Beaver Towers

by Nigel Hinton

  They waded across a river, then passed some houses where rabbits were busy working in their gardens. The rabbits waved and wished them luck, then went on planting their carrots. Just beyond the houses, the path sloped away and they came to the sea.

  There was a big hut on the beach and they opened it up and dragged one of the boats out on to the sand and down to the water’s edge. Mr Edgar showed Philip how to raise the mast and hoist the sail, then they pushed the boat away from the shore and clambered on board.

  A breeze filled the sail and they skimmed away across the waves. They followed the coast for a while then turned and headed out into the open sea.

  As their little boat passed Round Rock Island a pair of red, serpent eyes watched them from inside the shadows of the cave. The eyes stared and stared until the boat grew tiny and finally disappeared over the horizon. The eyes closed in satisfaction. A moment later they snapped open again.

  ‘Retsnom!’ the Prince of Darkness’ voice rumbled into the depths of the echoey cave. ‘Retsnom! Come! The time for your work is almost here.’

  A huge, black, glistening lump oozed and slithered its way from the darkness, leaving a trail of slime on the cave floor.

  ‘First,’ said the Prince of Darkness, patting the wet, flabby skin of the creature, ‘you must change your shape so that the fools will find you attractive. A bird, perhaps.’

  The Prince of Darkness stood back as the creature transformed itself into the shape of a large raven. The blackness of its feathers and the glisten of its dark eyes were the only reminders of what it had been.

  ‘Yes,’ said the Prince of Darkness, ‘but still not attractive enough. The fools like creatures they can pity, so let’s give them something they can feel sorry for.’

  He took hold of the bird and with one cruel movement he snapped the bone that ran the length of its wing. The raven squawked with pain then hopped around, trailing its broken wing.

  ‘Perfect,’ laughed the Prince of Darkness. ‘Now listen. I must leave because I have some fine, evil work to do elsewhere. Deliver Beaver Towers to me when I return and I shall reward you well. Take your time. Let them work their own downfall. Wait for them to come to you, for come they surely will. Then strike! Fill them with fear and confusion! And they will be ours!’

  CHAPTER FOUR

  In the school room at Beaver Towers, the young animals were learning the names of plants.

  Everybody was working hard except for Baby B and Nick. They were so busy whispering to each other that they didn’t see their teacher, Mr Stripe, come up behind them. He banged his paw on their desk and they both jumped with shock.

  ‘Baby B and Nick!’ thundered the old badger. ‘You two are impossible this week. Baby B, go and sit next to Rufus Rabbit.’

  ‘But Rufus is in the hinfants. And he’s always asking silly questions. It’s not fair,’ Baby B grumbled as he made his way up to the front of the class and sat down next to the little rabbit.

  ‘When you stop behaving like an infant, you can go back and sit with the bigger animals,’ Mr Stripe said sharply, and he looked so fierce that Baby B didn’t dare say anything else.

  It didn’t stop him complaining to Mrs Badger, though, when he dropped in to see her after school.

  ‘Well, my dear,’ she said when he finished telling her, ‘Mr Stripe was quite right – you were behaving like an infant. And I’ve heard from some of the animals in the kitchen that you haven’t been doing the washing-up properly either.’

  ‘Yes, but it’s not fair. I must have to do everything – smelly school and smelly washering-up and then I must have to do think-talking because there’s only me and Nick what’s clever enough to do it.’

  ‘Baby B!’ Mrs Badger said, putting her knitting down and peering at him. ‘I hope you’re not becoming the kind of animal who boasts and doesn’t pull their weight when it comes to work.’

  The little beaver’s face turned red and he shook his head.

  ‘Good,’ Mrs Badger said, then went back to her knitting.

  Baby B stood awkwardly for a few minutes, not saying anything. He was just about to say goodbye and go when he noticed a freshly-baked cake in the middle of the table. He felt rather hungry and he always loved Mrs Badger’s cakes. He knew she had probably baked it for a special occasion but he wished she would offer him a slice right now.

  Mrs Badger looked up and asked, ‘Would you like a slice of cake, Baby B?’

  He was so surprised that it took him a moment before he said, ‘Yes, please.’

