Maya was so excited she could hardly breathe. She’d never seen a sky unicorn foal before! His legs were slender and his soft coat was so white it almost glowed…
Chapter One
The Snow White Foal
Maya leaned over the side of the boat and let her fingers trail through the cool water. It was wonderful to sail along with the breeze tickling her cheek and ruffling her long black hair. She loved watching the ducks swim and seeing the rabbits scampering along the sandy bank. The river ran all the way through the Emerald Plain and there was so much wildlife to see!
Sometimes, if she was really lucky, Maya would catch sight of a magical creature.
There were lots of amazing magical animals in the Kingdom of Arramia, like giant eagles with golden feathers, star wolves that sang, and even sky unicorns!
The river sparkled in the sunshine. Two planets, one green and one purple, hung in the cloudless sky.
Leaning out a bit further, Maya watched the six boats following theirs down the river.
Each one had a large white sail and a cabin painted in bright red, blue and green. Maya and her family were part of Mr Inigo’s Amazing Travelling Troupe. They sailed up and down the kingdom’s lakes and rivers, stopping in every town to put on a show. Right now they were on their way to the town of Blyford on the shores of Misty Lake.
Maya smiled to herself. She couldn’t wait for the next show. She was going to perform a new dance in the turquoise dress she was wearing.
She’d been practising for weeks!
“Maya, don’t lean out too far,” said her mum. “You don’t want to fall in with that nice dress on!”
Maya moved back a little and smoothed the folds of the turquoise dress. It was made of a silky material that shimmered in the light. “Are we close to Misty Lake yet?”
“It’s not far now,” her mum replied. “I expect we’ll look for a place to camp soon.”
Her dad came out of the cabin and took hold of the main rope to pull in the sail. Then he fetched a small silver trumpet and blew a single note. On the next boat, Maya’s three older brothers took down their sail. Then they each blew a note on their own silver trumpet. This was how they sent messages down the line of boats. Soon all the sails were in and the boats slowed down a little.
“There’s Misty Lake – just beyond the bridge.” Her dad pointed to a wooden bridge not far downstream. A mass of glittering water lay just beyond it.
“I can see it!” Maya made a graceful jump, raising her arms as if they were wings. Then she twirled around. They were moves from her new dance.
“Maya!” Her mum laughed. “Remember, no dancing on the boat. There isn’t room!”
“Sorry, I forgot!” Maya stopped herself halfway through the spin.
The boat sailed around a bend in the river and a towering hill came into view. There was a pale shape standing at the top, which made Maya catch her breath.
It was a sky unicorn.
As Maya watched, more unicorns trotted over the brow of the hill, their snowy manes flowing in the breeze. With their white coats, golden horns and brightly coloured tails, they looked like the most beautiful creatures in the whole kingdom!
Maya had seen sky unicorns before, but never so many together. There must have been at least twenty of them! The tallest one at the front lifted his head and his golden horn gleamed in the sunlight. Maya had heard stories about how sky unicorns could gallop into the air and race right through the clouds, but she’d never seen them do it. She watched them eagerly, but the magical animals showed no sign of leaving the hill.
“They’re amazing, aren’t they?” said her dad. “Now, where did I put the spare mooring rope?”
“I wish they’d fly,” sighed Maya. “If I could gallop through the sky I’d do it all the time.”
“Perhaps there’s a foal,” said her mum. “Unicorns will often stay on the ground if there’s a foal because the little ones can’t fly until they’re older. Now, I’d better help your dad find that rope.” She hurried away.
The sky unicorns walked slowly down the hill to the river, close to Maya’s boat. A little foal skipped to the front of the herd, his turquoise tail swishing happily. Then he bent his head to drink from the river. Maya was so excited she could hardly breathe. She’d never seen a unicorn foal before. His legs were slender and his soft coat was so white it almost glowed. He raised his head and looked at her with big dark eyes.
“Hello, I’m Maya!” she called softly.
The foal nodded his head and shook his snowy mane, almost as if he were saying hello back.
Just then, a man riding a horse appeared at the top of the hill. Maya guessed at once that he must be a knight because he was dressed in armour. When he saw the unicorns, he shouted at two guards who were hurrying after him.
Then he drew his sword and rode towards the unicorns. “Stop, you horrible beasts!” he bellowed. “Stop in the name of the queen.”
The unicorn foal jumped in fright and his tail trembled.
Maya turned to her parents in alarm, but they’d both disappeared into the cabin.
The sky unicorns dashed along the riverbank, scared away by the man’s fierce shouting. The knight chased them, urging his horse to go faster. The sky unicorns quickened into a gallop. Racing along the riverbank, they dashed across the wooden bridge that spanned the river. Their hooves made a sound like thunder.
The knight urged his horse to go faster but he couldn’t match their speed. “How dare you!” he yelled. “Come back at once! All magical beasts are to be captured by Royal Order.” He called to the guards, but they were slowed down by their heavy swords and shields.
Maya watched with wide eyes. Why would anyone want to chase a unicorn? The herd had almost reached the end of the bridge now. Soon they would be on the other side of the river. Maya smiled to see them gallop so fast. Then her heart dropped.
