"CRA-JAH! CRA-AWK-NEF,!" Teddy croaked.
Teddy was speaking Raven now, but Jack understood him perfectly. Teddyhad said, So+qV, Jackand Annie!
Annie stepped forward. Sh, fluttered to the windowledge and perched with Teddy. "GRA-QUORK!" shecroaked.
That's oWy! This isfun!
"QUORK?" Jack squeaked. Fun? "GRO-JAH!"croaked Annie, "KAH-SPREF-j!" Come on,Jack! Let'sfly!
64Annie and Teddy lifted off the ledge anddisappeared into the moonlit mist.
This can't be real,thought Jack. Itcan't be real!
He looked at his feathers and claws. He stretchedout his right wing, then his left. He flapped themboth. Before he knew what was happening, he liftedclumsily off the floor and landed on the windowledge.
Jack saw Annie and Teddy flying around in the moonlight. They were hopping about likeacrobats-diving and tumbling through the air.
"AWK-NEE CAW!"Jack croaked. Annie,come back!
"SPREE! SPREE!" shecalled.
Fly! Fly!
"AWK-NEE!"Annie rose from a dive.
in one easy swoop, she glided up and sat besideJack on the window ledge.
This is so muchfun, Jack!
she croaked. Don'tjust sit here!
65Teddy flew by them. I'm off to themountaintop! he croaked.
Fly with me!
Come on, Jack! croaked Annie. She took off afterTeddy, swooping through the cool night air. Oh, man!
Fear clutched Jack's small ravenheart.
I have definitely entered the tunnel of fear now,he thought. Merlin's words echoed in his mind:
"Proceed onward with courage, andyou will come out intothe light."Jack looked out at the night. He closed his eyes. Hejumped off the ledge.
Jack was falling! He opened his eyes and flapped.
His wings lifted him up. He steadiedhimself He hovered in the cold night air, his eyesdarting from right to left. He looked down. He nearlyfainted! The castle courtyard was far below!
Jack flapped wildly. He glided. He flapped again. Heglided. Flapping and gliding, he climbed higher andhigher into the sky.
Finally Jack caught up with Annie and66Teddy. They were circling in the air, waiting forhim.
"RARK!" Jack croaked.
Onward!
The three of them flew together through themoonlit night, heading for the nest of the Raven King.
Except for the swooshing of their wings, they madeno noise.
They soared up the side of the mountain, pasthemlocks and tall pines. They flew through long,misty clouds.
As they glided toward the mountain's peak, Teddylet out a low croak: Raventroops!
Jack peered through the night. He couldn't believehis eyes. In the whitemoonlight, he sawthousandsof ravens roosting on rocky ledges!
Jack, Annie, and Teddy kept flying. They soaredabove the troops, higher -and higher, toward thecraggy peak of themountain. When they reached the top, Teddy letout a, squawk.
There it is!
he croaked.
The nest of the Raven King! |