The Jack Brenin Collection

by Catherine Cooper

  Before leaving, Camelin hopped onto the dressing table and had a good look at himself in the mirror. When he was satisfied he turned and inspected Jack.

  ‘You look a lot better without those two feathers sticking up. That singeing really improved your plumage.’

  Jack looked in the mirror. Maybe Camelin was right, his feathers were nice and flat now and the bald spot didn’t show too much. When he turned around Camelin was already out of the window; seconds later Jack was airborne too.

  ‘Race you to the belfry,’ croaked Camelin.

  Jack let Camelin fly on ahead. He was enjoying the freedom and the stillness of the night. By the time he landed in the bell tower Timmery and Charkle were already flittering around Camelin’s head.

  ‘So kind of you to call, so nice to have visitors; Charkle and I were just going out but we’ll stay and have a chat. We’ve got lots of time.’

  Charkle sighed.

  ‘We’re still looking for my family.’

  ‘I’m sure you’ll find them eventually,’ said Jack.

  ‘You might have lots of time but we haven’t. Jack’s not supposed to be out. I thought I’d take him to the other side of Glasruhen.’

  ‘Oooh! Can we come too? We haven’t checked out any of the roosts on the south side.’

  ‘No you can’t. This is a raven night out. We only called in to say hello and now we’re saying goodbye.’

  Both bats looked disappointed and neither of them spoke. Before Jack could say anything, Camelin hopped onto the ledge.

  ‘Come on Jack, time to fly.’

  Jack didn’t follow Camelin immediately. He didn’t like to leave so abruptly.

  ‘If we see anyone in Glasruhen I’ll ask them about your family. And we’ll come back and have a long chat soon, I promise.’

  Jack took off and had to beat his wings powerfully to catch up with Camelin.

  ‘What’s on the south side?’

  ‘You’ll see.’

  ‘We’re not going to be long are we?’

  ‘Naw, just a quick look, I want to check something out. We’re doing a bit of investigating. If I’m right it’ll save us a lot of time tomorrow night and everyone will be pleased with us. At least, they’ll be pleased with me… we can’t tell Nora you were here.’

  From the air both sides of Glasruhen looked the same to Jack. Camelin circled a few times before he started his descent.

  ‘We’ll try down there first, it looks about right.’

  ‘Right for what?’

  ‘To find what we’re looking for.’

  Before Jack could ask any more, Camelin disappeared into the treetops. Jack followed.

  ‘Over here, but don’t make a noise. I don’t want anyone to know we’re here.’

  ‘Where’s here?’

  ‘Uriel’s well.’

  ‘Didn’t Myryl warn us to stay away from Uriel?’

  ‘We’re not going to disturb her, just have a look. When you left, I listened in on Nora and Elan. They had the old map out and Nora said Uriel had to be on the south side somewhere but it might take a while to find her. So I thought if we checked it out tonight, and worked out where she was, it’d save a lot of time.’

  ‘That’s a great idea, but how d’you know it’s Uriel’s well?’

  ‘Remember what Myryl said about her being dangerous? If that’s true, there won’t be any other water nymph living anywhere near her.’

  ‘It doesn’t look like anyone lives here at all.’

  ‘We’re looking for a spring with crystal clear water. Nymphs don’t live in water that’s not fit to drink.’

  Jack peered through the trees. They were above a circular pool. There were five grass-covered mounds around one side and a sheer rock face on the other. The place looked eerie in the moonlight. There wasn’t a ripple on the surface of the water.

  ‘Is this it?’

  ‘Naw, this is the pool the spring runs into, we need to be a bit higher. But it’s pure water, look at all the reeds and moss. Come on, but keep quiet.’

  Jack followed Camelin through the trees. They landed on the ground in front of an old well, which had been carved out of the rock. The only sound was the trickle of water over the mossy rocks. This was the first well Jack had seen that didn’t have any trees growing nearby. The feathers on the back of his neck stood on end, he felt a shiver run down his spine. He’d felt like this before, the day he thought he was being watched on the back lane. Only this time it was dark and he was a long way from Grandad’s.

  ‘Let’s go,’ he whispered.

  ‘Not yet, I need to make sure this is Uriel’s well.’

