by Sue Bentley
Flame’s eyes twinkled, but he didn’t reply.
Maisie’s legs were aching by the time she and Flame had climbed the long slope up to the parking lot. But as she walked toward her bicycle, her face lit up. The basket was filled to bursting with some of the best pieces of driftwood!
“Oh, Flame, you’re wonderful! You think of everything,” she said.
Flame gave a modest purr. “I try to!”
Maisie lifted him onto the wood before unchaining her bike and biking home. She smiled to herself as she rode along, remembering the fantastic feeling of being a dolphin and swimming under the sea.
She knew she’d never forget the experience.
A few drops of rain began to fall as she biked up to Joel and Louise’s house.
Their car was parked outside. Joel and Louise were just getting out. Both of them held plastic shopping bags. Maisie brought her bike to a stop.
“Hi! Have you and Flame been anywhere interesting?” Joel asked.
“Nah. Just collecting stuff for my dad,” Maisie said vaguely. Joel wouldn’t believe her if she told him the truth, even if she had been able to! “How about you two? Did you have a good time in town?”
“Duh! What do you think? We were shopping for school stuff,” Louise said, pulling a face.
Maisie laughed. In all the excitement, she had forgotten what Joel and Louise had been doing. “Oh yeah! Poor you. Do you want to meet up later?”
Joel looked up at the sky, where thick gray clouds were gathering. “There’s not much point. It’s going to pour. We can’t go to the beach or go birdwatching or anything.”
“But we could go to Maisie’s house and play Eagles and Hawks,” Louise suggested.
Maisie’s head came up. “I never knew you liked playing computer games!”
“You never asked me. I love them. It’s Joel who doesn’t like them. He’d rather scribble in his old notebook about boring plants and creepy old insects.”
Joel scowled at his sister. “Hey! Wildlife isn’t boring!”
“Course it’s not,” Maisie said quickly, seeing another squabble brewing. “I like wildlife-watching and computers. Anyway, I’ve got to go home now. Why don’t you both come over later?”
“Okay. See you!” Joel and Louise chorused as Maisie rode away.
“Those two!” Maisie said to Flame, with a grin. “I bet they’d argue that cornflakes were custard!”
A crack of thunder rumbled overhead. Lightning flashed across the sky outside Maisie’s bedroom window as she entered her room.
“Flame? Where are you?” she said, peering around.
Strange. Flame usually followed her everywhere, but he had disappeared the minute lunch was over. She had searched for him downstairs, but he was nowhere in sight. Maybe he had come up here for a nap.
“Joel and Louise have just arrived. Aren’t you coming downstairs to watch us play?” she said encouragingly.
Suddenly she noticed a small lump under her covers. As she lifted it up, she saw Flame’s bushy tail sticking out from under a pillow.
“What’s this—hide-and-seek?” she asked, smiling. But Maisie’s face fell as Flame turned and looked at her with dull emerald eyes.
An awful suspicion was dawning on her. “It’s your uncle’s spies, isn’t it? Have they come for you?”
Flame nodded, trembling all over. “I can sense them. They are nearby. But they may pass by if I stay very quiet and still,” he mewed softly.
“But…what if they don’t go past?” she gulped.
“I will have to leave, quickly, to save myself,” Flame mewed.
“I understand,” Maisie said in a small voice, her chest tightening with fear for him. It was horrible to think of Flame leaving, but far worse to think of him being hurt. She made herself answer calmly. “I’m staying here with you. I’ll go and tell Joel and Louise I’ve changed my mind about playing games.”
Flame shook his head and curled himself into an even tighter ball. “No, Maisie. You will only draw attention to me. Leave me here, please.”
“All right.” Maisie tucked the covers up high around the pillows. No one would know that a tiny kitten was hiding there. “I…I’ll see you later,” she said, going out onto the landing.
At least, I hope I will, she thought, slowly going downstairs.
There was an ache in her throat as she bit back tears. She could hardly believe that Flame might have to leave so suddenly and without even saying good-bye.
Maisie waved good-bye to Joel and Louise at the front door. “See you tomorrow for the gallery’s grand opening!”
“You bet!” Louise said, grinning.
“Thanks for the game. Are you…um, sure you’re okay?” Joel asked, looking concerned.
