Fairy in Danger (2 page)

‘
Sooze!
'
squealed Mariella. ‘You can't wear
that
!'

‘Why not?' said Sooze innocently, as the rest of the branch howled with laughter. ‘Don't you like it?'

‘It's very
you
,
Sooze,' said Pix finally, between guffaws.

Giggling helplessly, Twink thought that that was a very tactful way of putting it! Sooze's new outfit had a bikini top, and a bluebell skirt that was short at the front and long at the back. Around her head was a headband with a long feather in it, and there were frilly armbands just above each elbow.

‘Well,
I
think it's glimmery,' said Sooze. She tottered over to the mirror on high heels, with her skirt swishing behind her. ‘Look, everyone, it's even got sequins!'

‘Not for long, it hasn't,' said Mrs Hover grimly. The Bluebell Branch fairies jumped. None of them had noticed the matron's arrival, but now she stood just inside their doorway, shaking her head.

‘Honestly, I have to watch you like a cat,' she scolded Sooze, fluttering over and snatching the headband off her head. ‘Now, go and change that horror into a proper dress!'

‘Oh, Hovey, can't I just wear it to breakfast?' pleaded Sooze. ‘Please? I'd love to see everyone's faces!'

‘Away with you, you shameless thing,' ordered Mrs Hover, giving Sooze a light push between her wings. She shook her head with a smile as Sooze flapped off to the top level again.

‘Right, I've got your timetables, my dears,' she announced, holding up a sheaf of rose petals. The fairies crowded around her as she passed them out.

Twink scanned the pink petal with her name on it eagerly. Star Magic II, Advanced Creature Kindness II, Advanced Flower Power II . . . her classes were just the same as last term. And, as she'd hoped, she had a free hour after her Advanced Creature Kindness lesson.

That's when I'll go looking for the little branch
,
decided Twink. Her wings tingled with excitement at the thought. What would she find up there?

.

Chapter Two

Twink's lessons that day seemed to drag past, until finally it was time for Creature Kindness. Though this was usually Twink's favourite class, today she could hardly wait for it to be over, so that she could begin looking for the strange branch.

‘Now, ah . . . when dealing with larger mammals, it's essential to, ah . . . gain their trust,' mumbled Mr Woodleaf.

Twink held back a smile. As usual, Mr Woodleaf seemed terrified of his students!

He cleared his throat. ‘I'll just, ah . . . get a patient, and show you what I mean.'

The girls glanced at each other curiously as Mr Woodleaf flitted off behind the Creature Kindness log. Twink had been as surprised as the others to learn that their Creature Kindness lesson was taking place outside that day – but she suddenly understood why when Mr Woodleaf reappeared from behind the log, leading a badger!

A startled gasp ran through the class. Badgers had a reputation for being fierce. They were certainly large – this one was easily ten times the size of a fairy. The black and grey creature glared at them with red-rimmed eyes.

Twink swallowed uneasily . . . and then felt a pang of sympathy as she saw that the badger had an injured paw. The poor thing! No wonder it was cross.

‘You see, he's quite nervous,' said Mr Woodleaf, reaching up and stroking the badger's grey neck. ‘So before we can help him, we need to, ah . . . calm him down. Does anyone know how?'

Pix raised her hand. ‘Shall we sing to him?' she suggested. Several girls nodded in agreement. Fairy song was magical, and many creatures found it soothing. It was used for healing sometimes, too.

But Mr Woodleaf shook his head. ‘No, badgers hate singing, I'm afraid! Think, girls . . . what do badgers like best of all?'

Twink's pink eyebrows drew together as she tried to recall everything that she knew about the striped mammals. They usually came out at night . . . they liked to eat all different sorts of things . . .

Suddenly Bimi's hand flew up. ‘I know!' she cried, fluttering her wings. ‘They like being in their setts, don't they?'

Mr Woodleaf beamed, and seemed to forget his nervousness. ‘Exactly!' he cried. ‘Badgers love being in their underground homes, which are called
setts
.
Well done, Bimi.'

Twink felt a rush of pride as she and Bimi smiled at each other. Her best friend had worked very hard to get into this advanced class, and now she did just as well as any of them.

‘So to calm him down, we need to make him think that that's exactly where he is,' continued Mr Woodleaf, patting the badger's chest. ‘Who's good at casting glamours?'

Glamours were a special kind of spell that made you see things that weren't really there. ‘That would be you, Mosquito Nose!' said Sooze, nudging the pointy-faced fairy with a grin.

Mariella's cheeks turned pink with pleasure as she stepped forward. It was true, thought Twink. Though lazy at most of her studies, Mariella was brilliant at Star Magic, the art of illusion. She could cast the most convincing glamours of any of them!

Murmuring to herself and moving her hands about, Mariella quickly cast the spell. All at once everything went dark as the sunny glade seemed to turn into a snug underground hole. Peering around her, Twink's eyes widened in admiration. Mariella had even thought to put roots in place, and the rich scent of the earth!

Though all of the fairies could see through the glamour, the badger blinked in surprise to find himself suddenly transported underground. Sniffing deeply at the clammy air, he stretched out on the ground with a happy sigh.

‘Good work!' said Mr Woodleaf. ‘Now we can tend to his paw.'

By the end of the lesson the badger was snoozing peacefully, his hurt paw neatly bandaged. Twink smiled in satisfaction as she and the other students fluttered back to school.

‘Are you going to try and find your mystery branch now?' asked Bimi.

