Page 226 - Nuts to You - The Nutcracker Retold

Krakatuk to this rotten rodent! But before she could turn to run, the Mouse Queen grabbed Krakatuk.
Clara rushed in to do who-knows-what – but she was going to do it with all her might and all her heart. What she succeeded in doing was crashing in between the two, just as the Mouse Queen swung Krakatuk to end poor Pirlipat. Krakatuk missed Pirlipat and hit Clara, but Clara had succeeded! For Krakatuk flew out of the Mouse Queen’s hands and back into Pirlipat’s. And even as Clara was thumped on the noggin, and fell like a towel to the floor, the last thing she saw was Pirlipat fighting to keep Krakatuk.
Neither the Mouse Queen, nor Pirlipat, paid any attention to the lump on the ground that was Clara – for a fight over Krakatuk was in full force. Pirlipat had glommed onto the staff once more, and with all her heart, with all her might, and at the top of her lungs, was shouting, “No, your Majesty! No, your Majesty! No, your Majesty!” And with a wrench that must have been left over from her days as a troll, Pirlipat tore Krakatuk off the top of the staff and flung the Nut far away – and straight to the Nutcracker.
With utter joy, Pirlipat-as-Coffee, shouted to the Nutcracker, “Crack it!”
All the Sweeties shouted, “Crack it!”
Mother Ginger shouted, “Crack it!” The only one who didn’t shout, “Crack it!” was Clara, who still lay in the snow, out like a light.
Oh, yes. There was one other who didn’t shout, “Crack it!” and that was the Mouse Queen.
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