Ozette's Destiny by Judy Pierce

Author:Judy Pierce
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Ages 7 & Up
ISBN: 9780982727195
Publisher: Pants On Fire Press
Published: 2013-02-14T08:00:00+00:00

Ozette was up at first light. After carefully grooming herself, she headed to Oliver’s cottage to make sure her friend was all right.

“Ozette,” he said, opening the door and yawning. He was clad in sky blue boxer shorts embroidered with fire-breathing dragons, and his short, dark curly hair was in disarray over his elfin ears.He obviously had not been awake long.

“Have some breakfast with an elf-turned-butterfly-turned-elf-again,” he said, laughing.

Ozette smiled sheepishly. All of her worries had been for nothing.

While they enjoyed a light breakfast, Oliver regaled her with his experiences as a butterfly, including the delicious nectar he had sipped and the beautiful flowers he had visited.

“Come on, Ozette! You’ve never seen anything like an up-close look at these flowery gems. So intricate and colorful! You would love it! It will be an enchanting experience for you!” He could tell Ozette was weakening.

“Well…I suppose…if it’s just for a few hours…it might be sort of fun,” she mused. “But I would still be afraid that I wouldn’t turn back into a squirrel.” She poured a second cup of lemon balm tea and daintily munched an acorn croquette.

“But look at me!” he twirled around. “I’m back and the better for it. Now which would you like to try first – hummingbird or cardinal?”

Ozette started to shake her head but a distant memory flitted into her squirrelly mind. She was a mere babe, just getting her first fur, and her eyes were still closed. Her grandmother, The Divine Miss Piddlewinks, was holding her on her knee.

“Ozette, never forget this,” she said with a gleam in her eye. “There are old squirrels and there are bold squirrels. But there are no old, bold squirrels. Sometimes, my precious one, you must choose. Being prudent is usually wise, but never let fear keep you from experiencing the delicious opportunities life will offer you.”

She then kissed Ozette with a brief lick on the nose, a special sign of affection she gave only to her granddaughter.

Ozette gulped as her vision cleared and she saw Oliver looking at her expectantly. Was this one of those delicious opportunities?

“Hmm,” she said, picking up the vials from the table. Cardinals were certainly striking with their brilliant red plumage, but Ozette loved the way hummingbirds flitted from flower to flower, and their shimmering feathers glistened in the sun. “If I were to do this,” she said, “I would want to be a hummingbird.”

“Great choice, Ozette,” Oliver said. “If you take this now, I can watch you change.”

“Oliver, I still don’t know if I want to do this. I love being a squirrel!”

“It’s only for a short time, Ozette. Think of the stories you can tell your friends.”

Like all squirrels, Ozette was sometimes prone to rash decisions.

“OK!” she said excitedly. “But please check on me later to make sure I return to being a squirrel again. Promise?”

Oliver clapped his hand over his heart. “Promise!”

Ozette uncapped the vial and looked at the pale green potion. She sniffed it. It smelled like strawberries. She took a deep breath and drank the liquid.

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