More Than My Teeth

But no. It's not a lobster.

It's a spotted-tailed mammal with teeth.

What is it saying?

Don't fly off! 

When I see teeth I fly off, says the Tzeet.

I'm more than my teeth, says the quoll. 

What more? asks the Tzeet.

I'm a crew member, says the quoll. Didn't you see me leap out of that paperbark canoe?

No, says the Tzeet. I wasn't looking. I was thinking.

About your brother? asks the quoll. 

You were sent by my brother? says the Tzeet.

No, says the quoll. But his partner is looking for you.

The Tzeet peeps out between leaves.

There is the lagoon. There is the paperbark canoe in the middle. There is a lobster with his dominant claw in the air, checking for breezes.

Where is she? asks the Tzeet.

Who? asks the quoll.

My brother's partner, says the Tzeet. The one who was looking for me.

She didn't come, says the quoll. WE came.

In fact, only you came, says the Tzeet.

It looks that way, says the quoll.

You with the teeth, says the Tzeet.

You with the feathers, says the quoll.

What's that supposed to mean? asks the Tzeet.

If I was going to eat a bird, says the quoll, it wouldn't be one with orange, green and yellow feathers.

Good to know, says the Tzeet. That's one of the things I've been thinking about, in my solitude.

Whether you'd get eaten? asks the quoll.

Why I am like I am, says the Tzeet. 

The colours?  asks the quoll. 

No, the reasons I can't seem to fit in, says the Tzeet. My brother fitted in. But after the trip on the ferry and the movie and the trip here, I felt restless.

What was the movie? asks the quoll.

The Tzeet recounts the story of the movie he watched on the ferry, with the puppies in colourful uniforms and the magical crystals.

By the time he has finished, the quoll also feels restless.

His Adventure Truncated

The tree the quoll is watching moves slightly.

Feel that? says Du Fresne. We're moving.

The tree moved, says the quoll.

Relative to our position, says Du Fresne. Remember, we're on the water.

So we moved, says the quoll.

I said that, says Du Fresne.

At the same time as the tree, says the quoll.

Relatively, says Du Fresne. 

It seems a bit wasteful, says the quoll.

Not at all, says Du Fresne. The wheels of natural motion are not wasteful

Wheels? says the quoll.

Metaphorically speaking, says Du Fresne. Anyway, motion is the concern of a captain. Not the crew member.

Which is me, says the quoll. 

Yes, says Du Fresne. And as the wind is getting up, we'll soon reach the far shore where you spotted the so-called orange flash. 

The canoe floats towards the far shore of the lagoon, and bumps up against it.

Bump!

Now we disembark, says Du Fresne.

You first, says the quoll.

No, you first, says Du Fresne. Captain last. In fact, if the vessel is sinking, the captain remains with it.

How stupid is that? says the quoll.

We need not debate it, says Du Fresne. Our task is to look for that parrot.

The quoll leaps out.

Du Fresne pushes off again.

Hey! says the quoll.

Au revoir! says Du Fresne.

He floats back to the middle of the lagoon.

(the breeze must have dropped)

The quoll is not happy to have his adventure truncated.

And it need not be!

He climbs up the now stationary tree.

Stealthily.

What does he think he can see?

Through the leaves.....

Orange belly feathers? An orange belly? Telltale yellow underparts?

Tzeet! squawks the Tzeet. ( It is he!)

Steady on! says the quoll, in a voice he hopes sounds like a lobster.

The Tzeet is puzzled. What's a lobster doing up here in the tree?

Watch The Tree

I know that look, says Du Fresne.

Sorry, says the quoll. I'm sure we'll be back on dry land before dinner.

As am I, says Du Fresne.

Are we moving at all? asks the quoll.

Watch that tree, says Du Fresne. It will tell you if we're moving.

The quoll watches the tree.

It's not telling me anything, says the quoll.

That's because were not moving, says Du Fresne.

Clever, says the quoll. And what if we were?

The tree would appear to move, relative to our position, says Du DFresne.

Can all trees do that? asks the quoll. 

Only the ones you can see from your vessel, says Du Fresne.

What is that called? asks the quoll. 

Common sense, says Du Fresne.

The quoll is offended.

Of course, says Du Fresne, it's only common sense for sailors. 

Are you a sailor? asks the quoll.

A sea captain, says Du Fresne. Privateer and explorer. That was some time ago.

How come you've ended up here? asks the quoll.

I ask myself the same question, says Du Fresne. I was in the vicinity when my old friend Baudin called and sent me on this fool's errand.

