Destiny and Stardust (6 page)
Read Destiny and Stardust Online
Authors: Stacy Gregg
The first day at Blackthorn Farm had given Issie more than enough news to tell her friends. Luckily Aunt Hester did have the Internet so she didn't need to use carrier pigeons after all. “But what an excellent idea!” Hester had laughed when Issie suggested this as a joke. “Carrier pigeons! I shall have to train some up just in case. We are always having problems with the phone lines here after the autumn storms. A pigeon might come in handy!”
Issie wasn't sure if her aunt was joking or not.
After all
, she told Stella in her email,
this is a place where it is considered perfectly normal for ducks to open doors, and tomorrow I'm supposed to be teaching the goat how to bow. Aunt Hester says it's time I filled her shoes and began animal training. Yikes! It's like I'm Dr Doolittle or something. I can't believe I am missing the summer dressage series. Say hi to Coco and to Kate and Toby. Miss you. BFF XXX Issie.
Issie only had to wait a few minutes after she'd sent her email before she heard the ping of an email coming back in return.
You think you've got it tough?
Stella wrote back.
I wish I was teaching goats to bark or whatever you're doing. Meanwhile, I'm stuck here doing the summer dressage series and guess who is winning by, like, a million-kazillion points with her new pony and won't let any of us forget it? I'll give you a clue and that clue is STUCK-UP TUCKER! Oh I wish I was at the farm instead
with all those animals â it sounds cool. Apart from the bit where you got chased by the thing in the forest and nearly killed by the wild stallion. You're lucky that Blaze is so fast â if it had been me on old slow-poke Coco we'd have been eaten by the Grimalkin already! BFF Stella XXX
Issie knew Stella didn't mean to make fun of her, and neither did Aidan really. Still, she wished she had never told anyone about the animal that had chased her and Blaze on the ridge that morning. Now that Issie was safely tucked up in bed at Blackthorn Manor she was beginning to wonder if there really
was
an animal in the woods or if her mind had been playing tricks on her. It was only natural that Blaze would be a bit spooky in her new home. Perhaps the mare had shied at her own shadow and then bolted? Maybe there wasn't any animal chasing them. After all, Issie hadn't actually seen anything, had she?
No,
she thought.
I didn't see anything â but I did hear something
.
Blaze had heard it too. The mare hadn't just been spooked â she had been terrified. She wasn't imagining things. Something was out there; she was sure of it.
Issie fell asleep in her four-poster bed that night thinking about the creature in the woods. The moon was full in the sky outside and she could see the inky crest of the ridge outlined through her bedroom curtains as she dozed off.
When she woke again she guessed it must have been about midnight. The moon was still high in the sky, illuminating the view outside. Issie lay in bed and listened. In the hush of the night she could hear a scratching noise. It was coming from her door. She got up and quietly padded across the floor to open it, and there was Strudel, waiting patiently for her.
“Hello, Strudel. I suppose you want to come in?” Issie said.
The dog began to pad into the bedroom, but then suddenly she stopped. Her ears perked up and she froze. Then she turned tail and raced off again straight down the stairs. Issie grabbed her dressing gown and followed after her. A noise outside made the hairs on the back of her neck bristle as if someone had just walked over her grave. She could have sworn she had just heard the growl of a cat. A very big cat.
Outside on the back veranda Issie found Strudel standing alert. The dog was growling a low, rumbly growl.
“What is it, girl?” Issie said, putting her arm around the golden retriever. “Can you hear something?”
Suddenly a cacophony of squawking and flapping came from the henhouse. Strudel took off in the direction of the noise, her bark raising the alarm for the rest of the farm. Issie paused for a moment, peering blindly into the darkness and wondering what was out there waiting for her. Then she pulled on her boots and ran after Strudel down the driveway. Behind her she heard the barks of Taxi and Nanook, who had both heard Strudel's cry and were joining in the chase.
Down at the henhouse feathers were flying. The bantams were in a total state of terror, and Issie wished she had brought a torch with her so she could see what was going on. She opened the door to the henhouse and stepped inside, relying on the moonlight to guide her, trying to calm the frantic chickens so that she could check that they were all OK. She was just in the process of counting the chickens in the dark when she heard a squeal coming from the paddocks next to the stables. Strudel, Nanook and Taxi immediately bounded off in the direction of the sound, with Issie following.
The dog's cries were bloodcurdling and growing more frantic by the time Issie arrived at the stables. She ran past the horses' stalls to the back door that led out to the duck pond and the cattle pens, pushing the enormous stable door open, and cast her eyes around the pens. The three dogs were barking wildly now.
