by Sue Bentley
Chapter
FIVE
Kara looked at Felicity in utter dismay. Why did she feel like a horrible criminal, when it wasn’t even her fault?
She went over and put her arm around Felicity’s shoulder. “Look, I’m really sorry about Marvin. Come on. Let’s go and tell Miss Cross what happened.”
“No, don’t!” Felicity gulped. “Nathan’s not going to admit what he did. And if we tell on him, he … he could hurt Marvin.”
“She’s got a point,” Cherry said. “It would be just like him to cut Marvin into tiny pieces and flush him down the toilet …” She faltered as Felicity gave an extra-loud wail. “Sorry.”
“Okay,” Kara said, thinking out loud. “Nathan’s going to expect us to make a big deal about Marvin, isn’t he? How about if we don’t mention him and we pretend we don’t care …”
“Don’t care! Of all the heartless—” Felicity began.
“No, listen,” Kara urged. “We only pretend we don’t. Of course we’re all very worried about poor Marvin, aren’t we, Cherry?”
“Er … yeah,” Cherry said.
“Okay, think about it, right? Nathan won’t be able to resist bragging about stealing Marvin, will he? He’ll probably hold him ransom for a huge bar of chocolate or something. And then we’ll have a chance of getting him back!” Kara reasoned.
Felicity blinked tearfully. “Do you think so?”
“Oh yes. No doubt about it,” Kara said, sounding more confident than she felt. She dreaded to think how Felicity would react if Marvin was never seen again.
“Well, okay, then.” Felicity sniffled. “But you better be right.”
Over the next few days, Kara and Cherry made a huge effort to cheer up Felicity.
Felicity seemed to enjoy herself when Starlings went rappelling and then on a trip to a nearby carnival. But every night she just got into bed and pulled the comforter over her head, sniffling into her pillow.
“I don’t know what to say to her,” Kara whispered to Flame in the dark. She knew that Felicity was lying there awake, missing Marvin like crazy. Felicity could be annoying, but she felt really sorry for her. “Is there something you could do to help her feel better?”
“Magic can fix lots of things, but it cannot change people’s feelings,” Flame mewed sadly.
The following morning, Kara and Flame, Felicity and Cherry, and the other Starlings were doing recycling as their daily chore.
“The first week has gone by really quickly, hasn’t it?” Cherry said, packing plastic bottles into a large container for collection.
Kara nodded, using a small handheld crusher to flatten soda cans into aluminum disks. Flame watched in fascination, skipping sideways and play growling as each can collapsed with a crackling sound. Kara smiled at his playful antics. Sometimes it was hard to remember that the cute kitten was a prince in his own world.
“I’m glad you’re having fun,” Felicity said moodily to Kara, catching her smiling to herself. She stamped hard on a small cardboard box to flatten it. “Your brilliant plan to pretend we don’t care about Marvin was useless. Nathan has no intention of ever giving him back. Have you got any more fantastic ideas?”
Kara bit her lip, feeling awful. “Um … not really.”
“That’s what I thought,” Felicity grumbled. “Thanks for nothing.”
After chores were finished, Starlings had wall climbing up the side of Torc House. Wearing a safety harness and helmet, Kara grasped the special handholds to scale the wall and reach a wooden platform.
Flame bounded up beside her, jumping from place to place like a mountain goat. “This is very fun!” he mewed, giving Kara a whiskery grin.
Kara really enjoyed it, too, but the problem of Marvin was still on her mind.
“I don’t get it,” she said to Flame in the bathroom as she brushed her teeth that night. “Why haven’t Nathan and Dan teased Felicity about stealing Marvin or asked her to buy him back or something?” She sighed deeply. “It’s not their style to just keep him. Maybe we’re wrong and they don’t have him.”
Flame’s bright green eyes were thoughtful. “No. I think that you are right about those boys, Kara. I have a strong feeling that they are planning something.”
“Well, we’ll just have to wait and see, I guess,” Kara said. “It’s canoeing tomorrow. That should be good, and maybe it’ll take Felicity’s mind off Marvin.”
