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 Wot do you  ave in mind, guv? Squill was watching the bird warily.
 Like you ve been saying: Time is important. Climb up on my back, all of you. A vast wing dipped until
the tip was touching the ground.
Hesitating only mentally, Buncan struggled up the ramp of huge feathers, pulling himself along. Behind
him, Gragelouth lingered.
 Come on! he urged the merchant.
 I . . . I don t know. The sloth s nervous tongue was all over his face.  I am not used to such
adventurous exertions. I am only a simple merchant.
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Buncan settled into position behind the tickbird s columnar neck.  Don t think about it. With your claws
you ll be able to hang on better than any of us.
 Well . . . Gragelouth glanced down at his powerful fingers.  Having always considered myself
permanently earthbound, I suppose it would be a highly educational experience to experience flight. He
ambled forward.
Buncan looked past him.  Squill, what are you waiting for?
 We otters ain t keen on flyin , mate. We like life bloody well close to the ground, and plenty o time
under it.
 It s your sister, Buncan reminded him sternly.
 That s right, smother me in guilt. He shuffled reluctantly forward.  It s only that if I upchuck on Viz s
back it might break the spell.
 Anything might break it. Move yourself. Reaching down, Buncan gave his friend a hand up.
 Puke all you want. Viz gleefully tossed his amazing rainbow crest.  It won t bother me. I ve lived with
that for years. He indicated the stagnant, soporific shape of the unconscious rhinoceros.
Gargantuan wings beat the air, driving the cowering deer even deeper into their stall. As the coyote
returned with querulous friends, the blast of wind from Viz s wingbeats blew them backward into the
tavern.
Two strapping sets of claws reached out and snatched the snoring Snaugenhutt from his stall. The
stupefied rhino was a load even for the transmuted tickbird, but with a determined burst of energy he
powered his great avian form into the night sky, multiple burden and all.
Banking hard above the towers of languorous Camrioca, an enchanted shape turned sharply westward.
Those few citizens abroad on nocturnal strolls who happened to glance upward at a propitious moment
did not then nor ever after countenance what their eyes detected at that particular moment.
Viz followed the reflective path of the river, turning inland when the battlements of the Baron s estate
became visible off to the north. The half-moon that was playing hide-and-seek with the clouds supplied
enough light to show the way.
Buncan dug his fingers tighter into the feathers in front of him as Viz took a wild dip. The tickbird looked
back at him, panic in his voice.
 I m getting weaker already! I can feel it.
 Knew the spell wouldn t last. Squill leaned over, estimating the distance to the trees below, and shut
his eyes tight. Beneath the brown fur the muscles of his arms were clenched.
Gragelouth focused his attention on the terrain ahead.  I see no guards on the wall. There are one or two
atop the main gate.
 Set us down inside, Buncan instructed their mount.  Right on the roof.
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 They ll see us land, Viz argued.  We need something to divert their attention.
 What do you suggest? The feathers Buncan clutched seemed to be vibrating under his fingers. At any
moment, he knew, Viz might contract to his normal size, leaving them all suspended in midair. But only
momentarily. In his natural incarnation it would be a struggle for the tickbird to raise a good-sized worm.
 Leave it to me. And hang on! With that, Viz drew in his great wings and dove straight for the main
gate. Ominously, a silvery mist was beginning to collect along the leading edge of his wings.
Hearing the wind that was not wind, one of the guards atop the wall saw the stupendous apparition
approaching and let out an involuntary, startled cry. It was enough to alert the evening patrol below,
which reacted with impressive lack of decision.
Their yelling was loud enough to reach into the great central hall, where the Baron Krasvin was planning
his final assault on the upstart occupier of his precious library. He peered past his courtiers, his
expression irritable.
 What s all that noise.
 I ll go and see, Master. Holding his floppy hat onto his head, a woodchuck sprinted for the doorway.
Krasvin grunted at the interruption and returned his attention to his immediate circle.  Now remember:
We re going in quietly. Once inside I want all of you to hug the wall. Neiswik and I will go up the ladder
first. As soon as we can get the lamp out of her reach we ll toss her down to you. Get on her
immediately: She s quick. And don t hurt her. He grinned nastily.  Such pleasures I reserve for myself.
 I can t hold it! shouted Viz as he plunged lower.  I can feel myself starting to change back.
 Then get the  ell down! Squill squealed at him.
 We have to land inside. Buncan tried to estimate the distance remaining to the estate.  We have to!
At that moment an unearthly shriek split the air rushing past him. It came not from any of his companions
but from immediately below. It wasn t surprising that he didn t recognize it. He d never heard a
rhinoceros scream before.
Snaugenhutt had chosen that moment to awaken.
 It s all right. Buncan leaned out and over as far as he could.  We re almost there!
 Almost wh-wh-where? Snaugenhutt s words were not slurred, his tone unimpaired. As a
representative of a decidedly earthbound tribe, the experience of finding himself suddenly and
unexpectedly soaring through the air had done nothing less than shock him sober.
 The gate, their mount shouted.  We re almost upon the gate!
Though deeply distorted, the tickbird s voice was not unrecognizable. Snaugenhutt s head twisted
around and up.  Viz?
 Yeah, it s me, you useless old soak. I m wondering why I bothered to haul you along.
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 Sorry. Don t know what happened to me.
 I do. I can t let you out of my sight for a minute without you crapping all over what little reputation
we ve got left. But that s Krasvin s estate up ahead. You re about to get a chance to redeem yourself.
Whether you want to or not.
 What do you mean?
 I mean that the spell that s done me like this is wearing off fast, we have to get inside that wall unnoticed
if possible, and in order to do that we need a diversion. A big diversion.
Snaugenhutt s eyelids shuttered suspiciously.  What kind of  diversion ?
At which point there resounded in the night sky above the silent forest west of Camrioca an immortal cry
not likely to be repeated in the lifetime of anyone in the immediate vicinity. Or anywhere else, for that
matter.
 Rhino awayyyy!
 Nooooo! Snaugenhutt howled as those great claws unclenched and Viz released his burden.
As the transformed tickbird soared upward, buoyed by the release, the panicked rhino described an [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]