Magic Kitten: A Christmas Surprise Read Online Free PDF Page A

little squirt who sprayed stuff all over me in class!’ said a voice. Shona Lamb stood there with her hands on her hips. She wore a smart pink ski jacket and fluffyear-muffs. ‘Listen to her talking to her kitten. As if it’s going to answer her!’
    Molly’s tummy gave a horrid little lurch as she saw that Shona wasn’t alone. Alice and Jane, Shona’s mean older friends were with her.

Chapter
SIX
    ‘Now you’re for it!’ warned Shona, scooping up a big snowball.
    ‘Yeah!’ Jane said, bending down and making a snowball too.
    ‘Three on one isn’t fair!’ Molly said in a wobbly voice as she got to her feet. She quickly placed Flame on the sledge out of harm’s way. He stood there, tiny legs planted wide,his fur and bushy tail bristling with fury.
    ‘Tough!’ Alice said, grinning nastily.
    Molly’s mouth dried. Flame might want to help her, but he couldn’t use his magic without giving himself away. Narinder was at the bottom of the long slope.

    She was on her own.
    A snowball hit Molly on the arm, but the powdery snow broke and it didn’t really hurt. Another one landed on her back and then one hit her ear with a stinging blow. Molly hardly had time to make a snowball of her own and throw it, before she was hit again.
    ‘Ow!’ she cried as another snowball hit her neck and icy snow trickled inside her coat collar. ‘That’s enough now. You’ve paid me back,’ she said, trying hard not to cry.
    ‘Maybe she’s right,’ Shona said uncertainly. ‘Let’s go.’
    ‘No, wait! I haven’t finished with her yet!’ Jane had a mean hard look on her face. She was patting her glovedhands together, making a snowball into a firm lump. Before Molly realized what she was going to do, Jane drew back her arm and aimed at Flame.
    ‘No!’ Molly screamed, throwing herself in front of him. The hard snowball smacked into her cheek with bruising force.
    Molly gasped, stunned. Her cheek felt as if it was on fire and she felt sick and dizzy.
    ‘Now you’ve really hurt her!’ Shona said worriedly. ‘She’s gone all white and shaky!’
    Jane and Alice exchanged glances. ‘Leg it!’ Jane said.
    Shona came over to Molly. ‘Are you all right? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it to go so far,’ she said, biting her lip.
    ‘Just leave me alone,’ Molly murmured shakily.
    As Shona ran after her friends, Molly’s legs gave way and she sank on to the snow. Flame scampered up to her in an instant. ‘Quick, Molly. Put me inside your coat,’ he mewed urgently.
    Molly did so. As soon as Flame was hidden from sight, Molly heard a faint crackling as sparks ignited in his fur and there was a soft glow from inside her coat as Flame’s whiskers fizzed with power. The familiar warm tingling spread down her back and Molly felt a gentle prickling in her sore cheek. The pain drained away, just as if she had poured it down the sink.
    ‘That’s much better. Thanks, Flame,’ she whispered.
    Flame touched her chin with his tiny cold nose. ‘You saved me from being badly hurt, Molly. You were very brave.’
    Molly’s heart swelled with a surge of affection for him. ‘I’m not really. I just couldn’t bear to think of anything happening to you. I love having you for my friend. I hope you can stay with me forever.’
    ‘I will stay for as long as I can,’ Flame purred gently.
    ‘Molly! Are you all right?’ Narinder’s breath puffed out in the cold air as she came panting up the slope. ‘I feel awful. I saw those bullies setting on you, but I couldn’t get to you quickly enough to help.’
    Molly grinned. ‘Don’t worry about it, ’Rinder, it’s hard to run uphill in thesnow. Anyway, I’m OK. And I reckon they’ll leave me alone now they’ve had their own back. Come on, let’s go back up. I’m definitely going to beat you to the bottom this time!’

    ‘Hi, we’re home!’ Molly sang out as she dumped her coat and boots and went towards the sitting room.
    Her mum poked her head round the door. ‘Shh. Can you