Kara stood by the river with the other Starlings as she fastened the straps on her life jacket. The morning sun gleamed on the flowing water. Jeweled dragonflies flashed back and forth, hunting for flies.
She saw Felicity staring up the riverbank to where the Magpies were getting into canoes. Nathan and Dan were laughing and jostling each other as usual.
“Don’t think about them. They’re not worth it,” Kara said.
“That’s easy for you to say,” Felicity said.
Kara sighed as she climbed into the large canoe beside Cherry. Flame jumped in after her, settling himself under Kara’s seat and purring happily. Once the canoe was full, everyone picked up their oars and began to row.
Kara rowed in time with Cherry as the canoe floated smoothly downriver.
“This is great, isn’t it?” Cherry said, pulling on her oar.
Everyone’s oars splashed in time, and now and then a moorhen’s call echoed across the water. Flame crawled out from under the seat. He stood up on his back paws and curled his front paw over the canoe’s rim to peer curiously into the water.
“Be careful you don’t fall in,” Kara whispered.
The Magpies’ canoe drew level with the Starlings’ and then began to overtake them. Kara saw Nathan quickly lean over and put something into the water.
It was a small paper boat. Kara watched it floating toward her, bobbing up and down in the water. Propped up in it was a tiny familiar figure.
“Marvin! He’s in that paper boat!” Felicity screeched. She let go of her oar and leaped to her feet.
As Felicity stumbled backward, the canoe rocked and then dipped low to one side. Kara leaned forward and grabbed at Flame, but her fingers closed on empty space. He gave a wail of alarm, and there was a tiny splash as Flame disappeared under the water.
Chapter
SIX
“Hey! Where did that kitten come from?” Cherry cried, pointing at the water as Flame’s tiny head surfaced.
“Oh no!” Kara gasped. Everyone could see Flame!
The shock of hitting the cold water must have made him forget to be invisible. Now he couldn’t use his magic to save himself without giving himself away!
Kara could see Flame’s tiny legs moving frantically under the water. Would he be able to make it across the river? The opposite bank seemed a very long way away.
Suddenly she noticed that the Magpies’ canoe was heading straight for Flame! They couldn’t see him in the choppy water. “Look out for that kitten!” she screamed, her heart racing.
But the Magpies hadn’t seen him, and their canoe was moving fast, closing in on Flame with every second. He would never be able to swim clear in time.
Kara didn’t think twice. She leaped up out of her seat and jumped straight into the water. There was a huge splash and the cold took her breath away, but she bobbed up at once and her life jacket kept her afloat. Gasping, she kicked out strongly toward Flame and the canoe that was bearing down on him.
“Girl overboard!” Cherry shouted.
“There’s the kitten!” someone shouted from the Magpies’ canoe.
Kara recognized the voice. It was Nathan. She got a quick glance at his shocked white face as he pulled hard on one oar. The canoe swerved, just enough to miss Flame by a few inches. The wash from the Magpies’ canoe swept Flame further away from Kara.
She kicked out harder as she saw that Flame’s movements were getting weaker. The cold must be sapping his strength. Closer, closer. Almost there. She gave a final desperate lunge. Yes! She reached out and grabbed Flame by the scruff of
his neck.
“Got you!” she cried. “You’re safe now.”
Flame coughed and spat out river water. Scrabbling up her life jacket, he clung to her shoulder, shivering and whimpering.
As Kara struck out toward the bank with Flame, all the kids in the canoes started cheering and waving. She swam one-handed and waved back to show she was all right.
A soggy object, already half under water, drifted near her hand.
The paper boat with Marvin inside!
On impulse, Kara scooped it up and stuffed it into the top of her life jacket. A few minutes later she reached shallow water. She waded through the muddy reeds and climbed out of the river. Finally she flopped down to catch her breath.
Flame jumped down onto the grass beside her. He looked even smaller than usual, with his wet fur plastered to his tiny body. He placed a tiny, black-tipped paw on her arm and blinked up at her with bright emerald eyes. “Thank you for saving me. You were very brave, Kara,” he purred.