  Mrs Badger cut a big slice for him. It was delicious and when he finished it he found himself wishing he could have another, bigger, bit.

  As soon as he thought it, Mrs Badger said, ‘Would you like another slice, Baby B? A bigger one, perhaps?’

  Baby B was so amazed that he forgot he was hungry and said, ‘No thank you, I’m all fulled up.’

  Then he had a hard job not to giggle with excitement. It was almost as if he had made Mrs Badger do something, just by thinking about it.

  At seven o’clock that evening Baby B and Nick met in the library at Beaver Towers. There was something magical about the room with its rows and rows of lovely old books and it was the best place to concentrate for think-talking.

  They sat on the floor next to Mr Edgar’s leather chair and held paws. They closed their eyes and started to think. Where was Mr Edgar? Somewhere far away.

  For a moment nothing happened, then suddenly they both jolted upright and gripped each other’s paw tighter. They were still in the library but they could see Mr Edgar sitting in the little boat, and it felt just as if they were there with him. They could hear the slap of the waves against the boat and they could smell the salt of the sea.

  ‘Hello, you two rascals,’ Mr Edgar said, smiling and dropping the anchor over the side of the boat. ‘Philip has just swum ashore and I’m going to wait for him here.’

  ‘What’s Flipip doing, Grandpa?’

  ‘He’s going to visit an old friend of mine called Master Omar. He’s a great teacher and he lives in that lighthouse.’

  Baby B and Nick turned their heads and they could see the tall, rocky island that rose out of the sea like a mountain. Way, way up at the top was a lighthouse, flashing its warning across miles and miles of ocean. Down at the bottom of the cliffs they could see Philip wade out of the water and start to climb the steps that snaked all the way up to the lighthouse.

  ‘Now then, what have you got to report about Beaver Towers?’ Mr Edgar asked.

  ‘Oh, nothing,’ Baby B sighed. ‘No adventures nor nothing!’

  ‘So,’ chuckled Mr Edgar, ‘you’re miserable because everyone is safe and well, is that it?’

  ‘No, but it’s a bit very boring and I must have to sit with the hinfants as well,’ Baby B groaned.

  ‘Now, now, young ‘un,’ Mr Edgar said. ‘Remember our motto – “Always Eager. Always Busy”. No time to be bored, you know. Got to keep your eyes peeled and your ears pricked for the first sign of danger. If not, you might have more adventure than you bargained for. And above all, don’t use your powers for anything silly. Now off you pop, and report back to me next week.’

  Baby B and Nick took one last look at Mr Edgar in the rocking boat, then they closed their eyes and let go of each other’s paw.

  When they opened their eyes again, they were back in the library.

  ‘Farewell and take care, you young scamps,’ Mr Edgar said as soon as he felt the think-talking stop.

  Then he looked up at the rocky island.

  ‘And you, young Philip, you must take care as well. Master Omar’s lessons can sometimes prove to be very dangerous indeed.’

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Philip reached the top of the steps and stood for a moment to get his breath back. From up here he could see the last bit of the sun dipping below the horizon as if its fire was being put out by the sea. The light from the lighthouse flashed out into the growing darkness.

  Behind him, the door in the lightho
use opened and Master Omar’s voice called, ‘Come in.’

  By the time he got inside and started to climb the spiral staircase, all Philip could see of Master Omar were his wellington boots on the stairs above. Finally, they reached the top level – a round room where the light slowly revolved, sending its beam out through the glass walls.

  Master Omar stood in the shadows near the door and Philip couldn’t see his face.

  ‘Don’t look at me,’ Master Omar said. ‘Stand beneath the light and turn with it. Just watch the light as it shines its message out into the world. Only the light.’

  There was nothing fierce or strict about the voice but Philip knew he had to obey. He started to turn with the light, keeping his eyes fixed on the beam as it swept across the dark ocean.

  He counted three turns then the whole room began to spin. There was a roaring in his ears, then silence. A silence that gradually gave way to a bubbling sound.

