Zia thought quickly and realised that he had never even thought of offering to take Nip to visit any of his friends and family and felt more than a little guilty.
“Come on cheer up, we could go and visit your mum and dad next time we have time off. What do you think? I would like to meet them.”
“Do you mean it? Would you really take me all that way? I haven’t seen them since my last birthday and that was very nearly a year ago. They would be so pleased to meet you I’ve told them so much about you in my letters.” Nip’s eyes had lit up. He was out of his seat and laughing as he spoke.
“It would be great. I could show you all around the old Black Mine they live in. When can we go? I’ll write to them this evening. Ohhh!! I am so excited!”
“Whoa!! Hang on. We have to clear it with Grace first and she will have to get permission from the head of the Black Mine Community. I can’t just turn up there and throw the spanner in the works like I did when I arrived here. Its different when I go with the Teams. All the Communities know them and so accept me. I’m sure it will be fine but we must do things properly or we could be in trouble…at both ends of the journey!!” Zia was talking and thinking as he ate. “We can go and see Grace when I have finished this and before I go to Calda. I’m not on night shift for another three nights but the new rules will apply so we may not be able to go for a few weeks and even then we will have to have a Zoedledoodle escort, although that could be fun. Ideally, there will be a load going there by flight wagon that we can travel with. Come on, lets go and see Grace.”
Zia pushed back his chair took a last gulp of his tea and they rushed along the tunnel to find Grace. She listened to them as they told her of their ‘would be’ plans and after some contemplation tapped her Knobbly Stick on the floor and spoke to them earnestly,
“It’s not easy to let anyone go just now, when there is so much to be done but I would like for Nip to see his parents. I will talk to Pog and Zoe and see if they are going that way with a load and you can ask Calda if he can spare you from your studies for a few days. I’ll see what can be arranged but don’t be too disappointed if the answer is ‘No’.”
On the way to Calda’s cave the two chatted and made plans but there was lots of ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ in the conversation now. They planned to meet the next evening. Nip went on his way as Zia turned to see his tutor. Once inside Calda’s cave Zia asked about the planned trip to Wales with Nip and repeated exactly what Grace had said.
“I think a few days away from all the activity here would be good for you. Its not right that you should be working six days a week and never doing the things you want. You will loose concentration. You deserve a break. I will tell Grace you can go as far as I’m concerned,” Calda replied.
They then studied for a few hours, geography and map reading, before Zia finally said goodnight and went back to his cave with three books to read and revise from. At the moment life did seem a bit like all work and no play but Zia enjoyed being with the Teams so much he never thought of it as work, although he did get very tired. It wasn’t long before he fell asleep with a book across his knees.
Grace sent for him and Nip the following evening and told him what she had managed to arrange.
“You can go for three days. The leader of Black Mine Community has written saying you will be welcome but that won’t be for another two weeks when the Teams will be going there with a delivery and you will be picked up again when a Team is on the way back from a trip to Llandudno, so that is arranged. Zoe will tell you exactly when they are leaving.”
The friends were delighted and after leaving Grace they rushed to find Zoe at the station. She was in the office with Pog getting the team’s work rota sorted out when they knocked at the door and were admitted. Zoe guessed what they had come for but was too busy to stop and talk, so they agreed to meet the next day for dinner, about six pm, before she and the teams left to start their night’s work. Right now, Zia went going back to his room to write to his parents and explain that he wouldn’t be able to come home for several weeks. He knew they would understand, without asking questions that he wasn’t allowed to answer.
Over dinner the next evening Zia, Zoe and Nip made plans for their trip to Wales.
“We will make it our first stop,” said Zoe, “You don’t want to be getting there after midnight do you.? It will take us about three and a half hours to fly there fully loaded but its a simple trip…. once we are over the mountains. They’re not very high. Our cousins in Canada have the Rockies to contend with and there are huge mountain ranges all over the world that have Communities. We can’t deliver to those from here so we have to meet up with other teams and do a relay service. It works very well and it doesn’t make any difference as long as the load is delivered safely and on time.”
