by Lily Small
Where’s My Breakfast?
With a last wave to Hattie, Paddy flew out of the Heart of Misty Wood and into the open lands beyond. Soon, he was soaring over Dewdrop Spring, where the Cobweb Kittens collected their dewdrops in the morning.
The water was twinkling in the sun. It looked so magical that Paddy couldn’t resist fluttering toward the surface to trail his paws in the cool, clear water. Blue and pink dragonflies skimmed along beside him, while bright green frogs hopped jauntily across the lily pads. Then Paddy spotted something else. Something that made him think about his party. On the bank of the lake, next to an old, gnarled log, sat a little pile of acorns.
“Acorns!” Paddy cried. “The best birthday parties always have acorns!”
He flew down and landed next to them. They were the biggest, roundest acorns he’d ever seen. He tried to remember the very best games to play with acorns. He loved Hide the Acorn, but he couldn’t play that on his own. There was Pass the Acorn, but that needed friends, too. Then he remembered how one of the Bud Bunnies had once shown him how to juggle. He imagined showing off to all his friends as they arrived at his party, juggling acorns high in the air.
“Up in the air, up in the air, juggle the acorns, if you dare!” he chanted.
Paddy grabbed a handful of acorns and began to throw them from one paw to another. But it was a lot harder to catch them than he remembered. One of the acorns flew up much too high. When it came down again, it landed in Dewdrop Spring with a big PLOP!
“Oh, dear,” murmured Paddy. “Never mind. There are still plenty of acorns left.”
He threw them up again.
“One, two, three, four, I’ll catch them with my tail and my nifty paw!”
Paddy leaped around, trying to catch the acorns. But as they came down, his paws got all tangled. Thud! Bump! went two of the acorns, landing on the bank and rolling into the water with a plop. As Paddy chased after them, a third acorn flew over his head and landed in the pond with a tinkly splish.
Then he heard a voice.
“Where’s my breakfast?”
Paddy spun around. There, sitting on the log, was a Stardust Squirrel. Usually, Paddy would have been very happy to see one. He loved Stardust Squirrels. Their fur glistened silver or dusky red, and they had delicate wings to match. When they shook their bushy tails, they sent showers of stardust all over Misty Wood. But this one wasn’t shaking his tail. Instead, he was looking a little angry.
“B-b-b-breakfast?” stuttered Paddy.
“Yes.” The squirrel nodded his silvery head. “I put a perfect pile of delicious acorns right next to this log. And now they’re all gone!”
“Oh, dear,” said Paddy, hanging his head in shame.
The squirrel looked at Paddy, tilting his head to one side. “I don’t suppose you might know what happened to them?”
Paddy laid his wings flat along his back and tucked his tail between his legs. He felt terrible.
“I’m so sorry,” he said sadly. “I didn’t know they were your breakfast. It’s my birthday, you see, and I’m so excited—I just thought I’d see if I could juggle them. I thought it might be a fun trick for my party, but…” He looked sadly toward the lake.
The Stardust Squirrel raised his tufty ears in disbelief. “You were trying to juggle?” he squeaked. “I’ve never seen a Pollen Puppy juggle.”
“No, well, it’s not what we do best,” admitted Paddy.
“And what do you do best?”
Paddy cocked his head to one side. “Wag our tails.”
“That’s what I thought,” said the Stardust Squirrel. Then he put his paws to his mouth and started to shake.
Paddy stared. The squirrel was wobbling all over. Even his bushy tail had joined in. It was sending clouds of stardust into the air, covering everything with glitter.
Then Paddy realized what was happening. The squirrel was laughing!
“Haw haw haw haw!” the squirrel roared. “A Pollen Puppy who thinks he can juggle! I’ve never heard anything so funny in the whole of Misty Wood!” Then he stopped suddenly. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to laugh at you—especially on your birthday. It’s just that … that…”
He tried to make his face serious, but he couldn’t quite manage it. His nose and whiskers twitched, and his silver wings began to wiggle again.
Paddy thought of how all the acorns had plopped into the lake. It must have looked very funny. He began to giggle, too. Soon they were both laughing so hard that they rolled around together on the bank of the lake, jiggling their wings and clutching their sides.
