Spellsinger 03 – The Day of the Dissonance by Foster, Alan Dean

“You’ll see ‘ow interestin’ it can be if they take us!”

“I’m afraid I don’t know many songs about boats,”

Jon-Tom muttered worriedly, trying to concentrate, “and

none at all about pirates. See, where I come from they’re a

historical oddity. Not really a valid subject for contempo-

rary song writers.”

“Screw wot’s contemporary!” the otter pleaded with

him. “Sing something!”

Jon-Tom tried a couple of hasty, half-remembered tunes,

none of which had the slightest effect on the John B. or the

approaching vessel. It was hard to remember anything,

what with Jalwar moaning and genuflecting to the north

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Alan Dean Poster

THE DAY OF THE DISSONANCE

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and Mudge hopping hysterically all over the boat when he

wasn’t screaming in Jon-Tom’s face.

Then there was no time left to think as Roseroar rum-

bled, “Stand by to repel boarders, y’all!”

Jon-Tom put the duar aside. No time for playing. The

upper deck of the pirate ship loomed over them. Arrayed

along the rail was the oddest assortment of creatures he’d

encountered since finding himself in this world.

One massive dirty-furred polar bear missing an ear stood

alongside three vicious-looking pikas armed with four-

foot-long lances. A pair of lynxes caressed chipped battle-

axes and prepared to swing down on ropes dangling from a

boom. Next to them a tarsier equipped with oversized

sunglasses aimed a bow at the sloop.

“Take “em!” snarled a snaggle-toothed old bobcat. He

leaped boldly over the side, swinging a short scimitar over

his ears, and landed on the club end of Jon-Tom’s ramwood