Free DuckStar / Cyberfarm by Hazel Edwards Page B

cushion. Could they go on TV to raise money to help the farm?

Chapter 3
    Quack Snack Attacks

    Duck felt a peck.
    â€˜Good morning,’ said a voice above him. ‘I’m Parrot. Anything you want to know, I’ll tell you.’
    â€˜I thought you only said “Polly want a cracker”,’ said Duck.
    â€˜It’s expected. Come on, I’ll show you around.’
    Duck flip-flopped, while Parrot squawked through the vegetable patch. As the morning sun shone on the puddles, Duck jumped in each one. He loved watching the water pictures go splat!
    â€˜Hey, there’s a snail on the cabbage leaf. Why don’t you eat it?’ suggested Parrot.
    â€˜Does he want me to?’ asked Duck.
    â€˜Ducks eat snails. You don’t ask your dinner if it wants to be eaten,’ chuckled Parrot. ‘Are you a vegetarian duck?’
    Duck wasn’t sure. ‘I don’t think I’ll eat the snail.’
    â€˜Thank you,’ said Snail and he moved on.

Suddenly, a creature raced around the corner. It was large with orange blotches, scars and spiky whiskers. There was a wild look in its eyes.
‘Screee — ach!’ Its back arched and its whiskers stuck up.
    Parrot squawked, ‘It’s the Feral. Follow me.’
    Parrot flew onto the lowest branch of the gum tree. Duck’s wings fluttered, his legs stretched, but he couldn’t get his body into the air.
    The Feral lunged.

    Parrot screeched, ‘Oh no! Duck! Juuuu........mp!’‘
    Duck took a running jump at the branch. His wings flapped. His legs lifted. He got off the ground but something clawed at his tail feathers and was dragging him down. Duck twisted in mid air and grabbed at the branch. Got it! Parrot hauled him into the tree by his wing.
    The Feral screamed and hurtled off.
    Duck looked down. One tail-feather was in the mud, another in a puddle. He’d left a bit of himself behind.
    â€˜Lucky! ’ said Parrot. ‘You were nearly Feral’s breakfast.’
    Duck’s heart pounded. ‘Who... was THAT?’
    â€˜The Feral Peril,’ replied Parrot. ‘It prowls at night.’
    â€˜It isn’t night now,’ panted Duck.
    â€˜It must have been disturbed.’ Parrot smoothed his feathers.
    â€˜I lost only two feathers,’ said Duck. ‘I was lucky.’
    â€˜This time,’ warned Parrot.
    â€˜You were lucky,’ said a loud voice.
    Duck looked down between the branches.
    â€˜Hullo Cow,’ said Parrot. ‘Is it safe to come down?’

    â€˜Yes,’ said Cow. ‘The Feral was prowling last night and ate a chicken. So you’re the new duck. Welcome.’
    â€˜News travels fast around here,’ said Duck.
    â€˜Not as fast as Cate.’ Parrot pointed up the path. Cate raced towards them waving a letter.
    â€˜We’re saved! We’ve got permission to do a TV Commercial here!’
    â€˜Why didn’t you tell us earlier?’ asked Parrot.
    â€˜Wasn’t definite. They’re coming on Wednesday. You’re going to be TV stars! The farm will get a fee for being a location.’
    â€˜Do we get paid?’ asked Parrot.
    â€˜Yes,’ said Cate. ‘Everyone in the commercial gets paid.’
    â€˜Use my fee for the farm,’ said Cow.
    â€˜Mine too,’ said Duck.
    Parrot looked the other way.
    â€˜Thank you,’ said Cate. ‘The TV crew is filming a Fake-Yo commercial. I hope nothing goes wrong.’
    â€˜Will Sheep and Goat want to be in the commercial?’ asked Cow.
    â€˜They’ll need some help,’ said Duck.
    Everyone nodded.
    Duck’s idea was going to happen — they were making a TV commercial. He might be a director.

Chapter 4
    Rolling Along

    The TV crew arrived before the sun was up. Duck was woken by voices. Reading late last night he’d nearly finished Cate’s How to Make TV Commercials book. Anyway, he’d looked at all the pictures and he knew the