A last cloud seemed to pass over the sun and he looked away. “Don’t let your friends underestimate Brognar Blackstrap,” he told Will. “He’s the toughest, meanest, cleverest, most vicious individual I’ve ever met in my life, and believe me, I’ve known some the mere sight of whom would curl the hair on your young head. He’ll stop at nothing to have his revenge. ”
Will followed the first mate’s gaze. ‘The authorities will deal with him,” he assured the older man, mindful of his recent encounters with the irascible Lee Crabb. “He’s no longer your concern, or mine. Try to put him out of your mind. ”
Claws gentling on his shoulder made him turn, and he found himself staring into the handsome face of Tarqua the ascetic.
“I must return now, Will Denison. ”
“Back to my life of contemplstionback to my search for the answers to the great mysteries."
“But what if Blackstrap’s waiting for you there? There are three of them and only one of you. ”
The Deinonychus sighed. “I know, but if it comes to another scuffle I will try somehow to even the odds for them so it is not so one-sided. Perhaps I will fight them only on one leg. ”
Will’s dubiety gave way to a grin. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe that will make it more fair.” His grin faded as he looked to his right. The place where the Deinonychus’s craft had been moored was empty, scoured as bare as much of the surrounding landscape. “I’m sorry about your sky boat. I can imagine how much time and effort it cost you. ”
“A useful occupation for one’s time and hands. I will build another when it suits me.” Again a clawed hand came up to lightly grip Will’s shoulder. “I would enjoy talking with you again someday, Will Denison. From what I have seen of you and from what your friend Chaz tells me, you are a singular young human, especially for one arrived so recently in Dinotopia. ”
“I’d like that, too.” Will’s insides tightened. “Why don’t you come back with us? I know you’d be made welcome in Waterfall City. Nallab would love to talk to you, and the head librarian is one of your own kind. ”
“No. ” Tarqua was unyielding. “I have chosen a life of solitude and contemplation, and to that I will hew. But perhaps ...” he seemed to hesitate for just a moment, “I may pay you a visit someday. It has been a long time since I was in a place like Waterfall City. A long time since I had the opportunity to read the great scrolls. ”
“I’m going to hold you to that.” Will put a hand on the sloping shoulder, feeling the muscle beneath the embroidered robe. “Maybe when you come you can teach me how to kick like that. ”
“A lowly skill useful for maintaining one's physical conditioning.” The curving claws slid down to touch Will's other hand, palm to palm. “Good-bye, Will Denison. I am glad I was able to help you and your friends. Karma shall accrue to us both. ”
There was nothing more Will could do but watch as the exceptional Deinonychus bade farewell to everyone from Chaz to Prettykill. Then he was off, loping along with long strides toward the distant mountains, pausing only once atop a waterlogged rise to wave a last time in their direction.
Will turned his thoughts toward home. His father must have been notified by now and would be anxiously awaiting word of his son’s fate. The same was true for Sylvia, and to a lesser extent Cirrus, who at least knew what Will had intended. They would be greatly relieved to learn that he was safe and unharmed.
“Look,” a voice called out. “The philosopher’s coming back! ”
Whirling, Will saw that Tarqua was indeed bounding back toward them, his taloned feet kicking up water with every stride. Once more the Deinonychus confronted him.
“You know, as I was running along—by myself, as usual— it struck me that perhaps I could take a break from endless solitude. For one thing, I had forgotten how addictive good conversation and the company of friends could be. Do you think the librarians of Waterfall City would truly be desirous of speaking with me? ”
Will’s delight knew no bounds. “I’m sure of it! My father might even help you improve on the design of your sky boat. ” “Truly? That would be a fine thing.”
Smiggens had been standing nearby, listening. “Believe it or not, I once had an interest in such matters. I remember seeing the drawings of da Vinci, and reading about the work of two brothers in France. There were also some interesting experiments with balloons during the Civil War in America ...” Ignoring the lingering drizzle as well as their surroundings, the eager first mate and the meticulous Deinonychus wandered off together, deep in learned conversation. A gratified Will watched them go, until a nudge made him turn.
Encountering Prettykill’s face so close to his own still gave him a start. A delicate snarl induced Will to gesture for Chaz to come and interpret.
“She’s anxious to start on her way home,” the Protoceratops explained.
“I understand.” Will made himself stare back into those relentlessly feral eyes. “Tell her I'll personally see to it that she’s returned to her parents, just as I promised.”
As was the nature of tyrannosaurian conversations, the exchange was brief and to the point. After she had turned away, Chaz peered up at his friend.
“Be aware, Will, that this is a unique, perhaps even unprecedented friendship. For, astonishing as it may seem, she does regard you as a friend. I’ve never heard of such a thing. Any other human she most likely would treat as food. Should you someday, for some inexplicable reason, wish to spend time in the Rainy Basin, you know you now have a friend there." With his horny snout the Protoceratops nudged his companion’s leg. “In fact, I’d go so far as to say that she’s downright fond of you. ”
“Now, just a minute,” Will began. “She’s not my type. I like my female friends a little less, well, carnivorous.” As he finished, he felt a blow to his shoulder.
“Hey, ow!” Turning, he saw that Prettykill had whacked him with the side of her snout. Bright yellow eyes regarded him intently. “Take it easy! ”
“What did I tell you?” Chaz chortled softly. “Most definitely a gesture of affection. A tyrannosaurian love-pat. Be glad she’s no bigger. She’d have broken your arm. ”
“You’re exaggerating. But tell her to take it easy. After all, I’m only human. ” At this Chaz began to hoot uncontrollably.
