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district, causing something of a commotion as the shadow of his great wings passed over startled
pedestrians.
Jon-Tom and his companions dismounted quickly.  How do you feel? he asked Teyva.
 Like my wings are about to fall off. In fact, like everything is about to fall off.
 You don t look too good, either. I think we d better get you to a doctor.
 Let Mm find  is own doctor. Mudge was in no mood to coddle.  I m starvin , I am.
 Mudge, said Weegee wamingly. He gave her the sour eye.
 I know you can pronounce me name properly, luv. No need to keep demonstratin the fact.
She smiled sweetly.  Be nice to Teyva, dear, or I ll give you a kick.
 Well matched, them couple. Cautious turned to gaze at the tall stone and tile buildings that lined the
harbor front.  Never seen a city like this. Come to think of it, I never seen a big city ever.
The stucco walls, tiled roofs, turrets and battlements suggested a cross between an old Moorish town on
the Costa Brava and a leftover set from the film South Pacific. They intercepted a ferret wearing a
broadbrimmed straw hat and short pants. He was carrying half a dozen fishing poles and attendant
paraphernalia which he kept shifting from shoulder to shoulder as they inquired about a doctor.
 For which among you? Bright sunlight made him squint as Jon-Tom gestured toward Teyva.  A
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quadruped specialist, then. I recommend Corliss and Marley. He turned and pointed.  Go along the
Terrace to the first brick road and turn left. Their office, as I recall, lies not far up that street.
 Great, thanks. Jon-Tom shook the ferret s paw and they headed south.
They found the brick road easily, but Teyva was now so weak he could barely make it up the steep
incline, his wings fluttering spasmodically against his sweaty withers. Corliss and Marley s office was a
one-story yellow stucco structure topped by a green tile roof. It had a sweeping view of the bay beyond.
A few fishing boats were visible out in the calm waters.
Corliss was a nimble-fingered gibbon with an empathetic bedside manner. His long arms and delicate
fingers probed the length and breadth of Teyva s body while his partner Marley stood nearby staring
through thick glasses and making notations on a pad. One didn t have to be a member of the profession
to figure out that Corliss was the manipulative end of the partnership and Marley the brains. After all,
Marley was a goat, and it s rather difficult to perform surgery without any fingers.
When Corliss had concluded his inspection the pair consulted. Then the gibbon stepped aside, Marley
put down his mouth-stylus, and they voiced their diagnosis simultaneously.
 Worst case of wing-strain we ve ever seen. Marley continued on his own.
 What did you do, make the poor fellow fly halfway across the Glittergeist?
Jon-Tom coughed into his fist.  Something like that. But we didn t make him do it. He volunteered.
The goat consulted his notes.  And his blood pressure, verra strange. He glanced up at the stallion
through those half-inch thick lenses.  Are you on enna kind of medication?
 Ah, no. Teyva looked away.  That is, nothing of a long-term nature.
 Long-term nature? The physician looked at the stallion s companions.  What does  e mean, nothing of
a long-term nature?
Mudge started to reply but Weegee slapped a paw over his mouth. Jon-Tom took a step forward.  Our
lives were at stake. Teyva here suffered from a fear of flying ever since colthood. We had to resort to the
use of a stimulant to break him of that fear.
 Weel you broke him of it, I d say, judging from the way those wings look. Severe sprain, both of
them. He shook his head at the stallion.  No flying for you for a while, my friend.
 Absolutely verboten. Corliss was examining Teyva s right eye, having added drops to dilate the pupil.
 Nor would I take any more of that stimulant if I were you. Not if you want to fly anywhere soon except
into a shallow grave.
Jon-Tom felt uncomfortable.  Like I said, we had no choice. Everything happened pretty fast. I had no
time to measure out a dose.
This failed to placate the gibbon.  As a doctor I have little sympathy for anyone who employs strong
drugs without a prescription.
Mudge couldn t stand it anymore, broke away from Weegee s restraining paw.  Look  ere,.knuckles,
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we were about to be potted an we didn t  ave time for careful consideration o the possible
consequences.
Teyva gazed sorrowfully at Jon-Tom.  I am sorry I will not be able to do as I hoped and fly you all the
way to Strelakat Mews, but I think I had best abide by the doctors decision.
Jon-Tom walked up to pat him on the neck.  That s all right. You ve done more than enough by bringing
us this far, Teyva. We can walk the rest of the way.
Marley looked up from his papers.  Strelakat Mews? What business could you have in Strelakat
Mews?
Jon-Tom indicated the sack containing the fragments of his duar.  I m a spellsinger by trade. My
instrument is badly broken and my mentor, the wizard Clothahump, insists that the only craftsman in the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]