by Chloe Ryder
‘Wild!’ she exclaimed. ‘I dreamt about the Wild Forest last night. We haven’t searched there yet. Let’s go there today.’
Stardust’s eyes sparkled with excitement. ‘Oooh! I love the Wild Forest. The ponies who live there have such fun. Maybe they’ll let us play with them. After we’ve finished our search,’ she added quickly.
After breakfast Pippa and Stardust rushed out of the Castle.
‘Hop on my back,’ said Stardust. ‘It’s so much fun when you ride me.’
Pippa vaulted on to Stardust and the pony took off at a smart trot, her long, white tail flowing behind her. They cantered across the wide Plateau and plunged into the Wild Forest. Remembering her dream, Pippa kept a sharp lookout for fallen trees. Occasionally she’d glimpse a group of wild ponies playing together. Once Stardust headed towards them but the ponies ran away amid snorts of laughter.
‘I’m not supposed to play in here,’ said Stardust. ‘Mrs Steeplechase says it’s not Princess-like to mix with the wild ponies. She also worries about the quick-stick mud. It sucks you in then swallows you up. But we’re here to look for the horseshoes so that’s all right.’
Stardust trotted deeper into the forest. It was on the side of a steep hill and they were travelling downward so Pippa had to lean back. The last time she’d been here with Stardust they’d been going the other way. Riding downhill at speed was much trickier. Pippa didn’t want to fall off and risk landing in the dangerous quick-stick mud.
After riding for a while, Pippa noticed a tree with a trunk that was twisted like a question mark.
‘Haven’t we passed that tree once already?’ she asked.
Stardust glanced at it as she trotted past. ‘I don’t think so,’ she replied.
‘Well, we’ve definitely passed that tree there,’ Pippa said, pointing to a bleached-white tree trunk that stuck up in the air like a giant knitting needle.
Stardust stopped to examine the branch-less tree. ‘Hmm,’ she said. ‘That’s been hit by lightning. And you’re right. We did pass it earlier.’ She turned in a slow circle then stopped.
Pippa stared at the trees crowding in on them. The Wild Forest was dark and gloomy. Fear prickled up her neck. Stardust seemed uneasy too. Her muscles twitched and suddenly she shivered. Pippa hung on tight as Stardust trembled.
Very quietly Stardust whinnied, ‘I think we’re lost.’
Chapter 4
Goosebumps formed on Pippa’s arms, forcing the hairs to stand up in lines like soldiers. She breathed deeply, trying to squash the panic rising inside her.
‘We’re not totally lost,’ she said. Her voice came out in a squeak and she cleared her throat before continuing. ‘Uphill leads back to the Plateau and downhill towards the beach.’
‘You’re right,’ Stardust said, ‘but the forest is huge. We could walk for days without ever reaching the beach or the Plateau.’
A twig cracked behind her. Stardust wheeled round in time to see a silver-grey pony dashing through the forest. She was laughing so hard she didn’t notice Pippa and Stardust.
‘Catch me if you can!’ she shouted, hopping over a fallen branch.
‘Cloud?’ Stardust said, her mouth wide with shock.
‘Coming to get you!’ shrieked a familiar voice.
Stardust reeled back, snorting with surprise, and Pippa blinked several times as a chestnut pony, wearing a satchel round her neck, chased after the silver-grey pony.
‘That can’t be Cinders.’ Pippa hesitated then added, ‘It is! It’s Cinders and Cloud.’
‘They look like best friends,’ said Stardust.
She took off, chasing after them. Pippa’s curly, dark hair streamed out behind her as Stardust hurtled through the forest. She could hardly believe it herself. Cinders never played with anyone. She was far too haughty for that, or so she’d thought. But here she was now, playing with Cloud in the Wild Forest.
‘Look,’ Stardust snorted, suddenly changing direction.
Pippa’s mouth fell open as a group of wild ponies ran past. They raced through the forest, leaping over fallen branches, jumping on top of tree stumps and running up tree trunks to hurl themselves out of trees.
‘That looks dangerous,’ gasped Pippa.
‘It’s called free-trotting,’ said Stardust. ‘I’ve always wanted to try it but Mrs Steeplechase won’t let me. Look at that! Oh my goodness, they’re never going to jump that ravine!’
