‘But what about the fire?’ Mel cried.
‘It’s all right. It won’t reach you here,’ Mr Cassidy said. ‘I’ll be back as soon as I can.’ And with that, he ducked his head and ran out.
Lauren led Twilight to the entrance and looked up the track towards the hay-barn. The tall oak tree that stood next to it was burning brightly.
Mel joined her. ‘If it falls, the whole barn will go up in flames! Dad had better be…’ She broke off, her eyes widening. ‘Sparkle!’ she cried in horror. ‘Lauren! Sparkle and her kittens are inside!’
Nine
Mel put her foot in the stirrup and swung herself up on to Shadow’s back.
‘What are you doing?’ Lauren exclaimed.
‘I’ve got to save Sparkle,’ Mel said, digging her heels into Shadow’s sides and heading out.
‘It’s too dangerous, Mel!’ Lauren cried.
But it was too late. Mel was already cantering Shadow up the track towards the barn.
Lauren didn’t hesitate. Swinging herself up on Twilight’s back, she galloped after her friend. ‘Mel! Stop!’ she yelled. She hated the thought of Sparkle and the kittens being trapped in the barn, but she knew Mel’s life could be in danger if she went inside.
But Mel didn’t listen. She urged Shadow past the burning tree and up to the barn door. Jumping off his back, she hauled it open.
Sparkle came racing out. She was carrying one of the kittens in her mouth. Lauren saw a flash of white on the kitten’s tummy. Star! But what about Midnight? He must still be inside.
To her horror, Lauren saw Mel loop Shadow’s reins over her arm and run into the barn.
Twilight gave an alarmed whinny. There was a loud creak. Lauren looked up. A huge burning branch of the oak tree looked as if it was about to break off.
‘Mel!’ she shouted. ‘Get out!’
Mel appeared on foot in the doorway of the barn, clutching Midnight.
‘Quick!’ Lauren yelled, looking up at the tree.
But it was too late. Before Mel could get out of the barn, there was a loud crack and the burning branch crashed to the ground in front of the barn door.
Mel screamed and Lauren gasped. The branch was blocking the way out!
Lauren could just see Mel’s terrified eyes through the smoke that was filling the air. There was only one way for her to get out.
‘Get up on Shadow and make him jump the branch, Mel!’ Lauren cried. ‘It’s the only way.’
‘But he won’t do it!’ Mel shouted.
‘Just try!’ Lauren called.
Clutching Midnight to her chest, Mel scrambled on to Shadow’s back.
Lauren glanced around, desperately hoping to see Mr Cassidy or the fire department arriving, but there was no one there. ‘Shadow, please!’ she yelled, as Mel began to trot him towards the log. ‘You’ve got to jump it! For Mel!’
She heard Shadow neigh uncertainly through the smoke. Please jump it, Lauren prayed. You might not have Twilight’s magical powers to help you, but you can still do it. Please, Shadow, please!
She saw Shadow hesitate and dread gripped her heart. He wasn’t going to be able to do it.
‘Melanie!’ Hearing a hoarse cry, Lauren swung round. Mr Cassidy was running up the hill towards them, looking horrified. For a moment, Lauren felt a surge of hope but then her heart plummeted. It was obvious that Mr Cassidy couldn’t move the log on his own. There was still only one way for Mel to get out and that was for Shadow to jump.
Twilight seemed to realize the same thing. Throwing his head back, he whinnied loudly to Shadow. As he did so, a fork of lightning flashed across the sky, making every hair of his grey body shine with a bright white light.
Suddenly, Lauren saw a new look of bravery flash into Shadow’s eyes. Tossing his head back, just like Twilight, he broke into a canter. Mel grabbed hold of his mane with her free hand. Shadow’s stride lengthened. His ears pricked and the next second, he was soaring over the burning log, clearing it with ease.
Mel was hanging on to Midnight, a look of astonishment, relief and delight on her face as they galloped up to Twilight. ‘He did it!’ she said, sliding off Shadow’s back as he halted. ‘He jumped it, Lauren! He actually jumped it.’
‘He was amazing!’ Lauren cried, and
Twilight whinnied in agreement.
Just then Mr Cassidy reached them. ‘Mel! Oh my goodness,’ he said, his breath coming in short gasps. ‘I thought you weren’t going to get out. What were you doing in the hay-barn?’
‘Rescuing Midnight,’ Mel stammered.
‘But I told you not to leave the barn,’ Mr Cassidy said, pulling her into his arms and kissing her. ‘I’m just so glad you’re safe.’
‘And it’s all because of Shadow,’ Mel said, breaking free and hugging the dapple-grey pony. ‘Wasn’t he wonderful, Dad?’
Mr Cassidy smiled at Shadow. ‘The best.’
Shadow whickered proudly, happiness lighting up his dark eyes.
As the fire crew arrived and began to put out the fire, Mr Cassidy helped the girls make up a special feed of warm bran, carrots and molasses for Shadow and Twilight. Once the two ponies were dry and bedded down in two stalls, Lauren and Mel went inside.
