Pegasus Princesses 5, page 1
The Pegasus Princesses series
Mist’s Maze
Aqua’s Splash
Flip’s Fair
Star’s Gaze
Rosie’s Rhythm
Snow’s Slide
The Unicorn Princesses series
Sunbeam’s Shine
Flash’s Dash
Bloom’s Ball
Prism’s Paint
Breeze’s Blast
Moon’s Dance
Firefly’s Glow
Feather’s Flight
The Moonbeams
The Wing Spell
For Phoenix and Lynx
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Teaser
About the Author and Illutrator
Pegasus
Princesses
ROSIE’S RHYTHM
Clara Griffin kneeled on the wooden steps of her front porch. She lined up four stuffed animals she had sewn that morning out of felt and embroidery thread: a bright pink pegasus with feather wings, a green wolf cub with gold sequin eyes, a red dragonfly with toothpick legs, and a blue caterpillar with tin foil spots.
“Now it’s time for your musical instruments,” Clara announced to the creatures. She picked up a jewelry box with rubber bands stretched across it and placed it in front of the pegasus. “Here’s your rogostrumdrum,” she said. Next, she put a washed-out hummus container that was half-full of dried lentils by the wolf cub’s paws. “This is your snabblerattletabble,” she continued. She handed the dragonfly four paper towel rolls glued together and decorated with glitter. “You can play this triple-flongoflute,” she said. She looked at the caterpillar and paused.
“Hmm,” she said. She needed to make one more instrument.
Clara thought for a few seconds. And then she hopped from one foot to the other with excitement: she would build the caterpillar a wacklewasher! All she needed to do was gather four pine cones, wrap pipe cleaners around them, and find a stick for the caterpillar to use to play her instrument.
Clara skipped into her yard, found the pine cones, and wrapped them with pipe cleaners. As she was searching for a stick, she heard a rattling noise. She turned, expecting to see that her younger sister, Miranda, had come out the front door. But instead a small black puppy was bounding toward Clara, holding the pine cones in her mouth and shaking them from side to side.
Clara smiled. “Drop it,” she said.
The puppy paused and cocked her head to the side. She looked at Clara with her big, dark eyes. And then she kept shaking the pine cones, this time even harder. Clara skipped over to the puppy and scratched behind her floppy ears. “Drop it,” she repeated.
This time, the puppy dropped the pine cones and licked Clara’s cheek and chin. Clara giggled and used her T-shirt to wipe the dog slobber off her face. The puppy flopped down, right between the pegasus and the wolf cub, and rolled onto her back. Clara gave the puppy a belly rub and said, “You just want to be part of the orchestra, don’t you? You’re a good dog, No Name Yet.”
No Name Yet was what Clara’s family was calling their new puppy until they could agree on a name. It had been a week since they had brought No Name Yet home from the animal shelter, and each family member wanted to name the puppy something different. Clara wanted to name her Grimalkin, after a character in a book. Miranda wanted to name her Fluffy because the puppy was, well, fluffy. Their father wanted to name her Tomato because that was his favorite plant to grow in his garden. And their mother wanted to name her Indigo—Indy for short—because that was her favorite color. “If only we could ask No Name Yet what her real name is,” Clara had said to her family.
“I wish we could speak Dog,” Miranda had added with a sigh.
Clara glanced up from rubbing No Name Yet’s belly to see Miranda skipping across the front yard holding a bone-shaped orange squeaky toy. “Want to come help plant seeds in the garden with Dad?” Miranda asked. “I brought No Name Yet’s toy so she’ll have something to do other than digging holes.”
“Good idea,” Clara said. The day before, when the sisters had tried to help their father in the garden, No Name Yet had spent the entire time trying to dig a giant hole right next to their father’s tomato vine. Clara had ended up taking No Name Yet on a long walk so Miranda and her father could finish planting carrots.
Clara scooped up No Name Yet and kissed the puppy’s warm, furry head. She turned to her felt creatures and their instruments on the porch step. “I’ll be back soon for orchestra practice,” she said. She and Miranda walked over to their family’s vegetable garden just as their father emerged from the shed wearing canvas gardening gloves and pushing a red wheelbarrow full of trowels, shovels, hoes, brown paper pouches of seeds, and twine.
He parked the wheelbarrow next to the garden and looked at No Name Yet, snuggled in Clara’s arms. “No digging this time,” he said in a pretend-stern voice, raising his eyebrows at the puppy. Clara put No Name Yet down in the grass. Miranda squeaked the bone-shaped toy three times and handed it to No Name Yet. The puppy jumped up, grabbed the toy in her mouth, and squeaked it over and over as she ran in circles. Clara, Miranda, and their father watched No Name Yet for a few seconds. They all burst out laughing.
