Daisy Meadows - Sophie Flufftail’s Brave Plan

“But why have you brought us here today, Goldie?” Jess asked her.

Goldie twitched her tail anxiously. “Come and see what’s happened in Sunshine Meadow.”

“Wait,” said Lily, tugging at her coat. “It’s so nice and warm here that we don’t need these!” They took off their raincoats and stowed them at the foot of the Friendship Tree.

As they set off with Goldie, they passed lots of gorgeous tiny cottages nestled among tree roots and up in the tree branches. It was a perfect little village—for all kinds of amazing animals!

A yummy baking smell wafted from the windows of a pretty cottage perched on a branch overhead. The door opened and a mouse in an apron scurried out. “Hello, Jess and Lily!” she cried.

“Hi, Mrs. Twinkletail!” the girls called.

Lily smiled at Jess. “I still can’t quite believe that we can talk to all the animals here! It’s wonderful!”

They hurried on to Toadstool Glade. Agatha Glitterwing the magpie was busy chatting to Mr. Silverback the badger, while a group of young animals played with a jump rope made of flowers. Outside the Toadstool Café, the Prickleback hedgehog family was sipping delicious-looking drinks. Everyone waved happily at Lily and Jess as they passed by.

Jess and Lily waved back, but there was no time to stop. Goldie was bounding ahead, her tail twitching anxiously.

“Poor Goldie seems really worried,” Jess whispered to Lily as they hurried after their friend. “Something really bad must have happened.”

When they reached Sunshine Meadow, both girls gasped in horror.

Huge patches of the red, yellow, and orange flowers that grew there were scorched and blackened.

“Oh, no!” Lily exclaimed. “Who would burn the beautiful flowers?”

Goldie’s whiskers drooped sadly. “It’s terrible, isn’t it?” she sniffed.

“Maybe it was the Boggits?” Jess wondered out loud.

The Boggits were hairy, smelly creatures who had been Grizelda’s helpers until Jess and Lily found them a new home in the stinky swamp.

“No, it’s not them.” Goldie shook her head. “They’re friendly now that they have their swampy home.”

“Don’t worry, Goldie,” Jess began. “We’ll—” She froze as a familiar orb of yellow-green light suddenly floated across the meadow toward them.

“It’s Grizelda!” cried Lily.

With a cra-ack , the orb burst into a shower of evil-smelling sparks, which cleared to reveal the witch in a black cloak, purple tunic, and pants. Her green hair swirled like angry snakes as she stamped her pointy-toed boot.

Goldie took a brave step toward her. “Stay away from Friendship Forest, Grizelda!” she cried.

The witch cackled. “Ha! It’s the cat and the meddlesome girls,” she spat. “But who cares? I’m going to make Friendship Forest so horrible that no one will want to live in it. Then I’ll have it all for myself!”

Lily and Jess stepped beside Goldie. “No, you won’t,” shouted Jess. “We won’t let you!”

Grizelda gave another horrible laugh. “You can’t stop me this time,” she said. “I have new helpers to carry out my plan—magical ones. They’re far better than Boggits!”

She clapped once and pointed into the sky, where four winged creatures were flying toward them.

Goldie’s green eyes were wide. “What are those?”

“They’re too big to be birds,” said Lily.

“They can’t be bats,” said Jess. “Not with those long tails.”

“But what else flies?” Goldie said. “I can’t think—”

They all gasped as one of the creatures let a stream of fire out of its mouth.

“Dragons!” both girls squealed together.

Lily, Jess, and Goldie huddled together as the four dragons hovered around Grizelda. They were almost as big as the girls and all different colors: one red, one blue, one yellow, and one black.

The red dragon nipped at Grizelda’s long green hair as she flew past.

“Stop it, Breezy,” snapped the witch, batting her out of the way.

The red dragon twisted over and over as she flew through the air.

The yellow one giggled so much that she hiccupped. A whoosh of fire shot from her mouth, scorching another patch of flowers to a crisp.

Lily and Jess exchanged a glance. Now they knew who’d been ruining Sunshine Meadow!

“Dragons,” said Grizelda, “meet two interfering nuisances and their irritating pet cat.”

“She’s not our pet!” Jess shouted. “She’s Goldie, and she’s wise, clever, brave, and beautiful.”

“My helpers are cleverer than any cat!” Grizelda screeched. “And they can do more than breathe fire. Dragons!” Grizelda stomped her foot and the four dragons all jumped. “Show them!”

The red dragon swooped down. “I’m Breezy the storm dragon. I can make WIND!” She beat her wings, and a blast of wind blew Jess’s and Lily’s hair backward.

Next, the black dragon hovered over them, casting a dark shadow. “I’m Smudge,” he said. “I can make inky darkness.”

The giggly yellow dragon said, “I’m Dusty. I can turn you to stone. Tee-hee!”

They all turned to look at the blue dragon, who was turning in lazy circles high in the sky.

“Show them your power, Chilly!” shouted Grizelda.

“Won’t,” said the dragon. He stuck out his tongue at the witch.

Grizelda pointed a bony finger and a jet of sparks shot past his tail. He jumped. “Ow! I hate hot things!”

“I know!” Grizelda sneered.

Jess and Lily glanced at each other. Grizelda was even horrible to her own helpers!

“I’m Chilly,” the dragon said, scowling. He blew a puff of snowflakes. “I make things cold.”

“These dragons,” said Grizelda, “will help me with my brilliant new plan!” Her dark eyes glittered. “It’s sunshine that makes Friendship Forest all green and flowery,” she sneered. “Urgh! Green is for hair, not leaves! I’ll get rid of the sunshine so Friendship Forest turns dark and cold and all the plants will die.”

Jess, Lily, and Goldie looked at one another in dismay.

“Then the animals will leave and the forest will be all mine!” screeched Grizelda.

She snapped her fingers and disappeared, along with the dragons, in a burst of evil-smelling yellow-green sparks.

Goldie’s eyes swam with tears. “She’ll destroy our beautiful forest,” she said. “We have to stop her!”

“But how?” said Lily. “We don’t know what’s she’s planning to do.”

“How can she get rid of the sunshine?” Jess wondered out loud.

Goldie gasped. “Of course! Grizelda’s going to attack the Shining House!”

“What’s the Shining House?” Lily asked.

“I’ll show you,” said Goldie. “It’s on the far end of Sunshine Meadow. Follow me!”

“It’s amazing!” Lily gasped as she and Jess gazed at a beautiful glasshouse. Sunlight sparkled off every pane, and a beautiful heart-shaped diamond glittered in the roof.

“Wow!” they breathed.

“It keeps all of Friendship Forest bright and warm,” Goldie explained. “Without it, everywhere would be cold and dark.”