Sophie Flufftail's Brave Plan Read online

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Map of Friendship Forest

  Epigraph

  CHAPTER ONE: A Stormy Day

  CHAPTER TWO: Back to Friendship Forest

  CHAPTER THREE: Grizelda’s Plan

  CHAPTER FOUR: Chilly’s Icy Spell

  CHAPTER FIVE: Little Lola

  CHAPTER SIX: Hotpots

  CHAPTER SEVEN: Inside the Winter Cave

  CHAPTER EIGHT: Sunshine

  Sneak Peek

  Puzzle Fun!

  Lily and Jess’s Animal Facts

  Copyright

  Jess Forester smiled as she spread some sunshine-yellow butter on her last piece of crusty bread. “That was a great lunch, Dad,” she said.

  “Mmm,” said her best friend, Lily Hart. “Cheese, toast, and walnuts. Yum!”

  Mr. Forester smiled. “Have some more nuts. We picked lots before the squirrels took them all.”

  “If I eat any more nuts, I’ll turn into a squirrel!” Jess joked, getting up to clear the table. “Anyway, we’ve got to get back to Helping Paw.”

  The two girls smiled at each other.

  They were lucky to live on the same street—and even luckier that Lily’s parents ran the Helping Paw Wildlife Hospital. The hospital looked after all kinds of animals in need, and both Jess and Lily loved helping there whenever they could!

  Mr. Forester glanced out of the window. “Take your coats,” he said. “It looks like it’s about to rain, and you don’t want to get wet.”

  As he spoke, rain splattered against the window. Jess and Lily put their coats and rain boots on, and Jess picked up her big rainbow-striped umbrella.

  When they stepped outside, Lily’s short, dark hair blew across her face. She ducked under Jess’s umbrella and glanced at her friend. “The rain’s making your hair curlier than ever!” She smiled.

  Once they’d crossed the lane, Jess opened Lily’s gate and ran down to the Helping Paw barn at the far end of the yard.

  But as she raced after her friend, Lily spotted something strange beneath the chestnut tree. “Wait!” she cried.

  Lily showed Jess a heap of leaves and twigs. “Something’s moving under there,” she whispered.

  Lily pushed the wet leaves aside. Underneath were three bright-eyed creatures huddled together, long tails curling around their tiny, furry bodies.

  Lily gasped. “Baby squirrels!” she cried. “They must have fallen from the tree.” She glanced around. There was no sign of the babies’ parents anywhere.

  “They’re so tiny,” said Jess, moving her umbrella to shelter the little squirrels from the rain. “We can’t leave them here. They’re already soaked.”

  “You’re right,” said Lily. “Mom and Dad say you should usually leave baby animals alone, in case their parents come looking for them, but I think we have to take them to the wildlife hospital.” She scooped up two baby squirrels, and Jess gently picked up the third.

  When they reached the barn, Lily knocked on the door with her foot.

  Mrs. Hart opened it. “Goodness!” she exclaimed when she saw the squirrels. “Bring them in!”

  Lily and Jess carried the babies to Mr. Hart, who was standing by the examination table. The girls gently put them on the table, then, as they took off their coats and boots, they explained where they’d found them.

  Mrs. Hart found a nest box, and Lily cut some squares of soft blanket to line it.

  “These will make a nice bed,” she said.

  “Like a real squirrel home!” said Jess. “Nice and warm and dry.”

  They gently lifted in the three babies, while Mr. and Mrs. Hart went to the kitchen area to find them some food.

  Lily and Jess were watching the little squirrels snuggle up to one another cozily, when they heard something tapping at the barn window.

  They looked up to see a beautiful green-eyed cat on the sill outside. Raindrops sparkled on her whiskers.

  “Goldie!” whispered Jess.

  “She’s soaked!” said Lily, flying to open the window.

  The cat darted inside and jumped down, her fur dripping on the floor.

  Jess leaped up to get a towel. Excitement fizzed through her as she gently dried the cat’s golden fur. Goldie might look like an ordinary cat, but Jess and Lily shared a wonderful secret—Goldie lived in Friendship Forest, a magical world filled with talking animals!

  Goldie purred as the girls patted her dry.

