Dragons of the Watch - Donita K. Paul [121]
A clunking noise like metal against metal echoed through the dark tunnel. She jumped, and the children froze.
“What was that?” a voice whispered out of the group of boys and girls.
Bealomondore stretched a bit to look over the crowd around them. “Probably nothing.”
“It sounded more like something than nothing.”
Ellie recognized the child’s voice. “Let’s just keep going, Toady. The quicker we find the door, the quicker we can get out of here.”
Det flew back from scouting a passage ahead of them.
Bealomondore passed the map dragon’s instructions on to the clan. “We’re going to turn right at the next intersection of tunnels.”
“What right?” came back in a variety of forms. Ellie still had not taught them left and right successfully.
“When you get to the crossing, stop,” she told them. “We’ll tell you which way is right.”
Bealomondore spoke quietly to Ellie. “Det says he can hear running water. Perhaps he’s found the cool-water stream.”
“You’ve never been down this way in your explorations?”
“Never this far. I always had in mind that I must get back to help you with the children. I didn’t want to leave you at their mercy for too long.”
Soo-tie giggled. “Mr. Bealomondore, you shouldn’t be so worried. We aren’t murderous.”
Several voices joined hers, finishing the phrase in unison. “Just grouchy.”
Ellie patted Soo-tie’s shoulder. “Most of the time you aren’t even grouchy. Everyone has been trying to get along. I appreciate that.”
Soo-tie laughed louder, and those around giggled as well. “We know how to get treats from you, Miss Ellie. That’s why we’re good.”
“I don’t care why you behave, just so long as you’re practicing your manners and they’re becoming a habit. A good habit.”
“We found the crossing,” said Grim from the front of their pack. “Which way do we go?”
Bealomondore let go of Ellie’s hand. “I’m coming to the front. I’ll lead from this point on. Let me through, please.”
“Where do you think we are?” asked Porky.
“Det says we are east of the library by about three miles.”
“Three miles?” One of the boys wagged his head back and forth in disbelief. “We walked three miles already?”
“That’s right.”
“Right? Where?” Cinder screwed up his face in disgust. “And we haven’t even tried one door yet.”
“The doors we’ve passed so far are doors made by urohms. We’re looking for a door made by tumanhofers.”
“What’s it gonna look like?” asked Tolly, the newest child to join the clan.
Bealomondore looked at the girl as he answered. “We don’t know what it will look like exactly, but we do know that it won’t look like all the doors we’ve seen in Rumbard City.”
“It’ll be shorter,” said Laska. “ ’Cause tumanhofers are shorter even when they’re grown up.”
“Good observation, Laska.” Bealomondore gestured for the children to follow. “Let’s find that door.”
They’d walked quite a ways when Bealomondore held up his hand for them to stop. “Be very quiet and listen.”
All the children stood still. Ellie heard water running, much like the brook near her home.
“We’re close,” she said.
Det returned and landed on Bealomondore’s shoulder.
“Did he find the stream?” asked Soo-tie.
Bealomondore grinned. “Yes. Only a few more yards and a turn to the left.”
The children cheered.
He and Ellie exchanged an amused look as the inevitable voice asked, “What left?”
Bealomondore shrugged. “I’ll tell you when we get there.”
The need did not arise. As soon as they came to the crossing of two tunnels, the din of rushing water called to the children. They turned the corner to the left and took off running.
“Don’t fall in,” Ellie called.
Bealomondore waited for her and Tak. He took her hand and followed the excited clan. The mass of six-year-old bodies churned with the thrill of running water.
“Why is it,” asked Ellie, “that a stream, a river, even a little brook causes such fascination?”
“Water is very hard to paint, but I confess I am drawn to moving water. Waves on an ocean are the same.”
“I’ve never seen the ocean.”
“Not even in pictures?”
“Well, yes.”
“Pictures can’t do