Skye Waters - The Land of Snow

THE STARLIGHT SNOWDOGS

For Pat White, Arctic Expert and Agent Extraordinaire

Cover

Title Page THE STARLIGHT SNOWDOGS

Dedication For Pat White, Arctic Expert and Agent Extraordinaire

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Copyright

About The Publisher

Ella Edwards was only half listening to her friend Isabel Masters as they walked home. They‧d been back at school for a week, but Ella wished it was still the holidays with long sunny days and no homework to spoil her fun. Ella craved adventure and the outdoors and hated being shut up in a stuffy classroom learning times tables and long multiplication.

“Mum said she‧d buy me a DVD this weekend for helping her out with my brothers,” said Isabel. “I might get the one about the talking cat who thinks he‧s a fireman. It‧s supposed to be really funny. The spy kids one looks good too.”

Suddenly Ella heard a loud cry. She glanced at Isabel, but she was still chatting away about films.

There it was again. Ella looked around, mystified. The street was empty. Where could it be coming from?

“Ella, what‧s up?” Isabel suddenly realised that she had been talking to herself.

“That noise,” said Ella. “It sounds like a dog howling.”

“I can‧t hear it.”

“It‧s really loud. It‧s coming from over there.”

Ella headed down the street towards the entrance to the Country Park, where the howling seemed to be coming from.

“What‧s so special about a dog howling?” asked Isabel, running to catch her up. “You get loads of dogs barking in the park.”

“This is different,” Ella insisted. She hurried across the car park and turned right at the gate. The path stretched before her downhill, with thick bushes on one side and open grassland on the other. In the distance, a lady was throwing a stick for her dogs.

“Ella, we‧re supposed to go straight home,” called Isabel.

“It‧s getting louder. You must be able to hear it now…” Ella ran down the path.

“I can‧t,” insisted Isabel, reluctantly following her.

The howling was ear-splitting and Ella slowed, staring intently at the thick branches and leathery green leaves of the bushes. Was there a dog stuck inside? She leant forward, then jumped back in surprise as a large brown cardboard box suddenly skidded from under the bush in front of her and stopped at her feet. There was a pause as if the box was gathering energy, then it rocked from side to side, barking loudly. Sinking on to her knees, Ella dropped her school bag on the floor and reached for the box, but Isabel got there first. Pushing in front of Ella she pulled open the cardboard lid, gasping in surprise at the cute black and white puppy squashed inside. Ella swallowed back her annoyance. She‧d found the box, but now Isabel was taking over. That was so like her! Isabel didn‧t mean to be unkind, but she was a little bossy sometimes.

“Oh! You poor thing.” Isabel gently grasped the puppy round its middle and lifted it out of the box.

“Yap!” The puppy wriggled free and jumped at Ella, licking her hands and face and making her giggle.

Gently, Ella scooped it up and the puppy relaxed into her arms with a contented sigh.

For a moment, Isabel was taken aback. Her face clouded and she looked quite hurt, then, shaking her head, she laughed.

“She likes you best.”

“He,” said Ella, cradling the puppy close to her. She had a strong feeling that the puppy liked her best too, but not wanting to upset her friend she moved slightly so the puppy could see Isabel as well. “He likes you too. He‧s watching you.”

The black and white puppy was soft and fluffy, with blue eyes, a long nose and enormous fox-like ears that were too big for his body. Fastened round his neck was a blue collar with a dog tag in the shape of a shiny silver snowflake dangling from it. Ella reached for the snowflake, thinking it might have the dog‧s name and the owner‧s telephone number engraved on it. But instead of writing, the tag was etched with miniature patterns, just like a real snowflake. It felt icy cold and as Ella touched it the snowflake seemed to spark with tiny electrical pulses that made her fingers tingle. Suddenly the puppy looked right at her. His eyes were the brightest blue she‧d ever seen. Impulsively she held him closer, loving the feel of his silky fur and his gorgeous puppy smell.

“That‧s pretty,” said Isabel, reaching out to touch the dog tag and squealing with delight when the puppy licked her finger.

Ella stroked the puppy‧s soft neck.

“He‧s so cute. How could anyone leave him in a box?”

“What are we going to do with him?” asked Isabel anxiously. “We can‧t leave him here, but Mum will have a fit if I take him home. I‧m not allowed pets. Mum says she‧s busy enough looking after Billy, Jack and me.”

“I‧ll have him,” blurted out Ella. She wanted the puppy more than anything else in the world.

“Will your mum let you?” Isabel sounded doubtful.

“She might,” said Ella. “She‧s in all day and we‧ve got other pets.”

Mrs Edwards ran an internet business selling greetings cards and worked from home, in a room she called her office. The family had an elderly cat called Spooks and four silky bantams — small fluffy hens that reminded Ella of teddy bears.

Cradling the puppy in the crook of her arm, Ella stood up. The puppy wriggled himself into a more comfortable position, then thumped his tail approvingly. Ella kissed the top of his head and the puppy licked her arm.

“I‧ll carry your bag,” offered Isabel, picking it up.

“Thanks. Can you manage the box too? We shouldn‧t leave it here to litter the park.”

Isabel flattened the box by standing on it so that it was easier to carry, then pushed it into a bin as they walked past. Ella looked around her, nervously scanning the area. What if someone tried to claim the puppy back? She hugged the puppy tighter, overwhelmingly desperate to keep him. The puppy had been abandoned, she reassured herself. Why else had he been left in a box under a bush?

It took them ages to get home. The puppy had fallen asleep in Ella‧s arms, so they had to walk very slowly so as not to disturb him. Isabel didn‧t complain once, even though she had the boring job of carrying their school bags. Despite Isabel sometimes being a bit bossy, Ella knew she was lucky to have such a good friend.

Mum was watching from her office window and opened the front door before Ella could get her key out.

“You‧re late. I was beginning to worry—” she broke off, suddenly noticing the sleeping puppy. “Oh, how cute! Where did it come from?”