Lullaby

[Gordon Hagglethrump]

Long way from home,
twixt jungle and sea,
where fire mountain rests
?neath smoldering tree,
we?re lost beyond charts,
where savages roam,
no beast can save us,
long way from home.

Gordon was ready to go home.

He missed his soft bed, and sleeping in, and wearing dry clothes. He missed eating big dinners of cabbage pie and broasted yam, and reading long epic adventure poems to put himself to sleep. He missed his big house, and a room full of only the toys that he wanted. There were no sharks in his room. He missed being alone, instead of being stared at, with everyone pointing out how short he was. He missed his mom.

She probably missed him, too. He felt guilty. She had no idea where he was. She must be so worried about him? would his parents come looking for him? Were they already on their way? He felt a cold realization in his gut: no, they had no idea where to find him. They?d never see him again.

They had been shipwrecked for hours, and no hope was in sight. Why had Brother Sage put him on this stupid quest? Kill Atlas, really? How could he have thought that would have ended well? Well, the stupid mouse definitely didn?t foresee the stupid attack on the stupid ship and the stupid sharks and the stupid ocean and the stupid island with the stupid sand stuck between his toes. And where was Atlas now? And what was the point of all of this? What difference did it make? It was all stupid and pointless. Why should he care anymore?

Plink was gone. She?d left him. She must be off with the pirates at last, having the time of her life. She didn?t care about him, she was too busy having fun. Whatever. Good for her. She probably didn?t even remember him. He imagined himself being eaten alive by some monster in the jungle, slow agonizing bite after slow agonizing bite, and then the pieces of his body scattered around the jungle for her to find. He hoped he died that way and she?d find the pieces, just so that she?d feel bad for having left him.

The fire flickered. He could see Colonel Swiftpaw, asleep and lying in a stretcher. He felt sorry for him. He could see the shadow of Captain Ciera Ancora, on his left, who was sitting and sighing. She didn?t seem so bad. She had known Blade.

He recognized the Zephyr's crew around the campfire: Qwirry, Drandy, Addai, Killian, and Gerro. He didn?t care about the rest of them. Petty treasure-hunters. Stupid waverunners. They put their lives in Atlas?s hands, and this is what he had done to them. They deserved it for trusting Altas. He hoped that they all were eaten by the monster.

Even Fildering was stupid? but wait, where was Fildering? And where was Vera, the cook? They had left that morning, but it was now early evening and the sun would soon be setting.

The only sound he could hear from their camp on the beach was the crashing of the waves. The birds had stopped.

The jungle around them had gone quiet.

*   *   *

When neither foe nor fowl will speak
and silence fills the air,
seek what sneaks unseen beside you.
Look out, my friend! Beware!

Snakes!

Drandy was the first to disappear. They assumed he had simply stepped away to relieve himself. Killian and Gerro went off to find him.

They never came back.

Qwirry, in the midst of trying to tell a joke to lighten the mood, disappeared also with a scream, at the same moment as Captain Ancora. Colonel Swiftpaw cried out loudly, and then disappeared, leaving a bloodied bandage behind. Addai looked at Gordon and pulled out a sword.

?Scully, I say we?? and then, he was gone too.

The fire had gone out. No one else was left, but Gordon knew he was not alone. He heard the hissing behind him, but also knew he was powerless to do anything to stop it. Then, he felt clammy repitilian skin brushing up against him, and in a moment he was gone.

Wrapping its body around his to keep him secure, the large viper dragged Gordon through the jungle for what seemed like an hour before they began climbing a tree. The sun set as he was dragged away. Although he could not see how far off the ground they were going, he could tell from the time it took to travel to the top that it must be a very tall tree. Finally, the snake uncoiled its body from him, and he began to fall: but not very far, for he was caught by a mess of vines which snagged and entangled him. The vines had tiny claws that latched themselves into his fur and pricked against him. Although they were painful, his body went stiff with terror and he did not struggle against them, knowing that the fall would be deadly.

Although it was completely dark in the tree, he could smell the warm presence of the other mammals around him. He recognized all of the smells, except one. He heard two snakes talking.

?First me to eat!?

?Hisss, no, first me. You not first.?

?I most fish catch, I eat not first? What fair is this??

?I catch big big fat fish! Extreme heavy weight.?

?Quiet hush, you,? a third voice chimed in.  ?Lots cast. Short bone wins first pick.?

?Hiss, foul on you! I catch fish, I eat fish, now!?

Gordon felt the impact ripple through the vines, and he heard two screams. The first scream he recognized clearly as Gerro the hedgehog. The second scream came from whatever it was that had just tried to eat Gerro the hedgehog.

