Daisy Meadows - Amelia Sparklepaw’s Party Problem

“Come in!” he said. “How can I help you?”

Once he’d heard what the problem was, he rummaged through his inventions. Soon he tossed out an object with a propeller and a basket hanging underneath.

“Hovering Apple-Picker—that never worked,” he muttered. “What’s this?”

A set of wheels with a board fixed on top rolled out. “Hmm, that surfboard was supposed to work on sand and lea,” he said. “I mean, land and sea. But it sinks.”

Then, hooting with glee, he produced a contraption kind of like a watering can. He pressed a button and a red-and-blue-striped umbrella shot out of the top.

“My Dropper Spotter!” said Mr. Cleverfeather. “It detects drainrops—I mean, raindrops. It’s useful when you’re planning a picnic.”

Goldie, Amelia, and the girls cheered.

“Hooray!” said Lily. “Now we can find the exact place where the shower flower will grow.”

Jess picked up the Dropper Spotter. “I just hope we find it before Grizelda does. If she manages to make her potion, I’m sure something terrible will happen to Friendship Forest...”

“You just bess that prutton,” Mr. Cleverfeather explained to Jess. “I mean, press that button. Then off you go!”

“Thanks, Mr. Cleverfeather!” said Jess.

They waved good-bye to the owl and went back down the magical staircase. Jess put the Dropper Spotter on the ground and pressed the start button.

The umbrella began to turn. Soon it was spinning so fast that the red and blue stripes became a blur of purple. The Dropper Spotter rose until it was level with Jess’s head, and took off through the forest, zooming around the trees.

Lily picked Amelia up, and they all hurried after it.

As they pushed through the bushes, the kitten’s ears twitched and she gave a sudden cry. “Stop! There’s someone calling nearby!”

They waited a moment, watching the Dropper Spotter anxiously in case it flew out of sight.

“Oh! I can’t hear anything now...” said Amelia.

“Maybe it was the wind blowing in the bushes,” Lily suggested.

“Yes,” said Amelia. “Maybe.”

They hurried on. When the Dropper Spotter whizzed around a group of nut trees, Amelia stopped and put a paw to her ear.

“There it is again!” she said. “I can definitely hear a voice—it came from behind those jellyberry bushes!”

Jess and Goldie followed her to investigate. Lily jumped up and grabbed the Dropper Spotter so it wouldn’t get too far ahead, then joined them.

But there was no one behind the bushes.

“That’s funny.” Amelia scratched her head in surprise.

“Help!” a voice cried. “Please help me!”

“I heard it, too!” cried Jess. “It’s coming from that bush with orange flowers...”

As Lily, Jess, and Amelia ran over to the bush, Goldie shouted after them, her tail twitching with worry.

“No, wait!” the cat yelled. “That’s how Grizelda kidnapped me, remember—she used a spell so I thought an animal was in trouble! It’s a trap!”

But it was too late. There was a sudden explosion of stinky sparks in front of the girls and Amelia. Standing with Gobbler tucked under her arm was Grizelda!

With a triumphant cry, Grizelda snatched the Dropper Spotter from Lily. “Ha haaa!” she cackled. “I knew you’d fall for it if I called for help. Serves you right! You just can’t keep your noses out, can you?”

She pressed the Dropper Spotter’s start button and the umbrella started to turn.

“Ha haa!” she crowed. “Now I’ll find the shower flower!”

“Eeeep!” squeaked Gobbler as the witch dashed after the Dropper Spotter.

The four friends set off at top speed behind her.

“Hurry!” Goldie cried as she ran. “She’s getting away.”

Grizelda looked around, laughing as sparks flashed from her high-heeled boots.

“She’s using magic to go faster,” Lily groaned. “We’ll never catch up.”

“Keep going,” yelled Jess. Amelia was panting for breath, so she scooped the kitten up. “Grizelda will stop if the Dropper Spotter does!”

“Run!” cried Goldie, glancing up at the gray clouds overhead. “The sky’s getting darker. It will rain soon.”

They raced on until they came to a large clearing near the parasol tree.

“Look!” Lily cried, pointing. “There’s Grizelda. And Gobbler! The Dropper Spotter’s stopped!”

“That must be where the first raindrop will land,” said Jess.

As she spoke, the sky darkened. A gray cloud loomed overhead, right above where Grizelda was standing.

Goldie, Amelia, and the girls watched in horror as a single raindrop fell from the cloud, glittering like a diamond. The drop fell lower and lower until it splashed onto the dry ground at Grizelda’s feet.

Instantly, a green shoot sprang up, glistening with the raindrop’s moisture.

The rain started falling harder and, as it did, the shoot began to grow. When it was as tall as Grizelda, a huge blue flower burst into bloom.

Lily gasped. “The shower flower!” she cried. “Quick, let’s get it!”

They raced toward the tall plant, but they were too late. Grizelda’s long, bony fingers reached out and plucked it.

Cackling with glee, she pulled a glass flask from inside her cloak. She crumpled the flower and stuffed it inside. Only then did she look at Goldie and the girls.

Grizelda smiled her cold smile and waved the flask. “You’re too late,” she said, gloating. “All the ingredients are in here. My potion is complete and there’s nothing you can do!”

She shook the flask from side to side.

“Oh, no!” Lily breathed.

Amelia buried her face in her paws. “What’s the potion going to do?”

Goldie, Amelia, and the girls watched helplessly as Grizelda’s flask bubbled and fizzed. Dingy green smoke flowed over the top, leaving a thick liquid behind.

Grizelda poured the liquid onto a handful of leaves and put them on the ground in front of Gobbler.

“Eeeeeep!” he squeaked delightedly and began chomping on them. But after a moment, he had to stretch down to reach the rest of the leaves.

Jess gave a cry of alarm. “So that’s what the potion does—he’s getting bigger!”

They watched, horrified, as the furry blue creature grew larger. He bounded to a nearby bush and quickly munched his way through it, still growing. His shell-shaped ears grew as big as saucers, and his tail was twice as long as Goldie’s.

“He’s already much bigger than Amelia,” said Goldie, her green eyes wide with worry. “How big is he going to get?”

“Big enough to eat up the entire forest!” Grizelda cackled. “That’s right, my lovely, eat up!”