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THE DOOMSDAY SQUAD

When we awake we hear a cacophonous din outside the cave.

Fribby and I flap our wings—thwack-thwack—and fly out of the cave and hover there in the air, with our beaks hanging open. In addition to the wolves, there’s a bunch of other animals. They are all looking up at us and chanting, “The Doomsday Squad! Death to the man-creatures! Death to the man-creatures!” There are brown bears and black bears. There are cheetahs and lizards and monkeys. There is every kind of insect. There are bobcats and sparrows and owls. There are sloths and snakes and hawks.

The wolves look up at me and say, “How did we do?”

Fribby clacks her fangs with joy and sparks spray out her metal beak.

The wind is moving furiously in the trees, and the trees are shouting:

“You’ll bravely lead us to victory,

of this you can be sure!

After fighting many a pitched battle,

you will win the Great War!

Before you we bow,

because you are the King now!”

I flap my wings and turn to Fribby. “What now, my Queen?”

“Now we must get to work,” she whispers. “There are many preparations to be made.”