  “Maybe Friendship Forest is in danger again,” Lily wondered out loud.

  “I hope Grizelda isn’t back,” said Jess anxiously.

  Grizelda was a wicked witch who wanted to take Friendship Forest all for herself. She had sent the Boggits, her four smelly helpers, into the forest to ruin it. Luckily, the girls and Goldie had managed to stop Grizelda’s plan and save the forest.

  Goldie looked up and meowed, then padded over to the door.

  “She wants us to follow her!” said Jess. Her blue eyes shone. “Lily, I think Goldie’s going to take us back to Friendship Forest!”

  “We’re going to see our animal friends again!” said Lily, smiling. She jumped up and peered out of the window. Luckily, the rain had stopped. “Mom!” she called to Mrs. Hart. “We’re going outside.”

  “Okay,” called Mrs. Hart.

  Pulling their coats and boots on, the girls followed Goldie past Helping Paw and down to Brightley Stream. They hopped across the stepping stones and ran toward the tree in the middle of Brightley Meadow. It looked like a dead oak tree, but the girls knew that it was the Friendship Tree, and it was very special.

  Lily and Jess ran up to the tree and grinned at each other. Something magical was about to happen!

  As Goldie reached the tree, leaves sprang from the lifeless branches, birds swooped down to sing sweet songs, and brilliant butterflies danced above the bright yellow flowers that bloomed below. Lily ran her fingers over two words carved into the tree’s bark. “Ready, Jess?” she asked, feeling a thrill of excitement.

  Together they read the words aloud, “Friendship Forest!”

  Instantly, a door with a leaf-shaped handle appeared in the trunk. Jess clasped Lily’s hand and opened the door. Shimmering light shone from inside. They ducked and followed Goldie into the golden glow.

  What magical adventure would they have this time? Lily and Jess couldn’t wait to find out!

  As the golden light surrounded them, Jess and Lily tingled all over as they magically shrank. Then the light faded and they were in Friendship Forest once more. A warm breeze drifted past, catching the lemon and chocolate scents of the flowers growing around them. It was so different from the rainy day in Brightley that it was easy to tell they were in a magical world!

  “Welcome back,” said a soft voice.

  They turned to see Goldie, but she didn’t look like an ordinary cat at all anymore. She was standing on her hind legs, with a glittering golden scarf wrapped around her shoulders. She smiled and the girls rushed over to hug her.

  “It’s great to be back,” cried Jess.

  “And to talk to you again,” said Lily.

  “But why have you brought us here today, Goldie?” Jess asked her.

  Goldie twitched her tail anxiously. “Come and see what’s happened in Sunshine Meadow.”

  “Wait,” said Lily, tugging at her coat. “It’s so nice and warm here that we don’t need these!” They took off their raincoats and stowed them at the foot of the Friendship Tree.

  As they set off with Goldie, they passed lots of gorgeous tiny cottages nestled among tree roots and up in the tree branches. It was a perfect little village—for all kinds of amazing animals!

  A yummy baking smell wafted from the windows of a
pretty cottage perched on a branch overhead. The door opened and a mouse in an apron scurried out. “Hello, Jess and Lily!” she cried.

  “Hi, Mrs. Twinkletail!” the girls called.

  Lily smiled at Jess. “I still can’t quite believe that we can talk to all the animals here! It’s wonderful!”

  They hurried on to Toadstool Glade. Agatha Glitterwing the magpie was busy chatting to Mr. Silverback the badger, while a group of young animals played with a jump rope made of flowers. Outside the Toadstool Café, the Prickleback hedgehog family was sipping delicious-looking drinks. Everyone waved happily at Lily and Jess as they passed by.

  Jess and Lily waved back, but there was no time to stop. Goldie was bounding ahead, her tail twitching anxiously.

  “Poor Goldie seems really worried,” Jess whispered to Lily as they hurried after their friend. “Something really bad must have happened.”

  When they reached Sunshine Meadow, both girls gasped in horror.

  Huge patches of the red, yellow, and orange flowers that grew there were scorched and blackened.

  “Oh, no!” Lily exclaimed. “Who would burn the beautiful flowers?”