To find a missing parrot, says the quoll. You do know they go missing all the time?

I know little about parrots, says Du Fresne. 

They are not very tasty, says the quoll. It may be something to do with their colourful feathers.

You eat parrots? says Du Fresne. 

As a last option, says the quoll. I prefer little plump brown birds, or possums.

It occurs to me that you are not the best person to be in my search party, says Du Fresne.

I joined for the reward, says the quoll.

But you are likely to eat the missing parrot, should we locate him, says Du Fresne. 

Not very likely, says the quoll. It depends if this breeze you predicted gets up.

Du Fresne licks his dominant claw and points skywards.

Aha! I detect a faint stirring, says Du Fresne.

That is impressive, says the quoll.

The quoll keeps on watching the tree.

Flash Of Orange

Wait here, says the spotted-tailed quoll.

What for? asks Du Fresne.

Me, says the quoll. I won't be long.

He is an agile climber.

He climbs up the peppermint gum.

Not surprisingly, there are no birds in the peppermint gum.

The quoll comes down again.

Looks like it's just you and me, says the quoll.

Did you spot anything useful while you were up there? asks Du Fresne.

No, says the quoll. But I wasn't looking.

Go back up, says Du Fresne.

The quoll speeds up the peppermint gum again, and looks out through the peppermint branches.

What kind of thing would count as useful? calls the quoll.

Signs of a struggle, says Du Fresne. Feathers. Or the bird itself, in the distance.

The quoll comes back down.

I thought I saw a flash of orange on the far side of the lagoon, says the quoll.

That is unlikely, says Du Fresne.

I have good eyesight, says the quoll.

But the orange patches are small, says Du Fresne. You are more likely to have seen a flash of green or yellow.

I saw a flash of orange, says the quoll. Why don't we use the canoe to float over?

Du Fresne doesn't fancy being in the canoe with the quoll.

It's quite a large quoll.

But he overcomes his qualms, and scrambles into the paperbark canoe.

The quoll leaps in after him.

The canoe bobs and almost tips over.

Steady! says Du Fresne. Find a spot to sit down and don't wriggle

This is good, says the quoll. But how do we move it?

Oars would be ideal, says Du Fresne. But as we have no oars, we'll push off, and take our chances.

He reaches out with his dominant claw, and pushes off from the embankment.

The canoe floats out into the lagoon.

This was meant to be our reward, says the quoll.

I know, says Du Fresne. We'll have to think of another one.

How about oars? says the quoll.

A pertinent suggestion.

The canoe has stopped dead in the middle of the lagoon.

I suppose you can swim? says the quoll.

No need, says Du Fresne. A light breeze is getting up. We just need to be patient.

The quoll is not usually patient.

He now regrets joining the search party. 

What if there is no light breeze getting up (he can't feel it)  and the two of them are stuck in the middle of the lagoon for a very long time?

What will he eat?

Could he see himself eating a lobster?

The Right To Make Rules

Sweetheart flies to a low branch near the spotted-tailed quoll.

Ooh! says the quoll. A parrot!

Just a quick question, says Sweetheart.

Fire away, says the spotted-tailed quoll.

That lobster who just passed you, says Sweetheart.

Without saying a word, says the quoll.

That's the one, says Sweetheart. He's supposed to be forming a search party. 

Searching for what? asks the quoll.

For whom, not what, says Sweetheart. My partner's missing brother.

What does he look like? asks the quoll.

A bit like me, says Sweetheart, but brighter green, with yellow underparts and an orange patch on his belly. 

Should be easy, says the quoll. Is there a reward?

Um... yes, says Sweetheart. 

What is it? asks the quoll.

The lobster will tell you, says Sweetheart.

I'll catch up with him, says the quoll.

It hurries off after Du Fresne.

Du Fresne has reached the lagoon. Ha! Yes ! There is the paperbark canoe. Someone has replaced it.

He is about to climb in when the spotted-tailed quoll calls out: Hey!

Yes? says Du Fresne.

Is there a reward? asks the quoll.

For? asks Du Fresne.

For finding the missing brother, says the quoll.

Err... yes, says Du Fresne. A ride in this paperbark canoe.

The quoll is disappointed.

Does that mean you've already found him? asks the quoll.

Not yet, says Du Fresne. 

Great, says the quoll. I'm joining the search party.

Good for you, says Du Fresne.

Should we stick together? asks the quoll.

