by Sue Bentley
Sue Bentley’s books for children often include animals or fairies. She lives in Northampton and enjoys reading, going to the cinema, and sitting watching the frogs and newts in her garden pond. If she hadn’t been a writer, she would probably have been a skydiver or a brain surgeon. The main reason she writes is that she can drink pots and pots of tea while she’s typing. She has met and owned many cats and each one has brought a special sort of magic to her life.
SUE BENTLEY
Illustrated by Angela Swan
PUFFIN
To Misty, my grumpy blue-cream Persian girl
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
penguin.com
Published 2006
2
Text copyright © Susan Bentley, 2006
Illustrations copyright © Angela Swan, 2006
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
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN:978-0-14-190656-0
Prologue
There was a flash of dazzling white light and silver sparkles. Where the young white lion had stood, now crouched a tiny kitten with long sandy fur. The sun beat down on a grove of nearby thorn trees.
An old grey lion ran up to the kitten and bowed his head. ‘Prince Flame. You shouldn’t be here. Your uncle Ebony searches for you,’ Cirrus growled.
The kitten trembled but he stood up and shook himself. ‘One day I will fight Ebony for the kingdom he has stolen from me!’ he mewed bravely.
Cirrus nodded his shaggy head and his eyes glowed with affection. ‘We all hope that day is soon, Prince Flame. But first you must grow strong and wise. Go far from here and hide in the other world once more, where you will be safe. Then return, to claim the Lion Throne.’
‘Nowhere is safe from my uncle’s spies…’ Flame broke off as a deep terrifying roar rang out.
Cirrus moved quickly, shielding the tiny kitten with his body.
A huge black adult lion came from behind a thorn tree. It lifted its head and sniffed the air. Suddenly it stiffened and its cruel eyes fastened on Cirrus.
‘Ebony has your scent! Quickly Flame! Go now!’ Cirrus yowled urgently.
The adult lion snarled and bared its enormous teeth. It leapt forward and bounded towards Cirrus. Its mighty paws pounded the grass, and the ground beneath Flame’s tiny paws shook.
Silver sparks glittered in Flame’s long sandy fur and the kitten mewed as he felt the power building inside him. All sound faded. The ground seemed to sink beneath him and he felt himself falling. Falling…
Chapter
* ONE *
Eve Dawson stared gloomily out of the car as it came to a halt on the drive. There was a wooden sign by the front gate, which read, ‘Ross Cattery. Open All Year.’ A basket of cheerful purple and yellow pansies hung below the sign.
‘Well, here we are. Right on time,’ Mrs Dawson said brightly, glancing at her watch. ‘Sally has arranged for someone to meet us here with a key.’
Maybe they’ll have lost the key and we can go straight back home, Eve thought, getting out.
She stood with crossed arms, looking up at the grey stone house.
Mr Dawson came over and put his arm round Eve’s shoulder. ‘Cheer up, love. It’s only for a few days, while Sally’s away. You might even enjoy yourself.’
‘Oh, right. Clearing up tons of smelly cat litter! My favourite way to spend half-term. Not!’ Eve muttered.
She had reluctantly agreed to come and help her mum and dad look after the cattery only because she really liked the owner, Sally Ross. Sally was an old schoolfriend of her mum’s. She never forgot Eve’s birthday and always sent brilliant Christmas presents through the post. But Eve couldn’t help thinking about her own schoolfriends who would be meeting up and having fun without her. She just wished the cattery was nearer home.
The door of a cottage across the road opened. A young woman, a girl and a little boy came out. The woman waved as they all crossed the road and came up the drive.
‘Hello, everyone! I’m Jo Hinds. Sally’s home help,’ the woman said cheerfully. ‘I’ve got a set of keys for you. I’ll let you in and show you around. This is my daughter Alison and my son Darren.’
‘Nice to meet you all,’ Mr and Mrs Dawson said.
Darren beamed up at Eve, his big blue eyes sparkling. He had curly blond hair and a sweet face and was clutching a bright-red fire engine. Despite herself, Eve smiled at the cute little boy who looked about four years old.
Alison was tall with long brown hair and looked about twelve. She had a pretty face, which was spoiled by her sulky expression. She glanced at Eve. ‘What’s your name?’ she asked abruptly.
‘I’m Eve,’ Eve said, smiling. ‘It’s nice to meet…’ she began, but the older girl had already turned her back.
Alison stuck her hands in her jeans pocket and slouched after her mum who was showing Eve’s parents through a side gate.
Eve stared after the older girl, surprised at her unfriendliness. But she shrugged and followed her. At the back of the house, a big L-shaped extension took up most of the garden. Near the house there was a tiny patio with a table and chairs. Tubs of plants stood in front of a fence. From the faint sounds in the background, Eve guessed that the cats’ pens must be behind the fence.
‘I’ll put the kettle on,’ Jo said, once they were all in the light, modern kitchen. ‘I’ve made some sandwiches. Maybe we could all have lunch after you’ve had a quick look round.’
