

The Elleshere (Elsewhere) Place

Steve Simons

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2011 Steve Simons

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This book is dedicated to Sophie and Wendy,

who have been two of my avid fans for years.

Thanks for your support.

~~~~~~

INDEX

Chapter 1 – The Trouble

Chapter 2 – Could it get worse?

Chapter 3 - Anyway it isn't about me

Chapter 4 – The Ailers and more

Chapter 5 – From plan to rescue

Chapter 6 – Elles here

Chapter 7 – To the coast

Chapter 8 – What now?
Chapter 9 – Disturbed
Chapter 10 – To find the way back

Chapter 11 – Many brave Fusas and one girl

Chapter 12 – Disappointment is normal

Chapter 13 – A new day

Chapter 14 – Another way

Chapter 15 – The journey home

~~~~~~

# Chapter 1 – The Trouble

A figure dressed entirely in black was standing at the top of the rocky outcrop, surveying the surrounding countryside, as if in search of something. The mist made it very difficult to make out any features of the figure's face, so must have made it almost impossible for the figure to see whatever it was seeking out. The figure turned and walked off of the outcrop, disappearing from view.

Out of curiosity I had walked in the same direction, only in my case being below the outcrop I had to walk around it. I had wondered if I would see the person again. I was curious as to who it was and what they were doing out here, I thought no-one lived here, yes there were settlements in the area at one time, but I didn't know anyone was still living here. Perhaps like me, the lone figure was a visitor to the area. Some visitor I am though, it almost felt like I lived here, I had been in Cornwall for four months and still had a couple to go. Don't get me wrong, I loved the place, its just that I didn't really belong there, as if I had outstayed my welcome.

Anyway this story isn't about me, its about her, the figure on the rock. I walked round the rocks, noticing that the ground was sloping upwards, heading towards the top of the rocks. I tried to pick up pace, but it was difficult, as the path, if you could call it that, got steeper. I wondered if I would lose the figure that I had seen, on the outcrop. The thought had spurred me on. I had just caught sight of her, the figure, disappearing into the house in the distance, as I reached the top level.

That was my first encounter with her. I thought nothing of it until I was at a loose end again one day and I headed back out to the same rocky outcrop. It was bare, it would be too much to hope that she would be there again. I had retraced my steps and ended up seeing the house again. As I got nearer, I heard crying. As I concentrated more on the front of the house, I saw her sitting on the front step, dressed in a white tee shirt and blue jeans. She was only a child, difficult to judge her age, sat down like that. She had long blonde hair, that covered her face. Apart from the fact that there was no-one else around, I could not be a hundred percent sure that it was her crying, yet it had to be. I was unsure if I should mind my own business and clear off before she or anyone else saw me, or if I should offer my help. As no-one else seemed to be coming to her aid and she was sobbing quite loudly, I decided to put my doubts to one side. If there's one thing I can't abide, it is to see or hear another human being suffering. I can't stick the tantrums of kids at the supermarket. I feel sorry for the parents AND for the kids.

I walked towards her, stopping at a reasonable distance, so that she didn't feel threatened, if she wanted to tell me to back off she would still have the time and the space to do a runner if she felt she needed to. I then gently asked what was wrong. She was startled, she looked up at me and her face told me instantly that she was afraid. I re-assured her that I wasn't going to harm her and I just wanted to know if there was anything I could do to help her. That was the first time I heard her, she said, "Its my dad, he's vanished."

"What do you mean vanished?" I asked her.

She looked at me like it was really none of my business, which of course it wasn't really, but after looking me up and down a bit, she replied, "He left eight days ago, to get some food and other supplies and I haven't seen him since."

"Did you ring the police?"

"Yes, but they can't find any trace of him, his car is still just down the hill. Its like he never left the place. I fear the worst." She looked like she was going to start crying again.

I couldn't ask the obvious question as I knew she'd start crying again, but I knew I had to move her on and try to solve the problem, but how? I racked my brains, then asked, "Is it possible that he's hiding out somewhere nearby?"

"Why?" She looked at me as if I had just said the stupidest thing in the world.

"Who knows, perhaps someone was after him for some reason, did you have any enemies, did your Dad know of a place nearby where he could hide?"

"Enemies? Why? We didn't do anything to anyone. The Police asked about that. As for somewhere to hide, there is nowhere, not close anyway, it would have been easier to get away in the car, but he wouldn't leave me here all alone. The police agreed on that one, or at least one of them did, the one who lives round here."

"Are you sure that he had no enemies? What are you doing living here, if not hiding from someone or something? You sure don't own the land around here and there's no sign that you are farmers."

"We are here because it's ideal for Dad's work." She stood at that point, what with seeing her height and seeing her face full on now, I judged she must have been only about 10 or 11.

I had the strong feeling that the discussion could be over shortly

"What would that be?" I asked, not sure if it was actually the right question to ask or not.

I was rewarded by the response, "Just who are you? Why are you so interested in us? Was it you, who harmed my Dad?"

What could I answer to that? She was certainly a bright one to be sure, even if she was on completely on the wrong track. "I just want to help you find your Dad, perhaps it would help if I told you what I do for a living?"

"You could be lying, just to get me to trust you."

See what I mean she was sharp as a razor. "I am Paul, I am down here doing upgrades to mobile phone base stations. We had the option to travel around and stay at hotels or rent somewhere and use it as a base, we opted for the latter choice, so we had somewhere that felt like home. I'm staying at a cottage about a mile and half down the road. I think I saw you about six days ago, out on the ridge, presumably you were looking for your Dad."

"Changes nothing, You could still be the one who took my Dad."

I tried to change the subject slightly with, "Surely the police have not left you on your own?"

"Of course not, I am a child, my aunt has come to stay, until we find my Dad."

"That's a relief then, I was worried you were all alone."

Feeling that I was getting nowhere apart from making myself public enemy number one, I decided it was probably best for me to duck out of the situation, after all this was presumably her house and I didn't want to drive her away from her own place. Out of guilt though, I did leave her my phone number and told her where my cottage was, also that my house mate's name was Kevin, just in-case she came in search of me and I wasn't around but Kevin was.

I didn't hear anything from her. I was so worried, that whenever I had the opportunity, I tried to find her Dad myself. I probably looked right guilty nosing around the countryside. I checked her place every day. In the early days I saw her out and about a few times, even caught sight of her aunt. I never attempted to talk to either though.

Then I was away for a bit, still had my job to do after all. I didn't see her again. I saw the aunt and the police out and about, they seemed to have resumed the search. I even got interviewed myself, I thought it best not to say too much in-case they thought that I was involved. I told them pretty much what I had told her, that I lived nearby and that I had seen her about a few times, but nothing about talking to her. I acted all surprised when they said something about her Dad being missing, now apparently she had gone missing too. I hopped that the shock of the news didn't show too much in my face, otherwise they'd suspect me. I gave them my number, in-case they needed to contact me.

I mistakenly thought that would be the end of my dealings with the police, how wrong could I be? I had a visit from the boys in blue that very evening. Kevin and I had settled down after dinner, another microwave wonder, that tasted pretty much like the one from the night before, despite the picture being totally different. Anyway, We were set to watch a film, when there was a knock on the door. Knock it felt more like whoever was on the other side wanted to remove the door, without opening it first.

Kevin opened the door, to be greeted by two of them, the boys in blue, they asked if he was me, he put them straight and I was invited to help them with their enquiries at the station. Not knowing if or when I'd get back, I grabbed a few essentials and they whisked me off in their car. It was raining and dark, so difficult to make out where we were going, but I knew it wasn't the local police station, as I had passed by that regularly. They seemed to be taking a strange route, which threw me altogether.

Eventually we arrived, but that wasn't the worst of it all. I was told the usual that you hear on TV and films, but never expect to hear yourself, all about being careful what you say, used in evidence against you and lawyers. I wondered what they had on me, perhaps the aunt had overheard us, me and the girl, talking. I wondered whether it would be best to try and get a lawyer involved, or would that make me seem more guilty. As I hadn't done anything wrong I decided not to involve a lawyer.

Ruddy heck, I soon regretted that decision. You'd have thought they had a picture of me holding a smoking gun and girl's Dad lying dead on the ground in front of me, then kidnapping her. It started with, "Can you confirm this is your telephone number?"

I recognised the last four digits immediately and confirmed that it was. Then they asked me, "What do you know about Josephine Menzies?"

The name didn't mean anything to me at first, then I suddenly remembered seeing the article in the local paper about a man being missing, his name was Menzies, but what was the first name? Oh yes Joseph, so I said, "Do you mean Joseph Menzies, the guy in the local paper?"

There was a knowing look passed between the two other people in the room besides me. Oh heck what have I done now, it hit me like a great weight, Josephine must be the girls name. I had spoken to her, did they know that? The one asking the questions says, "No, I didn't mention his name, but if you like we could start with him. What do you know about Joseph Menzies?"

"Apart from what the paper said, nothing, nothing at all. Never met the guy or had any dealings with him. Apart from seeing his picture in the paper, I wouldn't know him from Adam. I am not from round here you see, I am only here on a six month visit, doing some work down here, telecoms...." I'm cut short there.

The guy asking, says, "Yes, yes we know all that from your questioning earlier. All right what do you know about Josephine then?"

"Nothing." I try a bluff, "Was she his wife?"

"Come on what do you take us for, fools? You were interviewed earlier in connection with the disappearance of a ten year old girl and you think we are talking about the wife?"

There was an embarrassing silence, which I had the strong feeling I was supposed to fill, but I resist. The man goes on to ask, "Can you explain why your telephone number just happens to be in the possession of the missing girl?"

Silence again as I wonder how, if she's supposed to be missing, they know she has my number.

"Come on, its simple really, we found the piece of paper with your phone number written on it, in your handwriting, it was in her bedroom. How did she come by your phone number?" He is leaning into me now, the closeness feels even more threatening than before.

"Perhaps she picked it up from somewhere." I suggested.

"In the habit of writing out your phone number on scraps of paper and handing it out willy nilly, are you then sir? Perhaps you like doing paper chases, leaving your number around, so people ring you out of curiosity." Again embarrassing silence.

"What have you done with them sir, the man and daughter, some sort of kidnapping scam, but just haven't got around to writing out the terms as yet, or maybe you don't know who to send them to?"

The questioning gets worse, the guy makes all sorts of accusations, before I decide to come clean and tell what had really happened. The questioning went into the early hours of the morning, eventually exhausted I am put in a police cell, convinced I would never be released.

~~0~~0~~0~~0~~

# Chapter 2 – Could It Get Worse?

Despite being really tired I couldn't sleep, the time seemed to slip by so slowly, I was glad of the interruptions of breakfast and lunch, a further interview session with another two men, but along similar lines and the same accusations. Then peace again, until this smartly dressed guy was lead in. He handed me his business card and introduced himself as my lawyer. I protested, but he claimed that my firm had engaged him. Apparently Kevin had contacted them and they arranged for this guy to come down. He asks me loads of questions, I told him what had actually happened. He told me I was ruddy stupid to get involved. Of which I didn't need much convincing, as I had come to the same conclusion myself.

Another night spent in the cell. Then the next morning, the lawyer fellow, brought in some fresh clothes for me. Then told me that I was going to appear before the local magistrate and that the lawyer was pressing for bail, some arrangement where a sum of money would be paid to the court and would be safe so long as I behaved myself. I wondered where the money was coming from, apparently Kevin stumped it up. Its only times like this when you realise who your real mates are.

I couldn't believe it, by the afternoon I was back at the cottage, Kevin had left a note to say that he had to go out as one of the upgrades had failed and he had to replace a board, but he would see me later. Talk about confidence that I would be released, he had more faith than I did.

All was well until the next day, when suddenly the boys in blue turn up again and insist that I accompany them again. This time I took no chances and rang the lawyer chap, he told me that his local chap would join me at the station. Sure to his word the lawyer is waiting for me. I start talking to him, trying to see what all this was about, when the two earlier interviewers came in. I started to ask what this was all about, when the lawyer stepped in and told me to be quiet.

The guy who had asked the questions first time around, asked me, where I was this morning. Luckily I was on a job with one of the other guys from our firm, so had a witness. The lawyer listened carefully and stepped in a couple of times when I was asked questions. The interruptions caused the officer asking the questions to have to re-word his questions. I was glad to have the lawyer on hand.

Turned out, someone had used Menzies credit card somewhere south of here. I was first suspect, in fact the only suspect, as it turned out. Later that day Joseph Menzies turned up, back at his own doorstep, safe and well. He was well peeved to find out that his daughter was now missing.

Quite how, I still don't know, but he got wind of the fact that the police suspected I had a hand in her disappearance. He comes over to sort me out.

Luckily Kevin and another mate were around and managed to calm Menzies down. I assured him that I would like to know myself what had happened to her and went on to tell him what had happened when he vanished and that I had tried to help her out, but rapidly got the feeling that I would land myself in deep water, which is pretty much where I had found myself anyway.

That was when Menzies spooked us all out, when he started telling us what had happened to him. We all thought he had flipped and lost his marbles, his story was so far out, that there was no way anyone could believe him. But it kind of prepared me for what was to come.

~~0~~0~~0~~

# Chapter 3 – Anyway It Isn't About Me

Anyway, like I said earlier, this story isn't about me, its about her, Jo, and what happened to her. She came to find me a couple of days later, after the police had told me that she had been found and I was off the hook. That was a relief I can tell you.

I was really surprised, when Jo, the girl, apologised for all the trouble. She said that she owed me an explanation at least.

Jo's story was more incredible than her Dad's. So much so, that I just had to write it down. At first, I started writing it up, after our discussions, but it got so detailed and weird, that I couldn't remember it all, so I came clean, and told Jo that I was writing it up. I half expected her to be annoyed about it, but she said, "Actually, I think it is a good idea, I would be hopeless if I tried to write it down. It would all be too boring and complicated."

Anyway, Jo's story went like this....

Jo's Dad had been working on some new radio device and he needed to be in a radio dead spot; where we lived was ideal; as even TV and radio signals were pretty weak here. Satellite was OK, which was good, as we had satellite at our cottage. Anyhow, Jo said that her Dad has just worked out, that his experimentation seems to opening up tunnels of some sort, that lead to other places. Like on the day of his disappearance, he had left his equipment on. When he left the house to get supplies, he accidentally walked into the tunnel, finding himself in the place that he had described to us. Jo then turned off the equipment, trapping her Dad there. Then about a week later, turned it back on again. In doing that, she had opened up not one, but two of these tunnel things. One that brought her Dad back to a deserted mine, some considerable miles south of here; and the other tunnel, was near the house and Jo stumbled into it, when she went out searching for her dad again.

