Legend of the Three Moons (3 page)

Lem, with his back balanced against a branch and his long sword held aloft, was just about to stab the revolting smelly creature in the head, when it just swung right past him because of the noise Celeste's branch made as it dipped low under her weight.

The girls were standing ready. Celeste was about to leap to another branch so Lyla could spear the creature when the rider grunted a loud order and cracked his whip. The creature's flicking tongue froze in front of Celeste, who froze too, not a muscle moving on her terrified face.

A second whip crack cut into the creature's smooth, grey neck. With a squeal of pain, it swivelled around snapping Celeste's branch as its front legs dropped to the ground with an earth-shaking jolt.

As the branch beneath her feet vanished and Celeste began to fall, Lyla stretched out her spear. Celeste grabbed it and swung her legs around a lower branch. `Thanks,' she mouthed.

With faces as white as the silver-circled moon that had suddenly emerged from a bank of dark grey cloud, the children watched and waited until they could no longer see the creature or hear its footfalls. Then shrugging her stiff shoulders Lyla turned to Swift. `How did you know it was coming?'

`The tree told me. When I touched it, it talked to me in my head the way the wolves talked to Lem.'

Chad nodded. `It talked to me too.'

`Can you hear it talking now?'

Chad rested his cheek against his branch. `It says there are six more creatures like that one in the forest.'

`I think talking to trees is our magic gift,' grinned Swift, patting the tree's trunk.

`Talking about gifts,' said Celeste climbing onto Lem's branch. `Could you have talked to that creature, Lem?'

`No. It isn't real.'

`It looked real.'

Swift wrinkled his nose up in disgust. `It stunk real too.'

`Well it isn't. Splash says it wasn't born from an egg or a mother. That it was
becamed
by magic.'

Celeste held up her snake and stared into its tiny, emerald green eyes. `What about its rider, Splash? Is he real?'

Lem answered for the snake. `No. He was
becamed
too.'

The stork's nest was large enough for them to curl up in and soon all but Lem, who was on guard, were asleep. Two hours later it was Celeste's turn and then Chad's. During his watch the tree warned him the other six purple-tongued creatures were coming, so he woke the others.

With their hair full of stork's feathers and their eyes full of sleep, they climbed higher than their original perches to balance on branches so thin that they feared they might break at any sudden movement.

The dawn sky was the colour of raspberry juice and the pink moon was sliding beneath the horizon when they sighted the first long-necked creature. Behind it plodded five others, one behind the other. On their high backs sat their harsh-voiced, whip-whirling riders. These riders had removed their metal masks and the children could see their hairy faces and bulging eyes. Lem whispered that they were the ugliest of beings, and by the way they whipped their mounts, they were also the cruellest.

`It's not that I like the smelly blind creatures,' he breathed as they watched two of them rear up and bite each other after being fiercely whipped. `It's just not right to hurt them for no reason.'

`Perhaps the reason is that they haven't found us,' whispered Celeste.

Her words silenced them all but they each quietly drew their weapons, ready to fight for their lives. The creatures moving closer and closer to the twain nut tree, but again they were lucky, not just because they were higher but because it seemed as if the creatures were taking less care.

`Why are they looking for us, Cel?' whispered Swift, as the last of the grey monsters thudded out of sight.

`I think it's the same reason the High Enchanter, or the Sender of Storms, sent the storms,' answered Celeste thoughtfully. `To stop us from finding out what was in the moon dial. Now he's sending his creatures to stop us from finding out what the three moons' song means.'

`What does it mean?' yawned Chad, as they climbed back down to the nest.

`That's what we are going to find out,' said Lyla covering him with her cape. `And don't get settled Swift. It's your turn to sit guard.'

They hadn't meant to sleep late but the rocking of the branches lulled them so it was past middle day when they woke. Beside them slept Swift with his arms wrapped around the tree.

`I couldn't keep my eyes open and the tree said it would wake me if the creatures returned,' he argued, after Lyla chastised him for being a bad guard.

`You can't be sure about that!'

`Yes he can,' said Chad, who always stuck up for Swift.