  There was a slight movement. Jack peered into the gloom. He was sure he could see a pair of eyes. Camelin didn’t seem to have noticed, he was too busy poking the moss around the base of the well with his beak.

  ‘It’s a bit overgrown but someone definitely still lives here so it’s got to be Uriel.’

  As soon as Camelin said Uriel’s name again the rock quivered. There was a hissing sound and the eyes Jack thought he’d seen blinked.

  ‘Who wantsss to know?’

  Jack gasped. The moonlight lit the side of the rock and revealed a grotesque face, its wide gaping mouth snapped shut, and a forked tongue flicked out. The stone creature fixed Jack with its cold cruel eyes.

  ‘I asssked you, who wantsss to know?’

  Jack could feel his legs trembling. He wanted to fly but he couldn’t move. His body felt rigid, he was too frightened to speak.

  ‘Don’t look at her!’ Camelin shouted as he shielded his eyes with his wing.

  ‘What… is… it?’ Jack stuttered. ‘What’s happening?’

  He tried to shield his own eyes, but his wing wouldn’t move. He was transfixed.

  ‘Come on Jack, time to go.’

  ‘I can’t move. It won’t take its eyes off me.’

  ‘Release him.’

  ‘Why should I? No one asssked you to come and disssturb usss. Grol wake up, we’ve got visssitorsss.’

  Another creature on the other side of the well stirred.

  ‘Did I hear you right Agye, visssitorsss? What you caught there?’

  ‘A raven; we’ve not had bird for agesss, much better than micesss.’

  Jack swallowed hard. He should never have let Camelin persuade him to go for a night flight. If he couldn’t move, how was he going to get back to Grandad’s? Would he ever get back if these creatures intended to eat him?

  ‘Can’t you do something Camelin?’

  ‘We’ve come to see Uriel,’ Camelin announced.

  There was silence. Jack wasn’t sure this was the best idea. If Uriel appeared they might be in more danger than they were already.

  ‘No one speaksss to Uriel unlesss we say so,’

  hissed Grol.

  ‘We need to see your gift first,’ added Agye.

  ‘We haven’t got a gift.’

  ‘Then you lie,’ she screeched. ‘Nobody disturbsss a water nymph without a gift.’

  ‘I say they were spying, what do you say Agye?’

  ‘Spying it isss. Them that tell liesss we getsss to keep and eat, they don’t come bothering usss no more then.’

  ‘Release him,’ piped a small voice from above

  the well.

  ‘Timmery!’ exclaimed Jack.

  ‘And Charkle,’ said another shrill voice.

  ‘Don’t look in her eyes, either of you,’ shouted Camelin. ‘Go get Nora, she’ll sort them out.’

  ‘We don’t need to, everything’s under control,’ said Charkle.

  Jack didn’t feel things were under control. He didn’t want Nora to know he’d sneaked out, they’d both be in trouble if she found out, but the kind of trouble they’d be in with Nora would be better than the kind they were in now.

  ‘Release him,’ Timmery shouted in his loudest voice. ‘Or else!’

  Grol and Agye sounded like a steam engine as they both exploded in laughter.

  ‘Don’t you know who
we are?’ asked Grol.

  ‘You’re gargoyles,’ replied Timmery. ‘Seen plenty of your kind but never had the pleasure of speaking to one before.’

  ‘At last someone who knowsss usss,’ laughed Agye. ‘So you’ll know we ain’t frightened of a couple of small batsss and a fat raven. There’s nothing you could do to harm usss.’

  Jack could hear whispering behind his back.

  ‘Brilliant!’ exclaimed Camelin. ‘Don’t worry Jack. We’ll have you free in no time.’

  Grol and Agye rocked from side to side as they laughed even harder. Jack heard a fluttering of wings.

  ‘I need your help Jack,’ shouted Camelin. ‘I’m coming in with my eyes closed so you’ll have to guide me. Let me know if I’m on target.’

  Jack had no idea what was about to happen. Grol and Agye struggled for breath in between their fits of laughter. They laughed even more when a blob of mud splattered Agye on the nose.

  ‘Ooooh! That hurt!’ she chortled.

  ‘You’re going to have to think of something better than that!’ shouted Grol.

  ‘Where did it land?’ asked Camelin.

  ‘Bang on her nose.’

  Camelin flew over again and Jack watched as he shot a beak-full of mud at Agye again.

