by Julie Sykes
Blaze and Scarlett finally reached the summit of the glacier. Below them, Unicorn Island stretched out far into the distance. Scarlett was filled with a mixture of wonder and pride. This was her home. She had to save it!
For April
“Higher!” said Scarlett.
Isabel, Scarlett’s best friend, raised the branch again, balancing it carefully between a bush and the gnarled trunk of an old tree. It was as high as her head now.
“I think that’s too big,” said Cloud, Isabel’s unicorn, giving the jump a doubtful look.
Scarlett pushed her long blonde hair back over her shoulders. Her blue eyes sparkled as she patted her own unicorn’s neck. Her cheeks were flushed from the icy breeze and snowflakes whirled around her.
“It’s not too big for us, is it, Blaze?”
“Definitely not. I can clear that easily!” Blaze whickered. The cheeky-looking unicorn with fiery red and gold swirls on her snow-white coat loved a challenge, just like Scarlett. “Watch this, Cloud!”
Blaze galloped eagerly at the makeshift jump. Scarlett sunk her hands deeper in Blaze’s silky mane as she took off, the crisp air making her eyes water. Scarlett loved the feeling of flying and then plunging back down to earth. As Blaze landed, a few orange sparks flickered up from her hooves and Scarlett caught a faint whiff of burnt sugar.
Isabel gasped, “That was incredible. You jumped so high I almost thought you were going to fly away!”
Scarlett’s heart skipped with hope – the huge jump, the sparks and the sweet smell. Could that mean that Blaze was about to discover her magic power? Every unicorn on Unicorn Island was born with a special magical power – it just took a while for that power to be revealed. Some unicorns could fly, others could turn invisible, some could create light or fire. Scarlett couldn’t wait for Blaze to discover her power and she really hoped it would be flying.
Scarlett was ten years old and had recently started at Unicorn Academy where she had been given her own special unicorn, just like all the other girls and boys who had joined at the same time. They were all in training to become fully fledged guardians of Unicorn Island, the wonderful land in which they all lived.
Scarlett knew she would only be able to graduate from the academy at the end of the year if Blaze had discovered her magical power and bonded with her. She let her hair fall forward, searching for a red-gold lock of hair to match Blaze’s mane that would show they had bonded. But there was no flame-coloured strand in her long blonde hair yet. Disappointed, Scarlett turned her attention back to the jump.
“Put it up even higher,” she called, hoping that if it was big enough Blaze might actually fly!
“I’ll put it up in a minute. It’s my turn first,” said Isabel, riding Cloud to face the jump. Cloud was a pretty unicorn with gentle brown eyes.
“I think it’s too big for me, Isabel,” said Cloud anxiously.
“No, it’s not,” said Isabel. “Blaze jumped it easily. Let’s try!”
“Wait, Isabel!” whispered Scarlett, as she spotted Ms Nettles, one of the teachers, cantering over on her unicorn, Thyme.
Isabel ignored her. “Don’t be boring, Cloud! Come on. Have a go!”
“Isabel!” insisted Scarlett. “Behind you!” Of all the teachers to catch them jumping, Ms Nettles was the worst. She was very strict with a fierce temper.
“Isabel!” Ms Nettles’ sharp voice rang out, giving Isabel a shock. “I hope that you were not about to jump that!” Ms Nettles’ glasses rattled on her bony nose as her unicorn halted.
“Of … of course not, Ms Nettles,” Isabel said quickly. “We were just making jumps, not jumping them.”
“Definitely not jumping them,” said Scarlett, shaking her head.
Ms Nettles gave them a suspicious look. “You’d better be telling the truth, girls. You know the rules. First years are not allowed to jump without a teacher to supervise.”
Thyme, her unicorn, nodded, his green and yellow tail swishing in time with his head.
Scarlett swallowed back a giggle.
“It’s for your own safety so please abide by the rule. Now, it’s almost dinner time,” Ms Nettles continued. “Ride back to school with me.”
“Yes, Miss,” the girls sighed.
Scarlett felt bad that Isabel hadn’t got her turn at the jump. “Sorry,” she mouthed.
