Rainbow Street Pets

by Orr, Wendy

  ‘The police have found that stolen horse!’ her dad exclaimed.

  For once, Ellie was happy to listen to him reading the paper aloud.

  Master Midnight, the champion racehorse stolen from his stable on Thursday night, was recovered late on Saturday, when the thieves’ truck broke down just as they were about to deliver him to a large racing stud.

  Unfortunately the stallion’s companion pony, Pebbles, has not yet been found. His owner, Mrs Barrington, reports that Midnight is extremely distressed and will not settle down without her. It is feared that he will be unable to race in the Melbourne Cup this year unless the companion pony is returned.

  ‘Does it say what the pony looks like?’ asked Ellie’s mum. ‘It could be the one you found, Ellie!’

  Ellie shook her head. ‘She’s bigger than a pony. She’s a horse.’

  ‘The paper’s more interested in how much the racehorse is worth,’ said Ellie’s dad. ‘It doesn’t say any more about the pony.’

  ‘The poor pony!’ exclaimed Ellie. She imagined the lost, lonely Shetland, far from home and miserable without her friend.

  It took Ellie’s parents so long to get ready to leave that Ellie thought Silvie might have gone to a new home before they even got to the shelter.

  But the silver horse and the three-legged goat were grazing side by side in the front yard. Ellie let out a sigh of relief.

  Mona came out the red door and shook hands with Ellie’s parents. ‘Did your daughter tell you she saved that horse’s life?’

  ‘We’re very proud of her,’ said Ellie’s dad.

  But Ellie wanted to hear about Silvie.

  ‘We haven’t found out anything about the mare yet,’ said Mona. ‘The vet will give her a proper check-up tomorrow morning, but apart from the cut on her face, she seems healthy. She’s a lovely, calm horse – doesn’t seem to be upset by everything’s that’s happened to her.’

  ‘So you’re sure it’s safe for Ellie to go and pat her?’ asked Ellie’s mum.

  ‘And groom her?’ Ellie asked.

  ‘You’ve always got to be careful with any animal,’ said Mona. ‘But since Ellie handled her yesterday without any trouble, it should be okay.’

  Mona got a rope lead, a carrot and a horse brush from the storeroom, and they all went out to see the white horse.

  Silvie came right away, nickering gently when she saw the carrot. Mona let Ellie feed it to her, then slipped a soft halter over the mare’s head and tied her to the fence with a rope.

  ‘Horses like to be brushed with long, smooth strokes,’ Mona said, brushing down Silvie’s neck from head to shoulder. ‘See how I’m brushing in the same direction her hair grows?’

  Ellie nodded, following Mona’s brush strokes with her hand. The horse stood relaxed, her ears pricked slightly forward.

  ‘She likes that,’ Mona smiled, and handed Ellie the brush.

  Ellie brushed the horse’s shoulders and sides, gently at first, and then more firmly when she felt Silvie relaxing and nodding in rhythm with the long strokes of the brush. The smell of horse filled her nose again; she breathed it in deep so she could keep it forever. White hairs floated onto her red T-shirt, and a butterfly thought danced inside her head: I’m brushing a horse! And another thought, fluttering around it: One day I’ll have my own horse to brush.

  Mona went back inside. Ellie’s parents got their deck chairs out of the car and set them up in the garden. Ellie didn’t notice. She and the horse were in their own world, and as long as she went on brushing, nothing could hurt them.

  Bert came in the gate, and Bessy rushed up to him, butting him gently till the old man gave her a piece of lettuce from the bag he was carrying.

  ‘Where did you come from?’ he asked Silvie, walking across to pat her. Ellie told him the story.

  ‘Do you know what happened to her tail?’ he asked.

  ‘It was like this when I found her,’ said Ellie.

  ‘I think we need to talk to Mona,’ said Bert. He went inside.

  Ellie went on brushing, but she had a feeling that she and Silvie weren’t in their own little world any longer. She brushed even harder when Bert came back out, because she didn’t think she wanted to hear what he had to say.

  ‘You’ve heard about the stolen racehorse, Midnight?’ he asked.

  ‘And they stole a pony too,’ said Ellie. ‘Has someone found it?’

  ‘I think you have,’ said Bert.

