Chapter 39
Croco slept peacefully like he had never slept in his four years in Dinotopia. Everyone was up before him, so Espen and Katya saw it as the perfect opportunity to play a prank on him. Katya went out and gathered snow while Espen went back to his bedroom in the adjacent house and picked up four heavy stones. The bucket with the snow in it stayed outside until the plan would go into effect. Espen quietly snuck into Croco's room and pinned the four corners of his blanket to the bed. However, they didn't expect Croco to shuffle after the final stone was in place. Suspicion aroused, he threw the stones off the bed and sat up, wondering what everyone was up to.
Quickly throwing on some clothes, Croco proceeded downstairs to a small dining hall where Alynna was eating a vegetable stew with warm bread. Offering him some, Croco sat down next to his companion in a still groggy state.
"What's everyone up to?" he asked, rubbing his eyes. The pair became a trio as Kjell sat between them.
"Knowing Espen, he's probably up to no good with that girl from Thermala." said Kjell, who was the older of the two brothers at forty-two summers. Espen, who was five years his junior, came into view briefly as he headed back to Croco's room not knowing it would be empty. Shortly after, he came storming into the hall, face red in anger.
"I thought you were still asleep!" he said aloud, looking at Croco. Croco, who was fully alert now, gave Espen a cross look.
"I knew you were up to no good," said Croco. "What were you gonna do to me?" Espen shrugged, but didn't comment. He insisted that Croco and Alynna hurry up with their meal so they could get out onto the mountain before the storms came. Alynna said that they were finished and ready to go at anytime, so Espen went to fetch Katya. When they came back, Espen gathered everyone in a circle with himself in the middle. The way he addressed them to converge told Croco that he had an important announcement to make.
"Alynna and Croco," he said, "when I heard of your arrival and your intentions, I wanted to find a way to help you on your quest. So I asked the City Elders if I could accompany you on your climb to the Tentpole of the Sky as a guide. After they considered my record of service and my past endeavors, they agreed on it and I shall join you when we leave this afternoon. I've already told my mother to take care of Thor so I can concentrate on the task ahead. So come to the Square...all of Sky City is awaiting us!" The six of them made their way to the City Square, where the locals celebrated their upcoming journey and adorned the would-be mountaineers with colorful ribbons and jewelry made from the tusks of deceased mammoths. They were told to keep the jewelry on as a symbol of goodwill during their climb, not to be shed until they were safely within the Tentpole walls. Finally, a parade was led through the city to the path which led to the great building, with children running alongside the three until they were free of the city. Kjell, Katya and Skytusk waved to them along with everyone else, wishing them the best on their journey.
However, it was anything but easy for them as the strong, icy winds kicked up a lot of snow. Many times Croco thought he was going to die on the first full day they spent on the slopes, but on the wisdom of Alynna and the strength and guidance of Espen, they made it to an ice cave to spend the night. It was a hollow sculpted from the glacial ice but it was enough to shelter them from the wind so they could sleep. During the night, all Croco could thing about were the friends he had made: Brock, Mira, Kaala, Riojay and Nobby in Neopylos...Kado, Robert, Timbo, and especially Cassie and her family back in Waterfall City...Nalina, Darren, Carlos, Melanie and everyone back in Treetown...and finally Oolu, Ezrah and most importantly to him, Speedwing in Canyon City. The thoughts of them filled his head and his dreams while he slept huddled next to Alynna, as she was in between him and Espen.
The sun was out in the morning and the winds had died down quite a bit, so Espen thought they would make better progress. But they stayed at the same pace due to the deeper snow and slightly increasing gradient of the mountain and after ten miles, they reached a campsite at the base of the mountain the Tentpole of the Sky was situated upon at dusk. Alynna explained to Croco that it was the base camp used for all expeditions to the Tentpole since it was built. So they set up camp for the final time at 487 necks above sea level and slept, thinking about their hopeful arrival. There was a campsite at 570 necks in case the weather turned on them or if something happened to someone.
Just as the first light could be seen above them, Espen and Croco were up, packing up their tents and grabbing their backpacks. Espen turned to the dolphinback with a smile on his face.