  Goldie’s whiskers drooped sadly. “It’s terrible, isn’t it?” she sniffed.

  “Maybe it was the Boggits?” Jess wondered out loud.

  The Boggits were hairy, smelly creatures who had been Grizelda’s helpers until Jess and Lily found them a new home in the stinky swamp.

  “No, it’s not them.” Goldie shook her head. “They’re friendly now that they have their swampy home.”

  “Don’t worry, Goldie,” Jess began. “We’ll—” She froze as a familiar orb of yellow-green light suddenly floated across the meadow toward them.

  “It’s Grizelda!” cried Lily.

  With a cra-ack, the orb burst into a shower of evil-smelling sparks, which cleared to reveal the witch in a black cloak, purple tunic, and pants. Her green hair swirled like angry snakes as she stamped her pointy-toed boot.

  Goldie took a brave step toward her. “Stay away from Friendship Forest, Grizelda!” she cried.

  The witch cackled. “Ha! It’s the cat and the meddlesome girls,” she spat. “But who cares? I’m going to make Friendship Forest so horrible that no one will want to live in it. Then I’ll have it all for myself!”

  Lily and Jess stepped beside Goldie. “No, you won’t,” shouted Jess. “We won’t let you!”

  Grizelda gave another horrible laugh. “You can’t stop me this time,” she said. “I have new helpers to carry out my plan—magical ones. They’re far better than Boggits!”

  She clapped once and pointed into the sky, where four winged creatures were flying toward them.

  Goldie’s green eyes were wide. “What are those?”

  “They’re too big to be birds,” said Lily.

  “They can’t be bats,” said Jess. “Not with those long tails.”

  “But what else flies?” Goldie said. “I can’t think—”

  They all gasped as one of the creatures let a stream of fire out of its mouth.

  “Dragons!” both girls squealed together.

  Lily, Jess, and Goldie huddled together as the four dragons hovered around Grizelda. They were almost as big as the girls and all different colors: one red, one blue, one yellow, and one black.

  The red dragon nipped at Grizelda’s long green hair as she flew past.

  “Stop it, Breezy,” snapped the witch, batting her out of the way.

  The red dragon twisted over and over as she flew through the air.

  The yellow one giggled so much that she hiccupped. A whoosh of fire shot from her mouth, scorching another patch of flowers to a crisp.

  Lily and Jess exchanged a glance. Now they knew who’d been ruining Sunshine Meadow!

  “Dragons,” said Grizelda, “meet two interfering nuisances and their irritating pet cat.”

  “She’s not our pet!” Jess shouted. “She’s Goldie, and she’s wise, clever, brave, and beautiful.”

  “My helpers are cleverer than any cat!” Grizelda screeched. “And they can do more than breathe fire. Dragons!” Grizelda stomped her foot and the four dragons all jumped. “Show them!”

  The red dragon swooped down. “I’m Breezy the storm dragon. I can make WIND!” She beat her wings, and a blast of wind blew Jess’s and Lily’s hair backward.

  Next, the black dragon hovered over them, casting a dark shadow. “I’m Smudge,” he said. “I can make inky darkness.”

  The giggly yellow dragon said, “I’m Dusty. I can turn you to stone. Tee-hee!”

  They all turned to look at the blue dragon, who was turning in lazy circles high in the sky.

  “Show them your power, Chilly!” shouted Grizelda.

  “Won’t,” said the dragon. He stuck out his tongue at the witch.

  Grizelda pointed a bony finger and a jet of sparks shot past his tail. He jumped. “Ow! I hate hot things!”

  “I know!” Grizelda sneered.

  Jess and Lily glanced at each other. Grizelda was even horrible to her own helpers!

  “I’m Chilly,” the dragon said, scowling. He blew a puff of snowflakes. “I make things cold.”

  “These dragons,” said Grizelda, “will help me with my brilliant new plan!” Her dark eyes glittered. “It’s sunshine that makes Friendship Forest all green and flowery,” she sneered. “Urgh! Green is for hair, not leaves! I’ll get rid of the sunshine so Friendship Forest turns dark and cold and all the plants will die.”

  Jess, Lily, and Goldie looked at one another in dismay.