Mrs Dawson smiled. ‘Thanks, Jo. That’s very thoughtful of you.’
While her parents chatted to Jo, Eve wandered into the hall and then into the sitting room. It looked cosy, with red curtains and bookcases against one wall. There were two sofas and a bright rug in front of a huge stone fireplace. Polished horse brasses hung above the fireplace.
She heard someone come in behind her.
‘It’s not bad, is it? If you can stand looking at all those boring books.’ Alison sauntered across the room. She threw herself on to one of the sofas and lay on her back, dangling her legs over one arm.
‘Actually, I really like reading,’ Eve said.
‘It’s OK, I suppose, if there’s not
hing else to do,’ Alison said.
‘Where are you, Alison? Wait for me!’ called a voice.
Darren dashed into the room. He sprawled on the rug and ran his toy fire engine back and forth. ‘Brr-rrrum! Brr-rrrm!’ he said loudly.
Eve smiled. ‘Darren seems really sweet.’
‘Huh! You don’t know him,’ Alison muttered.
Just then Jo poked her head round the door. ‘I’m going to take the Dawsons into the office and show them where things are. Why don’t you take Eve up to see her bedroom, Alison? And could you keep an eye on Darren, please?’
‘If I have to,’ Alison said under her breath. As soon as her mum went out, she quickly swung her feet round and got up. She glanced at Darren who was completely engrossed in his game. ‘Come on, quick! We’ll leave him there,’ she whispered to Eve.
‘Are you sure…?’ Eve hesitated.
‘Yes, I am! Hurry up!’ Alison grabbed her arm and pulled her into the hall.
Eve couldn’t help laughing as they raced up the stairs together. Alison darted into a bedroom, pulled Eve in behind her, and closed the door.
‘That little pest won’t find us in here,’ she said, grinning.
Eve felt a bit mean for hiding from Darren, but she didn’t want to say anything and risk upsetting Alison. She seemed to be trying to be friendly now. Eve looked round at her bedroom. The walls were yellow and the curtains and duvet were in cheerful stripes of yellow and white. The room seemed filled with sunshine. From the window, she could see over the patio fence to the rows of outdoor pens.
‘This is a great room. You can see the yard and cat pens from up here,’ Eve said excitedly.
‘Glad you like it. Mum and I cleaned the house yesterday. I did all the hoovering by myself,’ Alison said. ‘Darren played with his toys, as usual. Mum never makes him do anything.’
Eve thought Darren looked a bit young to do chores, but she didn’t say so. ‘Does your mum come in every day?’ she asked.
‘Not usually, but she’s going to while you’re here.’ Alison pulled a face. ‘She’s going to help with feeding the cats and stuff too. That’s why I have to help her. It’s a real pain. I’m never going to be able to see my friends.’
‘I know what you mean,’ Eve said with feeling. ‘I keep thinking of all my friends back at home. Maybe we could go out for a pizza or rent a video sometime?’
Alison rolled her eyes. ‘If I get desperate! I’m not that keen on hanging about with younger kids.’
‘Please yourself!’ Eve said, feeling her face grow hot. She hated the way she blushed when she was embarrassed or annoyed. It seemed like a waste of time trying to make friends with Alison. She quickly turned on her heel. ‘I’m going to see what Mum and Dad are doing.’
Alison stood there, staring after her. ‘Hey! I didn’t mean…’ she began.
‘Forget it!’ Eve called over her shoulder, already on her way downstairs.
In the kitchen, Eve saw that the door into the cattery office was open. She found her mum sitting at a computer, while Jo explained about the files and records. Her dad stood by, looking blank.
Mr Dawson winked at Eve as she came in. Eve pulled a sympathetic face. Her dad was useless with computers!
‘Bedroom OK?’ her dad asked. ‘How are you getting on with Alison?’
‘OK,’ Eve said, still smarting a bit from the unfriendly comment. ‘My bedroom’s lovely. What’s through here?’
‘That’s the storeroom. Go and have a look. It leads to the outdoor pens where the cats live.’ He grinned. ‘Meeting the cats is a certain cure for someone who had a long face all the way here!’
Eve put her hands on her hips. ‘Da-ad! I’m not a baby any more! I’m going to be eleven next birthday! And I’ve got an even better cure. How about letting me have my own pet kitten?’
He chuckled, twinkling at her. ‘Nice try! What is this, pester power?’ he teased.
‘If you like!’ Eve laughed and gave her dad a playful shove. He could always cheer her up. And one day she was going to have a pet cat. She just needed to work on him a bit harder.
She went through the storeroom and straight outside to the rows of wiremesh pens. They all had inside sleeping places and heat lamps for cold weather. In one pen, a Siamese cat was curled up in its bed. In another, Eve saw a tabby cat and a ginger kitten playing with a toy.
Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Eve saw a flash of bright white light. She spun round to see what seemed to be an empty pen glowing among all the others.
Eve frowned. What was that? Curious, she went to have a closer look.
‘Oh!’ she gasped.
