A Summer Spell

by Sue Bentley

  ‘This is the path,’ Lisa whispered, pointing ahead. ‘But look! The blue van’s parked near those bushes.’

  Lisa’s heart pounded as she and Flame crept forward. She scanned the path and clusters of trees, looking for John. But there was no sign of him.

  Flame pricked up his ears. ‘There are men in this wood.’

  A moment later, Lisa heard voices shouting. ‘Get him! He knows who we are!’

  Shadowy shapes crashed through the trees. Someone shoved branches aside and rushed towards Lisa, gasping for breath. For an instant a slim, scared figure was caught in a beam of torchlight.

  Lisa’s eyes opened wide with shock. ‘It’s John!’

  CHAPTER TEN

  Almost at once Lisa felt the familiar tingly warmth down her spine. Silver sparks crackled in Flame’s fur and his whiskers glittered in the dark.

  ‘No one can see you, Lisa,’ Flame explained softly. He hung back, melting into the deep shadows. ‘Save John.’

  Lisa let out a sigh of relief. Flame had made her invisible again!

  John stumbled out of a thicket right beside her. Leaning against a big oak he doubled over, clutching a stitch in his side. Lisa could hear the men coming closer. They would catch John at any moment. She had to distract them somehow.

  Lisa started to run, her heart pounding. Her whole body began to tingle. A rush of heat swept through her. She felt her muscles bunch as she made a huge leap forward – and bounded along on all fours. Strong, tireless legs carried her on. Her hands and feet had become spread pads, which gripped the leaf litter with sharp claws.

  She was a huge cat! A huge invisible cat!

  Night smells flowed over her. The forest came alive. She could see every leaf and blade of grass and hear every tiny movement. The men seemed to move in slow motion. Their breath sounded like rushing water and their footsteps were as loud as drumbeats.

  Lisa rushed up behind the first man and slammed into the back of his legs. He yelled with fright as his knees buckled. In a swift movement, Lisa changed direction and launched herself at another man.

  ‘Oof!’ The second man fell sideways into a clump of bracken.

  ‘Grrr!’ Lisa growled with triumph. She tripped up the third man who went over in a jumble of arms and legs.

  The three men picked themselves up. They looked round nervously. ‘There’s something weird in here!’ one said.

  Lisa grinned. She crept up close behind them and opened her mouth wide. ‘Grrr-owl!!’ she roared.

  ‘What’s that?’

  ‘I don’t know, but I’m out of here!’ one of them cried. ‘Get back to the van!’

  Lisa knew that John was safe for the moment. Time to get the evidence they needed.

  She bounded swiftly towards the parked van and reached it ahead of the men. The back door was ajar. Her cat senses caught the smell of death. Two deer lay in the back of the van. Lisa jumped inside, already fumbling for her camera. Her fingers closed around it.

  Fingers? She wasn’t a cat any more! Flame’s spell must have worn off. Did that mean that the men could see her now?

  There was no time to think. Aiming the camera, she took a photo of the dead deer. Suddenly, the back door was wrenched open behind her. But Lisa was ready. She stuck the camera in the men’s faces. Flash! Flash! She took their photos.

  ‘Wassat?’ one yelled, covering his face with his hand.

  ‘I can’t see. I’m blinded,’ moaned another, hopping about and bumping into his friends.

  Lisa leapt out and dashed behind a tree. Moments later, the engine fired up and the van sped off up the track.

  Lisa leaned against the tree and gave a nervous shaky laugh. Wow! That was close. She had loved being a cat! She couldn’t wait to talk to Flame all about it.

  She glanced around for him. Where was he? He usually kept close beside her. As she made her way back towards the track, she called softly, ‘Flame. Where are you?’

  ‘I am here,’ came a tiny whimper. Flame crawled out from beneath some bracken. His eyes were wide with alarm.

  Lisa picked him up. ‘Oh, you’re trembling.’ She stroked his head and gave him a cuddle. ‘Don’t be scared for me. Your magic was brilliant! Those horrible men have gone now.’