  CHAPTER 10

  ut this is a horse!’ said Ellie. ‘She’s big!’

  Bert smiled. ‘You’re right. She’s an Australian stock horse. But if her job is to keep a racehorse company, she’s called a companion pony. I think that’s exactly what she is.’

  Ellie wondered how Bert could tell so much about the horse just by looking at her.

  ‘I went to see Midnight race last year,’ he said, as if he’d guessed her question. ‘I didn’t get a good look at the horse that led him out of the stables, but it was about this size, and white.’

  Mona came out. ‘I’ve phoned the police,’ she said. ‘They’ll contact—’ Her phone rang before she could finish.

  Everyone was very quiet as she answered it. ‘That’s right,’ she said, ‘an Australian Stock Horse. Grey; probably just under fifteen hands high.’ She hung up, grinning. ‘Pebbles?’ she said. Silvie’s ears twitched. ‘Your owner will be here in an hour.’

  The last of the perfect Ellie-and-Silvie world crumpled and fell away.

  Part of Ellie was really truly glad that the horse was going back to a good home with people who cared about her, and a horse friend who was missing her.

  But part of her wished that she could have had a bit longer to go on pretending that the horse was Silvie, and was hers.

  ‘Can I still brush her?’ she asked.

  ‘Of course!’ said Mona.

  Ellie started brushing again, long hard strokes along the horse’s back to the solid curve of the rump. She wasn’t ready to say goodbye yet, but she knew she was going to cry if she didn’t do something.

  The funny thing was, that the longer she brushed, the harder it was to feel sad.

  Ellie’s dad went out to buy her a smoothie.

  ‘Come and sit down,’ called her mum. ‘You need a rest.’

  ‘I got strawberry,’ said her dad.

  Ellie sat on her mother’s lap and drank the smoothie. Strawberry was her favourite, but she hardly tasted it. She suddenly felt so tired she wanted to cry. Her arms ached, and it felt good when her mum rubbed her shoulders.

  But the hour was nearly gone already, and soon the horse would go too. Ellie didn’t want to waste any of that precious time. She watched Pebbles and tried to memorise her from velvety nose to chopped-off tail.

  ‘Her mane’s all tangled!’ she said. Seeing it was like a pin popping her bubble of pride at knowing about horses. Maybe I’ll never learn to be a horse person! she thought. Maybe I’ll never have a horse, even when I grow up.

  But I’ve still got Silvie a little longer! said another thought.

  She raced back to the horse. No matter how hard she tried to brush out the silver mane, the brush skimmed over the coarse hairs. The bristles were simply too soft to untangle the snarls.

  ‘It’s not fair!’ Ellie said. Hot tears spurted in her eyes, and she brushed them away angrily. ‘I want her to look perfect when the owner comes!’

  ‘Try this,’ said Bert. He combed Pebbles’ forelock and the top of her mane with a metal comb, and handed it to Ellie.

  It worked. And Ellie was just combing out the last tangles when a four-wheel drive and horse float pulled up in front of the gate. She put her face against Pebbles’ shoulder and breathed in deep.

  ‘Goodbye, Silvie,’ she whispered.

  Suddenly she knew that she couldn’t bear to see the horse be taken away. She didn’t even want to see the owner. She raced into the little blue house and shut herself in the bathroom.

  Ellie didn’t know how long she’d been in there w
hen someone knocked on the door, but it was long enough that she was hiccupping more than crying.

  ‘Are you ready to come out?’ her mother asked.

  Ellie opened the door, and her mum hugged her hard. ‘Mrs Barrington wants to meet you,’ she said.

  ‘I don’t want to,’ Ellie muttered.

  Her mum ran some water into the sink. ‘Wash your face and you’ll feel better,’ she said.

  Ellie washed the tears away and dried her face. She still didn’t want to see the owner take Pebbles away, but she knew she had to.

  Bert and Mona were waiting outside with Ellie’s dad and a small woman in jeans and riding boots. The woman shook Ellie’s hand as if she was a grown-up.

  ‘Thank you,’ she said. Her eyes were full of tears. ‘If you hadn’t found Pebbles when you did … It’s just too horrible to think about!’

  Ellie didn’t want to imagine it either. ‘I’m glad I found her,’ she said at last. ‘She’s a nice horse.’

