Cuddle the Cutest Kitten: Magical Friends

by Magical Friends (retail) (epub)

  “Don’t worry. I’m sure we can find them in time,” Grace said as she and Olivia hurried after Beset.

  Passages led off in all directions, their entrances casting shadows on the smooth yellow floor.

  Olivia twisted one of her curls round her finger. It was damp from the warm air. “How do we decide where to look first?” she asked.

  Beset frowned. “The men who build the pyramids hide riddles and games inside them – like the secret passageway. Maybe we need to use a riddle to find the way.”

  Grace began to chant, moving her finger from one corridor to the next with each word. “Eeny, teeny, tiny cat – can you tell me where she’s at? Strokes and snuggles, she loves all that, eeny, teeny, tiny cat.” On the last word she was pointing towards a corridor on the right. “Let’s try that way.”

  The girls walked down the corridor, calling the two kittens’ names. It was lined with tall ceramic jars. The lid of each was shaped like a bird’s head with jewelled eyes that twinkled as the girls passed. The corridor twisted round a corner – and finished at a blank wall.

  “It’s a dead end,” Grace said with a groan.

  Disappointed, they wound their way back – and saw a little kitten curled up on the floor where they had started.

  “Cuddle!” Olivia cried.

  Cuddle rolled on to her back and stretched her paws towards the girls. Grace tickled her tummy and Cuddle purred loudly.

  “We’ve found one kitten,” Beset said. “But now we must find Cleo.”

  Grace said her rhyme again, and this time they went down a corridor on the left. Cuddle sat on Olivia’s shoulder, her head poking through Olivia’s curls.

  The corridor swung left, then right, then left again, winding backwards and forwards until the girls had no idea which direction they had come from. They came to a stop by a tall statue of a bird with a hooked beak.

  “This place is a maze,” Olivia said.

  “Miaow.”

  “That’s not a real bird, Cuddle!” Grace said. “It’s just – ”

  Olivia put her finger to her lips.

  “Miaow.”

  “That’s not Cuddle miaowing,” Olivia said. “It’s coming from far away.”

  Beset clapped her hands in delight. “It must be Cleo!”

  Chapter Six

  All in the Dark

  Cuddle leapt from Olivia’s shoulder in a flurry of black-and-white fur. Her bell jingled as she scurried along the corridor, her crooked tail twitching behind her.

  “Maybe she knows where Cleo is,” Olivia said. She grabbed Grace and Beset’s hands and they raced after her. The kitten led them down winding corridors and into a large chamber.

  “Wow!” Grace said.

  The ceiling above them was higher than the roof of her new house. Torches glowed in the branches of palm trees made of gold.

  Whoosh! A gust of warm wind swept through the chamber. It blew out the torches, leaving them in complete darkness. The girls cried out in surprise.

  Grace huddled next to Olivia. “I don’t like the dark much,” Grace whispered. Her hands shaking, she reached in the pockets of her combat trousers. She felt elastic bands, foil sweet wrappers and a stick of chewing gum, before pulling out the shiny blue penlight she always carried. Flicking it on, she circled the narrow beam of light around the room.

  “I have never seen such a torch before,” Beset said. “Is it magical?”

  “It’s like the ones on the walls, but you can turn it on and off,” Grace explained.

  Cuddle’s bell jingled and Grace trained the beam on her as the kitten disappeared into the darkness.

  The girls followed, Grace lighting their way as best she could.

  Cuddle stopped by a stone door. Grace moved the penlight over it. The door was covered in carvings of cats, of all shapes and sizes: playing with string, chasing their tails and rolling around.

  “I see what you mean, Beset,” Olivia said. “Egyptians really do love cats!”

  Cuddle mewed and scrabbled against the door with her paws.

  “Is Cleo in there?” Beset asked.

  “Only one way to find out,” Grace replied.

  The girls pushed against the door. It was stiff, and made a grinding noise as it opened a little.

  Grace poked her head through the gap. She flashed the penlight around, glimpsing enormous legs, jagged teeth – and a pair of massive eyes staring straight at her.

