Atticus Claw Lends a Paw

Atticus Claw Lends a Paw by Jennifer Gray Read Free Book Online Page A

Book: Atticus Claw Lends a Paw by Jennifer Gray Read Free Book Online
Authors: Jennifer Gray
said. ‘A bit like stewed worm.’ He took another slurp. ‘Could do with more salt though.’
    ‘Can you feel any wisdom coming on?’ Slasher asked.
    ‘Not yet.’ Thug polished off the mixture and sat back, waiting. He closed his eyes. Suddenly they pinged wide open. His feathers shook.
    ‘Something’s happening!’ Jimmy said. ‘Stand back!’
    BOOOOOOOOOOOFFFFFFF!
    Thug keeled over.
    The other magpies stared.
    ‘Oops,’ said Wally.
    Just then the caravan door opened.
    ‘Vot are you doing?’ Zenia screeched. ‘Vy is that magpie orange?’
    Thug’s feathers had turned the colour of Ginger Biscuit’s fur.
    Zenia Klob prodded Thug with a skewer. ‘And vy are its legs all hairy?’ she demanded.
    Thug’s legs were covered in wiry ginger hair. Somehow the hair had got mixed up with the feathers on his bottom, or the other way around.It looked as though Thug was wearing a hairy pair of orange feather pants. Or a feathery pair of orange hair pants.
    ‘Vait a minute!’ Zenia spied the notebook. ‘Vot’s this?!’ She grabbed it and flicked it open. Her eyeballs popped. ‘You tried to trick me, didn’t you, you naughty birdies?’ she shrieked. ‘Thought you’d try to vork out how to get the lost treasure for yourselves vile Ginger and I veren’t looking!’ She reached for the hairpins. ‘Traitors!’ she screeched. ‘Biscuit, you know vot to do.’
    ‘GGGGGGRRRRRR!’ Ginger Biscuit advanced on the magpies.
    ‘Goodbye, cruel world,’ Thug whispered. He held out his orange wings at full stretch. ‘I’m coming, Nube! Prepare to receive the chosen one! I’m ready to embrace death!’
    ‘We’re not!’ The other magpies fluttered backwards, squawking.
    POP. POP. POP. POP. Ginger Biscuit popped out his claws one by one. He was going to enjoy this.
    ‘Ah ha ha ha! Ah ha ha ha!’ Suddenly a horrible screech rang round the room. It was Zenia, laughing . ‘You pathetic pigeons!’ she shrieked, holdingthe book up. ‘You hopeless hens! You’ve got the wrong book! This isn’t Howard Toffly’s book of Ancient Egyptian visdom. It’s Herman Tucker’s build-a-beard-jumper manual. He vants to re-grow the one that Biscuit sliced! Ah ha ha ha. Ah ha ha ha!’
    Suddenly the laughter switched off.
    ‘Vich means unfortunately ve still need you. Change of plan, Biscuit. No magpie killing today.’
    Ginger Biscuit looked disappointed.
    Zenia Klob clicked the steel toes of her heavy boots. ‘Go back to the island with them, my evil pet,’ she addressed Ginger. ‘And make sure they get the right book this time.’

8
    Atticus was dreaming. In his dream he was sitting on a magnificent throne inside a beautiful golden temple, with Mimi by his side. Crowds of people lined the temple to worship him. The people tiptoed past Atticus one by one, bowing as they went and offering him gifts. Atticus waved a paw at each one to say thank you. Inspector Cheddar was next in line. He shuffled towards Atticus with a squeaky wheelie trolley, reached in and produced a fish pie bursting with prawns. But it wasn’t really Inspector Cheddar. It was Zenia Klob in disguise! And the pie was full of magpies not prawns. They flew at him, chattering madly. At the same time a huge ginger cat leapt from the wheelie trolley ready to devour him …
    ‘MYAAAAAAWWWWW!’
    ‘Atticus!’ Mimi was shaking him. ‘Wake up. You’re having a nightmare!’

    Atticus looked about. He was lying on Inspector Cheddar’s favourite armchair in the sitting room at number 2 Blossom Crescent. His paws were trembling.
    ‘What’s wrong?’ Mimi asked gently.
    ‘I don’t know,’ Atticus shook his head. ‘I just feel … weird. I felt the same when I was at the crypt today. I didn’t want to go, but when I got there I couldn’t leave!’
    ‘Is it something to do with Howard Toffly’s book?’ Mimi asked.
    ‘Maybe,’ Atticus admitted. ‘It sounds stupid, but I feel like I have to protect it,’ he said. ‘It’s almost as if it belongs to

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