Dan Dan and the Land of Maths

Ramases

Reaching the crest of the hill where they last saw the wolf, their eyes rest upon a shallow wooded basin stretched out before them. In its midst stands a circle of trees with the remains of an old fire at the centre. Daniel assumes it is some kind of meeting place.

Cautiously descending into the basin, they move towards the circle, checking left and right as they go. Tiddlepuss almost prowling, his ears back, eyes alert for movement. Daniel wonders if he is walking onto a movie set, and Woody and Jessie will suddenly appear and break into song.

As they enter the circle, the wolf emerges from behind one of the trees directly opposite, a silver Wolf, magnificent and regal. Turning to face them, he takes several steps towards Tiddlepuss and Daniel and stops as if creating a line which he will defend. As two more wolves emerge from trees on the left and right, Tiddlepuss becomes aware of a fourth wolf circling behind them as if pushing them into the centre of the circle.

'Stay calm Dan, he's the omega pushing us towards the pack alpha, do as I do and stay silent.'

Slowly Tiddlepuss and Daniel step towards the remains of the fire as the pack alpha speaks.

'Who are you, and what do you seek in our land?' says the wolf in a deep and time-worn voice.

'I am Tiddlepuss, and this is my companion DanDan, we seek Rameses.'

The wolf comes closer and in a calculated tone says 'Why do you seek Rameses and where are you from?'

Stepping forward as if engaged in a game of chess, opening move followed by an opening move, Tiddlepuss replies. 'We have journeyed from a world beyond this one, we were sent here by powerful forces to assist you.'

'What assistance do we need from you?'

'The balance of this place has shifted, your environment is under attack, there is an enemy that you cannot fight, and we are here to help you.'

'What powers do you possess, a mere boy and a ragged mountain lion?'

Daniel hesitates and then ventures 'We know your enemy, we have fought him before.'

'It would seem victory was not yours on that occasion. Otherwise, you would not be here to fight a second time.'

Daniel shuffles forward slightly. 'It's more complicated than that...he escaped before we were able to stop him, he escaped here...to your land, now he threatens you.'

Tiddlepuss takes another step towards the alpha wolf. 'We seek Rameses, he is expecting us, can you take us to him?'

The alpha turns to the wolf on his left, consulting him, then stares Daniel directly in the eyes. 'This night, the sky people came from the circle of the heavens and visited me in a dream. They told me a two-legged would come and weave a great bird for the tribes and the packs, a mighty firebird to fight for them in a time of danger. The spirits told me the two-legged would bring a bright light to destroy our enemy, and this same two-legged would restore the love song between mother earth and father sky.'

The great wolf walks directly to Daniel sniffing the air to catch Daniel's scent as he approaches. 'You do not look like a warrior, you do not look like a spiritual two-legged. You do not look capable of such great feats...and yet here you are just as the spirits foretold. I do not understand, but I must honour the dream they gave me.'

'Are you Ramases?'

'I am.'

Tiddlepuss and Daniel inwardly release a sigh of relief while maintaining their outward composure.

'I am Ramases, first of my pack, guardian of the decision forest and spirit brother to Feather Canyon. Tell me why the sky people foretold your arrival, where are you from and how did you get here...on foot?

Tiddlepuss, in a gesture of cooperation, sits back on his hind legs, followed by the wolf. Seeing this, Daniel decides it would be good to rest his weary limbs, so he sits down as well. The remaining three wolves move to the edge of the circle and look outward as if guarding against something as yet unseen.

'We have come here at the bidding of the sky people.' Tiddlepuss continues as he stares intently at Daniel's shocked and disapproving expression.

'We will assist you in whatever way we can. We will help you beat your enemy and restore balance to your land.'

'Do you know the sky people?'

'They spoke to us,'

Daniel really is looking quite alarmed now.

'and made way for us to travel here to your land, we came from our worlds through their shining tunnel to your land.'

'Worlds you speak of more than one...do you come from separate worlds?'

Daniel butts in before Tiddlepuss has a chance to speak.

'Yes we come from separate worlds, but we have a mutual friend, that's how we know each other...and we arrived at the same time.'

'I do not fully understand your language.'

'I know your enemy, I have spoken to him, and I can tell you he's a dangerous madman. He only wants what's best for him and will stop at nothing to get it, he will destroy anyone who stands in his way.'

Almost growling in despair 'You have walked through our land, what did you see? Rivers with no water, dead prairie? Have you seen any birds, any wildlife? The Buffalo are leaving our lands in search of food, the tribes are starving.'

Daniel shakes his head as he realises that what he's seen so far is the ugly hand of Bingo Bill stretching indiscriminately across another time and place. Unfolding his plan without a thought for the trail of destruction he visits on innocent lives.

'The land is sick. She has become much worse in the memory of those still alive. This last year...the worst so far, the seasons have become confused, rain is not falling where it fell for our ancestors, the great forests of clarity are dying.'

Ramases stands again and looking up to the yellow moon, as it rises into the dimming canvas of the sky, he says, 'I will take you to the tribe of Feather Canyon. There is much to discuss, and you can explain how you are going to help us.'

As night draws in the four wolves, one cat and Daniel start walking out of the wooded basin to the hills in the distance.

Reaching the top of a hill, soaked in the bright yellow moonlight, Daniel can see they are making their way towards what looks like a vast forest spreading across the valley below.