The trees abruptly gave way to an enormous ravine with steep, craggy sides. Pippa’s stomach fell to her toes as Stardust trotted closer. It was a very long way down and a river roared fiercely at the bottom. Stardust stopped closer to the edge than Pippa would have liked but the free-trotting ponies were speeding up. Pippa covered her face with her hands, only managing to peer at the ponies through a gap in her fingers. There were loud snorts of laughter as, in groups of three, the wild ponies hurled themselves over the edge of the ravine. As the ponies jumped, their tails and manes streamed out like multicoloured flags in the wind.
Pippa couldn’t breathe when she realised that Cloud and Cinders were jumping with them. Time seemed to freeze as Cloud and Cinders launched themselves across the gaping chasm. There were two loud thuds and thick clods of mud flew through the air. Pippa blinked, and when she looked again Cloud and Cinders were safely on the other side, blowing through their noses and laughing with the wild ponies.
‘Awesome,’ she breathed.
Stardust danced on her hooves with excitement. ‘That was amazing. Did you see Cloud and Cinders jumping together? I’d love to try that,’ she added longingly.
‘I bet they had lots of practice first,’ Pippa said anxiously.
Stardust giggled. ‘Don’t worry. I’m not about to give it a go. That sort of jump must take ages to perfect. But how did Cloud and Cinders learn to do it?’ Stardust’s eyes twinkled. ‘Unless that’s what Cloud does when she goes off in a sulk. I bet she comes here to practise. No wonder she’s so good – she’s always going off in a huff!’
Stardust edged even closer to the ravine.
‘Hi, Cloud,’ she called. ‘That was amazing.’
Cloud wheeled round in surprise and her face darkened with anger.
‘Stardust!’ she exclaimed. ‘Go away. This is my special place. Anyway, you’re not allowed to play here.’
Chapter 5
Cinders turned back to her friend, her eyes full of suspicion.
‘Cloud,’ she groaned, ‘what did you invite them for?’
‘I didn’t,’ Cloud snorted, flushed with annoyance. ‘They must have followed me here.’
‘We didn’t follow you!’ said Stardust. ‘Well, only a little bit. We came to the Wild Forest to look for the missing horseshoes but we found you instead.’
Cloud stamped her hoof. ‘Great! And now you’re going to tell on me.’
‘No,’ exclaimed Stardust. ‘I’m not a sneak!’
‘We saw your free-trotting and it was incredible,’ Pippa said, changing the subject. ‘It must have taken you ages to learn how to do it.’
‘Not really,’ replied Cloud. ‘The main thing is confidence. If you’re not scared to try then it’s really quite easy. The wild ponies are brilliant teachers. They’re patient and kind, not like grumpy old Mrs Steeplechase.’
‘The wild ponies sound amazing,’ Pippa agreed.
Cloud’s eyes twinkled. ‘They’re very good friends of mine,’ she said. ‘Not everyone likes them but that’s because they don’t know them. You’ve got to look past the outside – just because a pony is scruffy that doesn’t make them bad. My wild pony friends are caring and generous. And they like me for who I am. They’re not interested in titles – no one cares if I’m a Princess here. This is the only place in Chevalia where I can be my real self. Free-trotting is part of that. It makes me feel alive. It makes me feel like I can fly and I love that.’
‘I love flying too,’ said Pippa. She didn’t add that she’d flown with Peggy only that morning in case it sounded like she was
boasting.
Cloud shyly dipped her head. ‘Would you like to come free-trotting with me?’
‘I’d love to,’ Pippa said, sorely tempted to accept Cloud’s invitation. ‘But we need to find the three missing horseshoes and time is running out.’
‘The missing horseshoes!’ Cloud sighed. ‘I’m still not sure I believe in all that.’
‘Neither do I,’ Cinders chipped in. ‘Mum says it’s all a load of rubbish.’
‘But what if it is true?’ Pippa asked quietly.
Cloud scuffed a hoof on the ground. ‘That old Whispering Wall doesn’t look right without the horseshoes. I suppose we could help you to search for them, just to make it look normal again – not because I believe in all that “horseshoe magic”.’
‘It could be fun,’ Cinders agreed. ‘I bet the wild ponies would help us too.’
‘Would they?’ asked Pippa. ‘That would be brilliant. The more eyes the better.’
