by Pip Bird
‘It’s ALL to play for!’ Miss Glitterhorn grinned as the whole school stood back out on the sports field. ‘I really think that any of the teams could be our winners!’
‘Really, Miss Glitterhorn, don’t give them false hope,’ muttered Madame Shetland. ‘Now! It’s time for the Seriously Sporty Events. This will really test your partnership with your unicorn – especially the Uni-Pole Vault.’
There were worried whispers from the younger members of the teams. Mira could see that even Rani and Jake gave each other a LOOK.
‘But don’t worry – just give it your best shot!’ said Miss Glitterhorn.
Mira looked at Dave. She got the feeling he wasn’t looking forward to the Seriously Sporty Events. When Miss Hind had blown her whistle to signal the end of squash and biscuits, Dave tried to distract everyone by pointing at something in the sky with his hoof and then running off. Mira found him hiding in a sparklebush.
The first event was the Long Jump. The unicorn and their rider would gallop along the track and then when they reached the big white line they would jump and see how far into the glitter-sandpit they landed. The results were quite mixed – and it was clear that these events were much harder. Jake’s unicorn Pegasus put one hoof over the white line and the jump didn’t count, despite Team Rhino’s protests. Darcy and Star jumped quite far, but then they bowed and did a celebratory tap dance and were docked points for getting glitter-sand in people’s eyes.
Soon Mira and Dave were up – the first to jump from Team Sloth. Mira hopped onto Dave’s back and he walked over to the start of the run-up track. So far, so good! thought Mira.
Dave backed up a few paces.
‘That’s great, Dave,’ said Mira. ‘Get a longer run up!’
Then he backed up a few more paces.
And a few more.
And a few more.
Mira realised he was actually just walking backwards away from the glitter-sand pit.
‘Come on, Dave. You can do this – I believe in you!’ She ruffled his mane. Dave kept walking backwards. ‘AND,’ Mira continued. ‘I saved you some biscuits from squash-and-biscuits time . . .’
Dave stopped walking backwards. His little ears pricked up and he gave a grunt. Then he started trotting forwards towards the track.
‘That’s it, Dave!’ said Mira, giving him a pat. ‘Think of the biscuits!’
Dave sped up. Mira could see the track approaching, leading up to the white line and the glitter-sand pit. But there was something else there, too. Something . . . yellow. Mira realised with a gulp that it was a banana skin – and Dave was going to slip on it!
‘No – Dave! Stop!’ she called. But Dave seemed to be thinking only of the biscuits and he got faster not slower! ‘Dave! Watch out for the bananAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGGHH!’
Dave skidded on the banana skin and shot forward – he and Mira were propelled through the air. Mira squeezed her eyes shut, hugged Dave’s neck and braced herself for the landing. Dave hadn’t even had the chance to jump properly, but all that mattered now was that they were both okay. At least the glitter-sand would be soft, she hoped.
They landed with a thump – the glitter-sand was soft – but it also wasn’t very sandy and was a bit . . . leafy?
Mira opened her eyes – they were in a sparklebush. She saw Dave had his eyes closed too. He opened one eye and looked at Mira.
‘Oh dear – we didn’t even make the glitter-sand pit!’ she said.
‘No – you jumped PAST it!’ squeaked Flo, arriving at the bush on Sparkles and peering through the leaves.
‘It’s a school record!’ said Raheem, beaming. The rest of Team Sloth were whooping and cheering behind them.
Mira and Dave were awarded 20 points for their jump, even though Rani and Jake complained that the rules said your jump would be measured in the glitter-sand pit – so jumping past it shouldn’t count.
Jake was still muttering about it when Raheem went up to take his jump. ‘They obviously didn’t mean to do an amazing jump,’ he grumbled. ‘It must have been an accident.’
Mira thought of the banana skin . . . so she looked over at the track – and there was another one! She told Miss Glitterhorn, who made Raheem and Brave wait until it was removed.
‘How strange,’ said her teacher.
Mira looked over at her sister, who was standing with Angelica, very close to the run-up track. Rani saw her looking and mouthed, ‘WHAT?’ Mira mouthed back, ‘NOTHING’, but she didn’t look away and watched Rani like a hawk for the rest of the Long Jump, even though Rani was mouthing, ‘WHY ARE YOU STARING AT ME?’ and ‘YOU’RE SO WEIRD.’