Where was the foal?
Quickly, she scanned the bridge and the riverbank. The foal had fallen over beside a bramble patch halfway to the bridge. He was trying to stand up again, but his leg was caught by a prickly branch.
“Mum, Dad, quick!” Maya called, but her parents didn’t come out of the cabin. The boats behind theirs were hidden by the bend in the river so no one else could see what was happening.
Maya’s heart thumped faster. The knight was riding towards the bridge with his sword in his hand. Any moment now he might notice the baby unicorn.
Running to the back of the boat, Maya turned the ship’s wheel to make the boat drift closer to the bank.
She eyed the water. It was so shallow that she could see the bottom. She knew she was a good swimmer anyway.
Climbing on to the side of the boat, she jumped in.
Chapter Two
The Noise in the Dark
Maya landed in the river with a splash. The water reached her waist, soaking through her turquoise dancing dress. It was freezing cold, but there was no time to think about that. The little unicorn needed her help!
The knight was still riding hard with his guards running after him. Their eyes were fixed on the herd of unicorns on the bridge. None of them had spotted the unicorn foal by the bramble patch.
“Come on, Huster! Get a move on, Brinch!” bellowed the knight. “We’re losing them.”
The guards tried to run faster, their heavy shields bouncing against their sides. Making sure they weren’t looking, Maya waded to the edge of the river and scrambled up the bank.
The little unicorn shivered as she got closer. Maya crouched down, glad that she was hidden from the knight and his guards by the tangle of bushes. “Don’t worry!” she whispered to the foal. “I won’t hurt you.”
The foal gave a soft whinny and gazed at her with big dark eyes.
“What happened?” Maya stroked his snowy mane. “Are you stuck?” She gently checked his hooves and found the bramble caught round his leg.
The foal twitched nervously.
“It’s all right,” said Maya, carefully untangling his hoof. “There – all done!”
The foal sprang to his feet and skipped around, tossing his head in delight.
Maya peeked over the bushes to check the knight hadn’t seen them. She sighed with relief when she saw the men crossing the bridge. But where had the unicorn herd gone?
The knight and his guards reached the other side of the river. They stared all around, as if trying to find the unicorns, before riding away along the road that led to town.
Maya spotted the sky unicorn herd in a little hidden valley behind a grove of trees near the water’s edge.
“There’s your herd!” Maya told the little unicorn, pointing to the opposite bank. “Can you find your way?”
The foal seemed to think he could. He brushed his nose against Maya’s hair and then skipped across the bridge and through the trees into the hidden valley to join the herd again.
Maya smiled as she watched him. Then she hurried to the water’s edge and waded back to the boat. Her muddy dress clung to her legs. Her mum would tell her off for getting messy, but she didn’t mind. She was so glad the foal was safe again.
Maya was relieved that everyone thought she’d just paddled in the river for fun. Her mum and dad had been busy searching for the mooring rope in the cabin. The rest of the troupe had sailed round the bend in the river just as the knight had crossed the bridge. They’d been too busy staring at him to look at Maya. She was happy that her meeting with the unicorn foal was her special secret!
“Honestly, Maya!” scolded her mum. “What were you thinking – splashing around in your dancing dress? I don’t think I’ll be able to wash those mud stains out.”
“Sorry, Mum!” Maya said meekly.
The six boats of Mr Inigo’s Amazing Travelling Troupe stopped close to the bridge and fastened their mooring ropes. Everyone disembarked and together they built a fire that they could use for cooking. Dinner was to be a stew made with freshly caught fish.
The troupe relaxed around the campfire while the stew was cooking. Everyone was there: the married acrobats Monty and May; Maya’s three older brothers – the juggling triplets; the Kittersons, who put on plays; Ruben Gribba the magician; and the grown-up dancers Floella and Daisy, with Daisy’s four-year-old daughter, Lucy. Then there was Mr Inigo, who sang opera songs in his splendid deep voice. Maya’s parents didn’t perform any more, but helped with all the costumes and sold tickets for the shows.
“This is an excellent place to stop for the night,” said Mr Inigo, twirling his long black moustache. “It’s only a few minutes’ walk into Blyford. Tomorrow we’ll go into town to put up posters for our Grand Show!”
“I hope we’ll all get a bit more money this time,” grumbled Ruben the magician, stroking his long beard. “I hardly got any coins from that last place.”
“The coins are always shared out fairly,” said Maya’s mum. “Perhaps you spent all yours too fast.”
Ruben got up, muttering something about measly wages. “I’m going to collect firewood.”
Maya stared across the river. Were the unicorns still sheltering among the trees on the other side? It was hard to see now it was growing dark.
“We need some more herbs for the stew,” said Maya’s dad, stirring the huge pot. “Some mint and rosemary, I think.”
“I’ll get them!” said Maya quickly. “I won’t be long.” Taking a lantern, she hurried towards the bridge. She’d look for the unicorns while she collected the herbs. Maybe she’d even get to see the little foal again!
Her footsteps sounded loud on the wooden boards. She watched the river flowing slowly under the bridge into the huge lake beyond. When she reached the other side, Maya tiptoed through the trees into the little valley where the sky unicorns had hidden.
