Bella the Bunny (4 page)

That doesn't sound very magical
, Bella thought. She opened her eyes.

A large red fox was sitting in front of them. He was holding a lily pad full of white paint.

“Are you
sure
you do only white spots?” Lexi said.

“Quite sure,” said the fox, nodding.

“Sorry,” said Bella. “But Lexi needs
black
spots.”

“Yes,” said Lexi. “I'm a ladybug, you see.”

The fox stood up and shook himself. “Watch this,” he said. Then he trotted over to the edge of the ring with his lily pad. He dipped his tail in the paint and dabbed one of the red toadstools until it was covered with white spots.

“See?” he said. “That's my job. Putting the white spots on the toadstools.”

“Gosh, that looks lovely,” Bella said. “Much better than plain red toadstools.”

“Thanks,” the fox said with a smile. “I'm really sorry I'm not able to help you. And don't worry. The spots will wash off. I have to repaint these toadstools every time it rains.”

He picked up his lily pad and moved on to the next toadstool.

“Good-bye, Mr. Fox. Thank you for trying to help us,” Bella said. “Come on, Lexi.”

“Where are we going?” Lexi asked as she settled down in Bella's soft fur.

“Moonshine Pond,” Bella told her. “We'll wash away these white spots, and then we'll think of what to do next.”

“Okay!” squeaked Lexi as the bunny opened her golden wings and fluttered into the air. “Let's go!”

 

CHAPTER SIX

Moonshine Pond to Heather Hill

“The pond looks so bright and beautiful today,” Bella cried as she spotted the gleaming water through the trees. “The Moonbeam Moles have been busy.”

Every night, the moles caught moonbeams and dropped them into Moonshine Pond to make it glow like the moon itself.

Bella landed on the grassy bank. “Okay, Lexi, time to wash off those spots,” she called, raising her ear so Lexi could fly out.

Lexi landed on the bank and looked down at the silvery water.

“What if they don't wash off?” she said nervously.

“Oh, I'm sure they will. Look.” Bella dipped a paw in the edge of the pond. The fox was right—the water washed the white blobs clean away.

“Yippee!” Lexi cried, and she did a quick loop-the-loop before diving headfirst into the water.

Bella hopped in, too, and splashed and splashed until all the spots were gone.

“That's better!” she cried, leaping onto the bank and shaking out her fur and wings.

“You look like a proper Bud Bunny again!” said Lexi, crawling out from the water. “Are my spots gone, too?”

“They are,” Bella replied. “Only the black one's left.”

“I'd better dry myself off,” Lexi said. She flew up into the air, whirring her little wings as she loop-the-looped.

Bella sat down on the grass. She felt really sad that she hadn't been able to help Lexi, but it was lovely to rest in the sunshine. She could feel the warm rays drying her fur.

“Wheeee!” came Lexi's voice from high in the air.

Bella looked up and smiled. Lexi must be feeling very happy that the white spots were gone. She was loop-the-looping again and again.

Then Bella saw a large yellow butterfly fluttering through the trees. It was the same one she and Carla had met that morning.

“Hello again!” the butterfly said, landing on the grass.

“Hello, Mr. Butterfly. I thought you were going to Sports Day,” Bella said.

“It's just about to start,” the butterfly explained. “As chief steward, it's my job to make sure no insects get left behind. I wouldn't want anyone to miss it!”

Then he saw Lexi loop-the-looping.

“My, oh my, little ladybug, what wonderful flying!” he called. “With talent like that, you should be racing in Sports Day. Quick, come with me.”

Bella was about to explain that Lexi was shy, but it was too late. The butterfly had leaped into the air.

“Oh, no, no, no!” squealed Lexi, zooming up to the top of her loop as the butterfly approached.

But the butterfly was in such a hurry that he didn't hear her. He scooped Lexi up in his long legs and swooped off through the trees.

Bella, confused, twitched her nose. Everything had happened so quickly. One moment Lexi was happily loop-the-looping, and the next moment she was gone!

Bella whirled her shining golden wings and flew after the butterfly as fast as she could.

“Don't worry, Lexi!” she shouted as she took off. “I'm coming!”

*   *   *

“Wow!” Bella gasped as she saw Heather Hill.

