Part Seven

As Oggin set off he could swear he heard a muffled scream from Tookie’s cottage but he couldn’t be sure. Hands in pockets he strolled along the well worn path beside the village green, the sheep were back and had been joined by a pair of Geese, resplendent in their black and white suits. All were busy, heads down, cutting the grass in their own way and none had apparently noticed Ginger Ray, slinking on his belly towards them. Oggin stopped and slowly pressed against the nearby hedge, to better observe what might unfold. Now, it’s a widely held belief that a house cat would never attempt to snare a sheep or a large Goose but Ginger Ray was the size of a Pit Bull and about as friendly, so anything could happen. The sheep grazed, the Geese nibbled and Ray slithered, nearer and nearer, ears forward, tail flat, body pressed to the ground, watching. Oggin almost held his breath, feeling the tension and not wishing to break the spell which had descended on the scene. Ray was now less than six feet from the nearest Goose and even less than that to the nearest sheep and Oggin could see his big rear end start to wiggle, as he planted his paws for a charge but which target? The action came in a sudden blur, as Ray lunged forward at the Goose, both Geese then reacted in an instant but not quickly enough. The nearest Goose was caught by a foot and Ray’s weight pulled it down, the other bird took to the air and as Oggin watched it wheeled and flew straight at the wild Cat and Goose bundle, now thrashing around on the grass. It landed heavily, feet first, on the back of a very shocked Ray, who bolted as if his tail was on fire. Oggin was surprised at the speed of Ray, as he fled from the green, he could move quickly when he needed to, the Goose limped away with its mate and the sheep, who had simply watched impassively, returned to eating the grass. Oggin let out his breath and smiled, Ray would have to go back to the rats, if he wanted to eat today he thought to himself.

He reached Greedle’s armoured gate a few minutes later and rang the bell, he was instantly rewarded by the sound of the dogs barking and jumping up at the gate, which rattled in protest. Oggin hoped it was as strong as it looked. Suddenly the barking stopped and then he heard three distinct clangs, like cell doors shutting. The hatch in the gate opened and a young olive skinned man looked out at Oggin.

“My mistress is expecting you Mister Oggin, the dogs have been caged until you reach my mistresses home, please be as quick as you can but on no account should you run....”.

The hatch shut and Oggin could hear the sound of several bolts being drawn before the gate swung open and he slipped inside. Oggin stood just inside the gate and his jaw dropped. The garden area, once a flat expanse of lawn was now covered in swirls of red and purple tiles, dotted around the edge were white marble statues, life size carvings of men and women, all nude and all in lascivious poses. The young man finished bolting the gate and walked in front of Oggin, he was dressed in short white cotton kilt and sandals. His skin was olive brown and his body hairless, the muscles of his legs and back rippled as he walked with an elegant yet athletic composure. On the central veranda of the two conjoined cottages, Oggin could see Greedle the Bronze, she was dressed in a rich red and gold flowing silk shift, which moved in the light breeze. As Oggin and the boy approached, she turned and went through the doorway, into the cottage.  The boy paused at the doorway, stood to one side and bowed, motioning Oggin inside.

Whatever Oggin expected, nothing could have prepared him for the sight before his eyes. The floors were covered in fur animal skins, some of which he didn’t even recognise. The walls were all lined with multi-coloured hangings and the ceiling was made of glass, not the cheap greenish stuff but clear blue white imported glass. Greedle was sitting on a white fur covered sofa, her feet drawn up and an expanse of long tanned, brown leg on show.  Behind the big sofa stood two girls, they were fanning the air over Greedle with huge feather fans. They too were wearing the cotton kilt and rather disconcertingly, nothing else. Oggin bowed his head in greeting.

“I got your message Greedle...what can I do for you...?”

“You, senor Oggin could do many things para mi....but let us settle for an errand....thiss time si...”

“As you wish....” Oggin nodded and smiled.

“Pleese be so’a kind as to go to the Wolf Woman and collect a package para mi and bring it back here....hoy...today...”

“No problem....is she expecting me...?”

“Si....don’ta worry about her woolf....she won’ta bite you.....but Nina might...”

Oggin grinned, nodded again and turned to leave.

“Remember Senor Oggin...today....before dark....”

As Oggin followed the tanned back of the young man to the gate, he mulled over Greedle’s last sentence, it was not a suggestion. Just as they reached the gate, the bell rang, the boy ran forward and opened the hatch then closed it again, without speaking. When he turned back to Oggin his face had lost all its colour, he opened the gate and a bedraggled figure staggered in. It could have been the boy’s twin, except this one was dressed in a white shirt and black leggings, or more precisely, he had been, once. The shirt was torn open and he was holding up the leggings at the front, his face was scratched and his hair was a mess. In short, he looked like he’d been given a sound kicking. Oggin went outside and paused for a second, then he heard a loud wailing scream and a very loud, very angry, female voice.

“Where the fuckin’ hell ‘ave you been you fuckin’ nonce....an’ wot the fuck ‘appened to yer bleedin’ cloves...git yer arse in the ‘ouse an’ git cleaned up....!”

So, thought Oggin, the rumours are true, Greedle the Bronze may well be Greedle the Brass after all and Tookie’s captive must have escaped.

It was a fair walk to the Wolf Women’s place, on the outskirts of the village and Oggin used the time to prepare himself for the meeting. Wolf Women the Fenner or Nina, hailed originally from Camford, in the Fenlands and lived alone in a tiny cottage attached to a small holding. Her sole companion was a she-wolf, called Be-Be. The two were inseparable and the wolf even came with her to the village but on a chain. It was said they slept in the same bed but no-one had ever been in Nina’s cottage to confirm it as the she-wolf, while docile with her mistress, was a snarling beast to anyone else who came near, the thing scared the willies out of Oggin and he didn’t mind admitting it.

Oggin reached the cottage gate, drew a breath and shouted.

“Nina....Nina...it’s me.....Oggin...!”

Nina came around the side of the building, in her usual attire of blue dungarees over a man’s red button top vest and boots, her short cropped hair was dark but flecked with grey at the temples.

“Hiya Oggin old lad...how’s it hangin’ for ya...?”

“Oh...er..fine Nina....fine...I’ve come for the package...for Greedle the Bronze...”

“No problem lad....I’ve got it here...”

She stooped and then stood up with a very large, sacking covered bale, bound with rope. She heaved it onto one shoulder and marched towards the gate. Beside her, Be-Be paced close by, all the while eyeing Oggin with undisguised hostility. Oggin made to move closer to grab the bale and immediately the she-wolf bared her teeth, flattened her ears and let out a loud, menacing growl. Nina leaned over the gate and passed the bale to Oggin who was very surprised at its weight, very surprised indeed and let out an involuntary grunt.

“You alright lad...is it a bit heavy for you....do you want to borrow a barrow...?”

Oggin strained a reply through gritted teeth.

“I think that might be a good idea....it’s quite a walk back...”

“You hang on there....I’ll bring one round...”

She disappeared back around the cottage and then re-appeared with a sack barrow, with ease she lifted it over the gate and Oggin, with a lot less ease, put the bale on it.

“You can keep hold of that barrow till you come out this way again...Okay?”

“Right you are Nina....Stay well and I’ll see you soon....Stay well...”

With a wave, Oggin set off, pushing the sack barrow in front of him. The small iron wheels on the thing tended to dig in the soft pathway and after a hundred yards or so, it struck him that this might not be quite as easy as he thought.