Twirling Tails #7 Read Online Free PDF Page A

a small woof of agreement.
    â€œSure. Why not,” Kirsten said generously. Storm was with her all day. It wouldn’t hurt for Helena to share him for a few minutes.
    The rest of practice went well. Tracy worked hard, earning herself some praise from Molly, and Storm followed all the routines perfectly. Kirsten noticed that Helena was sitting watching everything closely. She was unusually quiet.
    Mr. Blake called in just as practice ended. He was passing the gym and wondered if Kirsten and Storm wanted a ride home.
    â€œCan we take Tracy and Helena, too?” Kirsten asked, deciding to try not to be so suspicious of Helena all the time.
    They all piled into the car. Helena sat in the backseat with Tracy. “I didn’t know being a majorette was so complicated. You have to do millions of warm-ups and stretches and leg-strengthening stuff. It’s like you’re real athletes.”
    Kirsten glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “We are! You have to be really in shape to do the routines.”
    â€œDad’s always telling me I should do some sports. I think I might ask Molly about joining,” Helena mused.

    Kirsten raised her eyebrows. She was starting not to mind Helena so much. But she still wasn’t sure if she liked the idea of her joining in with everything that she and Tracy did together. She decided not to say anything just now.
    When Mr. Blake stopped outside Tracy’s house, Tracy and Helena both got out.
    â€œThanks for the ride,” they chorused. “See you in the morning,” Tracy called.
    â€œBye!” Kirsten waved.
    Once they got home, Kirsten asked her mom and dad if they’d like some hot chocolate. She spooned chocolate powder into three mugs. While she was waiting for the teapot to boil, she rummaged in a cabinet and found a tasty, bone-shaped dog chew for Storm.
    â€œHere you go. You deserve a yummy treat. I was so proud of you at practice,” she told him.
    â€œI enjoyed being a mascot,” Storm yapped.
    He bounced forward onto his short front legs and grabbed the chew. Picking it up, he trotted around the kitchen with both ends of it sticking out of his mouth.
    Kirsten made the drinks and put them on a tray. She laughed as Storm followed her into the sitting room with his prize. “You’d better sit on your old blanket to eat that or Mom’ll go nuts!” she whispered.

    Kirsten jogged across the school playing field a few mornings later with Storm trotting along invisibly beside her.
    Miss Strong was already on the hockey field handing out yellow and green sashes and organizing the class into teams. Kirsten was in the Greens and Tracy and Helena were in the Yellows.
    â€œKirsten and Tracy, you’re center forwards, so you’ll face off for the ball.” Miss Strong looked around, checking that everyone was in position.
    Kirsten flexed her knees as she faced Tracy on the center line.
    Storm began leaping around her ankles excitedly. “Tell me what to do and I will follow you, Kirsten!” he yapped so that only Kirsten heard him.

    With a tingle of alarm, it dawned on Kirsten that Storm thought playing field hockey was like a majorette routine. He didn’t realize that he could be kicked by a player or hit by a hockey stick. She couldn’t warn him of the danger with everyone so close.
    Miss Strong picked up the whistle dangling by a cord around her neck.
    Phee-eep! The game was on.
    Kirsten won the face-off. She ran down the field, hoping to get away from the other players. Once she was out of earshot, she’d be able to tell Storm to get off the field.
    Storm gave a joyful bark and dashed after Kirsten, his strong little legs eating up the grass. Kirsten glanced sideways at him as she ran with the ball, but Helena was pounding after her and she still couldn’t warn Storm of the danger.
    â€œTo me, Kirsten!” one of the players cried.
    â€œCome on, Yellows. Tackle her!”
    Helena dodged