The rest of Team Sloth did their jumps, and they managed to get some more points. And no more banana skins appeared. Interesting, Mira thought.
Then it was time for the Uni-Pole Vault. It was a really hard event, and only a few people had managed to do it before Mira and Dave stepped up to have a go.
‘It doesn’t matter if we can’t do it, Dave,’ she said, giving him a pat. ‘You already did a brilliant Long Jump!’
Dave looked at her with a twinkle in his eye. And then he winked.
‘Okay . . .’ said Mira, feeling slightly uncertain. She climbed on to Dave’s back and picked up a pole from the pile marked ‘Team Sloth’.
Dave turned his head, grabbed the pole in his mouth and ate it.
‘Er, Dave, I think the pole is quite important,’ said Mira. But Dave had already started his run up. Mira looked up at the Uni-Pole Vault bar – it looked dizzyingly high. How on earth would they get up there?
As if he was answering her question, Dave suddenly ducked low and kicked his back legs up, springing off the ground. Mira slid forward and clung on to his neck. Together they turned a somersault in the air – and hurtled back towards the ground.
For the second time that day Mira shut her eyes and braced herself . . . Dave had BOUNCED on his HORN and they were now soaring up into the sky, turning somersaults as they went! They flew higher, and higher – past the Uni-Pole Vault bar! Mira felt her stomach drop as they started to fall, still turning over and over . . .
And with a THUD they landed on the spongy crash mat.
The cheers and applause from Team Sloth were deafening. Darcy’s team cheered too, and some of Team Cobra joined in. The teachers agreed that it was the most impressive Uni-Pole Vault they’d ever seen and awarded Mira and Dave 40 points.
Team Rhino surrounded Miss Glitterhorn.
‘But – but, Miss!’ cried Jake. ‘They didn’t use the pole!’ He pointed over at the pile of Team Sloth poles. Dave was standing over them and sniffing. He carefully nudged one of the poles away from the pile with his nose. Then Mira realised he was eating that one, too! She rushed over, thinking that it was not the best thing for Dave’s stomach, and pulled what remained of the pole out of his mouth.
But it wasn’t plastic and metal – it was sticky, and – Mira sniffed it – sugary. She tentatively licked it. It wasn’t a pole vault pole at all – it was a giant candy cane.
They inspected the rest of the poles in Team Sloth’s pile – they were ALL candy canes.
‘Those are branches from the sugar trees,’ said Miss Glitterhorn, shaking her head. ‘They grow nearby – but I don’t know what they’re doing here! Borrow Team Rhino’s poles and gather together the candy canes.’
‘We can’t do that, Miss,’ said Raheem. ‘Dave’s eaten them all.’
Dave turned to face them all and did a thundering fart.
Some of the other Team Sloth unicorns copied Dave’s Uni-Pole Vault technique, and Team Sloth clocked up more points. Everyone held their breath as they watched the scoreboard.
‘YAAAAAAAAAY!’ cheered Team Sloth, all having a hug and high fiving. Lots of them asked Mira if they could give Dave a well done pat.
Mira’s chest was fizzing with excitement – they were joint first with Team Rhino! And what’s more, everyone was cheering for Dave!
‘You were brilliant, Dave,’ she said, scratchi
ng him behind the ears. ‘I’m so glad you’re my Unicorn Best Friend Forever.’
Dave shrugged and snorted, but Mira could see his cheeks go pink.
The teams filed back into the school for lunch. Miss Glitterhorn told them all to leave their trainers in the PE changing rooms so they wouldn’t get mud in the lunch hall. Mira carefully laid her glitter trainers on the floor underneath her peg. She’d tried really hard not to get them muddy.
Mira was so excited she could hardly eat. But she knew she would need lots of energy for the Cross Country Obstacle race. Dave was also excited, but he was always excited at lunchtime.
Darcy and Freya came over to sit with them. Freya soon had to leave because she was summoned to the girls’ toilets by her unicorn, Princess, who was devastated that all the sports had messed up her mane.