Only Stardust looked doubtful. ‘I don’t know,’ she said. ‘We’re not really supposed to be here. Maybe we should go back now.’
‘But you’re here now,’ called out a cheeky young chestnut pony with a white blaze. ‘And I’ve seen you and that girl here once before.’
Stardust flushed bright red. ‘You’re right. Pippa and I took a short cut through the forest the day she arrived on Chevalia.’
‘We don’t mind,’ said the wild pony. ‘You’re welcome to come here any time you like. My name’s Clipper. I can teach you to free-trot if you like.’
Stardust’s eyes widened. ‘Really? I’d love that.’
‘Stand back then,’ said Clipper. ‘I’ll jump back over the ravine so we’re on the same side.’
Led by Clipper, the wild ponies, Cloud and Cinders jumped the ravine.
Cloud trotted over to Pippa. ‘Would you like to ride on me while Stardust learns how to free-trot?’
‘Yes, thank you,’ said Pippa.
She slid from Stardust’s back and vaulted on to Cloud’s. The older Princess Pony was taller and broader than Stardust and Pippa almost didn’t make it. Clinging on to Cloud’s grey mane, she pulled herself on in an undignified scramble.
‘Well done,’ Cinders said, helping Pippa up with a friendly nudge to her foot.
‘Missing horseshoes, here we come,’ Cloud whinnied.
Cloud set off at such a high speed it made Pippa’s teeth snap like a crocodile’s.
‘You’re so fast,’ she squealed.
‘This is the one place I can let my mane down,’ said Cloud. ‘If I didn’t have the Wild Forest to escape to I’d go absolutely mad with boredom. I hate living in the Royal Court with all its stuffy rules and traditions. Here in the Wild Forest everyone is equal. I don’t have to keep curtsying and I don’t have to wear that stupid tiara.’
Pippa ran her hand down Cloud’s neck, feeling the Princess Pony’s muscles rippling as she leapt from one obstacle to the next. There were plenty of low-hanging branches to land on and tree stumps to vault over, but Pippa liked it best when Cloud trotted up the trunks to hurl herself out of trees. It made her stomach bubble and fizz with exhilaration.
‘This is fantastic,’ she yelled in Cloud’s ear, making her buck for joy.
A long time later, they trotted into a clearing. Everyone slowed to catch their breath and cool down.
‘Well done – you’re a fast learner,’ Clipper told Stardust.
‘Watch out,’ Cloud said, suddenly swerving left. ‘Quick-stick mud.’
Stardust shied into Cinders, knocking her satchel. ‘Sorry,’ she apologised.
‘No problem,’ Cinders said, shrugging off her satchel. ‘You’ve just reminded me I was supposed to get rid of this old thing for Mum.’
The wild ponies trotted on, but Stardust and Cloud hung back to wait for Cinders.
‘Why does the Baroness want you to throw her satchel in the quick-stick mud?’ Pippa asked, curious. ‘It doesn’t look that old.’
‘Mum’s even stricter than Mrs Steeplechase,’ said Cinders. ‘You do what she says without questioning her.’
Pippa stared at the satchel. Something was bothering her but she wasn’t sure what. Images of her previous adventures with Stardust flashed through her mind – the Night Mares, the mysterious hooded pony and all the nasty comments Divine had made each time they were successful in their search.
‘What’s inside?’ she asked suddenly.
‘I don’t know,’ said Cinders. ‘Like I said, you don’t question Mum.’
‘May I have a look?’
Cinders hesitated then passed the satchel to Pippa. ‘Why not? Mum didn’t tell me I couldn’t show anyone.’
The satchel was surprisingly heavy. Pippa felt all eyes watching her as she opened it up. As the flap fell back a flash of golden light blinded her. She blinked as she carefully opened the satchel wider.
‘One – no, two of the missing horseshoes,’ she exclaimed.
‘No!’ Cinders whinnied, the colour draining from her face.
‘Are you sure?’ Stardust and Cloud crowded closer.
‘I don’t understand.’ Cinders had tears in her eyes. ‘Mum doesn’t believe in the legend of the horseshoes so why would she take them?’
‘She nearly had you bury them for ever,’ Cloud said quietly.
