by Sue Bentley
Sue Bentley’s books for children often include animals, fairies and wildlife. She lives in Northampton and enjoys reading, going to the cinema and watching the birds on the feeders outside her window. She loves horses, which she thinks are all completely magical. One of her favourite books is Black Beauty, which she must have read at least ten times. At school she was always getting told off for daydreaming, but she now knows that she was storing up ideas for when she became a writer. Sue has met and owned many animals, but the wild creatures in her life hold a special place in her heart.
Sue Bentley
Riding Rescue
Illustrated by Angela Swan
To Strawberry – pretty funster with attitude.
PUFFIN BOOKS
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA
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Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
puffinbooks.com
First published 2009
Text copyright © Sue Bentley, 2009
Illustrations copyright © Angela Swan, 2009
All rights reserved
The moral right of the author and illustrator has been asserted
Except in the United States of America, this book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser
ISBN: 978-0-14-193119-7
Prologue
Comet spread his gold-feathered wings as he glided above Rainbow Mist Island. Below him, the magic pony could see the tiny figures of pale horses with sparkling golden wings galloping towards a deep valley.
Lightning Horses – members of his own herd! Comet wondered if one of them could be Destiny, his long-lost twin sister.
Circling lower, he soared downwards to land and felt the velvety grass beneath his shining hooves. It felt good to be home.
As the magic pony galloped along, sunlight flashed on his cream-coloured coat and gold mane and tail. Through a gap in the rocks, he saw a waterfall gushing into a deep clear pool. Perhaps Destiny and the other Lightning Horses were making their way there to drink.
Checking his stride, Comet picked his way across big slabs of rock towards the tumbling water. Pastel-coloured ferns grew among a carpet of silver and gold flowers. Everything was wreathed in the fine multicoloured mist that gave Rainbow Mist Island its name.
Comet sensed a movement in some nearby birch trees and his lonely heart lifted with hope.
‘Destiny!’
A pale cream horse with a wise expression stepped out. ‘I am afraid she is not here. But it is good to see you again, my young friend,’ he said in a deep musical whinny.
‘Blaze!’ Comet tried to hide his disappointment as he bent his head before the leader of the Lightning Herd. ‘I hoped Destiny had come back.’
Blaze’s gold eyes softened. ‘I do not think she will return while she believes she is in trouble for losing our stone.’
The Stone of Power protected the herd from the dark horses who wanted to steal their power. It had been lost during their game of cloud-chasing. Comet had found the stone, but his twin sister had already fled.
‘I can hardly bear to think of her being so far away and all alone,’ Comet said sadly. ‘Where can she be?’
‘The stone will help us to find her.’ Blaze stamped his front hoof on the grass and a gleaming fire-opal appeared, which shone with multicoloured light. ‘Come closer. Look into the stone.’
As Comet did so, the stone grew in size and became brighter and brighter. An image appeared in its glittering depths. Comet saw Destiny cantering across a hillside in a world far away.
‘I must go to her!’ he cried.
There was a bright flash of violet light, and glittering rainbow mist swirled all around him. The young cream-coloured pony with gold-feathered wings and a gold mane and tail disappeared and in its place stood a sturdy Dartmoor pony, with a glossy bay coat, a paler sandy muzzle and a chocolate-brown mane and tail.
‘Go now. Use this disguise and search for Destiny. Find her before the dark horses discover her,’ Blaze neighed.
Comet nodded. ‘I will bring her back safely!’ he vowed.
A soft neigh rumbled from him and violet sparks glinted in his bay coat. Rainbow mist thickened and began wirling around him as it drew him in.
Chapter
ONE
Gina Carey smiled nervously up at the young nurse who was about to remove the plaster cast on her arm. ‘Will it hurt?’ Gina asked her.
‘You won’t feel a thing. Promise!’ the nurse said reassuringly.
‘Really?’ Gina said doubtfully. She was a real wimp when it came to anything to do with doctors and hospitals.
As the nurse got to work, there was a whiny, whirring noise. Mrs Carey stood nearby. She smiled at Gina. Moments later, the cast fell into pieces and the nurse removed it.
Gina grinned. ‘Cool! It didn’t even tickle!’
‘Told you!’ the nurse said, grinning. ‘There, all done!’
‘You’ll be riding again in no time, love,’ Mrs Carey said.
‘I hope so.’ Gina tried not to think about the riding accident in which she had broken her arm. She swallowed hard, determined not to get upset in front of the nurse.
Luckily, her mum was already gathering up her school bag and games kit. There was a queue of people waiting for treatment at the fracture clinic, so after a quick word of thanks to the nurse, they left and headed for the car park.
‘That’s school over with for a few weeks. Are you looking forward to summer camp with Katie and Lewis?’ Mrs Carey asked as she drove home.
Katie and Lewis were Gina’s best friends. They all went to Pony Club together.
‘Mmm – yeah,’ Gina murmured. She stared fixedly out of the side window for the rest of the short drive home.
