The Rowdy Red Panda

by Amelia Cobb

  “Yes, our volunteers did a superb job with them,” remarked Great-Uncle Horace.

  “And it’s all very neat and tidy,” Mrs Price added.

  “Oh, thank you!” exclaimed Mr Pinch.

  Zoe looked at Lucy and raised her eyebrows. Mr Pinch and Mrs Price seemed to have a lot in common. She really hoped Mrs Price wouldn’t think that the rest of the zoo was too messy.

  When they got to the snow leopards’ enclosure the cubs had finished their nap and were tumbling about in the snow outside their cave. Two of them came scampering over to the wall of the enclosure to say hello.

  “This is Holly and Ivy,” said Zoe.

  “They certainly look very excited to see you,” said Mrs Price, as the two cubs started to play fight in the snow.

  Zoe grinned. “I think they’re excited to see the snow too. Did you know that snow leopards have extra big paws to help them walk in the snow?”

  “No, I didn’t,” replied Mrs Price.

  “All that extra fur helps keep their toes warm too,” added Lucy.

  “Well, this is most interesting,” said Mrs Price.

  “OK, next stop, the penguins,” announced Great-Uncle Horace.

  “Oh, I do love penguins,” said Mrs Price.

  “Me too.” Mr Pinch nodded. “Very tidy creatures.”

  Mrs Price smiled and Zoe’s heart sank. The judge really did hate mess as much as Mr Pinch. What would she think when she saw how messy the snow animal competition was?

  As they reached the penguin enclosure, two of the younger penguins, Pip and Percy, started sliding around on the ice on their tummies. Zoe knew they were putting on a dance show for their special visitor.

  “Oh, how lovely,” said Mrs Price.

  Behind them, the children were putting the finishing touches to their snow animals. All the mess had gone now, thankfully. Zoe smiled. Everything was going really well. Mrs Price seemed to like the zoo and even Mr Pinch seemed almost happy. But then she heard a loud squeak from high above.

  “Uh-oh,” Meep chattered from inside Zoe’s coat.

  Uh-oh, thought Zoe, as she looked up to see Ruby perched on a long tree branch that stretched from her enclosure over to the edge of the penguin enclosure. A group of penguins had gathered by the fence and were looking up at her. Zoe listened hard to Ruby’s squeaks and her heart sank. The little red panda was showing off to the penguins that she could dance too – along the branch with her eyes closed!

  “Ruby, don’t!” cried Zoe. “That’s dangerous!”

  But she was too late. Zoe watched in horror as Ruby lost her footing – and fell straight into the penguins’ enclosure!

  Ruby landed on the ice with a thud. The penguins who had been dancing went skidding off to the side. A loud cracking noise filled the air.

  “What’s that sound?” asked Mrs Price.

  “It’s the ice,” replied Zoe, her heart pounding. What if Ruby fell into the icy water? She wasn’t sure if red pandas could swim!

  There was another loud crack as Ruby tried to get on to her paws but slipped and slid back down again.

  “Don’t move, Ruby, I’m coming!” Zoe ran over to the enclosure entrance and felt for the paw-print pendant around her neck. But before she could go inside some of the penguins started gliding over the ice to Ruby. Zoe held her breath as she watched. She really hoped the ice wouldn’t break. Poor Ruby whimpered helplessly. Very slowly and very carefully, the penguins guided the red panda to the safety of the snowy shore.

  Lucy rushed into the enclosure. Ruby might be hurt! Everyone, including Mrs Price, looked on with worried eyes. But Ruby had already started to squirm again and as Lucy checked her over, she looked like she was going to be OK.

  Zoe noticed that Pip, the youngest penguin, looked really sad. She followed Lucy into the enclosure with Meep still tucked in her coat, and went over to the penguins. “Well done for saving her,” she whispered to them. “But what’s the matter, Pip?”

  The little penguin gave a sad squawk.

  “I’m sorry Ruby stopped your show,” said Zoe, “but I don’t think it’s made the judge cross.” She glanced outside the enclosure. Mrs Price was busy chatting away to Mr Pinch and Great-Uncle Horace. “I think you should carry on dancing.”

