The Warble Read Online Free PDF Page B

the tree to try to lift it. He
strained with all his might to pick it up and managed to get it a few inches off
the ground, but it was too heavy, and he dropped it. The creature dived toward
the Warble but while in midair, an arrow hit the creature in the middle of its
back. It let out a shrill screech as it fell, and then landed, face down,
inches from the Warble. It dug its grimy nails into the ground trying with all
its strength to reach the Warble, but when it was about an inch away from it,
its body went limp.
    A boy—Kristina thought
he looked like he must be in his early to mid-teens—came running toward the horrible
creature. His breathing was labored as he approached its lifeless body. He put
his foot on its back and pulled the arrow out of it. Then he turned around and
looked up at Kristina, who was still in the tree.
    He’s cute! Kristina
thought.
    He wiped the blood off
his arrow, and said, “What do you think you’re doing, wandering these parts of
the forest? Stupid girl!”
    Cute alright, but a
jerk !
Kristina frowned at the boy and then jumped down out of the tree. She went to
where the Warble had fallen to the ground. The boy was putting his arrow back
in his quiver and wasn’t paying attention when she picked it up and put it back
in her pocket.
    Looper flew over to the
boy and landed on a rock in front of him. Then Clover pushed herself out of the
knothole in the stump, wiped the dirt from herself, and flew to Looper.
    Looper knelt down on
one knee and bowed before the boy. Clover gave a little curtsy. “Thank you,
Your Highness, for saving us from a most certain death,” Clover said to the
boy.

 
 
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    Kristina wondered what the bowing was
all about, and as she stood watching, Clover flew over to her and whispered in
her ear, “Don’t you have any respect? Bow!”
    “Thanks, guys, but no
need for the formalities,” the boy said.
    “But the respect is due
to you, Prince Werrien,” Clover said.
    “Not as long as that
villainous queen—oh, excuse me, Her Majesty, is in power.”
    Looper made the
introductions. “Prince Werrien, this is Kristina. Kristina, this is Prince
Werrien.”
    Kristina looked at the
boy shyly. “Are you really a prince?” she asked warily.
    The boy’s blue-green
eyes gave her a fleeting glance as he slung his quiver and bow across his
shoulder. “I guess you could say that, but the way things are now, I just go by
Werrien.” There was silence for a moment, and then Werrien continued, “Well,
it’s been a pleasure, but I’d best be off. I’ve got plenty of things to do.” He
turned to leave.
    “Wait!” Looper said, in
a slightly anxious tone.
    Werrien turned around.
    “There’s something you
ought to know.”
    “Oh? What is it?”
Werrien asked.
    Looper flew up to his
ear and whispered, “We are in the presence of the chosen one .”
    Werrien turned to look
at Kristina. “Let me guess—this little girl?” he asked.
    Kristina marched over
to Werrien. “Little girl? If you haven’t noticed, you’re not really much taller
than me.” She stared up at Werrien, who was about a head and a half taller than
she was.
    “Oh, I get it. You’re
the one who has come to save Bernovem from all its troubles.” Werrien swung his
sandy blond hair out of his eyes and stared right back at her.
    Looper landed on the
rock again and tried to stand taller than he really was. “As a matter of
fact...” he began; then swallowed anxiously and continued, “Yes, I mean, that
is the reason she came here.”
    Werrien’s eye brows rose
and he shook his head in disbelief. He turned around, and proceeded to walk
away. “You can usually find me in these woods, so let me know when she’s done
saving Bernovem. We’ll have a big celebration.”
    Kristina felt her
temper rising. “Hey, Prince Charming!” she yelled.
    Just as Werrien turned
around in response, she tossed the Warble to him. He caught it, and looked
curiously at it. “What’s this?” he asked.
    “Oh,