Free Luna the Moon Wolf by Adam Blade
Authors: Adam Blade
M ARINA HEARD THE CRY OF AN OWL . S NOWY !
She threw back her blankets and padded to the window. The sky was aflame with an orange sunset and she saw Snowy swooping over the fields, hunting for mice.
Marina never felt like sleeping on these long summer evenings. I wish I was out there with Snowy , she thought.
She creeped to the top of the stairs. From behind the kitchen door, she heard the murmur of her parents chatting. She had a good hour before they would come upstairs. Long enough for a run in the fields with Snowy!
She tiptoed down the stairs and lifted the latch of the back door. The grass was damp beneath her bare feet and the evening breeze ruffled her hair. She ran over the fields toward her pet owl. Snowy saw her coming and swooped down, hooting a welcome.
âHello, my friend!â Marina cried out. She held up her hand for him to perch on. But Snowy seemed to be in a playful mood. He soared away from her and flew across the field.
Marina laughed and ran after him. He was flying east, away from where the sun had already begun to dip below the horizon. The orange sky was darkening to a dusky pink.
âSnowy!â she called. âSnowy, come back!â
He was heading toward the ancient stone wall that marked the eastern edge of Avantia, where the Forbidden Land began. As she watched, he sailed over the wall. Then he disappeared.
Marina slowed down. What should she do? Her parents had always warned her that she must never enter the Forbidden Land. If she waited, perhaps Snowy would fly back.
Then she heard a squawk of distress. Snowy was in trouble!
Marina ran to the wall and began to climb. It was made of layers of dry stone with plenty of handholds. She was a good climber, used to shimmying up the apple trees in her dadâs orchard.
She let herself down the other side of the wall and dropped lightly to the ground.
A huge forest stretched before her. In the rays of the dying sun, the trees looked red, as if coated with blood. She touched the trunk of the nearest tree. It was wet and sticky â her hand came away covered in a thick red liquid. She gave a scream of shock.
âSnowy!â she called out, her voice trembling. âSnowy, letâs go!â
Then a high-pitched howl drifted through the air and two burning red dots appeared between the trees.
A huge wolf with shaggy white fur emerged from the forest. Her eyes gleamed like burning coals; her lips peeled back to reveal curved yellow fangs, glistening with drool. As her glowing eyes fixed on Marina, the wolf reared back on her hind legs and howled again. Marina saw that the Beastâs claws were black and fused together like knives.
The sun dropped below the horizon. The sky was a velvety dark blue; a white full moon had risen above the forest.
Marina backed away, too scared to turn and run. Was the wolf about to pounce?
But as the moon continued to rise, the wolf grew pale. Now Marina could see the trees through its body. She realized her enemy was becoming transparent.
âLike a ghost,â she whispered.
Then the wolf faded away completely. Nothing was left but the two burning red eyes, bobbing in the night air.
Marina felt an icy wind sweep toward her. Rustling noises came from the forest.
Snowy gave another squawk. Marina looked up to see him appear through the trees, flying high. He was alive! But as she watched, Snowy lost height. She could see his wings whip back against his body as he dove through the air. He wasnât flying â he was falling!
He landed at Marinaâs feet. His feathers were torn and bloodied.
âSnowy!â she cried, falling to her knees beside her friend.
Gently, she cradled Snowyâs injured body in her hands. As she climbed to her feet, a fox thrust its nose out of the trees. Then a badger. Another fox. A wild dog. Two hawks appeared in the sky, then a tawny owl, much larger than Snowy.
Animals were gathering at the edge of the woods. They were slowly advancing
She threw back her blankets and padded to the window. The sky was aflame with an orange sunset and she saw Snowy swooping over the fields, hunting for mice.
Marina never felt like sleeping on these long summer evenings. I wish I was out there with Snowy , she thought.
She creeped to the top of the stairs. From behind the kitchen door, she heard the murmur of her parents chatting. She had a good hour before they would come upstairs. Long enough for a run in the fields with Snowy!
She tiptoed down the stairs and lifted the latch of the back door. The grass was damp beneath her bare feet and the evening breeze ruffled her hair. She ran over the fields toward her pet owl. Snowy saw her coming and swooped down, hooting a welcome.
âHello, my friend!â Marina cried out. She held up her hand for him to perch on. But Snowy seemed to be in a playful mood. He soared away from her and flew across the field.
Marina laughed and ran after him. He was flying east, away from where the sun had already begun to dip below the horizon. The orange sky was darkening to a dusky pink.
âSnowy!â she called. âSnowy, come back!â
He was heading toward the ancient stone wall that marked the eastern edge of Avantia, where the Forbidden Land began. As she watched, he sailed over the wall. Then he disappeared.
Marina slowed down. What should she do? Her parents had always warned her that she must never enter the Forbidden Land. If she waited, perhaps Snowy would fly back.
Then she heard a squawk of distress. Snowy was in trouble!
Marina ran to the wall and began to climb. It was made of layers of dry stone with plenty of handholds. She was a good climber, used to shimmying up the apple trees in her dadâs orchard.
She let herself down the other side of the wall and dropped lightly to the ground.
A huge forest stretched before her. In the rays of the dying sun, the trees looked red, as if coated with blood. She touched the trunk of the nearest tree. It was wet and sticky â her hand came away covered in a thick red liquid. She gave a scream of shock.
âSnowy!â she called out, her voice trembling. âSnowy, letâs go!â
Then a high-pitched howl drifted through the air and two burning red dots appeared between the trees.
A huge wolf with shaggy white fur emerged from the forest. Her eyes gleamed like burning coals; her lips peeled back to reveal curved yellow fangs, glistening with drool. As her glowing eyes fixed on Marina, the wolf reared back on her hind legs and howled again. Marina saw that the Beastâs claws were black and fused together like knives.
The sun dropped below the horizon. The sky was a velvety dark blue; a white full moon had risen above the forest.
Marina backed away, too scared to turn and run. Was the wolf about to pounce?
But as the moon continued to rise, the wolf grew pale. Now Marina could see the trees through its body. She realized her enemy was becoming transparent.
âLike a ghost,â she whispered.
Then the wolf faded away completely. Nothing was left but the two burning red eyes, bobbing in the night air.
Marina felt an icy wind sweep toward her. Rustling noises came from the forest.
Snowy gave another squawk. Marina looked up to see him appear through the trees, flying high. He was alive! But as she watched, Snowy lost height. She could see his wings whip back against his body as he dove through the air. He wasnât flying â he was falling!
He landed at Marinaâs feet. His feathers were torn and bloodied.
âSnowy!â she cried, falling to her knees beside her friend.
Gently, she cradled Snowyâs injured body in her hands. As she climbed to her feet, a fox thrust its nose out of the trees. Then a badger. Another fox. A wild dog. Two hawks appeared in the sky, then a tawny owl, much larger than Snowy.
Animals were gathering at the edge of the woods. They were slowly advancing