CHAPTER 7

Keeping Up with the Pillywiggins

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you.” Collie stepped out from behind a big pillow and greeted Kimani.

“I didn’t hear words, just squeaks,” Kimani told Sasha. “What did she say?”

“She said hello.” Sasha turned to Collie. “Did you clean up?”

“Plant pixies love to tidy up. I made the cave beautiful because you let me out of the jar.” Collie smiled warmly. “I didn’t want your friend to be sad.”

Sasha smiled. Collie was a good friend.

Kimani twirled her tail with excitement. “Sasha! I think we found your royal power.”

“We did?” asked Sasha.

“You’re the only one in Crystal Cove who speaks the pixie language. I bet you can understand elves and fairies, too. That’s your power!”

Sasha had hoped for a more exciting power. “What good is talking to plant pixies?”

“You can ask them things.”

“What kind of things?”

“You can ask them things like why they’re stealing our feathers,” said Kimani.

“It’s because they want to fly,” Sasha explained.

“But why?” asked Kimani. “We have no idea.”

Sasha blinked. How strange! The plant pixies were the enemies of the flying horses, but they had never spoken to one another.

“Collie, why do the plant pixies want to fly?” asked Sasha.

“Flying is cool as a cucumber!” She clapped her hands in delight. “At least, I think it is. I’ve never done it.”

“That’s the whole reason?”

“No.” Collie grew serious. “The pillywiggins are the reason.”

Sasha was confused. “What’s a pillywiggin?”

“Pillywiggins are smaller than pixies. They sleep inside tulips. They wear acorn caps and have butterfly wings. They fly from flower to flower and drink nectar out of tiny straws.”

“That’s so sweet,” said Sasha.

“Not to a hungry pixie. We must climb the stems to reach the flowers. Have you ever tried that? It’s really hard! By the time we get there, the pillywiggins have slurped up all the nectar,” said Collie.

“Is that why the plant pixies take our feathers? So they can fly from flower to flower like the pillywiggins?” guessed Sasha.

“Yes, exactly!” said Collie.

“The flying horses and the plant pixies don’t need to fight. We can find a way for the plant pixies to fly—just not with horse feathers,” Sasha told Kimani. “Let’s go on a wing hunt.”

“I’m going, too. Coming up, buttercup!” Collie scampered up Sasha’s leg. She hid inside her mane.

They both flew off in search of wings.