Authors: Paula Harrison
Secret Rescuers (2 page)
Chapter Two
Maya landed in the river with a splash. The water reached her waist, soaking through her turquoise dancing dress. It was freezing cold, but there was no time to think about that. The little unicorn needed her help!
The knight was still riding hard with his guards running after him. Their eyes were fixed on the herd of unicorns on the bridge. None of them had spotted the unicorn foal by the bramble patch.
“Come on, Huster! Get a move on, Brinch!”
bellowed the knight. “We’re losing them.”
The guards tried to run faster, their heavy shields bouncing against their sides. Making sure they weren’t looking, Maya waded to the edge of the river and scrambled up the bank.
The little unicorn shivered as she got closer. Maya crouched down, glad that she was hidden from the knight and his guards by the tangle of bushes. “Don’t worry!” she whispered to the foal. “I won’t hurt you.”
The foal gave a soft whinny and gazed at her with big dark eyes.
“What happened?” Maya stroked his snowy mane. “Are you stuck?” She gently checked his hooves and found the bramble caught round his leg.
The foal twitched nervously.
“It’s all right,” said Maya, carefully untangling his hoof. “There – all done!”
The foal sprang to his feet and skipped around, tossing his head in delight.
Maya peeked over the bushes to check the knight hadn’t seen them. She sighed with relief when she saw the men crossing the bridge. But where had the unicorn herd gone?
The knight and his guards reached the other side of the river. They stared all around, as if trying to find the unicorns, before riding away along the road that led to town.
Maya spotted the sky unicorn herd in a little hidden valley behind a grove of trees near the water’s edge.
“There’s your herd!” Maya told the little unicorn, pointing to the opposite bank. “Can you find your way?”
The foal seemed to think he could. He brushed his nose against Maya’s hair and then skipped across the bridge and through the trees into the hidden valley to join the herd again.
Maya smiled as she watched him. Then she hurried to the water’s edge and waded back to the boat. Her muddy dress clung to her legs. Her mum would tell her off for getting messy, but she didn’t mind. She was so glad the foal was safe again.
Maya was relieved that everyone thought she’d just paddled in the river for fun. Her mum and dad had been busy searching for the mooring rope in the cabin. The rest of the troupe had
sailed round the bend in the river just as the knight had crossed the bridge. They’d been too busy staring at him to look at Maya. She was happy that her meeting with the unicorn foal was her special secret!
“Honestly, Maya!” scolded her mum. “What were you thinking – splashing around in your dancing dress? I don’t think I’ll be able to wash those mud stains out.”
“Sorry, Mum!” Maya said meekly.
The six boats of Mr Inigo’s Amazing Travelling Troupe stopped close to the bridge and fastened their mooring ropes. Everyone disembarked and together they built a fire that they could use for cooking. Dinner was to be a stew made with freshly caught fish.
The troupe relaxed around the campfire while the stew was cooking. Everyone was there: the married acrobats Monty and May; Maya’s three older brothers – the juggling triplets; the Kittersons, who put on plays; Ruben Gribba the magician; and the grown-up dancers Floella and Daisy, with Daisy’s four-year-old daughter, Lucy. Then there was Mr Inigo, who sang opera songs in his splendid deep voice. Maya’s parents didn’t perform any more, but helped with all the
costumes and sold tickets for the shows.
“This is an excellent place to stop for the night,” said Mr Inigo, twirling his long black moustache. “It’s only a few minutes’ walk into Blyford. Tomorrow we’ll go into town to put up posters for our Grand Show!”
“I hope we’ll all get a bit more money this time,” grumbled Ruben the magician, stroking his long beard. “I hardly got any coins from that last place.”
“The coins are always shared out fairly,” said Maya’s mum. “Perhaps you spent all yours too fast.”
Ruben got up, muttering something about measly wages. “I’m going to collect firewood.”
Maya stared across the river. Were the unicorns still sheltering among the trees on the other side? It was hard to see now it was growing dark.
“We need some more herbs for the stew,” said Maya’s dad, stirring the huge pot. “Some mint
and rosemary, I think.”
“I’ll get them!” said Maya quickly. “I won’t be long.” Taking a lantern, she hurried towards the bridge. She’d look for the unicorns while she collected the herbs. Maybe she’d even get to see the little foal again!
Her footsteps sounded loud on the wooden boards. She watched the river flowing slowly under the bridge into the huge lake beyond. When she reached the other side, Maya tiptoed through the trees into the little valley where the sky unicorns had hidden.
They were still there. Some were grazing and others were resting. Their pale coats and manes shone in the twilight. The little foal was sleeping next to a larger unicorn and Maya guessed it must be his mother. She gazed at them for a while, not wanting to get too close in case she alarmed them.
A movement near the trees made her turn round. A figure was creeping away from the
unicorns towards the bridge. It was Ruben Gribba, with his thin face and long beard. Maya wondered if he’d wanted to see the unicorns again too, except he didn’t seem the sort of person who liked animals. He hadn’t been carrying any firewood either.
Maya watched the unicorns for a while. Then she realised it had got much darker and her dad needed herbs for the stew. She quickly picked some mint leaves.
She was about to cross the bridge when she heard a rushing sound in the air. She peered up into the darkness.
What
was
that? It almost sounded like huge wings beating in the air.
The noise grew louder, ending in a gigantic splash.
Maya followed the sound. She was sure something pretty big must have landed in the water! Then, to her surprise, she heard a girl’s voice.
“Windrunner! Did you have to land in the river? I’m soaking wet!”
