Zeke reached the tree line and ducked inside and they were safe then there came a whipping sound and a howling Zeke was suddenly whisked off into the tree tops.
‘Down!’ Tom rapped and this time they obeyed him instantly. Tom and Robba stared upwards, Zeke now the shock was over had managed to get control of himself but he was still gasping with fear. He was hanging by one foot from a vine high above their heads.
Giggle Hook! And if to prove him right the vine above them started its high pitched giggling, just like a bunch of little girls. Giggle Hooks, another weapon bred by the Kraal especially for the Vadors. They lay dormant for months but the second they were stepped on they grabbed the foot and contracted massively hoisting the victim high into the tree tops out of reach of immediate help. Toby had been caught by one months ago and had dangled there for two days before a search party found him, he still walked with a limp. The giggling grew louder as though taunting them but what it was really doing was trying to alert any nearby Kraal.
‘Everybody up,’ Tom rapped. He pointed four times in different direction: ‘You, you, you and you: one hundred paces and keep watch. If you see anything then whistle the alarm.’ They went without a word. Tom glanced around, thank Heavens Robba was here. Robba, the best climber of all the Vadors. She was already unwinding a loop of rope from her waist.
‘That one, I reckon,’ said Tom and he drew his knife and it hissed across the small clearing and stuck quivering in a tree trunk. Robba was studying the tree tops all around, she gave a nod then she wrapped the loop of rope around her ankles, rested it against the tree trunk and went up it like a squirrel taking the knife with her.
‘The rest of you, we’ve got the worst job,’ said Tom. ‘Robba’s going to cut him free and we’re going to catch him. The six new recruits all gave sombre nods, the last half hour had done more to turn them into Vadors than any amount of training could have accomplished.
Tom formed them in a circle around the rotating figure of Zeke above. He had taken the coil of rope from his pack and he criss-crossed it amongst the group so there was a lattice of rope to break Zeke’s fall.
‘Now, this is going to be very difficult,’ said Tom, ‘but you have got to stand firm and keep the rope very tight, lean back against it. If you turn and run then he’ll break his neck…you understand?’ Once again there came an almost concerted nod. Robba was in the tree tops already.
‘Ready?’ she called down.
‘Go for it,’ said Tom and she sawed at the vine. ‘Close your eyes if you can’t stand it,’ Tom said to his group. The giggling changed to a howl and then with a scream Zeke came plummeting down like a rocket and tore into the rope cradle, it was like catching a boulder coming off a mountain. Everyone was smashed to the ground and then there was silence for a moment.
‘Zeke?’ Tom demanded.
‘I’m okay,’ he groaned sitting up.
‘Anybody else hurt?’ Tom said getting to his feet. Everybody was groaning or rubbing themselves but everybody was getting to their feet. Tom risked a glance at Juda, the girl who had run, she was sucking her hands where the rope had cut through the skin. He turned back to Zeke:
‘Why can’t you watch where you’re putting your great feet?’ he demanded. Zeke was standing now, he started to laugh. Zeke was always ready to laugh. He held up his hand and passed it around the group for them to slap in a gesture of thanks. He got to Tom and they stared at each other for a long moment then all at once Tom gave him a hug.
Robba came sliding down the tree like a monkey.
‘Do try not to do that again,’ she said. ‘It does so mess up my nails.’
