Free Epic by Annie Auerbach

A hummingbird flew quickly through the trees, its hurried sound breaking the calmness of the forest. The bird twisted and turned through the leaves and around the branches as it tried to escape the nasty grackle chasing it down.
    Suddenly a louder sound could be heard. Something was breaking through the thick underbrush. Was it a bear? A wolf?
    No—scarier! It was a scientist! Armed with goggles, binoculars, and a backpack, Professor Bomba looked toward the bird fight above him. He could hear it, but he couldn’t see it through the leafy branches. He pulled out a remote control and pushed a button.
    At that moment, several tree-mounted, wireless cameras came to life, swinging in all directions. Bomba held his breath as he looked at the screen on his remote control. One of the cameras caught the fighting birds rushing past. Using the device, Bomba stumbled along the forest floor, following as best he could. He heard a single chirp , and then something fell through the branches.
    Bomba rushed over and bent down, disheartened to see an injured hummingbird lying on the forest floor. He flipped down his goggles and adjusted them so he could see more clearly. To his fascination, Bomba spotted a tiny saddle on its back. Bomba felt sorry for the bird, but was also elated that he may have found proof of a civilization of tiny people. He had yet to see them, but he was convinced they were real.
    In fact, they were close by . . .
    The grackle whirled around the high branches, hunting for prey. The rider aboard the shiny, black bird was only two inches high, but he was still a nasty piece of work called a Boggan. Boggans were brutish, bug-like creatures who wanted to take over the forest and ruin it.
    An arrow shot from the Boggan’s bow, speeding toward its target: one of the Jinn. The Jinn were human-looking creatures, also only two inches tall. Jinn had varied appearances and were able to camouflage themselves in the forest. Unlike the evil Boggans, the Jinn believed in the protection of the forest, not the destruction.
    A group of special and brave Jinn soldiers called the Leafmen believed it was their duty to defend the forest against evil forces. They moved like samurai warriors and rode hummingbirds as if they were fighter jets. It was one of these Leafmen that was currently under attack from a Boggan. His name was Nod.
    Wearing a helmet, armor, and carrying a sword, Nod ran along a thin branch when suddenly thwack ! The Boggan arrow pierced the branch near Nod’s heel. The arrow was poisonous. Instantly, a seeping wound formed at the impact point of the tree, and decay began to spread.
    Nod looked up to see two more Boggans fly in—and another arrow, heading straight for him. Just before it made its mark, three hummingbirds swooped in. Leafmen were aboard them, primed for battle.
    Ronin, the leader of the Leafmen, skillfully turned his bird upside down as he flew past. He cut the airborne Boggan arrow in two with his blade. Nod was safe once again!
    Of course, this just made the Boggans angrier. But although they were dangerous, the Boggans lacked military precision and training. They dove and swarmed from random directions, firing arrows at Nod, all of them missing their mark.
    Ronin flew alongside Nod. “Need a lift?”
    â€œI don’t need your help,” Nod said confidently.
    â€œYou’re running out of branch there, buddy,” Ronin pointed out.
    Nod shook his head. “I told you, I got this all worked out—”
    The Boggan’s grackle suddenly veered over and snatched Nod in one of his talons!

“H elllllppppp!” shouted Nod.
    In an instant, Ronin leaped onto the grackle. Dedicated and well respected, Ronin wouldn’t think twice about putting his own life on the line for someone he cared about. He fought the Boggan rider, while Nod dangled below by one leg.
    â€œWhy aren’t you with your group?” Ronin asked Nod, while still fighting the