There on the concrete floor crouched a gorgeous, tiny kitten with long sandy fur and the brightest emerald eyes Eve had ever seen. Its fur and whiskers seemed to be glowing with a thousand tiny sparkles of light.
Eve blinked hard as she took a step closer, but the sparkles seemed to have died down and just the tiny sandy kitten remained. Eve shook her head – she must have been seeing things. She was very tired from the long car journey, after all.
She bent down to pat the kitten. ‘Hello. Where did you come from? And how did you get inside that pen?’
The kitten’s little body trembled, but it sat up and looked straight at Eve with wide, scared, green eyes. ‘I come from far away and my enemies are looking for me. Can you help me to hide, please?’ it mewed.
Chapter
* TWO *
Eve stared at the kitten in utter amazement. Now she was hearing things as well as seeing things! She started to back off towards the house, but stopped. The tiny kitten looked so alone.
‘You… you didn’t really just speak to me, did you?’ Eve stammered.
There was a pause and the sandy kitten blinked slowly. ‘Yes, I did. I am Prince Flame.’ Some of the fear seemed to fade from his big emerald eyes. ‘Who are you and what is your name?’
‘I’m Eve. Eve Dawson. I’m… um… looking after this cattery with my mum and dad,’ Eve answered hesitantly. Her curiosity began to get the better of her shock. ‘Did you say Prince Flame?’
Flame nodded and lifted his tiny sandy head proudly. ‘I am heir to the Lion Throne. My uncle Ebony has stolen my throne and rules in my place. His spies are searching for me. They want to kill me.’
‘Kill you?’ Eve gasped. Flame was so tiny and helpless-looking. She felt a burst of protectiveness towards him. ‘If any nasty cats come here they’ll have me to deal with!’ She had a sudden thought. ‘Is your uncle a kitten like you?
‘No. Ebony is enormous and very strong,’ Flame growled softly, showing his little sharp teeth for the first time. ‘But he and I are not cats.’
‘Then what…?’
There was a blinding silver flash. Eve couldn’t see anything for a second and then her sight cleared. Where the cute kitten had been now stood a majestic young white lion.
Eve gasped and took a hasty step backwards.
Flame’s fierce emerald eyes softened. ‘Do not be afraid,’ he said in a deep velvety roar. There was another flash and Flame was a cute sandy kitten with long silky fur once more.
‘Well, I hope I never meet your uncle!’ Eve said in a shaky voice. ‘Come on, Flame. Let’s hide. I’ll take you into the house.’
As she bent down and picked Flame up, a few sparks from his fur tingled against her fingers before they went out. ‘Just wait until I tell Mum and Dad all about you!’
‘No! You must tell no one my secret.’ Flame reached up and put a paw on her chest. He had a serious expression on his tiny face. ‘Please promise, Eve.’
‘All right. I promise. I’ll just say you’re a stray and I’m going to look after you,’ Eve agreed disappointedly.
Her dad would have been as amazed and excited as she was about Flame, but a promise was a promise. She just hoped she could keep Flame’s secret with so many people coming and going at the cattery.
Flame rubbed the top of his head against her arm and began purring loudly. ‘That is good. T
hank you, Eve.’
‘I’m sorry, but keeping Flame is out of the question,’ Mrs Dawson said firmly. She had laid down the book she’d been reading. ‘We’ve got more than fifty cats to look after, Eve. You can’t really expect us to let you keep another one!’
Eve stared at her mum in utter dismay. ‘But I have to look after Flame. He’s in danger of…’ She stopped in horror, realizing that she had been about to reveal Flame’s secret. ‘… of starving or getting run over or even freezing to death!’ she rushed on.
Her mum sighed. ‘Don’t be so dramatic, Eve! A stray could be carrying cat flu or anything. The responsible thing to do is contact the local pet centre.’
Eve felt tears of frustration pricking her eyes. She tried desperately to think of something to change her mum’s mind. ‘What about if we got Flame checked out by a vet? If he’s given a clean bill of health, can I keep him?’
Mrs Dawson shook her head. ‘I don’t know…’
‘Oh, please, Mum. You know I’ve wanted a cat of my own for ages. If you let me keep Flame, I’ll never pester you for anything ever again! He can sleep in my room and everything. You’ll hardly even know he’s here!’
Her dad came into the sitting room with a newspaper under his arm. ‘What’s all this? And where did that gorgeous little kitten come from? I haven’t noticed him before.’
‘I just found him…’ Eve began.
Mary Dawson put a hand on her daughter’s arm. She explained the situation, while her husband listened patiently. There was a pause when she’d finished speaking. Eve thought she might burst with the tension of waiting for her dad to speak.
‘I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to get the little chap checked out, would it?’ Jim Dawson said thoughtfully, at last.
‘Yes!’ Eve put Flame down on the sofa. She flew across the room and hugged her dad, silently promising herself to laugh at all his dreadful jokes for the next ten years. ‘Mu-um?’ Eve said in her best pleading voice, hoping desperately her mum would follow her dad.