The Warble Read Online Free PDF

destroying the fairy blossom?”
Kristina asked.
    “Well, you see,
Kristina, before Queen Sentiz took over the rule of Bernovem, the dwarfs and
gnomes were able to harvest the fairy blossom, and they could pick as much of
it as they pleased. It is what kept them youthful, because when they made tea
of it or used it as a flavor enhancer in their food, they would hardly age at
all. They could stay youthful indefinitely, but without it, they age more
rapidly.” Looper suddenly looked sad.
    Kristina found this
fascinating. “Go on,” she said.
    “Without it, they
become very weak and they can die.”
    “Oh.” Kristina felt
slightly awkward. “I’m sad to hear it,” she said softly.
    She continued following
the fairies for what seemed hours, and her legs grew very tired. The sun was
starting to set and fog was beginning to roll in, making it hard for them to
see. “How much longer until we get to this river?” she asked.
    “Sh-h-h! You mustn’t
talk louder than a whisper. We have already fallen behind schedule, due to your
nonstop gabbing,” Clover said.
    “Queen Sentiz’s
zelbocks are surely out in the forest, searching for anyone suspicious who may
have…” Looper flew very close to Kristina’s ear, and in a low whisper said,
“the Warble.”
    Kristina reached into
her pocket for the Warble, but stopped when Looper nervously glanced about the
forest. Then he flew to a nearby tree and landed on one of its branches. He
looked all about the forest. Kristina wondered what he was doing and was about
to ask Clover, but then he turned around and whispered, “Quick! Take cover!”
    As quick as a flash of
light, Clover flew off to a nearby tree stump. Then Kristina looked around to
see where she could hide.
    “Over here!” Clover called
out to her. Clover was sitting with her knees curled up, inside a knothole of a
stump. Kristina ran, jumped over the stump, and hid behind it. “Hey! Watch
out!” Clover snapped at her.
    Kristina was about to
snap back, but then she heard something coming toward them. She poked her head
over the stump and saw a horrible creature, slightly taller than a dwarf but
very ugly. Its face was covered in warts. It had a crooked nose, and its back
was hunched over. It stood very near Kristina and Clover, and with a
suspicious, evil look on its face, it sniffed the air like a dog.
     Kristina dared
not make a move in case the ugly creatures see her. She glanced up at the tree
where Looper was standing, straight as a pin, against its trunk, not moving a
muscle. The horrible creature couldn’t see anything, so it started to leave.
But then a branch Kristina was sitting on snapped. She gasped, and the creature
turned around to face her. It stared directly into her eyes and grinned from
ear to ear. Drool dripped out of the corner of its mouth, and it rubbed its
large, gnarled hands together.
    Kristina looked at
Looper, who was now motioning for her to run to the tree he was in. Then she
looked over at Clover. “Hurry! Run to the tree and climb it!” Clover said
franticly.
    The creature started
toward Kristina, so she ran as fast as she could toward the tree.
    “Quick, Kristina, jump
and pull yourself up,” Looper said.
    The branch was much
higher than the top of Kristina’s head, but she gave it her best shot. She
jumped once but failed to reach it. The creature was right behind her.
    “Don’t give up,
Kristina! You must reach it,” Looper said fearfully.
    She jumped again, and
this time caught hold of the branch. Then she swung her legs upward, just as
the creature lunged up underneath her, scratching her back with its long, grimy
fingernails. She got her legs around the branch, and then pulled herself up to
sit on it.
    “Give me the Warble,”
the creature hissed.
    Kristina was barely
balanced on the small branch; she felt her heart pounding very fast in her
chest. Then, to make matters worse, the Warble slipped out of her pocket and
fell to the ground. Looper swooped down out of