The Golden Acorn - Catherine Cooper [18]
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Jack didn’t know what he was going to say to Nora. He’d promised Arrana his help and he knew they were depending on him but he wasn’t sure he wanted to be changed into a raven. He was certain he didn’t want to fly. There had to be another way for him to get through the window in time. He didn’t even know where it was. He’d been too excited and eager to leave the house this morning. If he’d been thinking straight he could have tried asking the book some more questions. Now he felt apprehensive.
‘Are you ok?’ Elan asked. ‘Nora asked me to come and look for you. When Camelin eventually came back he said you were on your way but you didn’t arrive and she wondered if you’d got lost or changed your mind.’
He must have been in the cave quite a while and he’d no idea how long he’d been standing in the garden lost in thought. Jack felt embarrassed. He didn’t want to tell Elan where he’d been or why he was worried. He looked around.
‘I… er… I thought I heard water. Has Nora got a fountain?’
‘No, it’s a lake.’
‘A lake!’
Elan led Jack around the back of the kitchen garden down to the water’s edge. They stood in the sunshine by a group of willow trees. Their long tapering branches were draped in the water. It was breathtakingly beautiful. The water reflected the bright blue sky and sunlight danced across the ripples that lapped the shore by their feet.
‘Wow! You’ve got a boat too.’
‘Nora uses it to row out to Gerda’s island when she takes fresh straw for her shelter. Poor Gerda’s on her own now. She lost her mate a long time ago and never quite got over it. Nora says she gets very sad some days.’
There was a loud cackling as Gerda waddled by. Jack wondered if she’d overheard Elan. Her beak was full of long green stalks. She seemed to nod her head several times in a kind of greeting.
‘Nora sent her to get some chives from the herb garden. She likes to help and she’s very good at grabbing them with her beak.’
‘How does she know which ones to pick?’
‘Nora’s taught her about all the different plants in the garden.’
It seemed incredible for a goose to be able to understand and follow instructions but Jack had to accept it was true. Not long ago he’d been talking to a raven which could not only understand him but talk back too.
‘Where’s Camelin?’ he asked.
‘He’s in his loft. You’ll be able to see him later. I think Nora wants to talk to you first.’
Jack and Elan made their way back to the house. As they entered the kitchen Nora was chopping the chives and talking to Gerda who cackled happily back. She sprinkled the herbs into a large steaming saucepan that bubbled on the range at the far end of the kitchen. The smell of freshly baked bread again filled the room. He felt so at home in this kitchen. It was like Grandad’s but much more interesting. The large dresser behind the table didn’t have china plates or ornaments on its shelves. Instead it was covered in rocks and fossils. On the work surface two huge pieces of amethyst were being used as book-ends. Gerda waddled out of the open doors and settled down on the patio in the warm sunshine. Jack looked around but there still wasn’t any sign of Camelin.
‘I’ll go and collect the eggs,’ announced Elan as she picked up a basket and headed into the garden.
Jack thought it was probably a good time to talk to Nora now they were on their own.
‘I think Camelin’s probably right. I’m not going to be much help.’
‘Nonsense, you’re going to be just fine. He’ll change his mind, you’ll see.’
Jack hung his head.
‘You said you’d try your best. What more could we ask? You listened to Arrana and agreed to help. Not many boys of your age would have done that.’
Jack shuffled his feet. Nora was waiting for him to reply but he couldn’t find the right words.
‘Now, there are things you need to know. Our first and most important task is to prepare you for the