Doctor Who_ Cats Cradle_ Witch Mark - Andrew Hunt [83]
‘Oh wow, that's evolution.’
‘Is it?’
’Yes, I think so. You evolved the way to tell others where your food was and then changed when that was no longer necessary. The Professor told me that examples of actual evolution are quite rare – in Earth science anyway.’
‘ "The Professor” is another name for your friend the Doctor?' Bat asked.
‘Yes.' Ace struggled to recall what else the Doctor had told her about evolution. ‘He once said that the universe is big enough for all the conflicting theories of species development to have some validity.'
‘And what does that mean?’
'Who knows?' Ace shrugged.
Fleet was waiting for them atop a rocky mound. On their approach she lept down and cantered up to meet them. She whinnied playfully and mimicked the dance she had performed in absentia, then returned to her vantage point. Once the herd had gathered at the foot of the mound she rather theatrically lowered her head and touched her horn to something on the ground. She descended and let another of the Ceffyl take her place. The action was repeated by each of the herd.
'Ace, dismount please.’
Ace slipped off Bat’s back and let her go up and touch her horn on the ground. When Bat returned she said to Ace, 'Now you.’
'What?'
'You are an honorary member of the herd. You must form part of the quorum.'
'Right.' Ace climbed up amongst the rocks. Close-up. the mound was revealed as being mainly rock with some soil in the crevices which provided a home for small shrubs. She reached the summit and looked around. Not certain what to do, she merely squatted down and pressed her palm against the cold rock.
'No, Ace,' Bat's voice sounded quietly in her mind.
Ace wondered what she was required to do. It was as though she was being put up in front of her class again, standing at the blackboard with no idea how to solve the quadratic equation. Just as she would have done in that situation, she gazed intently at the rock, as though the answer would appear out of nowhere. There was a seam of green stone running across the surface and as it was the only distinguishing mark she could see she touched that instead.
'Nearly, Ace.'
Ace ran her hand along the seam and then suddenly felt a buzz in her arm. It faded quickly, but seemed to be the effect that was expected. She descended from the mound and joined the herd. One by one the Ceffyl lay down in a large circle. Ace was the last to sit down. As she watched, a light extended from the top of the rock until she could see the auras of every member of the herd - this was obviously one of the effects of the touchstone.
All of the auras were varying shades of white, except one. That one had a leprous quality to it, tingeing it a sad, off-yellow colour. This one Ceffyl now rose and approached the touchstone for a second tune. The source of the light bleached her aura back to white and then, to Ace's initial horror, the Ceffyl regurgitated, The pain that she was going through was obvious, but eventually something emerged from her mouth. It was broken remnant of a horn.
'What's going on?' Ace asked.
'It is the horn of our little sister. She died at the hands of a demon some days since. Whistle was charged to carry her horn to a place of rest. Now her duty is almost finished. Watch!’
As Whistle clenched the horn between her teeth, the light from the touchstone dissembled it, absorbing its molecules into the rock itself. Whistle shivered and quaked until the process was over.
Finally, she retreated and her aura was blinding white. She returned to the circle and a discussion began.
Ace could hear only the part of the debate which Bat contributed, but the final decision was quickly relayed to her.
‘We have decided to accept your plan, Ace. As you are human you are better able to understand other humans and so we believe what you say is true.'
‘Good!’
‘But we must first hear the way in which you hope to get us inside Dinorben.'
Ace took the rucksack off her back. She opened