“Will I ever come on a relay trip with you, Zoe? I would like to meet other Teams from across the world.” Zia was very keen.
“Well, you have changed in the few months you have been here. Do you remember the first time you saw me?” Zoe asked. “You were terrified and now you are wanting to meet complete stranger Zoedledoodles. We will be making many relay trips over time. Its a regular thing but none are booked for a few weeks. We have to make sure that we have taken all the defence items to the Cornish Communities first, as they are the ones under threat.”
“After our holidays will you be with the team picking us up to come back here?” Nip asked.
“No, you will be coming back with the express team so you can both ride home in a pannier pack. That will be a new experience for you, wont it?” Zoe looked to see their reaction and they were obviously delighted at the prospect. Nip’s eyes were wide and his smile was broader than ever.
Although there was much going on Nip and Zia were both really excited about their trip. Nip wasn’t allowed to scout in the woods so the ravens and rooks were doing extra patrols and so were the owls and bats, so they were still aware of any unusual things that were happening. So far it had been one stray dog and a hedgehog that fell into a pit, making a great deal of noise until he was helped out by one of the Zoedledoodles. Not normally a task they would have to undertake. There was also a sighting of ‘something’ that was not actually seen clearly enough to describe but Grace had been informed that Wanderers were out and looking for Searchers but had not as yet found any.
It was decided at a meeting of the Committee that the Squitons should be brought over from France as soon as there was any sighting at all of the Searchers. Squitons could go out after dark and track anything and anybody that was around and would be able to smell the the Searchers a mile off.
They didn’t have long to wait. Within the week a report came back to Grace that there had been a sighting near Redruth. It said the Searchers were not near but that they were working the area yard by yard looking for a Community to hold to ransom in order to get to The Others. The Wanderers had not attacked the enemy yet but had kept surveillance and were reporting their findings every day to Grace. There were likely to be several Searcher parties out and it was decided to track as many as possible and map their whereabouts.
The Squitons were to be sent for immediately and the night shift Team were to fetch them with the biggest Flight Wagon. That would be a major undertaking and ten Zoedledoodles were to be harnessed to the wagon for the journey. It would be a long slow trip and Pog was to go as Leader instead of Zia.
Zoe would stay and organise the work at the Station. It would take a lot of organising as somewhere had to be prepared to accommodate the Squitons. Grace was in touch with Weniner so she would have some idea what was needed to make their guests feel comfortable and welcome.
Zia went to the station as usual to start his shift. The teams were excited and waiting to be harnessed. Tonight they were off to France to bring back the Squitons and it was rare for ten Zoedledoodles to be all together in one team. Zia got straight to work. Three other Leaders were there to help get things under-way as soon as possible. The quicker they left the longer they would have to complete the tiring journey.
Pog was wrapped up in warmer clothes than he normally wore and was busy stuffing his waterproofs under the seat. He had heard of the rough time Zia had last time they crossed the channel and this was going to be an even longer journey with four weighty passengers. The big Team were bound to be feeling the strain by the time they got back to Dark Cave.
No sooner was the team hitched to the wagon than Pog climbed aboard and they were up and flying. No time wasted. With a last wave Zia turned to find Zoe.
“Well that went very smoothly and they are away in good time, so hopefully they will have time for a couple of hours rest before the homeward journey ...they will need it!” Zia commented feeling as though he was part of the Team and should be with them. But he was needed here and Pog was more than capable of doing a very good job.
“Don’t fret, They’ll be fine and we have enough work here to keep us busy. We wont have time to worry about them. Come on and meet the members of the day shift that will be working with us tonight. I have cut the work down as much as I can but we have to do the important deliveries so lets make a start,” Zoe said She led him to the other three Zoedledoodles, Zoda, Zinza and Ziggy, who along with Zoe were harnessed to the loaded Flight wagon. Zia gave the order for them to ‘Fly Away’ and they rose into the sky and as soon as Zia had become ‘Little’ he climbed on the back of the wagon and allowed Zoe to take the lead as she knew where they were heading: north to Bodmin Moor; then on to Launceston Castle; across to an old fort on the south coast; back via the ruins of Restormal Castle and then home for another load, down to Falmouth.
