trailed away on the blowing’ of the wind outside, and the two friends watched the white arm of snow beckoning by the frost-fingered windows. They stared and listened for quite some time, until Otter, trying not to think of the consequences should they discover them, walked to the fire and threw another log on, causing a great many sparks to crackle out, spitting and glowing onto the soft clover earth floor.

“No one could have found us this soon, Dwarf. Besides I’ve only come to know this river, and I really am much too tired to move right now.”

“You’re always this way, Otter. If you’re not too tired, you’re too busy playing or swimming.”

“Can’t we talk about it tomorrow, Dwarf? I’m really so sleepy now I think I won’t wake up till noon.”

“Onlllllllllllerrrrrargrumph. You stupid gray-furred dunce. Can’t you see we must do something now? We’ve been here much too long, and we haven’t done a thing but play, or build, or swim. I can’t do my dwarf work, and you’ve certainly not been doing much, skipping around all day beside your dratted pool singing your foolish songs, or sleeping.” Dwarf punctuated his anger with a mighty stomp of his pointed foot.

“Now, now, Dwarf, things aren’t as bad as all that.” But his reluctant reply was not enough to stem Dwarf’s reproach.

“And I’m feeling so much confusion I’m not sure anymore why exactly we’re here to begin with. Or anywhere, as far as that goes.”

Otter had fallen to watching the brilliant reds and oranges of the fire, and only half heard Dwarf’s angry voice.

“It’s such a nice fire, Dwarf. You really must come and watch it.”

“Ohhhhhh, you silly animal. Now he’s watching a fire when there are important matters afoot. Sometimes I think you’ve nothing in your skull but Christmas ribbons and fishtails.

“I guess so,” Otter sighed, stirring the fire with the carved iron poker. “I mean I guess you’re right, Dwarf. I was reading in the book today, and we’ve been here forever. Perhaps we should be moving on.”

“But there’s still work to be done here before that. I’ve still my spells to work out, and you still must complete your journal. And we can’t move without word or sign from Greyfax.”

Otter turned upside down on the comfortable leather couch and reached his paws toward the ceiling in a long, leisurely stretch.

“I know, Dwarf. Sometimes I simply think we’ve lost our way, and at others that we must be mad, carrying on this way. But I was rereading the book again before you found me this afternoon, and there were such lovely things there.” He rolled over to face his friend from behind crossed paws. “Truth is, if we don’t keep ourselves alert, we are going to get caught, just like I think they caught Creddin, and then it’ll be too late for any of us.” He paused, then brightening, with a flash and scamper, he was on Dwarf, bowling him over heels up from his chair, leaving two pointed-toed shoes struggling in the air, and gasps of surprise from below. His yellow hat crushed down over his eyes, the dwarf rose strangling back his anger, stuffed and puffed and grabbing blindly for his friend.

“And furthermore, Gnome, we must find something with a bit of humor to it, or we’ll all be turned into fancy pickles. This time, perhaps, it’s my turn to find it, and you’ll never see it with that silly hat over your eyes that way.”

Dwarf, shrieking, lunged after the voice, promising the most severe dwarf pummel ever, but stumbled over his foot and fell with a crash into the table.

“You ungrateful beast, you ingrate,” howled Dwarf.

“Puffed-up gnome,” giggled Otter, saving the pot of good dwarf tea from toppling.

And Dwarf slammed with a vengeance into the chair, spun backward, and landed heavily in the spilled remains of the dwarf cakes, which skidded crazily across the floor.

“You’ve been working on your formulas so long you’re afraid even to laugh anymore, Dwarf. Besides, it might strain your face. But it won’t, Dwarf, if you give it a chance.”

And the dwarf, striving vainly to get up off the slippery floor, finally succeeded in pulling his hat up from his eyes, and staring dumbly for a moment at the fire, spoke in a much gentler and more hushed tone, as if he had really only seen for the first time again.

“You may be right, old friend. You may be right, this once. For all your foolishness, you sometimes remind me a bit of Greyfax. I only hope he has good reason for leaving us so long unguided.”

“He must have, or we would surely have heard something by now.”

“I would like to think so. After these past few years, I’ve begun to wonder if he hasn’t forgotten all about us. After all, what’s a dwarf and two animals to Greyfax? And he must have more important things to do than worry about the likes of us.”

Otter thought quietly a moment before answering.

“It wouldn’t seem too likely that Greyfax would tell us to stay and then forget us. Yet I do see your point about him being busy and all. He could well forget us, but I don’t feel like he has. There was something more to our meeting him that day at the River than a chance encounter. I’ve thought and thought about that, and Bear and I have talked about it, too. We both felt something was going on we weren’t too sure of, and Bear got quite stuffy about it later, and said we would all be better off if we stuck to our own, and left wizard’s chores to those who didn’t care a hoot about their own welfare.”

“Oh, bother Bear, the dear ass. He’s always concerned about something or other which never turns out to be anything more than crabgrass. But I do wonder at the silence, and the fact we haven’t heard a word before now.”

“Perhaps we’re forgetting something, or not remembering all of what Greyfax said,” suggested Otter doubtfully, his small muzzle worked into a frown.