  But Flame nestled closer, his tiny heart beating fast. Lisa felt a stir of unease as he gave another little whimper.

  Just then John ran up to her. ‘Lisa? Where have you been? You’ve missed all the fun!’ he panted. ‘I know who the poachers are!’

  Lisa gently tucked Flame into her shoulder bag. He would be warm and safe in there. ‘Did you get a good look at them?’ she asked.

  John’s face was white, except for a smudge of dirt on his cheek. He nodded. ‘Two of them are friends of Higgins’s! He must be in on it. No wonder he’s trying to blame my dad. They tried to catch me, but I lost them in the woods.’

  ‘I’m just glad you’re safe,’ Lisa said, relieved that they were both OK.

  John frowned. ‘I might be safe, but I still haven’t got any proof. It’s my word against theirs.’

  Lisa felt in her pocket for the camera. She imagined the look on John’s face when he found out she had taken photos. But her fingers closed on nothing but empty space.

  Oh, no! The camera wasn’t there. She must have dropped it in the woods!

  ‘Photos? How did you get photos? You’ve only just got here, haven’t you?’ John frowned at Lisa in puzzlement when she had explained.

  Lisa thought quickly. She couldn’t let John know about Flame’s magic. ‘I saw the blue van on my way to meet you. No one was about. So I risked taking some photos. But I nearly got caught when they came back!’

  John looked impressed. He whistled through his teeth. ‘Those photos will prove my dad had nothing to do with poaching deer. We really need to find that camera. I’ll look over where the van was parked.’

  ‘OK. I’ll look over here.’ Lisa went a little way into the woods. Opening her shoulder bag, she whispered to Flame, ‘Can you help me find the camera, please? I have to be getting back. Aunt Rose will be furious if she finds out I’ve sneaked out here at this time of night!’

  Flame was curled into a tight ball in one corner. He lifted his head and gazed at her with fearful eyes. ‘I must hide. My enemies are close. Uncle Ebony’s spies are almost here,’ he mewed.

  ‘Oh, no!’ Lisa’s chest constricted. No wonder Flame was acting strangely. He was in terrible danger.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  ‘You have to leave here, Flame! Now!’ Lisa urged in a shaky voice. Tears pricked her eyes. The thought of her friend leaving was heartbreaking. But Flame’s life was in danger and she knew he must go.

  Flame shook his head. His eyes were dull and his fur was flat. ‘I am too weak. I need strong magic to find a new place to hide soon. But not now,’ he told her in a small voice.

  Lisa gulped back tears. She was secretly relieved that they could be together a little longer but she was still worried for his safety. She stroked his little velvety ears. ‘Please be careful, Flame. I couldn’t bear it if they found you.’

  Turning his head, Flame touched the tip of Lisa’s index finger with his nose. ‘You must find the camera.’

  Lisa’s finger felt warm and tingly and the end began glowing softly. She understood what she must do.

  Flame’s head drooped and he curled back into a tight ball. Lisa saw with dismay that only two or three little silver sparkles glinted in his fur.

  There was no time to waste. Lisa clutched her shoulder bag to her side and began searching for the camera, using her glowing finger as a guide. She scrabbled leaf mould aside and poked under fallen twigs. As she moved towards a tuft of grass, her finger stopped glowing. ‘I must be getting cold.’

  She turned back towards a group of birch trees and her finger glowed faintly. ‘Now I’m hotter.’

  She kept searching, watching for her magic finger to give her clues. As she stood over a thick clump of bracken, a big spark shot right out of the end. �
��Wow! I’m boiling now!’

  Lisa pushed the fern aside. There was the camera. ‘Brilliant!’ She scooped it up and went to find John.

  John was searching the long grass beside the path. He straightened up when he saw Lisa waving the camera at him. ‘You’ve got it? Great!’ His teeth flashed in a huge grin. ‘Excellent! I’ll get the photos developed first thing tomorrow morning. Gran will come with me to see Mike Sanders. I should like to see anyone argue with her, once they see the photos! Thanks a million, Lisa.’

  Lisa blushed. ‘Glad we could help.’

  ‘We?’ John said, looking a little confused.

