Woodlock Read Free Page B

use my puddlejumpers!’ I showed him again for the hundredth time how to do it! Then I made him promise to claim the first unoccupied pool we discovered and to stay there when I went on to find my own. He promised! Liar!”
    Fury overtook Runner Rill again. He spun to the middle of the pool and savagely swung his purple pouchbag to strike against one of the boulders six or seven times. He floated back to his place above me, breathing heavily. His yellow orange eyes glittered wildly. He gained control. His breathing slowed.
    â€œThere was a tree by the first pool we found. It was twice taller than all of the others around,” he went on grimly in a soft voice. “A proper beckoning pool it was, untended by any waterwizard. No mark of claim in sight. ‘Here ye be, Riffle Sike. Take possession. Mark the claim. Then I will leave ye to find my own pool, and when I do, we’ll visit, me to ye, ye to me, wherever my me may be.’ That be what I said in the moment before I saw…”
    A new gentle look settled on Runner Rill’s mist green face. A smile of sweetness barely tipped the corners of his mouth. He blinked his yellow orange eyes. They grew dreamy.
    â€œHigh in the tree I saw her standing. Wide dark eyes. Frightened. Satin black hair. Gray beauty,” he fairly whispered. Such was so. The moment passed, and he frowned, the glitter wildness reappearing in his eyes. “Riffle Sike! He saw her, too! The woodlock. In a flash of spray before I could even believe what I saw, the lackwit was into his pouchbag and out with the amulet. He dared to look at me and say, ‘It be written thusly to begin.’ Then poof! He was gone, and so was she! I saw her sparkle away! He spelled her! He spelled her! My brother! Whatever he told you was a river of lies! Where be they?”
    What could I say? I did not know the answer to his question. He believed I had spoken to his brother. He was wrong. What was I supposed to do? Was this meeting with Runner Rill part of my task? I rummaged for something to say. I was beginning to believe maybe my task might be to bring Runner Rill and Delia Branch together. I assumed that the woodlock he saw high in the tree was Delia Branch, and that Runner Rill had properly been smitten. The Gwer drollek future I knew made it seem so such likely. I wished Shendra Nenas would appear and show me somehow that I was following along the right thought path.

Chapter Eight
    Alone Again
    â€œThis tall tree where you saw the woodlock. Where is it?” I offered, following my own simple bendo dreen logic, so such that to visit the site of the incident might be what was expected of me.
    â€œAh, the geyser spouts. I understand. Ye have been warned not to tell me straight out. So ye meander to avoid the rapids. He circled back? Clever,” commented Runner Rill, and he lifted up and away over the trees with so such a swiftness that I was left with words of denial perched on my tongue.
    Such I had not wanted or expected him to do. Alone again, I called for Shendra Nenas feebly with no hope the shifter would answer. I spoke her name twice only, sank to the ground, sat and sulked. I picked at the white grassy stubble beside me. I chewed on white feather fern fronds. I stared at the boulders in the pool until they were black against the darkness of night. I retreated then to the comfort of the nearby thorn thistle thicket and settled to nestle there until morning.
    He flew off in that direction, I thought. I must remember. Other side of the pool. I’ll find that tall tree. It shouldn’t be so such hard. After all, the tree is tall. Twice tall, he said. He appeared when I played my chonka. Was that the why Shendra Nenas suggested I bring it? I should chant the same chant when I find that tree. Might as well. It’s as good an idea as one or any of another when you’re left all completely alone with no proper instruction.
    I nibbled a thistle, felt sorry for myself,