  “Then the animals will leave and the forest will be all mine!” screeched Grizelda.

  She snapped her fingers and disappeared, along with the dragons, in a burst of evil-smelling yellow-green sparks.

  Goldie’s eyes swam with tears. “She’ll destroy our beautiful forest,” she said. “We have to stop her!”

  “But how?” said Lily. “We don’t know what’s she’s planning to do.”

  “How can she get rid of the sunshine?” Jess wondered out loud.

  Goldie gasped. “Of course! Grizelda’s going to attack the Shining House!”

  “What’s the Shining House?” Lily asked.

  “I’ll show you,” said Goldie. “It’s on the far end of Sunshine Meadow. Follow me!”

  “It’s amazing!” Lily gasped as she and Jess gazed at a beautiful glasshouse. Sunlight sparkled off every pane, and a beautiful heart-shaped diamond glittered in the roof.

  “Wow!” they breathed.

  “It keeps all of Friendship Forest bright and warm,” Goldie explained. “Without it, everywhere would be cold and dark.”

  “Just what Grizelda wants!” Jess said with a frown.

  “Hello!” A little squirrel in a polka dot T-shirt bounded up to them.

  “Woody!” Jess smiled, bending to hug him. They’d met the young squirrel on their adventures before.

  “We need your help,” Lily told him gently. “We think Grizelda is going to attack the Shining House!”

  Woody gasped, his bushy tail shivering in fear. “Come and see Mom and Dad,” he said.

  The Shining House was full of yellow sunflowers, and every sunflower face was turned toward the sun. The air shimmered with a magical golden glow.

  Two big squirrels were busy high up on the roof, polishing the glass with their long, fluffy tails. Three small squirrels were working just as hard polishing the inside. Swish! Swish! Swish!

  The two big squirrels waved through the glass roof.

  “Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Flufftail!” Jess and Lily called up to them.

  “This is my brother, Dasha,” explained Woody, “and my big sisters, Hazel and Lulu.”

  A tiny squirrel wearing a striped T-shirt peeked out from behind Woody.

  “And this is Sophie,” Woody said. “She’s the youngest Flufftail.”

  “Hi!” said Sophie, waving at the girls with her tail.

  “Hi, Sophie!” said Lily. “It’s lovely to meet you all.”


  “Flufftails, we need your help,” Jess said urgently. “We think Grizelda is going to cause trouble here. Can you tell us how the Shining House works?”

  “Of course.” Mr. Flufftail scurried down from the roof and over to them. “The trees have so many beautiful green leaves that the sun can’t shine through them all to reach the forest floor,” he explained, pointing at the trees with his tail. “So the Shining House collects the light. Then the sunflowers magically reflect the sunshine through the glass and out into the forest, to make the whole forest lovely and light and warm.”

  “We keep the glass polished,” Woody said proudly. “Only a Flufftail fluff tail is soft enough to clean the Shining House. Feel!” he added, flicking his tail out toward her.

  Lily stroked his beautiful bushy tail. It felt as soft as silk. “It’s gorgeous,” she said.

  “Do you really think Grizelda is going to come here?” Woody asked sadly.

  “Don’t worry, we’ll stop her,” Jess said firmly.

  “We’ve done it before and we’ll do it again!” Lily agreed.

  But just then the air turned icy cold. There was a whoosh and a cloud of snowflakes blew over them.

  Jess heard wings flapping and looked up. “Oh, no! It’s Chilly the ice dragon!”

  “Dragon?” shrieked Mrs. Flufftail. “Children, hide!”

  The young Flufftails scattered. Woody and Dasha ran squealing behind Lily and Jess, and Hazel and Lulu hid under Mr. Flufftail’s tail.

  As Chilly swooped down to land, he blew a big raspberry, scattering ice flakes everywhere. “Pffffttthh!” he said. “I’m going to make the forest nice and cold!”

  “No!” cried Jess.

  But Chilly pointed his wings at the Flufftails and chanted:

  “Magic make these squirrels change

  So they hate the golden sun

  Then wintry cold will chill the trees

  And bring snow for everyone.”

  For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. Then Goldie gasped. “Look at the Flufftails!” she cried.

  The squirrel family were curling their tails over their eyes.