'Well, they're to protect yourselves from the Biters, of course, young fella,' said the man. 'The river is full of them.'
'What's a Biter?' asked Nicola.
The man chuckled. 'Oh, come on now, don't you be pretending a smart-looking girl like you has never heard of a Biter. I won't be falling for that.'
'We really don't know,' said Nicola. 'We come from another planet.'
'Well, if you really want to know, go and read that sign over there.' The man gestured at a small wooden sign near the bridge. He peered up at her. 'Hey, do I know you from somewhere?'
'I don't think so,' said Nicola.
'Biters,' said Sean, as they rode their ShobGobbles towards the sign. 'I wonder if they're like mosquitoes.'
When they got to the sign, they all read it silently together.
WARNING!
THIS RIVER IS HOME TO THE NATIVE BITER. BITERS ARE RIVER-DWELLING CREATURES ABLE TO GROW TO SIX METRES IN LENGTH. AN ADULT BITER HAS OVER TWO THOUSAND RAZOR-SHARP TEETH AND IS ABLE TO LEAP OVER THIRTY METRES IN THE AIR. ALTHOUGH THEY ARE HERBIVORES, BITERS ENJOY ATTACKING HUMANS OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES. THEY TAKE LARGE BITES AND THEN IMMEDIATELY SPIT OUT THE BLOODY FLESH (ALMOST WITH DISGUST). AS THE NORMAL HABITAT OF THE BITER IS DARK, MURKY AND UNDERWATER, THEY ARE EXTREMELY SURPRISED WHEN A WHITE LIGHT IS SHONE IN THEIR EYES. THIS HAS LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE 'SHOCK-STICK' - AN EFFECTIVE FORM OF PROTECTION AGAINST THE BITER. TO AVOID UPSETTING FATALITIES, ANYONE CROSSING THE SAFE HANDS BRIDGE SHOULD CARRY A SHOCK-STICK AT ALL TIMES.
'They don't sound much like mosquitoes,' said Sean.
21
'We don't have any money to buy Shock-Sticks,' said Nicola.
'But the Shobblings don't get paid for anything,' Shimlara reminded her. They had left their ShobGobbles snacking on more indigo berries and were heading back to the bearded, toothless man who now had his head buried in a newspaper.
'Excuse me,' said Nicola.
The man looked up and his eyes flew from Nicola to the newspaper and back again.
'I knew I recognised you!' he said triumphantly. He turned the newspaper around. On the front page was a large photo of Nicola sitting astride Quicksilver. The headline read:
EARTHLING SAYS 'ENRICO TOOK KATIE HOBBS
HOSTAGE'
Comment from the Commander's Press Office: ABSOLUTE GARBAGE
Story by: Jenny Jenkins
Nicola read the first paragraph of the article.
A spokesperson for Enrico strenuously denied the Earthling's allegation that the visiting hairity, Katie Hobbs, had been taken hostage. 'Why would we take Katie hostage?' he said. 'She is Enrico's special guest. The Earthling must have rocks in her head.' This reporter is interested to note, however, that Katie herself was not available for comment. Could our much-loved Commander be bending the truth?
Oh dear, thought Nicola. Enrico wasn't going to be happy about this bad publicity. What had she been thinking? She should have kept her mouth shut.
'You really should have kept your mouth shut, Nicola,' said Greta, leaning over Nicola's shoulder to read the story.
'So is it true?' asked the man. As he leaned forward to hear Nicola's answer, he tipped back his straw hat, revealing his forehead and a tiny tattoo of the letter 't'. Nicola relaxed - he was a Topaz supporter.
'Yes,' answered Nicola.
'But why would the Commander do that?'
'He's trying to force us to kill Topaz Silverbell,' said Nicola. 'But don't worry, we would never hurt Topaz!'
'Well, that's a relief!' said the man. He put the newspaper to one side. 'I'm assuming you'd all like to arm yourselves with Shock-Sticks before you cross the river?'