CHAPTER XXV.
LEETS.
Standing on firm ground with relief,
The troupe gathered together.
Reuben said,
We'll have to take our refreshments on the march.
That last sea passage was further than any we've done,
And yet in spite of heavy seas we are here at— He looked up at the watery sun.
About midday.
He smiled briefly at Felicity,
And they set off.
As they tramped,
Felicity considered Phoebe's words.
You are the third key member of the final stage of the quest,
Phoebe had told her.
For this you are called from your world.
You must keep yourself safe using all the skills you've learnt here.
You must stay with Reuben and Little Green.
You will know what to do at the end.
Before we leave you,
Felicity Isabel Penfold,
We have a gift.
You lack protection to face the toxics alone.
They use the strength of our world and turn it to their advantage.
You do not have the skill to draw the full strength of our world in defence.
Maybe one day.
Meanwhile,
We offer you a gift.
The shield of the aquatics.
If in danger,
Seek them,
Touch them.
They will protect you.
You will be safe.
I hope never to need that gift,
Thought Felicity now.
She decided to walk by Reuben in the lead.
Where are we going today?
She asked,
Panting as she tried to keep up the pace.
Reuben did not slacken his stride as he said,
The eastern coast of this land.
I want to be there by night.
We will travel south-east,
Crossing Thornton in the early evening.
If you're lucky,
We may have time to grab some sticky buds as sustenance for the night.
Saying briefly,
He reached out to touch her as if an apology for his lack of attention.
The day's travelling was hard and dull.
No one spoke much.
Georges thought about the challenge.
He knew his strength had been legendary.
But if he was honest,
He also felt the thinning of age within.
The travelling had wearied him.
He hoped what was once impossibly great was still good enough.
Gus,
Walking by him,
Patted his neck.
He prayed for the courage to stand up to Arras.
I must use my love and loyalty to the old world to draw strength,
He decided.
Arras weakens himself by his rejection of the old world.
Little Green caught the end of his thoughts and said aloud,
You'll not fight him alone,
Gus.
We stand as a team.
At this,
Sib,
Who trundled silently behind her,
Said,
To the end.
Ruben,
Scrat hearing him,
Snorted rudely.
And the end will be the beginning,
He said,
Frowning at Sib.
Wolfgang and Pippi,
Who had become less gregarious recently,
Spoke in perfect unison.
This quest will succeed.
We will,
With all of you,
Ensure it.
Pippi trotted ahead after that,
And Wolfgang followed.
They went out of sight,
But Ruben said nothing.
Passing speedily through Thornton at supper,
Flisty was shocked by its change.
There were only silent walls of thorn,
Resting and ruminating.
But Scrat said this was perfectly normal.
Once the Luparta mating ceremonies were over,
The thorn did what they did best.
They stood and slept,
Mainly.
Scrat dashed off and prized some sticky buds from his family.
Flisty realised thorn bonds were different once adulthood was reached.
He was pleased to have seen them,
But eager to rejoin the troop as they marched on.
Ruben agreed they could eat the sticky buds on the move,
Which they did.
Flisty absently sucked her tasty snack,
Her mind thinking of what lay ahead.
As night fell,
Ruben urged them on.
George,
Wolfgang and Pippi were fine.
Scrat,
Little Green and Felicity were flagging.
Even Gus tripped repeatedly as his tired legs dragged across the dunes.
We've been walking across these dunes for too long,
He thought.
The moon was high as they finally reached the shore.
In the moonlight were two long boats.
Ah,
The leets were left,
As requested,
Said Sib.
Ruben looked at him in surprise.
Sib smiled.
The aquatics shared many things with me,
Ruben,
He said in his nasal voice.
I'm greatly relieved,
Sib,
Ruben replied.
I was going to find a stream once we arrived.
I need clear instructions from the aquatics on the sea-crossing.
Your knowledge saves me the task.
Felicity glanced at Gus.
We could end up in a sea-hole.
She'd heard of these from Scrat,
But there was no chance to speak,
Ruben continued.
Into the leets.
George takes the first,
With Sib as his guide.
We follow.
At this even Little Green looked worried.
She would never question Ruben,
But she hoped the strain had not on this occasion led him astray.
Sib smiled his half-smile,
Which Felicity thought looked particularly suspicious in the moonlight.
Too weary to organise a sensible objection,
They all climbed in.
The leets were made of wood.
They were like long fishing boats,
But with very deep sides.
As they climbed in,
They found someone had left provisions for them to enjoy on the journey.
George's upper body still stood tall from their boat,
And Felicity heard his booming voice.
I shall not be able to eat a thing.
I am a sensitive tauro in spite of my size.
Felicity heard the rustling of leaves as he unpacked the mouth-watering delicacies they'd been left.
Without warning,
The leets began to move of their own accord.
Sib called out Ruben calmly.
Could you please share the information you've been given by the aquatics?
Sib hesitated,
But then he called back.
The doffs pull us from beneath.
Worry not.
They take us to the mainland by morning.
Ruben looked at the sky.
The weather was fair.
The stars were clear and bright,
And the air was cold with a lack of cloud.
This was a bonus.
He thanked the old world from his heart.
Then let's enjoy our unplanned meal on a good night's sleep,
My friends.
Felicity heard the joy in his voice.
She reached out and stroked his hand.
He pulled her close,
And as they sat side by side on the bench,
He held her head and kissed her.
She stopped hearing the water splashing and the sounds of the strange creatures beneath them.
Georges' munching and Pippa's murmuring were lost.
She pulled away.
You two had better eat,
Said Wolfgang's deep voice from the front of the boat.
Felicity heard the amusement in Pippa's voice as she said,
Yes,
Take your strength now,
Ruben and Felicity.
We face uncertainty tomorrow.
Ruben sat back as their words cooled his ardour.
He had not meant to kiss Felicity.
He knew his mind should be focused on the quest.
It was,
But just for a moment.
He'd needed to connect with her.
Georges called across,
Eat and build up your muscles for the battle.
There are arctic rolls in this feast.
Felicity started giggling.
She remembered the arctic rolls her granny used to make.
Daddy was always rude about them,
But she and Mum loved the mix of ice cream and sponge.
Her laughter was infectious and the whole troop started tittering.
She could even hear Sib sniggering.
The laughter upset Georges.
I don't know why you all think that's so funny,
He said in his sternest voice.
The tension of the day dispelled.
The entire troop of nine ate as much as they could before sleep overtook them.
The arctic rolls were not ice cream and sponge,
But they were very tasty.
More like chocolate roulade,
Thought Felicity sleepily.
The creamy filling was rich and revitalising.
As she was drifting into sleep,
She heard a loud belch from Georges,
Which set everyone off again.
The boat started to rock precariously until Reuben said,
Come on everyone,
Sleep now.
No doubt tomorrow will bring its own challenge.
So they slept,
Not needing any further encouragement.
And as they slept,
The doof gently towed the leets across the calm water and directly into the path of the toxic army.
