by Sue Bentley
Mr. Benson frowned. “Run that by me again.”
Lily grinned. “What I really mean is sharing a pony!” She explained about Janie agreeing to take Pixie into the stable and being a riding school pony. “But it’s still going to be very expensive, so Adjoa’s parents might decide to sell Pixie anyway. But they won’t if we help with the costs. And then I’d be sort of sharing a pony with Adjoa. I’d be able to groom Pixie and ride her sometimes. What do you think?”
“I think Pixie’s going to be one busy pony!” her dad said, smiling. “But it’s an interesting idea.”
Lily held her breath and had all her fingers and toes crossed. At least her dad hadn’t said no right away like he usually did.
“I know you, Lily. You’ll want to be up at Greengates every night, looking after Pixie and grooming her,” said Mrs. Benson. “I’m still worried that your schoolwork could suffer.”
“I know I might want to do that, but I won’t, because I’ll know that I have to take turns with Adjoa,” Lily said honestly. “I’ll just be so happy to be able to ride Pixie sometimes—and pretend she’s all mine until I get a pony of my own one day!”
Her mom and dad exchanged glances.
“Well, when you put it like that, it sounds like a fair arrangement,” her mom said.
“And it’s the only way Lily’s ever going to give us any peace! So the answer’s yes,” her dad added.
“Yay!” Lily flung herself at her parents and gave them both huge hugs and then did a little dance around the table. “I can’t wait to tell Adjoa!”
Storm ran out from under the table and jumped up and down, barking excitedly. Lily grinned and just barely managed to stop herself from bending down and picking him up.
Later that night, Lily closed her bedroom curtains, getting ready for bed.
Outside in the street she saw a couple of people taking their dogs for a walk. She jumped into bed and snuggled up under the blankets with Storm.
“Thanks so much for everything, Storm. You kept your promise about helping me get a pony, even though things turned out differently than how I imagined! You’re the most awesome friend ever. We’re going to have an amazing summer with Pixie and Adjoa!”
Storm tucked his head under her chin. “I am glad I was able to help.”
Suddenly Lily heard howling and growling from outside in the street. She jumped back out of bed and peered through the bedroom curtains. The two dog walkers were struggling to control their dogs, which were pulling at their leashes and looking up at her bedroom. In the light of the street lamps, the dogs’ eyes looked pale and were glowing.
“That’s weird …” Lily said, turning to Storm.
The tiny puppy was hiding in the bed. She could see him trembling with fright.
Frowning, Lily glanced outside again and saw the dogs suddenly calm down. After a moment, their confused owners walked on until they were out of sight.
Lily came back to Storm. As she went to pet him she realized that he was trembling all over. “What’s wrong? Are you sick?” she asked worriedly.
Storm shook his head. His ears were laid back and his tail was tucked beneath him. “I sense that Shadow is close. I think he used his magic, so that the dogs outside would attack me.”
Lily looked at her friend in dismay. “Is that what he’ll do if he finds you?”
Storm nodded, his eyes as dull as blue stones. “All the dogs around here will be looking for me now. I will use my magic to mask my scent. It may give me a little more time.”
Lily kissed the top of his sandy head, breathing in his sweet puppy smell, and lay awake, hoping that Storm would be safe. She didn’t think she could bear it if she never saw him again.
Chapter ELEVEN
Lily woke up with a start the next morning. To her relief, Storm was curled up asleep next to her.
He seemed more like his normal self, but his sparkling midnight-blue eyes were still concerned. “I will stay here and hide. I want to be sure that Shadow cannot sense where I am,” he barked.
Lily felt reluctant to leave him, but she had promised to meet Adjoa at Greengates and help settle Pixie into her new home.
“I’ll see you later,” she said, bending down to kiss the top of Storm’s warm silky head.
Storm curled himself into a tight ball and didn’t answer.
“Whoa, there, girl!” Janie Green said gently.
Lily and Adjoa stood watching as Janie backed Pixie out of the horse trailer, hitched to her Land Rover. “That’s it. Good. Come on.”
Pixie slowly moved backward, step by step. Finally she stood in the stable yard, her legs trembling slightly and her chestnut coat twitching.
“Good girl,” Adjoa said gently, going over to pet Pixie’s nose. “She’s feeling nervous. She’s been used to living in a field by herself.”
“It’s only natural for her to feel unsettled,” Janie said understandingly. “She’s used to you, so why don’t you and Lily lead her around for a little before you take her into the loose box? Call me if you have any problems. Okay?”
“Okay. Thanks.” Adjoa looked over at Lily as Janie went to park her Land Rover. “Janie’s really nice, isn’t she?”