As Zoe had said, they didn’t have time to think too much about what anyone else was doing, although at every stop they made they were bombarded with questions about what was news and what was going on. They talked as the items for that stop were unloaded but then they were away again. They had at least six hours work that night so they didn’t hang around but made very good time in the clear cold autumn night sky. As they stopped at the Station to reload, Zia took a moment to ask if there was any news at all from the other team. There was none so, as no news was supposed to be good news, he went back to his duties and headed the Team south west to Falmouth and a cave half way down a beach.-side cliff sheltered by a ‘v’ shape in the rock which made it almost impossible to see and very difficult to get into. The Team were very experienced, they knew just how to negotiate the sharp and steep entrance. Zia wanted to bail out, thinking they were going to hit the rock face.
“Whoa!! that seemed awful close. I thought you would hit the cliff face and up-turn the wagon but you did a perfect job,” Zia remarked.
He looked quite wide eyed and red in the face as he returned to ‘large size’ and started undoing the straps on the wagon so that the Mine Minders could unload. They were a very colourful and cheery lot, each in a different colour of uniform although the pattern was the same for each. A small stocky witch came out as he was checking the harness and chatting to the Team.
“Have you heard anything from the team that are collecting the Squitons? I did think that they might have taken ‘night-flight-pigeons’ to let us know they had arrived safely. Those birds would have been back here while the team was having their break,” she commented, addressing Zoe.
“I know its a worrying time for you, Sapphire but the Wanderers are in this area and nothing will get past them, so try to be positive. Grace will send notification of any new sightings, plans or developments in defence as soon as she has any news. We have more items here on the wagon that The Others have made for your defence. You will be well protected.” Zoe tried reassure the witch.
Sapphire was going to worry anyway. This was one of the newer communities and had only been here for a hundred and twenty nine years.
As soon as the they were heading home the Team went into top gear.
“Hold on Zia and keep your hand on the air brakes. We are going to get back to Dark Cave as soon as possible and it might be a bit bumpy back there where you are,” Zoe said, looking back over her shoulder and winking at the rest of the team.
Immediately, they sprang into action, leaping forward and straining at the harness. They went at a cracking pace all the way back. There was a bit of turbulence but nothing to talk of and it wasn’t enough to slow them down. Zia couldn’t get off and fly by himself as he had to operate the brakes, especially as they came into land. It had been quite a rough ride but worth it as the team from France was just coming into view as they went down to land. It was all hands to the Team in order to unharness and move the wagon to the siding before the Team with the big Flight Wagon needed the space to land their very important cargo.
Several of the witches, wizards and The Others were there to act as a welcome committee. The Team of ten landed the wagon smoothly and with their tongues lolling out of their grinning mouths it was quite obvious that, although tired, they’d had a good journey. Pog stepped down from the wagon and stretched, unwrapped the very long scarf from around his neck and took off his warm mittens. He stamped his boots to help bring the circulation back into his feet, looked up and gave a very big ‘happy to be home’ smile to the welcoming committee.
“Pog you go into your office and get warm. We will take care of everything here. A meal has been ordered for you, and a hot bath! Next, you Others, get the Team unhitched from the wagon and unharnessed so that they can go and get a well earned meal and some rest,” ordered Calda.
This was completed in a very short time and as the last Zoedledoodle walked away to the thanks and praise of the onlookers Talik, Calda and Grace went forward to the wagon and opened the doors to allow the Squitons to come out.
“Welcome. Please come out and meet us. I understand you may be a little concerned but we are so very pleased to have you come to stay with us. Come, I will introduce you to everyone and show you the arrangements we have made for your comfort.” Grace stepped back and the first Squiton stepped down from the wagon carefully keeping his tail high and out of the way of the following three.
