Euuuugh! Eyeball Stew! Read Online Free

sulkily. ‘Why can’t you go?’
    â€˜Don’t be a dungwit!’ snapped his father. ‘I’m Chief of the elders – how can I go? I’m far too important.’
    â€˜Then let Iggy take her. He wants to,’ said Snark. ‘And if he dies, no one’ll care!’
    Borg shook his head. ‘Hasn’t you been listening, boy? I want you to go. They need a good hunter.’
    Snark sniffed. It was true he was a brilliant hunter. He was brilliant at a lot of things – boulder-ball, climbing trees, bullying – but hunting came as naturally to him as breathing. Other boys of his age fainted at the sight of blood; he actually enjoyed it. All the same, this wasn’t a hunting trip or he might have been more enthusiastic. The point was to escort this Henna girl back to her tribe. But the question was – why bother? She could find her own way home, and if she got eaten by wolves then too bad– who was going to know? In any case, he didn’t see why he should tramp halfway across the world to find some tribe he’d never even heard of. He tossed the bone he’d been chewing into a corner.
    â€˜But what’s the point?’ he grumbled.
    His father slipped a hand inside his furs and drew something out.
    â€˜There,’ he said. ‘There’s your point.’
    â€˜Huh!’ grunted Snark. ‘A stone.’
    â€˜Take a proper look.’
    Snark took the smooth red stone over to the fire where he could see it better. It was different from any stone he’d seen before. This one shimmered with light, like a fish just before you bashed it on the head.

    â€˜Ever seen anything like it?’ asked Borg.
    â€˜Never.’ Snark shook his head. ‘Can I keep her?’
    â€˜Don’t be stupid – give her here.’ Borg snatched the stone and held it up. ‘Now listen. Say I got twenty of these stones, what then?’
    â€˜You need a sack.’
    â€˜I got power, you dungwit, that’s what. People love these firestones – they’ll give anything for ’em. Hammerhead most of all.’
    â€˜But he’s the Chief,’ said Snark. ‘If he likes ’em so much, why don’t he just get some?’
    Borg shook his head. ‘That’s the beauty of it, boy. They’re rare. You only find ’em in the Cloud Mountains, where the Henna live.’
    He paused, waiting for Snark to work it out. It took a while.
    â€˜Oh! That’s why you want me to go! You want them firestones.’
    â€˜Exactly. And not just a few, mind. I want twenty or more.’
    â€˜Twenty or more,’ repeated Snark. ‘You mean like a million?’
    Borg sighed. ‘Never mind. Get some sleep. You got a long journey tomorrow.’
    Snark went to the back of the cave to lie down while Borg remained sitting by the smoky fire, thinking evil thoughts. Once he had the firestones, he would string them into a necklace and invite Hammerhead over to see them. The old fool wouldn’t be able to resist the sight of all those sparkling stones. He would give anything in exchange, even the ceremonial necklace that was his prize possession. Once Borg had that it would be easy to persuade those gormless elders that he was the rightful Chief. Borg, High Chief of the Urks. It sounded good.

Chapter 5
    Journey to Cloud Mountains
    E arly next morning Iggy, Hubba and Oosha set off on the long journey to the Cloud Mountains and the Land of the Henna. At the foot of the hill they found Snark waiting for them armed with his spear and long-handled axe.
    â€˜Right,’ he said. ‘We got a long journey, so let’s get one thing straight: I’m in charge.’
    Iggy and Hubba looked at each other.
    â€˜How come?’ said Iggy.
    â€˜â€™Cos I say so, numlugs. I’m the oldest and I got the brains.’
    â€˜Brains of an ant,’ muttered Iggy.
    â€˜What you say?’
    â€˜Nothing.’
    â€˜What if