Authors: Sue Bentley
Muddy Paws (2 page)
“Can I go and say hello to him?” Beth asked.
“Yes, of course, but beâ” The rest of her aunt's reply was drowned out by a loud irritable voice in the doorway.
“There you are!” Martin cried, standing aside as his mom left. “What are you hiding in here for?”
“I wasn't hiding! Auntie Em said I could watch her milking,” Beth said.
Martin flicked back a strand of wet dark hair. “Anyway, Dad said I had to ask you if you wanted to come with me to take Ella for a walk.” Ella was the family's old black-and-white Welsh Border collie.
“No thanks,” Beth said, feeling annoyed that he'd only asked her because his dad had made him. Turning on her heel, she went toward the back of the barn. “I'm going to look at Darcy.”
“Hang on! I'll come with you. Ella won't mind waiting for her walk. I have to drag her out half the time anyway. Since Dad retired her from farm work, she's really stiffened up,” Martin said.
Darcy's pen was behind some straw bales. He was a handsome dark-brown goat with a white neck. “It looks like he's wearing a cute white collar!” Beth exclaimed as Darcy lifted his head and gave an inquisitive snicker.
Martin undid the latch and gestured for Beth to go into the pen ahead of him.
Beth hesitated. “Are you sure it's safe to go in?”
“'Course,” Martin said. “Are you chicken or what?”
Beth took two steps into the pen. Suddenly, she felt Martin shove her in the back and heard the gate slam shut. She shot forward and almost went sprawling in the straw.
“You idiot!” she cried, turning around just in time to see Martin jogging away through the barn. “That's not funny!” she shouted after him.
There was a noise from behind her. Beth turned to see Darcy curling his lips and eyeing her suspiciously.
She swallowed. “N-nice goat.”
Darcy lowered his head. He looked like he was going to charge!
Chapter TWO
Beth's heart rose into her mouth. Suddenly there was a dazzling flash of gold light and a big shower of bright gold sparks sprinkled all around her and Darcy. Blinded for a moment, she rubbed her eyes. Beth tensed as she felt a peculiar warm, tingly feeling down her spine.
When she could see again, she noticed that Darcy was frozen where he stood and standing between the goat's legs was a tiny fluffy black-and-white puppy with enormous midnight-blue eyes. Specks of gold dust seemed to be glimmering around its fur.
“What's going on?” Beth exclaimed.
The tiny puppy drew itself up. “I am Storm, of the Moon-claw pack. I have arrived from a place that is far from here.”
“Y-you can talk?” Beth gasped in total amazement.
Suddenly, Beth had a realization. This was obviously another one of her cousin's practical jokes. She looked around, expecting Martin to jump out triumphantly.
But there was no sign of him. Beth slowly looked back to where Storm was blinking up at her, and Darcy was still standing as if he were carved from stone.
“I don't get this,” she said, puzzled.
The fluffy black-and-white puppy took a few steps toward her on big soft paws that seemed too large for his tiny body. “I used my magic to stop this animal before it could hurt you,” Storm woofed. “Who are you?”
“I'm B-Beth H-Hollis,” Beth stammered.
Storm bowed his head. “I am honored to meet you, Beth.”
Beth was still having trouble taking all of this in. “Um . . . me too. But . . . who are you?
What
are you?”
What
are you?”
Storm didn't answer. Instead, there was another bright golden flash.
“Oh!” Beth found herself outside Darcy's pen. Behind her the goat snickered contentedly and she heard him moving around in the straw as if nothing had happened.
Beth looked around for the puppy. But it had disappeared and standing in its place outside the pen with her there crouched a magnificent young silver-gray wolf with glowing midnight-blue eyes. Large gold sparks glowed in the thick ruff around his neck.
Beth gasped, eyeing the wolf 's sharp teeth. “Storm?”
“Yes, it is me, Beth. Do not be afraid,” Storm said in a deep velvety growl.
Before Beth could get used to the sight of the amazing young wolf there was a final dazzling flash of gold light and Storm was once again a tiny fluffy black-and-white puppy.
