in a bad mood, and she wasnât listening. She kicked over the feed sacks that were stacked against the wall, and grain, corn, and oats poured out onto the cobblestones in the yard.
âOh, Duchess!â exclaimed Jean.
Charlie hid nervously behind Kirsty while Jean coaxed Duchess back into her stall and Rachel picked up the overturned sacks. At last, Jean came out and closed the stall door behind her.
âI donât know whatâs wrong with Duchess,â she said. âSheâs usually such a friendly little pony. Todayâs camp activity is taking place in the barn â I hope sheâs in a better mood by then.â
Rachel and Kirsty exchanged glances, both thinking the same thing. So many animals had been acting strangely this morning â could it have something to do with the Princess Fairiesâ missing tiaras?
Jean scooped some feed into a bucket and smiled at Charlie, who looked upset.
âAre you OK after your tumble in the straw?â Jean said, ruffling Charlieâs hair. âIâm sorry about Duchess. Would you like to come and help me feed some of the other animals?â
âYes, please!â Charlie cried excitedly.
âMaybe you can try to get the guinea pigs to come down from the henhouse,â Jean added. âTheyâve been up there all morning.â
Charlie rushed ahead with Jean following him. Rachel and Kirsty were about to join them when they heard a gentle whinny. They looked around and saw a tall white stallion looking out from a nearby stall.
âWhat a beautiful horse!â Rachel exclaimed.
The horse whinnied again, and nodded his head a couple times. âItâs almost as if heâs trying to get our attention,â said Kirsty. âCome on, letâs go and say hello to him.â
The nameplate on the horseâs stall said MERLIN .
âHello, Merlin,â said Rachel, reaching up and petting his soft nose.
Then she noticed something strange. âLook, Kirsty!â Rachel said, pointing to the top of Merlinâs head. As the girls watched, a tiny sparkling light gradually grew brighter. Then Princess Anya the Cuddly Creatures Fairy peeked through Merlinâs silvery mane!
âPrincess Anya!â cried Kirsty in delight.
âHello, Kirsty! Hello, Rachel,â said the Princess Fairy, flashing a dazzling smile as she flipped her braid over her shoulder.
She was wearing an orange dress with animal-print trim. âIâve come to check on the animals! Iâm happy to see that my friend Merlin seems fine. Have you seen any of the other animals?â
âYes, we have,â said Rachel. âPrincess Anya, I think Jack Frostâs horrible plan is working! A peacock tried to peck Kirstyâs momâs purse, the rabbits didnât want any food, the hens havenât laid any eggs, and the guinea pigs are on top of the henhouse!â
âAnd Duchess the pony is in a very bad mood,â added Kirsty. âWe wondered if it had anything to do with the missing tiaras.â
âIâm afraid it does.â Anya sighed sadly. âWithout my tiara, I canât watch over the special friendships that exist between animals and humans. Thatâs why the animals have been behaving so strangely. I even had to leave my own little Bengal kitten in Fairyland, in case sheâs affected.â
âWe have to find that tiara,â said Kirsty in a determined voice.
But Rachel was confused. âWhy is Merlin still in a good mood?â she asked Anya.
The fairyâs eyes sparkled as she smiled. âHeâs my special animal friend,â she explained. âHeâs descended from the very first horses that lived at the Golden Palace hundreds of years ago. They carried knights in armor, and Merlin remembers all the stories that have been passed down through his family.â
Rachel patted Merlinâs warm neck and stroked his silky mane. He gently nuzzled her
Yvette Hines, Monique Lamont