"Over the past three days, you've proven to be an apt mountaineer Croco," he said proudly. "If I were in charge of the Skybax Corps, you'd already have your apprenticeship sealed up." Naturally Croco was flattered but hesistated to ask Espen about his past. Seeing this, he took the initiative and told him that he wanted to be a Skybax Rider. But Espen was involved in a training accident which killed another cadet when their training gliders were caught by a sudden gust and crashed into each other. Feeling the guilt from the accident, he quit and returned to his home in Sky City to be a mountain guide with his father, Andre, his mother, Essa and his brothers Kjell and Lasse. But then, Alynna was beside them and looking up into the morning sky, they pushed on with the great Tentpole of the Sky within sight.
They had made incredible progress...by midday they were more than halfway to the second campsite and arrived there a couple hours later. Espen looked at the sun and decided to call it a day as he didn't want to camp on the mountainside itself. It was a small, flat area that barely had enough room for the three of them but still they spent the night in their primitive tents. Espen and Croco chatted away while Alynna tried valiantly to get a fire going with some sticks she collected during the time when Cloudtop was being tended to. After several attempts, she finally got a small fire going to which she brewed a hot tea from special tea leaves she picked up in Canyon City and the large canteen she had. In high spirits and full of energy, they packed up to make the final push to the top of the mountain.
But it took them longer than they had hoped. Espen and Alynna were fine, but Croco was having a little bit of difficulty dealing with the extreme altitudes they were at. On more than one occasion, they had to stop while he caught his breath, but nevertheless, he pushed on. The higher they climbed, the more the great building seemed to float up, which discouraged Croco even more as he knew they were so close to the top. They could feel themselves getting closer and closer, but everything was working against them. The daylight was being eaten up, the altitude meant they were taking in less oxygen and in the mid-afternoon, a strong icy breeze blew over the climbers. This was their biggest obstacle, as even Alynna wasn't expecting this and Espen was nearly blown over and down to his death.
But with all hope lost and the last flicker of sunlight fading away, Croco came up to a stone wall while bells rang out. He let out a victory whoop while Alynna and Espen shook hands and embraced along with the Dolphinback. They had finally reached their destination: the great Tentpole of the Sky and at once there was a chorus of yelling for someone to take the mountaneers in. After several minutes, a ladder was lowered and Croco was the first one on, eagerly climbing up to start the latest chapter of his life in the land that time forgot.
Croco slept peacefully like he had never slept in his four years in Dinotopia. Everyone was up before him, so Espen and Katya saw it as the perfect opportunity to play a prank on him. Katya went out and gathered snow while Espen went back to his bedroom in the adjacent house and picked up four heavy stones. The bucket with the snow in it stayed outside until the plan would go into effect. Espen quietly snuck into Croco's room and pinned the four corners of his blanket to the bed. However, they didn't expect Croco to shuffle after the final stone was in place. Suspicion aroused, he threw the stones off the bed and sat up, wondering what everyone was up to.
Quickly throwing on some clothes, Croco proceeded downstairs to a small dining hall where Alynna was eating a vegetable stew with warm bread. Offering him some, Croco sat down next to his companion in a still groggy state.
"What's everyone up to?" he asked, rubbing his eyes. The pair became a trio as Kjell sat between them.
"Knowing Espen, he's probably up to no good with that girl from Thermala." said Kjell, who was the older of the two brothers at forty-two summers. Espen, who was five years his junior, came into view briefly as he headed back to Croco's room not knowing it would be empty. Shortly after, he came storming into the hall, face red in anger.
"I thought you were still asleep!" he said aloud, looking at Croco. Croco, who was fully alert now, gave Espen a cross look.
"I knew you were up to no good," said Croco. "What were you gonna do to me?" Espen shrugged, but didn't comment. He insisted that Croco and Alynna hurry up with their meal so they could get out onto the mountain before the storms came. Alynna said that they were finished and ready to go at anytime, so Espen went to fetch Katya. When they came back, Espen gathered everyone in a circle with himself in the middle. The way he addressed them to converge told Croco that he had an important announcement to make.
"Alynna and Croco," he said, "when I heard of your arrival and your intentions, I wanted to find a way to help you on your quest. So I asked the City Elders if I could accompany you on your climb to the Tentpole of the Sky as a guide. After they considered my record of service and my past endeavors, they agreed on it and I shall join you when we leave this afternoon. I've already told my mother to take care of Thor so I can concentrate on the task ahead. So come to the Square...all of Sky City is awaiting us!" The six of them made their way to the City Square, where the locals celebrated their upcoming journey and adorned the would-be mountaineers with colorful ribbons and jewelry made from the tusks of deceased mammoths. They were told to keep the jewelry on as a symbol of goodwill during their climb, not to be shed until they were safely within the Tentpole walls. Finally, a parade was led through the city to the path which led to the great building, with children running alongside the three until they were free of the city. Kjell, Katya and Skytusk waved to them along with everyone else, wishing them the best on their journey.
