On a Morning Like This Chapter 11 The Passageway

The Rockliffs loomed high above them as they followed the base of the cliffs, and a small stream trickled from the rock wall and followed the sandy bottom of the canyon. The group continued along a path that wound through a maze of corridors, turning back and forth on itself.
Although there were other villages of the Wildings, as the Scrufflings learned, Mihael was the largest and the village where Nonna’s family lived. The canyon became steeper, the road narrower, while peaked mountains appeared above them. The turning of the path forked. They would never have found their way without their guides. Nonna had no memory of the trail she had used to leave the village. Circling the base of the many peaked mountains, they came upon a tunnel.
“The road to Mihael,” said Basil.
“I wouldn’t have found my way home,” Nonna exclaimed.
 Pata-Pikki, still cautious, listen for the tell-tale sound of contraptors. No sounds except the occasional call of birds were apparent, as they followed the course leading from the cave. For that, he thanked The One Who Lives. “Don’t Strange Contraptors fly in this part of the canyon?” he asked.
“The cliffs may confuse the ability of the Strange Contraptors to fly,” Samul said. Samul was a tall, young Wilding with his red hair pulled back into a long tail. 
As they entered the tunnel, Basil stopped in front of a niche in the wall. Within it was a lantern, like The one they had used in the cave. He lit the candle using the striker and then prayerfully lit the lantern. He carried it with him into the darkness.
Hoopy and Flur-Ella glanced back at the sunlight and followed Samul and Nonna into the fortress of the Wildings. Bar-thur stooped as he followed along, as the ceiling was low in some places.
Outside Pata-Pikki heard the trill of bird song filling the canyon with high warbling notes. He saw a soft brown bird perched on a rock overhang. In response, Pata-Pikki echoed the warble. The tiny bird cocked his head and returned the call. Realizing his companions were almost out of sight, he whistled back and hurriedly followed. “This looks carved. Was it hollowed from the mountain?” he barked.
“Yes, artisans carved it in my grandfather’s generation. The work is astonishing,” Basil responded. The tunnel held large columns carved with elaborate designs. Gradually, daylight filtered in from an outside opening somewhere ahead, and a lush smell of green filled their noses.
Flur-Ella’s nose twitched, “Ah,” she snuffled, “I smell flowers!”
Hoopy woofed, “I love green things! It was winter where we lived. How can it not be winter here?” Bar-thur face settled into a thoughtful look at the question.
They passed through a winding tunnel section that looped back and forth across itself. Samul called out, “We’re home! Look!” He pointed ahead.
The Forest Beings stared in amazement. In front of them was the most luxurious garden they had ever seen. Rather than various plants growing randomly, the plants were in groupings. Some plants had brilliant flowers, others richly colored fruits, and some were green with tassels like tall grasses. Water ran somewhere beyond them.
“What beautiful flowers!” yipped Flur-Ella. “They smell so sweet.” Sticking her black nose into one of the giant blossoms, she sniffed and drew back in surprise at the deep sweet smell.
 “The Farmer Man gave us the flowers many years ago,” Nonna said. “We started them from small sticks and seeds.”
 “The Farmer Man grows amazing things!” woofed Pata-Pikki.
 Light poured into the beautiful garden as they walked along a sunny path. Pata-Pikki looked up to see what device filled this garden with brilliant sunlight as stone walls surrounded them. Large arched openings at its end allowed the light to flood the tunnel. The sun came pouring through an opening high in the ceiling. Bar-thur pointed to the roof. “Basil, is that a peak of the pointed mountains above us?”
“Our Grandfathers found this crater,” explained Basil. ‘They climbed down from the top and found openings already in the side wall. He who knows all sent them. Enlarging the openings, they gradually carved out the tunnel creating this natural stone fortress and connecting it to the stream and the canyon. Now there is outside access to water and an entrance into the valley from outside. You are looking at a long, wide valley surrounded by cliffs and hidden from the outside through these arched doors.”
 “Does it concern you that the Narflbots might someday fly over this area and discover the valley?” Pata-Pikki whined.
 “It is of concern,” Samul answered. “They have seemed to stop short at the beginning of the cliffs; we believe the High King protects us with the outer cliffs.”
 “Behind you, in the tunnel,” Samul announced, “is a series of doors in the ceiling. We can lower them to seal the tunnel and trap intruders inside or outside it.” Basil gave Samul a warning glance, and he fell silent.
 As they neared the end of the great room that held the garden, Nonna suddenly cried out, “Mama and Papa!” Running through one of the sun-filled arches, they saw Nonna embracing a tall man with dark greying hair and a silvery beard. His noble face was joyful as his daughter ran to him. Beside him was a beautiful woman with graying red hair.
“Oh, Momma, Poppa, please forgive me!” cried Nonna to them.
“The One forgives, and we forgive,” her Papa answered. “Thanks be to Blessed Yeshua! You are safely home!”

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