  ‘One of the best,’ Mrs Barrington agreed. ‘Pebbles has been one of the family for years, long before she became Midnight’s companion. She taught my kids to ride when they were little, and she’s teaching my nieces and nephews now.’

  Ellie thought of how the mare had let her climb on her back, even when she was trapped and terrified. She couldn’t help feeling jealous of the nieces and nephews.

  ‘So, thank you, thank you, thank you from my whole family!’ Mrs Barrington said again. She waved goodbye, turned down the path and climbed into her car.

  Ellie waved back, watching the back of Pebbles’ head as the horse float disappeared down the road. Her parents folded up their chairs.

  ‘Thank you from us too,’ Mona said to Ellie. ‘I know it’s sometimes hard to see an animal leave – but you can see why it’s also rewarding.’

  Ellie and her parents went back to the car. But before they could get in, the four-wheel drive and float pulled in behind them. Mrs Barrington jumped out.

  ‘Wait!’ she shouted. ‘I was so happy to see Pebbles, I completely forgot about the reward!’

  CHAPTER 11

  e’re very proud of Ellie,’ her dad said, ‘but she doesn’t need a reward for doing the right thing.’

  ‘The reward was announced on the news this morning,’ said Mrs Barrington. ‘It wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t give it.’

  ‘Hannah’s family helped too, and Mona came to pick her up,’ said Ellie.

  ‘Okay,’ said Pebbles’ owner. ‘We’ll get everybody together and work it out. But you were particularly brave, and I still want to thank you. Is there anything you’d like?’

  Ellie had been waiting for this wish all her life. ‘Could I please have a ride on Pebbles?’

  Mrs Barrington smiled. ‘I’m sure Pebbles would be very happy about that. Come to the stables tomorrow afternoon.’

  The stables on the hill were white and cheerful in the sunlight. The paddocks around them were green, with white wooden fences. And every paddock had a horse, or two horses, or mares with foals, or a herd of yearlings.

  If a genie had given Ellie three wishes to design the most perfect place in the world, this was exactly how she’d have created it.

  Mrs Barrington gave Ellie a tour of the stables. Racehorses looked out over the half doors of their stalls, ears twitching as Mrs Barrington spoke to each one.

  Midnight and Pebbles were in the last stall. Pebbles was already saddled and bridled, and Mrs Barrington’s teenage daughter Amy was cinching up Midnight’s saddle.

  ‘Ready?’ asked Mrs Barrington, and she led Pebbles out while Amy followed with Midnight.

  Then, Amy on Midnight and Ellie on Pebbles, they rode down the track, while the adults sat and talked.

  Riding was just as perfect as Ellie had dreamed it would be. It was as thrilling as riding a bicycle down a hill, and as free as running on a beach with a dog, but it was different and better than both of them. It was the best thing she’d ever done in her life.

  And now that she’d done it once, she wanted to do it again and again.

  When the ride was finally over, Ellie kissed Pebbles’ nose goodbye. ‘Thank you!’ she whispered, and she was sure the horse understood.

  ‘See you next week!’ said Amy.

  ‘Next week?’ asked Ellie.

  ‘Next week,’ echoed her mum, coming up to meet her. ‘That’s one of the things we’ve been talking about.’

  And so, every Sunday afternoon, except when Pebbles was away steadying Midnight for an important race, Ellie’s mum or dad drove her up to the stables for a riding lesson.

  Hannah came a few times, but Peanut wasn’t allowed at the stables, so she decided she’d rather go to the beach with him. Her family gave their share of the reward to the Rainbow Street Shelter. ‘Because if it wasn’t for them, we’d never have known how good it was to have a dog,’ said Hannah’s mum.

  But Ellie’s reward was different.

  At the end of Ellie’s tenth lesson, Mrs Barrington said she had something to tell her. Her voice was solemn, and for a moment Ellie was afraid she was going to say that she couldn’t come back anymore.

  But Mrs Barrington’s eyes were smiling. ‘Now that I know you’re serious about riding, and have a feel for horses,’ she said, ‘I’ve got something to show you.’

  She took Ellie to a paddock where six colts were grazing. Five were tall and rangy, browns and bays, but the smallest and stockiest was a silvery grey. ‘This is Pebbles’ son,’ said Mrs Barrington. ‘He’s only two years old now, but when he’s properly trained in a couple of years, you’ll be ready to ride him.’

