Princess Ponies 2 (3 page)

The dressage competition started and many of the ponies lost interest in searching for the horseshoes and trotted over to the arena to watch. The Royal Family were settled in their box, enjoying the Games. Honey had a large bag of roasted pony-nuts that Stardust kept looking at longingly.

‘Let’s go and watch the dressage for a bit,’ she said at last, when she couldn’t resist any longer.

‘We can’t,’ said Pippa. ‘There are only five days left until Midsummer.’

Stardust nuzzled her nose in Pippa’s dark, curly hair.

‘I know,’ she said softly. ‘But you heard what Mum said about the Royal Ponies needing to carry on as normal. Let’s search for a bit longer and then we really have to go and watch some of the events.’

Among the trees at the edge of the showground was a temporary stable block for the competitors. It was packed with ponies combing their manes and painting their hooves. Sashes and tail bandages fluttered from the trees and there was a strong smell of hoof oil.

A flash of light caught Pippa’s eye. It was coming from a hollow in a wizened old tree. Something shiny was hidden inside. Her heart quickened as she went towards it and pulled it out.

‘It’s just a hoof pick,’ she said, her shoulders sagging with disappointment.

‘That’s my lucky hoof pick!’ said an excited voice. ‘At least, I hope it’s lucky.’

Pippa turned around to see a solid, chestnut pony, with a neatly plaited mane tied with blue ribbons, trotting up behind her.

‘Blossom!’ Stardust whinnied, blowing through her nostrils at the pony.

Blossom blew back, giggling as they touched noses.

‘Are you competing in the junior dressage?’ asked Stardust.

‘I can’t get out of it,’ Blossom said sadly. ‘You will come and watch me, won’t you? Pleeeeease! I know I’ll mess it all up if my best friend isn’t there to cheer me on.’

‘I’ll try,’ Stardust said casually. ‘But Pippa and I are busy right now. Pippa’s here to find the missing horseshoes and I’m helping her.’

A hurt look crossed Blossom’s face, but she swallowed and said bravely, ‘I know. Everyone’s talking about her – a real, live girl here on Chevalia.’

‘She’s my best pet ever,’ Stardust said proudly.

Pippa rolled her eyes and cleared her throat, hoping that Stardust would remember that she wasn’t a pet.

‘I mean, Pippa’s my best friend,’ Stardust said hastily, realising her mistake.

Pippa noticed that Blossom’s big brown eyes glittered with tears.

‘B-b-best friend?’ she stuttered. ‘I thought I was your best friend.’

‘You are. Well, you were until Pippa arrived,’ Stardust said, unaware of Blossom’s distress. ‘Pippa’s my best friend now, but you can be my second best.’

Just then the announcer called for the start of the junior dressage competition.

‘Listen – they’re calling your class,’ said Stardust. ‘You’d better go.’

‘So are you coming to watch me?’

‘I’m sorry, Blossom, but Pippa and I –’

‘We’d love to watch,’ Pippa interrupted. ‘We’ll both cheer you on!’

Pippa felt very uncomfortable as they followed Blossom to the competition arena. It was obvious to her that she was upset, but Stardust didn’t seem to have noticed.

‘Blossom’s too clumsy to be any good at dressage,’ Stardust whispered. ‘It’s a shame, because she comes from a family of show ponies.’

When it was Blossom’s turn to perform she trotted stiffly into the ring. Her hooves were all over the place and she kept tripping up.

Cinders, an unkind pony who was always quick to criticise others, was in the box below the royal one. She laughed as Blossom stumbled around the ring.

‘Blossom’s got four left hooves,’ she whinnied. Some of the other ponies laughed and snorted with her.

That only made Blossom worse. She trotted around the show arena like a circus clown. She finished with a wonky curtsy and hurried from the ring in tears.

‘What’s wrong with her?’ asked Stardust. ‘She always does badly in dressage, so why is she crying about it now?’