With half the day gone they climbed down to the muddy path and continued following the river, travelling faster this time, because of the blind-headed creatures behind them. Foraging as they went they breakfasted on twain nuts that had to be broken with rocks, sour-berries that made their cheeks suck in, and water licked from the leaves of bushes, as the river no longer looked safe to drink from.

By evening they had left the over-flow and the forest was thinning out when they heard a roaring noise coming from up ahead.

`That reminds me,' said Lyla, pushing her dark curls behind her ears so she could hear the noise better. `I had another dream last night. That noise has just reminded me of it.'

Lem and Celeste moved closer. Behind them Chad and Swift continued to drag their feet while arguing over who had the largest hunger pain.

`I was flying over hills of sand until I reached a vast sea,' continued Lyla.

`What's a vast sea?' asked Celeste.

`Water that goes on forever. I flew along its edge until I reached the same white palace I dreamt of before.

This time its gardens and fountains were brightly lit and its lakes were full of beautiful swan-shaped boats being rowed by laughing people holding red lanterns. I was swooping down for a closer look when Chad woke me to warn me about the creatures coming. But that noise up ahead sounds a lot like the vast sea in my dream.'

`Does the vast sea have trees nearby to sleep in?'

Lyla shook her head.

`Does it have anything to eat in it?' demanded Swift clinging to Lyla's arm.

Lyla tried to shake him free. `Fish. If you can catch them.'

Swift was tired. His bag hurt his shoulders. The seeds, berries and nuts had not filled him, and now they were leaving the Forest to trudge over boot-clinging sand. He clung on tightly and whinged. `I'm hungry.'

`I'm hungry too,' echoed Chad, bumping purposefully into Lem. `I wish Lem hadn't given the wolves our smoked meat.'

Lem bumped back. `Would you rather have been eaten by them?'

`Of course he wouldn't,' said Celeste putting a protective arm around her brother's shoulders. `Stop it both of you. We're all hungry.'

`And thirsty,' complained Swift, pulling on Lyla again.

With a sigh of frustration she took his bag and told him and Chad to scout up ahead. `But don't go too far in case we have to race back to the Forest.'

Half an hour later when she and the other two climbed to the top of the highest sand dune they saw the boys, with their boots off, chasing each other along the wet sand of a vast sea, as if they didn't have a problem or a worry or even a hunger pain between them.

That night they slept in a nest of sea grass. This time Lyla divided the watch between Celeste, Lem and herself so the younger two could sleep. Next morning they all had rumbling stomachs and dry throats and there wasn't a berry or a leaf in sight.

Thinking that there might be something they could eat in the sea, perhaps like the mussels, cockles or edible seaweed they'd read in their books, Celeste suggested they go for a swim. Chad and Swift raced into the waves before the others had pulled off their boots and Celeste could hide Splash in her shirt. Lyla yelled for them to watch out for things that could hurt them, but they were already shouting and rolling in the lacy froth of the incoming waves so they didn't hear her.

Lyla, Lem and Celeste entered the sea more warily. Having bathed, fished and gathered shellfish in the river, they could swim well, but the waves buffeted them and dragged them out into deeper water. So although they could see Chad and Swift enjoying themselves in the shallows they were more worried about what lurked beneath their kicking feet.

Celeste had just dived under to see what she could find when Swift started yelling and hopping around on one foot. Lyla asked Lem to wait for Celeste, then swam to shore as fast as she could.

She discovered that Swift had trodden on a black ball of spikes which had punctured his foot and was very painful. She stroked Swift's swelling foot, told him he'd be fine and glanced back to where her brother and cousin were swimming. Lem waving frantically. She couldn't see Celeste.

`Chad! Cut open the sting. Squeeze out the poison until the wound bleeds. Then bandage his foot with your scarf.'

Lyla ran back down the beach and splashed into the water, swimming towards Lem.

`Celeste has been under for ages,' he yelled.

They dived repeatedly, each time searching deeper and having to kick harder to come up from the chilly depths to gulp in air. After awhile they were too exhausted to do anything more than tread water.

`She's gone,' yelled Lem, searching the waves for any sign of Celeste's long blonde braids. `She's been washed away.'

Lyla angrily slapped the surface of the sea. `No. She hasn't!'