  His body felt cool and soft. A gentle, rippling wave started at his feet and moved up through his body, sending it swaying backwards and forwards. He opened his eyes. He was in water. Deep, salty sea water that rocked him to and fro. He felt his arm floating upwards. He glanced at it and saw, not an arm, but a tiny strand of seaweed. He looked down and his whole body was a small, green plant.

  He should have been afraid, but he wasn’t. He felt very calm.

  Time passed. A long, long time.

  A shrimp came bobbing towards him. Its legs reached out and clasped on to him. The shrimp’s mouth opened. Again he should have been afraid but he wasn’t. The mouth closed over him. There was a tearing sound, then a little wrench as he was pulled from the rock. Then nothing.

  Time passed.

  He found himself bobbing through the water, nosing into clumps of weed. There were other creatures feeding too. Shrimps – like him. He clasped on to a plant. A plant such as he had been. He bit into its greenness. It tasted good.

  Time passed.

  A large fish came swimming out of the green darkness, lazily flapping the edges of its wide, flat body. It glided among the weeds with its mouth open, sucking in water and shrimps. Philip felt a stirring of fear as the fish turned to him. He felt the water begin to pull him and, with a rush and a tumble, he was sucked into that white mouth.

  Time passed.

  He felt his arms and shoulders rippling up and down and he saw below him the sandy bottom of the sea. He was moving lazily through the water, his eyes searching for shrimps.

  He was a fish.

  He found a group of shrimps and flapped over them, sucking them into his mouth. They tasted good.

  Time passed.

  There were other fish. Hundreds of them. All like him. He was swimming with them, turning and gliding with them, diving and soaring with them. They moved as if they were one.

  Suddenly, above them, they saw a huge, dark shape and they scattered in all directions.

  And now Philip was afraid. The shape was diving towards him. It was a shark and he knew it had chosen him. Its teeth opened to show the rows of teeth. He twisted and turned to try to get away but there was a sharp stabbing pain as the teeth bit through him. Then there was nothing.

  Time passed.

  Philip could feel his muscles whipping his tail from side to side. He could feel the power and smoothness of his glide as he cruised through the water.

  Beneath him, a shadow moved across the sea floor. A large, menacing shadow. His shadow. He was a shark.

  He saw a shoal of fish below; fish with lazy, flapping wings. Fish such as he had been.

  He plunged, his eyes fixed on just one of the fish. The shoal scattered in all directions but he kept his eyes on that one fish. His jaws opened. The fish tried to twist and turn away but he was too fast. His jaws closed and he felt his teeth sink into flesh, felt the snap of bone. Blood ran in his mouth. It tasted good.

  Time passed.

  A voice said, ‘And so on, and so on. Round and round like the light. Look at the light.’

  Philip opened his eyes.

  He was in the lighthouse. Above him the light was still turning, flashing out across the water. In the shadows near the door stood Master Omar.

  ‘Well, did you understand?’ Master Omar asked.

  ‘I think so. It’s all linked, like a chain.’

  Master Omar nodded.

  ‘It’s funny,’ Philip went on, remembering how good it felt to eat the fish. ‘When I was the fish I felt one thing, and when I was the shark I felt something else.’

  ‘Point of view,’ Master Omar said.

  ‘It’s complicated.’

  ‘The truth is always complicated,’ Master Omar said and then raised his hand as Philip opened his mouth to speak again. ‘It is time for you to go. I must tend the light.’

  Philip went to the top of the stairs and then looked back. Master Omar had his back to him, already working at the lonely, important job of keeping the light burning and turning.

  ‘Thank you,’ Philip said.

  Master Omar nodded.

  Philip started the long climb back down to the waiting boat.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Mr Edgar’s old car, Doris, stood in the centre of the courtyard at Beaver Towers. Every centimetre of the car already sparkled but that didn’t stop the two hedgehogs, Ann and Mick, from polishing her. As they rubbed away at the chrome and the paintwork with their dusters, they began singing their song:

  Rub, rub, polish, shine

  Lovely little car of mine.

  Rub, rub, till you gleam.

  We are your loyal cleaning team.

  ‘Ha! Loyal cleaning team, indeed!’ Mick said when they got to the end of the song. ‘Not now that Nick has got so big-headed, we’re not.’