“Wow! That's an amazing disguise. No one would ever know you're a wolf!” Beth exclaimed. “But who are you hiding from?”
Storm began to tremble all over and his deep-blue eyes glowed with anger and fear. “Shadow is a fierce lone wolf who killed my father and all my brothers and wounded my mother with his poisonous bite. Now Shadow is looking for me. Can you help me, Beth?”
“Of course I will!” Beth's soft heart went out to him. Storm was impressive as a young wolf, but he was adorable as a tiny helpless puppy. She bent down to pick him up. “I'll ask Auntie Em if you can stay in my room,” she said, petting his soft little ears.
Storm leaned up to lick her chin. “Thank you, Beth.”
“Just wait until I tell Martin about you! He's going to be so jealous!”
“No, Beth! You can't tell anyone my secret!” Storm said, his tiny black-and-white face was very serious.
Beth didn't want to do anything that would put her new friend in danger. Besides, she reasoned, Martin had been such a pain recently that he didn't deserve to know about Storm anyway. “Okay, then,” she decided. “It's just you and me. I promise.”
“Aren't you a little too old to be talking to an imaginary friend?” Martin said, suddenly appearing from behind the straw bales. His eyes widened when he saw Storm. “Where did that cute puppy come from?”
“I just found him. He said his name'sâ” Beth stopped quickly as she realized that she was going to have to be a lot more careful about keeping Storm's secret. “I mean I'm going to call him Storm.”
Martin's face softened for an instant. “Ella looked just like that when she was a puppy. He must be a Border collie, too. Let me hold him.”
“I think I'll hold on to him. He's still a little scared,” Beth said.
Martin frowned. “No one would think he's yours. This is my barn, so Storm obviously belongs to me. Hand him over!” he ordered.
Beth hesitated, annoyed at being bossed around again. Martin didn't even bother to ask if she was okay after he'd shoved her into Darcy's pen.
“Do not worry, Beth. Do as he says,” Storm woofed.
Beth blinked in astonishment. What was Storm doing, talking to her when Martin was so close? But her cousin didn't seem to have noticed anything strange.
I hope you know what you're doing, Storm
, she thought as she reluctantly held him out toward Martin.
I hope you know what you're doing, Storm
, she thought as she reluctantly held him out toward Martin.
Smiling triumphantly, Martin went to grab Storm, but the moment he touched his black-and-white fur he jumped backward. “Ye-oww!” he yelled, shaking his hands in the air. “Something just stung me! Does he have a stinging bug in his fur or something?”
Beth pulled Storm back and held him closely again. “I'll take a look. Maybe you should go and ask Auntie Em for some antiseptic cream.”
“Er . . . yeah,” Martin nodded as he went off, still rubbing at his hands.
“Storm!” Beth scolded gently. “You gave him a prick from your invisible gold sparks, didn't you?”
Storm's blue eyes twinkled mischievously. “I think I may have made them a bit too sharp. But the feeling will soon wear off,” he woofed.
“Serves Martin right. Maybe he'll think twice before grabbing you again! But how come he didn't hear you speak to me just now?” Beth asked, puzzled.
“I used my magic, so that only you can hear me.” Storm snuggled up in Beth's arms.
“You can do that? So I can hear you, but everyone else just hears you barking? Cool!” Beth kissed the top of his soft little head. “Let's go and find Auntie Em. Breakfast should be almost ready. I bet you're hungry after your long journey.”
Storm's tummy rumbled and he gave an eager little bark.
As Beth went toward the farmhouse, she smiled. Her boring two weeks at Tail End Farm looked like they were going to be a lot more fun with Storm around!
Chapter THREE
“I wonder where he came from,” Emily said thoughtfully after Beth finished telling her about Storm. “We're pretty far from any houses out here.”
Beth looked across to where Storm was chomping on a dish of dog food. Ella, the old collie, lay curled in her basket watching the puppy.
“I bet Storm was abandoned. His owners were probably hoping some kind person would give him a home. Like you, Auntie Em,” Beth said hopefully.
“I really hate people who treat animals like that,” Martin said.
“Me too!” Beth said with feeling. It was the first time she and Martin had agreed on anything.
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