‘Go Dave!’ said Darcy. ‘What an awesome Uni-Pole Vault!’
Mira beamed with pride. Though she could tell Dave wasn’t used to being the centre of attention. He shrugged again and focused on his food.
‘What do you think the obstacles will be?’ said Darcy. ‘I just hope it’s something DANGEROUS and not boring old cones and bits of rope.’
‘I hope it is boring old cones and bits of rope,’ said Raheem firmly.
Mira looked over at a table nearby, where Team Rhino were talking tactics.
‘Dave did pretty well in the Seriously Sporty Events,’ said one girl.
‘That was a fluke!’ hissed Jake. ‘And now it’s a race – he won’t go very fast on those stumpy legs!’
Mira was about to turn to Dave and say that they seemed to have Team Rhino worried, when she realised something. Rani wasn’t there. Mira thought she’d be leading the team talk . . . Mira looked around at the other tables. Rani was nowhere to be seen. Where WAS she?
After lunch the teams all went back to the PE changing rooms to get their trainers.
Mira went to her peg – and then stared down at the floor in disbelief.
HER GLITTER TRAINERS WERE GONE.
‘Are you okay?’ said Raheem, as Mira desperately searched under the other pegs.
More of Team Sloth gathered round as Mira explained about the trainers. They helped her to look, but no one could find the trainers anywhere. Pupils from other teams joined in the search.
Miss Hind came in to find out where they were. ‘Come on, it’s time for the Cross Country Obstacle race. No stragglers!’ she barked.
‘We can’t go yet. Mira’s trainers have gone!’ said Raheem.
Miss Hind sighed and looked at her watch. Then Miss Glitterhorn and Madame Shetland came in, wondering what the hold up was.
‘You’ll just have to borrow some spare trainers, Mira,’ said Miss Glitterhorn kindly. ‘We’ll look for them later.’
‘But . . .’ said Mira, worried she might cry. Her dad had got the trainers for her birthday as a special surprise because he saw her looking at them in the shop window. She blinked back tears. Then she felt a nudge, followed by a scratchy mane and a warm nose nuzzle under her chin. It was a Dave hug!
‘You can get some stinky lost property trainers to match your stinky PE kit!’ said a voice.
‘Rani!’ said Miss Glitterhorn.
Mira turned to look at her sister, who had a big grin on her face. Rani was wearing her own glitter trainers and she stuck out her right foot and wiggled it in Mira’s direction. Mira snapped. She’d had enough!
‘Rani STOLE my trainers!’ she shouted, pointing at her sister. ‘She’s been playing tricks on Team Sloth all day – and SABOTAGING US!’
There was a stunned silence.
Rani was staring at her, open-mouthed. ‘No. I . . .’
‘Mira this is a very serious accusation,’ said Madame Shetland. ‘I would think very carefully about what you’re saying.’
‘Where’s your proof ?’ said Jake.
‘I . . . well . . .’ Mira looked down at the ground. She hadn’t actually seen Rani do anything. But she had been really mean about Team Sloth. AND she’d made that speech about “doing anything they could” to win. AND she wasn’t anywhere to be seen at lunch, right when the trainers went missing. It MUST be her!
Then something interrupted her thoughts. It was a strange snuffling, grunting sound . . .
They all turned to look. Dave had his nose to the floor and seemed to be licking something. Then he trotted forwards.
‘Dave, don’t lick the floor!’ said Mira, running over to him.
‘Gross,’ said someone from Team Rhino.
But then Mira looked closer. ‘Wait . . .’ she said. ‘I think Dave’s found something.’ She saw that he was hoovering up a trail of glitter that led out of the changing room door.
‘It’s a clue!’ cried Mira, as she followed Dave.
‘We don’t have time for that now, Mira,’ said Miss Glitterhorn.
‘I’ll be quick, Miss! I promise!’ Mira called behind her.
‘Well, make sure you are. No – Team Sloth, that doesn’t mean you can ALL go. Or you, Team Rhino! Everybody stay still! Okay, well we’ll all just go for a little bit. Back in a moment, Madame Shetland!’