They stood looking rather surprised at all the people there and shyly stood side by side. Zoe went forward and took Zia with her as they had met them on their visit to Château Ravine,
“Hello, how nice to see you again. Do you remember us from our last visit?” Zoe asked kindly.
The Squiton that was first out of the wagon and seemed a little bolder than the others bowed his head in recognition and replied,
“Yes, we do remember you Zoe but all this attention is something we have never been used to.
We have never before left our community to live with strangers and it’s a bit of a shock but we are also very pleased to be here and hope we will be of use in your defence against the Searchers.” He looked up at everyone standing around and bowed to them, “We are pleased to meet you all. I am Volland and these are my friends Saloe, Backen and Phroden”
His big green eyes blinked and there was half a smile on his face, the other Squitons followed his example and politely bowed their heads. Grace came toward them and held out her wrinkled hand and they in turn held out theirs to be shaken warmly. They began to relax a little.
“Would you like to come and see your accommodation?” offered Zoe, “A meal is being prepared for you. We hope you like what we have done so far. Anything that you would prefer we will try and do for you, if you would just tell the Mine Minders. When you have eaten and are rested from your journey you can meet everyone but for now let’s just get you all settled in.”
As they passed the line of witches, wizards and The Others they nodded and bowed in greeting but were pleased to be away from the crowd and followed Zoe and Zia along the tunnels to their cave room. It was equipped and furnished as instructed by Weniner, with large thick rugs on the floor, a table but no chairs, mugs and bowls with spoons and a bathtub with towels and water. They are very fond of bathing and keep themselves scrupulously clean. They seemed genuinely delighted with everything and when their meal was brought to them and placed on the table they all agreed it looked and smelled delicious and ate heartily as they chatted to Zoe, asking questions and explaining the things they liked to do, could do and were expected to do.
Zoe told them that they would not be expected to do anything more today and that they should rest as tomorrow there would be a meeting to discuss their new duties.
Zia had been surprised at how educated they were and wanted to stay and talk to them but he was ushered away by Zoe.
The next morning in the Great Hall the Squitons were introduced to all the members of The Committee. Once their shyness was overcome they made interesting contributions to the conversation and plans. They had, it appeared, been employed in defence many times in their very long lives. They had planned tactics and had made provisional notes for the finding and capture or destruction of the Searchers. They had never met these exact enemies before but had met some very formidable foes with great powers and magic so were not at all daunted by the prospect of a long and dangerous battle with Trevanglers or Polduggers and finding the army of Searchers seemed almost like a game to them.
For such apparently polite, peaceful and intelligent beings to be so fearless was down to the fact that like everyone else in the communities all over the world, they had been forced to hide and stay away from all outsiders. Hundreds of years before when they were free to roam they had been captured and forced to fight wild animals and each other to the death by tribes of ruthless, wicked and evil murderers and robbers who would attack villages and take captive anyone that was left alive, gambling the lives of there hapless victims against the outcome of the fights the Squitons were forced into.
A great many of the Squitons were killed or injured. Those that had managed to remain free found refuge with a witch Community. By banding together with the powerful witches and wizards there, they managed to devise an escape plan and rescue those that were held captive. Once free they vowed that they would never fight again except in defence of the Communities against oppressors, which the Trevanglers and Polduggers most surely were.
Grace was sure that if only she could persuade the Wanderers to get together with the Squitons they would be able to join forces to find the Searchers and where they were based, but that was easier said than done. How could she contact the elusive Wanderers and persuade them to join forces with the Squitons and how would the Squitons feel about being asked to trust total strangers?
It seemed sensible to think that, as the Wanderers knew about the plight of the Communities, that someone must have told them. But who? Everyone had been most surprised to learn that they had arrived to help. Nobody had or could send for them as it was not known where they lived. A message had been delivered by Bat Mail and left in Grace’s Bat Box but it was unsigned except for the secret mark used by all the witches and wizards which was written in ‘unreadable ink’ and only became readable when the ‘cando’ spell was applied. The question was…how could Grace get a message back to them? There had to be a way.