Jo told me, she had set off that morning, in a somewhat different direction, heading towards the car, in the hope that she would find any clues as to what happened to her dad. She was hoping that she would spot something that the police had missed. She thought she saw something off to one side of the path. She went to investigate it and as she got closer, she bent down to pick up whatever it was. That was when she lost her balance and fell over. Jo said she was really shocked as the ground that she was standing on was sloping upwards, yet, when she lost her balance, she felt as if she was being pulled downwards, as if she were falling below the level of the ground she was standing on.

I can see why she said the story would be complicated if she wrote it, I'm having enough difficulty understanding it meself, let alone trying to write it down.

Anyway, back to the story, apparently, for a moment all around her was black, then light again. Her hand briefly touched what she had been reaching out to pick up, but she tumbled right over it and at first rolled up the hill, then down the other side. She said, that she tried several times to reach out for things, in the vein hope of stopping herself, but they always seemed to be too far away. The ground felt quite soft and springy, as if she were rolling on a sponge mattress, well that's what she said anyway, she said it was like the ones at school, that they use for gym class, only a lot softer.

I had to laugh at that bit, it took me back to my days of PE, I always thought them mattresses could 'ave been a lot softer.

The other thing she had noticed, was the fact that the straw like grass where she was standin' before she fell, was now more like a dense moss, but had a kind of reddy brown colouration about it.

Jo told me that she was really glad when she gently rolled to a stop, as the ground leveled off. When she stood up she saw that she was at the bottom of a really steep hill. The bushes that she had tried to grab on the way down, looked really weird, spikes sticking out in all directions and each being a slightly different shade of green. Jo described it as being more like a collection of these plants, than a single bush.

The ground being so springy, Jo had found it very difficult to stand. She said, that it felt like it does, when she tries to stand up on her bed.

Eventually, she managed to stand up straight, but almost fell sideways again. With great effort Jo managed to re-balance herself. She said, she found it easier to walk and stand, by keeping her legs apart, but it took a great deal of effort and concentration to stay upright though.

Jo wondered why she had not seen this hill before, it was so different to her usual surroundings. She tried to climb back up the hill, but it proved impossible. After falling over the sixth time, Jo gave up, hoping to find a way round the hill. She set off in a direction that should have taken her round the hill, hopefully to a gentler slope.

There were so many bushes of different heights, shapes and shades of green that it was difficult to figure out where to go. Jo was making good headway, when she suddenly came across an opening. In the centre of the clearing she saw something that reminded her of a tortoise, but without a head, it was kind of green, almost like an army uniform and it had many legs, so many legs, it reminded her of a centipede, a very big one. The skin on this thing, was quite wrinkly.

The creature seemed to be moving quite slowly. As it turned, Jo suddenly saw it had a large eye, it seemed to be too large for the size of its head. Jo wondered if the creature had seen her and whether it would be safe to remain there. She said, she watched for a while, but the creature seemed to have no interest in her, it turned away again. So Jo felt more confident and walked towards the clearing; as she did so, she changed direction to avoid a bush. That was when she noticed that the outline and area around the creature seemed to get quite fuzzy. As Jo stepped forward, she bumped into something that seemed to be taller than her. Whatever it was let out a cry of surprise. The view of the tortoise creature became even fuzzier. Jo had a strong feeling that she should get away, as she was in danger. Jo turned and ran back in the direction that she had just come from. As she turned, she briefly saw that the tortoise like creature, had also been startled and moved off into the bushes, but this time at such a speed, that it took Jo quite by surprise.

Suddenly, Jo heard a crashing sound, as something hit one of the bushes, just behind her. She briefly looked back and saw a rather fuzzy outline, of what looked like a club, the sort you see in pictures about cave men. The bush below it was springing back into shape, as if someone had just bounced on and then back off of it. Jo came to the conclusion, that her decision to run away was the right one. She just hoped that she didn't fall over.

Out of breath, some minutes later, Jo had to stop and rest. She had listened carefully but could not hear any sign of whatever it was, that had struck the bush. She hoped that meant that she had lost it and that it hadn't followed her.

After a little while Jo heard voices, quite high pitched, she strained to make out what was being said, but could not make sense of it, at least not at first. After listening for a while, Jo figured out the direction that the voices were coming from. On all fours, Jo crawled cautiously in that direction, trying to make as little noise as possible. Jo curious as to who or what was making the noises.

The voices got louder, so Jo knew she was heading in the right direction. Suddenly she caught sight of a bright light, to one side and above her, in the bushes. Jo stopped and focused on the light and was most surprised to see, what looked like a very small person suspended in mid-air. As Jo was looking round to see what was keeping them up there, she caught sight of another one, but this did not have the light shining around it, also closer examination, showed that it was actually sitting on a leaf. Jo could just make out the movement of tiny wings, like those of a humming bird. Jo thought she must be dreaming, what with the previous encounter and now this one. She said that she thought she must have received a bump on the head as she fell.

Well that's how it all started..

~~o~~o~~o~~

# Chapter 4 – The Ailers And More

Jo rubbed her eyes, not knowing if she was actually seeing what she thought she could see. They reminded Jo of fairies, those two creatures floating in the air just above her. Fairies, she just has to be dreaming. There are no such things as fairies.

They don't see her at first, the creatures above her. The just carry on with their conversation.

As Jo strains, she can just about make out what the creatures are talking about. The one with the light shining about it, is talking about some sleeping place that seems to belong to them. The other one seems to be jealous for some reason. Their talk continues about how good the place is, when suddenly the one with the light appears to have noticed Jo, its light goes out and the two of them dart from sight.

As Jo looks carefully around her, she can see them peeking out from behind a clump of green.

Jo says in soft gentle voice, "It is alright, I will not hurt you. I am hiding myself from something that wants to hurt me. I was watching a round greenish creature in a clearing, when I must have walked into something or someone, but I could not see them." said Jo, hoping that the telling of her own story would reassure these creatures, whatever they were.

One of the creatures replies, "Sounds like a Grob-Lusier, horrible things, they will try and eat us, if they can catch us, won't they Jezi-lee?"

The second creature nods in agreement.

The first creature continues, "As for the other one you saw, that would be a Cut-Tager, they will not harm."

Jo rather nervously, says, "Er, hello, I am Jo. I fell down the hill over there somewhere. I live near here, you might even know the place, it is a cottage quite close to the hill."

The second creature, obviously now feeling somewhat braver, emerges from its hiding place and says, "Can not say that I do, in any case what is a cot-tay-age?"

Jo replied, "A place to live, to sleep."

"Oh we have those, we call them hab-a-bles. I have a new one, you should see it, well perhaps not, they are supposed to be secret, we only show them to our pairers. I am Jemi-Lee and this is Jezi-Lee." There is a thoughtful pause, then Jemi-Lee goes on to say, "Jo is a funny name, very short. Is your type o?"

Jo replied, "Type? What like blood type you mean, oh I I don't know I am afraid."

Jezi-lee replied, "Why are you afraid of your type, we are not afraid of ours, it is Lee, so are you type O?"

"What family name, you are both from the same family?" Jo asked.

"If you like to say it that way, all of us Ailers are Lees. The Wies-An-Fusa are all type Fusa. What type are you?" Jemi-Lee asked.

"Must be family name then", Jo mutters to herself, then resumes, "I am a Menzies, Jo Menzies."

"Have a good visitation with us then Jo-Menzies. Do you like Levens?" Asks Jezi-lee, having emerged from her hiding place.

"As I do not know what a Leven is, I could not say." Jo looks as Jezi-lee points to part of the bush, which now that Jo is really close to it, she can see that it appears to be like a soft cylindrical leaf like structure. Jo continues, "I had best not try one. It might be poisonous, some leaves are you know?"

Jemi-Lee intrigued by Jo's statement asks, "What is pois-on-ow-us?"

"It could harm or even kill you." Jo replied.

Jemi-Lee replies, "Do not be so ridicules, how can a mere Levens harm you?"

Whilst Jezi-lee darts to one side and peers out of the bushes. Then she returns and remarkes, "The Grob-Lusier, now they can kill you, if you are not quick like you were. But the Levens, do not move, so how could they kill?"

"Something to do with what things are made of, some are safe to eat, while others can do you harm." Jo replies.

Jemi-Lee suggests, "Just like the Vesk-A-Wa, if you even touched one of those and licked your hands you would be harmed."

Jezi-lee suggests, "Perhaps if you tried the smallest piece you might be alright and like it. They are really nice, so refreshing."

Jo fells somewhat worried at the suggestion and replies, "Best not to try, I would not want to get ill, after all I still have to climb that hill again, to get back home. My Aunt will be worried about me if I don't get back."

"What is you Aunt?" asks Jezi-lee.

"She is family, my Dad's sister." Jo replies.

"Dad and Sister, what are these, are they more of the type Menzies?" asks Jemi-Lee.

"Yes, my Dad is Joseph-Menzies and my Aunt is Sarah-Menzies."

Jezi-lee seems quite shocked, "How strange you talk, it should be Dad-Joseph-Menzies and Aunt-Sarah-Menies surely?"

"You are quite right." Jo giggles slightly, at the thought of being told off by this small fairy like creature. It was like having a teeny, tiny school teacher, correcting your grammar all the time. Jo glances at her wrist, and exclaims, "Goodness, look at the time, I had best get back home, my Aunt will be worried about me."

"Aunt-Sarah-Menzies". Jezi-lee rather sternly corrects Jo.

"Yes." agrees Jo, then says, "Well thank you, it was nice to meet you, er a nice visitation." The latter added as she remembered Jezi-Lee's greeting.

"The same." Jemi-Lee replies and Jezi-Lee simply nods in agreement.

Jo carefully backs herself out of the bushes, checking all the while, to see if there are any other creatures, behind her, but there are none. Jo stands and looks around, trying to figure out where the hill is. It is difficult to make out, because of all the bushes around. Eventually however, Jo thinks that she has the direction sorted out. She carefully sets off in the chosen direction, being careful not to fall over, the springy moss like ground making this particularly hard.

Making good headway, Jo is pleased with her progress, when suddenly she is knocked off her feet and feels herself being carried away. She reaches down and feels soft but bumpy skin. When she looks down, she realises that she is traveling on the back of one of those circular tortoise like creatures; like the one she had seen before, in the clearing, when she had almost been struck by that just barely invisible club. Jo wonders if she should throw herself off the back of this thing, but comes to the conclusion, that she may do herself more harm than good, it is traveling too fast!

Jo wonders if the creature has been startled like the previous one, is this one also being chased? Could Jo actually be in more danger traveling on the back of this thing, this, what had the Ailers called it? Ah yes a Cut-Tager.

The creature darts between bushes, almost knocking Jo off its back, it doesn't even seem to be aware that she is there. It seems to be concentrating on getting wherever it was going and at that, as quickly as possible. Jo decides to duck down and hold onto this creature, hoping that it will take her somewhere near the hill that she has to climb, in order to get back home. As that thought crosses Jo's mind, she is aware that they were climbing. Perhaps, this creature may be doing Jo a favour, saving her the trouble of climbing the hill altogether. Jo feels somewhat more relaxed now. The bushes are becoming wider apart, making the journey somewhat easier now, Jo is no longer being hit by branches. The creature's speed is maintained, even though it is now climbing. Jo is amazed at its strength and agility.

Ahead there are more of these creatures, calmly moving around on the ground up above them. Jo wonders if they would get spooked by the creature she is traveling upon. Especially as it has her on its back and is rushing up so fast. However her Cut-Tager, seems to be slowing down now, as if the sight of its fellow creatures was a reassurance of safety.

Eventually the creature slows up. Jo waits until the speed is so slow, that it is safe to simply roll off the creature. Worried that her unwarranted intrusion will spook the creatures, she walks away from them, despite her curiosity to find out more about them.

Jo wonders if .the hill that they had just climbed, will lead to the same area where her house is. She decides to walk around the Cut-Tagers. Jo heads up the hill, it is not as steep as the hill that she had rolled down in the first place.

U   
p ahead are some bushes. Jo heads for them and as she approaches them, she can hear voices. Somewhat different from those of the Ailers, deeper for starters and the language is also different. At first Jo is unable to understand what is being said, but after listening carefully for a bit, she finds that the structure of the sentences are somewhat backward to normal English. When Jo reaches the bushes, she decides that it is best to stay hidden and listen for a while longer.

The conversation seems to be about someone going missing, the name Ella-Hesk-Fusa keeps being mentioned. Ah the Fusas that the Ailers had mentioned. The main one speaking is referred to by the others as Barse-Hesk-Fusa.

Jo is straining to hear one of the group speaking, when she suddenly looses her balance and falls over. Jo cannot help but let out a cry of "Whoops!"

There is silence the other side of the bushes, then suddenly Jo finds herself pinned down by a group of smallish quite strange looking people, with large stocky heads, or at least heads that look as if they are too large for their body. They are dressed in quite dull clothes, that if seen from a distance would not stand out from the surrounding hills.

Perhaps she has discovered a whole new race. Are these the Cornish pixies, of whom stories have long been told?

One of the creatures is asking a barrage of questions, but with all the excited noise coming from the group as a whole, Jo is unable to make out what the questions are.

Suddenly there is a loud, "Silence NOW, be you all!"

The effect is quite stunning, there is absolute hush for a while. The group are all looking at the character who had uttered the command. Having waited long enough to assure himself that he would now be heard, the character asks Jo, "Are what, who, you? Doing here, what you?"

As Jo is so stunned, she knows not how to answer the somewhat strangely phrased questions.

The character impatiently prompts, "Come on speak now you!"

Jo, having figured out now what the questions were, replies, "Trying to find my way home, nothing more than that."

"Hide why you?" asks the character, somewhat aggressively, shaking their fist, as if threatening to use it if the answer is not a satisfactory one.

"I, I did not want to.... er... disturb your discussion and I was trying to work out how best to get past you, to get to the top of the hill." Jo replied.

"Hill, what is, that speak of you?" the character asks.

"Speak the truth of the state, does not speak it " offers another of these characters.

Yet another asks, "What type creature, anyway are you?"

