Bump

14.3: NEVER TRUST A BROOMSTICK THAT MOVES BY ITSELF (part 3)

Ferring had been having a lovely time, soaring on the winds, cavorting on the air currents, observing the world as only a bird can. However, all this frivolity had been cut short as he hovered over a small clearing in a forest, eyes on a snake that was slithering through the undergrowth below. He had been about to stoop for it when there had come a swooping noise, and something had happened. He wasn't quite sure of the mechanics of this something, but it had been very fast, very efficient, and very surprising. The upshot of it all was that he was now caught in a net, being held by someone.

Ferring struggled, but half-heartedly. He was mostly occupied with berating himself for not realising something was wrong. With all his experience as gatekeeper at Barthane, he should have been an expert in knowing when things weren't right. But this time, those bells in his head had let him down.

Ferring did not like being outwitted.

"Idiot," Ferring said.

"I beg your pardon?"

Ferring squinted up from his uncomfortable position in the net, but the sun was directly overhead and he could make out no more of his captor than a black silhouette.

"I wasn't talking to you."

"I should hope not. It would have been very rude."

Ferring clacked his beak. "That would have been rude? How about jumping someone with a net? Isn't that rude? I would definitely put in the category of 'highly impolite', but correct me if I'm wrong, of course."

"What a sarcastic bird."

"Can you blame me?"

"Is there something wrong?"

"Apart from the fact that one moment I was having a leisurely soar and swoop, dip and dive, flutter and flight—all that kind of thing—and then the next I'm cooped up in a net?"

The figure laughed. Ferring fumed.

"I'm glad someone finds it amusing."

"Oh, do stop complaining. I'll let you go in a minute."

"Oh." Ferring hesitated. "Well, what was the point then?"

"A favour."

"A favour?" Ferring mustered all the indignation he could. This turned out to be a respectable force. "You want to ask me a favour? And why would I grant you a favour after you've put me to such inconvenience, I might ask?"

A short silence.

"Because I believe that, beneath all the sarcasm, your heart is true?"

"You don't even know me!"

"I've watched you a couple of times."

"You have, have you?"

"When you were with those I care about."

"And who might they be?" Ferring was growing intrigued despite himself. "For that matter, who might you be?"

There followed a rather interesting discussion, which for reasons of suspense will not be revealed at the present time. At the end of this discussion, Ferring was out of the net, perched upon a branch, and the dark figure (who turned out to be cloaked and hooded) was sitting on a fallen tree.

"Ah," said Ferring. "Things make a lot more sense now."

"Do they? To tell you the truth, I find the whole situation nonsensical. A good example of people overreacting." A sigh. "Still, I suppose it must play itself out. Anyway, you have been particularly useful."

Ferring cocked his head. "You know, I knew there was something funny going on. Hardly any vampires turned up before a couple of weeks ago. Then one comes along out of the blue, raving about getting to Day. Then a whole string of them together. All following the others."

"That is exactly what I mean about it being so ridiculous." The figure stood. "I'm sorry about the net. I didn't know how else to get your attention."

"You could have just shouted."

"I'll know for next time."

"Right," said Ferring. "Off I go." He shook out his wings. "Where will I find you?"

"Don't worry about that. I'll find you."

"Not with the net, I hope."