“Please could you ask Windrunner the storm dragon to meet me here?” asked Sophy.
“Of course!” The bird stretched its golden feathers and swooped away.
“It’ll probably take Windrunner a while to fly here,” said Sophy.
“Why don’t you both stay here and I’ll fetch us something to eat.” Maya sprang to her feet and picked up the pageboy costumes.
“Yes, please! I am very hungry,” said Clover, resting his head on Sophy’s lap.
Maya crossed the bridge and hurried back to camp. She was a little worried that she would be asked to explain exactly what she’d been doing all day. She knew her family would love Clover, but she certainly didn’t want to get them into trouble with Sir Fitzroy if he came asking questions later. Also, Maya knew that the troupe would be getting ready for the Grand Show that evening.
When she reached the camp, she was surprised to find the troupe gathered round the fire. Maya’s triplet brothers were arguing with an angry-looking Ruben. Maya frowned. She couldn’t forget how nasty Ruben had been to poor Clover.
“I tell you I didn’t take your boat!” said Ruben furiously.
“It must have been you,” said Joe.
“You disappeared for ages this morning,” said Ben.
“And you came back looking guilty,” added Rick.
“It wasn’t me!” snapped Ruben.
“Then why was it tied up by the bridge instead of where we left it in town?” asked Joe.
Maya gasped. She was the one who had borrowed her brothers’ boat. She was just about to own up when Ruben burst out, “I tell you, it wasn’t me! I was busy showing that knight where the sky unicorns were hiding because…” He tailed off, suddenly aware of everyone frowning at him. “I just did it to be helpful.”
“You did it for the money!” Maya burst out. “I saw the knight handing you some coins afterwards.”
“Well, so what if you did?” sneered Ruben. “It’s none of your business anyway.”
“You didn’t care about the unicorns at all!” Maya’s cheeks went bright red. “And you didn’t care about the little foal you took away from his mother.”
“Is this true, Maya?” Her mum got up and took her daughter’s hand.
Maya nodded. “I was with my new friend, Sophy. We both saw what he did.”
Maya’s mum rounded on Ruben. “You should be ashamed of yourself!”
Ruben’s eyes glittered. “I deserved that money!” He pointed at Maya. “And she is just a horrible little sneak!”
All the members of the troupe started talking loudly at once.
“Take that back!” Maya’s brothers yelled at Ruben.
“Magical animals should never be treated so cruelly,” said Floella, shaking her head.
Mr Inigo rose and held up his hand for silence. “Ruben, it’s clear that you do not deny what Maya has said. I’m afraid there’s no place in our troupe for someone who has abandoned what’s right and wrong for the sake of money.”
“But…” spluttered Ruben.
“You must go,” said Mr Inigo, and the other members of the troupe nodded in agreement.
“Fine! I don’t want to stay with you anyway.” Ruben glared round at all of them, before marching away to pack his things.
Maya put the pageboy costumes back where they belonged. Then she fetched some small fruit pies, and some lettuce and carrots for Clover, and ran back to the other side of the river.
“Yum!” Clover bounded up to Maya and tugged the vegetables from her hands.
“Thanks, Maya. This is delicious!” said Sophy, nibbling a fruit pie. “The songbird came back while you were gone. Windrunner will be here at dawn. We can rest till then.”
“Actually, it’s the Grand Show tonight. I nearly forgot because I was thinking so hard about rescuing Clover,” explained Maya. “I should really go and dance. I don’t want to let the troupe down.”
“Have a wonderful time!” beamed Sophy. “We’ll be fine here. Won’t we, Clover?”
Clover nodded as he chomped on another carrot.
Mr Inigo’s Amazing Travelling Troupe put on a spectacular show that night. Maya’s brothers juggled with glow sticks. Monty and May did rows of somersaults until the crowd gasped and clapped. Then Floella and Daisy performed a ribbon dance, twirling and spinning their long purple ribbons.
Maya joined the two grown-up dancers for their final number. Her pale-blue dress floated around her as she leapt and spun. Then she performed a beautiful ballet dance by herself. As the music played, she lifted her arms and pointed her toes, enjoying every step. The crowd clapped loudly when she finished and they called for an encore. Maya blushed and made another curtsy. She was so happy they’d loved her dancing!
Finally, Monty and May climbed the tall towers that had been put up on either side of the arena. Climbing on to their trapeze swings, they began to glide through the air. Maya always loved watching their act. It was awesome seeing them soar so high.
Suddenly, her heart fluttered. She would be riding on a dragon for the very first time tonight. The acrobats were flying high on their trapeze but she would be going even higher!
Chapter Ten
Maya’s First Flight
After the show was over, and all the costumes and equipment packed away, Maya told her mum and dad about her plan.
“Sophy and I are going to take Clover, the unicorn foal, back to his herd,” she said. “We’re going to … um … ride on a dragon to get there!” She crossed her fingers, hoping her parents wouldn’t say she wasn’t allowed.
