North! Or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson Read Free Book Online

the waiting rockroach. It is not uncommon to find gathered in the gully any number of deadly creatures trapped and awaiting the gargan rockroach’s return from deeper in the earth where it tends its young.”

7
Monsters in the Hollow
    N ugget stood at the bottom of the gully with one great paw atop an old rotten tree trunk, Leeli and Tink on his back. Nia slid down to join them while Podo and Janner, halfway up the slope, tugged at the donkey’s reins. Janner scrambled to the rear of the donkey and pushed with all his might, but it did no good. The fear-struck beast brayed and whipped its head in defiance. It had no intention of going any farther.
    “C OME ON , YOU STUBBORN OLD CLOMP CHOMPER !” Podo yelled.
    “We need you to come just a little farther,” Leeli’s voice called sweetly from across the gully. “That’s it. Come on!”
    The donkey’s ears moved forward at Leeli’s voice, and its braying ceased. It took one halting step forward. Podo arched an eyebrow at Leeli, who smiled in return. Janner risked another look behind him as he slid down the gully slope.
    Peet the Sock Man had dropped from the trees and stood before the line of wary Fangs with his arms folded across his chest, his back straight, his chin thrust out, and his eyes closed. He reminded Janner of Mayor Blaggus when he conducted the Glipwood Township Orchestra.
    Then a troll emerged from the Fang front lines. It was the first clear look Janner had at one of the creatures, and he understood why Nia and Podo looked so worried when Oskar mentioned them. The troll’s legs were short and stout, but the creature still stood twice as tall as a man. Its torso and arms bulged with muscle and veins; a tiny head with a sprout of gray hair peeked out from between its shoulders. The troll’s eyes were hidden in the shadow of its bony forehead—a forehead matched by a bony jaw that looked strong enough to batter down a castle gate.
    The beast gripped an iron-studded club in a fist the size of a wheelbarrow. It held the club above its head for a moment, then growled at Peet (in a moanish sort of way) and slammed it down. The ground vibrated, and pebbles shook loose from the bank where Janner stood. The donkey lost any courage Leeli had awakened and backed away.
    “Grandpa!” Janner cried. “We have to leave it!”
    They scrambled out of the gully, lowered Oskar from the donkey’s back, and draped his arms over their shoulders.
    The troll slammed its club into the ground again.
    Peet still hadn’t moved. He stood petulant and motionless, buying the Igibys precious time just as he had on their escape to Anklejelly Manor. When Janner and Podo reached the bottom of the gully where the others waited, Janner took one last look up at the terrified donkey. He felt sorry for it and wondered if the Fangs would put it to work or if they would eat it.
    Then he saw, dangling from the donkey’s saddle, Peet’s satchel.
    Janner ducked out from under Oskar’s arm and skittered back up the slope. The trolls and Fangs had inched closer to where Peet now skipped in circles and whistled to himself. The man was as brave as he was crazy, and the Fangs didn’t know what to make of it. Janner tried to untie the straps that bound Peet’s satchel to the donkey, but they wouldn’t loosen, so he tore it open to grab what he could. He dug through a bundle of journals tied together with twine, a hammer, one old boot, a live mouse, and a leather flask—the water from the First Well.
    Janner gasped. He tucked the flask into the side pocket of his pants and leapt back into the gully.
    But something was wrong.
    Nugget should have crawled up the other side by now, but he stood motionless in the bottom of the gully. Leeli pleaded with her dog to awaken from his trance. Tink had dismounted and stood in front of Nugget with his hands on the sides of the big dog’s face, calling his name.
    Nugget responded with a lazy whine.
    Then Tink screamed and struggled with something at his