They were still there. Some were grazing and others were resting. Their pale coats and manes shone in the twilight. The little foal was sleeping next to a larger unicorn and Maya guessed it must be his mother. She gazed at them for a while, not wanting to get too close in case she alarmed them.
A movement near the trees made her turn round. A figure was creeping away from the unicorns towards the bridge. It was Ruben Gribba, with his thin face and long beard. Maya wondered if he’d wanted to see the unicorns again too, except he didn’t seem the sort of person who liked animals. He hadn’t been carrying any firewood either.
Maya watched the unicorns for a while. Then she realised it had got much darker and her dad needed herbs for the stew. She quickly picked some mint leaves.
She was about to cross the bridge when she heard a rushing sound in the air. She peered up into the darkness.
What was that? It almost sounded like huge wings beating in the air.
The noise grew louder, ending in a gigantic splash.
Maya followed the sound. She was sure something pretty big must have landed in the water! Then, to her surprise, she heard a girl’s voice.
“Windrunner! Did you have to land in the river? I’m soaking wet!”
A long string of growls answered her.
Maya raised her lantern but she couldn’t see very far. “Hello?” she said. “Is everyone all right?”
Chapter Three
The Magical Stone
“Who’s there?” the girl called back.
“I’m Maya, from Mr Inigo’s Amazing Travelling Troupe. Do you need help?” Maya peered into the darkness. She thought she could see two shapes near the water’s edge. One of them seemed absolutely huge. There were more growls – quieter this time.
Maya clambered down the bank and then stopped short. A blonde-haired girl was standing by the edge of the river, clutching a small cloth bag. Water dripped from her dress.
Right next to her, shaking water off his wings, was a huge green dragon.
Maya stared at the dragon. He coughed and a little flame spurted out of his mouth.
“Don’t be scared. He’s really friendly!” said the girl. “Are you all by yourself?”
“Um … yes I am.” Maya still couldn’t take her eyes off the dragon. She’d seen the creatures flying in the distance before, but she’d never actually met one. He was enormous – nearly the size of her boat – and his skin was so scaly.
“You don’t mind dragons, do you?” the girl asked eagerly.
“No, not at all!” Maya smiled. Now she’d got over the surprise, it really was very exciting to be so close to a dragon. She wondered why the girl and the dragon were together. She’d never heard of dragons being friends with humans before.
The girl shaded her eyes from the light of Maya’s lantern. “I’m Sophy and this is my friend Windrunner, the storm dragon. We’ve flown for miles and miles to get here!” She clambered up the bank towards Maya, but tripped on some rough ground and fell over.
The little cloth bag flew from her fingers and a handful of stones fell out on to the grass. Sophy gasped and snatched up the bag again immediately.
“Are you all right? Here, I’ll help.” Maya set the lantern on the ground and began picking up the fallen stones. They were small – each was no bigger than a strawberry. She held one close to the lantern to get a better look. It was grey and lumpy, and not very pretty at all.
Suddenly the stone glowed orange and felt hot against her skin. “Ouch!” She dropped it, afraid it would burn her fingers. “What’s happening?”
“Wait!” breathed Sophy. “You’ll see…”
Maya’s eyes widened as the rock blazed brighter and brighter. With a snap, it broke in half and the orange glow faded. Her fingers trembling, Maya picked up the two pieces of rock. Each one had a tiny hollow inside, filled with sparkling emerald-green crystals.
“That’s amazing!” whispered Maya.
“It’s magic and I can show you how it works!” Sophy
smiled widely. “This is fantastic luck! I didn’t think I’d find anyone so quickly.”
Maya stared at the other girl, her mind whirling. She really wasn’t sure what Sophy meant about finding someone. “This stone is magic? Really?” She looked down at the two pieces of rock in her hand. The green crystals glittered.
“Yes, really!” Sophy nodded vigorously. “I know it must seem strange, but you see, the same thing happened to me! This is a Speaking Stone. It lets you talk to magical animals. The queen threw out this bag of stones as if they were rubbish after the king died.”
“She didn’t know they were magical then?”
“No, and she doesn’t like magic anyway.” Sophy lifted a thread over her neck. “Your stone will only work for you. See, I have one of my own! Now I talk to magical animals all the time.” She showed Maya a stone dangling on the end of the thread. It looked rough and grey on the outside like Maya’s. Opening the stone, Sophy revealed a little cave of purple crystals.
“So I’ll be able to talk to magical animals too?” Maya almost squeaked with excitement.
“Try it now!” Sophy grabbed Maya’s hand. “Say something to Windrunner.”
Maya faced the dragon and swallowed. “H-hello, Windrunner! I’m pleased to meet you.”
Windrunner’s amber eyes blinked and he bowed his head. “Pleased to meet you too. Any friend of Sophy’s is a friend of the storm dragons!”
Maya gasped. It was just so strange hearing the growling noise from his mouth turn into words.
“You see!” Sophy was bouncing on her toes. “It’s lucky I found you. The stones only work for a few people and I really need your help because danger is coming. That’s why I’m here!”
Secret Rescuers Page 1