Free The Wanderers of the Water-Realm by Alan Lawton Page A

dreadfully inhibited by his complete lack of knowledge of the new reality and knowing that every decision he would be forced to make had the potential to bring complete disaster upon the little expedition.
“Three heads are better than one!” He mused, as he tossed in his blankets. “Whenever possible, everyone must be consulted on the best course of action.” Even so, he realized that survival for the group would often depend upon the split-second decisions that he would be forced to make when danger arrived without any prior warning. But that resided in the future, for their immediate security now rested in the hands of the little wizard who was sleeping soundly in the bows of the ‘Bonny Barbara.’

Dawn broke and the narrowboat continued its voyage down-river. The task of the navigator at the tiller, however, became ever more difficult as the current of the river gathered speed. Sharp rocks often jutted out from the banks and the course of the waterway frequently twisted and turned alarmingly, often catching the craft in dangerous back-eddies causing the vessel to pitch and roll almost uncontrollably.
The nature of the countryside, through which the Exit River ran also, began changing. The trackless moss covered plain began giving way to a vista of rolling hills and narrow valley’s often containing dense groves of trees. Streams sometimes flowed from these wooded glades and poured into the main river, greatly augmenting its flow.
The difficulties of river navigation gradually increased as the day wore on and none of the travellers were disappointed when Thom pointed towards the mouth of a sizeable tributary and told them to steer in its direction.
“That be the way … to ‘The Valley of the Fruitful Stream,” he said, “my home and now yours.”
A group of about forty young red-skinned men and women were standing near to the mouth of the stream, and, under the wizard’s direction, the three crewmembers prepared a long towrope, which they threw to the people waiting onshore. The shore party immediately grasped the line and began bow-hauling the ‘Bonny Barbara’ up what appeared to be a large navigable tributary of the main Exit River.
The bow-haulers’ uttered a low rhythmic dirge that helped them to keep up a steady pace as they executed their arduous task, and thanks to their efforts, the narrowboat made swift progress up the course of the stream.
By mid afternoon, the party entered a small valley that seemed to be enclosed on three sides by gently sloping hills. The nulla moss that covered the hillsides, was copper coloured and of a finer texture than the similar vegetation covering the plain outside the ‘City of the Ancient Dead.’
Groups of strange two-legged creatures, that bore a slight resemblance to kangaroos, could be seen grazing upon this new strain of nulla moss. Afew of the animals wandered down to the stream to drink and the newcomers quickly realized that the resemblance to the marsupials was purely superficial; for their heads and the upper portion of their long necks were covered with fine red scales and the lidless eyes, gleaming in their narrow heads, gave the creatures an almost reptilian appearance.
Also, their slender red-coloured bodies were supported upon legs and hips that were certainly bird-jointed and doubtless gave rise to their curious hopping gait, whilst their stumpy forelegs appeared to be only useful for giving support to their forequarters when they bent down to graze upon the bronze nulla moss.
Thom pointed towards the creatures. “Narr.” He said shortly. “We breed plenty narr in Fruitful Valley.” He waved his hand towards one of the animals whose body was covered with a thick red mat of wool. “Wool narr.” He explained, and drew a warm sleeping cloak from inside his travelling pouch. He ran his hand over the soft material. “Warm … light … keep you dry … if you sleep outside on ground … during rain-time.”
The wizard pointed towards another