“What is it, Strudel?” Issie asked. And then she saw the shape looming in front of her. Enormous and black, silhouetted against the night sky. The creature was sleek and huge â bigger than Nanook even â and it was moving fast, padding silently across the top of the fence-line, balanced on the wooden frame of the cattle pens.
The black shape of the Grimalkin disappeared into the darkness. The dogs were going crazy now, barking and wailing so loudly that Issie didn't hear the footsteps behind her. A hand on her shoulder made her jump.
“Shhh, it's me!” Aidan's voice calmed her down. “Just a second â let me find the torch â I've got one here somewhere⦔
Aidan shone the torch beam on to the cattle pens. Issie peered at fence where she had seen the shadow of the Grimalkin just a moment before. There was nothing there now except the black night sky. Worried that Aidan would think she was silly, Issie couldn't decide whether to tell him that she'd seen the Grimalkin again. She didn't need to say anything, though, because Aidan spoke first.
“Go back to the house now, Issie,” he said.
“Why, Aidan, what's wrong?” Issie moved closer.
“I said go back
now
!” Aidan shouted at her.
And then Issie saw why he was sending her away. The body of an animal lay covered in blood in the cattle pen at Aidan's feet. Issie rushed forward to help, and as she came closer she realised that it was Meadow. The chestnut and white calf was lying very still as Aidan bent down to examine her.
“Aidan! Ohmygod! I'll get the first-aid kit out of the tack room and⦔
Aidan looked up at Issie. There were tears in his eyes. “It's no use,” he said softly. “Issie, she's dead.”
Issie looked down at Meadow. The little calf's rust and white fur was smeared with blood and there were two deep gashes that looked like claw marks at her shoulder and throat. Aidan was right. There was no doubt that she was dead.
Aidan looked up at Issie. There were tears streaming down her face. “Honestly, Issie, I think she must have died instantly. Whatever did this was quick and deadly; she didn't suffer.” He stood up and put his arm around Issie as she wiped the tears off her cheek with the sleeve of her pyjamas.
Aidan picked Meadow up and carried her inside the stables into one of the empty horse stalls, bolting the doors shut. Then he walked Issie back up the driveway to the manor, with the three dogs following noiselessly at their heels.
“What do you think it was, Aidan?” Issie asked.
“I don't know.” Aidan shook his head. “Could have been the same thing that stalked you and Blaze.”
“Poor Meadow,” Issie said. “Can we give her a proper burial tomorrow under the magnolia trees?”
Aidan nodded. “Cameron will want to see her first. He'll need to figure out what it was that killed her. But yeah, of course we can.”
As they reached the veranda, the lights came on inside the manor. “Aidan! Isadora! What's happening out here?” Aunt Hester emerged, wrapping her dressing gown around her.
“It's Meadow. She's been attacked,” Aidan said. Hester turned quite pale.
“Is she all right?”
“She's dead,” Aidan confirmed. “I've moved her into one of the stalls in the stables. I figured Cameron could check her over in the morning.”
“Poor little Meadow!” Hester shook her head.
“I saw it, Aunty Hess!” Issie said. “The Grimalkin. At least I think I did. It was on top of the cattle pens and then it was gone⦠If we'd only got there sooner⦔
Hester put her arm around Issie. “Isadora, thank heavens you didn't get attacked by that thing. If you two and the dogs hadn't turned up and scared the Grimalkin off when you did, it may have hurt even more of the animals. Aidan, are all the animals safe for the night?”
“I've checked all the horses,” Aidan told her. “They're all OK. I'm going to take one last check around the farm now and make sure everything is secure before I go back to bed. You two go inside and I'll see you both in the morning.”
Hester nodded. “I'll report this to Cameron first thing. Come on, sweetie, it's two o'clock. Let's get you inside and back into bed. I'll make you a hot milk to help you sleep.”
The hot milk did help. Issie didn't wake up again until nine a.m. When she finally came downstairs to breakfast Aidan was waiting for her at the kitchen table.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Ummm, OK, I guess,” Issie replied.
“I checked all the animals again this morning,” Aidan said. “They're all fine. Whatever it was that killed Meadow is hopefully long gone⦔
“If we'd only got there in time to save her⦔ Issie's voice was wobbly. She felt like she might cry and fought hard to hold back the tears.
