Sebastian Darke: Prince of Explorers (18 page)

'If you knew anything about rafts,' Cornelius told Cal, 'you'd realize that Max is the best thing we could ask for.'

'Yes!' said Max, then looked at Cornelius. 'And that would be because . . .?'

'He'll provide
ballast
. A great big heavy lump right in the middle of the raft – that's just what we need.'

'Thanks,' said Max. 'I think.'

'But he must weigh
tons
!' protested Cal.

'Yes, but that's good. A huge hulking lump like that is exactly what will
prevent
us from tipping up.'

'Did you have to use the word "hulking"?' asked Max.

Cal scowled. 'Well, I don't know,' he said. 'I've made canoes before, but never rafts.' He looked at Galt. 'What do you think?'

Galt just beamed. 'A raft,' he said. 'That was
my
idea!'

'So we're agreed then?' said Cornelius, clapping his hands together. 'Tomorrow we start building the raft and Max comes with us.'

Everybody exchanged glances and most nodded, though Cal was clearly unhappy with the decision.

'Tonight we'll rest, get our strength back,' Cornelius told them. 'I see Salah has already got a fire going. What about dinner? Perhaps our hunters would like to go out and rustle up something tasty?'

'No need,' said Galt, producing a length of line and some hooks from his pack. 'Let's have a nice fish supper for a change!' He shambled down to the riverbank to find a good spot to cast his line.

Sebastian started to massage his aching feet but suddenly became aware of a pair of eyes glaring at him. He glanced up to see Max's mournful face.

'Comfortable, are we?' asked the buffalope.

'Yeah, not bad,' said Sebastian.

'Well, it's all right for some, isn't it?' Max twitched his flanks, making the various cooking utensils and tools rattle.

'Oh, right.' Sebastian got up and went over to him. 'I suppose you'd like me to untie all this equipment.'

'If it's not too much trouble,' muttered Max, then, as Sebastian approached, inclined his head to whisper, 'After you've done this, you can go and chat to Keera.'

Sebastian shook his head. 'I'm not sure that's a good idea,' he said. 'Right now all I feel like is having a good soak in the river.'

'You've plenty of time for that,' hissed Max. 'Look at her! Have you ever seen such a miserable face?'

'Many times, but it usually has a big horn on either side of it.'

'Oh, very droll!'

Sebastian undid the last strap and lowered the jumble of equipment to the ground. Max gave a long sigh and shrugged his shoulders. 'Ah, that's better,' he said. 'I thought we'd never get to this blooming river.' He nudged Sebastian with his snout. 'Now go on – have a word with Keera.'

'But—'

'Just go!' Max lowered his head and gave Sebastian what was probably intended to be a gentle shove in the back, but Sebastian's lanky frame was catapulted forward across the clearing. He caught one foot in a discarded pack, tripped, performed an ungainly somersault, and came crashing down a short distance from a rather startled Keera.

She gazed down at him for a minute and then did something she hadn't done all day. She laughed. 'You're so funny!' she cried.

Sebastian sat up and directed a withering glare in Max's

direction. 'Just trying to cheer you up,' he said. 'You know, I . . . I used to be a professional jester.'

'What's that?' asked Keera.

He shuffled round to sit beside her. 'I used to make people laugh for a living,' he said. He thought for a moment. 'Well, I used to
try
to, anyway. Didn't have all that much success, now that I think about it.'

'You should have. You're good at making people laugh.'

'Only when I'm not trying to,' Sebastian assured her. He glanced nervously across at Cal, who didn't seem to be at all amused by his antics. 'Look, Keera,' he said. 'About what I said last night . . . I understand that you were expecting me to fulfil the prophecy and everything, but as I said, there
is
somebody else . . .'

'Yes, this sweetheart you spoke of – tell me about her.'

'Umm . . . well, her name's Jenna and she's a sea captain . . . You remember – the boats I spoke of that travel on the wide stretch of water?'

'Yes, like this water,' said Keera, pointing.

'Oh no, that's nothing compared to the ocean. I mean, you can see the far side of a river, but on the ocean you could travel for many moons and never have sight of land.'

Keera nodded. 'So where is this . . . Jenna?'

Sebastian laughed. 'That's a good question. She's on a long voyage. Right now she'll be somewhere south of here.'

'A dangerous voyage?'

'Er . . . yes, I suppose
all
voyages can be dangerous.'

'And you will marry this sweetheart one day?'

Sebastian shrugged. 'I don't really know. I . . . expect so.