However, it was anything but easy for them as the strong, icy winds kicked up a lot of snow. Many times Croco thought he was going to die on the first full day they spent on the slopes, but on the wisdom of Alynna and the strength and guidance of Espen, they made it to an ice cave to spend the night. It was a hollow sculpted from the glacial ice but it was enough to shelter them from the wind so they could sleep. During the night, all Croco could thing about were the friends he had made: Brock, Mira, Kaala, Riojay and Nobby in Neopylos...Kado, Robert, Timbo, and especially Cassie and her family back in Waterfall City...Nalina, Darren, Carlos, Melanie and everyone back in Treetown...and finally Oolu, Ezrah and most importantly to him, Speedwing in Canyon City. The thoughts of them filled his head and his dreams while he slept huddled next to Alynna, as she was in between him and Espen.
The sun was out in the morning and the winds had died down quite a bit, so Espen thought they would make better progress. But they stayed at the same pace due to the deeper snow and slightly increasing gradient of the mountain and after ten miles, they reached a campsite at the base of the mountain the Tentpole of the Sky was situated upon at dusk. Alynna explained to Croco that it was the base camp used for all expeditions to the Tentpole since it was built. So they set up camp for the final time at 487 necks above sea level and slept, thinking about their hopeful arrival. There was a campsite at 570 necks in case the weather turned on them or if something happened to someone.
Just as the first light could be seen above them, Espen and Croco were up, packing up their tents and grabbing their backpacks. Espen turned to the dolphinback with a smile on his face.
"Over the past three days, you've proven to be an apt mountaineer Croco," he said proudly. "If I were in charge of the Skybax Corps, you'd already have your apprenticeship sealed up." Naturally Croco was flattered but hesistated to ask Espen about his past. Seeing this, he took the initiative and told him that he wanted to be a Skybax Rider. But Espen was involved in a training accident which killed another cadet when their training gliders were caught by a sudden gust and crashed into each other. Feeling the guilt from the accident, he quit and returned to his home in Sky City to be a mountain guide with his father, Andre, his mother, Essa and his brothers Kjell and Lasse. But then, Alynna was beside them and looking up into the morning sky, they pushed on with the great Tentpole of the Sky within sight.
They had made incredible progress...by midday they were more than halfway to the second campsite and arrived there a couple hours later. Espen looked at the sun and decided to call it a day as he didn't want to camp on the mountainside itself. It was a small, flat area that barely had enough room for the three of them but still they spent the night in their primitive tents. Espen and Croco chatted away while Alynna tried valiantly to get a fire going with some sticks she collected during the time when Cloudtop was being tended to. After several attempts, she finally got a small fire going to which she brewed a hot tea from special tea leaves she picked up in Canyon City and the large canteen she had. In high spirits and full of energy, they packed up to make the final push to the top of the mountain.
But it took them longer than they had hoped. Espen and Alynna were fine, but Croco was having a little bit of difficulty dealing with the extreme altitudes they were at. On more than one occasion, they had to stop while he caught his breath, but nevertheless, he pushed on. The higher they climbed, the more the great building seemed to float up, which discouraged Croco even more as he knew they were so close to the top. They could feel themselves getting closer and closer, but everything was working against them. The daylight was being eaten up, the altitude meant they were taking in less oxygen and in the mid-afternoon, a strong icy breeze blew over the climbers. This was their biggest obstacle, as even Alynna wasn't expecting this and Espen was nearly blown over and down to his death.
But with all hope lost and the last flicker of sunlight fading away, Croco came up to a stone wall while bells rang out. He let out a victory whoop while Alynna and Espen shook hands and embraced along with the Dolphinback. They had finally reached their destination: the great Tentpole of the Sky and at once there was a chorus of yelling for someone to take the mountaneers in. After several minutes, a ladder was lowered and Croco was the first one on, eagerly climbing up to start the latest chapter of his life in the land that time forgot.