The phone was ringing in the hall as they came through the front door and Gina hurried inside to answer it. It was Lewis, asking if she’d had her cast removed.
‘Yep! Piece of cake!’ Gina told him, missing out the bit about the butterflies in her tummy before it came off. ‘My arm’s all mended. It feels fine now.’
‘Cool! So – are you packed and ready?’ he asked. ‘Dad’s giving us all a lift to the coach park. It’s going to be totally ace. Nothing to do all day but riding and pony stuff! I hope I don’t get saddle sore!’ he joked.
‘Um… me too,’ Gina said. ‘See you later. Bye.’
After Lewis rang off she stood in the hall, deep in thought. Who was she kidding? Since the accident she’d felt all wobbly at the mere thought of getting back on to a p
ony. She hadn’t told anyone about this, hoping that she’d feel better by the time she went to summer camp.
Her mum was moving around the kitchen making lunch. Gina sighed heavily as she hovered in the doorway. She didn’t hear her dad come out of his home office and almost jumped out of her skin when he touched her shoulder.
‘You look a bit pale, Gina. Are you feeling OK?’ Mr Carey asked.
‘Yes. No. Not really. I… I…’ To Gina’s dismay, her eyes filled with tears and it all came pouring out. How she couldn’t stop thinking about the accident and what had happened to River, her gentle grey pony. And how the very thought of riding sent her into a complete panic. ‘I can’t face going to camp! But I’ll be letting Lewis and Katie down if I don’t go,’ she wailed.
‘Oh, sweetheart!’ Mrs Carey came over to give her a cuddle. ‘You should have said earlier. You’re still hurting after losing River. Katie and Lewis will understand. I’ll phone their parents right away and explain that you’re giving camp a miss this time.’
‘Thanks, Mum,’ Gina gulped, feeling relieved.
Her mum went into the hall and returned a few minutes later. ‘There. That’s settled. No problem. Everyone was fine about it,’ Mrs Carey said gently, smiling.
Gina’s dad reached out to pat Gina’s arm. ‘Don’t be too hard on yourself, love. It takes time to get over a shock. You’ll ride again when you’re ready.’
But I won’t be riding River, Gina thought sadly. Her plucky little pony’s injuries had been serious. She had gone to live in an animal park and would never be ridden again.
Gina forced herself to be brave as she tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ears. She gave her mum and dad a watery smile, glad that they were being so nice and understanding.
‘Now that you’ve time on your hands, how about coming with me to Horseland?’ her mum suggested after a while. ‘Angie will appreciate a bit of extra help.’
Angie Blackwell, a close family friend, had recently set up a horse and pony rescue centre. Gina’s mum lent a hand whenever she could.
‘OK. As long as I don’t have to ride any of the ponies,’ Gina said. She’d been itching to see how Horseland was coming along. The regular reports she’d been getting from her mum sounded great.
‘You’ll more likely be mucking out and cleaning tack,’ Mrs Carey said, gathering the empty plates. ‘Why don’t you get changed and I’ll meet you at the car.’
‘OK.’ Gina took a deep breath. She was feeling a bit better. ‘See you later, Dad,’ she called, dashing upstairs to get her jeans and wellies.
It was only a five-minute car ride to the old farm. A big sign outside read: HORSELAND. A SAFE HAVEN. A NEW START.
Gina loved the message on the sign, which offered hope to the rescued ponies.
They drove up the track to a large stone farmhouse. Gina was impressed. Angie had worked wonders with the place. The old outbuildings had become a stable block, tack room and storeroom. Orange marigolds and blue pansies glowed from the many tubs and window boxes.
They found Angie in her office, which overlooked the spacious yard. She was puzzling over a computer and looked up with a warm smile to greet Gina’s mum. ‘Hi again, Val. Nice to see you too, Gina. Come to see how we’re doing, have you?’
Gina nodded. ‘It’s looking fantastic. Even better than I’d imagined.’
‘It’s been hard work. But it’s a real labour of love.’ Angie looked pleased. She had a friendly open face and clear bright blue eyes. Her shoulder-length fair hair was tied back in a pony tail. ‘Why don’t you have a wander around while I press-gang your mum into helping me sort out this database?’
‘OK. See you both later.’
Gina went into the yard and sauntered towards the paddock, where some ponies were enjoying the sunshine. Whatever condition they had once been in, they all looked glossy and healthy now. She stepped on to the bottom bar of the ranch-style fence and folded her arms on the top. ‘Hi, ponies. Who wants to come and say hello?’ she invited.
One or two of them turned curious heads towards her.
A strange mist, twinkling with glittering rainbow sparkles, hung over the bottom of the paddock.
What a pretty trick of the sunlight, Gina thought. Just then a cute bay Dartmoor pony, with a chocolate-brown mane and tail and a sandy muzzle, stepped out of the mist and walked towards the fence.
‘Hello, gorgeous.’ Gina held out her hand so the bay pony could get her scent.
