Walking Mountain by Lennon Joan;

Author:Lennon, Joan;
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 4862983
Publisher: Birlinn

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Cliffton

A few weeks later, just as the sun was setting, they dropped down from the high plateau and spent the night on the outskirts of Cliffton. First thing the next morning, Pema settled the grunts into one of the selling pens, made sure they had clean water and fresh food, and scratched the matriarch behind her big ears.

He was sad as he made his way back to the others.

‘What, Klepsang and Ma aren’t coming to say a loving goodbye?’ said Singay, looking about.

Pema snorted. ‘Still snoring.’

‘Good thing they paid us last night for getting the grunts here. That was the job, beginning to end.’

Pema didn’t answer. He just started walking, and Singay and Rose trotted after him.

‘Yes, we did it, just like we said. Job done,’ Singay continued in an irritatingly chirpy voice. ‘You know, I wanted to ask you, Pema – do grunts have much of a homing instinct?’

‘Yes, they do. Very strong.’ Why is she asking all these questions? Why can’t she just leave me alone? And what’s that squealing I’m hearing?

‘So that’s a good thing too – because I loosened the fence at the back of the pen,’ she said. ‘No, keep walking! Don’t even turn around!’

‘What – you – what?’ spluttered Pema.

She gave him a companionable shoulder shove and started to laugh.

‘The look on your face!’ she giggled.

‘Were you in on this?’ he asked Rose, who only smiled sweetly.

Pema shook his head in amazement. ‘And all this time I thought you didn’t like grunts very much!’ he said.

‘I don’t. But I like Klepsang and Ma a whole lot less!’

‘Well, maybe our visit to the great and good town of Cliffton should be a short one . . .’

Klepsang and Ma stood looking at the empty pen.

‘What do we do now?’ wailed Ma. ‘Go after the grunts?’

‘No,’ said Klepsang through gritted teeth. ‘Those grunts are long gone. No, we go after those brats. We get even.’

As if on cue, a squad of leather-clad Enforcers with their heavy sticks strolled into view.

‘Thank goodness you’re here!’ squealed Ma.

‘You’re . . . glad to see us?’ asked one of the men. He was the youngest member of the group and his leather was so new it still squeaked. He was thrilled to be on duty, but he’d been expecting a bit more terror and awe from the general public.

Instead, this ghastly woman lunged forward and grabbed him by the arm. ‘We’ve been longing for you,’ she said breathily, ignoring the young man’s desperate attempts to back away. ‘Ever since those terrible fiends got hold of us, all the way back before the Overland.’

‘Fiends?’ barked the Chief Enforcer. ‘Explain yourself, madam!’

‘Yes, wife,’ said Klepsang. ‘Explain yourself. And put the boy down.’

Ma reluctantly released the young man and explained all about the three strangers who, disguised as innocent children, had wormed their way into the much-too-trusting couple’s confidences. How they had preyed upon their pity – ‘Such poor little souls they seemed, lost and all alone in the great wide world .

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