She smiled down at him fondly. “I wasn’t really. I just couldn’t bear to see you in danger.” It was true, she realized. She hated to think of anything happening to her friend.
“Kara! Are you all right?” Miss Cross called, steering the Starlings’ canoe into the bank. Felicity, Cherry, and the other Starlings all jumped onto the grass and helped drag the canoe out of the water.
“Quick! You better hide until they’re gone. Otherwise they’ll make a big deal about it and try to find out who you belong to!” Kara whispered to Flame.
Flame nodded. With a swish of his tail, he darted into the nearby reeds.
Miss Cross stormed up the bank with Felicity and Cherry close behind her.
“Uh-oh! Now I’m in for it,” Kara breathed.
“What possessed you to jump in, you silly girl?” Miss Cross scolded. “It was a very dangerous thing to do! You almost capsized the canoe and had us all in the water!”
“Er … um … ,” Kara stammered, playing for time. She leaned forward as she rose to her feet, and the soggy paper boat and teddy bear tipped out of her life jacket and fell onto the grass.
“Marvin!” Felicity shrieked, swooping down to grab her teddy bear. “I thought he was gone forever.” She turned shining eyes on Kara. “Thank you so much for saving him! I’ll never forget this,” she said, and then her face became serious. “Leave this to me,” she whispered, turning to Miss Cross. “It was my fault, Miss,” she said in a louder voice. “When I saw Nathan put poor Marvin in that paper boat, I was so shocked that I stood up. That’s when the canoe almost overturned and Kara fell out.”
“Fell out? But I saw Kara jump in … ,” Miss Cross said, looking puzzled.
Felicity widened her blue eyes innocently. “Oh no, Miss. It might have looked like that, but she definitely fell in. You can ask Cherry. She was nearest to Kara.”
“Felicity’s right, Miss. I saw everything,” Cherry said firmly.
“Well, maybe I was mistaken. It all happened so fast. What about that kitten? Did anyone see what happened to it?” Miss Cross asked.
“I … er, think it ran off. It … was probably … a stray. Brrr-rrr-rr.” Kara’s teeth started to chatter. She hugged herself to try to stop shivering.
“Oh dear. You should get out of those wet clothes before you catch a cold,” Miss Cross said, looking concerned. “I’ll drive you back to Torc House. The rest of you, wait here for me, please. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
As Kara climbed into the bus and sat down, Flame jumped onto the seat next to her, purring loudly.
Twenty minutes later, Kara was drying herself after a long hot shower. Flame sat on the bath mat, waiting for her.
Kara pulled on a bathrobe. “That’s better. I feel like a new person.” Picking Flame up, she cuddled him and then wrinkled her nose. “Phew! Muddy river water! How would you like a bath in the sink?”
“No, thank you. I have already been wet today!” Flame mewed indignantly.
“Yes, and excuse me for saying so, but you stink!” Kara said. “Come on. It won’t take long, and then I’ll dry you with the hair dryer. You’ll like that.”
Flame looked down his tiny nose doubtfully. “I am not sure that I will. But, very well, I trust your word.”
Kara bathed him gently, taking great care to keep shower gel far away from his eyes and ears. She rinsed him in warm water and then patted him dry with a towel. “Let’s go into the bedroom. There’s no one in there.”
Flame sat on Kara’s lap as she switched the hair dryer on to a low setting. At first he tensed at the unfamiliar noise and laid his ears back, but he gradually relaxed as the warm air ruffled his fur.
“Nice?” Kara asked.
Flame gave a hesitant purr. “It feels very strange, but I like it very much.”
Kara smiled, wondering if anyone else had ever bathed a lion prince! “There,” she said a few minutes later as she put the hair dryer away. “Now you’re all dry and you smell wonderful.” And you look like a fuzzy ball of cotton, she thought, swallowing a giggle in case she hurt his pride.
Flame jumped onto her bed and kneaded the comforter into a soft nest. Kara curled herself around him. She only intended to relax for a few minutes, but it was almost two hours later when Felicity and Cherry came bursting in.
“Guess what! Nathan and Dan have lost more team points and they’ve been grounded,” Cherry said.
