The Veil Weavers by Maureen Bush

something, to fix this.
    While we travelled, Brox talked, except when Vivienne chose to sing.
    “Why do you like human songs so much?” Maddy asked.
    Vivienne shook her head. “Not human songs. All songs. I like to sing. If otter-people had songs, I’d sing those, too.”
    I laughed, imagining Eneirda’s look of horror if she heard this.
    “I tried bird songs...” She shook her head again and woofed softly.
    “We like to slip into the human world and listen by campfires,” said Brox. “That’s where Vivienne learns her songs. And I learn a great deal, too.” He rumbled at the back of his throat, and continued.
    “We’re heading southwest, from Castle across the Bow Valley,” Brox said. “I’m using human names so it will make sense to you. We’ll climb over the ridge towards Storm Mountain, down into the valley, and keep heading southwest to the Rockwall. It’s all in a straight line – rather surprising, really, for mountain travel. We usually only see that in the prairies. Of course, there’s lots of up and down to make it interesting.”
    I groaned. Interesting wasn’t what I would call it.
    By late afternoon we’d finally crested the pass above the Bow Valley. I was happy when Brox insisted we walk around for a few minutes, but climbing off was almost more painful than staying up. Maddy and I dug out a snack and drank from our water sacks. The water tasted like old leather.
    “We can see our whole route from here,” said Brox. “Behind us, we can see Castle.”
    It looked huge from here, and very much like a castle, perched high above the river valley.
    “If we turn and look ahead, we can see the river valley we’ll follow to the Rockwall.”
    “Where is it?” asked Maddy.
    “Right at the end of the valley,” said Brox.
    I looked down the valley to the mountains blocking the end of it. Instead of a series of mountains lined up in a row, it looked like a solid wall, with the only gaps high along the ridge. “The weavers are at the base of the Rockwall?” I asked, hopeful but doubting.
    “No, high up in the clouds.” He said it like that would be a beautiful place to live.
    I just felt depressed. How were we going to get up there?
    Maddy and I stood on a big rock to get back onto Brox and Vivienne. I boosted Maddy and held her while she wiggled into place, and then I threw myself on to Brox’s back, grabbed handfuls of fur, and squirmed until I could get one leg over the far side. Brox snorted and harrumphed, but he stayed still while I struggled.
    As soon as we were settled, he headed down the steep drop into the valley. I leaned back, gritting my teeth as sore spots rubbed.
    Vivienne began to sing:
    Come, follow follow follow,
    follow follow follow me.
    Whither shall I follow follow follow,
    whither shall I follow follow thee?
    To the greenwood, to the greenwood,
    to the greenwood, greenwood tree.
    “We should sing this as a round,” said Brox.
    “What?” asked Maddy. “A round?”
    “Indeed,” said Brox. “We all sing together; then we divide into three groups, and all start at different times.”
    Maddy giggled. “That would sound terrible!”
    “No, no,” said Brox. “We start at precise moments, so the sounds all fit together.” He paused, and said in a soft voice, “It would make Vivienne very happy.”
    Maddy’s mouth twitched. “Then we should definitely do it. How do we divide in three?”
    I sagged. “Maddy,” I muttered.
    “We’ll sing,” she said, laughing at me. “Josh, when are you ever in all your life going to have another chance to sing rounds with buffalo?”
    I started to grin in spite of myself.
    Vivienne organized us. “First, we’ll sing all together. Then, um, Maddy – you’ll be first. I’ll start with you to help you get going. Then Josh and Brox together – Josh, you’ll have to sing loudly. I’m afraid Brox cannot carry a tune.”
    I coughed to cover my laugh. This was going to be a disaster.
    “I’ll come in third.” She sang