B008IFNJZM EBOK (35 page)

             
Tom was concerned that his Iolana was still gone.

             
“Say girls, did Iolana say where she was going or what she was going to do?”

             
Chelsea shook her head no and Hadiya spoke the same response.

             
“Not a word to us.”

             
Hahn could feel the mist from the waterfall as they stopped in front of the wide channel of water separating them from the steep climb up to the plateau.  The group stood there examining their
immediate environment
around their position.  The most unusual part of their surroundings was four horn like formations of what appeared to be stone. .  Three of these stone horns pointed toward the channel’s waters and the fourth pointed away.  They could hear a tremendous force of air near the openings at the end of the hollow horns.  The one pointing away from the water appeared to be climbable.  Crosley pointed to the water’s surface.  The waters were rippling in front of the three horns pointing down at the water at the base of the plateau. 

             
“I wish Nathan was here.  It almost seems like those three are blowing out a very powerful stream of air.  The blasts must be very powerful to cause the water to ripple back against the rock.”

             
The three turned inward were almost impossible to climb.  Jerrick was able to start up one the one pointing toward the jungle land in the opposite direction as the others.  As he got close to the end,  he put some paper on the end of his rifle and dangle it over the opening.  The paper was sucked in as soon as it came close to the rush of air being sucked in.  He came back down and joined the others.

             
“Did you see that?  That is one very powerful stone vacuum cleaner.”

             
“Those openings are big enough for a Meeratt, but it is too risky to explore those as possible ways up.  Let’s check out all this area and see if there is some other way to get from here to up there.”

             
The team spread out and everyone was looking for any kind of passage, from a ground door to rock that might be moved to show a concealed entrance.  Crosley found another snake and pitched it with his rifle as far away as possible from the water’s edge.  He looked up and froze.

             
“Everyone freeze!”

             
The entire group froze and no one moved.

             
Chelsea looked at the pale expression on Crosley’s face.

             
“What is it honey, more snakes?”

             
“I only wish it was.”

             
“What do you want us to do?”

             
“Just stand perfectly still until I can figure out a plan.”

             
Now Chelsea looked up and she turned pale.

             
“Well when you finish formulating your plan ‘A’, I’ve got another situation for you to try and come up with a plan ‘B’ for.”

             
From Jerrick’s view point he could see what Chelsea and Crosley were both seeing.

             
“Before we develop any plan here you should all know this.  Crosley is standing in front of what might be all of the
Diprotodon
s in this valley walking toward us in a straight line.  Meanwhile my friends, Chelsea is looking up at the edge of the plateau and she can see that edge has what looks like the two largest male Bunyips down here.  So Crosley if your plan ‘A’ is that on the count of three we all jump into the water, we might find ourselves looking up at a pair of diving cats.”

             
Tom still bent over.  He is sweating, nervous and his finger nails are growing.  Could all this excitement and worry be forcing him to change twenty-four hours early?   In a frozen position he adds his thoughts.

             
“And who is to say that those prehistoric wombats that look like rhinos without horns are equally comfortable in the water like hippos?”

             
“I’m working on it… the two women could just shoot away at a blinding speed.”

             
“And the four of us?”

             
“Well maybe on the count of three, the girls leave and the four of us each try to make it to one of these stone horns next to the bank of this channel.”

             
“And then what?”

             
“We would have to put our backs up against the stone facing the water and hope the Diprotodons can’t get a clear shot at us to charge our positions before we can knock them out.  How many clips do you gentlemen have?”

             
Tom responded first.

             
“Only a partial and it’s in the rifle.”

             
Crosley only glanced down with his eyes.

             
“Same here...  What about you Jerrick?”

             
“After we rescued that Meeratt, just the clip in my rifle, but it should be a full one.”

             
“
Berdy?”

             
“No darts but maybe a hundred rounds for the fifty caliber.”

             
Chelsea looked down with her eyes.

             
“I think Hadiya and I each have a full one.”

             
Hadiya confirmed Chelsea’s guess with a nod.

             
“Well ladies, drop off your clips with Tom before you vanish.  Any other thoughts before I start counting?  I take your silence as a ‘no’… get ready… one…. Two…”

             
Before Crosley could say ‘three’ there was a loud roar from one of the stone horns that pointed toward the water.  The noise seemed to cause the Diprotodons to immediately stop.

             
The noise of rushing air became intermittent and the structure made an eerie sound like that of a large horn echoing through the entire valley.  All eyes now turned to it.  Suddenly, a shadow shot out of the opening and was hurdled over the waters.  It was Iolana.  She was bent over and holding on to a pair of rope handles on each side of a wooden disk that acted like a platform.  She released her grip and fell into the water below.  The pair of cats seemed to prepare to jump down into the channel, but a Meeratt with white and gray hair came out and put a hand on each of the Bunyip’s heads and in some strange language yelled out commands to the pair.  They continued to hold their positions overlooking the waters below.  As Iolana fell to the waters below, she did let go of the circular board and splashed into the channel.  The board with its two rope handles floated on the surface.  Iolana swam to it and peddled her way to the bank in front of the team using the strange wooden disk as a floatation device.  Tom smiled and went over to help her up on to land as she pulled the disk with her and set it on the shore.

