The sun was already well up in the sky when Breister awoke. Slowly waking, he lay quietly for a while, just enjoying the soft morning light and cool breeze blowing in through the window. Gradually rousing himself, Breister pulled on his clothes and wandered out of his room, looking for Toshty and Annie.
He found them sitting at the hearth drinking coffee. Upon seeing Breister, Toshty came to him and said, “Here’s something you’ll like to see.” Smiling gently, but with a look of sadness, Toshty handed Breister a neatly folded piece of paper. “This message arrived from WooSheep Bottoms via Courier Hawk a little while ago.”
Breister read the message, which ran:
Beloved father,
I am sorry to miss my meeting with you. But I am leaving WooSheep Bottoms in haste because a most unusual encounter left me no choice. Going back to the Bottoms after we left you last night, we took a shortcut through a place locals call Scurryvaig Haunt, because alot of strange wanderers and beasts from foreign lands roam through there. Not far away, Dismal Pass leads through the mountains to the Great Sea and many a vagabond comes through there. Anyway, there we met a Seabird who says he saw a ship in great trouble as he flew along the coast.
The ship was run aground and badly damaged, but the Seabird does not know much else about it, except that the crew will be in great danger from Wrackshees. I must help them if I can. They will need a good carpenter and I would do anything to prevent them being taken by Wrackshees. There is no time to waste. I must go quickly if I am to make a difference. Do not worry. I will return soon. Toshty won’t mind you resting there at his cabin until I get back.
When I return, we can go on to the Rounds as we plan—I can’t wait to see my friends there again. But, first, my conscience calls me to help these unfortunate seabeasts. I know what danger they are in.
So, you see how it is. I feel heartsick to leave you and I hope that you understand. I almost fear that I love you so well that I will not be able to do what justice demands me to do—
I shall say no more to worry you, adding only that I send you my love and the promise to see you soon.
I will always be,
Your most affectionate,
Helga
Finishing the letter, Breister folded it carefully and gave it back to Toshty. “Helga does not love so much that love blinds her to justice; nor hate injustice so deeply to be blinded to kindness. Yes, my daughter wrote that letter.”
Smiling at Toshty and Annie, Breister shook his head and continued, “I trust Helga and will allow her to do as she wishes with this—as if there were a thing I could do to stop her! But I’ll not leave her to face this danger alone and another carpenter will speed up the repairs. I will head across Dismal Pass myself and help her.”
“Annie and I will go with you!” Toshty cried. “We are brave beasts and,” he paused, smiling at his beloved Cougar, “Annie knows a thing or two about the ways of rogues and bandits! We are in this with you!”
“Yes,” Annie said, “we are in this with you. We are now an unbroken circle of friends.”
Book Three
Tokens of Unseen Realms
Wrackshees at the Outer Rings
“Crinoo! Zarr!” Red Whale cursed as a grim smile spread across his face. The dawn streaking the horizon cast a pale red glow, dimly revealing an ugly scene. Shattered masts, ruined sails, and tangled webs of riggings covered the deck of the old seafarer’s once impressive ship, Daring Dream. The ship had been virtually shaved clean of its masts and sails—as if a huge blade had sliced them off. Although the sturdy ship had survived battering from a ferocious storm during the night, Red Whale was left with little more than a raft. The complete wreckage of Daring Dream, however, could not deter his labored journey toward the prow. Despite the nearly mountainous obstacles, he climbed rapidly over the debris-strewn deck.
The dismal wreckage of his storm-battered vessel was of little interest to him now. Far away to the west, the magnificent starry sky—clear as the wind pushed the clouds off to the east—abruptly ended in a long jagged line that here and there soared skyward at sharp angles. Land! The outline of a landmass was unmistakable as a blank in the otherwise brilliant night heavens.