At the next meeting of the Committee it was the main topic ...How do we contact the Wanderers?
Several suggestions were put forward. Some were quite far fetched, some were ridiculous and some were pathetic but one was well worth a try. It was suggested by Talik, the wise and very old wizard, who had been around when the Wanderers were formed from the main wizard group.
“We know they are out there watching over us, so it stands to reason that they must patrol through the woods. Why not give the owls and bats notes and get them to seek out the Wanderers and drop them a message. Or we could get the Squitons to track them but that may be seen as a bit of an imposition and we don’t want to upset them,” was the brilliant idea Talik put forward.
“Well done Talik, that seems to be the best way. They used Bat Mail, so maybe that’s how they intend us to communicate with them. Why didn’t I think of that?” remarked Grace.
That decided, Talik undertook the job of writing several notes in ‘unreadable ink’ and sending them off via. the unusual Bat Mail Postal Service that worked so well. He knew best how to approach the Wanderers and the right things to say. The note was short and to the point but great care was taken to be respectful and to ask rather than tell. This must not fail. If possible, the Wanderers needed to meet and discuss defences with the Squitons, even if they would not agree to meeting the Committee.
Now all there was to do was wait for a few days and see if the plan worked. In the meantime life went on much the same. Zia studied when he wasn’t working with the Teams. The Others continued to work all hours to perfect various defence gadgets. Witches and wizards were making wonderful new spells and the Squitons were getting to know the area and doing short patrols outside but spotted no sign of the Searchers and if they found signs of the Wanderers they didn’t say. The teams were kept extremely busy with deliveries within and outside the Dark Cave. It didn’t look as though a trip to see Nip’s family would be happening for some time as the two week deadline was up in three days and nothing had been said. However, Nip and Zia were summoned to see Grace that very afternoon. They met in Zia’s room to go together to see her. The trip was not uppermost in their minds. With things so busy it just didn’t occur to them that they would be able to go.
“Ahhh! Come in, come in and sit down. I have exciting news for you.” Grace indicated the bench on the other side of the fire from where she was sitting and the two friends looked at each other hopefully before sitting down.
“You have both been very patient and have worked hard, so I am pleased to say that you may go with the Flight Team the day after tomorrow. You’ll be collected by the Team coming back from the Trepartridge Community near Gwedog in Anglesea three days later. Do you think you will be able to make arrangements with your parents by then? You may use the Pigeon Express Mail to contact them and as they have permission for you to stay it will only be a case of letting them know when to expect you.”
Grace looked pleased with herself for being able to surprise the friends. They were both speechless. Eventually they spoke at the same time and made no sense at all.
“Fine, that’s fine. Off you go now and sort things out. Don’t forget to talk to Zoe and Pog about leaving times.” Grace waved them away and after their thanks to her, they rushed back through the tunnels to the dining area to see if Zoe was there. She was. They sat and ate and talked very excitedly for almost an hour before they had to go and see Pog.
Zoe and her team and had been expecting a visit from the friends as Grace had already informed her about the trip to Wales. It didn’t take long to find Pog sitting with his feet up on a stool, relaxing to some rather weird music coming from an old gramophone, and supping on a cup of hot soup.
“You really must have impressed Grace if she has gone to the trouble of arranging this trip for you. I must admit you have both been working very hard. The trip is only for three days so you enjoy yourselves and don’t get into any trouble,” Pog warned them with a smile.
“Its going to be great Pog. I haven’t seen my family for ages and it means I will be home for my birthday on Saturday.” Nip was talking in an excited high pitched voice and it made them all laugh.
“You didn’t tell me that,” remarked Zia.
“You never asked. Anyway Mum and Dad will know and I would think a special meal will be laid on and all the family will came to wish me ‘happy birthday’, that’s what usually happens anyway.”
Zia wanted to do something special for his friend’s birthday and would talk to Zoe about it later.
In bed that night Zia tried to think what he could give or do for Nip but it was not easy to think of anything he could get at this late stage unless Zoe had any ideas. Nip never seemed to ‘want’ anything. He never complained or said “I wish I had one of those.” So what could he get for him?
