Crown Park Read Online Free Page B

call.
    A tiny head popped out of the
feathers on the moa’s back. “Are we there yet?”
    At first Jack thought he was
mishearing the squeaky call. Then Fluoro gasped and he figured
maybe not.
    The head was not the prettiest
Jack had seen. A prominent nose poked out below two squinty eyes.
It looked like some sort of mouse — a mouse with exceptionally big
ears.
    “No, no, we’re not there yet,”
replied the moa. “I just needed a rest.”
    “So did I,” said the goose. “I
can’t handle these expeditions as I once did. Maybe I’m the one
that should be getting the ride.” He looked up at the animal on the
moa. “What do you think, Pat?”
    Pat didn’t answer. His nose was
in the air sniffing. “What’s that smell?”
    “Can’t smell a thing,” said the
goose.
    “Me neither,” added the moa.
    The kaka sniffed twice. “There
is something. But I’ve no idea what it is.”
    “I’m going to investigate,” said
Pat, who now crawled out of the moa’s feathers until his entire
body was visible. Two black, leathery wings unfolded as he took to
the air.
    Jack gasped. It was a bat, the
first he had ever seen.
    “Pekapeka,” whispered Fluoro.
“The lesser short-tailed bat.”
    Jack barely heard. All his
attention was on Pat, now high over the clearing, flying in circles
that narrowed as he lost height. He was homing in on Chainsaw.
    The cat’s eyes followed the bat
until it was directly above him. Then he jumped up and swatted the
bat, hitting a wing with his paw. Pat crashed to the ground.
    Chainsaw rocked back on his
haunches, ready to pounce. Pat tried to scramble away, but a wing
got caught on some weed stalks and wouldn’t fold in.
    Just as Chainsaw was about to
spring forward, a huge foot thumped down between the two animals.
If the timing had been only slightly different, Chainsaw would have
been squashed as surely as if a truck had run over him. As it was,
his nose was cut by a massive claw.
    Chainsaw decided to get out of
there before the other foot landed. He bounded to the nearest tree
and was crouched on a branch before the other animals had a chance
to react.
    “What was that?” asked the
kaka.
    “Never seen one before,” replied
the moa.
    “Looked like one of your sort,
Pat,” said the goose.
    “What do you mean, my sort?”
    “You know. A furry thing.”
    Pat stared at the goose. “There
aren’t any other furry things.”
    “There must be,” replied the
goose, looking towards the tree where Chainsaw was sheltering.
“It’s covered in fur, not feathers. So it has to be one of your
sort.”
    “It was trying to kill me,”
squeaked Pat. “I don’t think another mammal would do that.”
    “Well, he’s certainly not a
bird,” said the goose.
    “Was that the thing that
smelled?” asked the moa.
    Pat sniffed the air. “Yes!” Then
he sniffed again. “But it’s not the only thing.”
    The moa turned to the kaka.
“Emily, could you check it out, please.”
    “Which direction?” asked
Emily.
    Pat turned his head slowly,
breathing in deeply. He stopped when he was pointed directly at
Jack and Fluoro. “There!”
    Emily took to the air, flying
straight towards the humans. Jack ducked down, but Fluoro remained
standing.
    The kaka spotted him, and began
squawking noisily, flying backwards and forwards before landing on
an overhanging branch.
    “What is it?” asked the moa.
    Emily peered down at the two
humans. “Things. Living things,” she replied. “I don’t know that I
can describe them any better.”
    The moa moved closer. “Come
out!” it boomed. “Come out, you things.”
    Jack looked up to Fluoro for
guidance. The man gave him a reassuring smile. “Come on. We’d
better do as it says. I don’t think it means to harm us.”
    Jack parted the bushes to study
the bird that was now standing at full height. “Are you sure?”
    “No! But it’s probably best not
to anger it any further.” Fluoro took a step forward.
    A moment later, Jack did the
same. What