"So many questions, which to answer first? I am of type Menzies." Jo remembers that these may be Cornish pixies, so corrects herself with, "Er, type human. As for the hill, why we are on the hill. I do not want to harm you, I just want to get home."

"Harm, not us, say you, but listening, here be you, that very act, harm us may you." replies the first character, suspiciously eyeing Jo up and down, as if scanning her for weapons of any kind.

One of the others adds, "For hear things may you, that value, be for enemies of us, should they catch you."

"I can assure you I have heard nothing that could be of any interest, or of value to anyone, including me." Jo replied.

"So say you!" the first character retorts, adding appropriate head movements.

One of the others adds, "Live up the hill, say you, seen you before, how not we?"

"I do not know, the same question has been running through my mind." Jo replied. Then she asks, "Would it be possible for me to sit up? I will do you no harm, I promise you. Only it is very uncomfortable being being held down like this."

The first character looks around at the assembled group of its fellows and says, "Harmless looks she and hold down again her, the need should it present itself."

"I promise that will not be necessary." Jo said.

"Trusting too much you, spy could be this one, for the enemy." one of the other characters protests.

"I am not a spy for anyone, I can assure you, I am just tying to get back to my home and my aunt." Jo responded.

A familiar Ailer voice is suddenly heard, as Jezi-Lee adds, "We have just heard the news about Ella-Hesk-Fusa, wondered if there was anything we could do to help. Oh hello Jo-Menzies."

The first character asks, "Know you, this spy?"

"Barse-Hesk-Fusa, just why are you holding Jo-Menzies down like that, she will not harm you. Spy, she is no spy, she ran into problems with the Grob-Lusier. So why would she be spying for them?"

The first character, the one who must be Barse-Hesk-Fusa, asks, "Speak for her, can you."

Jezi-Lee, without hesitation replies, "Why of course, she did not harm us, when she could have. She has no reason to like the Grob-Lusier than yourselves or us. We Ailers consider Jo-Menzies to be a friend."

The creatures pinning Jo down, now retreat as they see the one called Barse-Hesk-Fusa nod. One even helps Jo to her feet.

Jo says "Thank you," then asks, "What has happened to Ella-Hesk-Fusa, have Grob-Lusier harmed her?"

It is Jezi-Lee who replies, "She has been taken prisoner, or so the story goes, that I have heard."

"Why have they taken her prisoner, are you at war with the Grob-Lusier?" Jo asks.

"How strangely speak you? What is this war that speak you of?" asks Barse-Hesk-Fusa.

Jezi-Lee says, "There is a long lasting problem with the Grob-Lusier, they attack us and the Wies-An-Fusa, in our case to eat us."

"But why do they do that?" asked Jo.

Barse-Hesk-Fusa replies, "Traps, that set us, to stop harm, do they, to our friends, is cause enough, for them, to attack us, to survive eat the Ailers, they do. Take prisoner, do they of Ella-Hesk-Fusa, to stop traps."

"Oh I can see this is a difficult problem, but I quite understand you cannot stand by and do nothing whilst they try to eat your friends the Ailers. Were you in the middle of planning a rescue when I disturbed your talk?"asks Jo.

"What nature of thing, be this rescue, speak you of?" Barse-Hesk-Fusa asks.

"Getting Ella-Hesk-Fusa back from the Grob-Lusier. We first need to find out where Ella is being held prisoner." Jo replies.

"This we, who is it?" asks Barse-Hesk-Fusa.

"You, me and the Ailers." Jo turns to Jezi-Lee and asks, "You do want to help don't you?"

"Why do you think I am here?" asks Jezi-lee.

~~0~~0~~0~~

# Chapter 5 – From Plan To Rescue

"Oh thank goodness you are safe Jezi-Lee and Jemi-Lee, I was worried about you." Jo confesses.

"Why of course we are alright." Jemi-Lee replies rather sniffily.

"We did nearly get discovered though. The Grob-Lusier are camped near where you bumped into that brute of a creature that chased you Jo-Menzies." Jezi-Lee says.

Jo asks, "Did you see Ella?"

"Not directly, but we saw what they must be keeping her in. There was talk amongst those brutes about their great prize and it would bring the Fusa to their knees." Jezi-Lee replies.

Jemi-Lee complains, "What is it with you two shortening names, its Ella-Hesk-Fusa and Wies-An-Fusa, not Ella and Fusa. Next I will be Jemi."

Jezi-Lee and Jo ignore Jemi-Lee and instead Jo asks Jezi-Lee, "How many Grobs did yu see?"

"Well I know there were more, as they kept appearing and disappearing from a large white thing that they had made, but I saw at least twenty." Jezi-Lee replies.

"Do not take any notice of her she can not count, everything is twenty according to her, there were actually 22." Jemi-Lee corrects.

"Thank you, at least you were roughly right." Jo replies.

"Roughly right, is no good when you have twenty tied up and the remaining two pounce on you from the bushes when you least expect it!" Protests Jemi-Lee.

"Well you would obviously be very careful in that case to make sure you did not rely on your counting and keep your eye out for extras." Jezi-Lee swings her head from side to side as she sarcastically replies.

"What like you did, the time we almost got eaten, by the Grob-Lusiers by the river?" Jemi-Lee asks.

Jo seeing that this was getting them no where says, "Girls I know you mean well but this is getting us nowhere."

"If there are lessons to be learned, then learn them we must!" Jemi-Lee states, determined to have the last word on the matter. It obviously had its effect as Jezi-Lee does not reply.

Jo wanting to put an end to the bickering says, "Right we must take this information back to the Wies-An-Fusa and plan our attack."

The trek back up the hill to the Wies-An-Fusa camp is as hard as ever for Jo, but as easy as flying for the two Ailers. In fact they have to keep stopping to allow Jo to catch up. Jemi-Lee remarks on the fact that Jo is slowing them down, more than once. Jo just chooses to ignore it, instead she is thinking about the rescue and how this disparate group would be able to defeat the Grob-Lusier and get Ella back.

The Wies-An-Fusa seem quite relieved to see the small group of spies return and are delighted with the news that they seem to have found Ella. There is much discussion about how the next task can be handled and who is best suited to do what. There are a few minor arguments on the way.

Eventually, plan decided, the group set off in the direction of the Grob-Lusier encampment.

~~o~~o~~o~~

By the time the group arrive on the outskirts of the camp it is getting very dark. They know that this would be ideal for the element of surprise, but if they are not careful, the surprise will be their own. For one wrong move, in the semi dark, could crack a twig and instantly alert the Grob-Lusier to the attack. So they would have to move slowly and carefully.

In front of Jo, there are two Fusa's creeping up on a totally unwary Grob-Lusier guard. The Grob-Lusier is brought to the ground, in lightening speed and before he has a chance to yell out, he is silenced by a swift blow to the head. This knocked him instantly unconscious.

It is good that the Grob-Lusier, are so confident in their ability to protect their camp, that they don't even bother to make themselves invisible.

Other guards are similarly dropped to the ground. The only clue to the success of the mission, thus far, being the disappearance of guard's heads, from above the bushes. Luckily thus far, the guards have not observed their fellow guards disappearing. At least until this point.

There is suddenly a commotion across the other side of the camp, it seems too early for it to be Jemi and Jezi-Lee. Their diversion was not scheduled to take place, until all the surrounding guards have been taken down. All Jo and the two Fusa, with her, can do, is watch and wait, to see what is going on, but whatever it is, is happening the other side of the tent like structure, in the centre of the camp. There are Grob-Lusier heads bobbing up and down the other side of the bushes, on the opposite side of the camp and raised voices. This has all attracted attention from those inside the tent like structure, as now they are pouring out. Jemi-Lee's earlier concerns appear to be justified, for Jo has counted considerably more than twenty, of these Grob-Lusier, pouring out in the circle of the camp.

Jo wonders if this had been a rather rash and ill thought out plan after all, maybe they should have spent more time gathering better information about their enemy.

There are yelps of pain, from both the Grob-Lusier and the Wies-An-Fusa. The battle has commenced and it is earlier than planned.

Not put off by the yelps of pain, coming from the other side of the encampment, the two Wies-An-Fusa, in front of Jo, suddenly take off at speed, heading into the open circle. Bravely, they charge for nearest Grob-Lusier that they can reach and start viciously attacking them with their spiky sticks. The Grob-Lusier are obviously in pain, judging by the yelps they are emitting, but equally putting up a good fight, swinging their clubs at the Wies-An-Fusa and occasionally engaging with their bodies. Jo grabs tightly onto her stick, with its vicious spikes sticking out in all directions. Jo had noted that she would have to be very careful not to strike herself. She swings it up over her shoulder and prepares to swing it back again, as she charges towards the nearest Grob-Lusier; which is trying to reap revenge upon the Wies-An-Fusa, that had just launched two successful blows at it. Being that the Grob-Lusier is fully occupied, it did not notice Jo, as she charges relentlessly towards it, stick swinging forward with such force and landing square in the Grobs back. The scream of sheer pain is so loud, that it makes Jo jump. She retreats, in-case the Grob falls back on her. Which as it happens is a good move, as it does fall backwards, dropping to the ground, like a rock that has been thrown off of a mountainside. The thud, as it hits the ground makes the earth shake.

The Wies-An-Fusa who had been so furiously attacking the Grob from the other side, jumps up and down, in sheer joy at his victory. That is just before something lands on his shoulder, something unseen. He spins round with such agility, his spiky stick engaging with some unseen creature that lets out a blood curdling scream. It is Jo's turn to feel triumphant, as she shares the success of the encounter. The Wies-An-Fusa not happy with just the one blow, swings the heavy stick back and forth, engaging with the unseen foe again and again.

Jo suddenly feels something heavy and hard strike her shoulder. She buckles to her knees, unable to help herself. Jo feels something swing over her head and hears the 'Whoosh!' noise as the second Wies-An-Fusa's stick swings above her and engages with the invisible foe which had caught her unawares.

Around her, Jo can sense the heat of the battle going on, she feels herself heading towards the ground and manages to stop herself, before she goes any further. Jo knew that she had to get up and again play her full part in this battle, she can not afford to waste any time or effort. However on this soft and spongy ground it is easier to think about getting up than to do it. Jo struggles, whilst above her the fight rages on. The Grob-Lusier and Wies-An-Fusa trying to get the better of each other.

Jo is suddenly aware of heavy breathing and warmth to one side of her. She abandons her attempt to get up and instead does a tuck and roll. As it turns out her instinct was right, as fractions of a second latter the ground vibrates, as something strikes the spot that Jo had been on. Those Gym classes were of some benefit after all. Jo decides to continue her current escape method and get as far from the little group as she can, to give her some time to get back up on her feet. Jo manages to reach some nearby bushes, she grabs some branches and pulls herself up. Then surveys the area around her. Before her is the rather strange scene of Wies-An-Fusa swinging their spiky sticks around, but with apparently, nothing around them, apart from other Wies-An-Fusa and the occasional Ailers, darting around in the air, trying to distract the Grob-Lusier and give the Wies-An-Fusa a better chance of scoring a direct hit.

As Jo surveys the scene before her, she is vaguely aware of a somewhat fuzzy shape lunging towards her from the right. She wonders whether it would be better to retreat or stand and attack. It is then that Jo, becomes aware of the fact that when she did the tuck and roll, she had let go of her spiky stick, so no longer has a weapon. That is the decider. Jo eases herself to the ground again and sets about rolling back, towards the spot, where she had dropped her spiky stick. For a moment though, Jo's first instinct had been to to roll away altogether, but she resisted this.

The fact that Jo has arrived at her intended destination is made very clear to her, as she thuds into the side of the Grob, that she and the Wies-An-Fusa had downed earlier. About to pick herself up and look for her spiky stick, Jo is shocked to suddenly find that the Grob has wrapped an arm around her and is restraining her. The Grob rolls her on top of him, crushing her in the process. The other arm comes up and the Grob's hold on Jo changes, it lifts her high above it, swinging her back and forth, as if she were a little baby, then suddenly Jo feels the grip release and she feels herself flying through the air, heading quite where, she knows not, but she does not have to wait long, as she lands square in the back of a Wies-An-Fusa, which had been in the process of sorting out another Grob. The Fusa, shocked at this sudden attack on its person, swings round and its spiky stick drops with force, penetrating Jo's arm in several places. The pain is intense. Jo finds herself letting out a similar blood curdling scream, as she had heard earlier.

Knowing that she should get out of reach of the Fusa before it has any more opportunity to inflict more damage, Jo rolls away. The Fusa turns, its attention back to the Grob that it had been attacking. Whilst Jo concentrates on rolling away.

After what seems like a decent interval, Jo stops rolling. Taking stock of her position, Jo realises that she is still without a weapon, but is now sufficiently far away from the action, that she can consider herself reasonably safe. Jo knows that she has to find a weapon though. It is then that she spots the fuzzy outline of a Grob, laying not far from where Jo is. It seems to be badly injured, but just how badly, is the question? Jo wonders if she would be able to take its weapon off of it and get back into the fight.

Cautiously Jo crawls in the direction of the injured Grob. Each time her left arm moves she feels the pain of her multiple injuries. It is such a shame that it had to be her left arm, for Jo is left handed. Jo knows that it would be an even harder struggle, to wield a weapon with her right arm, but she can not stand by and do nothing to help her friends the Fusa.

Close enough to assess the Grob more effectively and come to that spot where its weapon is, Jo scans the Grob, carefully taking note of all the injury sites and there are plenty of those. There is no sign of consciousness, although that is a bit difficult to assess in terms of something that you can only just about see the outline of. Jo suddenly sees the weapon, laying on its own, to the other side of the Grob. If only Jo could get to it, without disturbing the Grob. Easier said than done, with this springy ground. Jo formulates a plan. If she crawls round the Grob, far away enough, it probably won't detect the movement. Jo sets about her circular travel. Amazed that she has reached the weapon, without the Grob stirring, Jo reaches out cautiously and gently drags the weapon towards her. Jo is amazed to find that the club feels quite warm. It is like picking up a heavy, but stationery animal, most strange, as Jo had expected it to feel more like the spiky stick that she had been using earlier.

Jo retreats to what she considers a safe distance, then scans the surrounding area, trying to identify a target that she can test this weapon on. There is a skirmish happening reasonably close by and it looks as if Jo's help is sorely needed; as the Grob is getting the better of the Fusa involved, despite the interference of a determined Ailer.