Lily smiled and nodded. “There are lots of strange new smells here. Why don’t you walk Pixie past the grazing field a few times? It might calm her if she smells fresh grass like in her field,” she suggested to Adjoa.
“That’s a good idea.”
For the next twenty minutes Adjoa led Pixie around the yard, talking gently to her the entire time.
Lily watched, trying not to think about Storm and whether he was still safe. But her worries about her tiny puppy friend kept pushing into her mind.
Pixie gradually seemed to relax. Finally, Adjoa felt confident enough to lead her to Bandit’s old loose box, which was going to be her new home. Earlier, Lily had covered it with a deep layer of clean bedding. There was a hay net hanging up and clean water in a bucket.
Lily opened the door wide.
Adjoa went to lead Pixie inside. But Pixie rolled her eyes and stood still. “Come on. It’s lovely in there. There’s space for you to turn around and lie down if you want to,” she encouraged.
Pixie shifted nervously and rolled her eyes. “She’s just not comfortable with going indoors,” Adjoa said.
“I’ll get some carrots from the feed store. That might tempt her to go in,” Lily said.
“Good idea,” Adjoa said gratefully.
Lily returned quickly. But the carrots didn’t work either.
“What if we can’t get Pixie to go in at all?” Adjoa said worriedly. “Janie might change her mind about her. She won’t want an awkward pony at the riding school.”
“That’s not going to happen. Pixie’s just scared. She’s going to be fine,” Lily said reassuringly, but she was starting to get concerned.
If only Storm was here. He’d calm Pixie down. But Storm had to fight his own battle, hiding from his enemy—the fierce wolf Shadow.
“I think I’d better go and get Janie or Don, after all,” Lily decided reluctantly after another fifteen minutes of leading Pixie around and a second failed attempt at getting her to go into her box.
“Okay, then.” Adjoa was almost in tears.
Just then Lily heard a rustling sound from inside the loose box. A spurt of bright golden sparks shot up out of the straw and a cute sandy face appeared.
“Storm!” Lily exclaimed delightedly and then realized that Adjoa was giving her a strange look. “I mean … it looks like rain or something. I think we should try Pixie one more time before we go and get help.”
Adjoa looked doubtful, but she nodded.
Pixie stretched out her neck and blew a warm breath toward Storm. Storm barked encouragingly and wagged his tail.
Pixie lifted one front leg. She took a step forward and then another one. She went inside and Adjoa closed the door after her. “Phew! At last! I thought she’d never go in,” she said, relieved.
“She’ll
be fine now. Why don’t you go and tell Janie?” Lily suggested.
Just as Adjoa disappeared into the office, Storm whined in terror. He leaped over the stable door into the yard, trailing a bright comet’s tail of golden sparks and streaked toward the tack room.
Lily whipped around and saw two small dogs coming through the main gates. They raised their heads and she saw their abnormally long teeth and fierce pale wolf eyes. Her heart skipped a beat. They were here for Storm!
She dashed across the yard and rushed into the empty tack room.
There was a bright golden flash. Lily blinked hard as her vision cleared. Storm stood there as his magnificent real self. The majestic young wolf ’s dazzling silver-gray fur gleamed and his midnight-blue eyes glowed like sapphires. A she-wolf with a gentle tired face stood next to Storm.
And then Lily knew that this time Storm was leaving for good.
“Our enemies are very close. We must go!” Storm’s mother rumbled.
Storm raised a large silver paw in farewell. “You have been a good friend. Be of good heart, Lily,” he said in a deep velvety growl.
Lily’s throat closed with tears and there was an ache in her chest. She was going to miss Storm terribly. “Good-bye, Storm. Take care. I’ll never forget you,” she whispered hoarsely.
There was a final bright flash and a crackle of gold sparks that sprinkled down around her like warm rain. Storm and his mother faded and then disappeared. The dogs ran into the tack room. Lily saw their teeth and eyes instantly return to normal before they turned and slunk away.
Lily blinked away tears as she went slowly back out into the yard. At least she’d had a chance to say good-bye to Storm. She knew she’d never forget the wonderful adventure she’d shared with the magic puppy.
Although she could never tell another person about Storm, there was someone else who was going to miss the tiny puppy and with whom she could share all her thoughts. Pixie!
As Lily went toward Pixie’s stall and saw Adjoa coming out of Janie’s office, she smiled at the thought of all the adventures they were going to have with their very own pony!
About the Author
Sue Bentley’s books for children often include animals, fairies, and wildlife. She lives in Northampton and enjoys reading, going to the movies, relaxing by her garden pond, and watching the birds feeding their babies on the lawn. At school she was always getting yelled at for daydreaming or staring out of the window—but she now realizes that she was storing up ideas for when she became a writer. She has met and owned many cats and dogs, and each one has brought a special kind of magic to her life.
