It was cooler outside now. Daylight was fadingquickly. The wind had picked up.
"A grand adventure for us, eh?" said Teddy. "Yes!"said Annie.
Jack was excited, too, but he had lots of questions.
As Teddy started off through the oak forest, Jackhurried to keep up.
"What do you think our mission is exactly?" heasked.
"Merlin said we should bring order to the castle,"said Annie.
23"Perhaps he wants us to mop the floors and washthe dishes," Teddy joked.
"And make the beds!" said Annie. She andTeddy laughed.
"Our mission has to be harder than just doingchores,Y '
said Jack. 'What about the tunnel of fear?" "Oh, youneed not be afraid of fear," said Teddy. "I knowmagic, remember?""Teddy, did you know any magic before you metMorgan and Merlin?" asked Annie.
"Ah, indeed. My father was a sorcerer," Teddy said.
"And my mother was a wood sprite from theOtherworld.""That is so cool, " said Annie.
They crunched through piles of dead leaves. A gustof wind shook the tree branches. Golden oak leavesspun to the ground.
Jack's thoughts were spinning, too. Merlin in theheart of the oak, sorcerers, woodsprites none of these things would ever make senseback in Frog Creek.
24At last Teddy led them out of the forest and into aclearing. "Halt!" he said.
They all stopped walking. Beyond the clearing wasa small village of thatched-roof cottages. The cottagewindows twinkled with candlelight. Chimney smokerose into the dusky sky.
Teddy held up his lantern. "Onward!" he said. Theywent down a dirt path that passed through thevillage. Several children in ragged clothes peeked outtheir front doors.
"Greetings!" called Teddy. "Can you tell us how toget to the castle of the duke?""The castle?" a boy said in a frightened voice.
9"Tis just beyond the wood!" He pointed at a foreston the other side of the village. "Follow the path andyou'll come to it!""Oh, but you mustn't go there!" a girl cried. "Whynot?" asked Annie.
"Something's been very wrong at the castle," saidthe girl. "Ever since the ravens came!" "Has anyonebeen there to see what's going on?" asked Jack.
25"Only old Maggie, who used to work there," saidthe girl. "Two weeks ago, she went to the castle asusual. But she came running back, scared out of herwits.""Maggie says the castle is all haunted with ghosts,"said a boy. "She keeps repeating the same rhyme overand over.""Ghosts?"said Jack. His mouth felt dry.
But Teddy just laughed. "Ghosts don't scare me!" hesaid.
"Have you ever seen one, Teddy?" asked Annie.
"No! But I should like to!" Teddy said with a grin.
"Look!" One of the girls pointed at the sky. "Theravens are back!"A flock of large black birds was flying low in thedark gray sky. The village kids screamed. Severalgrown-ups rushed out of their cottages.
"Go away!" a woman yelled at the ravens. Shepicked up a handful of stones and began throwingthem at the birds. "Leave us alone!"26"Stop! Stop!" cried Annie. "You'll hurt them!" Astone struck one of the ravens. It fell to the ground.
"Oh, no!" cried Annie.
The grown-ups pulled their children inside. Doorsslammed and shutters closed.
Annie dashed to the fallen bird and knelt beside it.
Jack and Teddy hurried over to Annie and thefallen bird. The bird was crouching, slightly27spreading its wings. Its head was bowed a madelow, squeaking sounds. One of its feathers was bent.
"COO-COO!" Teddy said loudly. Re looked Jack. "Ionce journeyed to the Isle of Birdr" study theirlanguage," he said. "I learned a bl'
JDove, but no Raven.""Don't worry," said Jack. "Annie talks birds andanimals in her own language."28"I'm sorry for what they did to you," Annie saidsoftly to the raven. She stroked its silky black head.
"What's your name?""ROIK," the raven croaked.
"Rok? Your name is Rok?" said Annie.
"ROK ROK!" croaked the raven.
"See, I told you," Jack said to Teddy.
"Rok, they were afraid of you for some reason,"Annie said.
Rok made soft, bell-like sounds: "CRONG?
CRONG?
"Yes, that's why they knocked you out of the sky,"said Annie. "One of your tail feathers is bent. Butyour wings don't seem hurt."Rok fluttered his long black wings. He took a fewfeeble steps.
'Go on, Rok," Annie coaxed. "You can do it." Theraven flapped his wings again. "QUORK!" he croaked.
He lifted off the ground. "Great!" said Annie,clapping.
29Rok Rapped his wings. He glided up into thetwilight. He swooped with ease back down to Annie.
"CAW! CAW!" he called, as if thanking her.
"Be careful, Rok!" Annie shouted.
They all waved as the raven sailed off into the sky.
Annie smiled at Jack and Teddy. "He was reallynice," she said.
"Indeed he was, said Teddy. "I think your gentlewords were healing to him.""I wonder why the people here are so afraid ofravens, said Annie.
"Yeah, said Jack. "And what was that stuff aboutghosts?""Ghosts?" said Teddy. He smiled. "You needn't fearghosts if you're with me."Jack shrugged. "I'm not really afraid," he said.
"Not afraid?" said a feeble voice.
Jack, Annie, and Teddy whirled around.
30An old woman stood in the dark doorwayof a cottage. She leaned forward. In a crackeledvoice she said,"Where is the girl who spins wool into thread?
Where are the boys who play chess before bed?
Where is the hound who waits to be fed?"The old woman stared at them with a fearful lookin her eyes. Then she stepped back into the cottage and closedher door.
A Shiver went up Jack's spine. "That was Strange,"he said.
31"She must have been old Maggie, who worked atthe castle, " said Annie. "I wonder what she wastalking about.""I don't know," said Teddy. Then he grinned. "Butshe was good at rhyming, eh?"Jack nodded. "Indeed she was," he said softly. "Let'shurry along!" said Teddy. "Night comes fast upon us!"Leaving the cottages behind, the three hurried on inthe gathering dark. They left the village and followedthe path through the woods.
Teddy held up his lantern to light their way. Thewind blew the branches of the trees, making themwhisper in the chilly autumn night.
When they finally came out of the woods, they allgasped in wonder.
"Oh, man, 7 said Jack.
Towering before them in the moonlight were thewalls of a huge stone castle. |