Adventure 2016

Chapter 19: badger stone.

After the plan was set, they messaged the other members of the Green Hands Gang with instructions. James and Jenny did not go straight home. They walked quickly up Balfour road, Jenny still nervously looking around for attackers, and to the school. The fence was easy enough to climb. They crept to the junior playground, avoiding the motion detectors near the office that would turn the outside lights on.

The place on the roof where James thought the Countess Madeira was roosting was just ahead. James called quietly, "Countess Madeira? Are you there?"

There was a quiet ruffling of feathers, then the countess's small voice called back.

"You know it's really rather rude to rouse a sleeping countess. Rather rude. What do you want?"

"We need your help tomorrow," James said. "Not to fight, but to stop a terrible thing."

He explained what they wanted the birds to do.

"Well. That's quite a plan," the countess said. "Did it occur to you that we starlings might actually prefer a burnt pier?"

James didn't know what to say to that. He hadn't expected it to be easy to convince the countess. But the idea that the birds would be happy to let their pier burn down hadn't come to mind. They did already roost on the West Pier though, and that was a burnt shell already.

"No countess, it wouldn't be good for the starlings," Jenny said. "We would rebuild this pier. And when it's rebuilt, it will be a modern construction, without the old ironwork and places to roost. You know, all concrete and glass and smooth."

"Hmmmm," the countess said. "These new buildings do not suit us. Perhaps it is time to head to Worthing, for a quiet life."

"Countess," James urged. "Please help us with our plan. And then you can choose where to roost. Brighton or Worthing or wherever."

"I will consider it," she said. "Now it's bed time for me, and for you too, I don't doubt."

That signalled the end of the conversation. James and Jenny crept back out of the playground. When they were back on the Balfour road, the talked it over.

"Well, that went better than our meeting with Lord Ratzenberg," James said.

"But we still don't know if they'll help," Jenny said. "And without them, the plan won't work."

"It's too late to worry about that now," James was out of ideas and energy. "Let's get some sleep and be as ready as we can be tomorrow."

He walked Jenny back to her house, then turned and headed home.

***

It was Saturday morning and the first chance of the week for a lie in. James had a lot of sleep to catch up on, and he didn't really need to go into town until lunchtime. His body clock woke him up in time to go to breakfast club. It was 7:30am. The sun hadn't yet crept into the winter sky. Plenty of time to snuggle back under his duvet and sleep.

There was a knock.

"Not now dad, I'm sleeping," he called out. "Just five more minutes."

The knock came again.

"I'll be down in a minute. Or an hour."

For a third time, a knock. James was more awake now. That wasn't a door knock. It was at his window. He sat up, and there, outside his window in the dim not-quite-morning light, was Notail.

James forced himself out of the warm bed and went to the window and opened it. A blast of sub zero air made it's way through his pyjamas. He shivered and Notail just sat outside the window. And tilted its head back.

"What?" James said. "Right now?"

The squirrel nodded. James half thought about crawling back into bed. Then he quickly pulled on some trousers and a jumper over his pyjamas. On the way out he knocked on his parents room.

"Just going to see if there's ice in the park," he called through the closed door. "You wanna come?"

Just a groan from his dad and a resounding "no" from his mum. He grabbed his hoodie from a hook in the hall and slipped his feet into some trainers.

Notail met him at the front door and scurried up the pavement. It took him to Ditchling Road. Then up it. To Hollingbury golf course, and through to the hill fort. It was cold and grey and the sun was still not quite up. The ground sparkled with frost and it crunched under his feet when he trod on the grass. James wished he'd brought his gloves with him; the skin on his hands was red and raw. He pushed them into his hoodie pocket to keep them away from the biting air.

He followed the squirrel all the way to the gorse bush that hid the mole exit from the hall under the fort.

"Not this again," James said. "That bush ruined my coat. I don't fancy scratching my way through it again."

"You won't have to," the King Under the Fort said, as he ambled round the bush on all fours. "It seems that your adventures have caused a bit of a stir. The pigeons and rats want you and your friends dead."

For a moment James was very afraid. Alone, up on top of the hill, with the huge grumpy badger. What was it the badger had said last time they saw him? Something about eating them if he ever saw them again.

"You've also made some friends," the badger said. "Like Notail here, she's taken a shine to you. And the Countess Madeira is impressed with you and your friend too. She's just paid me a visit. Sounds like the starlings are going to help you with your plan today."

"Do you think we have a chance?" James asked.

"You always have a chance. Especially against pigeons. And you have loyalty that others would pay dearly for. And have paid dearly for." The badger looked at Notail when he said this.

James thought about the mercenary rats. About Zen in particular.

"I lost your key," he said. "I'm sorry. I think I can get it back."

"That key isn't lost. You know exactly where it is. And I have a feeling that you'll have it back soon enough. I wanted to tell you that you have my blessing. It takes guts to do what you've done -- go in and shake things up. Whatever the outcome, I'll give you my seal of approval on your decisions. That's not to be taken lightly."

"Thank you," James said. "I'm not sure I know what the right thing to do is. Nothing seems to have stopped the pigeon's plans, or got rid of Archduke Crackwing."

"You're doing fine!" the badger said jovially. "Later today the old seagull and the fat bird won't know what hit 'em! And if you do need to encourage them to do the right thing, show 'em that pebble with the scratched on it and say the King Under the Fort lends his paw."

"The pebble?" James asked. "What good is that?"

"Heh. It's only the reason why I didn't kill you when you entered my domain. Without it, you'd have been my dinner! It's an ancient badger stone, and the holder of a badger stone must be listened to. Even by grumpy old kings."

The badger yawned, and shuffled toward the bush.

"Go get some sleep, human. And you need to be alert and ready and well prepared for the battle today."

The king turned and walked through the bush. Either he somehow managed to avoid all of the thorns, or didn't mind them catching his fur, James couldn't tell. Notail hopped up onto his shoulder.

"So, you're a she, are you Notail?" James asked. "And a valuable ally it seems. I hope you're ready to help tomorrow. Because I know I'm not."

He walked quickly back home. When he reached the top of Balfour Road, Notail jumped off and ran down towards the school.

"See you later Notail," James said."Have a good breakfast, you tiny assassin."