Carnival Chaos

by Shannon Penney

  He laughed and cheered as the wheel spun around, and—

  “His horn is glowing!” Twinkle said with a gasp.

  Sparkled nodded. “Right. He’s using his magic to make the wheel spin out of control. How do we stop him?”

  Twinkle peered up at the hamster. His huge smile was almost as bright as his golden horn! Twinkle knew she needed her seeing magic to solve this puzzle. Before they could figure out how to stop the hamster, they needed to know why he was using his magic to make the wheel spin so fast in the first place …

  “That’s it!” Twinkle cried. “Remember the hamsters’ boat from this morning? It was full of spinning wheels that they could run on. He thinks this is fun!”

  Sparkle clapped her paws. “Hot dog, you’re right! He doesn’t realize that the other animals are scared, or that he’s putting them in danger.”

  But how could they make the hamster understand—and fast?

  Suddenly, Twinkle had a pawsomely crazy idea.

  She turned to Glitter and Flash. “Are you two getting tired, or can you keep it up a little longer?”

  “All good here!” Glitter barked.

  Flash grinned. “I could do this all day!”

  “Ter-ruff-ic,” Twinkle said. She looked at Sparkle. “Be right back.”

  “Back? Where are you going?”

  Twinkle could hear Sparkle’s bark fading behind her as she darted forward, toward the Ferris wheel. She watched the different colored cars whip by—red, green, purple, orange. As the blue one with Sparkle’s golden glitter on it approached, Twinkle bounced and wagged her tail nervously. Bow wow, this was the craziest idea she’d ever had, paws down!

  It was coming closer … closer … closer … NOW!

  Twinkle sprang off her paws and took a flying leap—right into the hamster’s car!

  “Yikes!” the hamster squeaked in alarm as his Ferris wheel car swung back and forth.

  Twinkle held out her paws to steady it, giving the hamster a friendly smile. “Sorry to startle you.”

  The hamster stared at her with wide eyes. He was squeakless!

  Twinkle took a deep breath, trying to focus. The Ferris wheel was still spinning fast, and she was feeling dizzy! She closed her eyes and concentrated on her seeing magic.

  “I’m Twinkle,” she began calmly. “I live here on Puppypaw Island.”

  The hamster looked at her suspiciously. “My name is Nibbles.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Twinkle tried to ignore her lurching stomach as the Ferris wheel continued whirling around. “I wanted to talk to you because I noticed that you’re using your magic to make the Ferris wheel spin faster than usual.”

  Nibbles grinned. “I love going around and around! Isn’t it fun?”

  “Oh, fur sure,” Twinkle said. “And your magic is really impressive! But I think you might be scaring the other Cutiecorns on board. You’re used to this, but it’s new for them, and it could be dangerous!”

  The smile dropped off Nibbles’s face. “Dangerous?”

  “I know you’re just having fun,” Twinkle said, tapping into her magic to help her explain things in a way Nibbles would understand. “But the other animals on the ride are really frightened. The wheel is moving too fast for them! If we don’t stop it soon, they could get sick or hurt.”

  “Oh no, oh no!” Nibbles squeaked. “I didn’t mean to scare anyone.” He put a tiny paw over his eyes. “Are they all mad at me?”

  Twinkle shook her head. “I’ll tell you what. Use your magic to stop the wheel, and I’ll help you explain what happened to all the other Cutiecorns when we get off.”

  Nibbles froze, terrified.

  “It will be okay,” Twinkle assured him. “Pup’s honor!”

  The little hamster nodded, then squeezed his eyes shut. Twinkle could see his golden horn sparkling even more brightly than before as the Ferris wheel slowed to a gentle stop. Barking bulldogs, what a relief!

  A crowd of Cutiecorns had gathered around the base of the wheel, and they all clapped and cheered as it stopped spinning. Twinkle could see Glitter, Flash, and Sparkle in the front of the group, cheering loudest of all.

  As each Ferris wheel car unloaded, dizzy Cutiecorns set paw back on solid ground. Bunnies, birds, goats, cats, hedgehogs, and pups all looked disoriented … and relieved to finally be off that crazy ride! When it was Nibbles’s and Twinkle’s turn to climb out, Twinkle waved a paw at the other Cutiecorns who had been on the Ferris wheel.

