The Otherworld by Katherine Genet

Author:Katherine Genet
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wych Elm Books

27

There were five or six gorgeous big oak trees standing on the hillside, spreading their branches out to touch the sunshine. Rue stopped on the path, then grinned at Clover and skipped around onto the grass under the trees.

The acorns were just starting to fall, and Clover dropped to her knees and scooped up one in each hand.

‘What are these?’ she asked.

‘Acorns,’ Suze answered, squatting down with her and picking one up and showing Clover. ‘Look, it’s wearing a little hat.’ She dug in her backpack and found a felt tip pen, drew a face on the acorn and gave it to Clover, who held it up with glee.

‘Look Rue,’ she called. ‘The ‘corn gotta face an’ he’s wearin’ a hat!’ She put the acorn carefully down and took off her own little backpack and began filling it with acorns. ‘Goin’ to make a fam’ly of ‘corns,’ she said.

The other girls roamed around, peering at the ground, looking for sticks that might make a nice, solid staff. They didn’t really know what either staves or wands were used for, but the thought that Selena would teach them was exciting. Rue picked up a good sturdy branch that came up just above her waist when she turned it end up on the ground. She tested it to make sure it wasn’t rotting, but it was solid, and nicely knobbed part way down in a way that made a natural place for her to rest her hand.

She was delighted with it.

Ebony, who had ranged farther away, came back brandishing a slim length of wood. She was grinning broadly in triumph.

‘Well,’ she said, re-joining the group. ‘I’ve found my staff.’

‘I’ve found mine too,’ Rue said, holding up her length of oak. She frowned at Ebony’s.

‘What tree is that from?’ she asked.

Ebony laughed, tapping her fingers on the stick. ‘Something called a quaking aspen. Which totally tickles my fancy.’

Rue nodded. ‘I like it,’ she said. It was completely different to her piece of oak, but that was all right. She turned to Sophie. ‘What about you? Have you found anything?’

Sophie shook her head. ‘I’ll look for something as we go,’ she said. Then grinned. ‘A nice big stick like yours.’

Ebony laughed. ‘You sound as though you’re planning to clobber someone with it once you find it.’

Sophie bared her teeth in a grin, and laughed, shaking her head.

She shrugged, looked over at Suze, who was still on the ground with Clover. ‘We should go find your pōhutukawa tree,’ she said.

‘And your clobber stick,’ Ebony said.

Sophie looked over at Clover. ‘We have to fit in a visit to the ducks too, remember.’

‘And I’m getting hungry,’ Suze said. ‘There’s a fish and chip shop down there, isn’t there? I wouldn’t mind that for lunch.’

Rue looked at Clover. ‘Ready to go?’

‘With about half a tonne of acorns,’ Suze laughed.

Rue’s eyes widened. ‘Wait,’ she said. ‘We need to thank the trees.’

‘Thank the trees?’ Suze asked.

‘What’s this about thanking the trees?’ Ebony asked.

‘It’s something that Selena said,’ Rue explained. ‘She

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