  “It’s a monster!” she cried.

  Chapter Seven

  Cat Chase

  Beset took the penlight from Grace, her shaking hands making the beam of light wobble. She slowly peeked round the door – and started to laugh.

  “It is just a statue,” she said.

  Grace and Olivia followed her into the room. Beset trained the light on a wooden statue, twice as tall as a man. It had a human body and a head like a dog’s. Its eyes were made from glittering emeralds.

  “What kind of creature is it?” Grace asked.

  “That is not a creature,” Beset explained. “It is Anubis – one of our gods. He looks after people when they die.”

  Jingle jangle jingle. Cuddle came in behind them. Beset shone the light on the little kitten and she wiggled her whiskers.

  The girls gasped as a torch on the wall burst into flame, then another, and another, until the room was bathed in light.

  “Did Cuddle do that?” Beset asked, her eyes wide.

  Grace tickled the kitten’s ears. “I wouldn’t be surprised. She brought us here, after all.”

  “Cuddle,” Olivia said, giving the kitten a kiss on the head, “is clever as well as cute!”

  In the light the girls could see that the statue of Anubis was surrounded by glittering treasures. A golden sphinx – like the one they had seen outside, only much, much smaller – jugs stood next to thick cushions.

  Olivia knelt by a turquoise chest brimming over with necklaces, bracelets and jewels.

  Grace ran her hand over the smooth head of a cat carved from green stone. There were lots of cat statues sitting neatly in lines, some crouched on their haunches, one washing its fur with a flickering pink tongue…

  Hold on, that statue was moving!

  “Beset – I think I’ve found Cleo,” Grace said.

  Beset gave a cry of delight. But Cleo darted away; a streak of short black fur and bright blue eyes.

  Cuddle sprang on to the head of the golden sphinx. “Miaow!”

  “Miaow!” Cleo replied. She bounded out from behind Anubis, pranced up the sphinx’s back and sat next to Cuddle. Her black fur was covered in dust.

  “I think Cleo would rather play with Cuddle than go to the celebration,” Grace said.

  Beset sat down with a sigh. “You are correct. Cleo has many celebrations to attend. However, I do not think she enjoys them. Being the Pharaoh’s kitten does not leave much time for playing.”

  Olivia tugged on one of her curls, her lips pursed together thoughtfully. “Maybe we could make it more fun for her,” she said.

  “That would be wonderful,” Beset said. “But how?”

  “We can make her a new toy,” Grace said, opening the pockets of her combat trousers. She tipped shiny foil, a lolly stick, a seashell, garden twine and a drinking straw on to the floor. Olivia emptied lip balm, a hairbrush and some sparkly hairgrips from her bag.

  Cuddle jumped down from the sphinx and bounded over. Cleo trotted to sit beside her, sniffing the heap of objects.

  Beset caught Cleo at last, and nuzzled the top of her furry head. “You are very messy,” she said. “You cannot go to the celebration like this.”

  Olivia picked up her hairbrush from the pile. “No problem. I’ll make her look fit for a Pharaoh. It’s kitten makeover time!”

  Beset put Cleo in Olivia’s lap, and Olivia brushed the dust off her fur.

  Cuddle gave her a lick too, and soon Cleo’s coat was gleaming.

  “She looks glorious.” Beset reached into the pocket of her gown and drew out a collar. It
was studded with glittering red jewels, each shaped like a tiny paw print.

  “This is Cleo’s special celebration collar,” she said, slipping it over the kitten’s head.

  “It’s beautiful,” Olivia said.

  “Here,” called Grace. She was holding the lolly stick. The twine was tied to the top, and knotted along its length were all the other objects. Right at the end were Olivia’s sparkly hairgrips.

  Grace shook the stick and the objects jiggled.

  “Miaow!” Cleo pounced on the twine, making the girls laugh.

  “She can play with her new toy during the celebration,” Olivia said. “That’s brilliant, Grace.”

  “Thank you both,” Beset said, though she still looked worried. “But how will we make it to the celebration in time if we can’t find our way back out of the pyramid?”

