Magic Ponies: A Special Wish

Sue Bentley’s books for children often include animals, fairies and wildlife. She lives in Northampton and enjoys reading, going to the cinema and watching the birds on the feeders outside her window. She loves horses, which she thinks are all completely magical. One of her favourite books is
Black Beauty
, which she must have read at least ten times. At school she was always getting told off for daydreaming, but she now knows that she was storing up ideas for when she became a writer. Sue has met and owned many animals, but the wild creatures in her life hold a special place in her heart.

Sue Bentley

A Special Wish

Illustrated by Angela Swan

To Champion – wonderful and steadfast

PUFFIN BOOKS

Published by the Penguin Group

Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA

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Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

puffinbooks.com

First published 2009

Text copyright © Sue Bentley, 2009

Illustrations copyright © Angela Swan, 2009

All rights reserved

The moral right of the author and illustrator has been asserted

Except in the United States of America, this book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser

ISBN: 978-0-14-196157-6

Prologue

Comet tried to squash a small flutter of hope as he flew back towards his magical island home. ‘Destiny must be home safely by now!’ the young magic pony cried. His twin sister had been lost for so long.

Spreading his gold-feathered wings, he soared downwards, speeding across the wide sea and galloping over the crests of the waves. Soon, Rainbow Mist Island came into view. Its mountains and forests were almost hidden in softly shimmering, multicoloured clouds that gave the island its name. Comet’s heart lifted. It felt good to be home.

The magic pony drifted over the shore. Rainbow droplets gleamed like jewels on his cream coat and flowing golden mane and tail. Moments later, he touched down on to the grass of a small clearing.

Tossing his head, Comet looked about warily at the huge trees that grew all around, their glowing leaves tinkling faintly. He could feel no trace of the dark horses who wanted to steal his magic.

As the magic pony snorted with satisfaction, there was a movement and an older horse with a wise expression stepped forward.

‘Blaze!’ Comet bent his neck in a bow before the leader of the Lightning Herd.

Blaze’s dark eyes softened with affection. ‘I am pleased to see you again, Comet. But where is Destiny?’ he asked in a deep gentle voice.

‘She is not here? Then she is still in danger!’ Comet whinnied sadly.

Destiny had playfully borrowed the Stone of Power, which protected the Lightning Herd from the dark horses, but the stone was accidentally lost while the twin magic ponies were playing cloud-chase. Comet later found the stone but before he could tell Destiny, she ran away, thinking she was in lots of trouble.

‘My sister still thinks she has put the Lightning Herd in danger and cannot forgive herself,’ Comet explained to the older horse. A lump rose in his throat as he realized that his twin sister was still alone and in hiding far from home.

Blaze shook his wise old head slowly. ‘You must go after her again, my young friend. Find Destiny and tell her that the Stone of Power is safe and bring her home.’

Comet’s deep violet eyes flashed. He lifted his head. ‘I will leave at once!’

‘Wait!’ Blaze ordered. Stamping his foot, he pawed at the grass. A fiery opal, swirling with flashes of rainbow light, appeared. ‘The stone will help you to find her.’

The magic pony drew closer to the Stone of Power. A tremor passed over his pale silky coat as he peered deeply into the rainbow depths. The stone grew larger and rays of dazzling light spread outwards.

An image formed in the centre. Comet gasped as he saw Destiny galloping across a green hillside beneath an open blue sky, in a world far away.

‘I have to find her!’ he whinnied.

There was a bright flash of dazzling violet light, and rainbow mist surrounded Comet. The cream-coloured pony, with his flowing golden mane and tail, and gleaming gold-feathered wings, disappeared. In his place there stood an elegant Connemara pony with a dapple-grey coat, a darker grey mane and tail and glowing deep violet eyes.

‘There is no time to lose. Go now,’ Blaze urged. ‘Use this disguise. Find your twin sister and return with her safely.’

‘I will!’ Comet vowed.

The dapple-grey pony’s coat ignited with violet sparks. Comet snorted as he felt the power building inside him. The shimmering rainbow mist swirled faster and faster and drew Comet in…

Chapter
ONE

Marcie Locket felt her heart beat faster as she stood at the bottom of her garden, looking over the fence into the adjoining field. There was a big old shed to one side – just perfect for a stable and storeroom. Her new pony was going to love its paddock!

Marcie beamed as she imagined all the fun she would have looking after a pony of her own. It was going to be brilliant to go out hacking whenever she liked. She might even get her dad to help her put a course of jumps up in the field.

‘Marcie! Where are you?’ her mum called impatiently. ‘We need to go. I’ll be waiting for you in the car.’

‘Just coming!’ Marcie answered.

Whirling round, she headed up the garden and into the house. The front door slammed shut behind her as she hurried out to the front drive.

‘Sorry, Mum!’ Bouncing into the front seat, Marcie dumped her school bag in the footwell and fastened her seat belt.

‘Hmm. I don’t need three guesses to know where you’ve been,’ Mrs Locket said, smiling sideways at her as she waited for a gap in the traffic before pulling out. Marcie smiled back, her eyes glowing with happiness. ‘When’s Dad going to hear about his job promotion?’ she asked. He had promised that Marcie could have her pony once his new job was confirmed.