‘Blossom’s crying because you said she wasn’t your best friend any more,’ Pippa said quietly.

‘That’s silly!’ Stardust exclaimed in disbelief. ‘We can still be friends, but how can I have two best ones?’

‘Very easily,’ said Pippa. ‘It’s good to have lots of friends. Imagine how you’d feel if I suddenly said I wanted to be Blossom’s best friend and not yours.’

Stardust’s face fell. ‘I thought you liked me!’

‘I do but that doesn’t mean I can’t like anyone else. I’ve got another best friend at home.’

‘But you like me at the same time?’

Pippa nodded.

‘Oh, I see,’ Stardust said slowly. ‘You
can
have two best friends.’

Now the junior dressage was over, Pippa wanted to continue searching for the missing horseshoes but she hated seeing Blossom so upset, especially when it was partly her fault. She decided to hide her impatience because she knew they had something to do first.

‘Let’s go after Blossom and tell her she can be your best friend too,’ Pippa said.

Stardust hesitated. Pippa climbed on to her back and stroked Stardust’s mane.

‘Having two best friends will be twice as much fun,’ Pippa said persuasively.

‘OK,’ said Stardust. ‘I will have two best friends. Let’s go and tell Blossom.’

Chapter 3

At first Stardust and Pippa couldn’t find Blossom. They searched everywhere, including the competitors’ area, but there was no trace of her. Then Stardust spotted her on the far edge of the showground.

‘Blossom’s going the wrong way!’ she said. ‘That path leads down to the beach.’

‘She’s fast!’ Pippa exclaimed, watching Blossom gallop into the distance.

Blossom was also very fit. She galloped all the way down the path and didn’t stop until she reached the beach. Stardust was hot and panting heavily by the time they caught up with her. Blossom stood staring out to sea with the surf swirling around her legs.

‘Hi, Blossom,’ Stardust said breathlessly. ‘You can still be my best friend if you want. Pippa says I can have two.’

Pippa slid from Stardust’s back and glared at her. ‘Say sorry,’ she mouthed silently.

Stardust tossed her head as if she might argue but Pippa kept glaring at her.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said at last. ‘I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.’

‘Really?’ Blossom continued to gaze at the sea.

‘Yes,’ Stardust said, giving her a friendly nudge with her nose.

Finally, Blossom turned round. ‘So we’re still friends?’ she asked.

‘
Best friends
,’ said Stardust. ‘It’s going to be twice as much fun having two best friends.’

‘Can I be friends too?’ Pippa asked, looking at Blossom.

‘Yes! A real, live girl for a friend would be amazing,’ said Blossom. ‘I’m sorry I ran away. I was upset and when Cinders laughed at my awful dressage performance it was the last straw. I try so hard but I always trip over my hooves.’

‘You’re brilliant at galloping,’ Pippa said kindly. ‘You should enter the Equestriathon.’

‘I’d love to, but Mum and Dad think that racing is for any old pony, not show ponies like us.’ Blossom sighed.

‘Traditionally Blossom’s family have always been prize show ponies on Chevalia,’ added Stardust. ‘She can’t just decide to be a racing pony.’

‘But we can’t all be good at the same things,’ said Pippa. ‘My mum says you should do the things that make you happy.’

‘Well . . .’ Blossom said hesitantly. ‘I do love to gallop – it’s my favourite thing. Well, that and being Stardust’s best friend.’

‘Pippa’s right,’ said Stardust. ‘You should do the things that make you happy. And even if you don’t win the trophy, every pony that completes the race gets a medal. But I’m sure you
can
win!’

Blossom fell silent for a while, then she said decisively, ‘I’ll do it. I’ll race the Equestriathon. And if I win the trophy, hopefully Mum and Dad will be so proud of me they won’t mind about the dressage. Will you come and support me?’

‘Of course,’ said Stardust.

Pippa bit back her frustration. She couldn’t hurt Blossom’s feelings by refusing, but she feared that at this rate they’d never find the missing horseshoes.