?Hisss. What is this? Sharp fish! Foul fish! Aaaaaarghhhissss.?

Gerro was still breathing, for now.

A fourth voice now spoke, much deeper and sounding more like gurgling than hissing. Although its voice was more distant than the other three, Gordon could smell rotting meat on its breath. ?You idiots! I instructed you clearly that we?ve not even determined what they are yet, nor whence they came. You are to guard them, not eat them. At midnight, when the council is awake, we shall consider then what to do with them and how to reward you.?

Gordon caught a brief glimpse of the fourth snake. Perhaps it was the moonlight playing tricks on him, but its bright yellow eye seemed as large as Gordon?s face.

*   *   *

The hours wore on.

?Scully, ?sthat you?? It was Addai.

?Yeah.?

?Quite a spot we?re in, huh??

?Yeah.?

?You have any family??

?Yeah.? He tried not to let them hear him sniffling.

A different voice spoke. It was Captain Ancora.

?I?m sorry.?

This was it. They were doomed. The snakes were going to eat them, and Gordon?s last moments would be spent being digested alive by acid in the pit of a serpent?s stomach. The thought of Plink finding his body no longer pleased him. It made him sad. He missed her.

?I?m sorry... that I... failed you... Scully? failed you all.? Colonel Swiftpaw spoke, haltingly, full of guilt, catching his breath. He was awake.

?It?s okay, sir,? said Drandy.

?Aye, sir,? said Killian and Qwirry.

?We?ll make it, sir,? said Addai. ?Right Scully, ol? chap??

?Yeah. Actually, yeah.? And at that moment an idea occured to Gordon, a wind of hope that blew away the clouds in his head and let him see clearly. It was a poem.

When a serpent trails your path
run and you will face his wrath,
but turn and look him in the eyes
and sing this song to hypnotize?

Brother Sage had taught it to him, sometime last winter in the midst of lessons on swimming, fire-making, trail-blazing, scouting, foraging, poisoning, locating buried treasure? they?d studied and memorized the Great Poems of the Lost Pirates. One of his favorites, because it was by far the silliest, was the snake-sleeping song. Perhaps it was just an old pirate?s tale... but perhaps it would work.

You say a sly to slow the slew
and play a pie to poe the poo
what dill and taffy tried to do
or may the mighty mow anew.

Gordon continued reciting the poem in a ?happy, sing-song voice? as Brother Sage had instructed him, bobbing his head back and forth to the rhythm. He could see the shadows of the three tree snakes taking notice.

You hold the hash and have a hoe
and give the gander grabbing go
but take a dither at the doe:
it never needs to nod a no.

The three vipers were completely transfixed on Gordon, their heads bobbing along with his.

He kept singing, while slowly and carefully prying his arm out of the clinging vines. He felt the dagger tucked in his belt, and he reached for it, trying not to attract attention. At last, the dagger was out! He could cut himself free!

...to villains? vittles? voyage view
we wade the weeping willows?

WHOMP. A massive tail thicker around than he was tall plucked him up and held him, suspended, over the side of the tree.

?The Council will come to Order,? a deep, monstrous voice said.

Bright lights shone on him from several sides from torches held by a dozen or more large snakes. His dagger was no longer hidden, but exposed in the light. It gleamed as did the name ?Blade? engraved upon it. The colorful design on the hilt had never looked so beautiful.

?Where did you get that blade?? he heard Captain Ancora shout at him in a startled voice. But he had no time to answer her before the large snake spoke again.

?Tell us, who are you? What have you to say to us??

He could see five snakes, far longer and larger than all of the rest, wearing crowns of gold on their heads and bands of silver around their bodies and with gold painted on their skin that reflected the light. All looked straight at him.

All of the hope had drained from Gordon?s face. He became cold, pale, and lifeless in the snake?s clutches, unable to speak.

?Leave the... little one... be!? Shouted a voice from the vines. ?It is... me you want!? Frederick wheezed. ?He is.... a member of my crew, and... under my protection.?

?Put him down, you filthy, silthering reptile! Take me first!? Addai shouted.

?He?s barely a leveret!? said Drandy.

?Poor babe!? said Drandy.

But the snakes ignored all of them, brushing them off as though they were raving lunatics. The little snakes mocked and cackled. The large snake stared straight at Gordon with his massive eyes.

?What have you to say to us, messenger of the fire god??

The little snakes gasped.

The Zephyr's crew gasped.

Gordon gasped, more confused than all of them.