  “Could we bark with you all for just a minute?” she asked.

  The other Cutiecorn riders stepped closer, looking confused and curious.

  Twinkle cleared her throat. She didn’t like barking in front of a crowd, but she was determined to make this right. “I know that was a bit of a wild ride,” she began.

  “Yeah, and that hamster is the one to blame!” a queasy-looking cat said. She pointed a paw at Nibbles, who was peeking out nervously from behind Twinkle.

  “This is Nibbles,” Twinkle explained calmly. She needed every bit of her seeing magic now, to help these different Cutiecorns understand one another! “Spinning on a wheel is his very favorite thing to do. He used his magic to speed up the Ferris wheel because he thought it would be fun.”

  “Fun? I almost threw up that basketball I ate for lunch,” a goat grumbled under his breath.

  “I’m so sorry!” Nibbles squeaked up suddenly. The words seemed to tumble from his tiny mouth, faster and faster. “I didn’t mean to scare anyone! I was having such a furbulous time, my magic got a little out of control. I’ve never met other kinds of Cutiecorns before, and I didn’t realize we wouldn’t like the same things.”

  Twinkle noticed the other animals’ faces soften, listening to Nibbles explain.

  “I’ve never met other kinds of Cutiecorns, either,” a white bunny said.

  A brilliant green-and-gold bird nodded. “We’re all really different, but it’s fascinating to learn more about all of you—even if it means getting my feathers ruffled a little!”

  Twinkle smiled. Then she had an idea! She leaned over and whispered in Nibbles’s ear.

  Nibbles giggled. “I bet there’s one thing we can agree on—ice cream! Can we all go get a treat together?”

  The other Cutiecorns all started talking at once.

  “That sounds purr-fectly delicious!”

  “I’ll bet it would taste a lot better than that basketball …”

  “Do you think they have clover topping?”

  Nibbles joined his group of new friends, laughing and squeaking. As they headed for the ice-cream truck, he turned, scampered back to Twinkle, and threw his little paws around her. Bow wow, it was the tiniest hug she’d ever gotten!

  “Thanks, Twinkle,” he said with a glowing grin. “Aren’t you coming with us?”

  Twinkle glanced over at Glitter, Flash, and Sparkle, who were watching her with proud smiles on their snouts. “I’ll catch up with you,” she said. “I have some friends I need to thank first.”

  Nibbles nodded and darted off, calling over his shoulder, “I’ll get you the biggest ice-cream cone I can carry!”

  “Welcome, friends and special guests, to Cutiecorn Academy!” Mrs. Horne announced from the auditorium stage that evening. “We’re honored to host tonight’s talent show, to cap off a pawsome day of carnival fun.”

  Twinkle barked and clapped from the very front row.

  “You’ll be seeing Cutiecorns from far and wide performing incredible feats! I’ve gotten a sneak peek, and I think this is really going to be something to bark about. Without further ado, let’s shake a tail and get this show started!” Mrs. Horne raised her paws, and the heavy red curtain behind her was swept aside.

  Flash stood in the center of the stage with a huge smile on her snout. Bow wow, she was the first act! Twinkle waved and howled at the top of her lungs.

  The crowd cheered wildly as Flash went through her performance—she did lightning-fast flips and tumbles, hoop-jumping, and even some incrediwoof bala
ncing on a rope stretched between two cones! Flash was full of energy, and Twinkle could tell she was having a totally puptastic time.

  Suddenly, Flash paused and looked off to one side of the stage. Three little hedgehogs scampered out and stood in front of her, grinning. Twinkle’s jaw dropped. Was Flash going to do what she thought Flash was going to do?

  From center stage, Flash winked at Twinkle. Then, slowly, her purple horn began to glow. The three hedgehogs rose up into the air, giggling and clapping their tiny paws. Using just her shifting magic, Flash began to juggle the hedgehogs in midair! Hot dog, she was actually doing it!

  Twinkle couldn’t believe her eyes, but she also couldn’t help the grin that stretched across her snout. The crowd cheered so loudly that Twinkle could barely hear herself think!