  Pip squawked hopefully.

  “Yes, I don’t think the judge will mind the break at all.” Zoe sighed. She really hoped this was true.

  The penguins got on with their show for Mrs Price and Zoe hurried over to her mum.

  “How’s Ruby?”

  “She’s OK. No broken bones thankfully. She’s just a little shocked.”

  “I’m not surprised.” Zoe stroked the red panda’s head. “Shall I put her back in her enclosure?”

  Lucy nodded. “Yes please.”

  Zoe let Meep out of her coat and carefully carried Ruby back outside.

  “How is she?” Mrs Price called over.

  “She’s OK,” replied Zoe, trying to ignore Mr Pinch’s glare.

  She quickly let herself into Ruby’s enclosure and went behind the trees so they couldn’t be seen. Meep scampered along behind them.

  “Ruby, why did you do that?” asked Zoe. “You could have been really hurt. You could have fallen through the ice.”

  Ruby hung her head and huffed sadly.

  “Oh Ruby.” Zoe cuddled her tightly. “I understand it’s boring to be all alone in your enclosure. You just wanted to be part of the show with the penguins.”

  Ruby nuzzled into her and chirped again.

  “I know you like playing with your new friends, but there are much less rowdy ways to have fun!”

  “Yes,” chattered Meep. “You could give other animals food. Food is the most fun thing ever!”

  “All Meep ever thinks about is food,” joked Zoe.

  “No, I don’t!” The little mouse lemur puffed up his chest crossly. “I don’t think of food when I’m asleep … apart from when I dream about it,” he added.

  Ruby ran off behind a tree and came back with a bamboo shoot. She dropped it on the floor in front of Meep.

  “Ah, look, she’s given you a present,” said Zoe.

  Meep chattered excitedly and Ruby gave a happy squeak.

  “There, see, you’ve made a friend without doing anything silly,” said Zoe.

  Ruby nodded.

  “If you could just stay in your enclosure for now, I promise that after the judge has gone, I’ll try to help you find more things to do. Does that sound all right?”

  Ruby squeaked yes.

  “Thank you.” Zoe stroked Ruby’s fur. “I’d better go and see how the snow animal contest is going. We’ll be back soon.”

  Zoe and Meep got back to the others just as the penguins were finishing their show. Will, their keeper, came out of his shed holding a bucket. The penguins gathered round as he threw them handfuls of krill to say well done.

  Mrs Price glanced over to Ruby’s enclosure. Then she wrote something on her clipboard. She seemed very serious. Zoe’s heart sank. What if Pip had been right? What if Ruby interrupting the penguins’ show had made them lose the Snowy Paws Award?

  Mrs Price finished writing and pointed to the area in front of the café. “What are those children doing?”

  “Oh, you don’t want to see them,” said Mr Pinch hastily. “You know how messy children can be.”

  “They’re having a snow animal-making contest,” said Zoe, ignoring Mr Pinch’s frown. “Would you like to watch?”

  “Yes, please.” Mrs Price nodded.

  “But you haven’t seen all of the neat and tidy parts of the zoo,” spluttered Mr Pinch. “And the rest of the splendid decorations.”

  “I’m sure I’ll get to see them eventually,” replied Mrs Price.

  As Zoe led the judge over to the café, she hoped Willow and Sam had stopped arguing. The last thing they needed was anything else going wrong. At least Ruby was now safe and calm inside her enclosure. Zoe glanced over. The red panda was perched high in a tree, munching on a
bamboo shoot and watching the children.

  Mrs Price headed over to Elliot and Jack. “Hello young men, what’s that you’re building?”

  “It’s an elephant,” replied Elliot proudly.

  “It took us ages to get its trunk right,” said Jack.

  “I think it’s marvellous,” said Mrs Price.

  Zoe grinned. Mrs Price was right. The trunk was great. It was huge and curved right down to the ground.

  “Now we just need to choose a scarf for our elephant to wear,” said Elliot, pointing to the pile of props on the ground.

  While Jack and Elliot showed Mrs Price the props, Zoe went over to her cousins. There was still a big heap of snow in front of them.

  “It doesn’t look like a hippo,” whispered Sam.