  Chapter Eight

  Join the Parade

  Olivia and Grace looked at each other. “Cuddle brought us here …” Olivia began.

  “… she’ll show us the way out,” Grace finished.

  The black-and-white kitten raced back through the pyramid. Cleo followed her, the toy in her mouth, with the girls behind.

  As Cuddle sprinted past, each of the torches on the walls magically relit, lighting their way.

  They crawled out through the secret passageway, tumbling over each other on to the sand.

  Somewhere on the other side of the pyramid, the air rang with the sounds of cheering and clapping.

  “What’s happening?” Grace wondered, climbing to her feet.

  “The celebration is about to start,” Beset said. “We must hurry!” She led the girls round the pyramid.

  A parade of people were dancing across the sand, their white robes and jewelled necklaces shimmering in the sun. They were heading towards the purple and blue tents.

  The girls hurried to the front of the parade. Four attendants were carrying an enormous cushion, as blue as Cleo’s eyes. Beset placed Cleo in the middle of it, and the crowd cheered. The little black kitten rolled around, batting the toy with her paws.

  Olivia and Grace joined the dancing crowd, laughing as they took it in turns to twirl Cuddle around.

  Beset and Cleo led the parade into the largest tent. The tent was filled with tables laden with fruit and sugared pastries, and in the centre was a beautiful golden throne.

  A man was sitting on it, wearing a tall red-and-white crown.

  “He must be the Pharaoh,” whispered Grace, hugging Cuddle to her.

  Beset placed Cleo at the Pharaoh’s feet. The kitten rubbed against his jewelled sandals, and Beset bowed low to the ground. Grace and Olivia did the same. Cuddle sprang from Grace’s arms. She jumped on to the arm of the golden throne and seemed to bow to the Pharaoh too.

  Olivia held her breath. Would the Pharaoh be cross?

  But he smiled and stroked Cuddle all the way from her nose to the curly tip of her tail. “Cats are very special,” he said. “Some might say magical. Thank you for returning Cleo to me.”

  When the girls bowed again, Cuddle leapt down from the throne, pushing through the crowd.

  “Goodbye, Pharaoh! Goodbye, Beset!” the girls called, following Cuddle out of the tent and back into the heat of the desert.

  Olivia gazed around at the vast sandy landscape.

  She suddenly missed Catterton’s neat rows of houses and leafy gardens filled with flowers.

  “We found Cleo, but now we’re the ones who are lost,” she said. “How will we ever find our way home?”

  As if answering, the little kitten rubbed against the girls’ legs, weaving round their feet in looping figures of eight.

  Her purr grew louder, and the sand, the pyramid, the sphinx and the parade became a whirl of colour.

  “Cuddle’s taking us home,” Grace called. The girls held hands tightly and closed their eyes as ancient Egypt melted away …

  When Olivia opened her eyes, they were back in Grace’s garden. The apple tree, the cardboard boxes, the sandpit – everything seemed exactly the same.

  Grace scratched her head. “What just happened? Did Cuddle really take us to ancient Egypt?”

  “I think so,” Olivia said, “but now I can’t see her anywhere.”

  Jingle jangle jingle.

  The girls spun round. Cuddle was walking along the top of the fence that separated their two gardens. She flicked her crooked tail and lifted her little black paw in what looked like a wave.

  Then, in a haze of sparkles, she disappeared.

  “Goodbye, Cuddle!” Grace said. “Do you think we’ll see her again?”

  “I hope so,” Olivia replied with a smile. “Maybe she’ll take us on another adventure.”

  “You know,” Grace said, her eyes shining, “I think I’m going to love living here.”

  Can’t wait to find out what Cuddle will do next?

  Then read on! Here is the first chapter from Cuddle’s second adventure, SUPERSTAR DREAMS …

  Superstar Dreams

  A breeze rippled through the cherry tree, making its pink blossom dance. Grace’s combat trousers and T-shirt were scattered with sweet-smelling petals.

  “It’s like being in a blossomy snowstorm,” she called down to Olivia. “Climb up and see.”