At last, they sat up and wiped their eyes. The Stardust Squirrel had covered the whole bank with stardust.
“Thank you, Pollen Puppy,” he said. “You might have lost my breakfast, but you’ve made me laugh. What’s your name?”
“Paddy. What’s yours?”
“I’m Sammy,” replied the squirrel. “Now, I suppose I’d better go and find some more acorns.”
“Oh, no,” said Paddy, wagging his tail. “I should find them for you.” He pointed back toward the Heart of Misty Wood. “There are lots of big oak trees just over there. Come on, I’ll show you.”
Together, they flexed their wings and flew off toward the giant oak trees. When they got there, Paddy leaped and bounced around, sniffing out the plumpest, ripest acorns. Soon, Sammy had an even bigger pile than before!
“Thank you, Paddy!” said Sammy. “Looks like I’ve found a new friend as well as breakfast!”
“You’re welcome,” Paddy woofed. “Now, I’d better go and do my work in Golden Meadow. But will you come to my party later, at Hawthorn Hedgerows?”
Sammy twitched his bushy tail, sprinkling stardust all over his acorns. “Oh, yes please!” he cried. “That would be great fun!”
CHAPTER FIVE
Paddy’s Perfect Cushion
As Sammy started munching his breakfast, Paddy took off again for Golden Meadow, waving good-bye as he went. But his yellow wings began to feel heavy.
Flap … flaaap … flaaaap …
Paddy was flying slower and slower. He’d woken up very early and it had been such a busy morning. Now he felt so tired that he was starting to sink toward the ground. “How will I ever reach Golden Meadow?” he yelped to himself.
Just below him, he saw a pretty hill covered in nodding buttercups. And right on top of the hill sat a cushion. It was made of the softest, comfiest moss Paddy had ever seen, and it reminded him of his own snuggly bed.
Ooh, he thought. That looks perfect for a nap. Just a quick nap …
He floated down and flopped onto the cushion. He laid his head on the moss and closed his eyes. He was so tired that he fell asleep at once. And soon, he was dreaming.
It was a beautiful dream. He was at the most wonderful birthday party in the world, and he was surrounded by presents. Everyone was cheering and clapping. The trees were decorated with daisy chains, and the air fizzed with stardust. Birds were twittering up in the branches, and all the fairy animals were singing birthday songs. Best of all, his mom and dad had given him the juiciest, tastiest bone he’d ever seen. Paddy was dancing around it, wiggling his body and waggling his tail. Then all his Pollen Puppy friends linked paws with him and joined in.
But something wasn’t right.
“Oh! What have you done?” he heard a squeaky voice say.
Paddy frowned. He tried to grab his lovely bone, but when his little jaws snapped shut, it disappeared!
Paddy began to panic. He couldn’t possibly lose his birthday bone.…
“I said, what have you DONE?” the voice squeaked again, louder this time.
Paddy jumped. His eyes popped open. And there, tapping him on the nose with a little paw, was a Moss Mouse. He had pure white fur, the finest blue-and-white wings … and a big frown on his tiny face.
“Oh!” yelped Paddy as he remembered where he was. “I was dreaming about a bone. A beautiful, juicy bone…” He rubbed his eyes sadly.
“I know.�
� The Moss Mouse sniffed.
“You know? How?” Paddy cocked his ears in surprise.
“Look what you’ve done to my cushion!” The Moss Mouse started hopping up and down. “I’m Magnifico the Moss Mouse, and I pride myself on my moss cushions. This one was as round and smooth as a springtime moon. Now see what shape it is!”
Paddy jumped off the cushion. He stared. The Moss Mouse was right. It wasn’t round anymore. The cushion was shaped like a huge bone!
“My tail must have wagged it into that shape while I was dreaming,” Paddy said, still staring at the cushion in disbelief.
“Yes!” exclaimed Magnifico, folding his front paws. “That’s exactly what it did.”
Paddy felt very upset. His overexcited tail was causing all sorts of problems today. Moss Mice worked so hard to make all the lovely moss cushions in Misty Wood. They got up at dawn to hunt out the fluffiest moss from the shadiest valleys and the deepest dells. Then they spent hours patting it into shape.
