13 Awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga!

CHAPTER THIRTEEN Awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga awooga! Flora did her best looking after a gazillion very bouncy bunnies, but it wasn't easy. She went to Willow's bunk and found a Willow-shaped lump under the blankets. She stroked it for a little while. 'Hello, love,' she said softly. 'Hnnng,' said the lump. 'I just had a visitor,' said Flora. 'A fox.'

The lump (er, who was Willow) whipped away the blankets. 'Tell Ted I don't wanna see him ever again,' huffed Willow. Flora raised her eyebrows. 'It wasn't Ted, actually,' she said. 'It was his brother. Had a funny name, what was it…' 'Rufus,' said Willow flatly. 'I should know, I hear it all the time. Rufus this and Rufus that.' Then Willow put on a silly voice which was meant to be Ted. '"Ooh, Rufus taught me how to play the banjo!". "Rufus doesn't like cheese". "Rufus has got a new boat". Well, I'm sick of hearing about him!' And she biffed her little paws into a pillow several times. 'Hey, it's not the pillow's fault,' said Flora. 'Anyway, I didn't even know you had a best friend.' 'I don't any more,' huffed Willow. 'Sounds like this Ted fellow is important, though, for you to get so riled up about it,' said Flora. 'And he's obviously bothered. Else why would his handsome big brother be knocking on my door?'

'Did you just say handsome?' said Willow. 'I did not!' said Flora. A lie. We all heard her, didn't we? 'Anyway, listen up Willow. Mates are important. You don't just chuck 'em, even if you do have a big fight, OK?' 'Hmmph.' 'I used to have a best mate, you know,' said Flora, wistfully. 'What? When?' said Willow. 'Ages ago. Before you and your 376 brothers and sisters were born. I had more time on my hands back then, you see.' 'Oh,' said Willow. 'Rosa Pumpkins,' said Flora. 'The best pal you could ever want.' 'What happened to her?' asked Willow. 'We had a stupid fight about a pinecone,' said Flora. 'She came round the next day to say sorry, but I told her to get lost. Truth is, I was enjoying being in a huff.' 'Then what happened?' asked Willow. 'After a couple of days, I went round to her warren to say sorry, but it was too late,' said Flora. 'Had she died?' said Willow. 'Nah,' said Flora. 'She'd just moved house. But I'd left it too late. I never saw her again. Take it from me, Willow. If

you've got a friend who you really like, try not to lose them.' 'Yeah, well this is different,' said Willow. 'Anyway, Ted doesn't care cos he's got his brother and his sister and his stupid new boat. He doesn't need me any more.' 'I bet he does, love,' said Flora. Willow shook her head. 'Nah,' she said. 'I don't care. I don't need nobody. In fact, I'm gonna stay in bed for the rest of my LIFE.' And she yanked the blanket over her head again with a 'harrumph'. The next morning, Ted woke up snuggled between Rufus and Nancy, their tails draped over him like the softest, snuggliest duvet on earth. He rubbed his eyes a few times and looked around him. Everyone was still fast asleep, huddled around the dying embers of the fire. The sunrise was peeking over the treetops. He turned around and gasped. 'WOAH!' He rubbed his eyes again in case he was seeing things. In front of the Magic Tower was a giant wooden statue of a crow. Two great wings stuck out on either side. There were two large gaping holes where the eyes should have been, and a crown of leaves rested upon its head. 'We built it!' squawked Sharon, hopping over to Ted. She was chewing on a piece of garlic bread. 'We did not stop building Wyld Hilda all night!'

The rest of the crows sat in a huddle at the bottom of the Magic Tower. They looked exhausted, with messy feathers and grubby beaks. They were surrounded by boxes of pizza and cans of fizzy drinks.

'We got the munchies in the middle of the night so Pamela ordered takeaway,' said Sharon. 'What happens now?' asked Ted. 'Soon it will be time for the great jig!' said Sharon, her eyes gleaming with excitement. 'When the sun is high in the sky, we must do the Jig of the Party Crow. You know it, yes? You learnt it from the book?' 'Um, yes,' said Ted. 'Yeah, I can do it.' Sharon frowned. 'But two of you must dance the jig!' she squawked. 'You cannot jig alone. Where is the bunny?' 'She's not here,' said Ted, looking worried. 'What about all these crows? Can't they do it? It is a crow dance, after all.' Sharon shook her head impatiently.