Free The Lost Treasure of Annwn by Catherine Cooper, RON, COOPER

Jack or Camelin. Jack smiled. They looked quite comical in their different poses.
    â€˜That’s better. Now, who’s in charge?’ asked Jack.
    All the starlings looked towards Camelin.
    â€˜I mean, in charge of the Flying Squad.’
    â€˜Who told you I’d got a Flying Squad? A raven can’t have any secrets around here, not even when he’s trying to help.’
    Jack ignored Camelin and looked at each starling in turn. He’d heard a couple of names mentioned as they’d been arguing.
    â€˜Who’s Crosspatch?’
    â€˜Who wants to know,’ snapped the darker starling with a slightly orange beak.
    Before Jack could answer the other four starlings began squabbling again.
    â€˜This won’t do,’ shouted Jack. ‘We need some order.’
    â€˜That’s what I told them,’ interrupted Camelin. ‘The one who just spoke to you is Crosspatch, he’s supposed to be in charge.’
    â€˜Are you that Jack Brenin?’ asked Crosspatch, ‘The one we’re looking out for?’
    â€˜That’s me.’
    â€˜You should have said, we’ve sworn to spy and snoop and bring back information for you.’
    All five starlings nodded, raised their heads, puffed out their chests and stood very still again.
    â€˜That’s better,’ said Jack, ‘It would be easier if just one of you reported back at a time.’
    â€˜We did. We’re each watching one of those boys who don’t like you. We didn’t come back together. We came because each one of us has got something to report.’
    Camelin turned to Jack.
    â€˜I’ve got three shifts and a starling watching each one of the gang so it’s round-the-clock surveillance.’
    Jack was impressed. Camelin had obviously been very busy.
    â€˜Could we have your reports, in turn, and maybe you could introduce yourselves too.’
    Crosspatch hopped forward.
    â€˜Max is in his garden.’
    Jack wasn’t sure this was the kind of thing Camelin had in mind until the second starling joined Crosspatch.
    â€˜Snaffle, on Tank watch, he’s with Max in the garden too.’
    â€˜Are all five of them together?’ asked Jack.
    â€˜They are,’ confirmed Snaffle. ‘Chortle, Snatch and Grubber came to say the same.’
    Camelin groaned.
    â€˜So we know where they are but what’s more important is what they’re talking about.’
    Snaffle squawked loudly and the other four joined in until Crosspatch hopped forward again.
    â€˜They’re plotting, about how to get their own back on Jack and Elan.’
    Jack didn’t feel too good. He’d anticipated they’d be after him and suspected they might want to pay Elan back too for what happened in the meadow; now his fears had just been confirmed.
    â€˜You’d better get back and find out exactly what they’re planning,’ ordered Camelin.
    Snaffle shook his feathers before speaking.
    â€˜No need, second shift arrived, they’ll report back later.’
    â€˜Thanks,’ said Jack. Being forewarned would mean the boys wouldn’t be able to surprise them. ‘You’ll have to excuse us, we’ve got to go now. Camelin and I are needed in the herborium.’
    Jack and Camelin watched the starlings take off.
    â€˜That was great Jack, I couldn’t think how I was going to get rid of them.’
    â€˜It wasn’t an excuse, we really do need to go down to the herborium. Nora wants to teach me how to visualise.’
    Camelin humphed before hopping over to the window.
    â€˜You’d better hurry up then or you’ll keep everyone waiting.’
    Jack didn’t rush; he was lost in thought as he went back downstairs. There had to be a way to face up to the gang but five against two, even if Elan was strong, didn’t seem very fair.
    Â 
    â€˜Try again,’ Nora encouraged Jack, as he and Camelin transformed for the third time.
    Jack saw Camelin