In Which Two Blind, But Not Mute Swans Mystify Gorden

Rain started gently splatting down on the Questors.

Plessey frowned and flew off.

"Follow me!" He cried, leaving a sparkling trail in mid-air.

Gorden and David looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders and started after the flying snail.

The trail let towards the river, Gorden was starting to get worried about getting his feet *too* wet when Plessey re-appeared.

"Come on! This is important!" He urged. He turned towards the river, but floated slowly now, allowing Gorden and David to keep up with him.

He led them down to the waters' edge and into the reeds. Gorden looked at his wet paws with distaste.

The snail led them under a set of overhanging reeds, they seemed to be woven together and they made a surprisingly effective barrier against the rain. Gorden was slightly mollified as the gentle rain turned into a hard thudding on the reed-tops.

"Not bad," Said Gorden turning to David. David was standing there, eyes wide. Gorden turned to look where David was staring.

They were not alone.

Seated at the rear of this woven-cave were two swans. It was difficult to see them clearly because of the darkness of the reed-cave, but they appeared to be half-plucked! More striking perhaps, each was wearing a blindfold, a wad of dirty rags wrapped around their heads.

Although they were wearing these blindfolds, and although the inside of the shelter was very dark, the swans seemed to be staring straight at Gorden.

His feet began to move backwards, out of the cave, seemingly of their own accord.

"Gorden" Whispered the first swan. Gorden had to stop moving to hear,

"Gorden" Whispered the second swan. Gorden gulped. These were beautiful creatures, once, why did they want to stare at him without eyes?

"Gorden" The first swan whispered again. "Beware.. "

"Beware the Male with Two Names" continued the second swan.

"With Two Names, for he is your" the first swan took over.

"For he is your foil, your Anti"

"Your Anti, your Nemesis."

"You haven't got an Auntie called Emily?" David said, confused, to Gorden.

The second swan fixed David with an eyeless stare.

"NEMESIS! NOT EMILY!" it squeeled as if in pain. David shivered.

"Not Emily" the twin repeated.

"Place your fortune.."

"Your fortune in the paws.."

"The paws of she.."

"Of she who knows.." The swans said together. As they spoke they waved their necks around and entwined and detwined them.

Gorden was mystified. David was scared. Plessey was nowhere to be seen.

"Now!"

"Go!" The swans said forcibly.

Gorden, realising that the sound of rain has quietened, turned his fluffy tail and bolted as fast as a rabbit can. Which is so fast that he has to remember to stop and let a gerbil catch-up.