The small group is soon reached and after several failed attempts, Jo has managed to stand, she moves to an ideal position to take a swing at the unsuspecting Grob. Jo swings the club up and forward, with a nice smooth motion, but before the club engages with the Grob, Jo feels the direction suddenly change, as if some invisible hand is directing it elsewhere.

Strain as she might, Jo can not see any other Grobs in the vicinity, so just what is happening? The club suddenly engages with the Ailer, knocking it far away from the battle scene, completely taking the Ailer and Jo come to that, by surprise. The phrase, 'With friends like me who needs enemies!' came to Jo's mind. Instead of helping the situation, Jo has, with one swing of this Grob club, made things even worse. The Grob, that Jo was attempting to attack. is taking advantage of the loss of that annoying Ailer and hits the Fusa, that it was attacking, multiple times, bringing it to its knees.

The Fusa drops its spiky stick. Jo feeling that the club she had captured, was more of a danger, than a benefit, drops it and quickly picks up the spiky stick. Jo immediately sets about attacking the Grob. It cowers in pain, dropping its own club in the process. Jo continues her onslaught, pleased that, despite her fear that she would not be able to do as well with a damaged left arm, she is coping well. So much so, that the Grob is retreating at speed. Jo continues to chase and attack the Grob, determined that it will not have time to recover its club and start attacking again. The Grob is obviously determined to retreat, as Jo finds it difficult to keep up. When Jo considers that the distance between the Grob and her small group, is far enough, she gives up and returns to see if she can help the Ailer, that she had accidentally attacked.

The Ailer seems to be unconscious, Jo gently reaches down and picks it up. She has not seen a male Ailer before, it is quite a surprise to see the brightly coloured blue and red trousers and the yellow top with its bulging balloon like arms and a wavy decoration on the front. One of his wings seems to be damaged. Jo is careful not to touch it, in-case it falls off, she would never forgive herself if he could no longer fly.

Jo carries the Ailer carefully back to the injured Fusa, she carefully kicks the spiky stick along as she walks. The spiky stick looks quite comical though, as it picks up the mossy like material as it rolls.

The groaning of the Fusa gets louder, as Jo approaches, she realises that the very fact that the ground was flexing as she walks is causing the Fusa greater discomfort, but she knows that without either harming the Ailer or losing the spiky stick, there was nothing she could do to improve things. It is then that Jo decides that her fight is now over, she needs to concentrate her efforts on look after the injured Ailer and Fusa.

~~o~~o~~o~~

# Chapter 6 – Elles Here

Barse-Hesk-Fusa, the leader of the Fusas, looks rather stern, "Holding place reach we, was gone Ella-Hesk-Fusa. Trace there not, of where taken, was Ella-Hesk-Fusa. Camp, never before have on land of ours, the Grob-Lusier. Assured so much of success, of theirs, that camp and sense of permanent living set up for themselves. Showed did we them, that live on land of ours not they. Well done one and all."

Jo stands and remarks, "It is just a real shame that so many of ours got hurt and that the Grobs managed to get Ella away before we had a chance to rescue her. We have to find out where the Gobs are hiding Ella now."

"So so; in that, do you speak for us all." Barse agrees.

Jo adds, "I must apologise to all the Ailers, for the harm I caused to Tomisk-Lee, I understand now that the Grobs' club is actually part of them, if I had known this at the time, I would never have attempted to use it."

Barse replies, "This a lesson, learned have we all, at one time or another. Blame not to you, sure I am, will not do, the Ailers. For acted in best interest, of all, did you."

Jo thanks Barse, for his kind reassurance. Jemi-Lee presents Jo with a flower and says, "Tomisk-Lee sends you this gift of forgiveness, as he knows that you meant well and would have never knowingly have harmed him. He asked me to tell you, that he will be up and flying again in a very short time and he would not want you to feel bad. As for finding Ella-Hesk-Fusa, my people are searching, as we speak. It would appear though that she may have been taken back across the waters to the Grob-Lusier lands, so that she is out of our reach."

"Be it strange that the Grob-Lusier, issued not fresh warnings about actions of ours and refresh demands, about no traps for them." Barse comments.

Another Fusa voice adds, "Enough statement, already, think issued, they."

Jo suggests, "Perhaps after our attack, they have been spread too widely, to be organised enough to issue such threats and are relying on us thinking, that they have won."

Barse replies, "Sense, much speak you, on this and other matters. Wise counsel, make you. Friend of the Fusa, you, glad we are."

Jo feels quite embarrassed by the latter. She simply thanks Barse and turns bright red.

"Advise, next, what, you?" asks Barse.

"Well, if the Grobs have taken Ella, to their land, we must find a way of getting there, with the minimum of fuss. If she has been taken elsewhere we must find where that is." Jo replies.

Jo is most surprised when Barse replies in quite a surprised voice, "What mean you, this is Elles-Here?"

"What?" Jo blurts out.

"This place, that live we, is called 'Elles-Here'." Barse replies.

~~0~~0~~0~~

# Chapter 7 – To The Coast

Jo's head darts first this way, then that, as she strains to hear, let alone see Barse he addresses the assembled group. Jo asks the nearest Wies-An-Fusa, what is being said. The Fusa just shrugs its shoulders and mutters, "Some report, of Ailers."

"I wish I knew what they had reported, it would help enormously." Jo says quietly.

Jo hears a familiar voice, it takes her a moment to tune into it, but she can make out the voice of Jemi-Lee, as she says, "Two Grob-Lusiers were overheard talking about someone being taken to an island just off the coast. Barse-Hesk-Fusa thinks this is a disaster, but we think this makes it easier to find Ella-Hesk-Fusa."

Jo, finding the courage to speak up from the back of this large group, says, "I am sure you are right." Then Jo pushes through the group of Wies-An-Fusa, to much protest. When she is close enough to be seen by Barse, Jo asks, "Just how far away is this island, do you have a map?"

The group are quite surprised at Jo's interruption and all stare at her in absolute confusion.

Barse asks, "What?".

"You know a map, a picture that shows the layout of your land, the sea, the islands and other lands around you." Jo replies.

"Purpose, what of this picture?" asks Barse.

Jo replies, "Then we can work out where this island is likely to be and plan how we are going to get there."

"Get we, how, this picture?" Barse asks.

Jo thinks for a moment about Barse's question, then says, "I suppose it is all dependent on need, if you don't travel around much you would only need to know about your local area, so you wouldn't normally need a map."

"Say what you?" Barse asked.

"Sorry I was just thinking aloud. Does anyone know the shape of the coast and where this island is likely to be?" Jo grabs a twig and starts scratching out a wobbly shape on some of the bare red earth and suggests, "Perhaps someone could draw the coast like this?"

One of the Fusa asks, "Why would do that, we?" then it gently takes the twig from Jo and carefully scratches an outline and continues to say, "When coast looks like this" Then the Fusa sets about drawing a separate outline from the first line. Presumably the latter being the island referred to by Jemi-Lee.

"And where are we?" asks Jo.

The Fusa scratches a blob, that does not appear to be too far away from the coastline.

Jo asks, "How long it would it take to get to the coast?"

"Travel by angry Cut-Tager, half a light time." The Fusa with the stick replies.

Jo is confused at first, but after a short silence asks, "Does that mean half a day?"

Barse replies, "Yes, half a light time."

Jo asks, "Would we be able see the island from the coast?"

The un-resounding reply from several Fusas, is yes.

Jo suggests, "With your kind permission Barse, a small group of us could go to the coast, have a look around and form a plan to rescue Ella."

"Agree plan of yours, do I." Barse replies.

Jo selects the Fusa with the stick and Jemi-Lee to accompany her.

~~0~~0~~0~~

The Fusa, Desag, is not very chatty, but never-the-less seems quite helpful. Desag certainly knows how to find Cut-Tagers quickly, also how to ride them.

Cut-Tagers are round, dark green skinned creatures that are multi legged. They have many mouths on their underside, they eat the moss whilst on the move. They normally move quite slowly, but as Jo had found, when that Cut-Tager had carried her off earlier; when panicked they can move quite fast. The Wies-An-Fusa use them as transport.

Desag shows Jo that lifting the skin over one of the eyes, around the edges of the Cut-Tager's body, makes it move in that direction. Lifting another flap and closing the first, makes it change direction. Then Desag shows Jo that closing all flaps, makes the Cut-Tager stop. Desag points out that they will stay put, unless they run out of moss, so if you park one up, don't expect it to be still in the same place when you come back.

Jo practices steering her Cut-Tager for a while, until she is sure she has got the hang of it.

The ride is not altogether very comfortable, although the Cut-Tager's skin is quite soft, it is also quite lumpy, due to all the wrinkles.

Jemi-Lee refuses to sit on Jo's shoulder until she is satisfied that Jo is good at riding the Cut-Tager.

Soon the three, set off in the direction of the coast. Sitting on the back of lumpy skinned Cut-Tager and holding a flap of skin up is not very comfortable. As for the make them angry part, Jo is not too happy about that, as it involves poking the Cut-Tager in a rather sensitive area.

Jo protests, "This is cruel. Isn't there another way?"

Desag says, "Get in half light time, the coast, only way, otherwise lifetime, it take. Anyway mind not Cut-Tagers."

~~0~~0~~0~~

The sight of the coast is such a relief to Jo. The torment of her poor Cut-Tager will soon be over. The journey had seemed to be incredibly long and come to that, uncomfortable. Jo is looking forward to stretching her legs and walking about. They had stopped once, for such a walk around and to let their Cut-Tagers have a bit of a graze, but it seemed such a long time ago.

From this vantage point, Jo can see pockets of the sea, in between the masses of the green of the buses around them, but no hint of the island itself. The Cut-Tagers seem to be enjoying their grazing.

Desag joins Jo, looks around for a while, then points off to the right, in the direction of some bushes, he says, "Other side, there, is island."

Jo smiles, "I wondered where it was."

"See not it, until, coast, we are standing on." Desag suggests.

Suddenly the ground starts to shake. Jo looks at Desag for an explanation.

Desag looks really worried, he exclaims, "Den-Drilla!" Then drops to the ground, head to one side; he appears to be listening for something, then points to the bushes to the right and exclaims, "There, run, quick, you!" With that, Desag jumps up.

Jo realising the urgency, does as instructed and runs in the direction indicated. Jo looks back over her shoulder and is shocked to see, that the ground where they had been standing, moments before, has erupted like a volcano. Desag has been thrown into the air. Jo pauses, wondering if she should run back to try and rescue Desag, but Desag's shout of "Run, you!" is quite a decider. Jo resumes her running, in the direction that Desag had pointed to; stopping only when she reaches the bushes.

Catching her breath, Jo looks back to where the ground has erupted. There is no sign of Desag, but there is something dark red, moving amongst the clumps of soil and moss that have been thrown up. Jo looks more carefully, there appear to be claws, regularly spaced around the top of the mass of writhing dark red, which is now so much higher. It's skin has wrinkles. The claws are opening and shutting, as if eating an invisible creature.

What is this thing? It reminds Jo of a giant worm. A worm that has claws!

It is moving quite fast, there is so much more of it now sticking up out of the ground. So much so, that the front portion is now writhing along on top of the ground and the rest still seems to be erupting from below ground, the skin with its wrinkles bulging and contracting. Looking like a huge pulsating monster.

It suddenly strikes Jo that the creature, whatever it is, has one of the Cut-Tagers in its sights and is heading for it at speed. Jo is paralysed for a moment as she thinks over her options, she cannot stand-by, whilst that poor unsuspecting Cut-Tager, is about to be attacked. Jo suddenly starts to shout, "Oi, get out of there, that thing is coming for you!"

Jo knows that the Cut-Tager has heard her, as it opens an eye, that faces in her direction. That is when it sees the huge creature heading straight for it, takes fright and starts to run off.

The worm like creature, reacts fast and changes its direction; trying to head-off the Cut-Tager. It is now a battle of wits, agility and speed. The distance between the two creatures, closing so fast. Jo looks around for something, that she can throw, to distract the giant worm. There's nothing loose laying around. So Jo takes to jumping up and down and shouting, in the hope that the worm creature will change its mind about pursuing the Cut-Tager and pick on her instead.

For a moment, Jo thinks that she has been successful as the creature turns and starts to head towards Jo. Its giant mouth open wide, looking like the entrance to a large dark tunnel, with all those claws snapping around the opening. Jo now wonders if she has made a good decision. Jo is trapped by the bushes. The only two escape routes are to run to the rear of the creature, or run along the bushes, but the latter is uphill and Jo knows, that it is particularly difficult, in this place, to walk uphill, let alone run.

The creature must have changed its mind about pursing Jo, as it has turned again and is chasing the Cut-Tager.

Jo just hopes, that she has given the Cut-Tager sufficient time to make the distance between it and the worm like creature too great for it to catch the Cut-Tager. If Jo has been successful, that would mean the worm like creature, changing its mind yet again and it will come for Jo. She decides that she must put some distance between herself and that creature. The Cut-Tager must look after its own interests.

As Jo heads towards the rear end of the worm like creature, which is still erupting from the ground, Jo's thoughts turn to Desag. She hopes that he is not inside the worm like thing, currently providing it with its next meal.

Jo keeps glancing back at the head of the worm creature, as it continues to pursue the Cut-Tager. The worm creature is an incredible length now and there's still more of it coming out of the ground. Just how long is this thing? Its already longer than the local trains.

Now, not far from the hole and the still erupting, rear of the creature, Jo concentrates on running around the hole, trying to put as much space between herself and that mound of soil and moss.

Suddenly the ground rumbles and there's a large clump of moss and soil flying up into the air as a giant tail flicks up into the air. Jo loses her balance and falls sideways onto the ground. The tail suddenly crashes down onto the ground right by Jo. She thought for a moment as the sky above went very dark, that the tail was going to crash straight down on top of her. Jo watched momentarily as she assessed what direction the tail is coming down, she quickly rolls to the left, escaping by mere centimetres, the crashing descent of that giant tail.

The ground below her suddenly erupts!

"What now!" Jo exclaims.

The moss and soil rise to a considerable height, with Jo on top of it. Jo feels herself rolling off this newly formed hill. As she rolls over, Jo catches sight of a huge leg, rising into the air. It descends with a crash, making the ground shake.

Jo is concerned about not only what damage that leg could do, but also the giant tail, it won't stay in its current position for much longer. Hopefully it will lunge off in the direction of the rest of the body, but what damage could it do to Jo before then.