  After another minute, Flash gently returned the hedgehogs to the ground, and the three little bundles of spikes bowed grandly. They seemed to love the spotlight just as much as Flash! Together, the four of them raced off the stage, followed by puploads of applause.

  Barking bulldogs—after that opening, Twinkle knew this was definitely going to be a talent show to remember!

  One act after another took the stage, and each one got tails wagging and paws clapping in the crowd! Glitter and Sparkle were both furbulous, just like Twinkle knew they would be. But the real surprises came from the visiting Cutiecorns’ performances. They did things Twinkle had never seen before!

  A group of birds performed some amazing aerial stunts, swooping around the auditorium right over the heads of the audience! They even got some other animals to volunteer, and used their magic to make them soar through the air, too. Twinkle never thought she’d see the day when a goat went flying overhead!

  Next, a little hedgehog in a black cape and top hat took center stage and put on a barking good magic show. He did card tricks, pulled a coin out of thin air, and even made a volunteer hedgie disappear! He was so pawsome that Twinkle couldn’t tell which tricks were illusions and which ones used his actual Cutiecorn magic!

  Some goats used their amazing balancing skills to create a towering pyramid by climbing one on top of the other. As they teetered there, they used magic to spin in unison. Twinkle couldn’t help it—she covered her head with her paws, convinced they were going to topple down on the front row!

  A blindfolded cat used her sharp senses and purrfect magic to navigate a complicated obstacle course across the stage, yellow horn glowing. She even worked her way out into the audience, deftly prancing across the backs of seats and weaving through the crowd—all without putting a whisker out of place! For her finale, she used her sharp claws to climb the curtain rope in no time flat. Then she whisked off her blindfold and waved down at the audience!

  A large hamster choir (including Nibbles) sang a beautiful, high-pitched song, complete with harmony! Twinkle had come to think of the hamsters as silly tricksters, but she was swept away by their squeaktastic singing. All of these different Cutiecorns really were full of surprises!

  Next, a little gray bunny took the stage. Her pink horn sparkled brightly in the stage lights. But Twinkle wasn’t looking at her horn—she was looking at the whites of the bunny’s eyes. The poor thing was terrified! She stood pawfectly still, frozen in place.

  Twinkle gasped. No bones about it, she knew this bunny—it was Fluff, the same one she’d helped during the Welcome Parade!

  Without another thought, Twinkle waved a friendly paw at Fluff. Slowly, the bunny’s wide eyes moved to look at her. Twinkle gave her a big smile.

  Suddenly, Fluff seemed to snap out of her fear. She recognized Twinkle … and smiled back! She took a deep breath, then began tapping her paws against the wooden stage in a complicated rhythm, getting faster and faster. Twinkle couldn’t believe her eyes (or ears)—little Fluff was a ter-ruff-ic tap dancer!

  Twinkle watched in delight, smiling so big that her snout hurt. She hadn’t needed any magic to help Fluff this time. Just a friendly smile was enough to save the day!

  “I’ve never seen tap dancing like that before!” Sparkle told Fluff as they made their way down Howl Hill toward Barking Bay.

  “You really were puptastic,” Glitter added sweetly, giving the little gray bunny a warm smile.

  It was dark out when the talent show had finally wrapped up. Now Twinkle and her friends were walking with Fluff and Nibbles back to the ferry dock. Ahead and behind, Cutiecorns of all types mingled and chatted, making their way slowly down to the water. Hundreds of stars glistened overhead, and the moon shone brightly, illuminating their path and reflecting off the bay. Hot dog, what a beautiful night!

  “And, Nibbles, you didn’t tell us you could sing!” Flash barked with a grin.

  Nibbles wiggled his ears mischievously. “We hamsters are full of surprises.”

  Twinkle, Sparkle, Flash, and Glitter all laughed. “We definitely learned that today,” Twinkle said.

  That wasn’t the only thing they’d learned! The whole day had been full of new friends and new experiences—some more fur-raising than others. But Twinkle wouldn’t have traded a minute of it. She felt like she’d found something she was truly good at, and she’d helped other Cutiecorns in the process. This was the best day she could have hoped for, paws down!