‘I can hardly move I feel so tired,’ Mel said, as she and Lauren kicked off their boots by the back door.
‘Me too,’ Lauren agreed.
Mrs Cassidy was waiting for them. She was upset with Mel for taking such a risk but she was so relieved that both girls were safe that she made them enormous mugs of hot chocolate with marshmallows floating on top.
As Lauren looked out of the kitchen to where the fire crew was saying goodbye to Mr Cassidy, she breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily the flames hadn’t spread to the barn, so Mr Cassidy’s hay was OK.
In fact, Lauren thought, everything has turned out OK. She and Mel and both horses were safe. Midnight, the kitten, had been reunited with Sparkle and Mel had made the little family a new bed in the stall next to Shadow.
Lauren shivered as she realized that it could have all been so different. If it hadn’t been for Shadow’s bravery, she didn’t like to think what might have happened. She remembered the way he had hesitated as he’d approached the log. How had he suddenly found the courage that he needed to jump it?
That night, when Lauren turned Twilight into a unicorn, she asked him if he knew how Shadow had found the courage to jump.
‘No, I don’t,’ Twilight admitted. ‘Shall we go and visit him to find out?’
Lauren mounted and, with a kick of Twilight’s back legs, they rose into the night sky.
Shadow was grazing near the bottom of his moonlit paddock. Lauren jumped off Twilight’s back and ran over to him. ‘You were amazing today, Shadow,’ she said, as he whinnied a greeting. ‘I didn’t think you were going to do it but you were so brave. What made you able to jump?’
Shadow neighed.
‘He says that when the lightning flashed it made me look like a unicorn,’ Twilight translated for Lauren. ‘He realized that if he was going to save Mel, he had to be as brave as he was the other night when my horn touched him – as brave as a unicorn.’
Lauren nodded, remembering the look that had come into Shadow’s eyes as the lightning had shone on Twilight’s coat. It all made sense. She looked at the dapple-grey pony. ‘Well, you were wonderful, Shadow, and, best of all, now that you’ve jumped that great big log, the jumps at Pony Club will seem tiny. You’ll be able to jump them easily.’
Shadow snorted doubtfully.
‘He doesn’t think so,’ Twilight interpreted. ‘He says that he could only jump the log because he had to.’
Lauren frowned. ‘But Twilight wasn’t a unicorn when you jumped that log, Shadow. You jumped that log because you were brave.’
Twilight whickered in agreement.
Shadow stared at Lauren as if she’d said something totally astonishing.
‘You saved Mel’s life, Shadow,’ Lauren said softly. ‘If you can do that, you can do anyt
hing.’
A new look of confidence began to shine in Shadow’s eyes.
Lauren climbed on to Twilight’s back. ‘We’d better go,’ she said. ‘Goodnight, Shadow.’
Shadow whinnied proudly and tossed his mane as Lauren rode Twilight off into the night.
On Saturday afternoon, Lauren stood beside Twilight, watching Mel ride Shadow towards the first jump in the course that Kathy, their Pony Club trainer, had set out.
It had taken a lot for Lauren to persuade Mel to have a go at the jumping course but, after being reminded of Shadow’s huge leap over the burning log, she had finally agreed.
‘I don’t know why Mel’s bothering.’ Jade’s snide voice cut through the air. She was watching with Monica. ‘Shadow’s never going to jump a course of jumps – last month he wouldn’t even jump one.’
Lauren didn’t say anything. She just crossed her fingers. The course was small but twisty and no one in the group had managed a clear round yet.
Jade’s pony, Prince, had knocked three fences over and Monica’s pony, Scout, had had three refusals. Twilight had only had one fence down, which Lauren didn’t mind at all because she knew he’d tried his best. She crossed her fingers as Mel cantered Shadow towards the first jump.
She held her breath. Would Shadow stop?
But, to her delight, the dapple-grey pony’s ears pricked up, his stride lengthened and he jumped perfectly over the fence. He cantered to the next one and then the next. As he cleared the last fence, everyone burst into applause for a perfect clear round.
Mel patted Shadow as if she was never going to stop.
Seeing the happiness on Mel’s and Shadow’s faces, Lauren hugged Twilight in delight. ‘Oh, Twilight, isn’t it brilliant?’ she whispered. ‘I’m so glad you were able to help.’
Twilight shook his head and pushed his nose against her chest.
Lauren understood him perfectly. ‘OK then,’ she said, putting her arm round his neck. ‘I’m so glad we were able to help!’
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
My Secret Unicorn
CHAPTER One
CHAPTER Two
CHAPTER Three
CHAPTER Four
CHAPTER Five
CHAPTER Six
CHAPTER Seven
CHAPTER Eight
CHAPTER Nine
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
My Secret Unicorn
CHAPTER One
CHAPTER Two
CHAPTER Three
CHAPTER Four
CHAPTER Five
CHAPTER Six
CHAPTER Seven
CHAPTER Eight
CHAPTER Nine
Dreams Come True Page 4