There was a shrill neigh and a hooded pony crashed into the clearing. It thundered over to Pippa. She froze in surprise as the hooded pony tore the satchel out of her hands and threw it into the quick-stick mud.
‘Divine!’ squeaked Stardust.
‘Mum?’ Cinders pushed the hood back from the pony’s face.
‘How could you?’ shouted Pippa.
She lunged for the satchel. One moment it was floating in the mud but, just as she reached to save it, there was a loud sucking noise like water being pulled down a giant plughole. The mud belched out one large, brown bubble then closed over the satchel, swallowing it whole.
The golden horseshoes were gone.
Chapter 6
Pippa stared in horror at the powerful quick-stick mud.
‘Oh no!’ neighed Stardust.
Pippa couldn’t let Chevalia disappear with the satchel. ‘The horseshoes!’ she cried, leaping into the mud.
‘Pippa, no!’ shrieked Stardust.
Pippa wasn’t thinking clearly as she plunged her hands into the thick mud, her fingers scrabbling for the satchel.
‘I’ve got it,’ she called. ‘I’ve got hold of the strap.’
But the mud had hold of Pippa. The more she struggled to pull her hands out, the further the mud sucked her down.
Pippa froze, not wanting to risk being pulled down even more.
‘How stupid of me!’ she muttered. How could she have been so reckless?
But she wasn’t the only one not to think. Cloud launched herself into the mud to help Pippa. Somehow they managed to pull the satchel free and toss it to Stardust.
Divine jumped forward. ‘Silly little girl,’ she shouted. ‘This isn’t your battle. Why can’t you mind your own business and go back to where you came from?’ She snatched the satchel from under Stardust’s nose and crashed away into the forest.
Cloud and Pippa were sinking fast.
‘Use my back as a stepping stone to get to solid land,’ Cloud shouted.
Using all her strength, Pippa reached out for a clump of Cloud’s mane and pulled herself on to her back. The added weight made Cloud sink faster. Quickly Pippa jumped for dry ground, landing with a squelch. Mud splattered from her feet, covering Stardust and Cinders. For once Cinders didn’t seem to mind she was dirty. She raced to the nearest tree and began to gnaw at the lowest branch with her teeth.
‘Help me,’ she grunted.
Pippa reached her first, closely followed by Stardust. They wiggled the branch up and down while Cinders continued to chew on it. At last it snapped free.
‘Easy now,’ Cinders said, as she guided it back to the quick-stick mud. She laid the branch over the mud like a bridge. ‘
Hold on to the end,’ she called to Cloud.
Cloud held on to the branch with her mouth.
‘Ready, everyone? On the count of three, pull,’ said Cinders.
Pippa’s fingers gripped the branch tightly. As everyone pulled, the bark cut into her hand. She winced but never let go even though it felt like her arm was going to be pulled off. The drag of the mud made Cloud feel ten times heavier than she really was. Sweat trickled down Pippa’s face. Gritting her teeth, she pulled harder. There was a crack like thunder and the branch snapped. Pippa fell backward, and Stardust and Cinders almost fell over too. Cloud was sinking even further into the mud.
Stardust bolted to the edge of the forest, where long vines trailed from the trees. Selecting the strongest-looking vine, she broke it off and brought it back to the mud.
‘Catch,’ she said, throwing one end to Cloud.
The vine fell short. Stardust reeled it in and threw it again. By now Cloud’s back had disappeared and the mud was creeping up her neck. Pippa fought back tears. She couldn’t let anything happen to Cloud, especially as the pony had just saved her life.
‘Let me,’ she said, taking the vine from Stardust.
Pippa took a deep breath as she aimed. The vine snaked across the mud and landed at Cloud’s head. Gratefully Cloud caught it in her teeth.
‘Pull,’ called Pippa. ‘Harder.’
But it was no use. Cloud was stuck – and was sinking even deeper. She was going to disappear into the mud, and it was all Pippa’s fault.
Suddenly, a familiar, rhythmic noise sounded in the air. Pippa glanced up.
‘Peggy,’ she gasped.
The sun flashed on Peggy’s silvery wings, filling Pippa with hope, as the flying horse dived for Cloud. She hovered above the ground and rubbed noses with the terrified pony. The mud began to shake and bubble. Pippa stared in amazement as a set of wings broke through the surface of the mud.