Part 26 (1/2)

'Captain, if I may make a couple of points that may have slipped your mind,' said Ben, face pale in the falling rain. 'First, I'm scared in open water, and second, when we hit this calm stretch, you said we had to get out quickly to avoid crocodile attack. And now you're suggesting we jump back in? Are you really sure?'

'If we don't, they'll track us down and kill us before we get to the s.h.i.+ps, unless we are incredibly lucky.'

'And if we do, we're breakfast for crocodiles.'

'Not necessarily,' said Yron. 'It's all a question of timing and appearance.'

Ben s.h.i.+fted and frowned. 'You're really scared of these elves aren't you?'

'More scared than I am of a crocodile or a piranha shoal,' said Yron.

'How can they be so good?'

'When we get across to the other side, I'll tell you,' said Yron. 'It's time you knew what we're up against.'

'What about the others, then?' asked Ben, jerking a thumb back into the forest.

Yron smiled. This boy would go far if he survived. About to risk his life in the water, he still had enough wit to be worried about the other men.

'They had a good head start,' said Yron. 'They have a chance.'

'Really, Captain?'

'Don't stop believing,' said Yron, though inside he had very little hope left, none for the groups travelling without mages. 'Come on, let's find ourselves a float and a place to cross.'

Yron led the way back down the short climb, dropping the last couple of feet to stand ankle deep in the water. He cast an eye over the river, looking for telltale ripples or the eyes of a crocodile just above the surface. Ben was descending slowly, favouring his left leg. He looked clumsy.

'You all right, Ben?'

'Yes, sir.'

'What's wrong with the leg?'

'Just a little stiff I think. I must have lain on it bent or something.'

'Right,' said Yron. He looked closely, watching as Ben jumped into the water by him, landing on his left leg only. 'Are you sure?'

'It's fine, really.'

'Right,' said Yron again. 'Stay here, watch the opposite bank. Count the crocodiles on the mud and tell me if any take to the water before I get back with the flotsam. Think you can do that?'

'Yes, sir.'

Yron hurried back upstream to the pocket of still water they'd finished their river journey in. The log was still there and Yron greeted it like an old friend. He edged it from its lodging place and shepherded it downstream much as the day before, smiling as Ben came into sight. The young lieutenant was staring across the river sixty yards to the mud slope where four or five of the big reptiles lay.

Yron knew they couldn't see them from that distance but they'd sense vague movement and see clearly from about halfway across.

'Anything happen?' he asked.

'Nothing at all. They haven't moved a muscle.'

'Glad to hear it. Right, follow me. And tread lightly; anything in the river will be able to sense movement, so take slow easy paces, all right?'

Ben nodded and Yron set off, keeping the log slightly ahead of him and brus.h.i.+ng the rock face. His nerves began to tingle. Here there was no quick escape. Here they were vulnerable. But he really had no choice. Crocodiles were predictable to a point. TaiGethen were infinitely more dangerous.

There was no movement from the opposite bank. He didn't necessarily expect any. Of course they wouldn't all be resting, but it was early yet and reptiles that size would be sluggish until they warmed up. It was imperative they get across at the earliest opportunity.

About two hundred yards further downstream, the river took a bend to the left and narrowed to forty or fifty yards. The bank just before the bend was gra.s.s-covered and sloped sharply upwards but would be easy to scramble up in a hurry if necessary. The distance was as good as they were liable to get but the negative was that the river flowed that bit quicker here. It would take a lot of effort and noise to ensure they landed before drifting past the bank and into the next cliff-sided stretch.

'You ready for this?' asked Yron.

'I'll never be ready for it,' said Ben. 'So I'm just going to do it.'

'Good lad. We're headed there.' Yron pointed downstream. 'Anywhere along that stretch and we can get out quick. Now here's what we're going to do. Like yesterday, we're going to push gently out into the stream and swim up a little way against the current. Once we're across the middle of the river, I want you to stay quite still. Be part of the log. If you're inert, you won't attract attention. We'll drift down a way before pus.h.i.+ng for the bank. When we do, don't thrash, for G.o.d's sake. Do you understand?'

Ben-Foran nodded. 'Sir.'

Gently, Yron pushed the log out and entered the water after it, hearing Ben do the same despite his care. With long slow sweeps of his legs, Yron moved them out from the bank, heading towards the crocodiles. It was uncomfortable but necessary. Fortunately the current was slow and they reached the middle of the river quickly. There they turned and began to drift downstream.

'Now's the time, Ben,' he said, voice quiet. 'Try not to move at all. Search the surface. Tell me what you see. Breathe slow.'

The rain had stopped and the cloud was breaking up quickly, for which Yron was not grateful. Heavy rain upset natural senses, cloud kept cold blood that way. Conditions were changing fast but out here peace was total. The water was cool beneath the immediate surface, and the sounds of the myriad rainforest creatures muted somehow. He forced himself to relax, to listen and to watch.

Beside him Ben was admirably silent, his eyes forward. Yron turned his head. Nothing he could see. The mudbank remained still. It was exactly as he had prayed.

Ben jerked back, his leg twitching. 'Dammit!'

'What was it?' Yron, tense all over again, looked immediately behind them.

'Nothing, I . . . Ow!' Ben slapped the water with a hand. 'Something bit me.'

Yron went cold all over. They were twenty-five yards from the bank. It could prove a very long way. Something b.u.mped into his boot. He felt another impact on his leather. He knew this behaviour. This was the vanguard of an invasion. The army would not be far behind and they were unstoppable. Piranha.

'Swim, Ben!' he shouted, thras.h.i.+ng his legs to action, driving them across the river. 'Pump those legs and don't you f.u.c.king stop! Swim!'

He knew it gave out distress signals but they had no option. The fish had scented blood from somewhere and he and Ben were the targets. As he swept his legs through the water, bringing the log around to steer them straight for the bank, he saw the mudbank was empty. The crocodiles were already in the water, heading downstream. Their thras.h.i.+ng had been like a call to feeding time and none wanted to miss out. They had a start of a hundred and fifty yards or so. It was going to be very close.

Ben was under concerted attack. His heaving legs made purchase difficult but piranha were quick and their jaws awesomely strong. He cried out again and again as they bit clean through cloth and into his flesh, every bite pumping more blood into the water, attracting more of the voracious killers.

From their left, the crocodiles closed in, strong tails powering them through the water faster than any man could hope to swim. The bank was nearing, moment by moment. Yron felt a sharp bite on his ankle through the leather of his boot. He thrashed his legs harder.

Ben moaned.

'Keep going, son, almost there,' urged Yron. 'You can do it. Don't you give up on me, lad.'