Miss Glitterhorn jogged after the large crowd of children, all following Mira and Dave and the glitter trail. Dave carried on licking up the glitter all the way into the stable yard. And all the way up to one of the stables. All the stable doors had a wooden sign saying the unicorn’s name, but on this one the sign was nearly hidden by all the pictures and hand-drawn posters that were stuck all over the door.
‘But . . .’ said Rani, as Dave, still eating the glitter, pushed the door open with his nose.
There, nestled among the hay, were Mira’s glitter trainers.
There was a shocked gasp from all the teams. Flo fainted. Miss Glitterhorn shook her head.
‘Rani . . .’ she said, sounding disappointed.
‘I – I didn’t take them!’ said Rani.
‘Yeah RIGHT,’ said Mira. ‘Where were you at lunch, then? You weren’t in the lunch hall with your team.’
‘I – I was –’ stammered Rani.
‘You were TRAINER STEALING!’ said Mira. She felt a bit giddy, and wasn’t sure if it was anger or triumph.
‘No! I was with Mrs Fetlock,’ said Rani.
Mrs Fetlock was head of Class Orange and the school maths teacher.
‘How come?’ said Mira.
‘I’m doing extra work with her,’ said Rani, looking at her feet.
‘Why would you do that?’ blurted out Darcy, clearly horrified at the idea of voluntarily doing extra work.
‘Because I’m behind, OKAY!’ snapped Rani.
‘Don’t worry, Rani,’ interrupted Miss Glitterhorn. ‘There’s nothing wrong with having a little bit of help when you need it.’
Mira could see Rani blinking furiously, which she did on the VERY rare occasions she was about to cry. A tight feeling twisted in Mira’s stomach. She felt AWFUL.
Raheem handed her the glitter trainers. ‘Thanks, Raheem,’ she said glumly and she sat down to put them on. There were strands of unicorn mane caught in the laces, but otherwise they were as good as new.
‘Well, it seems like this is all cleared up,’ said Miss Glitterhorn.
‘Apart from why Mira’s trainers were in a stable?’ said Yusuf.
‘Mira probably put them there to FRAME Rani,’ said one of Rani’s friends.
‘Now, now, let’s all stop accusing each other of things and get back to sports day,’ said Miss Glitterhorn firmly, striding back through the stable yard. The children followed her. Mira’s stomach twisted even tighter and she sped up to walk alongside her sister.
‘Rani . . .’ she said.
Rani turned round. ‘Just leave me alone!’Rani’s friend put her arm round her protectively and Angelica snorted crossly at Mira.
‘It’s not your fault – you didn’t know,’ said Raheem kindly, appearing at her side.
Flo popped up between them. ‘Why don’t we go and win Unicorn School Sports Day?’
Dave trumpeted a fart of agreement, and they all grinned. Mira followed Team Sloth out to the sports field, trying to ignore the guilty feeling in her chest. But it still didn’t make sense – how DID her trainers get in the stable?
‘ON YOUR MARKS!’
Team Sloth were on their unicorns at the start line of the Cross Country Obstacle race.
‘GET SET!’
They could hear the shouts of Team Cobra, who’d set off a few minutes before. The teams were going one by one.
‘GO!’
Brave shot off at a thundering gallop with Raheem clinging to his neck for dear life. The rest of Team Sloth trotted after him, and Mira soon found herself at the back. She felt bad for thinking it, but maybe Jake did have a point about Dave’s little legs.
The race would take them out to the furthest fields in the school grounds (and from the splashes they’d heard, part of it went through the swimming pool). Then back to the sports field, where they’d wait for the last team to arrive and then all complete the final dash to the finish line.
Team Sloth went up over a hill and followed a big, red arrow into the next field, where they weaved in and out of some cones. Another arrow pointed them to the next field, where there was a set of monkey bars. It didn’t seem too hard so far.
They reached the end of the second field, where a path forked in two. The big, red arrow pointed to the path on the left. On the arrow was scrawled ‘THIS WAY’. Brave, still leading the group, strode along the left path.
‘Wait!’ called Yusuf. ‘Doesn’t that lead to the forest?’
Brave stopped abruptly up ahead of them, and all of Team Sloth collided with each other.
‘The arrow was definitely pointing this way, though,’ said Ali.