             
Again, the horn sounded and again, another shadow shot out over the water on another round wooden disk with handles.  Tom recognized the shadow above the waters immediately, it was Khu!  He splashed down into the liquid and Tom pulled Iolana out of the waters.  Just seeing Iolana had a calming effect and his early transformation began to reverse itself as he smiled at her and she smiled back.

             
“You talked him into joining us?”

             
“I just thought that if we have to negotiate with the Meeratts to help you, it would be good if we had someone who could speak their language.”

             
“But how did you…”

             
“My sisters, help our guest please.”

             
Chelsea and Hadiya went over to the water’s edge.  Khu looked at them and knew what they were and reluctantly, extended his hands and the women pulled him ashore.

             
Khu looked at Tom.

             
“She is very persuasive.”

             
Khu and Iolana placed the pair of wooden disks in front of the stone horn that pointed away from the water.  The entire group moved to meet with the arrivals while
Berdy kept scanning the
Diprotodon
s and the pair of Bunyips along with their master up on the ledge.  Khu looked up at the Meeratt and spoke in the language of the Aborigines.  Crosley and Jerrick both followed and understood what was being said.  Crosley leaned over to Tom.

             
“He is apologizing for our intrusion into their realm and he is seeking an audience with him and his people.”

             
The Meeratt kept stroking his pets and with a few words, they retreated from the edge.  A few more words came down from above and the creature waved his arm in the direction of the water falls.  Khu bowed and turned to the others.

             
“They will give us an audience.  Follow me.”

             
The group followed Khu as he walked toward the water fall and the group followed walking backwards still pointing their weapons at the herd of
Diprotodon
s.  
Berdy Hahn took up the rear position and watched
that now the herd seemed to be retreating back into the valley.  Khu led them to a wet stone ledge and climbed up on it and the others followed.  It was wet and water coming down sprayed the team and made the stones slippery.  One by one, Khu led them behind the falls to a flight of stone steps leading up to the Meeratt’s village.

             
As they began to emerge on the edge of the elevated plateau, the pair of cats watched each of them.  They growled when Tom came out of the stone corridor and the Meeratt yelled something that caused the two cats to trot off and back in the direction of the village.  Tom realized that the description of their homes was accurate.  The walls did seem to be cinderblock and he noticed none of them had roofs.  But then again, if it never rained in this valley, why would one need a roof?  All one would need are walls tall enough to offer privacy.

             
There was a large campfire in the center of their complex and the team saw Meeratts of all sizes from children and mothers to adult males.  No one said a word as this seven foot tall creature led them into a wall enclosed meeting room.  The two cats took up positions on each side of the entrance and again snarled at Tom as he passed them.  Tom’s senses were heightened by the beginning of his first upcoming transformation and the fire in the center of the chamber had a smell like burning fur.  No one else seemed to react to the pungent odor.  The elder sat down and Khu took a seat next to him.  Tom sat across from the pair as the others filled in to make the gathering into a shape of a circle around the fire.  Khu kept talking to this creature as he stared at Tom.  Khu turned to Tom.

             
“Stand up.”

             
Tom did as he was told.

             
“Take off your shirt and show him.”

             
Tom took off his shirt and the sign of the pentagram was very defined now and red on his chest.  Iolana reached up and squeezed his hand with a warm smile on her face.  Khu removed a small canvas pouch and handed it to their host.  With his huge hands he finally opened it and looked inside.  He removed a large ruby and seemed to be pleased as Khu continued to talk to the creature.  Khu and the Meeratt stood up.  Khu motioned for Tom to come over.

             
Tom stood in front of the huge male as it examined his chest and talked to Khu.

             
“He says you will be turned into a beast in a few hours.  It is not the moon but the gravitational pull of the moon that will trigger the change.  You are not safe even this far below the ground.”

             
“Can he stop it?  I wish to harm no one and if he cannot stop it, tell him to tell his friends outside the door to attack me and kill me.”

             
“It can be stopped but it will be painful.”

             
“I would suffer more pain if I hurt or killed someone.”

             
There was a pause and Khu translated his words to the creature as he looked up at its face.  The creature seemed to nod his approval to Tom’s concern for the life of others.  The Meeratt stood up and Khu turned to the group.

             
“Leave your weapons here and follow us.  Berdy bring your tranquilizer rifle and make sure you have a full clip.”

             
Berdy took Hadiya’s rifle.  He pulled the clip out and verified that the banana shaped clip had a full load.