The Ten Clans Chronicles

Chapter 4: The End of the Tunnel

It was the next morning, and Mai Volyn had been searching for Jesse and his gang throughout the night. Every time she checked under the beds or in closets again, she became more and more panicked. She had dragged Eba Vilvo out of bed to help her, but that didn't last long.

The old herbalist was now snoozing at the bottom of the staircase, leaning against the wall for support as he slumped on the bottom stair. Ranner and Dessin were already up and about, causing trouble. The twins sat on their chubby little tails in front of Eba Vilvo, giggling mischievously as they watched him doze.

Ranner watched Vilvo's whiskers flutter back and forth as he snored softly. Dessin eyed the slumbering Vilvo's slight paunch as it rose and fell with his steady breathing. Ranner held a feather to Vilvo's snout with a mischievous grin, giggling as the feather fluttered up and down with the long whiskers.

Eba Vilvo's nose twitched as the feather settled back down onto it when he inhaled. His eyes flew open as Dessin suddenly pounced on his stomach with a grin that matched Ranner's. Both twins giggled as Eba Vilvo sneezed and the feather fluttered out of Ranner's paw like an escaping bird.

Elliair, who was approaching the stairs just then, attempted to disguise a grin and chortle at the sight of the twin baby meerkats sitting atop the dozy herbalist.

"Come away from poor Eba Vilvo, you liddle rogues," he said, scooping both little ones easily into his arms. "You don' 'arrass 'im when 'e's dozin'." Elliair paused, a mischievous glint coming into his eyes. "Nay, y' do it when 'e's fully asleep an' helpless!"

Both Ranner and Dessin giggled again at Eba Vilvo's indignant expression as the elder struggled to sit up. "But maister Liar, we was on'y a ticklink 'is nosey an' bouncee on eem gurt tummy," Ranner replied innocently.

"Great tummy!?" Eba Vilvo burst out indignantly. "Why I'll..."

"Aye, but y' better get to breakfast in the 'old afore the wall-guards eat it all," the warrior cut him off, fighting hard to keep a straight face and shaking with barely suppressed laughter. "They can be vultures, you know."

Elliair gave each of the twins a meaningful look before setting them down on the floor, safely away from the herbalist. They ran off towards the Hold, where the food was being served buffet-style, shouting enthusiastically in their wake.

"Ya, they not get nofink 'cause I be scoffink it all!"

"No ya won'! I c'n eata whole osees!"

Just then, Mai Volyn emerged from thoroughly searching the last dormitory for the umpteenth time. Her face was a mask of worry as she descended the staircase and made to hurry past Ell-iair without noticing him.

"G'day to ye, marm," the warrior greeted her politely, loud enough that she started and paused, glancing at him as if seeing him for the first time. "Would I be too imposin' to inquire as to the cause of the extra wrinkles in yore pretty brow and the extra droop to yore snout?"

"Oh, hello Elliair," she answered, twirling her whiskers in one paw distractedly. "Five little ones 'ave disappeared and they're nowhere t' be found. I searched for 'em last night when they didn't turn up for dinner, bathtime, or bed, and I've looked all mornin'!—Oh, you are hopeless, Vilvo."

She had just noticed her old friend, who was dozing once more against the wall. "Down 'ere dozin' while I search for those little villains. Wake up, I say! Oh, you are the absolute limit!"

"There, there, Miss Volyn, marm," Elliair broke in on her ranting, helping Eba Vilvo to his hindpaws. "You an' Vilvo traipse on in t' the 'Old an' get yore fill whilst I turn this oasis upsi'down lookin' fer those young snips."