  At this very moment, Baby B and Nick came out of the castle door and started jumping down the steps. Ann spotted them and scuttled across the courtyard, followed by Mick.

  ‘Nicholas Hedgehog!’ Ann said in her fiercest voice. ‘You’re late. We started work on Doris ten minutes ago.’

  ‘Well … erm … you see … erm …’ Nick stammered.

  ‘Yes?’ Ann demanded.

  ‘Well,’ Nick went on when Baby B gave him a nudge, ‘I don’t think I should have to … to do work because … because me and Baby B do think-talking.’

  ‘Stuff and nonsense!’ shouted Mick. ‘We’re the Mechanics. We look after Doris. We are her loyal cleaning team. You can’t just suddenly stop. We need you for the Nic bit at the end. Without you, we’re the Mechans – and that just sounds silly. Besides, you used to love Doris.’

  ‘I do still love her,’ Nick said, giving a quick glance to where the car stood with sunlight sparkling on her body, ‘but …’

  ‘But what?’ Ann said, pushing her snout right up against his. ‘Too lazy now, are you? See if we care. We don’t need you. I’m strong enough to do your work in half the time because you’re just a weak baby anyway!’

  With that, she grabbed Mick’s paw and pulled him away across the courtyard to Doris.

  ‘I’m not a weak baby!’ Nick shouted, but they didn’t even look at him. They got out their dusters and began polishing Doris.

  Nick watched them for a moment and his eyes grew bright with longing.

  ‘I do miss Doris,’ he said sadly. ‘And I bet she misses me because I was best at polishing her headlights and her door handles. I wonder …’

  And he was off – running across the courtyard until he got to the car. He grabbed a duster from the ground arid began polishing at once. Mick and Ann started singing their song and Nick joined in.

  They all looked so happy, working away together, that Baby B decided to go and have a look in the kitchen. He almost turned back when he saw the big pile of dirty plates, but once the sink was full of soapy water he began to enjoy himself.

  Soon he was busy blowing colourful bubbles round the kitchen and there was a big puddle of water on the floor from all his splashing. It took him a very long time to finish washing the plates but
it has to be said that in the end they sparkled nearly as much as Doris did.

  The next day at school, Baby B asked if he could go back to his place next to Nick but Mr Stripe said he still had to sit with the infants. The little beaver slumped down next to Rufus Rabbit. And he was so sulky during the lesson on Tracks that he didn’t put his paw up once, even when he knew the answer to the questions.

  Then, just as Mr Stripe started the next lesson on berries, Baby B suddenly remembered what had happened with Mrs Badger and the cake. He concentrated very hard and pushed his thoughts out towards Mr Stripe.

  Almost at once, the old teacher turned round from the blackboard where he was drawing a honeysuckle berry and said, ‘Baby B, you can go back and sit in your proper place now.’

  Baby B jumped up with a big grin on his face and ran back to his old seat.

  ‘That was lucky,’ Nick whispered.

  ‘It wasn’t lucky – it was me,’ Baby B whispered as he sat down next to his friend. ‘Watch.’

  Again Baby B concentrated very hard.

  Suddenly Mr Stripe yawned, sat down at his desk, and fell fast asleep.

  For almost a minute nobody dared to move, then one of the older lambs tiptoed to the front and nudged Mr Stripe’s shoulder. The old badger started to snore very loudly and the whole class giggled.

  Soon they were all running around, shouting and laughing and throwing bits of paper at each other. A couple of the cheekier fieldmice got up on to Mr Stripe’s desk and took turns to jump over the tip of his snout. Then a squirrel even climbed on to Mr Stripe’s head and began to imitate his deep, growly voice. Everybody rolled around the floor laughing helplessly.

  The only one not laughing was Nick.

  ‘It’s not funny, Baby B,’ the little hedgehog said. ‘Poor Mr Stripe.’

  His voice was so sad that Baby B stopped giggling. He looked at Mr Stripe and suddenly saw what Nick meant. The two fieldmice had got hold of the badger’s ears and were wiggling them backwards and forwards to make the squirrel laugh. Meanwhile, all the lambs were marching round the desk making silly snoring noises.