  “I’ve never climbed a tree before,” Olivia said, twirling one of her curls round and round a finger.

  The girls were in Olivia’s back garden. Grace was sitting in the cherry tree, while Olivia stood beside the trunk. From her perch, Grace could see her own back garden next door. The roofs of the houses that lined their street were still damp from a recent rain shower. The sky over Catterton was dark grey.

  “Let’s see if you can get up here before it rains again,” Grace said. “I’ll help you.”

  “All right,” Olivia said. “Here goes.” Stretching up on to the tips of her blue sandals, she grabbed the lowest branch.

  “That’s it,” Grace said. “Now wrap your legs round the trunk and hold the next branch.”

  Olivia could see Grace’s smiling face through the leaves, framed by her shiny blonde hair. She stretched up for the branch, but her fingers slid over a patch of moss. With a shriek, she tumbled to the ground.

  Grace scrambled down after her. “Are you okay?”

  Olivia was lying face up, her black curls fanned out on the ground. “I’m fine,” she said, smiling. “Now do you believe I can’t climb trees?”

  Grace pulled Olivia to her feet. “You just need to practise. Then you’ll be able to climb like a cat!”

  At that moment, a sunbeam pushed its way through the clouds, scattering golden rays.

  Olivia clapped her hands. “Oh! Do you think Cuddle’s on her way?”

  Cuddle was a cute kitten who had recently appeared in a beam of sunlight and taken the girls on a magical adventure.

  Jingle jangle jingle.

  “That’s Cuddle’s bell!” Grace cried.

  The sunbeam shone on Olivia’s bike, which was propped up against the back of the house. A pink basket was fixed to the handlebars. It wiggled and jiggled, and Cuddle’s black-and-white face poked out. Her green eyes sparkled in the sun.

  “Hello, Cuddle!” both girls cried.

  Olivia grinned. “The sunbeam looks like a spotlight. Cuddle’s a movie star.”

  The kitten’s bell jingled as she sprang on to the bike’s saddle. With a swish of her crooked tail, she leapt into Grace’s arms and mewed loudly, as if greeting her friends.

  Grace hugged the kitten tightly.

  “You certainly live up to your name, don’t you, Cuddle?” she said.

  Purrrrrrrrr, went Cuddle. She sounded like a tiny rumble of thunder.

  The girls’ skin tingled, as if Cuddle’s whiskers were tickling them. Cuddle’s purr grew louder and louder, and the girls started to giggle. They leaned in to each other, the little kitten cradled between them.

  Now they knew what would happen next – kitten magic! As Cuddle’s purr rumbled on, the garden and the cherry tre
e faded away …

  To find out what happens next, get your copy of Superstar Dreams today!

  Superstar Dreams

  Is Chloe brave enough to perform on stage?

  Cuddle uses her magic to take Olivia and Grace backstage at a talent show. Can the girls persuade talented Chloe to audition even though she’s lost her lucky charm?

  Find out in SUPERSTAR DREAMS …

  Princess Party Sleepover

  Who wants to be a princess?

  Princess Victoria doesn’t. She’d much rather be wearing old clothes and climbing trees. Can Cuddle, Olivia and Grace convince her that being a princess can be fun in time for the royal ball?

  Find out in PRINCESS PARTY SLEEPOVER …

  School of Spells

  Join Cuddle, Grace and Olivia on a magical school adventure!

  Cuddle takes the girls to a school with a difference – the pupils are enchanted creatures and the lessons are magical! But will they be able to help a shy unicorn make some friends?

  Find out in SCHOOL OF SPELLS …

  Helping cats with Cats Protection

  Grace, Olivia and Cuddle have lots of fun on their adventures together, but real cats and kittens need a lot of looking after. That’s why our friends at Cats Protection are going to be joining us in each book to talk about everything a cat needs for a happy home life.

  The most important part of Cats Protection’s work is finding new homes for unwanted and abandoned cats and kittens. They spend lots of time making sure that each cat is ready for a new home, and always try to match the right cat with the right owner!