But we're both still very young; there's plenty of time for that. But look, Keera, just because there's somebody else in my life, it doesn't mean we can't be mates . . . does it?'

She seemed to brighten considerably. 'Really?' she cried. 'Oh, well, that's wonderful!'

He was somewhat taken aback by her reaction. 'Is it?' he said.

'Yes. I won't have to be sad any more. And I will try not to hate this . . . Jenna. But if one day we meet, perhaps we will fight each other.'

Sebastian looked at her, startled. 'I don't think there's any need for that,' he protested.

'Well, that's how we settle things in the jungle,' said Keera. 'Not with weapons; just our fists. Would she not be willing to fight for you?'

'I really couldn't say.' He glanced around nervously. Across the clearing, Cal was gazing at him intently and sharpening a vicious-looking knife on a stone. 'You know what? I think I'm going to find a quiet spot in the river and have a good bath. Wash some of the sweat off.'

'Great,' said Keera. 'I'll come with you.'

'What?' He stared at her. 'Oh no, I don't think that's a good idea.'

'But we're
mates
, aren't we? Mates wash together.'

'Do they? Not where I come from, they don't.' Sebastian got hastily to his feet. 'No, you . . . you stay here and talk to Cal. I'm sure he'd like to sort things out with you.'

'There's nothing to sort out,' said Keera irritably, shooting an indignant glare in the warrior's direction. 'Cal thinks he has some kind of claim over me, but he doesn't.'

'Yes, but he's your mate too, right?'

Now Keera looked positively horrified. 'No he is not!' she cried. 'What sort of girl do you think I am? You can't have more than one mate at a time!'

'You can't? But . . . I have lots of mates.'

She stared at him. 'Then the ways of your people are strange indeed,' she said.

Sebastian was beginning to get the impression that something was very wrong. 'Umm . . . l-look,' he stammered. 'I . . . I'm going to go and get cleaned up.' Keera started to get up too but he waved her back down again. 'No, you stay here, I'll . . . see you later . . .' He walked quickly towards the river, giving Max another accusing glance as he went by.

He came upon Galt, who was crouched by the bank, staring intently down at a float he had made out of a piece of twig. Sebastian saw that he already had a good-sized fish lying beside him on the riverbank.

'How's the fishing?' he asked.

'Great,' said Galt without looking up. 'These waters are teeming with fish.'

'And those things are edible, are they?'

'I told you before. This is the jungle – everything—'

'. . . is edible. Yes. Er . . . sorry to interrupt. Can I ask you a question?'

'Ask away,' said Galt, his gaze still fixed on the float.

'Right. If I said to you that you were my mate, what would you think?'

Galt glanced up in alarm. He stared at Sebastian for a moment and then burst out laughing.

'What's so funny?' asked Sebastian.

'If you said that, I'd be very worried,' Galt told him. 'You see, in the Jilith tribe, a man can take a wife but he can also have a
mate
.' He raised his eyebrows. 'That's somebody who is very close to him, almost like a second wife; but they don't have to actually get married.'

'Oh,' said Sebastian. 'I see.'

'It's an old custom. Not too many do it these days, because of the trouble it causes.'

'Trouble?'

'Between the wife and the mate, usually. There's been all kinds of ructions in the past. Some of 'em have even been known to fight to the death.' He pulled a face. 'They're supposed to just use their fists, but I've heard of them using clubs, knives, axes, all sorts.'

Sebastian groaned and slapped a hand to his forehead. His attempt to let Keera down gently had misfired horribly. And what had he just said to her? That he had lots of mates? 'Perfect,' he muttered.

Galt grinned. 'So . . . still like to be my mate?' he asked mockingly.

'Er . . . no, that's . . . OK. I'll, um . . . see you later.' Sebastian hurried away along the riverbank to find a secluded spot, then stripped off his clothes, gave them a good wash in the shallows and hung them from a branch to dry before wading out until he was chest-deep in the water. The shock of it against his bare flesh felt delicious and with a sigh of contentment he let himself sink right beneath the surface; he stayed under as long as he could – at least down here, he thought, he was unlikely to get into any trouble.

Which was when a large crab took his big toe in its pincers and squeezed hard; he rose up from the depths with a bellow of agony.

'Do you mind?' yelled Galt from upstream. 'You're frightening the fish!'

At dawn the following day, Sebastian was shaken roughly awake by Cornelius.

'Come on,' said the little warrior. 'You can't lie there all day – there's work to be done!'