No, says Du Fresne. You go that way, and I'll wait here in the canoe.

No way! says the quoll. No canoe ride until we've found him.

Du Fresne is annoyed. Who is this quoll and what gives it the right to make rules?

It might not be easy, says the quoll.

I know, says Du Fresne.

Unless it's dead, says the quoll.

Mm-hm, says Du Fresne.

But if it's alive it could be anywhere, says the quoll.

I know, says Du Fresne.

It would be good if we had a bird in our search party, says the quoll.

So it would, says Du Fresne. Why don't you go and recruit one?

The quoll looks up into a nearby peppermint gum.

Perhaps Sweetheart has followed?

She hasn't. 

We Can't Trust Him

Nothing at all, says Du Fresne, in answer to Baudin's crackling question.

Did I hear something about a missing crackle? asks Baudin. Should I inform Gaius?

No need, says Du Fresne. A search party will find him.

You have formed a search crackle? says Baudin. Well crackled!

The least I could do, says Du Fresne.

Be sure to keep me incrackled, says Baudin.

I shall, says Du Fresne.

Du Fresne turns to the Tzeet.

You haven't formed a search party, says the Tzeet.

Correct, says Du Fresne.

But you intend to? says the Tzeet.

I don't have time, says Du Fresne. I have things to do, voyages to make, aunties to keep out of the way of....

You said it was the least you could do, says the Tzeet. 

There was a very bad connection, says Du Fresne.

But I'm here at your end, says the Tzeet. I heard you say it was the least you could do. Referring to forming a search party.

All right, says Du Fresne. I shall form a search party, but I won't be part of it. The search party will report back to you.

And if the search party finds my brother, who will tell Gaius? asks the Tzeet. 

I will, says Du Fresne. But right now I'm off to set up the search party.

He goes off, towards the lagoon.

The Tzeet looks at his orange-bellied sweetheart.

What will he tell Gaius, if he's not even in the search party? he asks his sweetheart.

We can't trust him, says his sweetheart. 

I should have joined his search party, says the Tzeet.

Why didn't you? asks his sweetheart.

Too much to do, says the Tzeet. Collecting rotten wood chips and so on.

I'll go, says his orange-bellied sweetheart

(let's call her Sweetheart)

O Sweetheart! says the Tzeet. That's why I love you!

She flies off, in the wake of Du Fresne.

She flits between peppermint and swamp gums, remaining unseen.

Du Fresne passes a spotted-tailed quoll. 

Sweetheart notes that Du Fresne does not ask it to do anything.

Crots Crappkl-up?

Du Fresne thinks he might forget about the brother.

Desolé, says Du Fresne. But now, I must be going.

What does dessolay mean? asks the female orange-bellied parrot. 

Desolé, repeats Du Fresne. Means I'm sorry.

About my missing brother? asks the Tzeet

About going, says Du Fresne. But yes, also about your missing brother.

He may have been taken by a fox or a cat, says the Tzeet.

Or eaten a noxious weed, says the female.

Failing that, says Du Fresne, he may be off on a fine adventure.

Not him, says the Tzeet.

No, not him, says the female. Not you either.

No dear, says the Tzeet. No more fine adventures for me.

Not until we return to Saint Kilda in the autumn, says the female. With our new family.

The Tzeet looks apprehensive.

Perhaps you could return on the ferry, says Du Fresne.

The female looks disapproving.

What kind of message will that send to our babies? says she.

I'll be heading off then, says Du Fresne.

What will you tell Gaius? asks the Tzeet.

I'll tell him you're in the family way, says Du Fresne. He'll be glad to hear it.

About my brother? asks the Tzeet.

Du Fresne is about to say that he will convey the bad news about the brother when, as bad luck would have it.....

crackle crackle

A communication. Excuse me, says Du Fresne.

He shuffles off behind the swamp gum.

Any cracklews? asks Baudin.

Cracklews? says Du Fresne.

Crenny news? repeats Baudin.

Sorry, bad reception, says Du Fresne. There is good news, one of the Tzeets is here with his sweetheart. They are starting a family. All is well. And I shall be leaving.

Crony cron of crem? crackles Baudin.

Yes but I imagine... begins Du Fresne.

May I butt in? asks the Tzeet, who has followed Du Fresne round the swamp gum, and is listening.

No, says Du Fresne. This is private.

But, is it Gaius? asks the Tzeet. Why haven't you told him about my missing brother?.

Missing brother?

It appears Baudin has heard him.

Crots crappkl-up? asks Baudin.