  As the group of friends reached the dock, they saw the different Cutiecorns’ ships bobbing in the moonlight. “Well, I guess this is—” Twinkle began. But before she could finish, two little furballs launched themselves at her and hugged her tightly. Fluff and Nibbles may have been tiny, but they both gave big hugs!

  “Thanks for everything today, Twinkle,” Fluff said. “You made me feel so welcome here, and I couldn’t have done the show without you.”

  “And I’m pretty sure everyone would still be mad at me for the Ferris wheel thing if it weren’t for you,” Nibbles added sheepishly. Then he grinned. “Instead, I’m full of ice cream and I had the best day ever!”

  Twinkle felt herself blushing. “Oh, it was nothing,” she said. “Meeting you two was my favorite part of the whole carnival, fur sure.”

  Fluff and Nibbles gave each of the other pups hugs in turn, promised to keep in touch, then waved their paws and scampered off toward their boats.

  “I’m going to miss those two,” Twinkle said quietly.

  Glitter put an arm around her. “I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of them. Maybe we can visit their islands next!”

  “Bow wow, what an adventure that would be!” Flash barked.

  The four friends watched as all the different Cutiecorns said goodbye to new friends and boarded their ships. The pups on the dock waved their paws as the ships pulled away and sailed out into the night. Even as the boats disappeared in the darkness, Twinkle could still hear the calls and squeaks and squawks:

  “Thanks, pups!”

  “We’ll see you soon!”

  Twinkle squinted out at the water, watching the last shadows of the boats fade. Suddenly, she felt a heavy paw on her shoulder. She spun around to see Mrs. Horne standing behind them.

  “Quite the day, wasn’t it?” she asked with a smile. “I see you made some new friends.”

  “It was the most ter-ruff-ic day of all time!” Flash yipped. Twinkle giggled. Flash was still full of energy, even though it was way past her bedtime!

  “I noticed what good hosts you pups were today,” Mrs. Horne said. “You were friendly, kind, and worked hard to understand our guests—even when they did things differently. I’m proud of you all for using your magic so wisely in unusual situations!”

  Twinkle glanced around at her friends, feeling warm and happy inside. They were all grinning from ear to ear!

  Mrs. Horne held out a paw. Four golden charms glittered there in the moonlight. Each charm had two overlapping paw prints.

  “It seems to me that you’ve all definitely earned new charms for your bracelets,” Mrs. Horne said with a wink. “These each have two paw prints on them, symbolizing your new friendships.” She attached one charm to each pu
p’s bracelet. “Wear them well!”

  “Thank you,” Twinkle breathed, admiring her new charm. It clinked against the others on her bracelet, making a lovely jingling sound.

  “Now I think it’s time for all of us to hightail it home,” Mrs. Horne woofed. “I don’t know about you pups, but I think those sleepy hedgehogs had the right idea earlier. Time for bed!” With a wave, she headed off down the streets of Barking Bay.

  Twinkle’s paws suddenly felt heavier than giant tubs of peanut butter. She rubbed her eyes. “I think I could sleep for days.”

  “Oh, you don’t want to do that, Twinkle,” Sparkle said with a grin. She fell into step next to her friend as the four pups headed for home. “Who knows what new adventure you might miss!”

  SEE HOW THE ADVENTURE BEGAN IN

  HEART OF GOLD

  “I’m right on your tail!” barked Sparkle, chasing her friend Twinkle across a flower-studded field.

  Twinkle slowed down for a second, turned around, and stuck out her tongue with a smile. “You’ll never catch me!”

  Just then, another pup streaked by them in a blur of fluffy white fur. “She might not—but I will!” Glitter the Maltese puppy yipped gleefully.

  Twinkle’s jaw hung open in surprise. Sparkle couldn’t help laughing. “Come on, Twinkle,” she said, trotting up to her Beagle pal. “Get your paws in gear! Last one to the crab apple tree is an unlucky puppy!”

  The two friends raced after Glitter. The beautiful horns on their heads glinted in the sunshine. After all, these weren’t ordinary puppies—they were Cutiecorns!

  The Cutiecorn puppies all lived together on Puppypaw Island, a special place brimming with magic and adventure. They looked just like regular puppies, but there was one big difference: They all had colorful unicorn horns! Their horns gave them each a unique magical power.