Greyfax Grimwald Read Online Free Page A
Author: Niel Hancock
another long space of silence to discover that Otter was not with them.
Dwarf’s heart grew bitter and impatient to think that Otter had forgotten the words, and that they might very easily have been with him as he was sucked into Calix Stay’s depths, but that feeling soon passed, and he lamented the little fellow’s disappearance, for that’s all it was. Bear sat staring in stunned disbelief.
“Whatever could have happened, Dwarf? He was right beside me when we left,’! whimpered Bear, dully now and lost.
“I’m not sure, Bear. It may have had something to do with whatever it was you caught scent or there. I’m just not sure.”
“Isn’t there anything to be done?” asked Bear, as perplexed as his friend.
“Nothing, I’m afraid. Calk Stay is powerful, and once there, you’re there. If it was something else, then that’s another question.”
Dwarf paced out into the darkness a few feet; and called Otter’s name softly. Only silence and the distant, almost inaudible rumble of Calix Stay answered.
“Just as I thought,” muttered Dwarf.
“What are we to do now?” groaned Bear, thinking again of his new honey tree, and facing a growing hunger that rumbled in his huge, cavernous belly.
“First we must find shelter, then food, then well make our plans for tomorrow.” Dwarf strode away.
“What if he comes and finds us gone?” pleaded Bear. “Can’t we wait until light just to make sure?”
“Not here,” snapped Dwarf. “If it’s anything at all besides Calix Stay, we won’t be safe here a moment longer. Well wait somewhere downriver, where we can hide if need be.”
The two friends made their way slowly toward the edge of a woods that bordered the other side of Calix Stay, hearts heavy and exhausted, missing greatly the small animal’s companionship and lighthearted chatter.
Bear had just begun to make himself a bed of moss and fir when a tiny voice behind him squeaked,
“Would you like a few berries before you turn in, Bear?”
“Aiiii,” wailed Dwarf, as Bear suddenly held him clasped in a strong bear hug.
“A ghost,” moaned Bear. “I hear his voice.”
Broco spluttered and struggled vainly to free himself.
“It’s only me, Bear,” came Otter’s small voice, chittering from the darkness.
Bear groaned softly, hugging the helpless Dwarf closer.
“Go away, we’ve no use here for spirits.”
His big teeth began to rattle so loudly he imagined dry bones clacking in an invisible wind.
Otter scampered into sight, chin stained bright purple, his paws full of the huge, ripe berries from the bushes across Calix Stay.
“I must say, you two gave me a fright,” he scolded. “I wanted to take just a few more of these wonderful berries with me, when all of a sudden I was in the middle of something I couldn’t make up from down of, and Dwarf was shouting, and there was so much noise, and then I remembered to say the words, and when it all went away, I was tangled all up in a thorn patch. I called and called, but no one answered, so I got out, but there was no one about. And what’s all this about ghosts and such?” Otter crept nearer to Bear, looking over his shoulder. “Are there those kinds of things on this side?”
“Grumplety garrumph,” roared Broco, and managed to free his head from beneath Bear’s great forepaw. “There’s going to be if this fur rug doesn’t let me down.”
Dwarf coughed loudly, then sighed as Bear remembered his prisoner and released him.
‘Tm sorry, Dwarf. It was so frightening, losing him, then hearing him again that way.”
“Losing who? chimed in Otter, unable to see the dark scowl on Broco’s face.
“You, you witless water dog. Picking berries,” bellowed Dwarf, “while we’re stuck in the middle of Calix Stay. You might just as well have brought along a flower or two, since we’re just out for a friendly walk.”
Bear reached down and patted Broco gently. “But he’s not lost after all, Dwarf. And now we’re all
Dwarf’s heart grew bitter and impatient to think that Otter had forgotten the words, and that they might very easily have been with him as he was sucked into Calix Stay’s depths, but that feeling soon passed, and he lamented the little fellow’s disappearance, for that’s all it was. Bear sat staring in stunned disbelief.
“Whatever could have happened, Dwarf? He was right beside me when we left,’! whimpered Bear, dully now and lost.
“I’m not sure, Bear. It may have had something to do with whatever it was you caught scent or there. I’m just not sure.”
“Isn’t there anything to be done?” asked Bear, as perplexed as his friend.
“Nothing, I’m afraid. Calk Stay is powerful, and once there, you’re there. If it was something else, then that’s another question.”
Dwarf paced out into the darkness a few feet; and called Otter’s name softly. Only silence and the distant, almost inaudible rumble of Calix Stay answered.
“Just as I thought,” muttered Dwarf.
“What are we to do now?” groaned Bear, thinking again of his new honey tree, and facing a growing hunger that rumbled in his huge, cavernous belly.
“First we must find shelter, then food, then well make our plans for tomorrow.” Dwarf strode away.
“What if he comes and finds us gone?” pleaded Bear. “Can’t we wait until light just to make sure?”
“Not here,” snapped Dwarf. “If it’s anything at all besides Calix Stay, we won’t be safe here a moment longer. Well wait somewhere downriver, where we can hide if need be.”
The two friends made their way slowly toward the edge of a woods that bordered the other side of Calix Stay, hearts heavy and exhausted, missing greatly the small animal’s companionship and lighthearted chatter.
Bear had just begun to make himself a bed of moss and fir when a tiny voice behind him squeaked,
“Would you like a few berries before you turn in, Bear?”
“Aiiii,” wailed Dwarf, as Bear suddenly held him clasped in a strong bear hug.
“A ghost,” moaned Bear. “I hear his voice.”
Broco spluttered and struggled vainly to free himself.
“It’s only me, Bear,” came Otter’s small voice, chittering from the darkness.
Bear groaned softly, hugging the helpless Dwarf closer.
“Go away, we’ve no use here for spirits.”
His big teeth began to rattle so loudly he imagined dry bones clacking in an invisible wind.
Otter scampered into sight, chin stained bright purple, his paws full of the huge, ripe berries from the bushes across Calix Stay.
“I must say, you two gave me a fright,” he scolded. “I wanted to take just a few more of these wonderful berries with me, when all of a sudden I was in the middle of something I couldn’t make up from down of, and Dwarf was shouting, and there was so much noise, and then I remembered to say the words, and when it all went away, I was tangled all up in a thorn patch. I called and called, but no one answered, so I got out, but there was no one about. And what’s all this about ghosts and such?” Otter crept nearer to Bear, looking over his shoulder. “Are there those kinds of things on this side?”
“Grumplety garrumph,” roared Broco, and managed to free his head from beneath Bear’s great forepaw. “There’s going to be if this fur rug doesn’t let me down.”
Dwarf coughed loudly, then sighed as Bear remembered his prisoner and released him.
‘Tm sorry, Dwarf. It was so frightening, losing him, then hearing him again that way.”
“Losing who? chimed in Otter, unable to see the dark scowl on Broco’s face.
“You, you witless water dog. Picking berries,” bellowed Dwarf, “while we’re stuck in the middle of Calix Stay. You might just as well have brought along a flower or two, since we’re just out for a friendly walk.”
Bear reached down and patted Broco gently. “But he’s not lost after all, Dwarf. And now we’re all