CHAPTER 7
BANANA MUFFINS
‘Would you like a banana muffin, dear?’ said an ostrich to Larry. She was the one Flossy was talking to back at the quay. ‘The other monkeys don’t appreciate them. Might as well give them dried hunks of bread, I say. They wouldn’t know the difference. Not that I’ve any problem with monkeys, mind. Some of my best customers are monkeys, and staff. It always pays to have a few handed animals around when you’re running a café.’
Larry recognised her as the same ostrich he had seen at the Stinging Nettle, the one who was pretending not to listen when they were discussing Flossy’s map. She had little eyes with long black lashes. Her downy head feathers were light grey. Jet black feathers covered everything else except her wings and her tail plume; these were brilliant white. Until now she had stayed at the other end of the Fat Crab, one of the many small boats that made up Flossy’s fleet, the Hammer. It was a boat of ancient design made of solid oak planks, heavy in the water and slow to turn.
‘It’s Larry Monkey, isn’t it?’ the ostrich asked, bald head jerking on a slim, s-shaped neck. ‘Now, you can’t win a war on an empty stomach, can you? And you’re as thin as a rake. So how about taking one of these banana muffins I have here. They’ll just go to waste if you don’t eat one and I can assure you they’re all fresh and tasty. I baked them myself this morning. I wouldn’t let you eat anything stale, now would I?’
Larry gripped tight the ship’s spyglass he was holding and concentrated on the Windrush reconnoitring ahead of the fleet. He could still make out Flossy at the tiller, but only just. Iscariot Snake would be curled up below and so would be good as ballast. Flossy had said to watch for her signal flags and then pass on her instructions to the rest of the fleet. She had told him that everything counted on a coordinated strike and he was determined not to let her down.
‘Well you know that it’s here in my basket if you want it later. I’ll just tuck it away at the back and if anyone asks I’ll tell them I’m clean out of banana muffins. My name is Ava Ostrich, by the way.’
Ava fell silent. Overhead, the wind ruffled the sails of the Fat Crab, which rolled on the ocean swell as if it would rather be doing something else. The Port Isabel flag, an owl over waves on a navy blue field, flapped half-heartedly at the top of the boat’s single mast.
It was late afternoon and the Hammer had spent most of the day tacking back and forth in a gusty headwind. It was slow work made more difficult by the need for the fleet to stay tightly bunched. They could only go as fast as the slowest vessel; that was them, the Fat Crab. Flossy had said they would lose their advantage if they didn’t arrive together at the wreck. Larry refocussed the ship’s spyglass and looked ahead at the Windrush. There was still no sign of Kidney Reef or the wreck of the Interloper but it wouldn’t be long now. He could see low, grey clouds brooding on the horizon. That was a worrying sign; it would grow dark sooner than expected.
‘Oh! I might still have a doughnut here somewhere. Or perhaps you would prefer a croissant? Some people do, you know. I’m particularly proud of the Stinging Nettle’s croissants. We make them every day so they’re ready for breakfast…’
Larry could hear Ava scrabbling about in a bag or box.
‘No, I don’t have any left after all, dear,’ she said sadly. ‘I’m terribly sorry to give you false hopes then dash them down so cruelly.’
Ahead, the Windrush was dipping out of view in the ocean swell but he could see that Flossy wasn’t yet signalling.
‘You don’t say much do you? I’ve known many monkeys in my time but none as short on words as you. I don’t mean any offence but…’
He hoped Flossy was safe being alone on the Windrush with Iscariot Snake. She didn’t seem to like him very much, that was clear. And he had seen other animals go out of their way to avoid him too. But the Mayor had made him second-in-command and Mr Elephant had said he was strong and clever so he should at least be given the benefit of the doubt.
The Windrush was tacking once again. It was travelling so fast it seemed to skip across the wave crests without touching them. He could see Flossy in profile set against a choppy green sea. She was standing proud and purposeful, one hand on the tiller. The boat’s spinnaker was tumescent now that she was running before the wind.
‘Did you know I knew your parents?’ said Ava.
Larry twitched but didn’t turn. Powerful emotions gripped him.
