Glenda, trembling in shock, managed to stand up. She folded her arms. She always felt better like that. 'Who do you think you are¨Cdropping out of the ceiling and shouting at people? And you're shedding feathers. That's disgusting. This is a - this is quite near a food-preparation area.'
'Yeah, push off,' said Trev.
'That's telling them,' said Glenda out of the corner of her mouth. 'I bet that took a lot of thinking.'
'You do not understand,' said a creature. The faces really were strange, as if someone had made a bird out of a woman. 'You are in great danger! Awk!'
'From you?' said Glenda.
'From the orc,' said the creature. And the word was a scream. 'Awk!'
In the shadows in front of the open cupboard the soul of Nutt turned a page. He felt someone at his elbow and looked up into the face of Ladyship.
'Why did you tell me not to open the book, Ladyship?'
'Because I wanted you to read it,' said her voice. 'You had to find the truth for yourself. That is how we all find the truth.'
'And if the truth is terrible?'
'I think you know the answer to that one, Nutt,' said the voice of Ladyship.
'The answer is that, terrible or not, it is still the truth,' said Nutt.
'And then?' said her voice, like a teacher encouraging a promising pupil.
'And then the truth can be changed,' said Nutt.
'Mister Nutt is a goblin,' said Trev.
'Yeah, right,' said the creature. And the phrase seemed incredibly exotic for someone whose face was looking more birdlike all the time.
'If I scream, a lot of people will come running,' said Glenda.
'And what will they do?' said the creature.
And what would they do? Glenda thought. They would stand around saying 'What's all this then?' and asking all the same questions we are. She shuffled again as one of the things tried to get to the couch.
'The orc will kill,' said a third voice, and another of the things dropped down almost in front of Glenda's face. Its breath was like carrion.
'Mister Nutt is kind and gentle and has never hurt anyone,' said Glenda.
'Who didn't deserve it,' said Trev hurriedly.
'But now the orc knows it is an orc,' said a creature. And now they were milling backwards and forwards in a ghastly pavane.
'I don't think you're allowed to touch us,' said Trev. 'I really don't think you can touch us.'
He sat down suddenly beside the recumbent Nutt and dragged Glenda down next to him. 'I think you 'ave to obey rules,' said Trev. The moving figures stopped instantly. That was somehow creepier than their movement. They stood there as frozen as statues.
'They've got talons,' said Glenda, quietly. 'I can see their talons.'
'Pounces,' said Trev.
'What're you talking about?'
'Those big claws are called pounces. The ones at the back are called talons¨Cthe ones they carry the prey off with. Everyone gets that wrong.'
'Except you,' said Glenda. 'You're like the big expert on horrible birdlike creatures all of a sudden.'