“Next time,” Isabel whispered back. They gave each other a thumbs-up behind the teacher’s back. Scarlett felt a rush of happiness. She and Isabel had been friends since day one. They both loved riding fast and jumping high, although Isabel was much more competitive than Scarlett – she loved to win whereas Scarlett didn’t care who won just so long as she was having fun.
The February sun was almost on the horizon as they neared the school building. The wintry rays lit up the magnificent pink marble and coloured glass building, making it glow as if it was on fire.
“Unicorn Academy,” Scarlett sighed happily. “It’s so beautiful, especially now it’s snowing.”
Her eyes moved from the grandness of the tall towers to the graceful curve of the domed roofs, then across the huge lawn to the multicoloured lake with a tall fountain glittering at the centre. The magical waters of Sparkle Lake flowed up from the centre of the earth through the fountain, before rivers took it all over Unicorn Island. Every unicorn on the island drank its waters every day to strengthen their magic and stay healthy.
“Unicorn Academy is the best school ever,” agreed Isabel proudly. She shivered. “Brrrr, it’s soooo cold. Look at the snowflakes landing on the lake. It must be freezing over.”
“Imagine the fun we’ll have if the lake does freeze,” said Scarlett. “We can go ice skating.”
Ms Nettles’ head whipped round. “Don’t talk nonsense, girls! Sparkle Lake has never frozen over in the history of Unicorn Academy. It will take more than a cold snap to freeze its waters.”
Isabel screwed up her eyes against the low winter sun. “But it’s so cold at the moment. Isn’t there a tiny chance it could freeze?”
“It is unusually cold, I agree,” said Ms Nettles. “But I am sure the lake will withstand the temperature drop. If Sparkle Lake did freeze, it would mean the unicorns would be unable to drink the water they need, and that would be a disaster for the island. You would certainly not be allowed to ice skate! You’re here to learn how to protect it – not to play on it! Now, stop chattering and take your unicorns into the stables and feed them. Be quick. If you’re late for dinner you shall clean my riding boots as punishment. Go on!”
As Ms Nettles rode away towards the lake, Scarlett saw her pull a little bottle from her pocket and the corners of the teacher’s mouth quirked up into a smile.
“What’s she up to?” Scarlett wondered aloud. “She never smiles!”
“Who cares?” said Isabel. “How about a race?”
Scarlett immediately forgot about Ms Nettles and grinned. “Why not! Ms N said to be quick. Last one back is a slowcoach slug!”
“It won’t be us!” shouted Isabel. She and Cloud galloped full speed towards the stables.
“Go, Blaze!” Blaze’s breath spurted out clouds in the icy air as they gave chase but they couldn’t quite catch Cloud with her head start.
“We won!” said Isabel, punching the air in triumph. “Go us!”
Scarlett didn’t care. It had been a fun race even if Isabel had beaten her. “That was brilliant,” she said, sliding off and hugging Blaze. “Thank you, Blaze! You’re the best unicorn here!”
Blaze nuzzled Scarlett back, her dark eyes shining happily.
The lights in the stable block glowed softly. The heated floor was so lovely and warm that Scarlett unwound her scarf and stuffed her red gloves in her pocket. She hopped clear of a remote-control
led trolley as it went trundling past with a big container of sky berries – the special berries from the mountains behind the school that the unicorns loved to eat.
Blaze went into her stall and drank from her silver water trough. Each unicorn had their own trough that magically filled up with water from the lake.
“Delicious!” Blaze smacked her lips but as she went to take another drink she snorted in alarm. “Where’s the water gone? My trough’s not refilling!”
“What’s that?” Scarlett broke off chattering with Isabel.
“My trough’s broken.” Blaze rattled it with her muzzle.
“It can’t be.” The individual water troughs in the stalls and the main troughs in the stable aisles never ran out of lake water. Scarlett went into Blaze’s stable and put her hand under the water spout. Water suddenly spurted everywhere. She squealed. “Blaze! You tricked me!”
“No I didn’t!” Blaze protested.
Scarlett giggled and flicked water over her. “I actually believed you for a moment.”
