The Walrus and the Warwolf

'Man, you're half-way pickled,' said.Drake in disgust. 'This is a nice start! And where's Whale Mike? Eh?'

'What would we want with him?' said Ish Ulpin, as the boat got underway.

'He's muscle,' said Drake, nursing his sore arm as best he could as dark-tongued waves nagged at the boat. 'A monster like that – he must be something terrible in a fight.'

'Let's not be calling our good friend a monster,' said Slagger Mulps, a note of warning in his voice.

'Whatever we call him,' said Drake, 'he's built for battle.'

'Oh yes,' said Bucks Cat, with a chuckle. 'Built beautiful. But soft as a sea slug. He never likes to kill. Not like some of us.'

Silence, then, as the rowers pulled for the shore. Burntos, by night, was an ominous, almost featureless mass. Far off down the shore, a bonfire was burning. Praul Galana, having shaped words to his satisfaction, spoke:

'Whale Mike, he's a good cook and a better carpenter, aye, but he hates to hurt people. So he's not much good in a fight, not unless he's really stirred up. Anyway, there'll be no fighting tonight.'

'Not unless our drunken friend starts some trouble for us,' said Drake savagely.'Who you calling drunk?' said Andranovory.

'Hush, An'vory,' said Mulps. 'Drake – keep your mouth shut. Your every word shows you shit-scared frightened.'

'I'm not frightened,' said Drake, trying to keep his voice steady. 'But there's a right way to do things, aye.

Like doing some thinking. Aye. And leaving our drunks behind.'

'Yes,' said Rolf Thelemite, 'and keeping our voices down so we can't be heard more than twenty leagues away.'

Drake realized then that his voice had been getting louder and louder as he spoke. He was about to explain the reasons for his anger further, then thought better of it and shut his mouth firmly.'Ship oars,' said Mulps.

Wet and dripping, the oars came into the boat. Pain jolted Drake's arm as the boat rocked as men jumped to the knee-deep water.

'Come, man,' said Rolf Thelemite, helping Drake into the cold of the sea.

Drake trudged out of the water while the others hauled the boat onto the beach, where the sea's shuzzle and hiss, snake-sibilant, wracked shingle back. Onshore, the sullen shapes of massive buildings loomed dark against dark.'Take her up,' said Mulps.

And, boots sliding on the sea-wet stones, the men took the boat higher, scraping her underside against the shingle. They made so much noise about it that Drake wanted to scream. He controlled himself. Then could not help but say:

'Man, we'll be a long time getting the boat afloat if we have to leave in a hurry.'

'Fear gives strength,' said Rolf Thelemite. 'If we run from war we'll shove it to sea so quick you'd think it flew.'

By starlight they trooped in single file through the warm night, led by Praul Galana, who had been kept busy over the last couple of days locating Zanya's sleeping quarters and planning the best attack route.

What would the pirates do when they found Zanya gone? Would they suspect that Drake was responsible for thwarting their kidnap raid?Man, maybe I should run.It would be easy enough to slip away into the dark, that was for sure. But what then? He would be left stranded on Burntos, amongst strangers, hundreds of leagues from his hopes of a royal marriage and the throne of Stokos.We've got to see this through, man. It's the only way.

From a building which must have been a bar came raucous sounds of singing; obviously soldiers were, in the time-honoured fashion, relieving the tedium of garrison duty by getting drunk. Praul Galana halted the pirates beside a long, low, dark, silent building, not far from the bar.'We're here,' said Galana.'What place is this?' said Rolf Thelemite.

'The kitchen,' said Galana. 'The red-skinned wench sleeps in a small room right at the end.'

The door to the kitchen was locked, but the pirates broke it down. The noise was covered by the uproar from the bar. If Drake was any judge, then a brawl was in progress in that place of entertainment.

The raiders ventured into the bowel-black dark of the kitchen, picking their way between tables and benches. Inside, it was quiet; the noise from the bar was almost inaudible.'Booze here,' said Andranovory.'Then leave it alone,' said Mulps, shortly.'As you will,' said Andranovory.'Here's the door,' said Praul Galana.The raiders gathered at the door to Zanya's quarters.'Drake,' said Slagger Mulps. 'You go first.'

'What?' said Drake. 'Me with my torn arm and all? Man, that woman's a right handful. Let An'vory go. An'vory? Where are you? Boozing, is it?'

'Never you mind about An'vory,' said Mulps. 'In you go.'

So saying, Mulps opened the door. Squealing, something flung itself forward.'Ahyak Rovac!' screamed Rolf Thelemite.

There was a crash as Thelemite's blade, sweeping through the dark, chopped into a stack of dirty saucepans.Pirates swore, shouted and grappled with their enemy. 'It's a pig!' said Galana.

'Man,' said Drake, sounding aggrieved, 'you must've led us to the wrong door.''There was only the one,' said Galana.

While they were still arguing about it, Drake heard someone approaching.'Hush!' he said.'What?' said Andranovory.'Gram grupV said Mulps sharply.

Andranovory got the message, and was silent, as were the other pirates. Waiting. Breathing the dark. Listening. Hearing . . . footsteps outside. A voice talking quick and low. Someone answering. Trampling boots entering the kitchen. A sliver of wood breaking free with a twang as someone pried it away from the wreckage of the kitchen door.The boots halted.

If Drake was any judge, at least half a dozen strangers had entered the kitchen. Demon's luck – they had no lantern! That was something to be thankful for.'Epigrow manact agramaV said a loud, curt voice.

Drake wanted to sneeze. He had to sneeze! He grabbed his nose, contorted his face, scrunched his chin down against his chest – and just managed to kill the sneeze.

'Lupopt elestag oxybund, morasuf aparsing,' said the same harsh voice which had spoken previously.Drake listened.

Did he imagine it? Or did he heard Mulps breathing? He was, surely, imagining it. He could scarcely hear his own breathing.

'We know you're in here, whoever you are,' said the harsh voice, switching to the Galish Trading Tongue. 'Surrender yourselves!'Silence.Then someone burped. 'Seize him!'

Boots clattered over the stone floor as half a dozen soldiers homed in on the burp. There was a brief scuffle.

'Hey!' said Andranovory, slurring the word in a way which made it obvious he had been drinking,

As the soldiers hustled Andranovory away, the pirates followed as quiet as they could, slipping out into the night.

'Well,' muttered Mulps, when they were in the clear: 'That's An'vory done for.'

'No!' protested Rolf Thelemite. 'We can't leave a comrade!'

And, drawing his sword, Rolf Thelemite charged after Andranovory's captors, screaming a challenge as he went: 'Ahyak Rovac!'

Voices cried in alarm. Blade clashed against blade in the dark of the night.'We're with you!' roared Praul Galana.Slagger Mulps swore, then joined the fray himself.

Drake, ruled by his concern for his injured arm, backed off into the night. He bumped into someone, who grabbed his sore arm.'Gaaa!' screamed Drake.

And won his freedom with a head-butt and a savage elbow blow. Then he backed off some more. He saw lanterns weaving through the night, drawn to the noise of combat. Then he heard the voice of Slagger Mulps raised above the confusion:'With me, boys! Time to go!'

Feet pounded away into the night. Drake followed as best he could. Tripped. Fell. Rose. Blundered. Which way was which? He was disorientated. Lost. Some lanterns were coming his way. He scuttled away into the dark. Was brought up hard by a building. Sat down, half stunned.More lanterns!Help!Drake eased himself along the side