Here it goes! The tail rises into the air, swinging overhead. Jo is still rolling down the hill. She hopes that her involuntary retreat, takes her out of reach of that great lumbering tail. Especially as it is now descending again!

~~o~~o~~o~~

# Chapter 8 – What Now?

Bruised and feeling as if everything is lost, Jo lies motionless on the ground. No sounds now, no ground shaking, in fact no signs of life! It seems like that giant worm has gone, but equally there's no indication that the Cut-Tager is still around.

Jo tries to sit up, it is painful, but she knows she has to do it. Even if her life seems to no longer be under threat, she must confirm that this is the case and also try and recover something out of this situation, after all she still has a task to do. With that last thought, Jo manages to get herself up and is soon on her feet again. The land around her looks like a battle ground, what was once reasonably flat mossy ground, is now a series of lumps and bumps. The hole where that giant worm like creature emerged from, is left as the biggest scar on the landscape. Jo cautiously peers over the side, there's nothing down the very dark and damp smelling tunnel. Jo wonders where the creature has gone and whether it is likely to come back again, in order to disappear down this hole again.

Fearing the worst, Jo decides she must get herself away from here. The thoughts of the fate of both Desag and the Cut-Tager, that the worm creature had been chasing, come back into mind. Were they both swallowed up by that, that, monster? Or did they manage to escape? Jo, not wanting to encounter that thing again, turns away from the idea of following the path, that it appears to have taken. Instead, Jo heads off in a direction, that should take her down to the coast.

Emerging the other side of some bushes, Jo is pleased to see a Cut-Tager nonchalantly browsing on the moss, as if nothing had happened. Jo recognises it, as the Cut-Tager, that she had ridden here. Jo has split emotions about finding the creature, on the one hand she is glad that it is safe and sound; on the other, it means that she will need to torture the poor thing again, on order to get her ride down to the coast, as she must complete her task.

It is then that thoughts of poor Desag come back to mind. Jo wonders how she is going to find her way back to Barse and the other Fusas? The journey down here was far from straightforward and Jo was totally reliant on Desag. Even if Jo can carry out her information gathering and form a plan, there is no guarantee that she will be able to get back to the others and relay that information to them.

Why oh why, did this have to happen? Everything was going so well, until now.

Jo cannot bring herself to find a sharp stick, in order to torment the Cut-Tager again, perhaps she can find another way to encourage the Cut-Tager to take her down to the coast. Then thoughts turn again, to getting back to the others, it is one matter traveling a short distance, another to get all the way back.

The Cut-Tager, quite content to continue grazing, takes no notice of Jo as she approaches and even when she sits on it's back. Jo reaches forward and lifts the eye flap that is best placed to head the Cut-Tager, in the direction that will take Jo down to the sea. Slowly the Cut-Tager starts to move in the desired direction, its speed picking up. Jo is delighted that it takes no poking to achieve this co-operation.

~~o~~o~~o~~

The sea can be heard easily now, as it crashes against the beach. It can only be the distance of a couple of bushes away now. Jo searches for a small gap between the bushes, she wants to look out and see if she can spot the island, but without being spotted herself. Having travelled all this way without being seen, Jo does not now want to give away the fact that she is here, by brazenly walking out into full view, in-case the coastline can be easily seen from the island.

It takes a while, but eventually Jo finds a suitable gap between the bushes. She releases the Cut-Tager from its carrying duties. Then makes sure that the Cut-Tager has a nice spot with plenty of moss to feed on. After all, Jo doesn't want it getting bored and wondering off. Having found the ideal spot, Jo leaves the Cut-Tager to enjoy its grazing. She can't resist the temptation to pat the Cut-Tager, purely out of gratitude and affection at its devotion to her, after all it didn't have to bring her down to the coast. Jo is most surprised when the Cut-Tager makes a kind of purring noise. The first time Jo has actually heard a Cut-Tager make any noise at all really, apart from the chomping of the moss.

Jo turns her attention to the gap in the bushes and the search for the island. She squeezes between the first two bushes, the next two are staggered a bit. Jo Cautiously steps into the gap between them, being careful not to push in too deep. The island can now be seen. Jo half expected to see its coastline smothered in Grob-Lusier, instead it appears to be deserted, apart from something quite high up on the hill. Jo wonders, if it is this place's equivalent, of a fort, or look out post. It is too far away, to make out any detail and there appears to be no movement around it. Jo scans the island's outline again and again, in the hope that she can pick up further clues or indications as to whether the Grobs are over there or not. It would be pointless to mount some form of attack on the island, if it is deserted. Jo knows that she must prove to herself, that the Grobs are on the island, but quite how to do this, without giving away that she is here, quite escapes her.

The light is starting to fade now. Jo decides she must settle down for the night and observe the island again tomorrow. Maybe the Grobs will do something that will give away the fact that they are over there. Maybe more of them will venture from this coast to the island, or they may mount some form of raiding party.

Jo's stomach is feeling pretty hungry now, it is grumbling a lot. Jo wonders if she dare eat anything. Hunger has not bothered her until now. She remembers the Levens, that the Ailers talked about as being delicious, would whatever they are be safe to eat or not? If only she had brought some food with her. Jo laughs at the stupidity of that thought, how was she to know that she would fall into this place and not be able to get back again. Was she, to evermore after this point in time, always carry emergency food supplies with her, wherever she goes?

Stepping back into the security of the bushes again, Jo looks at the curled-up leaf like structures and wonders, which of them, the Ailers considered to be Levens, if only she had not turned down the offer of trying them, Jo would know now, which they were. Jo wonders if she can tell by the smell. She tries to sniff some of the nearby leaves. But they all seem pretty similar. Perhaps taste is the key, but how can she check that without actually eating some? Jo decides to stroke the leaves and then carefully lick her fingers. The first sample tastes so bitter, that it cannot be good to eat. The next is not so bad, the third however, a much lighter shade of green, has a very sweet taste. Jo decides that she will try one, so carefully she breaks one of the cones off. Almost instantly, the liquid from within trickles down her hand. She sniffs it and it has a glorious sweet syrup like smell about it. Jo carefully licks a bit off her hand and it tastes really sweet and yet it also has a very flavoursome taste, almost like a strong fruit sweet. Jo instantly decides that she likes the taste and picks several more of these cone like leaves. She sits down and starts eating them. Jo suddenly remembers the Cut-Tager, she does not want to lose it, so decides to see if it is still content with it's grazing.

When Jo emerges from the bushes, she is most shocked to see that Cut-Tager has gone!

Jo scans all round to see if the Cut-Tager can be seen in the distance, perhaps it has just wondered off a bit.

No! There is no indication of where it is, nor a trail showing where it is has gone.

Great! Jo thinks to herself, not only has she lost Desag, but now she has managed to lose her faithful Cut-Tager too.

Suddenly, she hears a rustle in the bushes a bit further up. Jo quickly darts back into her bushes and waits quietly, in-case it is a Grob, hiding in the bushes. If it is, the chances of seeing its faint outline in this level of light, is going to be impossible. Jo stays perfectly still and listens.

There it is again!

Suddenly, something touches Jo's leg, she moves quickly, in-case it is a Grob trying to grab her. Jo looks down and laughs at her own sense of panic. For what she sees, is her Cut-Tager. It suddenly flops down and no longer moves, all noise ceases. At first Jo panics, thinking that the Cut-Tager is dead. But as it opens an eye and looks up at her, she can see that it appears to be quite well.

Jo gets down on the ground and affectionately pats the Cut-Tager and it in turn, makes that kind of purring noise again. Jo decides that she will settle beside the Cut-Tager and continue her meal, perhaps the Cut-Tager was feeling a bit lonely, now that nightfall is descending. After all, Cut-Tagers seemed to normally hang around in herds. Perhaps Jo has taken on the role of an honorary Cut-Tager.

Soon Jo has resumed her meal of the cone shaped leaves and occasionally patting the Cut-Tager, to re-assure it that she is still around. It is quite comforting having the Cut-Tager here, as it is quite soft and also nice and warm. The latter quite important now, as the air temperature seems to be dropping.

~~o~~o~~o~~

# Chapter 9 - Disturbed

Quite what had awoken Jo, she was not sure, it didn't seem to be the Cut-Tager, as that still seemed to be quite content to lay by her side, probably still fast asleep. However, something had clearly disturbed Jo, she had that strong feeling, that there was something going on.

Jo listened for a while, hearing nothing unusual, the waves still crashing against the shore, in their unceasing regular pattern. Jo decides that she will cautiously crawl towards the edge of the bushes that face towards the sea.

Having just reached the gap between the outer bushes, Jo hears something, a kind of "flick, flick" noise. Jo listens again, hoping that she can visualise what could be making the noise, but nothing comes to mind.

There it is again!

Suddenly, in the distance, out to sea, Jo catches sight of movement. What is it? The light is so dim, it is not much more than a vague shadow of an image. A shadow of what though?

There is that noise again! Flick flick! A pause, then again Flick Flick! Whatever it is, its certainly regular.

A pattern is forming in Jo's mind, the noise and the fact that it is a shape out at sea, between the coast and the island. That is it! It comes to Jo in a flash, it is a boat, a rowing boat, the flick flick noise, is that of the oars, as they emerge out of the water. Jo has heard the noise before, at the boating lake.

Jo watches and waits.

Something touches Jo's leg and makes her jump!

As she feels that it is warm, Jo suddenly remembers the Cut-Tager, it is probably the Cut-Tager, it has probably missed Jo and come to look for her. Jo looks back into the bushes, at first as it is very dark, Jo sees nothing, then the vague shape of the Cut-Tager can be made out. Jo reaches out and pats the Cut-Tager to reassure it. The familiar purring noise is heard again.

Jo resumes watching the boat, as it gets ever closer.

Eventually, the boat pulls up onto the shoreline, further down from the spot where Jo and the Cut-Tager are hiding, much to Jo's relief.

Jo sees three tall figures emerge from the boat. She recognises their shape as being Grobs. The are Grobs must be so assured that they are not being observed, that they haven't even bothered to make themselves invisible. Two of them pull the boat further up onto the shore and into the nearby bushes. The third seems to be on lookout duty. Jo makes sure that there is no chance that she can be seen by any of the three Grobs. Suddenly they dart into the bushes and disappear.

Wondering where they are going, Jo gently and slowly crawls back into her bushes, stopping first to reassure the Cut-Tager that she is not going to desert it. The Cut-Tager seems to understand as it slowly and gently follows Jo, stopping when she stops. At last Jo can see out the other side. The three Grobs are running up the hill now.

Without following the Grobs, Jo will not find out what mischief they are up to. Jo is tempted at first to follow them, but it being so dark, she may put herself and the Cut-Tager in more danger. At least she has proved that the Grobs are on the island, so in that respect, it is mission accomplished.

Tomorrow, Jo can concentrate on getting herself and her Cut-Tager back to the Fusas and report her findings to them.

Jo crawls back to her safe haven; the Cut-Tager follows her and they both settle down again, to resume their sleep.

Although Jo is comfortable and warm again, she finds it somewhat difficult to get back to sleep, there are too many things going on in her mind, worries about getting back to the Fusas and worries about being discovered by the returning Grobs. However, in the end, pure tiredness takes over and Jo gives into sleep.

~~o~~o~~o~~

# Chapter 10 – To Find The Way Back

Breakfast finished, the Cut-Tager grazed and Jo has even checked that the Grobs row boat has gone again. Jo and the Cut-Tager are ready to set off back to the Fusas. Jo just hopes that she can find things that remind her what route to take. Jo has even packed her pockets with plenty of the cone like leaves, in-case she can't find any on the way.

Jo pats the Cut-Tager and says, "Well my friend, we must set off now, it is a long way back. Perhaps you know your way back, if you spot that I am taking the wrong route, feel free to correct me."

Soon seated on the Cut-Tager, Jo lifts the eye flap that should make it head up the hill. To Jo's surprise, the Cut-Tager sets off in the desired direction and soon picks up its speed. Now this is truly the way for the Fusas to work with the Cut-Tagers, no tortuous poking with sticks.

As the Cut-Tager enters the area where the giant worm creature, had erupted the day before, Jo feels somewhat nervous, seeing that great mound of earth and moss. It brings back thoughts of Desag and the other Cut-Tager. Jo just hopes that the hole is not the entrance to the worm creatures permanent home, otherwise the very act of crossing this area could invoke another attack. Jo's Cut-Tager picks up pace almost as if it could read her mind or was having similar thoughts. The faster the pair can get away from here the better. Soon, they are the other side of the line of bushes, that yesterday, seemed like an impenetrable barrier. Ah open ground again, at least if something like that worm creature were to pursue them, Jo would have a chance to see it, before it had a chance to take them by surprise. Jo is pleased that they seem to be making good progress. If she can remember correctly, they came diagonally down the hill, from some bushes to the right.

Jo keeps her eyes open for any signs of trouble, especially as they approach the bushes at the top of the hill. Being out in the open like this has its disadvantages also, if there are any Grobs around watching they would quickly spot Jo and her Cut-Tager.

Suddenly Jo is aware of some noise coming from the bushes ahead and to the left of them. She drops the eye flap, the Cut-Tager slows up and stops. Jo carefully scans the bushes for any sign of movement or anything that looks out of place. Suddenly she sees something below a small clump of bushes. There is movement and something emerges, it is moving quite fast. Jo's heart beats fast, she decides not to wait around to find out what is approaching and gently Jo kicks her Cut-Tager, forgetting that she has not lifted any eye flaps. Jo's Cut-Tager lifts various flaps to see what is going on, catches sight of whatever is heading their way and starts to head straight for it!

Jo tries to divert the Cut-Tager to follow a different route, but the stubborn animal continues to run towards whatever is still rapidly approaching. Jo wonders if she is best staying on or jumping off the Cut-Tager. Perhaps its instinct is to attack whatever is approaching. Jo's is definitely to get away.

As they get closer, Jo realises that the the creature approaching them is another Cut-Tager. Jo nervously scans the bushes ahead to see if there is a Grob watching and waiting to pounce. Nothing apart from bushes and mounds of moss can be seen. The second Cut-Tager has caught up now, Jo decides it is time for her to take control again, so she opens an eye flap that will take them along the row of bushes. Jo's Cut-Tager is quite happy now to follow her directions. Jo hopes that ahead of them there will be a significantly wide enough gap, that they can go through, hopefully avoiding an ambush.

Jo looks behind her and sees that the second Cut-Tager is happily following along behind.