“I wasn’t joking, Scarlett.” Blaze stared at the water trough. “It wasn’t working.”
Scarlett just laughed. “Stop messing around. You’ll make me late.”
“I’m not messing around,” Blaze said. “I saw some ice crystals in the water.”
“Ice crystals? Where?” Scarlett kept her distance, expecting Blaze to shower her with water if she went too close.
“They’ve melted now,” said Blaze.
“Of course they have,” Scarlett chuckled. “Right, I’m going to get you some berries.”
She returned a few minutes later with a bucket full of sky berries and plonked it on the floor. Blaze gobbled them up hungrily. Scarlett stroked her, twisting her fingers in a swirl of red and gold mane that reminded her of a flame. “I’ll see you in the morning,” she said. “It’s the weekend so no lessons, just fun! I’m going to plait your mane and tail with some gold ribbons my big sisters sent me.”
“Your family spoil you rotten!” laughed Isabel, peeking around Blaze’s stable door.
“A box of chocolates came from the boys this morning too,” Scarlett smiled. She was the youngest of five. Her older brothers and sisters were always sending her treats. “I’ll share them with our dorm.”
“Awesome. But we’d better get a move on now,” said Isabel, glancing at the clock on the wall. “I don’t want to clean Ms Nettles’ stinky boots.”
“Me neither,” agreed Scarlett. She gave Blaze a final hug and then she and Isabel hurried back to the school, arm in arm.
The next day was even colder. When the girls woke there was a thin layer of snow and ice on Sapphire dormitory’s window. Scarlett stayed in bed, curled up in her blue and silver duvet like a dormouse until Isabel whipped it away.
“You’re mean!” Scarlett’s teeth chattered.
“Catch me if you can,” shouted Isabel. She looked like a glittery ghost as she circled the room with the duvet draped over her shoulders.
Scarlett chased after her with a pillow, bopping Isabel on the head with it. Isabel ditched the duvet and grabbed a pillow to bop her back.
“Pillow fight!” yelled Sophia, getting out of bed.
Olivia and Ava jumped up to join in too. Quieter Layla dressed with a worried frown on her face as the other five girls in Sapphire dorm chased around, bashing each other with feathery pillows.
“Phew! I’m too hot now,” gasped Scarlett, lying on her bed.
“Me too!” said Isabel, collapsing beside her.
“You can’t just lie there,” said Layla. “There are feathers everywhere. You’d better clear them up before breakfast or we’ll all be in trouble.”
“What are you doing today, Sophia?” Scarlett said, ignoring Layla, who she thought was rather boring. Layla sighed and started clearing up the feathers herself.
“Ava and I are going to look for some spring bulbs and herbs she wants to plant in her garden,” said Sophia, holding her black curls off her neck to cool down. “Then we’ll go for a long ride around the grounds. I promised Rainbow he could have a good gallop today. How about you two?”
“Riding, jumping and avoiding Ms Nettles,” said Scarlett.
“I want to sneak on to the cross-country course,” said Isabel.
“Just don’t get caught like Billy and Lightning did,” warned Ava. “They weren’t allowed to go riding together for three whole days as punishment!”
Scarlett bubbled with happiness as she pulled on her riding clothes and red hoodie. Lessons were OK but she much preferred the weekend, when she didn’t have to learn anything. She was really looking forward to hanging out with Isabel and their unicorns, plaiting Blaze’s mane and tail with the sparkly gold ribbon, and going riding, of course.
“There’s enough ribbon for you and Cloud,” she told Isabel as they walked to the stables together after a delicious breakfast of bacon, eggs, sweet pastries and fresh fruit. “But let’s plait their manes and tails first – I’m much too full to ride right now. I feel like I’m going to pop!”
“The food here is so yummy,” said Isabel. “My mum said that when it’s warmer you’re allowed packed lunches at the weekend. We can go for long rides and have picnics, explore the mountains and maybe use magic!”
Scarlett smiled. Her older brothers and sisters had always come back from Unicorn Academy with incredible stories of the adventures and fun they’d had getting to know their unicorns and discovering their magical power. Now she was a pupil with her very own unicorn, she was finding out that school was just as amazing as they’d said. She couldn’t wait to discover Blaze’s power and bond with her. Then their adventures would be even better!