“No, we’ve followed his instructions, insofar as he gave any instructions. But it does wear on my nerves, to be waiting like this.”

“Well, I’m sure we’ll hear word just as soon as we are supposed to. Now let’s have another little bit of this wonderful herb tea, and sleep on tomorrow. I’m sure our heads will be clearer, and we can see what Bear makes of all this. Or perhaps we could make a scouting party to see the countryside hereabout, and find what news, if any, there may be for the having.”

“That might answer, my friend. Although one of us should stay here, in case Greyfax or Fairingay should come while we are away.”

“Good. Then perhaps you can stay, and Bear and I might just nose about a bit. It’s been some months since we’ve had a look beyond our own front porches. And we’re much more able to go about unnoticed.”

“Well, a plan is what it took. Now I feel much better. Just to be doing something to fill up the waiting.”

“And we can fill up the waiting before our naps by falling to on these household chores.”

And Dwarf and Otter, after carefully cleaning the floor, straightening and rearranging the furniture, washing the dishes and banking the fire, finally finished, and the two friends crept off to the two tiny hammocks hung from the walls, and each dreamed of the day when whatever it was they must do would arrive, and in their dreams, each tried to find new strength to face that inevitable hour. Then the dwarf tea began its magical healing, and the two friends passed out of the heart of that disturbing realm, into peace and harmony once more.

A
new layer of snow blanketed the valley as Bear and Otter set out on their errand to see what they might of the surrounding country, and to try to find clues as to what went on in the world that existed beyond their own borders.

Dwarf had furnished them with journey cakes that he had baked especially for this trip, although Bear’s own pack bulged with other items he had thought to bring along.

“You never know how long these all-day outings will last,” he said sagely, looking a little accusingly at Dwarf, who simply grumped and huffed.

“I’ll be surprised if you’re able to walk at all, with that load.”

Otter giggled.

“Look how he sinks down in the snow.”

“We’ll see who’s laughing when we run out of food, and it will be, ‘Oh, Bear, why didn’t we think to bring enough?’” snapped the big animal indignantly, tightening the harness on his pack and wriggling it onto his back.

“You’ll both be back here long before that happens,” shot Broco. “Or at least if you haven’t lost all your senses you will. There’s no need to stay gone till next Mayfest.”

“I’m sure we’ll be back long before then,” agreed Otter, putting his own pack on. “I’m not too keen on taking longer than I need on this chore. But I will get to find out about that backwater I saw when we were first here. I’ve just never had the time since to explore it further.”

“Hurrrrnmph,” groaned Bear, “I think if all this trip is for is finding you a new water hole, then if it’s all the same, I’ll pass. I’ve just got a new store of firewood laid in, and I need to do a little mending on some of those old sleeping hammocks I’ve found in the back of my pantry.”

“It’s far more important than finding Otter someplace new to swim, Bear. We’ve talked it over, and it’s all been decided. If you’d rather stay, then say so, and I’ll go in your place, and you stay here in case Greyfax comes.”

Dwarf’s voice had taken on a worried note that brought Bear to his senses.

“Oh, Dwarf, you know me. I wouldn’t be happy if I couldn’t complain a bit. Of course, Otter and I are the ones to go. We can travel easier, and quieter, and cover more ground in less time. And if there is anything at all out
there
, it won’t seem so strange if they catch sight of an animal or two.” Bear paused meaningfully. “But seeing, a dwarf abroad might very we’ll turn some heads.”

“And anyhow, I’ve really been wanting to see what’s been going on beyond the falls. It’s been so quiet lately, you’d wonder if there’s anyone at all beyond our settlement,” chittered Otter, testing his weight on the walking stick Dwarf had fashioned for him.

Broco’s manner grew more serious.

“Do you remember all the signals we’ve agreed on?”

Bear repeated back the words, his eyes shut, with a slight frown creasing his brow, as he struggled with the detailed instructions Dwarf had given him.

“We’re to watch for any sign from you here, in case we’re needed to return, or in case Greyfax shows up.” Bear paused, the frown growing deeper, then went on. “If we find anything of interest, or that warrants it, we’ll signal you.”

“Do you think this power will work?” asked Otter. ‘! mean so that it can be seen for any distance at all? It’s fine in the small fires on our hearths, but will it make enough red smoke to carry anything farther than that?”

“It will do,” reassured Dwarf. “We used that powder for signals before, during the time of trouble, to gather the dwarf lords to do battle against the dragons.”

“Then that’s settled. But what I’d like to know is, exactly what are we searching for?” asked Bear. “I mean, Greyfax wouldn’t have any trouble finding us if he were interested, I don’t think. So are we supposed to be out looking for him? Or what?”

“No, he’ll have no trouble finding us,” replied Broco. “But what I’m curious to know is if there is anyone, or anything, other than the wizards, who would have any reason to be looking for us too.”

Otter’s eyes widened.

“You don’t think anything is, do you, Dwarf?”

“No, although best warned, best armed, as the saying is. And we’ve been content here, at our own tasks, minding our own pots, and not knowing what’s going on, or gone on, beyond our own noses. Success in matters of hiding are often dependent upon knowing from what you’re hiding, or m what way you need to go about the business of hiding at all.”