Chapter Four

It was late afternoon before they reached Farmer Rubbitt's farm. Walter kept Raven entertained with his various threats and insults during the journey. Raven did not pay much attention to Walter; he just smiled at him every now and again, occasionally pausing to throw a peanut at Walter. Raven grew a little concerned that he may have thrown more peanuts at Walter than he actually ate, but the entertainment value was worth the price his stomach had to pay. When the wagon stopped, Raven grabbed Walter by the ear and dragged him outside. Walter protested loudly, so loudly that it brought Rubbitt running to the gateway.

"You got the son of a b***h," cheered Rubbitt. "Bring him inside. I've been waiting for this."

Rubbitt opened the gate and walked back towards the farmhouse. It took him a moment or two to realise that the others were not following him. Rubbitt turned around and stared at the other men.

"You bringing him in or what?" asked Rubbitt.

"There is the little matter of payment first," said Patto.

"Of course," said Rubbitt, producing a cloth purse. He emptied some gold coins into his hand and offered them as payment.

"That's only one hundred gold. The price was two hundred gold," said Patto.

"Well, it's all I've got at the moment. I'll get the rest to you in a day or two," said Rubbitt.

Walter laughed and went to say something, but a clip across the ear from Patto stopped him from interrupting. Raven rubbed his chin and walked towards Rubbitt.

"Unfortunately, we might be many miles from here in a day or two. We have other commitments. The payment must be made in full now. This is what we agreed," said Raven.

"And if I don't make the payment?" asked Rubbitt.

He smiled as he asked the question because six of his burly farmhands came running up the path.

"Then we will take the one hundred gold for our inconvenience and let young Walter here go free," said Raven.

"That sounds fair to me," said Walter.

"Shut up," said Patto to Walter.

"There are seven of us and two of you. Just how do you think you are going to do that?" asked Rubbitt.

"Is there no honour in business transactions these days?" asked Raven.

"I did mention that he might come up short," said Patto.

"That you did," said Raven.

"Almost all of our dealings seem to end like this just lately," said Patto.

"It will be dark soon. Should I offer the gentleman the chance to resolve this peacefully or do we act now?" Raven asked Patto.

Patto screwed his nose up and walked around in circles, still holding onto the yelping Walter's ear. Eventually, he stopped and spoke to Raven.

"Give him one more chance. Only one mind," said Patto.

Raven opened his coat to reveal the shotgun and wiped his forehead.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Patto nodded his head.

"I am to give you one more attempt to get this right," said Raven. "Two hundred gold as agreed, if you would."

Rubbitt laughed and gestured to his men to move forward.

"I will take the goods from you and pay you nothing because of your attitude," said Rubbitt.

"Well, if that's the way you want it," said Raven.

Raven waved a hand and spoke softly.

"Buzus stinge," he said.

As the men moved towards Raven, a dark cloud formed in front of them. At first, it was silent but slowly it began to hum. The hum grew louder as the cloud circled the men. When the hum became deafening, the cloud dived down into Rubbitt and his men, sending them scurrying away from Raven. The men shouted, slapping at the air and the small bodies that attacked them.

"Bees? Really?" asked Patto.

"It'll do the job," said Raven.

"The tales are true," gasped Walter. "You are a master of the black arts."

"I am pretty good with a shotgun as well," said Raven.

By now, Rubbitt and his men were rolling along on the ground, trying furiously to get the bees off them. Raven walked calmly to where Rubbitt was wriggling around and took the gold from him.

"I thank you for your time," said Raven. "If I may offer a little advice before I leave. Honour your agreements in the future."

Rubbitt cursed Raven in between his shouts of pain as the bees continued their relentless attack.

“C’mon, pretty soon the illusion will wear off,” said Raven.

“Illusion?” said Walter.

“Those lumps and red marks appearing on Rubbitt and his men will disappear in about ten minutes along with the bees,” said Raven.

“So, it’s only temporary?” asked Walter.

“Of course,” said Raven. “There will be no permanent damage.”

“Damn,” said Walter. “I hated that man.”

“I think you have inflicted more pain on him than I ever could,” said Raven. “Let’s go.”

Patto grabbed Walter by the ear and threw him into the back of the wagon. Raven grabbed the reins and drove the wagon away from the farm with Onyx following closely behind.

"You can let me go now," said Walter.

"Oh, I don't know about that," said Patto. "A bad boy like you must have other bounties on him."

"What? I didn't even do anything wrong at Rubbitt's. Consenting adults, you know?" said Walter.

"Were the chickens consenting as well?" asked Patto.

"When he found he found out what I had done, he locked me in a shed," said Walter. "I tried to get out, but that was only possible in the evening. By that time, I had little control over my hunger. You understand that, don't you?"

"Hmmm, I suppose I have to give you the benefit of the doubt," said Patto. "And we have been paid."

He grabbed Walter by the ear once more and guided him to the rear of the wagon.

"Hey, wait," protested Walter. "What are you doing?"

Patto smiled at Walter, turned him to face the rear of the wagon, and kicked him out onto the road whilst the wagon was still moving.

"Lightening the load," he murmured.

Walter rolled around in the dust, yelling as he came to a stop. He climbed to his feet, jumping up and down, shaking his fists at Patto.

"You can't leave me here. It's miles from anywhere," stormed Walter. "This is not forgotten. We'll find you and it won't be in the daytime."

Walter stopped shouting when he realised it was futile and looked up at the sun in the sky. Turning at a precise angle, he began the long walk home.

"Bogging bounty hunters," he snarled.

Raven pulled the wagon to a standstill outside the inn. Patto was already standing by the doorway.

"I think we have earned ourselves some good food and alcoholic refreshment," said Raven.

"What about Walter and his father?" asked Patto.

"They can give chase if they like," said Raven. "They will have to think carefully about that. If they can think at all, that is."

Patto was smiling, playing with something that hung from his chest beneath his shirt.

“What’s that?” asked Raven.

“A souvenir from our encounter with Cobbleknock,” said Patto.

“More jewellery, really?” said Raven.

“Walter is more useful than he realises,” said Patto.

“I prefer gold,” said Raven.

"You know what I like about this world of ours?" asked Patto, changing the subject.

"The beer? The food? Ah, of course, the women," said Raven.

"Well, I like all of that but it's the name I like best of all," said Patto. "Rust."

"You need a drink," said Raven. “Patto?”

Raven looked around the exterior of the inn for his friend, but Patto was nowhere to be seen. He had literally disappeared.