A long string of growls answered her.
Maya raised her lantern but she couldn’t see very far. “Hello?” she said. “Is everyone all right?”
Chapter Three
“Who’s there?” the girl called back.
“I’m Maya, from Mr Inigo’s Amazing Travelling Troupe. Do you need help?” Maya peered into the darkness. She thought she could see two shapes near the water’s edge. One of them seemed absolutely huge. There were more growls – quieter this time.
Maya clambered down the bank and then stopped short. A blonde-haired girl was standing by the edge of the river, clutching a small cloth bag. Water dripped from her dress.
Right next to her, shaking water off his wings, was a huge green dragon.
Maya stared at the dragon. He coughed and a little flame spurted out of his mouth.
“Don’t be scared. He’s really friendly!” said the girl. “Are you all by yourself?”
“Um … yes I am.” Maya still couldn’t take her eyes off the dragon. She’d seen the creatures flying in the distance before, but she’d never actually
met
one. He was enormous – nearly the size of her boat – and his skin was so scaly.
“You don’t mind dragons, do you?” the girl asked eagerly.
“No, not at all!” Maya smiled. Now she’d got over the surprise, it really was very exciting to be so close to a dragon. She wondered why the girl and the dragon were together. She’d never heard of dragons being friends with humans before.
The girl shaded her eyes from the light of Maya’s lantern. “I’m Sophy and this is my friend Windrunner, the storm dragon. We’ve flown for miles and miles to get here!”
She clambered up the bank towards Maya, but tripped on some rough ground and fell over.
The little cloth bag flew from her fingers and a handful of stones fell out on to the grass. Sophy gasped and snatched up the bag again immediately.
“Are you all right? Here, I’ll help.” Maya set the lantern on the ground and began picking up the fallen stones. They were small – each was no bigger than a strawberry. She held one close to the lantern to get a better look. It was grey and lumpy, and not very pretty at all.
Suddenly the stone glowed orange and felt hot against her skin. “Ouch!” She dropped it, afraid it would burn her fingers. “What’s happening?”
“Wait!” breathed Sophy. “You’ll see…”
Maya’s eyes widened as the rock blazed brighter and brighter. With a snap, it broke in half and the orange glow faded. Her fingers trembling, Maya picked up the two pieces of rock. Each one had a tiny hollow inside, filled
with sparkling emerald-green crystals.
“That’s amazing!” whispered Maya.
“It’s magic and I can show you how it works!” Sophy smiled widely. “This is fantastic luck! I didn’t think I’d find anyone so quickly.”
Maya stared at the other girl, her mind whirling. She really wasn’t sure what Sophy meant about finding someone. “This stone is magic? Really?” She looked down at the two pieces of rock in her hand. The green crystals glittered.
“Yes, really!” Sophy nodded vigorously. “I know it must seem strange, but you see, the same thing happened to me! This is a Speaking Stone. It lets you talk to magical animals. The queen threw out this bag of stones as if they were rubbish after the king died.”
“She didn’t know they were magical then?”
“No, and she doesn’t like magic anyway.” Sophy lifted a thread over her neck. “Your stone will only work for you. See, I have one of
my own! Now I talk to magical animals all the time.” She showed Maya a stone dangling on the end of the thread. It looked rough and grey on the outside like Maya’s. Opening the stone, Sophy revealed a little cave of purple crystals.
“So I’ll be able to talk to magical animals too?” Maya almost squeaked with excitement.
“Try it now!” Sophy grabbed Maya’s hand. “Say something to Windrunner.”
Maya faced the dragon and swallowed. “H-hello, Windrunner! I’m pleased to meet you.”
Windrunner’s amber eyes blinked and he bowed his head. “Pleased to meet you too. Any friend of Sophy’s is a friend of the storm dragons!”
Maya gasped. It was just so strange hearing the growling noise from his mouth turn into words.
“You
see
!” Sophy was bouncing on her toes. “It’s lucky I found you. The stones only work for
a few people and I really need your help because danger is coming. That’s why I’m here!”
“What’s the danger?” asked Maya.
“There’s a knight at the royal castle who hates magical animals – a really horrible man! He’s set out to destroy them and we think he’s on his way here. We’ve spent all day flying around looking for him but we haven’t seen him yet.”
“I’m very tired from all the flying!” grunted Windrunner. “I will rest a little, Sophy.” He blew warm breath on the ground and then settled down with his tail curled around his body.
Sophy and Maya climbed to the top of the riverbank, where the path led to the bridge.
Maya held the two pieces of her magical stone tightly. “But how did you make friends with a dragon?”
“I rescued his baby brother from the castle,” explained Sophy. “I work there as a maid. That’s how I know Sir Fitzroy – he’s the knight I was telling you about—” She broke off as footsteps
sounded on the bridge.
“Maya, is that you?” called her mum. “Are you all right? You’ve been such a long time that we wondered where you’d got to.”
“I’m fine, Mum! Just a minute,” Maya called back, before whispering to Sophy, “I’m sorry – I have to go. But I really want to help … and a knight rode past here today. He might be the one you mean.”
Sophy nodded. “Meet me here – just underneath the bridge – at first light and we’ll work out what to do. Remember your stone only works for you! Don’t show it to anyone.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t!” Maya smiled at her new friend before hurrying across the bridge.
So many strange things had happened in one day. First she’d helped the unicorn foal, and then this girl – Sophy – had appeared from nowhere! Now she had a special stone that let her talk to magical animals and
that
was the most amazing thing of all!