Ignoring both the uncomfortably attentive tyrannosaur and the greatly amused Protoceratops, Will let his gaze roam out across the inundated Northern Plains. Soon the farmers and gatherers would return to rebuild their informal but comfortable homes. Rice and taro fields would be replanted, ceratop-sians and ankylosaurs would once more shoulder their plow harnesses, and life here would return to normal.
As would his own. He was amazed at how eagerly he was looking forward to a return to ordinary, everyday routine. He’d had more than enough excitement and adventure.
For a little while, anyhow.
copperhead cursed as he tripped over the root. His face streaked with grime and sweat, Blackstrap scowled at him.
“Belay that! ’Tis hard enough avoiding the beasts without letting them know we’re here.’’ He paused to catch his breath. With the passing of the storm, the heat and humidity in the Rainy Basin were higher than ever.
Davies plucked at the bigger man’s sleeve. “You sure we’re going the right way, Captain? ”
Blackstrap glared back. “D’you doubt my sense of direction, man? Me, who’s found his way through most of the seven seas with naught but a compass and the stars to guide him?” He snorted contemptuously. “Did I not find the first canyon, and are we not on course to return to the second? ”
“Your pardon, Captain Blackstrap, sir,” complained Copperhead, “but I still don’t see why we didn’t just return to the temple complex direct. ”
“Must I explain it again? I could not take the chance of being followed, and this way we’ll be able to sneak up on that high-kicking devil when he least expects it. If anyone’s looking for us at all, which I doubt, they’ll be watching the route by which we r
eturned to the lowlands. ” He grunted his satisfaction. “No one’ll be expecting us to circle all the way ’round again.
“We ’11 catch that damnable great-clawed lizard in his sleep and slit his throat. Then we’ll gather as much treasure as we can carry. If the Condor’s been disabled or taken, we’ll steal a boat from the locals. It shouldn’t be hard. The boy as much as told us the peace-loving simpletons hereabouts bear no arms. ”
“Aye, that’s so,” Copperhead admitted. “It would feel good to open a few bellies. ”
“That’s the spirit. There’s not a sound coastal craft that, properly rigged, can’t cross a cooperative sea. All we’ll need is a little weather luck. We’ll load it with treasure and make our way to Durban. That and the promise of much more will be enough for us to raise a fleet.” His eyes burned with an unholy light.
“We’ll sail back here and put this unnatural society of dinosaur beasts and people to the torch. I’ll have my revenge, I will! ” He shook his fist at the trees, which did not respond.
“What if they decide to fight, Captain? ” Davies wanted to know.
“With what? You heard the boy. As for these dinosaur creatures, though they be monstrous big I’ll wager an emerald the size of me nose that modern cannon will bring them down right quick enough. Rifled artillery, har, that be the trick! We’ll put an end to this ‘Dinotopia,’ or whatever ’tis called. We’ll—” His tirade was interrupted by a sudden parting of the vegetation before them. The brute had approached undetected. Now it confronted them in silence, the only sound that of its heavy but unlabored breathing.
"Back! ” Blackstrap yelled unnecessarily to his companions as he drew both revolvers. “Look to your rifles! We frightened one such demon away with their sound and flash. Who’s to say we’ll not have similar good fortune with this one. ” Davies shrieked and fell to the ground. “Captain, there’s another one ... behind usl”
Blackstrap whirled just as a second monster nearly as big as the first emerged from the trees. Fearful as he was, he still found himself marveling at the silence with which they moved, at their physical grace and the beauty of their natural camouflaged coloring. He gripped both pistols tightly.
“Steady, steady. Keep your nerve. Mayhap they’ll choose to ignore us and engage one another. Move to the side. That’s it, that’s it. See, they have other concerns.”
Hope surged through Copperhead. “Look at their stomachs, Captain. See how they bulge. These two have just eaten. If they’re at all like lions or tigers, they should have no interest in killing for several days. ”
Indeed, the two great carnosaurs were distended with food. Though they watched the three men closely, they made no move to attack. Their entire attitude was suggestive of ennui and indifference.
“They’re going to let us go,” Davies whispered tautly. “They’re not interested in us. ”
“Bloody hell,” Copperhead muttered. “Would you believe there’s a third devil!” His tone softened. ‘It’s all right, though. It’s only a little one. ”
Blackstrap’s brows drew together. “Little one? What do you mean, little one’?” He spun around.
Copperhead was right. Standing before them and blocking their retreat was a much-reduced version of the two tumescent giants behind them.
“Go to its left." Blackstrap’s fingers were numb from gripping the pistols so tightly. “It looks like it has eaten as well. There be no reason for them to trouble us with so much ready carrion about. ”
For several moments that seemed to be the case, and it appeared that they were destined to slip away clean. Then Davies whispered, a slight tremble in his voice.
“That small one, Captain. Doesn’t it look familiar to you?”
“Familiar? What are you gibbering about, man? ”
Abruptly the subject of the seaman’s concern parted its jaws and emitted a series of sharp growls and snarls. In response the two heretofore disinterested monsters came instantly awake, their lethargy gone. Striding forward, they shook the ground with their tread. Mouths several feet long parted to reveal dark pink tongues and jet black gullets framed by saberlike teeth.
Only then did Blackstrap recognize the third and smallest member of the suddenly attentive trio. It was the very same young dinosaur they had taken captive. And if it was the young, then the two toothy leviathans bearing down on them must be ...
For the second time since making landfall in Dinotopia, Brognar Blackstrap found himself speechless.
It was also the last time.
Alan Dean Foster, Dinotopia - Dinotopia Lost
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