  ‘Smack in her eyes,’ Jack shouted excitedly when he realised Camelin was trying to block out her gaze. He tried to move but he could still feel Agye’s intense stare through the mud. Grol continued laughing as mud slid down Agye’s face.

  ‘Fire three!’ commanded Timmery.

  ‘Right on target,’ Jack called. ‘But it keeps sliding…’

  Before he could finish, a flame engulfed Agye’s stony face. Jack could hear a high-pitched wail. Grol’s mouth fell open, he wasn’t laughing any more. Jack felt his body go limp as he collapsed to the ground.

  ‘Are you OK?’ Camelin asked.

  ‘I think so.’

  ‘What you done to her?’ Grol hissed. ‘Releassse her.’

  ‘Not bad for two little bats and a fat raven!’ laughed Camelin.

  ‘Do something Grol, this mud’s rock hard. I can’t see a thing.’

  ‘Like what?’

  Camelin paced up and down in front of the well.

  ‘We could make a bargain and I’ll come and peck two eye holes for you. But if you break your word we’ll be back.’

  ‘Anything, anything you say.’ Agye hissed.

  ‘First, you must promise never to freeze ravens again.’

  ‘Or bats and rats,’ added Timmery.

  ‘I promisesss.’

  ‘Second, we need some information, which is why we needed to speak to Uriel in the first place.’

  ‘She won’t see you, she doesn’t see anyone. We deal with visssitorsss.’

  ‘Well let’s hope you can help. We need to know where to find Coriss.’

  ‘Not seen her for yearsss,’ said Grol. ‘But I know who would know. You need to go and find yourself a Bogie, they’re the only onesss who know that kind of stuff.’

  ‘We’ve already seen a Bogie, that’s why we came to see Uriel. Someone must know where Coriss lives.’

  ‘What about a Dorysk? You’d have to catch one firssst, and they won’t give you information unless you’ve got something to trade.’

  ‘A Dorysk!’ exclaimed Camelin. ‘Now why didn’t I think of that before?’

  ‘Is he telling the truth?’ asked Jack.

  ‘He isss, he isss,’ screeched Agye. ‘Now give me back my eyesss.’

  ‘I’ll peck the holes,’ Jack told Camelin. ‘If they try to double cross us you can sort her out again, you’ve got a better aim than me.’

  ‘Won’t double crossss, we promissse.’

  Jack hopped back in front of the well when he’d finished pecking two holes into the hardened mud. It looked as if Agye was wearing a mask but at least she didn’t transfix him again.

  ‘Come on,’ said Camelin. ‘Let’s go and find ourselves a Dorysk.’

  ‘What’s a Dorysk?’ asked Jack.

  Camelin tutted loudly, ‘Don’t you know anything?’

  They took off in the direction of Newton Gill. As they left, Grol and Agye were still grumbling. After a while, the only sound in the night was the flapping and fluttering of wings.

  ‘Thank you,’ Jack said after his legs had stopped trembling. ‘It was lucky you two came along when you did.’

  Camelin humphed and gave the bats a glower.

  ‘I don’t think luck has much to do with it. We were followed, weren’t we?’

  ‘You said we could go on an adventure with you, and we wanted to find out what you were up to,’ Timmery replied.

  ‘We thought we could look for Norris and Snook at the same time,’ continued Charkle. ‘Maybe we could ask the Dorysk if it knows where any Dragonettes have been seen lately. That’s if you catch one.’

  ‘What d’you mean, if I catch one! I’ll have you know I can spot a Dorysk no matter how hard it tries to disguise itself, but they’ll only answer one question. You’ll have to catch your own if you want to ask about your family. And make sure you have something to trade or you’ll not get an answer at all.’

  ‘Would someone please tell me what a Dorysk is?’

  They all looked at Jack. Camelin sighed.

  ‘Dorysks are a bit like Bogies, they spy and trade information. Unlike Bogies they can shape shift, but only into something about the same size or smaller, nothing bigger.’

  ‘Do they like shiny things like water nymphs?’

  ‘They’ll trade for anything that takes their fancy but they mainly they like sharp things, like pins. Some of them are pin millionaires.’

  Jack had no idea why anyone would want a million pins. He wondered how big a Dorysk was and hoped it was going to be friendly.