A gap! Quite a wide gap. Jo eyes it up carefully and decides that it should be wide enough, she changes eye flaps. Then implements her plan, gently kicking her Cut-Tager in the side, not hard but enough that the Cut-Tager can feel it. Jo is surprised that it has the desired effect and her Cut-Tager picks up pace immediately. They are through the gap before Jo has a chance to swing her head round. What is more, the Cut-Tager following has kept pace with them.

~~o~~o~~o~~

The journey is quite tedious and tiring. Jo is tempted several times to stop and stretch her legs, but knows that the longer they go on, the closer they should get to the Fusas home. There have been several times when Jo had thought that they were lost, but then saw something that seemed familiar. They are now approaching a large island of bushes and Jo has decided that she is so tired that they must take a break, the Cut-Tagers are probably in dire need of a rest and a grazing session in any case.

As they get closer to the bushes, Jo suddenly notices something hiding between the bushes. As they get closer still, Jo can see a pair of legs. It must be a Grob, just waiting for them to walk into its trap. Jo changes eye flaps on her Cut-Tager, to send it around the bush island, missing whatever waiting for them.

There is a loud groan coming from the bushes, Jo panics and gently kicks her Cut-Tager, it immediately picks up speed and heads off in the desired direction. Suddenly something comes racing out of the bushes, really spooking up both Cut-Tagers. Jo finds it difficult to stay upright and remain on her Cut-Tager's back, she hopes that her tight hold of its skin, is not hurting it, but it is the only way to stay on. Jo tries to turn her head around several times, to see what is chasing them, but each time finds herself nearly falling off.

Whatever is chasing them, is actually gaining ground, Jo knows this, as the groaning noise is much louder now. Already tired and now this, Jo wonders how long she and come to that her Cut-Tager can keep this up.

"Stop you Jo-Menzies!" the voice behind Jo pleads. Although somewhat weak, Jo recognises the voice, it belongs to Desag.

Jo much relieved, drops her Cut-Tager's eye flap and pats the Cut-Tager to reassure it. The Cut-Tager continues to run on for a while, then slows up. The Cut-Tager that had tagged along for the journey, goes racing on by, not aware that there is no longer a panic on.

As soon as Jo's Cut-Tager has slowed up enough, she slips off its back and walks over to the now stationery Cut-Tager that Desag is clinging onto. Desag looks pretty rough, bruises all over his arms and legs. The giant worm did its worst, but thankfully, it didn't eat Desag.

Jo, now standing beside Desag, says, "Thank goodness you are alright, I thought you had been eaten by that giant worm thing."

"Den-Drilla, mean you?" Desag asks.

"Yes that Den-Drilla thing." Jo replies.

"flipped up, in air, was I, by Den-Drilla. Landed, bushes, did I. When go Den-Drilla, along come Cut-Tager. Manage on back, climb I. Here bring me do Cut-Tager. Rest do I." With pain showing on his face, Desag rises up and Jo helps him stand. Desag continues, "Find this place, good are you."

Jo smiles and replies, "Yes, I quite surprised myself, never thought I would make it this far. I think my Cut-Tager helped."

"How, help you, do Cut-Tager? Not know, how to help, do Cut-Tagers."

"I think you'd be quite surprised what a Cut-Tager can really do. Have you noticed, I am not using anything to poke my Cut-Tager? It has been quite a faithful and helpful creature."

"Surprise me, do you, Jo-Menzies."

"Yes, I must admit, I have surprised myself, since I have been here. I have done things I would not dream of doing back home."

"Understand, think I do, what mean, You."

"Can you walk alright?" Jo asks.

"Not know I, been too painful to sit even. But try, will I" Desag takes a few steps forward and then says, "Actually feels good."

The two walk for a while, until they reach a mound covered in moss. Jo asks, "Are you hungry? Do you eat these?" She holds out a handful of the cone leaves, that she has retrieved from her pocket.

"Like those a lot, do I. Where, get them, you?"

"I picked them off of one of the bushes down on the coast, before we left."

"Made it to the Coast, then, did you? Anything find out you, about the island?"

Jo walks over to the mound covered in moss, she bends down and checks that it will be safe to sit upon, then suggests, "Let's sit down here and we can eat in comfort."

"Words that mean little, when, like this, I am. So, find out anything, you?"

"Yes as it happens we did..." Jo then tells Desag what had happened.

~~o~~o~~o~~

It is a heroes' greeting, that Desag and Jo receive, when they return to the Fusas. Barse is delighted to hear the news, that the Grobs are on the island, after all. Various proposals are discussed, as to how the Fusas can mount an attack on the island, but each and every one has the basic problem, that the coast can be clearly seen from the island. The fact, that it never seems to get completely dark there, means, the cover of night, cannot be relied upon either.

When Desag speaks, he takes the group by surprise, as until this point, apart from recounting his part of the story, of what happened at the coast, he has remained silent. Desag suggests, "Could have bate, we, land-side of coast bushes. Pit just before bushes, dig us. Other side of pit, jump up and down, bate, attract attention of Den-Drilla. When surface Den-Drilla, bate stand on pit, as Den-Drilla lunge, disappear bate; Straight line for island make Den-Drilla, as straight lines travel they underground; not again, surface it, until reach island." Desag seems quite pleased with his suggestion.

Jo is appalled at the suggestion, "You can not be serious about that? Firstly who in their right mind, would volunteer to be the bate, especially after seeing what the Den-Drilla has done to you?"

Several Fusas indicate that they would be willing. Jo not put off, by them blowing her first argument out of the water, so to speak, continues, "How are you going to make them disappear?"

Desag, large beaming smile, replies, "Twine! In twine wrap bate, then when Den-Drilla, fall into pit, to attack bate, pull out bate, we with twine. Normal for dig ,do Den-Drilla, Once in ground, have to continue. Not wide enough beach, to come up again, so Den-Drilla, continue over to island."

"Ok, ok, what about Ella and the others? If we put that thing over on the island, it will have the day of its life and eat everyone." Jo protests.

"When emerge Den-Drilla, busy on beach those, Grobs. Follow down tunnel, do we, then go rescue Ella, simple is plan."

"Simple yes, but so many things that could go wrong." Says Jo.

Barse says, "Simple and most do-able, your plan. Like it do I. Well done Desag."

"You are not really going to do this are you? It will be death to whoever volunteers to be the bate. There must be another way." Jo appeals to Barse.

"Another way, have you, consider we, but seems much best of all, this." Barse replies.

~~o~~o~~o~~

# 

# Chapter 11 – Many Brave Fusas And One Girl

The journey back to the coast does not seem quite so long this time, the sheer size of the company, the chatter and banter taking place, seems to make the time pass so much quicker.

Jo had not slept well that night, images of some poor Fusa being swallowed up by the Den-Drilla, kept playing over and over in Jo's head. Still not totally in agreement with the plan, Jo has decided that as the Fusas are so convinced that it will work, she must have at least, a little belief in their faith. After all, if the plan works, it will be a fantastic achievement, certainly unlike anything Jo has experienced before.

The group pass by the spot where the Den-Drilla had emerged when Desag and Jo were here last. A few of the Fusas venture over to peer down the tunnel and there is much joviality as they pretend that the Den-Drilla has returned. Barse encourages them to keep their voices down, as he does not know how far the sound of their voices will carry and the last thing they want to do is alert those on the island, to the fact that they are here.

Soon the group reaches what Desag and Barse consider as the perfect spot. The digging of the pit commences, whilst another group set about finding the perfect place for the "pulling Fusas" to be.

There has been a slight change in plan, it was suggested, as the group were traveling down. It was decided, that there would actually be two bate Fusas. It was felt that it would be too much for one Fusa, to do all the jumping, to attract the Den-Drilla's attention, then run like heck to get to the pit, then do a further run to get out of the pit, before the Den-Drilla arrives. Jo feels a bit happier at this change in plan. Although it now means that there are two Fusas at risk, but at least this way, there is a greater chance of success. Jo had suggested that they could use another creature as bate, but this did not go down well, it seemed almost as if Jo were suggesting that the Fusas were not worthy enough to be the bate.

The pit now dug, spots chosen for the pullers and the twine laid out ready for the task, the group settle down to have a rest and a meal. The excitement and tension are so strong, you could cut the air with it. Although tired and hungry, everyone wants to just get on with the task in hand.

~~o~~o~~o~~

Picture this, a Fusa jumping up and down, twine tied around its waist, another Fusa patiently waiting in the pit, but getting more bored every second.

After the jumping Fusa has suffered enough, Barse orders a swap over, luckily the Fusas have prepared for such an event and there is already another Fusa tied up, just waiting for her turn. The Fusa's swap over, the one that had been jumping looks absolutely exhausted. Jo is just glad that the Den-Drilla had not come along towards the end of the Fusa's jumping efforts, as he may not have been able to get away in time.

Jumping resumed, the rest of the group settle down and wait patiently.

Suddenly the ground rumbles and the group look at each other expectantly. The jumping Fusa stops and looks nervously around. Barse signals the Fusa to resume her jumping. The Fusa does as told, but immediately stops when the ground starts to erupt behind her. She prepares to run.

The familiar dark red and claws appear and immediately the Den-Drilla heads in the direction of the awaiting Fusa. She waits just long enough to be sure the Den-Drilla is definitely following. The twine is now quite taut, ready to whisk the Fusa away, should it appear that she is loosing ground.

Jo is wishing that the Fusa would start running, the tension is just too much. Jo is much relieved when the Fusa does start running.

The Den-Drilla gives chase and it looks like it is gaining on the poor Fusa. What are the twine pulling Fusas doing, they should be pulling like mad now. The Den-Drilla is just tens of centimetres away, one big push and it will snap the Fusa up. About five metres to go until the pit is reached. One slip and all will be lost. Watching this is sheer torture.

A sudden burst of speed and the Fusa is at the edge of the pit. The twine pullers, at last are doing their bit as the Fusa is whisked away. Leaving the other Fusa in the pit, looking quite afraid now that the Den-Drilla's attention is aimed at him. The Den-Drilla not deterred from its mission continues to head for the pit, it lunges in.

The awaiting Fusa disappears, as if he were the assistant in a magic trick, being performed on stage. The twine pullers did their work, so fast, that the eye could not spot the Fusa's movement.

Thankfully, as predicted, the Den-Drilla digs its way down into the pit. Its angle of approach being perfect and provided it does not emerge until it reaches the island everything is now according to plan.

The Fusas wait anxiously as they see the large creature diving deeper into the ground. Eventually the tail flips into the hole. There's another nervous wait as they await report back from the Fusas looking out over the beach, if the Den-Drilla is going to emerge this side of the sea, it will appear around now, or so the Fusas have estimated the situation.

Jo is both worried and relieved, when the news comes back, that the Den-Drilla has not emerged. Worried, because if this all goes wrong, it will be awful on that island. Jo's state of mind, is not aided, by the fact that Barse orders the Fusas to descend into the tunnel. The twines are dropped down the hole and Fusas start descending, rapidly disappearing, as if the hole were a Fusa eating monster, swallowing them as fast as they are presented to it. Jo feels that this is too early, if they get too close to the Den-Drilla's tail, they will be smashed to pieces.

It is Jo's turn, the twine is rough on her hands and the shaft seems quite dark at the bottom. The damp musky smell, does little to reassure Jo. It reminds her of the sort of smell that you get in the reptile house at the zoo. Only in this case the reptile concerned, is a heck of a lot bigger than Jo. What is to say, that the Den-Drilla hasn't stopped in its tracks and that large tail could come crashing down on them when they reach the bottom of the shaft? Having encountered, close up, one of these Den-Drillas, if not the same one, Jo is not very keen to drop herself down into this shaft, without having a quick escape route. The Fusas insist though, that there is minimal risk to this part of the operation.

As Jo drops the last few centimetres, to the ground, she can feel the ground shaking, as ahead of them, the Den-Drilla pushes forward; boring its way, hopefully towards the island. The thought strikes Jo, like a bolt of lightning, what if the Den-Drilla emerges too early? The Den-Drilla, the Fusas and Jo will all be drowned. Everyone seemed so confident that the Den-Drilla will just keep going, until it reaches the island, that the thought hadn't even crossed Jo's mind until now. She dares not say anything to the others for fear of looking and sounding like a coward. Yet she feels like grabbing the twine and climbing for safety again. Instead Jo plods along, following those before her.

~~o~~o~~o~~

The light can be see long before they get to the vertical shaft. It is reassuring, that there must be dry land the other side of the opening, what is more, the Den-Drilla has moved on! The Fusas have caught up with each other, as those in the lead are slowed up by having to climb the almost vertical shaft.

The wait, the hanging around with nothing to do, is quite annoying. Jo can feel the tension, it is almost as if every Fusa is willing those ahead, on up that vertical shaft; almost as if the awaiting Fusas were climbing the shaft for them.

Finally the queue of Fusas starts to move again.

Jo is afraid that the Den-Drilla is just waiting on the surface, waiting to pick them off one by one, like plates of food heading on a conveyor belt straight for the Den-Drilla's mouth. Jo just can not shake the thought out of her head. Although she will be glad to get out of this tunnel and leave that damp musty smell.

Nearly to the top of the shaft and the Fusas ahead of Jo leave he shaft easily and willingly, so it must be safe, otherwise they would be trying to get back down again.

At the surface again, a sea of Fusas backs before Jo, but at least the smell of sweet fresh air again. Then the noise hits Jo's ears, the noise of struggle, of agony. The Grobs must be battling it out with the Den-Drilla. Unless what she can hear is the battle between Grobs and Fusas. If only Jo could see what is going on.

The throng of Fusas moves forward. The joint relief that they can get away from that shaft, but also the agony of not knowing what they are moving onto. The line in front of Jo thins out and starts heading off to the right now. As the line thins even further, Jo sees to the left of her, the back of the Den-Drilla, it is being attacked by a mass of fuzzy shapes, unmistakably the Grobs. Given the apparent numbers on the beach, this hopefully means that the numbers left guarding Ella are much fewer in number. This is the one time that Jo hopes that someone is not getting the better of a Den-Drilla. For the longer the Grobs are kept busy fighting the Den-Drilla off, the easier it will be for Jo and the Fusas'.

The trek up the hill is not easy and every so often the Fusas come to a halt as those in the lead battle it out with some waiting Grob guards. Then at one point the Fusas split off into two groups each taking their own path to the top. Jo's group now much thinned out, she can at last see ahead of her and when the encounter fresh Grobs, Jo can at least see what is going on, as those in the front row battle it out. The Grobs are not giving up easily, these skirmishes last a while and for every Grob that they leave injured or dead, there are one or sometimes two Fusas. So the battle is not being won easily.

