Barbara Gaskell Denvil [Denvil - Hide & Seek

Here at last is the sixth and final book in the Bannisters Muster series, I do hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed writing it, who knows I may come back and write a few more adventures in Lashtang sometime in the future.

But for now, I hope you enjoy Nathans last adventure!

Best regards,

Chapter One

T he tiger leapt.

The leap was high over their heads, so they were all staring up, seeing the tigers front legs reaching forwards, claws spread, his back legs curled up beneath him, and his tail straight out behind.

Everyone gasped and bent down while still gazing up.

Landing on the wide cobbled street that led to the outer gates, the tiger turned with one bound and faced them, barring their way back into the city. He snarled, mouth gaping to show the rows of sharp teeth.

Peter continued to play. The tune was soft and gentle, the notes plaintive and melancholy, an ancient Lashtang melody which the Lady Tryppa had taught him. The notes grew high and sad as he plucked the strings, the lute resting against his shoulder, his fingers quick and practised. He neither paused nor hesitated.

And then, very sweet and soft behind him, the tune was repeated in harmony and Peter turned.

Lady Tryppa was standing there in the darkening shadows, her lute to her shoulder and her fingers to the strings. She was smiling at Peter as she played.

With a sigh, the great tiger sank down. The music paralysed him. He could not attack, nor could he make any sound. His jaws snapped shut, his eyes half closed and for a moment it seemed that he could not even move. He lowered his head and laid it on his paws as he sank down. It appeared that Yaark slept.

Peter almost dropped his lute and ran into the ladys arms. She wrapped her white fur cloak around him and kissed the top of his hair. My dear boy, she murmured, Your music is as beautiful as I could ever imagine. I have stayed away too long. I missed my most talented student. But now, before the creature wakes, we must be gone.

Having run forwards to open the gates, Nathan pushed, then kicked, at the heavy wooden doors, which swung with a creak and a burst of last daylight. With Peter now playing the sea shanty he had recently learned from the crew of Christopher Columbus, they all ran out into the grasslands beyond Peganda City, breathing in the crisp twilight and the perfumes of wildflowers and the river winding to the north.

Alice was singing. The autumn colours, oh the reds, the copper, the orange and brown.

Grabbing her hand, Alfie ran on along the wide country path. Poppy yelled. Not too far, Alfie. We need to call the Sky-train.

But Tryppa shook her head. I am not quite as useless as that, she smiled. Keep close together, and we shall all be back in the cottage by the count of three.

One two three. And here, with the sun sinking behind our own garden gate, we are home amongst our friends.

It was Poppy, hands on her hips, who said, Come on, tell us.

I think we should go inside, Nathan said. And tell Dad and Granny and Zakmeister at the same time. Look, Sherdams putting the kettle on. So they were sitting all squashed up together around the kitchen table with hot chocolate or tea, and biscuits in their hands, when Nathan continued, saying, Ive got something to tell you all..

With little idea of what was going on, Columbus, Richard III, Henry V and Henry VIII soon wandered off to play Snap and Cribbage with an old pack of cards, and happily started teaching Cribbage to Alfie.

But the others were deep in conversation around the kitchen table as first Tryppa explained what she had been doing for long months in Sharr Forest. Its a cold place, and never welcoming, she said with a slight shiver. The Epilogs loved my music and taught me the songs they used to sing around their campfires. But the trees stuck out their roots when I played and threw down broken branches. It took a long and tedious time to prove myself to them. Still, most of the older trees hate me but some of the birches and maples, the pretty beech trees and the fruits, they accepted me and even welcomed me in time. I hope they will talk to their elders now Ive gone, and convince them that we are not evil creatures wishing to chop them down and burn them.

And the Golden Figs?

At first they threw their fruit at me. Then they made friends and fed me. I told them we have huge orchards now in Clarr, and some trees growing here by the cottage, a few in the plains, by the rivers, and in Sparkan. They were pleased.

But now, said Nathan, weve done so much. All the Sparkan animals are friends, even some of the snakes. Hexaconda and Laksta have taught us so much. Amazing. So terrifying and so different. Cruel. And kind too. Everything. All back to front. He turned to Tryppa. Theyre called Quosters. An old race of snake people. Originally they lived in the forest too. It was just the trees and the Quosters, and no Epilogs because they lived at Clarr.

But the people hated the Quosters and were frightened of them, said Poppy, so they killed them. The last few escaped to Sparkan and the hot water lakes.

But by then the Hazletts were killing off the Epilogs so they escaped to the Sharr Forest.

Dear, dear, said Granny, who was busy icing a cake. We dont even know our own history, do we! We should know all this, partly to put things right, but also to learn from the past.

I liked history at school, said Nathan. But I never learned much. I didnt know a thing about medieval London until I suddenly went there. In school, I just knew the dates of battles and the names of kings.

I just knew about the names of Roman Emperors that I couldnt pronounce, giggled Poppy.

Back to business. Bayldon stood, leaving a biscuit on his plate which John immediately grabbed. So Brewster pretends or may be truly to be our friend. Wagster is crazed. Clebbster is badly injured, can do no magic for some weeks, and has to stay in bed. His wife and daughter have returned to Sparkan. For the moment, we are safe from all of them.

Yes. Nathan took a deep breath. But listen. Theres something more important than history. Even more important than the trees and the Epilogs. He took a deep breath and looked around at all the attentive faces watching him. Then he exhales just as deeply, and said, Yaark is back.

For some moments there was complete silence. This was the worst shock they could have, and no one spoke for some time. Then quite suddenly everyone spoke at the same time. What? How? When? How do you know? And what shall we do?