He didn’t have long to think and make up his mind, just two days!!
Zoe promised to think about it and Calda looked blank. He had little or no idea what a Mine Minder might want but said he would look in his books. What did he expect to find in a book, Zia thought but it couldn’t hurt and he was at a loss for ideas.
That day Zia studied The Night Sky and Cornish Geography, both subjects he liked but today he just found it very hard to concentrate on anything but the trip tomorrow night and what he was going to get as a gift for Nip. The morning dragged on and at mid-day he went to the dining area for a break and something to eat. He needed to see Zoe as soon as possible. He wanted her advice on the idea he had for a gift.
“Well do you think that’s a good idea or not?” Zia asked Zoe.
They were sitting by the pool so that they wouldn’t be overheard, Nip wouldn’t be able to find them so easily there and suspect anything.
“I think it’s brilliant but will you be able to organise it in time for tomorrow night? We leave at seven thirty and must leave on time. You can’t arrive late on your first visit to Nip’s parents, that would look bad,” Zoe remarked enthusiastically.
Zia was pleased with his idea of a gift for Nip but it would take quite a bit of organising and with so little time he must set to work right away. He went back to his cave and in the short time he had left he wrote several notes and put them in his Bat Box for collection. The boxes were checked every hour, so the notes should soon be on their way to the recipients and hopefully he would get some replies by this evening, but now he had to get back to his studies with Calda. The afternoon was taken up with more detailed studies of the night skies and coastline around Cornwall. Halfway through the afternoon Zia told Calda about the gift he had in mind for Nip. To his surprise his tutor thought it a very good idea to give to a Mine Minder. Calda then offered to make a contribution. Zia was delighted and would never have thought to ask him.
At the end of the lesson Zia rushed back to his cave. He was delighted to see that he had three replies to his messages. He hid them away quickly so that Nip wouldn’t see them, should he come in.
It was a good job he did because shortly, a very out of breath and happy, Nip came in,
“Guess where I have been. Go on guess. You never will but go on ….try.” he urged.
“If I will never guess wouldn’t it be better if you just told me?” Zia replied, looking at his friends face. Seeing the smile fade, Zia gave in, “Oh! All right. You’ve been to the dining area and eaten four plates of dinner.”
“Don’t be silly. Come on, try to guess. I’ll give you a clue….present,” said Nip, obviously expecting his friend to come forward with the answer but instead Zia’s mouth dropped. He sat heavily on the bed totally at a loss for words.
“What’s the matter? You look as though you have seen a ghost. Are you all right? Shall I get you a drink of water?” Nip said, shocked.
“No, no. I’m fine but I can’t guess….I give in,” replied Zia very shakily and feeling disappointed thinking that some how Nip had got wind that he was organising a gift for his birthday.
“I’ve been to the post office and got just what I wanted as a present for my parents. You knew I was trying to think of something to get them. Well, I went to get some external delivery stickers and while I was there I met the young carpenter and he showed me something he had made as an examination project. It was really lovely so I asked him to make one like it for my parents and he said that I could have that one, that very one, as a birthday present. Don’t you think that was kind?
He knows I am giving it to them but he didn’t mind at all. Look I have it here. What do you think of that?” Nip asked proudly as he placed his gift on the table in front of Zia.
“Cor! It’s brilliant. What a smashing thing. If I could make something as good as that, I don’t think I would want to part with it. Are you going to put anything in it?” Zia had been examining the object carefully and placed it back on the table.
“I want to but haven’t got anything suitable. Any ideas?” Nip said looking hopefully at his friend.
“Maybe but I would like to keep it secret and give it to them when we get to Wales that’s if you will trust my judgement and not ask questions. Is it a deal?” Zia asked.
“Sure thing. I can’t think of anything so whatever you have will be better than what I have not!!”
They both laughed. Zia was very relieved!
“You’re sounding more like a ‘Little Folk’ every day. Come on lets go!!” Zia laughed.