‘We served together following the last Troubles, before I took over the Stinging Nettle. Oh, it seems like such a long time ago. We were searching for the Lost Ones. They were fine people, your parent’s that is, and I’m really sorry they…’
The Fat Crab was tacking again. The boom swung across the deck and Larry ducked under and crossed to port without taking his eyes off the Windrush. Ava followed.
‘They were always together, your parents. Inseparable, you might say. You would have only been a tiny chimp at the time—big ears, small head, light as a feather. I remember she’d talk of you often, wondering how you were in the care of others; your father too. She said you were a quiet monkey. I can see that not much has changed there, dear. Not that there’s anything wrong with being a little quieter than others, mind. Sometimes I wish people would listen twice as much as they talked. It’s so hard to get a word in edgeways with some people, don’t you think?’
A wave rocked the Fat Crab, sea spray fizzing.
‘Oh my! The waters are getting choppy. Is it always like this on the ocean? The last time I was at sea, was… never you mind how long ago it was. A hen never gives away her age, if she can help it, that is.’
Larry didn’t show it but he longed to hear more about his parents. He knew so little, only what he had overhead when people thought he wasn’t listening. People were worried that they’d upset him if they spoke of them openly; of what had happened to them.
‘You should be proud of your parents, dear. Following the Troubles, when we were deep in the Northern Wilds—that is, your parents and I and some others. The Northern Wilds are in the high country below the Northern Escarpment. Well, we were so far from home that it seemed like we’d never find our way back. And it was cold, so cold it would freeze an egg. At that time we believed the owls were up there somewhere, and barbarians that ate flesh too. There are few Heat Trees that high up, nothing but snow and ice.’
Animals were packed into the Fat Crab like sardines following a particularly successful night’s fishing. A panther and tiger crouched low in the hollow of the boat. Every now and then Larry could hear them moan. They had been seasick most of the voyage and took turns at the railing as they tried to empty their already empty stomachs. Not far from Larry a panther hung over the side dry-retching. Larry adjusted his position and focussed on the Windrush. She had increased her distance, changed direction again and was flying across the wave tops perpendicular to the Fat Crab’s course.
‘Cats never make good sailors,’ remarked Ava conspiratorially, head jerking as she looked at Larry, first with one eye, then the other. ‘I’ve never known a cat sailor that lasted long enough to become truly proficient at their craft. The constant rocking motion upsets their finely tuned sense of balance, so they say.’ She leaned closer so she wouldn’t be overheard. ‘And they’re probably a little afraid of the water too, I suspect. I mean, have you ever seen a cat swim?’ She stepped back and looked over the side. ‘Then again, I’ve never known a possum sailor either, except for Harry Possum of course. He’s your friend isn’t he? I’m very sorry he was kidnapped and I’m sure we’ll get him back. The human seems to know what she’s doing. And I know that Iscariot Snake—even though I wouldn’t trust him as far as I could throw him, which is not very far if you consider just how big he is—has the Mayor’s confidence, which is not something lightly given. As I always say, not that I am in the habit of quoting myself, at least I hope I’m not…’
Larry was rapidly losing sight of the Windrush as she was now obscured by foaming wave crests and fog that looked like drifting s
moke. Then suddenly the fog parted and the Windrush came into sharp focus again.
‘Anyway, as I was saying: we were in the Northern Wilds trying to find safe passage over the mountains when one of our scouts, a moose, failed to return. You have to understand, it was freezing cold with treacherous ravines hidden under deep snow drifts. There were icicles hanging off icicles that were hanging of more icicles, if you know what I mean. What was I saying…? Oh yes. The winds were up and we all expected to be snowed in by a blizzard. The light was fading and without shelter even a moose wouldn’t last until morning. Guess who volunteered to search for her? You parents volunteered, Larry. Do you believe it? They didn’t even hesitate. While we all huddled against the cold fearing for our lives, your parents tramped off into the snowstorm holding hands. I still remember the sight like it was only yesterday. They just faded to white before our eyes. Did I mention there was a snowstorm? More of a blizzard, I should think. And I was thinking: “I wonder if I’ll ever see them again?” They were both so brave. I’ve never seen…’
Larry glowed with pride under his dark fur. He had heard enough from others to know that his parents were heroes. And he knew deep in his heart that if they would risk their lives to save a moose they would never have willingly abandoned him. Something had happened to them when he was young and they had been unable to return since. He would find them and bring them home, even if it took him the rest of his life.