“I’m really sorry,” Paddy said. “It’s my birthday, you see, and I’m so excited. It wasn’t just any old bone that I was dreaming about. It was a birthday bone.”
“Oh!” said Magnifico, twitching his tiny pink nose. “Well, that does make a difference.”
“Does it?” Paddy pricked his ears hopefully. “You mean you’re not mad anymore? I’ll help you get the cushion back into its proper shape, I promise!”
“Hmm. Well, let’s see.”
Magnifico walked all around the cushion. He looked at it one way. Then he looked at it another way. With a blurry buzz of his blue-and-white wings, he clambered up onto it. He ran to one end of the cushion and peered off the edge. Then he scampered to the other end and peered off that side, too. Paddy watched him, holding his breath.
At last, Magnifico bounced back over to sit in front of Paddy and began to chuckle.
“I think it’s perfect,” he said.
“Perfect?” Paddy wasn’t sure he’d heard correctly.
“I’ve never had a cushion in the shape of a bone before,” said Magnifico. “Especially not in the shape of a birthday bone. I’m going to keep it, just as it is—in your honor!”
“Oooooh!” exclaimed Paddy. “Thank you! Will it stay here for a long time?”
“Of course,” said Magnifico. He smoothed back his whiskers proudly. “I told you. I only make the very best quality cushions.”
“So, I could come here and sit on it any time I like?” Paddy panted.
“I don’t see why not,” said Magnifico. “What’s your name?”
“I’m Paddy.”
“We can name it, if you like.” Magnifico paused for a second. “How about, Paddy’s Birthday Bone Cushion?”
“Oh, yes, yes, yes!” Paddy yapped. “Thank you!” He jumped up and padded the cushion with his paws. He would come and have a nap here as often as he could. He opened his wings and flapped back down to sit next to Magnifico. “In return, will you please come to my birthday party later? It’s at Hawthorn Hedgerows.”
Magnifico’s shiny eyes lit up. “You’re having a party?”
Paddy nodded.
“A real one, not a dream one?”
“Yes.” Paddy’s tail began wagging wildly.
“Wonderful,” sighed Magnifico. “I love parties.”
“This one’s going to be the best in the world,” Paddy told him. “Even better than the one in my dream!” He glanced up and saw that the sun was now high in the sky. “Ooh, I’d better go, or I’ll never get all my work done in Golden Meadow. See you later, Magnifico—and thank you again for my birthday cushion!”
CHAPTER SIX
The Best Birthday Party Ever
Hovering over Golden Meadow at last, Paddy was bursting with happiness. The meadow’s rainbow colors shimmered in the sunshine, and he could just see the tips of other puppies’ tails as they wagged their way around the swaying flower stems.
Paddy swooped down and landed softly. He was still excited, but he was careful to keep his tail much calmer now. Flick … flick … flick … it went. Pollen rose lightly and floated off on the gentle breeze, while other flowers opened their petals wide to welcome it to a new home.
When half of the dandelion clocks had blown their seeds away, Paddy knew that it was time to go home. He had spread lots of pollen! He rose into the air and fluttered back toward Hawthorn Hedgerows.
What an amazing day I’ve had! he thought. He’d made three new friends—Hattie, Sammy, and Magnifico. He’d helped them tidy leaves and collect acorns. He’d flicked more pollen than he’d ever thought a Pollen Puppy could. And he hadn’t even had his birthday party yet! If only he didn’t feel quite so tired …
As he floated down toward the hedgerows, Paddy’s eyelids began to droop. He thought longingly of his little moss bed. Maybe he could have a snooze before all the fun began.
But then, just as he landed next to a purple toadstool, he heard a shout. A BIG shout.
“SURPRISE!”
Paddy peeped over the toadstool. Just ahead, in the clearing next to the hawthorn bushes, his whole family was waving and cheering. Pippa was bouncing up and down. And they weren’t alone. All the other Pollen Puppies were there, and all his friends from across Misty Wood. There were Cobweb Kittens and Holly Hamsters and Bud Bunnies and even a couple of Moonbeam Moles—and everyone knew that moles preferred to go out in the dark.
Then he heard a rustle of rusty-brown wings.
His new friend Hattie the Hedgerow Hedgehog was there!
Next, he saw a bushy silver tail, which was sprinkling stardust everywhere.
