Titles in the Pie Rats series
(in reading order):
The Forgotten Map
The King’s Key
The Island of Destiny
The Trophy of Champions
Child of the Cloud
The Golden Anchor
For Rachael,
eagle-eyed editor and enthusiast.
A big thank you to Tyson, Rachael, Sarah, Jenny and the Conry family for their advice and input into this story. C.S.
First published by Daydream Press, Brisbane, Australia, 2016
Text and illustrations copyright © Dr Cameron Stelzer 2016
Illustrations are watercolour and pen on paper
No part of this book may be reproduced electronically, verbally or in print without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication Entry
Author: Stelzer, Cameron, 1977 –
Title: Child of the Cloud / by Cameron Stelzer
ISBN: 9780994248640 (eBook.)
Series: Stelzer, Cameron, 1977 – Pie Rats; bk. 5
Target audience: For primary school age.
Subjects: Rats – Juvenile fiction. Birds of prey – Juvenile fiction.
Adventure stories.
Dewey number: A823.4
Digital distribution by Ebook Alchemy
eBook Created by Warren Broom
No one truly conquers Cloud Mountain,
they merely survive it.
Anso Winterbottom
Explorer, Discoverer and Adventurer
Awakenings
The solitary figure stood motionless in the deep shadows of the juniper trees. Only the whites of his eyes were visible beneath the hood of his tattered grey traveller’s cloak. Needle-covered branches swayed gently in the light morning breeze, brushing lightly against his shoulders and back. The sound of running water echoed softly in the background. High overhead, a thick layer of cloud blanketed the rising autumn sun, confining the world to a hazy state of half-light.
Through gaps in the shifting foliage, he glimpsed a patch of grey among the bluish-greens of the trees. Looking closer, he made out a line of stones forming the wall of a small building. He watched and waited, barely daring to breathe, his eyes fixed on a weathered door in the centre of the wall.
The minutes ticked by. No one entered. No one left.
Choosing his moment to act, he emerged from the safety of the trees, moving swiftly over the frosty grass. In seconds he was pressing his back against the cold stone wall, preparing for whatever lay ahead. His right paw clutched the handle of his faithful green scissor sword. His left paw, open and empty, moved silently towards a brass doorknob.
Steady, he told himself as his fingers made contact with the icy metal. He drew a deep breath and gave the knob a gentle twist. There was a faint click as the latch released.
He paused momentarily, listening for any sounds from within. Hearing nothing, he slowly pushed the door inwards and slipped through the narrow gap, closing the door behind him.
He allowed his eyes to adjust to the dim light before moving stealthily across the room. A pale glow filtered through a high grated window, faintly illuminating two single beds and a chest of drawers. To the right of the furniture, a vaulted archway led to a second room. Blackened coals lay in the hearth of a central fireplace, still radiating a faint heat.
A sudden gust of wind whistled through the gap under the door, sending fine clouds of ash drifting across the cobblestone floor. The intruder stopped in his tracks, waiting for the whistling to cease. The roof creaked and groaned as the wind escaped through the high window, then silence returned.
Tiptoeing delicately past the archway, he made his way towards a small coffee table set against the central wall. Its surface was scattered with books, scrolls and loose sheets of paper. He scanned the contents hurriedly, his eyes darting from one object to the next. In the subdued light, he could just make out the corner of a newspaper clipping protruding from the pages of a black notebook. Squinting harder, he identified several words of a headline.
With a growing sense of unease, he wrapped his fingers around the notebook and began to open it.
As the cover swung open in a silent arc, he glanced warily across at the two beds, hoping his actions had gone unnoticed. From a distance, all he could see were two motionless lumps beneath the covers.
Satisfied the occupants were still sleeping soundly, he returned his attention to the notebook. The book was now fully open, revealing a roughly-cut article.
He felt an icy chill run through his tail as he realised what he was looking at. A pair of dark, brooding eyes stared up at him from the centre of the page. He’d seen those eyes before and they instantly filled him with dread.
He staggered back from the table, the haunting, paper eyes following his every move. It took all of his composure not to lose his nerve and run.
Finally tearing his gaze away from the eyes, he crept deeper into the cottage, venturing closer to the beds. Thick tartan blankets were pulled up to the chins of two sleeping bodies. Only the face of the closest sleeper was visible, and there was no mistaking her identity. She had round ears, soft fur the colour of hazelnuts and a small pointy nose.
His heart leapt as he realised who she was.
Trying to slow his racing pulse, he reached out a trembling paw to wake her. As his fingers drew closer to the blanket he felt the sudden, sharp sting of a blade pressing into his back.
‘That’s far enough,’ hissed a voice behind him.
He froze to the spot, his outstretched fingers hovering in mid-air, his scissor sword vibrating like a harp string in his trembling paw.
‘I’d think very carefully about your next move,’ the voice continued, increasing the pressure of the blade. ‘It would be a shame to use an antique letter opener for a less savoury purpose.’
The intruder felt the razor sharp blade slicing through the fibres of his cloak, and knew the threat was serious. Conceding defeat, he lowered his sword and raised both arms in the air. His tail collapsed limply to the ground.
‘A wise decision,’ the voice whispered. ‘Now turn around slowly and keep your paws where I can see them.’
Avoiding any sudden movements, he shuffled in a semi-circle until he was face-to-face with his attacker.
What he saw made him cry out in shock.
Suspended from the ceiling by