Chapter TWO
Kirsten’s jaw dropped and she stared at the puppy in total amazement. She must be more upset by the idea of Tracy and Helena meeting behind her back than she thought. She’d actually just imagined that the puppy had spoken to her!
“Hello. Aren’t you a little cutie? Where did you just come from?” she crooned, bending down to talk to it. She’d never seen a puppy with such bright blue eyes before.
The puppy pricked up its ears. It sat down and put its head to one side. “I have come from far away. I am Storm of the Moon-claw pack. What is your name?”
“You really can talk!” Kirsten gasped, almost losing her balance and toppling backward onto her behind. She just managed to grab hold of a nearby sink and steady herself before rising to her feet.
Kirsten felt like pinching herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. Talking puppies didn’t just appear out of thin air in gym bathrooms. They only existed in fairy tales.
But Storm still sat there, looking up at her trustingly. The tiny puppy seemed to be waiting for her reply.
“I’m Kirsten. Kirsten Blake,” she found herself saying. “I’m . . . er . . . one of the Limelight Majorettes. We practice here twice a week.”
Storm dipped his head in a formal little bow. “I am honored to meet you, Kirsten.”
“Um . . . me, too,” Kirsten said. Her curiosity was starting to get the better of her shock. Despite its tiny size, the cute puppy didn’t seem to be too scared of her.
“What was that you said about a . . . Moon-something?” she asked him.
Storm lifted his little head proudly. “The Moon-claw pack. My mother and father were the leaders. But Shadow, an evil lone wolf, attacked us. Now my father and litter brothers are dead and my mother is wounded. Shadow wants to be leader now, but the other wolves will not follow him. They are waiting for me.”
Kirsten frowned as she took this in. “But how can you lead a wolf pack? You’re just a tiny pu-”
He stood up. Bright gold sparks bloomed in his shaggy, light brown fur and there was another dazzling flash of light.
Kirsten blinked hard as the light gradually faded. The tiny puppy was gone and in its place stood a majestic, young, silver-gray wolf with glowing midnight blue eyes. Its thick neck-ruff shimmered, as if it had been sprinkled all over with gold dust.
“Storm?” As Kirsten eyed the wolf’s strong muscles, powerful, oversized paws, and long, sharp teeth, she started to back away.
“Yes, it is me, Kirsten. Do not be afraid. I will not harm you,” Storm said in a deep, velvety growl.
Kirsten hardly had time to get used to seeing Storm as his amazing real self before there was a final burst of bright light and a fountain of gold sparks sprinkled down around her and fizzed out as they hit the floor tiles. Storm stood there once again as a tiny, helpless puppy.
“Wow!” she breathed in wonder. “That was incredible. No one would know that you’re really a wolf in disguise.”
“Shadow will know if he finds me,” Storm woofed nervously. “Can you help me? I need to find somewhere safe to hide.”
Kirsten could see that the puppy was beginning to tremble all over. She felt her heart melt. As his real self, Storm was stunning, but as a cute, dewy-eyed, little puppy he was the most adorable thing Kirsten had ever seen.
She bent down and picked him up. As she stroked the fur on Storm’s deep little chest, he reached up and licked her. His whiskery little muzzle brushed her chin.
“That really tickles!” Kirsten said, giggling and pulling back out of reach. “I’ve decided that you’re coming home with me. Mom and Dad won’t mind. We belong to Paws, an animal charity, and we’re always taking care of cats and dogs until they can be adopted.”
“I would like to live with you very much!” Storm yapped eagerly. His little mouth opened in a doggy grin, revealing his sharp, white teeth.
“I can’t wait to show you to Tracy,” Kirsten said, hoping that maybe this news would shake Tracy out of her odd mood and then their friendship could get back to normal. “She’s my best friend. She’s going to be so—” Kirsten began.
“No, Kirsten!” Storm reared up to look into her face, his sparkling blue eyes suddenly serious. “I am sorry, but you cannot tell anyone about me. Promise me that you will keep my secret.”
Kirsten felt disappointed that she couldn’t tell her friend the exciting news about Storm, but if it meant keeping Storm safe she decided she wouldn’t say anything. Besides, Tracy didn’t seem to be in the mood for sharing secrets right now.
“Okay, I promise. Cross my heart,” she said.
As Storm relaxed against her again, Kirsten had a sudden thought. “There are tons of people in the gym. How am I going to smuggle you out of here without anyone noticing?”
Storm’s teeth showed in another doggy grin. “Do not worry. I will use my magic, so that only you will be able to see and hear me.”
“You can make yourself invisible? That’s so cool!” Kirsten said. “Maybe you’d better do it now, before someone else comes in here.”
Storm’s midnight blue eyes glinted and a few tiny sparks flared in his light brown fur. “It is done.”
“Really? Wow! Well, I’d better get back to practice now. Let’s go.” Kirsten put Storm down on the tiled floor and he trotted at her heels as she went to rejoin the others.
Kirsten felt really tense. Even though Storm had told her that he was invisible, she couldn’t quite make herself believe it and kept expecting someone to notice him. But when no one did, Kirsten relaxed and took her place in line.
As she began twirling her baton, Kirsten’s heart lifted at the thought of the magical little friend who was sitting watching and her worries about whether Helena was trying to get friendly with Tracy faded for the time being.