“I still can't imagine what kind of animal would make those wounds.” Aidan shook his head. “When Cameron arrives you can tell him what you saw and he can take a look at Meadow â maybe he'll have some ideas.” Aidan picked up his riding gloves from the kitchen table and stood up.
“Meanwhile, we've got training to do.” He smiled at her.
“We? You mean you and me?” Issie squeaked.
“Sure,” Aidan said. “Didn't Hester tell you?” He looked at Issie's shocked face. “I guess she didn't. OK. Well, I'll head down to the stables and get the horses ready. You have some breakfast and then meet me at the round pen. We're doing some trick training.”
“Really?” Issie felt a shiver of excitement run up her spine.
“See you there in fifteen!” Aidan said, already disappearing out the door, heading for the stables.
Issie felt almost too nervous to eat. Trick riding! It was just like in the movies. She managed to calm her butterflies enough to cram down a piece of toast and jam and then ran all the way down the driveway to the stable block where Aidan already had Diablo, Blaze and Paris saddled up and waiting at the side of the round pen.
“This is where we do most of the stunt training,” Aidan explained. “I've been working on this stunt lately, I call it a âFlying Angel'. I've been training Paris to do it with Diablo, and she's pretty good, but it's important that she can do the same trick with other horses and riders too. So I thought maybe today you could try it with her and Blaze?”
Issie nodded. “Umm, Aidan?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“What exactly is a âFlying Angel'?”
Aidan grinned. “It's hard to explain. It's probably easier if you let me show you.”
Aidan tied Blaze up outside the round pen and then he rode Diablo into the arena, leading Paris beside him. The wood-lined walls of the round pen were about two metres high and above them, circling the arena, were two rows of wooden bench seats. Issie climbed the stairs and sat down in a front row seat, watching silently as Aidan worked the horses in. He trotted back and forth in the middle of the arena on Diablo, keeping an eye on Paris, who was also wearing a saddle and bridle as she cantered riderless around the arena.
“Do you see how she's cantering in a circle like that?” Aidan called out to Issie. “She's been trained to do that. It makes it easier to do the trick if she's got a steady stride.” As he said this he clucked Diablo forward and the black and white Quarter Horse began to canter behind the palomino.
Issie watched as Aidan cantered Diablo right up next to Paris so that he was riding neck and neck with the palomino mare. The two horses fell into step together, matching each other stride for stride.
Aidan smiled up at her. “Here we go!” he called out. And with that, he let go of Diablo's reins and sat bolt upright in the saddle with his arms spread out to either side for balance. Aidan rode one more lap around the round pen with his arms out. Issie could see him counting the beat in his head, figuring out his moment. Issie noticed that he was edging Diablo closer to Paris now, so that the piebald gelding was almost touching the palomino. Suddenly Aidan slipped his feet out of the stirrups and pivoted in the saddle, turning his body to face the wall. He cast one last look up at Issie, gave her a wave and then leapt.
Issie couldn't believe it! There was a split-second when Aidan was in midair that she imagined the worst. He was going to fall and get trampled beneath Paris and Diablo's hooves. Then she saw Aidan grasp Paris' saddle with both hands and deftly swing his leg over the mare's back. Before she knew it, Aidan was in the saddle on Paris with the reins, which had been knotted around the palomino's neck, in his hands. By the time he rode around the arena to where Issie was seated he had a grin on his face and was waving to her as he went by.
Issie stood up, clapping wildly. “That was amazing!” she called out to him.
Aidan pulled Paris up in the centre of the arena and saluted to Issie, while Paris dropped to one knee underneath her rider, bowing theatrically.
“That,” Aidan said, “is a Flying Angel.”
He dismounted from Paris and walked over to Diablo, who was standing waiting for him. Then he led both horses up to the side of the arena and looked up at Issie. “Come on then â it's your turn. Why don't you bring Blaze into the arena and have a go?”
“But I don't know how⦔ Issie began.
“The only way to learn is to do it,” Aidan said. “It's all about timing. You need to get Blaze into a rhythm next to Paris, then move them close, drop your stirrups and jump.”
“You make it sound so simple,” Issie said. She could feel the butterflies in her tummy going berserk now.
“Yeah, well, it is simple once you've done it a few times. But the first time I made the jump was pretty hairy,” Aidan admitted. “Are you ready to give it a go?”
Issie untied Blaze from the hitching post and led the mare in through the sliding wooden doors on to the sawdust floor of the round pen. As she put her foot in the stirrup, Blaze danced nervously.
