A Glittering Gallop (9 page)

She ran forward and threw her arms around Flame’s muscular neck. “Take care! I’ll never forget you!” she said tearfully. She forced herself to stand back. “Go! Quickly! Save yourself!”

Flame nodded. “You have been a good friend. Be well, Zoe.”

The old gray lion bowed his head, and there was another bright flash and a shower of sparks that crackled in the grass around Zoe’s feet. Flame and the gray lion faded and then disappeared.

Zoe stood there, her heart aching and her throat tight with tears.

“There you are!” called Tracy, running up to her. “Come on. The competition’s about to start!”

Zoe rubbed her eyes. She knew that she would never forget the adventure she had shared with the magic kitten. She could never tell anyone about him, but he would be her special secret, forever.

She whirled around to Tracy, feeling excitement starting to push away the sadness. “Wait for me!” she called.

Sue Bentley’s books for children often include animals or fairies. She lives in Northampton, England, and enjoys reading, going to the movies, and sitting watching the frogs and newts in her garden pond. If she hadn’t been a writer, she would probably have been a skydiver or brain surgeon. The main reason she writes is that she can drink cups and cups of tea while she’s typing. She has met and owned many cats, and each one has brought a special sort of magic to her life.