  Ellie was barely listening. She couldn’t stop looking at the colt – he was even more beautiful than his mother.

  ‘What’s his name?’ she asked.

  ‘Silver Shadow,’ said Mrs Barrington. ‘But you can change it if you want.’

  Ellie wondered if she’d heard right. It almost sounded as if … But that was impossible. She was crazy even to think it.

  Mrs Barrington put her hand on Ellie’s shoulder. ‘I know you don’t have room in your backyard for a horse, but he can go on living here for as long as you want.’

  Ellie couldn’t move or speak. She could barely even breathe.

  ‘He’s yours,’ said Mrs Barrington.

  CHAPTER 1

  ne night when everyone else was asleep, a floppy-eared, brown-and-white dog was wide awake, ruffling the rug in her nesting box. When she started having her puppies, her owner got up to sit beside the box, stroking the labouring beagle when she got tired and telling her what a good little mother she’d be.

  Five hours later, six puppies were nestled in the box beside her. They were all black-and-white, except for their round pink noses. The mother dog had licked them clean till they squirmed, and snuggled around them so they could drink her milk. Now they were resting after the adventure of being born, making newborn-puppy squeaks as they squirmed against their sleeping mother.

  The owner knew the mother dog wouldn’t want anyone to touch them, so she just sat, watching quietly.

  ‘Six perfect little beagles!’ she said. ‘I wish I could keep you all! But you’ll make whoever buys you very happy.’

  She hoped that selling them would make her some money too, but right now she just cared that they were all healthy and perfect.

  The prettiest of all was the one who’d been born first. She was the first one to feed, and she was the strongest. As the puppies grew over the next weeks, she would always knock the others out of the way if she wanted to drink. The other puppies rolled and tumbled, and found another nipple.

  ‘You’re a bossy little girl!’ the owner told her.

  ‘Whoever chooses you will have to be very strong too.’

  Kate and Justin had just got married and moved into an elegant apartment with a view of the ocean. They both worked long days in the city, and on the weekends they liked having breakfast at their favourite cafe by the pier.

  One Saturday morning when they�
�d finished their coffee and French toast, they walked on down the boardwalk along the beach. It was chilly, but so bright and beautiful that lots of other people were out too, rollerblading or cycling, or walking their dogs.

  ‘You know what would be perfect?’ Kate said.

  ‘A dog!’ said Justin.

  ‘We could go to the animal shelter in Rainbow Street,’ said Kate. ‘They must have lots of dogs there.’

  ‘It’d be more fun to have a puppy that we can train the way we want,’ said Justin.

  They pulled out their phones and searched as they walked.

  CUTE BEAGLE PUPPIES!

  Four males and two females. All tricolour (black, brown and white).

  Five weeks old: ready to leave their mum in three weeks.

  Come and see them now – be ready to fall in love!

  The picture showed the cutest puppies Kate or Justin had ever seen.

  ‘Gorgeous!’ said Kate.

  Justin was already calling. ‘Can we see them today?’ he asked.

  The puppies were even cuter in real life. The black on their faces was fading to brown, and their pink puppy noses were now black. Their fur was soft as velvet.

  They staggered around on their short bowed legs, yipping with shrill puppy squeals as they tried to chase a soft blue ball. Sometimes they wobbled into each other and stopped to wrestle instead.

  ‘They’re all adorable!’ Kate exclaimed.

  ‘But she’s the cutest!’ Justin said, pointing to the bossy firstborn puppy.

  They watched as she shouldered through the pack to get the blue ball. She hit it with her nose, jumping back in surprise when it rolled away. One of her brothers bumped into her and they both tumbled over. The little girl puppy rolled back to her feet and started after the ball again.

  ‘She’s smart!’ said Justin.

  ‘And beautiful,’ said Kate, as the owner picked the puppy up and put it into her waiting arms. ‘You’re the sweetest little girl ever, aren’t you?’

  Smiling at each other over the puppy’s head, Justin and Kate stroked the floppy velvet ears and the round bulgy belly. The baby beagle chewed on their fingers, wriggled against them and licked their faces: even her sour-milk puppy breath smelled sweet.