As the group approach the top of the hill, Jo takes a firmer grip of her spiky stick, preparing to face battle herself now.

Jo's group thins out as they emerge onto the hill top, which means that Jo now finds herself on the front row. There before them is open ground then clumps of bushes and in the distance a further stretch of hill, but this one not very tall, probably about the height of two Grobs. Speaking of which, there are none to be seen. It would be too much to hope that they were all down below on the beach, they must be in hiding behind the bushes.

The line of Fusas advances on the bushes, the tension can be felt, as they nervously scan the bushes before them, awaiting the first sign of a Grob. They get closer and closer to the awaiting bushes, but no sign of the Grobs.

Jo finds herself willing the Grobs to come out and fight, to end this tension, this suspense.

Four metres and still no sign, not a sound apart from the footsteps and the heavy breathing as Jo and the Fusas get their breath back after their climb.

It cannot be.... surely not the case that there are no Grobs up here guarding this area?

Jo stops, turns completely around and looks down at the beach, it is still really busy down there, scores of Grobs trying to defeat the Den-Drilla.

Suddenly there is one heck of a noise behind Jo, she swings back only to find that her group is being attacked by Grobs and there are more of them pouring out of the bushes.

Jo is now torn between continuing her search for signs of a boat and coming to the aid of the Fusas. Seeing the fierce fighting taking place, Jo realises that her assistance is greatly need, so she launches into the back of the nearest Grob and is delighted that it seems to be caught totally by surprise and is soon doubled up on the ground in a submissive pose. Seizing the opportunity to break away, the Grob rolls down the hill. Jo and the Fusa that she was helping, turn their attention to the next nearest Grobs.

The battle rages on.

~~o~~o~~o~~

# 

# Chapter 12 – Disappointment is Normal

Having searched the whole hill top it is now evident that whilst there are signs that the Grobs were camped up here, there is no sign that Ella was ever here.

Barse suggests, "At first sign of trouble, Grob-Lusiers, off hill take Ella. Probably had ready a Boat."

Jo says, "If only I had looked round for a boat when I looked back at the beach."

Barse reassures her, "Much earlier could have taken Ella, so my have still seen nothing you. Tricky are these Grobs. Would hide boat as soon touch other side would they."

The Fusas soon reach the beach and are back at the vertical shaft. At least they know that the Den-Drilla will not be troubling them, as they had found it dead on the beach, being rocked backwards and forwards by the sea. There are no signs of any live Grobs. Either they have all been killed by the combined efforts of the Fusas and the Den-Drilla, or they have fled down the shaft. Are they in the tunnel, waiting for the Fusas to return?

The Fusas descend, no fear showing in their faces.

Jo sees Desag and says, "I have a bad feeling about going back down that shaft."

Desag still obviously in pain, it shows on his face and now there's a look of surprise, he nods in the direction of the now dead Den-Drilla and says , "But no harm can do it now, as dead."

"It's not the Den-Drilla." Jo pauses then continues, "Its the Grobs."

"What mean you, the Grobs?" his face now shows the same degree of concern as Jo's.

"Well, they could be waiting down there, waiting in ambush."

"What be this am-bush? Some sort of weapon, that know of you?" asks Desag.

"Er, no not a weapon, it just means they, er, they might be waiting to attack us."

Desag laughs and replies, "Jo-Menzies, worry about something like that, you, when all that been through you and I? Defeat them Grobs up here, do same down there we do."

"I suppose so."

Desag still seeing the worried look on Jo's face says, "Come on Jo-Menzies, you are Wies-An-Fusa fighter, have very much the fighter in you. Worry not you, will win together. Now smile you."

Jo much heartened by Desag's confidence in her and the Fusa's, she stands by the shaft awaiting her turn to descend.

Desag, grabs the twine and starts his descent, pauses a moment and smiles up at Jo, she smiles back.

Apart from the usual occasional bits of banter passing between the Fusas, there are no other noises emerging from the shaft.

Deep down, Jo still has a bad feeling about this, but Desag's confidence in the Fusa's and come to that Jo's abilities, makes her push the feelings out of the way and instead Jo concentrates on climbing down the shaft with its now, familiar, damp and musty smells.

Jo's eyes soon become adjusted to the dim lights, that the Fusas are carrying, in the form of small glass like tubes. When Desag had explained these sticks earlier, they sounded very much like the glowing necklaces that Jo had frequently worn at fairs and on bonfire night, except that the ones the Fusas are using do not need to be snapped, they just glow whenever it gets dark.

The line of Fusas, moves steadily up the tunnel, as if they are on one of those moving walkways that you get in very long buildings. The journey back to the mainland seems a lot longer than when they came out to the island. Maybe, it is because, they are tired and in desperate need of a rest.

Suddenly the Fusas in front of Jo stop without any warning, there is no sound apart from the sound of footsteps behind Jo and Desag; the footsteps of those following. Jo doesn't like this, it brings back thoughts of an ambush, but if that were the case, there would be noises; the noises of a struggle, of a battle; going on somewhere up ahead. Instead nothing; just the gentle sound of lots of Fusas breathing; waiting for the line to resume moving; or maybe, just waiting for some more battle action.

Have those in the lead discovered the ambush and rather than walk straight in, are they taking the cautious line of waiting and assessing the threat, before charging forward and using the element of surprise to their favour?

The wait is painful. The Fusas seem quite at ease, Jo can detect no signs of distress in those around her; yet her own sense of something serious having, or about to go wrong, is rising.

Suddenly, a little movement again, as the Fusas in front, shuffle down the dark tunnel, only by about metre, but never-the-less, a clear sign that movement had started again.

Then another wait.

This process continues again and again, until eventually Jo and Desag can see the bottom of the shaft, with the twines hanging down and Fusas climbing at a painfully slow rate. So this was the problem? The Fusas are just too tired and it is taking them a while to climb back up to the beach.

There are no sounds, apart from the odd grunt, as the Fusas above, reach down and help lift those climbing up; Jo is much more relaxed now. All her fears of Grobs waiting down here, were just merely that, fears. They must have been too tired themselves, to wait around and set an ambush. They, probably, just wanted to get somewhere safe, where they could rest and recover before the next battle. Inevitably, there will be one.

When everyone is out of the shaft, the tired group set about finding a safe place to camp for the night. After a fair bit of marching around, Barse declares a particular site as being most suitable. It is reasonably high up and has a good view all around, so no chance of the Grobs sneaking up on them. When it has been decided who will keep watch, the others settle down for the night. Jo is amongst those.

Although Jo is really tired, the day has been so filled with action and worry, that she finds it difficult to settle down and get off to sleep. Whilst there are Fusas on guard, Jo cannot help but worry about the Grobs suddenly mounting an attack.

Desag also seems to be having difficulty in settling, he suddenly sits up and asks, "Trouble settling you Jo-Menzies? What is wrong?"

Jo not wanting to appear to be weak, says, "I just cannot get comfortable."

"Too many injuries, have also you?" Desag's face is full of concern.

"Yes, that must be it." Jo replies.

"Watching perhaps could we do, then get so tired fall asleep might we?" Desag suggests.

"Good idea." Jo sits straight up, taking Desag by surprise.

"Keen are you, Jo-Menzies. Over there, to the edge go we." Desag points to the left.

Jo pauses a moment before replying, "As the Grobs got back here first, they may be further across than us, so could we go over to the opposite side." Jo points to the right.

"Strangely speak you. But get meaning do I. Alright as want you." Desag stands up, from the look on his face, he is obviously still in pain. He waits for Jo to stand and even holds out a hand to help her up. Jo thinking that Desag was probably in more pain than herself, manages to get up by herself.

Desag and Jo carefully pick their way between the sleeping Fusas and soon find themselves at the edge of the encampment, if the group of sleeping Fusas can be called that.

After sitting in silence for a while, Jo asks, "Do you think we will find and manage to rescue Ella?"

"Most strange are you Jo-Menzies. Never give up do Wies-An-Fusa. As much back with us is Ella as sit here you and me."

"If only I was as sure as you, but with two attempts, what have we be able to do? Lots of Fusas have been killed and injured and we still seem no closer to getting Ella. Are we sure that the Grobs even have Ella?"

"Jo-Menzies, Jo-Menzies, That have Grobs do Ella, know we Wies-An-Fusa." Desag smiles and nods in reassurance. Then continues, "Many lost and injured Grobs also. Killed we Den-Drilla and that good. Find we Ella. Worried not be you Jo-Menzies. Normal is disappointment."

~~o~~o~~o~~

# Chapter 13 – A New Day

The night had passed by uneventfully, Desag and Jo had even fallen asleep. They wake up as the Fusas around them get up and set off in search of food and drink.

Suddenly there is disturbance to the north of the encampment, a large group of Fusas has formed and there are raised excited voices. Jo suggests that she and Desag join them to find out what is going on. Desag nods in agreement.

When Jo and Desag reach the outer ring of Fusas, Desag asks one of the Fusas what is going on. The Fusas replies, "Word of having been seen, are Ella and the Grob-Lusiers, to the north of here and far not are they."

A Fusa taps Jo on the shoulder and says, "Talk with you does want Barse-Wise-An-Fusa. Follow me do you?"

"Of course, I will be delighted."

The Fusa looks confused. Jo says, "Yes." to put him out of his misery.

Soon Desag and Jo find themselves in the 'circle of the decision makers' as Desag had called it. There are Ailers darting about the group, they seem so excited that they are unable to settle.

Barse exclaims, "Ah wise counsel is here, of Jo-Menzies! Have much need of your counsel and wise words Jo-Menzies."

Jo blushes not knowing where to look.

"Seen near here, have been Ella-Wise-An-Fusa and Grob-Lusiers. Plan been put to me, want to see, what make of it, do you."

"Well I will help if I can." Jo replies.

"Good. Plan like this, heard you of Vesk-A-Wa?"

"Y, yes the Ailers have mentioned them to me. I believe they can, er, be harmful to you."

"Illness or worse, if just touch a Vesk-A-Wa. Lots seen of Vesk-A-Wa between us and the Grob-Lusiers' camp just to the North of us. Plan like this, some of us, Wies-An-Fusa chase Vesk-A-Wa up through Grob-Lusiers' camp, while the rest go north of camp, circle it and attack from there to stop escape of Grobs. What think you of plan?"

There is silence for a while as Jo thinks things through. Barse patiently waits. Jo replies, "Surely all the Grobs need to do, is avoid touching the Vesk-A-Wa and they will be able to escape to the south."

"Good point make you Jo-Menzies, same make me." There's a big beaming smile across Barse's face for a moment, then he continues, "Pointed out to me, that opportunity present itself for the Weis-An-Fusa, as the Vesk-A-Wa are together, to head to their multiply places. There are hundreds of hundreds of them not far from us right now and they are almost heading for camp of Grob-Lusier, but without convincing, they will head around camp."

"I think I understand now, there are thousands of these things and driving them through the Grobs camp, the Grobs it will find it difficult to avoid touching them."

"Exact speak you of this. Especially if the VeskA-Wa are to move fast, the Grob-Lusiers will be...... will, be knocked off their feet."

"But what is there to stop the Vesk-A-Wa turning on the Fusas?"

"Like thinking of Jo-Menzies, do me. Our Fusas to carry long barriers which Vesk-A-Wa fear more than Grob-Lusier."

"Given the choice of a club wielding Grob or a barrier, surely the Vesk-A-Wa will jump the barrier."

"Not if too high is Barrier."

"What about Ella, how can we ensure that she is not touched by one of the Vesk-A-Wa?"

"The Grob-Lusier will want to make sure that we cannot get to her, by same thinking she should be safe from the Vesk-A-Wa."

"That is a terrible risk to take, what if the Grobs thinking of protection, is just by sheer numbers of Grobs surrounding the place that they are holding her."

"Good are you Jo-Menzies, think same myself. Plan is that the Vesk-A-Wa deal with the Grobs outside whatever Ella-Wies-An-Fusa being held in, for surely not out in open they keep her. Once Vesk-A-Wa finished, we move in from north and attack the Grob-Lusier inside, others weakened or damaged enough not to be worry to Wies-An-Fusa."

"Well I think it is still a terrible risk to run, probably worse than using the Den-Drilla."

"Think it could work, you?"

"Well as I say it is an awful risk, but.... yes it could if luck is with us."

"Who or what this luck?"

"Difficult one to explain. I suppose it means, if all goes to plan."

"Ah what mean you, see I. Thank you Jo-Menzies, plan agree I."

"But I do not agree with it, I think it is a terrible risk."

"Good."

"I do not understand, why you ask for my views and then every time, you do the opposite to what I think."

"That important Jo-Menzies. If think otherwise you, be worried would be I."

"Why is that?"

"If challenge not you, then thinking not enough on winning edge of mine."

"But we have not done any winning since I have been here."

"Not think as Wies-An-Fusa, yet do you. Each battle with Grob-Lusier has brought success ever closer to us."

Jo decides not to argue against Barse's logic, although she feels quite strongly that enough suffering has been done by the Fusa's in their attempts to release their leader's daughter. Jo has the strong feeling that if it had been any lesser Fusa, the same effort would not have been put in.

Barse issues orders and there is a great deal of activity as Fusa's cut down branches and weave them into the barriers.

~~0~~0~~0~~

# Chapter 14 – Another Way

The Ailer scouts have returned with the good news that the Grobs are still in the same place and also that the Vesk-A-Wa are still heading towards the Grob camp. The Ailers also reported that there is a lot of cover between the Fusas and the Grob camp.

The Fusas have finished making the barriers and are now split into two groups, the smaller of the two, pick up their barriers, determined and confident in the challenge that lies ahead, they raise their barriers and clubs and give a triumphant wave at Jo and the others, as they set off towards the north east.

Shortly afterwards, Jo's group set off on their march northward.

The journey seems to be taking quite a long time. Desag takes Jo by surprise as he says, "The other Wies-An-Fusas should have encountered their first Vesk-A-Wa by now. We will soon be changing direction and be heading down towards the Grob-Lusier camp."

"Is that why it has taken us so long to get here?"

"Yes, difficult it be, how far, to tell travelled have we; as surrounded, are we, most of the time by, what call them, do you? Ah yes bushes."