Twink nodded. ‘Definitely!' She looked towards the top of the tree, trying to remember exactly where she had seen the strange branch. But though she saw lots of leaves, and even a bird's nest or two, she couldn't spot the little window.

‘Well, I don't think it's there, but good luck anyway,' laughed Bimi as they swooped into the school. ‘If you don't find it, then come and join me in the library.'

‘All right,' agreed Twink, adjusting her petal bag over her shoulder. ‘But you'll see, Bimi – there
is
something up there, I just know it!'

Saying goodbye, she took off, spiralling further and further up the tree. The number of fairies dwindled, until at last she was the only one flying so high. She felt a thrill of excitement as she passed the entrance to the star-gazing platform. This was as far up the tree as she'd ever gone!

She continued upwards. Soon the walls of the trunk began to narrow around her, and the air felt stale and dusty. Clearly, no one had ventured so high in ages.

Finally the trunk became so slender that Twink could hardly stretch her wings to fly. Hovering awkwardly, she sighed in disappointment. Bimi must have been right after all – there
couldn't
be a branch used by fairies up here!

But then Twink looked up, and caught her breath. Starting just above her head were a series of tiny knotholes going up the trunk – almost like those things humans called stairs! Quickly folding her wings behind her back, she grabbed hold of them and began to climb.

The narrow passageway took her higher and higher, twisting and turning. Just when Twink was beginning to wonder whether it was a dead end after all, she came to a dim, dusty ledge. She pulled herself on to it . . . and her heartbeat quickened.

There, in the shadowy light, she could just make out a door! It was barely as tall as she was, with an arched top and wooden grooves that were thick with dust.

Twink gazed down at its handle, feeling oddly shy. It didn't seem right to just go barging in. Besides . . . what if
someone
was already inside? Her wings went clammy at the thought.

Raising her hand, she knocked softly. ‘Hello?' she called.

Silence. Twink smiled in relief. Of course there wasn't anyone in there – it was probably just an old storage branch! Shaking her head at herself, she reached for the handle and pushed.

There was a faint
click . . .
and the door swung open.

Twink stepped inside, ducking slightly. The ceiling was so low that she could hardly stand up straight! Her eyes widened as she took in the little room.

There was a single round window, through which sunlight shone. A small, plain bed stood against one wall. In the centre of the narrow branch was a rickety-looking table and chair, and up on a shelf there were rows and rows of . . . things.

Twink stared. What
were
they? Each item was smooth and white, about the size of her hand, but carved in the most amazing patterns! There was an owl, and a frog, and something that looked like a bat. Moving forward, Twink picked up the bat for a closer look.

‘What are you doing?' demanded an angry voice. ‘Put that down!'

Stifling a shriek, Twink whirled round.

The window was now open, and crouching on the sill, as if she had just landed, was a fairy. But she was like no fairy Twink had ever seen. She was tiny, with untidy jet-black hair and silvery-grey wings – and she looked absolutely furious.

‘I'm – I'm sorry,' stammered Twink. Hastily, she put the carving back on the shelf. ‘I just –'

‘You just
what
?'
Hopping into the room, the fairy banged the window shut behind her. She was wearing a grey and black dress, and stockings with black and white stripes. Though she looked about Twink's age, she was at least a head shorter.

‘I was just exploring,' said Twink, trying not to stare. ‘You see, I saw this branch from outside the school, and –'

‘And so you thought you'd come up here and snoop about!' The black-haired fairy strode over to the shelf, taking the bat down and inspecting it carefully. She glared at Twink. ‘How dare you come in here and touch my private things?'

Twink felt a flash of anger. ‘I said I was sorry! I didn't know that someone
lived
here. Anyway, who are you? You're not one of the students here.'

‘No, I'm not one of the students – as if I would be!' The fairy gave a disgusted shudder, and carefully put the bat back in place beside the other carvings.

‘All right, but who
are
you?' pressed Twink. ‘My name's Twink,' she added, to be polite.

At first she thought the other fairy wasn't going to answer, but then she shrugged sulkily. ‘I'm called Shadow,' she said. ‘And as to what I'm doing here . . . well, why not? No one seemed to be using this branch. I haven't done any harm.'

Glancing around, Twink had to agree – the room was neat and tidy, and looked well cared for. ‘But what are you doing here?' she pressed. ‘You're about my age, aren't you? Don't you go to school?'

‘Are you always this nosy?' said Shadow, folding her arms across her chest. ‘No, I don't go to school. I'm far too busy for that – we all are!'

Twink blinked in confusion. Surely the little branch was too small for more than one fairy? ‘Who's we?' she asked.

‘All of us,' said Shadow. ‘I'm not the only one of my kind, you know – just the only one who lives
here.
'

‘You mean . . . you're a different sort of fairy than I am?' stammered Twink. Now that Shadow had said it, it seemed obvious. Twink had never seen a fairy so small before, or with such black hair and pale skin.

Shadow heaved a sigh, rolling her eyes. ‘Yes, of course!' She swept an arm at the shelf. ‘What do you think
those
are?'

‘Carvings,' said Twink, puzzled.

‘Yes, but what are they made
of?' said Shadow impatiently. When Twink shook her head, she snatched up the owl. ‘Look! It's hard, it's white . . .'

Twink gasped in sudden understanding. ‘It's a
tooth
,' she breathed in amazement. She could see now that the other carvings were teeth as well. Rows and rows of them, all carved into different designs!