Читать книгу The Hidden Kingdom - Tracey Hecht - Страница 7

The Parched Pangolin

fox. “My bella Dawn, my sweet, mon amour—you’ve awakened! And, behold: my thirst has been quenched after all. Your radiant, red fur can brighten even the driest and darkest of evenings!”

Tobin smiled. Dawn was the leader of the Nocturnal Brigade—the group the three friends had formed to rescue animals in need of their help. And Bismark was right—she could bring comfort and light, even in the most difficult times. But the sugar glider’s not-so-secret love for the fox was affecting his vision—though Dawn always looked poised and polished, her fur was more dull than radiant at the moment. Even the strongest animals of the valley, like the fox, were hurt by the drought. Especially droughts as severe as this one.

Dawn cleared her throat with a raspy cough.

“Oh, mon amour! You sound totally parched. You know…” Bismark mused, stroking the fur on his chin, “I managed to find a little sip of water just before you arrived. It’s gone now,” he continued, shooting Tobin a glare. “But I think there miiiiight still be a little moisture left on my lips….” The sugar glider gazed up at Dawn. He batted the lids over his dark, bulbous eyes. Then he stood as tall as he could on his tiptoes and pressed his lips into a pucker.

But the fox barely noticed her friend’s antics. Her ________

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