Daisy hid the feathers in her room and flew down to the kitchen, walking out onto the leaf litter just as Maggie got home.

‘This timetable was a great idea, Daisy,’ said Maggie as she landed. ‘I really feel like I’m getting things done.’

Daisy beamed under the compliment. ‘You are getting things done, Maggie. But now it’s time for a break.’ She cupped her hands around her mouth. ‘VU!’ Vu flew out of the forest, followed closely by Nelli.

Maggie’s eyes lit up when Nelli landed on her hand. ‘Oh, I’ve missed you,’ she said.

The ladybird chirped her agreement.

Vu landed on Daisy’s shoulder, chittering how babysitting ladybirds was hungry work. Daisy laughed. ‘Come on then, Mr Grumpy. Let’s get you something to eat.’

In the kitchen, Maggie filled the beetles’ food bowls while Daisy threw together a leafy salad.

‘I’m starved,’ said Maggie, grabbing her bowl and digging in.

When she finished eating, Nelli joined Maggie and Daisy.

‘Don’t get too comfortable, Nelli,’ Daisy warned as Vu landed on her shoulder. ‘Or you, Vu! Straight after lunch Maggie has to practise her Songbird Duet, and so the two of you need to find something else to do together.’

Maggie put down her fork. ‘Why can’t I take Nelli with me?’ she demanded.

‘You need to concentrate,’ Daisy replied. ‘Nelli would be a distraction.’

Maggie sighed. ‘I know you’re right, but I wish you weren’t. I miss her terribly when she’s not with me.’

Daisy understood how Maggie felt. She felt exactly the same about Vu.

But she’d promised to help Maggie win the Songbird Festival and that’s exactly what she was going to do.

With a quick scratch to the top of Vu’s head, Daisy sent him and Nelli outside. She turned back to her sister, ready to enforce her strict timetable.

‘This afternoon, you’ll be practising your Songbird Duet. Have you chosen which magpie you’ll sing with?’

‘Almost,’ Maggie replied. ‘It will be either Stormy or Melody. They’re both such pretty singers that I can’t decide between them. I figure I’ll just ask the first one that I find.’

‘Well, you’d better start looking,’ said Daisy, eager to get started on her sewing. ‘This is your only practice before the rehearsal tomorrow.’

‘Consider me gone,’ said Maggie, pushing her empty bowl away and heading out. She stopped in the doorway. ‘Thanks, Daisy. I was so nervous yesterday.’ She grinned. ‘But today I’m too busy to be nervous.’

‘That’s the plan,’ said Daisy.

Once Maggie was gone, Daisy flew to her bedroom. The dress and feathers were in the bottom of her clothes chest. She took them out and grabbed the little sewing kit that Aunt Acacia had given her. Daisy settled into a comfy position in her hammock, ready to sew.

As the black dress spilled out of its wrappings, Daisy marvelled again at how soft and delicate it was.

Picking up one of the downy white feathers, Daisy lay it sideways across a shoulder strap of the dress. The feathery part would rest lightly against the edge of Maggie’s shoulder. Yes, she thought. That will look just right.

Cutting a length of white thread, Daisy tied a knot in one end, then poked the other towards the hole in her needle. The thread bent and slid past, missing the hole entirely.

Squinting her eyes in concentration, Daisy brought the needle closer to her face and tried again. This time the thread poked cleanly through.

Smiling, Daisy lifted up the dress and began to sew. Up, over and around the end of the feather, Daisy sewed until the feather was fastened and wouldn’t move.

The feather would look very pretty, curving over Maggie’s shoulder like a short sleeve. If only her stitches were more delicate. Daisy’s forehead creased into a frown as she stared at the clumsy stitching. The white thread stood out starkly against the black fabric, nothing at all like the almost invisible stitches of Aunt Acacia.

A tiny doubt began to nag at the back of Daisy’s mind. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea, she worried. Her gaze fell on the pile of white feathers. ‘More feathers might hide the stitching,’ Daisy told herself.