Sure enough the leaders of Jo's group, start to head off to the left. As they pass Jo and Desag, Jo can see that they are signalling that the group spread out. This must be in preparation for the attack.

In the distance, Jo can make out something above the line of bushes, that doesn't look as though it belongs here, but they are still too far away to make out exactly what it is. Jo asks, "Can you see something above the bushes ahead?"

"Yes see can I also it. Camp it, of the Grob-Lusier, think I."

"Thank goodness for that."

A whispered message makes its way up through the group and eventually reaches the ear of Desag, he relays it to Jo, "Close are we, so quiet must keep we, or lost element of surprise."

Jo whispers back, "Well the moment of truth has come, here we go then. I just hope the others have been successful in driving the Vesk-A-Wa up through the Grobs camp."

~~0~~0~~0~~

There is now a single line of bushes separating Jo's group from the Grobs camp, the moment of truth, has indeed come.

Suddenly there is a mass of noise coming from the bushes. The Fusas stop in their tracks, clubs raised in readiness, for what must be a mass of escaping Grobs. Sure enough, ahead, there are the faint outlines of rapidly moving Grobs, some in their blind panic have not even bothered to make themselves invisible. Their faces,at least those that are visible, are a picture of of horror, as they emerge from the bushes, to face the row upon row of Fusas before them. Some stop, others just plough on, hoping to make it through the surrounding Fusa army.

The Fusas and Jo, just wait patiently, not wavering in the least, in their grim determination to resist the fleeing Grobs.

The first blows are delivered, mainly by the Fusas, the Grobs just want to get away. Then as the second wave of Grobs come out of the bushes, things become more evenly matched.

Desag and Jo make good partners, as they see off the Grobs, often three at a time. The pair have developed a fighting style that works well and confuses the Grobs no end.

The supply of Grobs seems to be endless.

As the battle rages on, the number of Grobs emerging from the bushes has now dropped off considerably and it is at this point, that Jo spots a small group of Grobs, to the back of the current wave, behaving rather oddly. Having dispatched the latest Grob to the ground, Jo signs to Desag that they both should investigate what is going on. Desag nods in agreement and Jo assists him in dealing with his latest opponent. The pair of them, dart between fighting groups and head towards the suspicious group, that are now heading away from Jo and Desag.

The going is tough and every so often Jo or Desag get drawn into a brawl that is happening around them. This slows them up and there is the real fear, that the group they are pursuing will get away from them.

It is lucky that every so often the escaping group, also get drawn into brawls and this slows them down also. The latest of these brawls enables Desag and Jo to catch up a deal of ground.

Suddenly Jo catches sight of something in the middle of the group, it is covered in a cream coloured cloth. Jo gets the sense that she is not looking at an object, but more likely someone, this may even be the Ella, the elusive Ella that they have been seeking.

Jo is convinced that whoever it is, they must be important, so are worth investigating in any case. Jo is determined that whoever it is, will not escape or be taken away. Jo tries to get Desag's attention, but by the time she succeeds the person can no longer be seen. Jo, despite the risk of losing Desag, doubles her efforts to catch up. Desag, having escaped from his latest brawl, indicates that he should go to one side of the fleeing group and Jo the other. Jo nods and barges through the latest group of battling Grobs.

Desag seems to also be making good ground and is catching up with the group, in fact the pair seem to be moving faster than the small group.

Suddenly a club flies over Jo's head and lands square in the middle of the head of the Grob that is closest to her, in the group that she is chasing. The Grob falls and as it does, the covered person, somewhat shorter than the surrounding Grobs, is now clearly visible. As Jo looks at the bottom of the cloth covering, she can make out legs and feet, they are definitely not those of a Grob, more like the familiar ones of a Fusa. This has to Ella.

Spurred on, Jo lunges forward, leaping over the grounded and writhing Grob that has just fallen. Jo's raised club, hurting her bruised arms, descends and makes good and forceful contact with the nearest Grob. The Grob's outline changes from being faintly visible to be almost fully visible, enough that when it turns, its face full of pain and hate, can clearly be seen. Jo retrieves her club and dives to one side to avoid the oncoming club. Jo's reaction was well timed as the club swings straight over her head. Jo, as quick as she can be, recovers her position and painful though it is, she swings her club back up and over her shoulder, to once again land with force on the Grob, catching it unawares, the Grob, falls with the powerful swing of Jo's club, pushing it over. As the Grob lands hard on the ground, its face has changed, the hate disappeared, the look, is more, one of shock and extreme pain.

Jo is aware that to the left and middle of the group there is frenzied activity. Jo can just make out the shape of Desag, as he has also dispatched one of the Grobs and is now turning his attention to the next.

The cloaked figure in the middle of the group is not as closely surrounded, as it was before, Jo recovers her stance, seizes her opportunity, leaps forward, grabs what seems like an arm and says, "Quick Ella come with me, I am a friend."

Before the Grob to the right of Jo has a chance to respond, Jo retreats with the cloaked figure willingly running with her. They head straight for the row of battling Fusas, which is now to Jo's left.

Jo feels at the same time triumphant, that she has probably rescued Ella, but at the same time guilty at leaving Desag to fend for himself.

After a reasonable time, of fleeing the group, Jo glances back to check on the Grob that is probably chasing them and also to check on Desag. Jo sees Desag first and is glad to see that another two Fusas have joined him in detaining the remnants of the group. Then Jo sees the pursing Grob, which is now dangerously close.

Ella seems to be keeping a pace with Jo, so Jo knows that she can turn her attention to the pursing Grob, should she need to.

Ahead of Jo, a pair of Fusas have broken ranks and are heading straight for Ella and Jo. Jo is somewhat relieved, at least now, if she has to stand and fight the Grob, Jo knows that Ella is most likely to be safe and be retrieved.

Suddenly Jo is aware that Ella is no longer beside her, she looks round and there sprawled on the ground is the cloth covered shape of Ella. Not being able to see well through the cloth, she has obviously tripped on something.

Quick thinking, Jo stops, turns, and raises her club. The pursuing Grob also raises its club, in preparation for engagement.

Whilst Jo does not have the luxury of time to look around and check on Ella, she is aware that there is activity where Ella fell, Jo just hopes that it is Ella herself, recovering from her fall and continuing her escape. Jo knows that it cannot be the Fusas helping her as they were too far away.

Attention drawn back to the Grob now rapidly looming up on her, Jo decides what her tactic will be and as quick as a leaping frog, Jo does a controlled cartwheel, not easy whilst still maintaining a firm grasp of her club. The action, brings Jo to the right side of the Grob, giving her two things, a brief, but important clear view back towards Ella and the element of surprise that Jo dearly needed.

Jo immediately has her club raised and just before she launches it at the still forward facing Grob, Jo checks to see that Ella has indeed recovered and is heading away again, but in the wrong direction! No time!

The club engages with a deal of force, into the side of the surprised Grob. It swings round in a deal of pain and surprise. The Grobs own club falling with its arm in an uncontrolled movement, but that movement, combined with the Grobs turning motion could still pose a threat to Jo. So quick as can be, Jo once more recovers her position and cartwheels on round, to now be at the back of the Grob. As Jo raises her club for another attack, she realises that she must be really fast in delivering this blow, as the Grob will quickly catch up with her, as it continues to turn.

Blow delivered, Jo cartwheels off again, this time with the express purpose of getting away, in order to get to Ella and turn her around.

Jo is not fast enough though, as the swinging club of the Grob, engages with Jo's right ankle. The pain is instantaneous. Jo drops to the ground and curls up into a defensive ball, cradling her painful ankle.

What about Ella?

Suddenly aware that she is in danger again, the Grob is falling and falling where Jo is lying, painful though it is, Jo rolls away, hoping that she is fast enough to escape the falling Grob.

The ground shakes as the Grob lands. Jo continues to roll, but is suddenly stopped in her tracks. It is heavy, but not crushingly, the thing that has stopped Jo.

In the distance, Jo can see Ella still stumbling at speed towards the Grobs.

Jo feels around her and realises that she has been trapped by one of the Grob's arms, but how to break free? Jo tries to wriggle free, but it is no use. Then an idea comes to her, Jo feels around for her club. After feeling around for what seems like ages, Jo gives up.

The sight of Ella getting closer to the Grobs, spurs Jo on again, she looks around her, swinging her head to extreme positions, it is the last of these the reveals the position of her club, it is just out of reach though.

Jo pushes with all her might with the good leg and what grip she can get with her arms. It is just enough that now she can just touch the Club. Gently and slowly, Jo eases her fingers over the handle end of the club. Jo pulls and as she expected there is resistance, as the spikes dig into the mossy ground. The club does move slightly though and it is enough for Jo to get a better grasp of the club.

The arm restraining Jo move slightly, actually moving her closer to the club. Jo seizes the opportunity and with the newly gained slack, Jo is able to lift the club. Although not able to lift it fully, it is enough to clear the bulk of moss and the Club moves a little more freely towards her. Jo gets the club into the best position she can and breathing in heavily, she braces herself for what is to come next. With all her might, Jo swings the club heavily down on the Grobs arm. It moves, in the desired direction, but only by a little. Jo decides to change tactics and moves the club so that the she is pushing upwards into the bottom of the arm. The moment the spikes at the end engage with the arm,there is some movement, but only slight. Jo finds it awkward to do, but she pushes harder and harder and suddenly the pain is too much for the Grob, its arm moves away and frees Jo. As quickly as she can, Jo pushes herself away from the Grob and concentrates on trying to get herself up. The pain from her ankle reminds her that she had been injured. She tests it out in terms of the amount of pain and comes to the decision that it is probably only a bruise. With that Jo slowly launches herself in the direction of Ella.

The two Fusas who had broken ranks are nearly with Ella now. They call out and Ella stops, turns and heads towards them. Jo figures out that her best option is to head back towards the line of Fusas, that way Ella and two Fusas will catch up with her.

The group of four are soon safe behind the Fusa line. Whilst the battle rages on around them, they feel somewhat safer being this side of it. Other Fusas have joined them, one is attending to Ella and one to Jo and her injuries. As some green paste is rubbed into Jo's bruises, it both hurts and relieves. There is soothing coolness, once the rubbing has stopped.

Jo can hear the Fusas questioning Ella as she tells them what had happened to her. Ella's story is a little patchy in places as she was kept most of the time under the cloth that she is glad to have dispensed with. Whilst Ella, like Jo is covered in bruises, this was not at the hands of the Grobs, but more through tripping and falling all the time, when being moved around, the Grobs were not very good at being escorts by all accounts.

When Ella has finished answering the barrage of questions, she is keen to find out what manner of person rescued her. The Fusas, now quite used to having Jo around are quite surprised at Ella's request and simply answer, "Why that is Jo-Menzies of course. Important has been she in rescue of you."

Jo still hurting, has a great feeling of satisfaction that her efforts have been so recognised. She could have so easily just been treated as one of the Fusa army.

~~0~~0~~0~~

# Chapter 15 – The Journey home

The Fusas had insisted that Jo travel on the biggest Cut-Tager that they could find, furthermore, that she would have her own Fusa escort, to make sure that she was comfortable and didn't fall off.

Jo had felt really guilty, as all she had were bruises. Some of the Fusas had far worse injuries, but Barse insisted and when Barse insists you do not stand in his way.

The journey back to the Fusas home, whilst long, seemed somewhat more comfortable. The fact that the Fusa army were travelling so much slower than on their way down, made this better.

When the returning Fusas reached the familiar hill, the Fusas waiting there had such a party arranged that no sooner had the Fusas and Jo dismounted from their Cut-Tagers, the party started.

Jo carried away with all the celebration at their success at having finally rescued Ella, completely forgot about going back home. It was the next day, in the cool morning light that Jo remembered why she had come to this hill in the first place. Being amongst a group of sleeping Fusas, Jo thought she would be able to slip away unnoticed.

Jo eases herself up slowly and quietly and limps up the hill. She nearly reaches the top, when she hears the familiar booming voice of Barse, "Surely you were not going to leave without saying goodbye to your good friends Barse and Ella-Wies-An-Fusa ?"

Jo turns and there are the smiling faces of Barse and Ella. Ella has her arms held in front of her, as if expecting a hug.

Felling somewhat embarrassed, having not been properly introduced and all that, yet feeling that somehow she had quite a connection to this brave Fusa, Jo limps forward and does not disappoint Ella. The hug was that of two old friends and Ella says, "Can not thank enough you, for determination and skill that have shown you in rescue of me. Always friend of Fusas be you Jo-Menzies and especially to me."

Not usually being short of words Barse, pats Jo on the back and says, "Same holds from me Jo-Menzies."

As Ella and Jo separate, Ella adds, "Please return and see again us one light time?"

Jo replies, "Thank you both for your kindness and if I can, I will return to see you one day. If you ever find your way to my side of the hill, come and find me also. I would dearly love to know how you are."

Barse barks out some instructions to a couple of Fusas and they are quickly by Jo's side. Barse says, "Help you to your side, will these Fusas. Live long and happy Jo-Menzies. For return of my Ella I thank you greatly."

"Thank you and good bye." says Jo with a tear in her eye, as she turns and with the Fusas help, she climbs the last part of the hill.

On the flat above the place of the Fusas, Jo can make out two sets of bushes, she does not know why but she is drawn towards the clump to the right. Jo and Fusas enter the clump of bushes and it is like an island of moss surrounded by bushes, but across to the right the bushes they look somewhat strange, as if something can be faintly seen to the other side of them. Jo lets the Fusas help her to the edge of these bushes and insists on going the last part on her own. She says her goodbyes and heads straight for the bushes. As she steps into them the feel of ground changes, it is much more solid and is sloping upwards. Jo turns and waves a final time to the Fusas and steps further in, the familiar blackness comes over her, as if she is stepping from day, straight into night. The ground continues to be hard, with something long and wispy touching her legs, it is grass, grass. After a short interval, it starts to get lighter, not the full light of day, but more like that of early morning.

There before Jo are the familiar sights of the path that had lead her her and there in the distance, Jo can see the roof of her house. Home, she is home.

~~ The End ~~

If you enjoyed this book, could we suggest that you check out this author's other books, for example, "All That Sparkles is Not....", "The Gateway", or "Regenis 4 Chronicles". You will find them on Smashwords.com or check out the author's own website to see what the latest books are: www.SciFiStories.co.uk

Steve's word processor is nearly always busy working on something new, check out his website to find out what he is currently working on.

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