Everything was ready for Insect Sports Day. There was a circular flying track for the June bugs and the ladybugs, with lots of obstacles for them to get over. Flowers had been laid out to make a nectar-gathering marathon for the bees. There was a high jump for the grasshoppers and a cobweb trapeze for the spiders, and some fireflies were marking out an area in the sky for the butterflies' races.

All around the edge of the arena, fairy animals were taking their places, excitedly waiting for Sports Day to begin. The Pollen Puppies were wagging their tails so fast they blurred. The Stardust Squirrels were scampering about, sprinkling stardust until the heather glittered silver in the sun.

Bella saw a group of Cobweb Kittens sitting under a large oak tree. She wondered if her friend Carla was here already, but she couldn't stop and check now. She had to find out if Lexi was okay.

Bella dived into the crowd of insects who were hurrying about and pushed her way to the front.

She spotted the yellow butterfly at the start of the flying track. Lexi was with him. She looked scared. Bella wished there was something she could do to help her.

Three other young ladybugs were there, too. They were wearing leg bands with numbers on them—one, two, and three.

Ladybug Three was holding a fourth band and looking worried. “What shall we do?” he said to the butterfly. “The fourth member of our team has hurt his wing and won't be able to race.”

“Aha!” the butterfly said. “No need to worry. It just so happens that I have found a ladybug so fast, so fantastic, and so fabulous at flying, she will make the perfect fourth member of your team.” The butterfly twirled his antennae with a flourish. “This is Lexi. She is your new Number Four!”

“Yay!” The three ladybugs whooped and buzzed excitedly.

Bella held her breath. She wondered if they would notice that Lexi had only one spot. Lexi was obviously wondering the same thing. She was hopping from one tiny foot to the other. But the other ladybugs didn't seem to notice at all.

“You're the most important member of the team,” the butterfly told Lexi. “Number Four does the last lap of the race. If you win, you'll be the star of Sports Day.”

He fixed the number four band onto Lexi's leg. Lexi fluttered her wings nervously.

“The Obstacle Relay Race is on!” the butterfly cried. “Ladybugs against June bugs. Good luck!”

“Be brave, Lexi,” Bella called. “You'll be great!” She hoped Lexi could hear her.

Just then, a baby caterpillar who was sitting on his moth mommy's back noticed Lexi waiting behind the start line.

“Look!” he said in a loud, surprised voice. “That ladybug's got only one spot!”

Bella groaned. Poor Lexi! Lexi was quite close to the little caterpillar, so she must have heard what he'd said. But there was nothing Bella could do.

The yellow butterfly was giving his instructions to the ladybug team. He held up a grass seed. “Here's your baton. Pass it to the next ladybug as you finish your lap. If you don't, the team will be disqualified.”

Ladybug One took the grass seed in his antennae and fluttered up to the start. He lined up next to a small green June bug.

“Ready?” the butterfly asked.

The ladybug and the June bug nodded.

“Get set!” called the butterfly.

A bumblebee flew forward.

“
ZZZZZ!
GO!” she buzzed.

The two little insects flew off so fast that their wings began to hum. They headed for the first obstacle—a huge pile of sticks.

Bella looked back at Lexi and saw that her friend was sitting on the ground, looking very frightened indeed. With a quick hop and a skip, Bella made her way to the front until she was standing right next to Lexi.

“Wow, this is so exciting!” Bella said. “Three laps and then it'll be your turn.”

Quivering with fear, Lexi held her front legs over her eyes. “I can't do it, Bella,” she said. “Everyone will laugh at me. What am I going to do?”

 

CHAPTER SEVEN

Loop-the-Loop

The yellow butterfly hovered in the air. He was holding a bright orange mushroom shaped like a trumpet. “They're off!” he shouted into the mushroom. His voice echoed all over Heather Hill. “The ladybug and the June bug are coming up to the first obstacle, the sticks! And they're over!”

Bella looked down at Lexi.

Lexi was still covering her eyes.

The rest of the crowd was very excited. All the ladybugs jumped up and down. “That's our boy!” they yelled.

The June bugs jumped up and down, too. “Faster!” they shouted to the green June bug. “Go, go, go!”