“You’re old enough to be sensible, Maya,” said her mum. “As long as you let us know where you are and remember to thank the dragon.”
“Your grandmother used to say she’d once ridden a dragon,” said her dad. “She was an acrobat. I think she liked the excitement of flying through the sky.”
Maya wondered whether she was going to like flying too. Her insides felt wobbly as she kissed her parents and went to find Sophy and Clover.
They waited a long time by the bridge.
Then at last, just as the colour of dawn began creeping into the sky, the sound of wingbeats filled the air.
Sophy leapt up at once. “Windrunner, is that you?”
The noise grew louder and swirls of wind lifted the girls’ hair. Windrunner landed in the river with an enormous splash. He paddled to the edge, climbed out and shook the water off his huge leathery wings. The girls stood back so that they didn’t get soaked.
“Hello, Sophy! Hello, Maya!” Windrunner looked at Clover with kind amber eyes. “Hello, little unicorn.”
“Hello, Windrunner,” said Maya. “It’s great to see you.”
Sophy ran up to give the dragon a hug. “Thank you for coming back.”
Windrunner bowed his head. “Where to now, Sophy?”
“We’re taking this foal back to the sky unicorn herd,” Sophy told him.
Windrunner made Sophy stand back before giving out a long fiery breath to dry off his wet scales. “Climb on!”
Sophy and Maya scrambled on. Clover didn’t want to at first but Sophy explained that it might be too far for him to fly. He found it hard to balance on Windrunner’s back, but the girls helped him and soon they were all sitting down safely. Maya’s heart thumped as she held on tight.
With a massive leap, Windrunner took off. He soared high above the river before swooping down till they almost touched the water. Rising high again, he took them up and up until Maya thought she could almost touch the clouds.
The Emerald Plain rolled past below them. Maya gazed at the long, curving shape of the river that she was so used to sailing on. It was strange to see it from here – it looked so small!
The sky grew brighter as the sun rose. Windrunner flew on steadily. Clover’s eyelids drooped and he slept for a while. Maya held on to him, making sure he stayed safely on the dragon’s back.
“I can see the unicorn herd,” Windrunner growled, plunging downwards.
The
sky unicorns raised their heads as the storm dragon landed at the edge of their valley. One unicorn rushed forward, tossing her mane in delight.
Clover woke up and bounded down from the dragon’s back to meet his mum again. They touched noses and then Clover’s mum nibbled his ear.
Maya and Sophy climbed down more slowly and the herd of sky unicorns gathered round them.
“How strange that two girls and a storm dragon have brought our little Clover back to us,” said one unicorn.
“Perhaps the stories from the songbirds are true,” said another. “Can you talk to us, girls? Do you have a magical stone that makes this possible?”
“Yes, we do!” said Maya.
Both girls took out their stones and showed the sky unicorns the beautiful crystals inside. The magical animals nodded their heads and murmured to each other.
“I thank you for bringing my baby back to me,” said Clover’s mum, and she bowed her head to each of the girls and then to Windrunner. “I think the human who took him must be a very bad man.”
Windrunner shook his head, smoke billowing from his nostrils. “Sir Fitzroy is dangerous! What wicked ideas will he have next?”
“Then you haven’t heard?” said Clover’s mum. “The songbirds tell us he has sent letters to his friends all over the kingdom, urging them to capture magical animals. Every enchanted creature is now in danger.”
Maya and Sophy exchanged looks.
“I won’t let him hurt them,” cried Sophy. “I’m going to find more people who will help – people who can use the Speaking Stones like Maya and me.”
“I’ll come with you!” said Maya. “We can’t let Sir Fitzroy win. There are lots of different creatures to protect – star wolves, firebirds and many more. We’ll have to fly right across the kingdom!”
A unicorn with a pale-green tail stepped in front of Maya. “My name is Marella,” she said. “I would like to repay the great help you have given young Clover by offering to carry you anywhere you wish to go.”
“Thank you,” said Maya. “I’d like that very much!” She climbed on to Marella’s back.
Clover bounced up to them. “Don’t forget to come back and visit me, Maya!”
“I won’t!” Maya beamed down at him. “I could never forget you, Clover!”
Sophy climbed on to Windrunner’s back. The storm dragon and the sky unicorn soared side by side into the light-blue sky.
Maya smiled across at Sophy. She couldn’t wait for their next secret rescue!
Copyright
For Imme J-T
THE SECRET RESCUERS: THE SKY UNICORN
First published in the UK in 2015 by Nosy Crow Ltd
The Crow’s Nest, 10a Lant Street
London, SE1 1QR, UK
This ebook edition first published 2015
Nosy Crow and associated logos are trademarks and / or registered trademarks of Nosy Crow Ltd
Text copyright © Paula Harrison, 2015
Cover illustration and interior illustrations © Sophy Williams, 2015
The right of Paula Harrison to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved
This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, incidents and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictiously. Any resemblence to actual people, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
ISBN: 978 0 85763 497 9
www.nosycrow.com
Secret Rescuers Page 4