  ‘What’s Nora going to say when she finds out where we’ve been and what happened?’

  Camelin looked at them all in turn.

  ‘Nora isn’t going to find out, is she? No one breathes a word. Promise?’

  ‘Promise,’ they agreed.

  ‘It’ll be our secret,’ piped Timmery.

  ‘Yes, a secret,’ agreed Camelin.

  ‘So what does a Dorysk look like?’ continued Jack.

  ‘Depends what shape it’s in. Don’t know why I didn’t think of a Dorysk, I should have gone hunting for one before. We’d have had the cauldron remade by now. The problem is, they’re not very easy to catch.’

  Jack didn’t ask any more questions. He was worried about getting back to Grandad’s, it must be late by now and he’d got to get up in the morning for school. He didn’t like to ask how long it would take to find a Dorysk.

  They were at the edge of Newton Gill Forest when Camelin started to descend. He made his way towards what used to be an ash tree. Its leafless branches were rotten and creaked as they landed.

  ‘What do we do now?’ asked Jack.

  ‘Act suspicious, do something unusual. That will always bring a Dorysk out. They’re even nosier than Bogies.’

  ‘Couldn’t we go back now? Nora’s going to find out you know, the trees will tell her.’

  ‘Not these. Don’t you remember, dead wood don’t talk? The only thing the trees and Nora are talking about at the moment is Arrana. She hasn’t got time for tittle-tattle, she’s too busy worrying.’

  Jack was worried too. He knew time was running out. They all sat on the branch, no one moved and no one did anything unusual. Jack wondered if they were going to be there all night, and then Camelin started his shuffle dance. Jack decided to join in. Unfortunately, the branch wasn’t strong enough to support a lot of bouncing up and down. There was a loud crack that echoed round the forest; then the branch came down. No one was hurt but it sent all the creatures on the ground scurrying away, except for one.

  ‘Got you!’ cried Camelin as he grabbed a large beetle in his claw.

  ‘Let me go you big bully,’ a small voice replied.

  ‘I’m not a bully. I’m just good at catchi
ng Dorysks.’

  ‘Alright, you recognised me. You get to ask your question.’

  Camelin released the beetle. In a flash it shape shifted into what looked like a large hedgehog. It had prickles all over its body except for its face. On the end of its nose was a small pair of glasses. It shuffled and snuffled around Jack’s feet, until eventually, it sat on its haunches and sighed before speaking.

  ‘Let’s get down to business then.’

  ‘Business!’ exclaimed Jack.

  ‘Don’t worry,’ said Camelin as he stepped in front of Jack. ‘I’m in charge here.’

  There was a tittering from Timmery and Charkle, which Camelin chose to ignore.

  ‘What have you got to trade?’

  ‘We didn’t come to trade, we’re visiting. Jack’s new to the area and I’m showing him around.’

  ‘So why’d you catch me?’

  ‘I wanted Jack to meet the most knowledgeable Dorysk in the West.’

  ‘Only the West? I think you’ll find I’m the most well informed Dorysk in the whole kingdom.’

  ‘I told you he was famous,’ Camelin said as he turned to Jack.

  ‘If you’re visiting, where’ve you been?’

  ‘Uriel’s well.’

  The bats and Jack nodded. The Dorysk looked shocked.

  ‘Uriel’s well! No one goes there!’

  ‘Jack hadn’t seen gargoyles before, I told you he’s visiting. We’re off to see Coriss next.’

  ‘At the Mere Pool?’

  ‘Yes, at the Mere Pool. Now we really must be going, we’ve got a lot of other places to go to before daybreak.’

  The Dorysk looked thoughtful. It ran its sharp claws through the dead leaves, found a maggot, flipped it in the air and gulped it down.

  ‘Care for one?’ he asked Jack.

  ‘No thank you. We ate before we came out and we really need to be going now.’

  ‘No matter,’ the Dorysk replied as he dug out another maggot. ‘I’m sure we’ll meet again another time.’

  ‘You were brilliant,’ Jack told Camelin once they were airborne.

  ‘They’re not very clever, you know, not as clever as ravens.’

  ‘Do you think he realised you’d tricked him?’

  ‘Naw, he’ll be tucking into those maggots now and won’t give us another thought. Come on, we’d better get you back to your room.’