He had neither the strength to object nor the strength to play along. Fire god? Who did they think he was? He remained limp, with his mouth wide open. Fortunately, Captain Ancora was far quicker at thinking on her feet than he was: ?If he is a messenger of your god, then perhaps you should show him more respect.?

?We will never worship the god of our bitter enemies,? another of the large, crowned snakes replied. His voice crackled with age. ?But we understand why he has sent you to us.?

?Lord Bad-ger!? The smaller tree snakes chanted. ?Lord Bad-ger!?

?For over a decade now your god has enabled his chosen tribe to hunt us and slaughter us with fire. For years we have appealed to the earth to send us, the owners of this land from ancient times, a defender against them. And today, the earth heard us, and it provided us with a true son of the earth, a mighty warrior, a champion, a lord!?

?Lord Bad-ger! Lord Bad-ger!? they chanted again.

?Twenty mongooses killed in one hour. Of the strange beasts like you who washed ashore, yesterday, the champion has already killed half of them. We have eaten our fill and the earth has drunk the blood.?

?Fresh Fish! Fresh Fish!? the small snakes chanted.

?He speaks to none, and listens to no cry for mercy! The spirit of the son within him glows hot and red through his eyes! He shouts his name for all to hear!?

?Lord Bad-ger! Lord Bad-ger!?

?Now, little messenger, tell your god that we demand a truce. If his chosen tribe will cease hunting us, if they will lay down their abominable weapons from the pit of the earth? then we will call to the earth to restrain him, and we will have peace. But if they will not? the earth has heard our call, and the mighty Lord Bad-ger will slaughter every last one.?

A cacophony of noise erupted from the small snakes as they hissed and cackled in the torchlight. Then, the large snake motioned with his head, and they fell silent. All eyes were upon Gordon. Not a noise could be heard.

?Um??

Silence.

?Um??

Silence.

?So? you want me to tell the? fire god? that you want a truce.? Gordon didn?t know what was going on. Nothing in Brother Sage?s lessons had prepared him for this. He felt disoriented, even a tad giddy.

Silence.

?Sure. I?ll do that.?

The large snake let him go. He was free, sort of. He looked around awkwardly.

?We know you are small, little messenger. So you may choose two bodyguards. The rest we will keep as insurance, to ensure you keep your word. If you don?t, well? your god will understand that we have many mouths to feed, I am sure.?

Gordon turned around to look at the faces of all of those caught in the vines behind him. He saw Drandy and Killian, Addai and Qwirry. He saw Colonel Swiftpaw, and paused for moment. Then he moved on. He saw Gerro the hedgehog, who gave him a scornful look.

?Her,? he said, pointing at Captain Ancora. They released her also.

?We?ll also take Murdin,? she said, pointing at a stoat that Gordon didn?t recognize. They released him also.

?Scully, what the devil??? said Addai.

?Traitor!? gasped Qwirry.

?You idiot!? Killain shouted.

?Fool of a kid,? Drandy groaned.

?You filthy son of a?? muttered Gerro.

?Oh, and, um? I?d like that amulet,? he said, pointing at Gerro. Gerro, spines extended hatefully, surrendered the amulet to one of the snakes, who handed it to Gordon.

*   *   *

Dawn was breaking when Gordon, Captain Ancora, and Murdin returned to the beach. The camp was deserted, but they heard a voice coming from the water a short way away.

"I say, you chaps! Over here!"

Two bedraggled heads popped up, one belonging to a fox, and one to a hare. Gordon waved the amulet in the air so that Vera could see it.

Gordon wasn?t sure how he felt about what he had done. He was supposed to find a tribe with a god, and supposed to tell the god something about a truce, or else all of his former crewmates would be eaten alive by a hungry band of tropical snakes. From the sound of it, Atlas was running around the island killing everything that moved. And he had chosen as his companions in this journey two beasts who, so far as he knew, probably would turn and kill him on the spot if it became convenient. He could imagine his father saying that it was quite possibly the stupidest decision he had ever made.

And something felt very, very good about that.

It felt like revenge for all of the times his brother?s military academy friends had made fun of him for reading poetry and playing with dolls. It felt like proving that he owned himself, that he wasn?t just his father?s son. It felt like burning all of his mother's stupid patriotic paintings. It felt like earning the right to call himself a pirate.

?So, Scully,? a very tired-looking Captain Ciera Ancora knelt down to speak to him, ?would you mind if I had a look at that dagger??

A dark, satisfied smile crossed his face as he picked it up to show her.

But as he did so, he couldn?t help but notice a large yellow eye watching them.