The Fat Crab swung about, tacking again to take advantage of a shift in the wind. Larry carefully waded through the sea of animals laying low in the hollow of the boat. Reaching the mast, he slung the spyglass’ strap over his shoulder and climbed, hands and feet gripping capably. He carried the signalling flags in his mouth.
The mast top swayed as Larry brought the ship’s spyglass to bear on the ocean ahead. It took him a moment to find the Windrush; she too had switched tack and was clipping lightly across the wave tops. The fog was thickening as the distance increased between them and he hoped he would be able to see the signals when the time came.
‘So, the night and the storm closed in and your parents failed to return,’ said Ava from the base of the mast. Her head was craned at the end of her long neck, her voice raised over the gusty wind. It didn’t seem to matter that Larry didn’t look at her or acknowledge her in any way, she kept talking anyway. ‘I’m not ashamed to admit I didn’t expect ever to see them again, as you wouldn’t if you had of been there instead of tucked up in your warm crib back in Port Isabel. But they cared about the moose, you see, and were prepared to risk everything, even their own lives, to save her.’
A large wave rocked the Fat Crab, the foaming crest leaping the rail and washing over the animals huddling together in the hollow of the boat. Larry heard groans as the mast dipped alarmingly. The wind buffeted him but would have to be a lot stronger to dislodge him. Below, Ava was still talking and he had to strain to hear her over the wind.
‘We considered going after them but it was so dark nobody could believe we’d be able to find them so we built a snow cave to get through the night and determined to search for them in the morning.’
A larger wave rolled under the Fat Crab, lifting in the air. Water sloshed in and Larry swayed with the mast. Below, the panther moaned as he hung over the side. Larry’s spyglass was still tightly tracking the Windrush far ahead. He could no longer make out Flossy in the vague light of the thickening afternoon fog.
‘Oh my, the waves are getting bigger. And the fog’s closing in. Do you think we’re close to the reef?’
Larry didn’t answer. He heard Ava checking the panther was alright and asking him if there was anything she could do. The panther just moaned. Ava soon returned to the base of the mast and continued her story.
‘So, morning came and there was still no sign of them so we dug ourselves out and split into two search parties. By lunchtime the party I was in found blood in the snow. We feared the worst of it, dear. Let me tell you, I was deeply worried. It would have been miracle enough should they have survived the blizzard and exposure at those temperatures. And there were dangerous animals living in the Wilds, as everyone knows. Animals that wouldn’t think twice before… well… so we followed the trail and…’
The Fat Crab swung about again. Ava ducked under the boom as it swung to starboard and Larry shifted position on the mast to keep the Windrush in sight. He could see the fast little skiff but visibility was now so low he doubted he’d be able to read the flags when the time came.
‘…we found them huddled in a shallow cave, nearly dead from exposure and your father from certain peculiar injuries, of which he wouldn’t speak. He had lost a lot of blood probably having been savaged by some wild animal, or so I remember thinking at the time. Your mother had held him all night to keep him warm and so, saved his life. We never found the poor moose. I forget her name now… isn’t that terrible! That I would forget her name, or was she a he… but it was so many years ago. And so your parents soon came back to you, as heroes. We never found any sign of the Lost Ones as we’d hoped. The Northern Wilds are a terrible place to be in winter, my dear. Summer too, so they say.’
As he listened to Ava, Larry wondered about the ‘certain peculiar injuries’ his father had received and why it wasn’t clear who or what had caused them. But he couldn’t afford to think more about it now, he needed to concentrate on the Windrush. Flossy was relying on him so he couldn’t let his feelings distract him. They would have only one chance to rescue Harry and Sally and they couldn’t afford to lose the element of surprise. When they struck, it would be fast and direct giving the pirates no chance to retaliate. The Hammer was to strike a blow that would leave them reeling.
Ahead and shrouded by ever-thickening fog a sliver of darkness stretched across the green, heaving ocean. Through the ship’s spyglass, Larry could see they were rapidly approaching the deadly waters surrounding Kidney Reef. He couldn’t yet see the wreck of the Interloper but they were close. Flossy would soon signal her instructions so he would need to be ready.