The Ogre King: A Tale of Hope and Adventure: A Tale of Hope and Adventure

By Jonathan Austen

Hope and her friends Ruff, Buffasip, and Celeste are off on another quest. This time they’re in search of the Midnight Miracle flower—the final ingredient required to make a magical amulet that will lead Hope to her missing family. There’s only one problem—four actually—an Ogre King, Snaught and his three loyal subjects Fidiot, Ghunk, and Skrogg. But things are not all they appear to be in the Nuggrumph Forest, so you had better be prepared for plenty of action when you join Hope and the trio in another fantastic adventure.

The Ogre King is the third book in the series, and it delivers a strong, positive message about not judging others based on appearances.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hearthstone Fairytales
• Release date: Apr 18, 2017
• ISBN: 9780998497747

Book preview

A Tale of Hope

and Adventure

The OGRE KING

by

Jonathan Austen

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Copyright

Other Titles Available

About the Author

Chapter 1

The week-long, annual Top Wolf competition in the Wandering Oak Forest was nearly complete. The top four finalists were determined through a challenging set of events.

Ruff, the youngest son to the leader of the pack, Luther, scraped his way into fourth place. Literally. He had won the digging event in the semi-finals, a skill he developed from the numerous times his older brothers, Moose and Chewy, buried him up to his neck while playing hide and seek, or as Ruff referred to it bury the pup.

Hope held solidly onto third place. She’s not a wolf, however, but a young Rahken, a breed of dragon. The first of the dragon kind, known and feared for their deadly acid spit. Ruff’s mother, Nissa, had persuaded her stubborn husband, Luther, to let Hope participate in the competition. Luther had stomped his paws into the ground stating, She isn’t allowed to fly! Ruff’s family had taken her in after she had saved the forest from hunters, but not before those nasty thieves stole her mother, father, and sister. Now, only a few months old, she had already grown larger than her wolf friends, including Moose.

Buffasip stood in second place. He’s not a wolf, either, but a fenrir; a beast created from the likeness of wolves through the use of dark magic. Fenrirs were created for one purpose: to kill. However, Buffasip refused to be a monster and sought help from a druid named Gideon who used light magic to suppress his dark, fenrir side. Luther granted Buffasip permission to compete this year because he had risked his life saving Ruff from a frost giant named Skarf.

To no one’s surprise, Bruno, a scar-faced wolf who had once tried to eat Hope when she was tiny, stood in first place. He had won the competition for the last two years. This year, like the previous two, there had been a lot of controversy over his first place standing. Many of the other wolves claimed he had cheated, including Chewy who ended up being disqualified after he bit Bruno’s tail. In the end, Luther had found nothing wrong with Bruno’s tactics and even praised him for being so cunning.

The final event was a one-lap race around a three-mile obstacle course through the Wandering Oak Forest. The four finalist’s scores were so close that the winner of the last event would win the overall competition.

Luther and his pack circled around the four finalists who readied themselves near the starting line.

Ruff stretched his front legs forward and arched his back.

You’re wasting your time, Buffasip said without looking at him. He flexed his large muscles, distorting the yellow swirls etched onto his shoulders. The marks were put there by the druid Gideon as a way to help suppress Buffasip’s dark, fenrir side.

We’ll see, Ruff said. I made it this far.

Buffasip snorted. "Beating Moose is hardly something to brag about."

Hope flew up to the starting line. It would be the last time she could fly until after the race. She stared at the course. It was a straight run for the first hundred yards. Then it curved sharply to the right and stretched for a half mile with obstacles along the way, such as fallen trees, ditches, and rocks. A sharp left would take the competitors up Lung Buster hill; a mile long, steep run. At the top, the track curved to the left, again where the course went underground through a shallow dirt tunnel for a hundred yards. It had rained the night before and the tunnel was expected to be muddy. At the end of the tunnel was a fifteen-foot chasm; a jump so easy that even Moose could make it. The final stretch was a one mile, downhill run. The section was nicknamed Losers Flop because every year at least one wolf ran too fast and face-planted into the dirt, costing him the race. And no female had ever won the competition.

Bruno sauntered up to Hope and licked his chops. Nervous?

You wish, she said, sneering at him. She spread her long, black wings, brushing Bruno aside.

Luther walked over to the starting line. Listen up, he said in an iron voice. Luther stood taller than any wolf Hope had met. His fur was all white and blended in perfectly with the snow. If not for a few scars, you would never spot him hiding. His pack went quiet. There are a few rules I want to go over. First, there’s no going off the course. I have eyes in the forest to watch you...

Ruff brushed against Hope and whispered, I heard he always says that. Supposedly there’s nobody out there. I know a shortcut if you want—

And you heard this from who? Hope interrupted.

My brothers.

Hope chuckled. "Yeah, sorry if I don’t take their word for it. I’m sticking to the rules."

The second rule is, Luther said looking at Hope, his red eyes flaring, no flying.

"What if she accidentally slips into the chasm?" Bruno said, a strange smile played across his face.

Hope glared at Bruno. This rule severely hampered her. She was built for speed in the air, not on the ground. But she was never one to back down from a challenge and today was no different. I’m gonna wipe that smile off his face.

No exceptions. Luther said firmly. You fly, you’re disqualified.

Don’t let him get to you, Hope, Benji barked then broke into a coughing fit. Benji was the eldest wolf in the pack and Ruff’s grandfather on his mother’s side.

Other than that, Luther said, there are no other rules for the final event. Anything goes.

Hope looked to her left and saw her friend, Buffasip. He stood staring at the course, ignoring the jeers from the wolves. His massive muscles tensed, ready to launch him forward down the path. She looked to her right. Her best bud Ruff bounced back and forth, his tongue sagging to one side. She laughed. He could always make her smile, even after the hunters had stolen her family.

Luther walked around the finalists and stood behind them. Are you ready? he shouted.

The four nodded and dug their paws into the ground. They drew their noses even to the line scraped into the dirt and looked up at the course ahead.

On my mark, Luther said and began counting down. Three—Two—One. Then he let loose a thunderous howl.

Buffasip quickly took the lead.

Hope dug her claws furiously into the ground and kept her wings pinned to her side. The slightest lift off the ground would disqualify her.

Bruno was a half-length ahead of her in second place.

Ruff fell several feet behind them. He bounced one too many times and had tripped over himself.

Buffasip rounded the first corner with Bruno hot on his heels. Hope had fallen several more strides behind them. Ruff had finally found his footing and was gaining on Hope.

All four turned the first corner tearing their way down the half mile section. Hope lost sight of the rest of the pack but heard their howls and cheers.

The first obstacle was a hurdle over a fallen, thick redwood tree. Dangerously sharp branches jutted out from all sides. Bruno and Buffasip reached the tree first and leapt together. Bruno flew into Buffasip’s path