Chapter Eight
Sean took the lead when we left the conjugal plant, with me and Seamus next in line. Bedford brought up the rear. I could hear the gurgle of running water ahead. Then a sound and some movement to my left drew my attention. I strained to see what it was and listened intently. A few paces further, there was another sound. I was able to hear it better this time. It sounded like a heavy bag of grain, or sand, or something of the sort, being tossed onto the boggy soil. I looked toward the source of the sound. The mist thinned for a few seconds, and I caught a glimpse of a pale-skinned, toad-like creature about the size of a watermelon. Its protruding black eyes were as large as a grown man's hand.
I focused my attention on the stream as it came into view. What wondrous new things might it hold? Another toad creature leapt down stream, escaping from our probing lights. When Sean's foot neared the surface of the stream, the water erupted with a flare of sparks as if a log was tossed on a dying fire.
I came up short. "What the…?"
Seamus walked into me, almost knocking me over.
Sean, who was nearly to the other side of the stream stopped and turned. "Everything's new to you. Isn't it, little brother? Those we just lightning fish. Like minnows, only they flash light when they're spooked." He turned to resume his lead. "As you've seen, without light down here, many animals, even plants… Ahch! Damn!" Sean froze.
"Fallon, stay where you are. Don't move an inch." Bedford rushed to the front of the line. "Sean, you fool. You know to be careful close to the streams."
Seamus examined the area around his brother carefully before he stepped onto the bank and sank to his knees in front of his brother. "Did it get you?"
"Nah. But I can feel a barb pressing on the inside of my leg."
It looked to me as if the foot on the leg Sean was clutching was wrapped in several of the decaying leaves from the basin floor.
Bedford knelt behind Sean. "You take those two, and I'll take these. Okay?" Seamus nodded. "Gently now," Bedford cautioned as he and Seamus slowly slid their hands between Sean's boot and the clinging leaves. We don't want to hurt it."
"Hurt it? It's my leg it's got hold of."
"Shut up and hold still, brother."
"On three then?" said Bedford when their hands were in position. One… Two… Three." With more effort than I would have expected, the two were able to pry the leaves away from Sean's boot. As soon as Sean was able to lift his foot, the leaves folded back, becoming almost indistinguishable from the rest of the debris that littered the basin floor.
Sean stepped back. "No harm done." His tone was tinged with both relief and apology."
"That was a beginner's mistake," chided Bedford. "You'll fall in behind Fallon, when we resume. Seamus, you'll take the lead. Come here, lad." Bedford motioned for me to kneel beside him. Missus Grier was close at my back. "Can you see it?"
I looked at the spot where Sean's foot had been. All I saw was a clutter of… Wait. There it was, a triangular pattern, about three quarters of a meter long by a half meter wide, that didn't quite match surrounding ground. "Yes, I do. What is it? A plant of some sort?"
"It is an animal, Fallon," said Missus Grier from over my shoulder, "common near water in this part of the Basin. We call it a toadsnare."
"You mean it preys on those giant toads I seen?"
"Yes, lad, that's exactly what it does. Look closely at the four points of the diamond. See those barbs? If a toad crosses paths with one of these buggers, the toadsnare snaps shut like a trap, piercing the beastie with four venomous barbs and killing it within a few minutes."
"It could have killed Sean?"
"No, but it would've made him very ill for several days. So be careful, lad. We can't afford to have you laid up. Time is of the essence. Lead on Seamus. We must be on our way without further delay."
– End Chapter Eight –