There had been another four messages delivered that morning. He hadn’t had time to read them so had put them in his ‘safe place’.
Calda had been given permission by Grace to let Zia finish his studies at midday in order that he might have plenty of time to pack and prepare for the journey but first he had to finish the written work he had been set. Finally Calda floated to his side and held out his hand for the paper. It wasn’t often that he set Zia this type of lesson but he had wanted to to keep his pupil busy while he finished something that he was doing. Calda smiled his strange yellow toothed grin and proudly produced a package from behind his back and handed it to his pupil in exchange for the work Zia had done.
“Thank you, and this is the item I promised for Nip’s birthday. I hope it is suitable.” said Calda.
Zia looked up and then eagerly unwrapped the item and just sat and looked at it for a moment,
“That is brilliant. Couldn’t be better, thank you so much. That will make it perfect and much more a gift from us all.”
“Well then, you had better go and see Grace as soon as possible. If I don’t see you before you leave, have a good holiday. You deserve it.” Calda said warmly, shaking Zia by the hand.
Outside the curtain to Grace’s cave Zia was trying to think of how to thank her for arranging the holiday when she appeared from behind the drape and invited him in.
“You have the gift from Calda I see. Well I would like you to add these to it. Not much but I think they will go nicely together and I have a card that I would like you to give him on his birthday. Will you do that please?” Grace was handing him a flat box “No need to look in it now.
Just give it to him with the card.”
“I cant believe how this has all come together so smoothly and quickly. I must go to see if there are any more replies to my messages. I’ve had seven so far but a few more would be good. Still with all these items to add now, I don’t think it would matter too much if there’s none. Thanks for these Grace. I’ll make sure to keep them safe and surprise him on his birthday. I think he will be very shocked, don’t you? And thanks for arranging the trip for us when it’s all so hectic and busy we do appreciate it.”
Zia said goodbye to Grace and went back to his cave to prepare and wrap the gift and hide it in the back pack he was taking his things in. He had just finished all that he had to do, which was quite a bit and had taken him a good two hours when Nip came in, all excited and presented him with a tray of food.
“Had a good day? I can’t wait to be off tonight. It will be so cool just zooming across the skies and then to see all my family…. Here, I brought us food so we can talk and eat and make more plans ’cos there isn’t much time now ’till we are off.”
He sat at the table opposite Zia and they ate but neither of them had much appetite. They were too excited!!
By seven that evening they were both at the Station, all keyed up and ready to go. Zia had his back pack and Nip had just the gift for his parents. He didn’t need to take anything else as everything he needed was already at his parents home. [A change of clothes and a toothbrush.]
They helped harness and hitch the Teams and load the wagon and by seven thirty they were all ready to go. Zoe was back on night shift so she was able to go with them and Pog was there as Leader. It was a cloudy and chilly night but not too windy so it was expected to be a straight forward flight.
Once flying and in little size Zia and Nip climbed aboard the wagon and sat and talked to Pog on the back platform of the wagon. Wrapped up warmly they were all in good spirits.
“How long will it take to get to the Black Mine?” was the first thing they asked Pog.
“Well, with this south westerly wind I’d say about three and a half hours but if it blows up or changes direction it could add up to another hour. It all depends. We will try to get you there before midnight anyway!! You haven’t been to this destination before have you Zia? If its our first or only delivery then we go direct…..over the Bristol channel, the Black Hills and the Cambrian Mountains in fine weather, or keeping a bit to the west if its too windy. Its straight forward as there aren’t many towns to avoid. That means on a dark night we can fly quite low and still not be seen. These are things you will have to learn to think about if you are going to be a good Leader, Zia. By the way, I hear you are doing very well in your studies with Calda and The Others.”
“I think its all going OK. Calda is a good tutor and makes the lessons interesting and easy to understand. I never liked school very much but this is different and I want to do well.”
Nip was looking over the side of the wagon and pointing out different things. He rarely went on flights so it was exciting for him and he didn’t want to miss anything.