  ‘Me and Flame,’ Lisa said.

  ‘Oh, yeah!’ John chuckled. ‘Thanks, Flame. You’d better go now. Your aunt will skin me alive if she finds you out here with me!’

  Lisa smiled and waved goodbye as she hurried back to her aunt’s cottage.

  She didn’t see the long black shadows prowling through the trees. Two large black cats appeared for an instant. One of them lifted its head, scenting the air before they both disappeared.

  There came a faint echo of a powerful voice. ‘The prince is near. We are close … ’

  Lisa crept in the back door and up through the darkened cottage.

  ‘Phew, made it,’ she breathed, closing her bedroom door behind her.

  Now that the excitement was over, she felt really tired. She undressed and crawled into bed. Flame jumped up and settled down beside her. He reached forward and touched her chin gently with the tip of his cold, pink nose.

  ‘You are a good friend, Lisa,’ he said with a rumbling purr. ‘I will never forget you.’

  A hard ball of misery lodged in her chest and her eyes filled with tears, but she swallowed them bravely. ‘Me too. I’ve loved having you here, Flame. But I know you have to leave soon.’

  ‘Soon,’ Flame agreed sadly and snuggled up under her chin.

  Moments later, Lisa fell deeply asleep.

  The next day, Lisa was in the barn. She was filling dishes with scoops of pet food and trying not to think about Flame leaving. She knew she should be feeling happier – she had heard from her aunt earlier that day that Higgins and his friends had been arrested. But she was just so sad at the thought of losing Flame. Right then he was sitting on the feed sack where she had first discovered him, his eyes watchful and intent. He kept lifting his head, testing the air for his enemies’ scent.

  Lisa had her arms full of hay when she heard her aunt calling. ‘Lisa! You’ve got visitors!’

  She looked up to see her aunt and two other people coming into the barn.

  ‘Mum! Dad!’ she cried with delight as she ran towards them and flung herself into their arms. ‘What are you doing here?’

  Mrs Morgan laughed. ‘We missed you. So we came back early. Rose has asked us to stop for a few days before we all go back to London.’ She turned to her sister with a smile.

  ‘You don’t mind, do you, love?’ asked Mr Morgan, looking a bit worried. ‘I know you’ve probably been really bored here in the country.’

  Lisa realized that she had enjoyed herself far more than she ever thought possible. And this was mainly due to Flame. She was about to reply that she’d had a fantastic time when she noticed a flash of light from near the feed sack.

  ‘Why don’t you go into the kitchen?’ she said hurriedly. ‘I’ll finish feeding the animals, then I’ll come too.’

  Rose led Lisa’s parents out of the barn. ‘Let’s leave Lisa to it. She always insists on getting her chores finished by herself. She’s been a great help to me.’

  ‘Really? That doesn’t sound like the grumpy girl we dropped off at the train station last week!’ Lisa’s dad said with surprise.

  ‘She certainly looks a lot happier than I expected!’ said her mum, looking slightly amazed. ‘See you in a minute, love,’ she called over her shoulder.

  As soon as they had gone, Lisa spun round. She ran towards the back of the barn and stopped in her tracks, stunned by what she saw.

  An enormous young white lion with glowing emerald eyes stood there. His fur glittered and sparkled and his whiskers glowed with light. Prince Flame was no longer disguised as a fluffy marmalade kitten. Beside him stood an older-looking grey lion, a calm expression on his wise face.

  As Lisa watched, silver sparks filled the air. The two lions began to fade. Prince Flame lifted his paw in a final wave. His mouth curved in a gentle smile.

  ‘Be well. Be strong, Lisa,’ he said in a deep growling purr.

  Then he was gone.

  Lisa stood there, a wave of deep sadness flowing over her. She wondered where Flame would go now to hide. Would he ever be safe from his uncle’s spies? Would he one day rule his strange, magical land?

  ‘Goodbye, Prince Flame,’ Lisa whispered. ‘Take care. Stay safe. I’ll never forget you.’