  “Well it doesn’t look like a tiger either,” replied Willow crossly.

  Zoe was very relieved that Mrs Price was still busy talking to Jack and Elliot. “Come on you two,” she said to the twins. “There must be an animal you both want to make.”

  “But tigers are so tough and cool,” said Sam.

  “Yeah, but hippos are unique!” said Willow. “No one else would think of making one!”

  “Why don’t you make something completely different?” suggested Zoe.

  Sam looked thoughtful. “How about a snow snake?”

  “No, snow snakes are boring,” said Willow.

  Zoe sighed and shook her head. She wondered if the twins would ever agree on something! A sudden gust of wind blew through the zoo and Zoe shivered. She hoped Sally would make some more of her delicious hot chocolate soon. It was getting really chilly.

  Great-Uncle Horace went and stood in front of the café. “Attention everyone, it’s time to judge the Snow Animal Contest.”

  The crowd fell silent. Even Willow and Sam stopped arguing.

  Great-Uncle Horace smiled at them all. “You’ve all worked very hard on your snow animals. Mrs Price, I was wondering if you would do the honours?”

  “I would love to,” replied Mrs Price.

  Zoe held her breath as the judge inspected each of the snow animals.

  “OK, I have made my decision,” Mrs Price said. “The winner is … this magnificent snow elephant!”

  “Yes!” cheered Elliot.

  “We won!” cried Jack.

  Zoe ran over to congratulate them. But before she could say a word, another icy blast blew through the zoo. The children gasped as some of the props were whipped up into the air and into the biggest tree in the whole zoo, which stood right at the edge of Ruby’s enclosure.

  “Oh no!” cried Elliot as the scarf he’d put around the snow elephant’s neck was sent flying.

  “My snow fox has lost his hat,” cried another boy.

  A little girl started to cry. “My snow zebra will be cold without his hat on.”

  “Of course he’ll be cold, he’s made of snow,” Meep chattered.

  Zoe shushed him and went over to give the girl a hug. “Don’t worry, we’ll get your zebra’s hat back.”

  “How?” sobbed the little girl. “It’s stuck in that tree.”

  Zoe looked over to the tree-top. It was covered in hats and scarves. She’d thought the worst was over after the penguins rescued Ruby, but things just kept on going wrong!

  Another gust of wind whipped around them.

  “My scarf!” cried Mrs Price as her scarf was pulled from her neck by the wind and flew up into the tree as well.

  “Can’t someone climb up the tree and get them?” said Jack.

  “I’ll climb it,” said Elliot.

  “No, no, no,” said Great-Uncle Horace. “It’s far too high and the branches aren’t strong enough to hold a person.”

  Zoe felt her heart sinking. There’s no way we will win if Mrs Price’s scarf is stuck up there.

  Suddenly, Zoe saw a flash of red fur streak through the tree. “Oh no,” she whispered as she watched Ruby scampering higher and higher. What was the lively red panda going to do this time?

  Everyone watched as Ruby bounced around the branches. She leapt, grabbed one of the hats in her paws and put it on her head. She jumped to the next branch and picked up another hat. Then another, and then a scarf. The tree was swaying beneath her paws and snow was showering down on to the ground. Balancing the hats and scarf, Ruby carefully made her way back down the tree.

  “She’s stealing my snow zebra’s hat,” sniffed the little girl.

  “I don’t think she’s stealing it,” Zoe grinned. “I think she’s saving it.”

  And sure enough, the little red panda came scampering over to the enclosure gate. She looked very funny dressed up so warmly. All the children started laughing.

  Zoe felt for the paw-print pendant around her neck and opened the enclosure gate. Ruby came scampering out. Willow unwrapped Mrs Price’s scarf and handed it back to her. As soon as the hats and scarf were collected, Ruby scampered back up into the tree to get more. Back and forth she went, until all the props were out of the tree. The children cheered.

  “Now my snow zebra won’t be cold!” the little girl said, smiling.

  Once Ruby was done, Zoe picked her up and gave her a hug.

  Ruby grunted anxiously.