Twitching its ears forward inquisitively, the Dartmoor pony looked at her. ‘Can you help me, please?’ it asked in a velvety neigh.
Chapter
TWO
Gina snatched her hand back. Her eyes widened as she almost fell backwards off the fence in shock. Was this some kind of a joke? She glanced round to see if someone was hiding nearby and playing a trick on her.
But her mum and Angie were still in the office and the rest of the staff must be inside the stables.
I must be hearing things. Ponies can’t talk – not even rescued ones! Gina shook her head slowly. ‘I wonder where you came from,’ she said aloud.
‘I came from far away. I am Comet of the Lightning Herd and I am here looking for my twin sister,’ the Dartmoor pony said, looking at her with big deep violet eyes.
‘You… you really can talk!’ Gina gasped, still not actually believing this was happening. ‘How come?’
‘All the Lightning Horses can talk,’ Comet explained. ‘May I know your name?’
He was looking at her steadily as if he was expecting an answer. Gina found herself stammering, ‘G-Gina Carey. I’m… h-here with my mum to help… with the rescued horses. Mum’s friend Angie runs Horseland.’
‘I am honoured to meet you, Gina.’ Comet dipped his head politely.
‘Um… me too,’ Gina said. She remembered something he had said. ‘Did you say something about a twin sister? Is she here too?’
‘No. Destiny is hiding somewhere nearby,’ Comet said, his voice softening with affection. ‘She ran away after she lost the Stone of Power, when we were cloud-racing. The stone protects us from the dark horses who want to steal our magic. I found it and it is safe again, but Destiny does not know this. She thinks she is in terrible trouble, so she ran away to hide in your world.’
Gina was having trouble taking this in. It all sounded so strange, like something out of a fairy story. ‘You say that you and your twin sister were cloud-racing – in the sky? But how can –’
Comet tossed his chocolate-brown mane and backed away from the fence. ‘I will show you,’ he whinnied gently.
Gina felt a strange warm tingling sensation flowing towards her fingertips as violet sparks glinted in Comet’s glossy bay coat and another wash of shimmering rainbow mist swirled around him.
Gina narrowed her eyes, trying to see through the mist. Then her mouth fell open as she saw that the Dartmoor pony had gone, and in its place stood a magnificent cream-coloured pony with a noble arched neck and a flowing gold mane and tail. But even more amazing were the gold-feathered wings that sprang from his shoulders.
‘Oh!’ Gina gasped, totally spellbound. She had never seen anything so beautiful in her entire life. ‘Comet?’
‘Yes, it is still me,’ Comet said in a deep musical neigh.
But before Gina could get used to the dazzling sight of Comet in his true form, there was a final swoosh of the glittering rainbow mist and Comet reappeared as a strongly built Dartmoor pony.
‘Wow!’ Gina let out a long breath. ‘That’s an amazing disguise! Can Destiny use her magic to do that too?’
Comet nodded. ‘But that will not help her if the dark horses discover her. They will see through her magic without the stone’s protection. I must find her and take her back safely to our home on Rainbow Mist Island. Will you help me, Gina?’
The magic pony’s eyes twinkled hopefully and Gina’s soft heart melted as she guessed he was missing his twin. ‘Of course I will. Wait until Mum and Angie hear about this –’
‘No! I am sorry, Gina, but you can tell no one about me or what I have told you!’
Gina hesitated, wishing that she could share this amazing news. Her mum and Angie would have been delighted to think they had rescued a magic pony and she was sure they would keep Comet’s secret.
‘You must promise me,’ Comet insisted gently.
Gina came to a decision. She might not have been able to save River from getting hurt. But she would do anything she could to protect Comet and Destiny from their enemies.
‘All right. Cross my heart. Your secret’s safe with me.’
Comet’s large intelligent eyes glowed softly like amethysts. ‘Thank you, Gina.’ He gave a soft blow and reached forward to nudge gently against her arm.
Gina stroked his velvety nose, which was a paler sandy colour than the rest of him. She breathed in his clean warm smell of grass and apples.
‘Soon we will ride out and look for Destiny,’ he breathed happily, his eyes closed in contentment.
‘Um… yes. We will,’ Gina said. To her dismay, she felt a familiar pang of anxiety at the thought of getting back into the saddle.
She felt proud that a magic pony had chosen her to be his special friend. There was no way she was going to let him down. Somehow she would find a way to keep her promise to him.
Chapter
THREE
‘There you are, Gina!’ Angie cried, striding towards the paddock. ‘I’ve left your mum battling with the database. She’s a proper computer whizz. Not like me! It looks like you’ve already made a friend.’
Gina smiled at Angie. ‘I have! Comet’s totally gorgeous, isn’t he?’ she said without thinking.
Angie looked surprised. ‘Comet, eh? It suits him. We haven’t come up with a name for this little bay yet, so I think we’ll keep that one. He arrived in a truck a couple of days ago, along with some other ponies, but no one seemed to know much about him. Beats me how someone could just abandon a perfectly healthy young pony.’