  She stood there for a moment longer, thinking of the wonderful adventure she and Flame had shared. Even though her heart was aching, she knew she wouldn’t have changed a single moment.

  At last she took a deep trembling breath. Her parents were waiting for her. She knew she would never tell them or anyone else about Flame. He would always be her very own magical secret. But there was still so much more to tell them. And she couldn’t wait for them to meet John and Fly.

  Flame’s Magical Powers

  Flame can transform into any animal he likes – even an eagle or a dolphin. But he prefers to be a kitten for most of the time, as this is closest to his true self.

  Flame can make himself – or other people – invisible. Usually, only his chosen friend will be able to see and hear him.

  Flame can make things glow so he can locate places or lost objects in the dark.

  Flame can turn his chosen friend into an animal or bird, especially if there is danger.

  Flame can make himself large or very, very small – so that he fits inside a schoolbag or a pocket. He can even disguise himself as a cute mini-kitten fluffy toy.

  Flame can breathe underwater. So can anyone who is with him at the time.

  Flame can make things appear or disappear.

  Flame can go back and forth between his home world and our world as many times as he likes.

  Super Senses

  Not every cat can perform magic like Flame, but they all have some very special skills.

  ★ ★ HEARING ★ ★

  Cats’ ears are designed to pinpoint the faintest sounds. They can locate the rustling of a mouse in the long grass from the other side of the garden and can hear high-pitched sounds that are far beyond the range of humans and even dogs.

  Their ears are like mini satellite dishes that can rotate up to 180 degrees in the direction of a sound. They can hear things five times further away than we can – so, if you think your cat has a sixth sense when it goes to the door before you hear someone coming, it’s just because your cat heard their footsteps long before you did!

  ★ ★ SMELL ★ ★

  A cat’s sense of smell is fourteen times better than ours and this is how cats recognize people and objects. Cats mark their homes and owners by rubbing them with scent from their bodies. A cat can ‘taste’ smells in the roof of its mouth, so you may see your cat opening its mouth and breathing in when it picks up an interesting scent.

  ★ ★ TASTE ★ ★

  Members of the cat family can’t taste sweet things – so you are unlikely to find your cat stealing your stash of chocolate!

  ★ ★ TOUCH ★ ★

  Cats’ whiskers are super sensitive. They pick up the tiniest change in the way the air moves. This is why cats don’t bump into things, even in the dark. They can feel the difference in the air currents around objects. A cat’s whiskers are about the same length as its body, so they are like a ruler, allowing the cat to measure whether its body will fit.

  ★ ★ SIGHT ★ ★

  During the day, cats can’t see as well as we can and rely on their noses more than their eyes, but at night the tables are turned. When it gets da
rk, the part of the cat’s eye that lets the light in opens wider than ours, so cats can see better than us.

  Lost in the Woods!

  Flame has been left behind.

  Which track should he take to catch up with Lisa?

  Answer on the last page.

  Answers

  Lost in the Woods maze

  Flame should take path B.

  For lots more Magic Kitten fun, visit

  www.puffin.co.uk/suebentley

  Your story starts here…

  Do you love books and discovering new stories?

  Then puffinbooks.com is the place for you…

  • Thrilling adventures, fantastic fiction and laugh-out-loud fun

  • Brilliant videos featuring your favourite authors and characters

  • Exciting competitions, news, activities, the Puffin blog and SO MUCH more…

  puffinbooks.com

  It all started with a scarecrow...

  Puffin is over seventy years old. Sounds ancient, doesn’t it? But Puffin has never been so lively. We’re always on the lookout for the next big idea, which is how it began all those years ago.

  Penguin Books was a big idea from the mind of a man called Allen Lane, who in 1935 invented the quality paperback and changed the world. And from great Penguins, great Puffins grew, changing the face of children’s books forever.

  The first four Puffin Picture Books were hatched in 1940 and the first Puffin story book featured a man with broomstick arms called Worzel Gummidge. In 1967 Kaye Webb, Puffin Editor, started the Puffin Club, promising to ‘make children into readers’. She kept that promise and over 200,000 children became devoted Puffineers through their quarterly instalments of Puffin Post.