  “It’s OK,” Zoe whispered. “You didn’t mess up anything with your little trick – you made everything better! It was very kind of you to rescue the props.” She only hoped that Mrs Price didn’t mind what had happened. She looked over at the judge nervously. She looked very serious. Zoe felt really sad. Looks like we’ve lost the Snowy Paws Award…

  Everyone fell silent as Mrs Price got ready to speak. Her serious expression softened. She looked like she had made a decision. “What a wonderful zoo this is,” she said. She smiled at Ruby. “And what a lively red panda. Thank you for putting on such a great show.” Mrs Price began to clap and everyone joined in – even Mr Pinch!

  “You picked the perfect time to be rowdy after all,” Zoe whispered as she put Ruby on the ground.

  The little red panda bounced for joy on the snow.

  Mrs Price looked down at her clipboard. “And now for the results of the Snowy Paws Award.”

  Zoe’s heart thudded. She really hoped they’d done enough to win!

  “I was very impressed by the wonderful wintry decorations in the Rescue Zoo,” Mrs Price continued. “And the tidy footpaths as well. Clearing the snow from them made it so much easier for the guests to get around.”

  Mr Pinch’s normal frown turned into a huge grin. Zoe had never seen him looking so happy!

  “And the zoo is so well-organized too,” said Mrs Price. “So that even in the winter, there’s much to look at.”

  Mr Pinch’s smile grew even bigger.

  “You have done a wonderful job showcasing the special winter animals and teaching visitors all about them.”

  Zoe hugged Meep to her.

  “And the animals themselves are clearly very happy and well cared for here, no matter what the weather!”

  Ruby, who was still rolling around on the ground, gave an excited squeak. Everyone started laughing.

  “I loved finding out all of the interesting facts about the winter animals,” said Mrs Price. “Thank you very much, Zoe.”

  Zoe smiled proudly.

  Great-Uncle Horace patted her on the back. “Well done, Zoe.”

  “I especially liked watching the penguins dancing on the ice.” Mrs Price chuckled. “But I think my favourite moment has to be the red panda rescuing the hats and scarves!”

  Everyone started laughing again and Ruby squeaked excitedly.

  “This is the most fun zoo I’ve ever been to,” continued Mrs Price. “I’ve had the most wonderful wintry day out. So, without further ado, I declare the Rescue Zoo the winner of the Snowy Paws Award!”

  The crowd all began to cheer.

  Mrs Price took a silver trophy from her bag. It had a paw print on the front. She handed the trophy to Great-Uncle Horace.

  “So you didn’t mind it when things got m
essy?” asked Zoe, hardly able to believe what she’d just heard.

  “Of course not,” replied Mrs Price. “A little mess is the sign of fun.”

  Zoe wanted to jump up and down she was so happy.

  Mr Pinch muttered something under his breath but he kept on smiling.

  “Thank you very much!” exclaimed Great-Uncle Horace. “And thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to help us win. Thank you to the keepers who take such good care of our animals. And thank you to Mr Pinch for keeping the footpaths so neat and tidy.”

  “Well, somebody has to,” Mr Pinch muttered, but at least he was still smiling.

  “And to say thank you, I’d like to buy hot chocolates for everybody!” called Great-Uncle Horace.

  The crowd cheered and headed into the café.

  Zoe noticed Ruby standing on top of a mound of snow. Her tail had drooped between her legs and she looked really sad.

  “What’s the matter, Ruby?”

  The little red panda gave a sad squeak.

  “Why is she sad?” asked Meep.

  “She doesn’t want everyone to go. She wants something to do,” explained Zoe. “She was happy when she was taking part in all the activities, but now she’s going to be bored and alone again.” Then she had a great idea. She picked Ruby up. “I’m going to take you to see my mum,” explained Zoe.

  She hurried over to Lucy, who was outside the café.

  “Hi, Mum. You know how you’re planning to give Ruby a more thorough check-up?”

  “Yes.” Lucy nodded.

  “I was just wondering if you could give Ruby her check-up now – please.”

  “Oh, I suppose I’d meant to do that today, but with all the excitement I haven’t had time,” Lucy said. “But why right now, Zoe?”

  “It’s really important. I need to do something while you’ve got Ruby,” she whispered in Lucy’s ear.