Kara sat up rubbing her eyes. “Really?” she said, quickly shifting so that she sat in front of the tiny dent Flame made.
“Yeah, they have to stay inside Torc House tomorrow and miss out on the barbecue,” Felicity said gleefully. “I think they should have been grounded for about ten years after what they did to Marvin!” She held up the tattered teddy bear, which looked even more bedraggled than usual after his soaking.
Kara smiled as Felicity exaggerated as usual. But at least Felicity was happy again, and they might all get a good night’s sleep.
Chapter
SEVEN
“Why is it that time passes so quickly when you’re having a good time?” Kara said to Flame as she changed out of her sports clothes a few days later.
Flame shook his head. “I do not know, but I have noticed this, too,” he purred.
Kara had just finished a tennis match. Starlings had been playing against Magpies, and Magpies had won by two sets to one.
Cherry and Felicity came into the locker room. “Nathan’s a great player. I really enjoyed the match,” Cherry commented, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. “He’s actually really funny when he’s not being mean.”
Kara nodded. She had noticed that, too. Nathan and Dan had been on their best behavior for days now. Maybe they had really learned their lesson this time. And Kara remembered it was Nathan calling out that had made the Magpies turn their canoe in time to miss hitting Flame.
“Only two days left now. I thought I’d really miss home, but now I wish I was going to be here for a month,” Felicity said glumly.
“At least there’s the group pony ride to look forward to. I can’t wait,” Cherry said.
“Me too. I haven’t been riding since Amber hurt her leg,” Kara said. She had spoken to her parents the night before, but there was no more news about Amber.
“I’m sorry about Amber,” Felicity said unexpectedly. She came over and put an arm around Kara’s and Cherry’s shoulders. “I know I can be a pain, but you’ve both been really nice to me. Can we promise to keep in touch when we get home?” she asked.
Kara was touched. She looked over at Cherry. Cherry blushed, looking really happy.
“Deal!” they chorused.
The following day, Kara peered out of the dorm window at the sunlit mountains. The slopes looked fresh and bright, and the peaks showed grayish purple against the blue sky.
“Look, Flame. It’s a purr-fect day for pony riding!” she joked.
Flame didn’t answer, but he gave a muffled little meow.
Kara turned back to
her bed in surprise. Usually he was up and about by now, his tiny face alight with anticipation, but today he was still buried deep beneath the comforter.
“Come on, sleepyhead. Time to go,” she urged, digging a hand under the comforter and tickling him gently. “I need to go and get into my riding gear. Cherry and Felicity have already gone.”
Flame poked his head out, revealing dull fur and flattened ears. His whiskers quivered as his whole body trembled. “I cannot come with you, Kara.”
Kara froze, her teasing smile fading. “What’s wrong? Do you not feel well?”
Flame shook his head. “I sense my enemies drawing near.”
“Oh no!” Alarm shot through Kara’s body. She had almost convinced herself that this day would never come. Now it was here. And Flame was in terrible danger. “What can I do to help you? Should I stay here with you?”
“No. It is better if you go riding with the others. So many ponies moving around on the mountain may confuse my uncle’s spies.”
Kara nodded slowly. What Flame said made sense, but she hated to leave him. He seemed so tiny and vulnerable. “But I might never see you again or … or get the chance to say good-bye,” she said hesitantly.
“I will find you later, if I can,” Flame promised, looking up at her with troubled emerald eyes, before turning and crawling back under the comforter.
Kara desperately wanted to pick him up and cuddle him better, but she knew she had to be very brave and leave him there as he had asked. She took a deep breath and went out quickly. “Good luck, Flame,” she said in a small, trembling voice. “Please take care and I really, really hope I’ll see you later.”
The stable yard was swarming with Starlings, Eagles, Crows, Magpies, and adult helpers as everyone mounted their ponies.
Kara swung her leg over Shamrock, and sat down in the saddle. She was trying hard not to think about Flame and to look forward to the day’s riding.
“Are you all right?” Cherry asked from her pony, Flossie.
Felicity’s pony was called Daisy. She looked over and smiled at Kara. “I just know Amber’s going to be fine,” she said.