The Adventures of Crimson and the Guardian by Karen Cossey

Author:Karen Cossey [Cossey, Karen]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Stolen Moments
Published: 2017-04-22T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9. Bobahos

“Sniff all the good-size branches. The child must be asleep on one of them.”

I thought I was dreaming, but I realised I was wide awake when I felt my branch jerk. Someone standing on the branch below was holding onto the skinny branch where I was perched.

Luckily, I was snug in my cloak, with it totally wrapped around my head. I knew I was invisible, but now, thanks to Tanglegreen, I knew it was hiding my scent too, as long as both my body and face were totally covered.

I peeked through a tiny gap and saw a tall, skinny, ugly man clinging to my branch. He was directing a miniature monster on the branch above me. It was about the size of a cat, with long hooked dagger-like teeth, horns, reddish-brown fur, a pointed snout and no ears to be seen in the long hair that grew thick as a dwarf’s beard.

It must be a bobaho. Tanglegreen had told me of them, but I had laughed. So they were real. Tanglegreen had said they were expert sniffers and very nimble. They could track any creature even in the most difficult to reach places. They used their front two legs like arms, and had strong back legs for jumping from place to place. Once they found their victim, they latched onto them with their hooked teeth and nothing could remove them.

The ugly man’s hands were getting closer to me as he shuffled along the branch. He smelled disgusting—he obviously hadn’t bathed in weeks. Soon I would have to move, but I knew the bobaho would hear me if I did. I might have time to reach for my knife as I ran away, but the bobaho moved so fast, it was likely I’d miss if I threw it. If I held myself still and used my knife to stab it, the man would overpower me—his fumes were already unsteadying me. Any longer and they’d likely knock me out cold.

The man’s hands were only inches away when he was attacked by a coughing fit. Fantastic—he was so loud I could move unheard, although now I had phlegm-filled air to contend with as well. Foul! I stood carefully—now was the time to test the balancing power of the cloak again. As I slipped my arms through the two loops inside, I felt a tingle in my body and an amazing sense of ease swept over me. I stepped over the man’s hand and walked along the branch, back to the trunk.

He recovered from his coughing just as I touched the trunk.

“The tracks on the ground say he’s in this tree. I’m certain of it. Keep looking,” he said to the bobaho. “We’ll find him while those others aren’t around. Won’t Idla be furious when I get the Snake’s reward instead of her!”

I searched the area, my eyes darting all around—where were Crimson and Tanglegreen? I thought Kolby had gone to sleep in the tree as well, but I couldn’t see him anywhere.

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