“I promise,” Maisie said, smiling. She felt bad that she’d been a bit quiet during the game, but she couldn’t stop worrying about whether Flame would still be there.
The second they were gone, Maisie whipped around and ran up the stairs two at a time. She slowly pushed open her bedroom door, her heart in her mouth.
“Flame!” she exclaimed.
He sat on the bed, cleaning his whiskers. As soon as he saw Maisie, he mewed a greeting. Jumping off the bed, Flame ran toward her, his bushy tail sticking up jauntily.
A huge smile spread across Maisie’s face as she picked him up and sat on the rug to cuddle him. “I thought I’d never see you again!”
Flame rubbed the top of his soft little head against her chin. “My uncle’s spies have passed by. I am safe. For now.”
“Good! I hope those horrible mean things never come back!” Maisie said, through gritted teeth.
Flame looked up with serious green eyes. “They know I am close and they will not stop looking for me. I may still have to leave suddenly. Do you understand that, Maisie?”
Maisie nodded, but she was determined not to dwell on it. Her wonderful, magical friend was still here, and that was all she cared about. “Let’s go downstairs. Mom bought some cans of sardines the other day. Do you want some?”
Flame gave an eager little meow.
“You look nice!” Maisie said to her mom the following afternoon.
Mrs. Simpson had pinned her hair up. She wore sparkly earrings and a floaty blue dress. “Thanks, sweetie,” she said, stretching plastic wrap over a stack of sandwiches.
“What time are people coming?” Maisie asked.
“In an hour or so, I imagine,” her mom answered. “The invitations said after 4:00 p.m., but no one wants to be the first to arrive. There, the food’s finished. Would you take these out for me, please?”
Maisie nodded. Flame padded after her as she carefully carried the heaped plate into the gallery.
Flame seemed just like his old self. There was no trace of his nervousness from the day before. Maisie had convinced herself that his enemies had forgotten all about him, and she smiled as she imagined the many adventures she and Flame would have together.
Mr. Simpson was in the gallery, setting out chairs. “Well? What do you think?” he asked, as Maisie put the plate on a table already piled with delicious food.
Maisie looked around at the wooden floor and old counter, which now shone like dark honey. Paintings hung on the spotless white walls, and colorful carved birds were on display in the modern cabinet.
“It’s fantastic! Everyone’s going to love it,” she said proudly.
Her dad came over to give her a hug. “I think we’re going to be very happy living here.”
“Definitely!” Maisie said, grinning. “I wish Jane and Nina were already here, though. I hate waiting around when everything’s ready.”
Her dad ruffled her hair. “I think you’ve probably just got time to go down to the beach, if you’re quick!”
Maisie flashed him a smile. She didn’t need telling twice. “Come on, Flame!”
As she zoomed out into the back garden, Flame ran along beside her. They had almost reached the garden gate when Maisie stopped suddenly.
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nbsp; Two powerful dark shapes were climbing up the steps from the beach. They gave a howl of rage as they smelled Flame. They hurled themselves against the closed gate with a crash!
Flame’s enemies had found him!
“Save yourself, Flame!” she cried.
There was a bright flash. Where the tiny kitten had been now stood a magnificent young white lion and an older gray lion stood next to him.
“Prince Flame! We must leave now!” the gray lion growled urgently.
Flame turned to Maisie and his emerald eyes crinkled in a smile of farewell. “Be well, be strong, Maisie,” he said in a deep velvety growl as a rush of sparks swirled around him. And then he and the old lion were gone.
A harsh growl rang out as the dark shapes burst through the gate and then they, too, disappeared.
“Good-bye, Flame. I’ll never forget you,” Maisie said, her eyes filling with tears. She was glad that Flame was safe. One day he would be king in his own world.
“Maisie! Oh, there you are. Jane and Nina are here! And Joel and Louise just arrived!” called Mr. Simpson from the back door.
Maisie wiped her eyes. She knew she was going to miss Flame a lot, but her spirits rose at the thought of seeing her old friends again. She had so much to talk to them about. As she turned and went into the house, she found herself smiling.
Sue Bentley’s books for children often include animals or fairies. She lives in Northampton, England, and enjoys reading, going to the movies, 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 brain surgeon. The main reason she writes is that she can drink cups and cups 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.