Sammy the Stardust Squirrel was there!
Then he heard a cheeky squeak at his feet. He looked down.
Magnifico the Moss Mouse was there!
“Happy birthday, Paddy!” everyone cried.
The glade had been decorated just as Paddy had imagined in his dream—only it was even prettier! The cobwebs shimmered with extra dewdrops, while garlands of bluebells and poppies adorned all the bushes.
The air filled with the sound of fluttering fairy wings as Paddy’s friends came forward with presents. Even his new friends had brought gifts! Hattie had brought a bowl made of sycamore leaves. Magnifico had brought a miniature moss cushion. And as for Sammy—first he filled the glade with shimmering stardust. Then, from behind his back, he brought out a whole parcel of conkers and acorns to play with!
“Time for games, everyone!” cried Paddy’s dad.
Soon everyone had joined hands and they all danced in a circle, singing Ring Around an Acorn at the tops of their voices. Then they played Conker Catch, before spreading out to play Hide the Acorn. Paddy had never had so much fun!
At last, happy and weary, they gathered for the birthday picnic. Paddy’s mom had spread out a big mat made of pearly reeds from Moonshine Pond, and it was laden with treats and delicacies. Paddy’s eyes nearly popped out when he saw everything! There were cowslip tarts, daisy pies, fairy fancies, and buttercup buns, along with more honeysuckle fizz and elderflower juice than even Paddy could dream of.
But before they began to dig in, Paddy’s dad came bounding out of their den with something else. Paddy’s tail began to wag.
Would it be…?
Could it be…?
Paddy yelped happily as his dad handed him a gift wrapped in silvery leaves. As Paddy began to pull at it with his teeth, he was so excited that his whole body started to tremble.
Would it be…?
Could it be…?
One corner of the wrapping came open. Paddy sniffed with his pink button nose.
It smelled like a bone.
He tore some more of the leaves away.
It looked like a bone.
The last piece of wrapping dropped off, and Paddy bounced up and down with joy.
It WAS a bone!
And it was even juicier and tastier than the one he had seen in his dream.
“Thank you, thank you!” Paddy barked, jumping around in circles.
> Everyone clapped and cheered, then they began to eat and drink. Paddy gave his bone one lick, then decided to save it for later. There was so much delicious party food, he wanted to try it all. As he slurped honeysuckle fizz and chomped a daisy pie, he decided that this really was the best birthday party ever!
In the distance, the sun was dipping toward Sundown Hill. Golden rays played with the stardust in the air, while the shadows in the clearing grew longer.
Paddy thought there couldn’t possibly be any more treats. He’d had so many! But his mom and dad had disappeared again, and all the fairy guests began to whisper behind their paws. Where had Paddy’s parents gone? What were they up to?
Suddenly, there was a flurry of fur at the entrance to the family den. Paddy turned to look and saw his mom, dad, and Pippa holding a birthday cake between them. It was made of hazelnuts and rosehips, and it had a garland of ivy leaves tied in a bow around it. On the top, waving gently, were birthday dandelion clocks for Paddy to blow.
Everyone cheered again, and burst into song.
“Happy birthday, dear Paddy! Happy birthday to you!” they chorused.
“Happy birthday, dear Paddy! Happy birthday to meeeee!” Paddy sang along. His tail was wagging so fast, it nearly blew all the seeds from the dandelion clocks!
Just as the song came to an end, Paddy heard something else. Something tuneful and tinkly. It was coming from their den.…
Cheep!
Cheep cheep!
Cheep cheep cheep!
Paddy cocked his ears. “What is that?” he asked.
His mom smiled. “It’s the bluebird chicks!” she told him. “They’ve just hatched. There are three of them—come and look!”
With a last burst of energy, Paddy bounded over to the nest. And there they were—three tiny balls of fluff, each with a teeny beak, begging for food. And to think they’d hatched on his birthday.…
“They’re the best present of all!” Paddy cried.
“Well, we’re all happy that you’ve had such a lovely day.” His mom smiled. “But don’t forget to blow your birthday clocks!”
The birthday cake was sitting in the middle of the picnic. Paddy rushed back. As he filled his cheeks with air, he thought he was the luckiest Pollen Puppy in the whole of Misty Wood.