Дейзи Медоус: Chloe Slipperslide’s Secret

“Look at that!” said Lily Hart, pointing to all the autumn leaves floating on Brightley Stream. “It can’t be much fun for the fish and frogs with all those in the water.”

Her best friend, Jess Forester, joined her on the bank of the stream. She nodded. “Let’s clear it up.”

“Quack! Quack! Quack!”

Three ducks bobbed past. They were snowy white, but when one of them ruffled her tail, Lily spotted a few gray feathers among the white ones.

“I remember those markings!” Lily whispered excitedly. “We took care of those three ducks in the wildlife hospital when they were little ducklings. Now they’re all grown up!”

Lily’s parents ran the Helping Paw Wildlife Hospital in a converted barn in their yard. Jess and Lily loved caring for the injured or orphaned creatures—they both adored animals!

When the ducks had gone, the girls kneeled at the water’s edge to gather leaves from some gnarled old tree roots that grew by the stream. Soon they had made a big pile.

“The stream looks much better,” said Jess. She reached out to grab another handful of soggy leaves.

“Jess, listen!” said Lily. “I can hear rustling.”

Jess stood up, and gave a delighted cry. “Look!”

A beautiful golden cat bounded out of the cattails, her eyes as green as sunlit grass.

“Goldie!” cried Lily.

The cat pressed against the girls’ legs, purring happily.

Goldie lived in a secret world called Friendship Forest. She’d taken the girls on some amazing adventures there, and they’d made lots of animal friends. All the forest creatures lived in adorable little cottages or dens—but best of all, they could talk!

“I wish you could speak in our world, Goldie,” said Jess, bending to pet her.

The cat glanced across the stream toward Brightley Meadow, and mewed.

Lily’s eyes sparkled. “She wants to take us to Friendship Forest!”

The cat leaped across the stream’s stepping stones into Brightley Meadow, and looked back.

“We’re coming!” Jess called.

The girls raced after Goldie toward a big, lifeless old tree in the middle of the meadow. The Friendship Tree!

As Goldie drew near, new leaves sprang from every branch. Lily and Jess grinned as a squirrel darted about, gathering fat brown acorns, and a flock of rainbow finches swooped down to chatter noisily among the branches.

“It’s so gorgeous!” said Lily.

They hurried to join Goldie, and the cat lifted her paw to pat some letters carved into the trunk.

Jess’s tummy fluttered with excitement. “Ready?” she asked.

Lily nodded. Together they read the words. “Friendship Forest!”

A door appeared in the tree trunk. Jess glanced at Lily, then reached out to turn the leaf-shaped handle.

The door opened, and golden light spilled out as the girls followed their friend inside the tree. As the shimmering glow surrounded them, they tingled all over, and knew that they were shrinking, just a little bit.

When the golden light faded, Lily and Jess found themselves in a sun-dappled forest clearing. The air was warm, and the delicious scent of honeysuckle and ripe blackberries drifted on the breeze.

“We’re in Friendship Forest!” cried Lily.

The girls turned around to see Goldie. The cat was now standing upright, wearing a golden scarf. She ran to the girls and hugged them. Now that they were smaller, she reached almost to their shoulders.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Goldie said.

“Me, too!” Jess said—then she frowned anxiously. “But why have you brought us here, Goldie? Is Grizelda causing trouble?”

Grizelda was a horrible witch who wanted the forest all for herself. Now she had four creatures helping her—a bat, a rat, a toad, and a crow. They came from the Witchy Waste, which had once been a pretty water garden, full of ponds and water lilies. But the creatures were so messy that they’d ruined it! Grizelda had asked them to make Friendship Forest messy, too, so that the animals would have to leave—and then Friendship Forest would be hers.

But luckily, Goldie shook her head. “Nobody’s seen Grizelda since your last visit,” she told them.

Lily and Jess grinned at each other.

“Phew! That’s a relief,” said Lily.

“I brought you here for a much nicer reason,” said Goldie, her green eyes shining. “Agatha Glitterwing the magpie is holding a Craft Club for all the animals at her jewelry shop. Would you like to come and join in with us?”

Lily and Jess glanced at each other in delight. “Yes, please!” they cried.

The path to Agatha’s shop was lined with pink poppies and bright sunflowers. As they walked nearer, a jingly noise floated on the air, like hundreds of tiny bells.

“What’s that?” asked Lily. “It sounds so pretty!”

Goldie smiled. “You’ll see!”

As they walked around a thicket of bushes, they saw a large beech tree with necklaces and bracelets dangling from every branch. As they stepped closer, Jess and Lily could see that the jewelry was made from shiny seeds, nuts, and pebbles. As the breeze blew, they jingled and jangled like dozens of tiny wind chimes.

“So that’s what’s making the noise!” cried Lily.

Goldie smiled. “Welcome to Agatha Glitterwing’s shop,” she said.

Beneath the tree, lots of little animals were sitting on blankets.

“Hey, everyone, it’s Jess and Lily!” called out a rabbit wearing a purple ribbon around her neck.

“Lucy Longwhiskers!” Lily cried, recognizing the bunny they’d rescued on their first adventure in Friendship Forest.

There was a chorus of happy, squeaky, squawky greetings.

“I’m so happy you’re here!” Sophie Flufftail the squirrel told them as she hugged Jess’s leg.

“Me, too!” cried Ruby Fuzzybrush the fox cub.

Agatha Glitterwing fluttered over with an excited squawk. “Welcome to my shop!” she told the girls. When she spoke, her long, shiny necklace jangled. “Would you like to make some jewelry, too? It’s so much fun!”

“We’d love to!” they said, and settled on a blanket next to a sleek little brown otter. She had a long tail and a pretty pointed face with sparkling eyes. Around her neck, she wore a necklace of shiny silver shells.