Unicorn School

 

 

 

Chapter One
Unicorn School

Chapter Two
Making Friends

Chapter Three
Watch Out!

Chapter Four
Storm to the Rescue

Chapter Five
No Good at Flying

Chapter Six
The Silver Horseshoe

Chapter Seven
Oriel's Dare

Chapter Eight
Trapped!

 

Are we nearly there?' Willow, the small snow-white unicorn, whinnied eagerly as she and her parents cantered across a meadow of lush green grass in Arcadia.

Willow's mum, a beautiful light grey unicorn called Stardust, nodded. ‘It's just round the next corner.'

Willow plunged forward in excitement.

‘There's no rush, Willow!' her dad called. ‘The gates won't be open yet.'

With an impatient snort, Willow slowed to a trot. She couldn't wait to get to Unicorn School! All the young unicorns in Arcadia went to boarding school when they were nine. At school they learnt how to fly properly and how to use their horns to do magic things like casting charms, healing wounds and seeing into the future.
It's going to be great fun
, Willow thought.

She and her parents trotted up a hill. As they reached the top, Willow stopped dead and stared. The school
and its grounds were spread out in the valley below.

‘Oh, wow!' Willow breathed.

Unicorn School was an enormous castle with big golden gates and several pointed turrets. Its pearly-white walls glimmered and purple flowers with gold spots on their petals dotted the grass around it. Five tall elves with pointed ears were standing in front of the golden gates. They were wearing sparkling silver uniforms. Unicorns swooped down from the sky, their horns glittering and their long manes and tails swirling around them.

Willow watched in awe as the flying unicorns landed effortlessly on

 

the grass. Some of them only looked about eleven or twelve and yet they flew so confidently. She wished she could do it as well as them.

‘Well, what do you think?' her dad asked.

‘It's brilliant!' Willow exclaimed, looking at the castle and at the unicorns who were cantering up to
each other and talking about the summer holidays. They all seemed so much bigger than her. Willow knew that she was small for her age – something her annoying older brothers usually teased her about.

‘I wonder which of these unicorns are Year Ones like you,' her mum said as they trotted down the hill towards the golden gates. ‘And who you'll make friends with.'

Willow glanced around at all the other unicorns. She felt strangely shy. Usually she liked meeting other unicorns but everyone else seemed to know each other and have friends to talk to.

Her dark eyes fell on a big white
unicorn nearby. He was standing with a unicorn who looked as if he might be his father. They had the same silvery-white horns, handsome straight noses and thick dark grey manes.

I bet he's a Year Three at least
, Willow thought, looking at the tall unicorn. She watched the way he was standing close by his dad's side and frowned. It was strange he looked nervous and he didn't seem to be talking to anyone like the other older unicorns were.

The unicorn's father bent his head. ‘I'll leave you now, Storm,' Willow heard him say. He glanced at the gates. The elves had started to bustle
about, taking out registers. ‘It looks like the gates are about to open. Have a wonderful first term here.'

‘Thanks, Dad!' Storm, the big unicorn, snorted.

Willow frowned. First term! So he must be a Year One unicorn like her. But he looked so much older. Her mum nudged her. ‘We should go, Willow. The elves need to organize everyone into their houses.'

‘Houses?' Willow said, wondering what her mum meant.

‘All the unicorn pupils belong to a house – Star House, Moon House, Rainbow House or Sun House,' her mum explained. ‘You'll eat with the people in your house
and share a stable with them too.'

‘And later in the term there will be competitions between the houses,' her dad added.

‘I wonder which house I'll be in,' Willow said.

‘Well, your brothers were in Rainbow House when they were at school, so maybe you will be too,'

her mum answered. ‘Now goodbye and be good.'

‘Course I will be!' Willow replied.

Her dad chuckled. ‘That'll be a first!'

‘Dad!' Willow stamped a hoof crossly.

Her dad snorted softly. ‘You know I'm only joking. I'm sure you'll make us proud of you.' He touched his horn to Willow's neck. She felt a tingle of magic flowing through her then her nervousness faded.

She lifted her head and her dark eyes glowed. ‘I
will
make you proud of me,' she told them strongly. ‘I promise I will.'

Her mum smiled. ‘Goodbye,
Willow!' Both Willow's parents touched horns with her and then they took off into the air. Willow watched them swoop away until they became small dots in the blue sky. Now that her parents had gone, she suddenly felt very alone.

Three older unicorns walked past her. They looked about eleven. The one leading the group had dark grey legs and black eyes that sparkled mischievously. He nudged his friends. ‘Look at that teeny-tiny Year One.'