“Easy, girl, it's OK,” Issie cooed.
“I'm going up there to watch,” Aidan said, gesturing to the stands above the arena. “Paris knows what to do â she'll just keep cantering around the arena. All you need to do is ride Blaze up next to her and make the jump.” Issie nodded silently and as Aidan rode out on Diablo she turned Blaze around to face the palomino.
“Gee-up, Paris!” she called, waving her arms to get the mare moving on to the perimeter of the arena. Paris instantly reacted just as Aidan had said she would, high-stepping into a graceful canter, staying close to the wooden walls of the round pen.
As soon as Paris had cantered twice around the ring and settled into a steady stride, Issie clucked Blaze on and rode the liver chestnut mare out to join her. At first Blaze flinched a little as she edged closer to the palomino. Then she seemed to understand what Issie wanted her to do and fell into a brisk canter next to Paris, running neck and neck alongside the pretty palomino.
“Steady, girl, that's it⦔ Issie said. She knotted Blaze's reins now, and then, very carefully, she let go. She was riding now without any hands, her arms floating up and up, helping her to balance so that eventually she was sitting straight up in the saddle with her arms spread out like angel wings.
“Now, turn your body to face Paris and drop your stirrups!” Aidan shouted at her from the side of the arena.
Issie looked up at him and gave him a quick nod. She did as he said, slipping her feet out of the stirrups so that she was now riding with the irons dangling at her feet. She turned her torso to face the wall and looked at the rise and fall of the palomino's empty saddle. She had to jump into that saddle. All she needed to do was reach out her hands and make that leap from Blaze's back on to Paris. Issie took a deep breath and counted down â ah-one, ah-two, ahâ
She froze. She couldn't do this! It was crazy. She looked down and saw the horses' hooves churning beneath her on the sawdust floor of the arena. What if she fell? She would get trampled beneath Paris' hooves for sure!
“Come on, Issie! What are you waiting for?” Aidan called out. Issie felt her skin turning clammy, her tummy was churning with butterflies.
“Calm down,” she told herself. “You can do this!”
She put her hands back out again and focused on getting back into position. Then she edged Blaze closer to Paris once more and waited until the two mares were matching each other stride for stride. Ah-one, ah-two, ah⦠noooo!
Issie pulled Blaze up to a halt. She could feel her heart beating like crazy, her palms were wet with sweat and she was trembling.
“Issie, Issie are you OK?” Aidan ran into the arena, his face grave with concern. “What happened? Why didn't you jump?”
Issie shook her head. “I don't know, Aidan. I thought I'd be able to do it but then I looked down and⦔
“It's OK. Honest.” Aidan smiled at her. “It's a pretty advanced stunt. It was probably too soon to ask you to try something like this. Don't worry about it. Really. We can try again some other time.”
Aidan reached out to take Blaze's reins as Issie dismounted, but she was still holding them and instead of grasping the reins he found himself holding Issie's hand instead. There was a moment when Aidan and Issie were locked together, holding hands. Then the pair of them jumped back from each other and stood there looking embarrassed.
“Sorry, I mean, I didn't mean to⦔ Aidan stammered.
“No! I mean, that's fine⦔ Issie replied, looking at her feet. “I umm⦠I'd better put Blaze away now.” She hurriedly led the chestnut mare out of the arena and back to the stable block, leaving Aidan standing there with Diablo and Paris.
“Ohmygod, could that have been any more embarrassing?” Issie murmured to Blaze, burying her head deep into her pony's mane as they stood together in Blaze's stall. Not only had she chickened out on doing the Flying Angel stunt, she had held hands with Aidan! This was just the worst!
Untacking Blaze quickly, Issie slipped out the back door of the stable, hoping she stood less chance of running into Aidan again if she went out that way. Then she ran across the lawn, up on to the porch and in through the back door of the manor.
As she walked towards the kitchen she thought for a moment that Aidan had somehow got back there before her. She could hear a man's voice in the kitchen talking with Aunt Hester. When she got nearer, though, she realised the voice didn't belong to Aidan.
“Isadora! Is that you? Come and meet Cameron,” Aunt Hester said. “Cameron is the head ranger for the Blackthorn Hills Conservation Trust.” Her Aunt smiled at the sandy-haired man in the khaki jacket sitting next to her at the table. “Cameron, I'd like you to meet Isadora, my favourite niece. She's the one who first sighted the Grimalkin up on Blackthorn Ridge yesterday.”
“Is that so?” The ranger looked at Issie.