As they entered the stables, Scarlett was surprised to see the unicorns crowding around the main drinking trough. They were whickering unhappily and stamping their hooves. Some students were anxiously peering into the drinking troughs and water spouts.
“What’s going on?” she said.
Isabel frowned. “I don’t know, but it looks serious. We’d better find out.”
Scarlett and Isabel squeezed between the unicorns to reach Blaze and Cloud.
“Scarlett!” Blaze whinnied in relief. “Thank goodness you’re here. The drinking troughs have frozen. I’m so thirsty and my head aches. Can you get me some water from the lake?”
“Of course,” said Scarlett, but before she could go anywhere the elderly headteacher, Ms Primrose, came into the stable with her golden unicorn, Sage. Ms Primrose was wrapped up warmly in a thick hoodie, two scarves and a pair of pink and gold riding boots.
“Good morning, everyone,” she said. “As you can see, the weather has turned extremely cold and, for the first time in living memory, the lake has started to freeze.”
Isabel gasped and Scarlett’s face reddened as she remembered how yesterday she’d thought that it might be fun if the lake did freeze for a bit. Ms Primrose clapped her hands, silencing the chatter.
“If the lake continues to freeze then there won’t be any water for the unicorns to drink. That would be dreadful. All the unicorns would become ill and lose their magic powers.”
Scarlett glanced at Blaze. She’d already complained of a headache. She might get very sick if she couldn’t drink the lake water. Scarlett began to listen far more carefully.
“We must collect as much water as possible,” Ms Primrose went on. “I’ve arranged for some specially heated storage containers to be put in the stables. No matter what the temperature is outside, the stored water won’t freeze. Unfortunately, these containers need to be filled by hand. Go and collect the others from your dormitory and make sure each of you takes a bucket from your form teacher. Then start transferring water from the lake to the containers. The harder you work, the sooner the job will be done. Off you go now.”
As Ms Primrose left the stables with Sage, everyone started talking at once.
“What will happen to Unicorn Island if the lake freezes?”
“How will the island survive?�
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Scarlett patted Blaze’s neck. Now she knew there was enough water to last for a few days, she felt more relaxed about the lake freezing for a little while. “Let’s not worry about it, Blaze. Ms Nettles said the lake will never freeze completely, and even if it does, we’ll have collected enough water to last until it thaws again. Let’s enjoy the snow and frost! It’ll be great fun playing in it!”
It was hard work, fetching water from the lake and carrying it to the containers in the stables. The thin layer of snow covering the ground grew slushy, splashing Scarlett’s legs with water as she traipsed back and forth. Her initial enthusiasm quickly wore off until she was spending more time nattering to Isabel than working. It took the whole morning before the containers were full.
“I’m not doing that again,” panted Scarlett, dumping her bucket outside Blaze’s stable rather than walk the extra steps to put it back in the storeroom.
“I doubt we’ll have to,” said Isabel. “It feels much warmer now – the sun’s coming out.”
Warmed by the pale winter sun, the afternoon was much more fun. Scarlett brushed Blaze’s mane, not exactly until it shone, but enough to get the tangles out. Then she plaited the gold ribbon through it. Blaze’s tail proved a little harder, with a wisp of hair that refused to lie flat. Spying the bucket she’d left outside the stable, Scarlett grabbed it to get some water from the drinking trough to tame the flyaway hair. To her surprise the water in the trough was covered in ice and Scarlett had to chip it away to reach the water beneath it.
“Watch out, clumsy!” Valentina De Silva shouted at Scarlett as she swept by with her two annoying friends. “You just splashed me.” Valentina gave Scarlett a haughty look. Not only was she Ms Nettles’ niece but she thought she was better than anyone else at Unicorn Academy because her parents were governors there.
“Oh dear,” said Scarlett, deliberately swinging the bucket into the air so the icy water splashed out and over Valentina. “Whoops, sorry, Valentina. I really am clumsy today!” She chuckled as water dripped from Valentina’s brown hair.