Zoe was in harness for this flight and pulling with the other lead Zoedledoodle so she couldn’t be part of the conversation, which Zia missed as she was usually flying free and often with him on the wagon. They were quickly over the sea and then going across Wales, east of Carmarthen and heading north.
“We are about half way there now and coming up to the Cambrian Mountains. The Team know this route and on a clear night, like tonight, I won’t need to give many instruction but they will need me to help a bit with thermals and the turbulence. We can get over the highest parts but the air brake flaps are fine at re-positioning and helping to keep the wagon level. In rough weather that can be quite a big help to the Team otherwise they get thrown all over the place and its very tiring,” Pog informed them.
“Well they must have had a very tiring trip when we went to France as I was such a novice in those conditions and wasn’t able to be of much use to them. But Zoe was with me back here and I did try to do what she said. I was so cold and tired that it was all I could do to hang on,” Zia said, feeling that he must have let the team down, not that anybody had moaned or told him so.
“Zoe says you did a remarkable job seeing that it was your first big trip and the weather was so bad. Don’t worry, you did just fine and it was a head wind. Side winds are the ones that can cause real trouble.” Pog patted Zia on the back to reassure him and changed the subject to something pleasant.
“I hear you’re to come back with us in the panniers of the Express Team. That will be great fun but don’t do anything foolish, its all right for you Zia….you can fly but it wouldn’t be so funny if Nip fell! The Team will have had a busy night and will want to get back quickly.”
“I expect we will be very tired as well,” commented Nip. “I have so much planned for us to do during our stay that we will most likely sleep all the way home!!”
“This is meant to be a holiday, a rest. What on earth have you been dreaming up?” Zia laughed.
“Just a few visits, some sight seeing and one or two surprises, nothing you can’t cope with!!” Nip said sitting up in mock indignation, “Would I do anything to hurt my best friend?” he winked at Pog and they all laughed.
Zia knew there were going to be adventures and excitement but they only had three days to cram everything in and they were supposed to be visiting Nip’s family!!
“Nearly there. You wont see anything until we land, not even with your superior sight, its all underground. All the machinery and buildings have long since gone and the train line was the only form of transport to the mine and that’s been taken up, so apart from one or two tiny roads and tracks there is no way or reason for any one to come here. Its a perfect place for this community. I don’t think the Searchers will bother them.” Pog was talking as he signalled to Zoe and started to apply the air brakes and turn into land.
“Sit still now and hang on,” he warned the friends.
Zia was trying to figure out how he would navigate and land the wagon but it was pitch dark and he couldn’t see a thing. He had so much to learn that the three year apprenticeship which had seemed like a very long time now seemed as though it would be hardly long enough.
They landed with no more than a ‘whooosh’ as the wagon slowed down and rustled the tall dry ferns that covered the area. Clearly nothing much happened above ground so it must be very busy below.
They stopped outside a wooden door on a slope and as the door opened the team moved forward.
The door closed behind them, the lanterns were lit and there was a very warm welcome awaiting them. They went into the loading bay and were met by a group of Mine Minders who all greeted them with enthusiastic pats on the back and cheers. Nip’s parents were there and took charge of the situation. While the wagon was unloaded Nip and Zia said their thanks and goodbyes to the Team and Pog before being whisked away by eager and very friendly hands.
There was a great deal of talking, laughing and Lots of hugs. Food and drink were served in a warm and cosy alcove to one side of a huge and very long dark tunnel. Zia was introduced to everyone as if he were a celebrity and then he was shown around the home of Nip’s parents. It wasn’t very big but then none of the homes were. There were a great many Mine Minder and other inhabitants to house and what room there was had to meet all their needs. Zia was to share a room with Nip and they were given passes so that they would be able to go around the mine without being interrogated.
Right now what they both needed was a good nights’ rest and tomorrow they could start exploring or whatever it was that Nip had in store for them to do. They said their ‘good nights’ and tolerated all the hugs once again before going to Nip’s room and falling asleep very quickly.