As if her slapping had been a magical command Celeste's head rose above a wave and she waved at them.

With eyes full of righteous anger they swam towards her. `Where have you been?' demanded Lem. `We thought you'd drowned.'

`We've been looking for you for ages,' accused Lyla.

Celeste flicked her fringe off her face. `Sorry. I couldn't help it. I was taken out by a current and couldn't get back until I found a returning one.'

Lem's green eyes glared at her unforgivingly. `But you were under for ages.'

`That's what I want to tell you. I can't …'

`Tell us back on shore,' interrupted Lyla, already swimming towards the beach. `Swift stood on something poisonous and he
really
needs our help.'

Chad was bandaging Swift's foot when Lyla flopped down beside them. He grinned at her. `He squealed like a wild pig when I squeezed out the poison.'

Swift punched his arm, `I did not! He nearly cut off my foot, Lyla!'

Lyla gave them both a hug as she stared along the beach searching for help. There was no one to see except Celeste and Lem running up the sand.

Celeste dropped down beside her. `Lyla, I'm sorry I didn't mean to frighten you. I didn't realise how long I was under.'

Lyla was still too angry to look at her. `We thought you were drowned.'

`But that's it. I can't be. I can stay underwater as long as I like. I think it's my magical gift.'

This time Lyla did look at her. `Don't be stupid! Cel! No one can stay under water as long as they like.'

`I can. Ask Lem.'

Lem nodded. `She swam all the way to shore without coming up.' Then he made a face at Celeste. `Not that it's much of a gift if we are nowhere near water.'

`It's as useful as talking to animals,' retorted Celeste, pushing him back onto the sand.

`Is there any food under the sea?' demanded Chad, who was equally unimpressed with the gift of swimming without breathing, unless it brought him something to eat.

Celeste shook her head. `No. Just lots of fish too quick for me to catch.'

`In that case Swift and I have the best gift. At least trees grow nuts and berries. Right Swift?'

`Right.'

`Enough!' said Lyla, pulling Swift to his feet with a yelp from the wounded boy. `We have to find someone who knows what to do about your foot.'

With Lyla and Lem helping Swift to hobble, Chad and Celeste carrying the bags, and Celeste still annoyed at Lem for belittling her gift, the trek along the beach seemed to last forever. By evening they were ready to drop where they stood and sleep where they fell.

`I can't go any further,' complained Swift.

`Me neither,' agreed Chad.

`Just a bit more,' cajoled Celeste. `Just as far as that jetty.' Then her eyes widened. `Lyla! How do I know it's a jetty?'

`Maybe you remember it from when you were little. Before we were put in the Forest. I think I remember it. It had a pavilion at the end with curtains and cushions and there was harp music and dancing.'

On reaching the jetty they discovered it to be a skeleton of poles and crooked pylons stuck into the sea bottom.

`Can we sleep here?' whined Swift.

Lyla shook her head and pointed to a stone path leading into the dunes. `There's nothing here. Maybe there is something on the other side of those dunes.'

The path ran between two massive sand hills. On reaching the gap the children discovered two enormous, wind-pocked statues facing each other, each holding back a sand dune. One statue was of a man, the other of a woman. Both wore crowns and were sitting on gigantic thrones balanced on the backs of enormous, thick maned lions, and both had stone tears running down their cheeks.

`Do you think they're our grandparents, Lyla?' whispered Swift, the pain in his foot forgotten as he stared up at the crying statues.

But Lyla wasn't looking at the statues. She was looking at a building on the other side of the dunes.

It was the palace of her dreams. Painted a burnished gold by the rays of the setting sun, with sparkling, stained glass windows and gold-tipped, silver towers and cupolas, it reminded her of an enormous treasure chest.

But, as the others joined her and the sun sank behind the dunes, the palace's golden walls, silver domes and blue-tiled cupolas disappeared, and in its place was a windowless ruin.

Blinking back her tears of disappointment, Lyla squeezed Swift's hand. `Never mind. Maybe someone still lives there. Maybe they'll know what to do about your foot.'

`Or they'll know where we can find an oracle to ask about the three moons' song,' said Lem, giant-stepping down the sand.