“That should keep her busy while we start planting,” their father said. He reached into the wheelbarrow and pulled out two small brown paper bags that had the words “Sugar Snap Peas” scrawled on them in black marker. He handed one to Clara and one to Miranda.
“You two can plant the sugar snap pea vines today,” he said. “As soon as it freezes in the fall, the vines will stop growing. That means if we plant them now, we’ll be able to enjoy plenty of peas before the first frost.” He nodded toward an empty stretch of dark soil. “Right there would be perfect. Plant each seed about a thumb-length apart.”
Clara and Miranda kneeled next to each other. “How about if I plant the seeds in a line this way, and you go the other way?” Clara suggested.
“Okay,” Miranda said.
Clara pulled a shriveled yellow seed from the pouch and pushed it into the dirt. She pulled out another seed, and pushed it into the soil about an inch away. She planted another one. And another. Just as she was fishing a fifth seed from the pouch, she noticed she didn’t hear squeaking anymore. She looked up just as No Name Yet dropped the squeaky toy, which was now torn in half, and leaped into the center of the garden. The puppy yipped with joy as she began to dig so excitedly that her front paws were a black, furry blur.
“Oh no!” Miranda said. “Stop!”
“Oh dear,” their father said. “Not again.”
Clara leaned forward and grabbed No Name Yet. “What are you doing, silly puppy?” she said, nuzzling her face against No Name Yet’s furry cheek. The puppy looked up and licked Clara’s nose. “I’ll take No Name Yet inside for a little while so she doesn’t destroy the garden,” Clara said. “Maybe she needs a nap. And,” Clara added, looking at the broken squeaky toy, “a new toy.”
“Thank you,” Miranda and her father said in unison, both sounding relieved.
With No Name Yet in her arms, Clara skipped across the yard toward her house. When she got to her porch, she took a giant step over her felt creatures and their instruments. “I promise I really will be back for orchestra practice soon,” she reassured the animals.
She carried No Name Yet through the front door, across the living room, up the stairs, down the hallway, and into her bedroom. Clara closed her door and set No Name Yet down on the floor next to the special den Clara had built for the puppy. She had draped sheets, blankets, towels, and tablecloths over five dining room chairs and three kitchen stools to make the walls and the roof. Then she had made a floor out of every pillow and couch cushion she could find in the house. Clara took off her flip-flops, put on socks, and crawled into the den. She lay down and called, “No Name Yet! Come!”
The puppy bounded into the den. She wagged her tail and sniffed the cushions. She nestled into the space between Clara’s arm and chest. And she instantly fell asleep. Clara let out a long, happy sigh as she snuggled with the puppy.
After a few minutes of staring at the inside of the den as No Name Yet slept, Clara decided the den needed some decorations. She rolled slowly away from No Name Yet, careful not to disturb the puppy. She crawled out of the den, tiptoed across her room, and found a drawing pad and a package of crayons in one of her desk drawers. She flipped to the first blank page and began to draw a pegasus and a dog playing together in a garden. But just as she was outlining two pegasus wings, Clara heard a humming noise.
She dropped her crayon and listened. For a second, she thought it might be No Name Yet snoring. But the sound wasn’t coming from the den. It was coming from under her bed.
Clara sucked in her breath. She quickly crept over to her bed, kneeled on the floor, and pulled out a shoebox decorated with sequins and paint. She flipped it open. Inside was a large silver feather. The feather hummed as light shot up and down its spine. Clara grinned from ear to ear.
The feather had been a gift from the pegasus princesses—eight royal pegasus sisters who reigned over the Wing Realm, an enchanted world where all the creatures had wings. Whenever the pegasus sisters wanted to invite Clara to visit them for a special occasion, they made the feather shimmer and hum—just the way it was shimmering and humming right then. To get to the Wing Realm, all Cla
Each pegasus princess had a throne and a tiara that matched her unique magical power: silver Princess Mist could turn invisible; teal Princess Aqua could breathe underwater and make magic bubbles; peach Princess Flip could do a somersault and turn into any animal; black Princess Star had extraordinary senses; pink Princess Rosie—short for Rosetta—could speak and understand any language; white Princess Snow could freeze things and create winter weather; green Princess Stitch could magically sew, knit, and crochet almost any item; and lavender Princess Dash could instantly transport herself anywhere in the Wing Realm.
Clara peeked into the den. No Name Yet was still sound asleep. Time in the human world froze while she visited the Wing Realm, meaning that she could sprint out to the woods, spend hours with the pegasus princesses, and return to find No Name Yet only five minutes into her nap.
Clara tiptoed to the door, reached for the doorknob, and looked down. Her feet were bare. Soil from the garden clung to her black leggings. Her orange T-shirt was streaked with grass stains, smeared with puppy drool, and covered in dog fur. Clara peeled off her leggings and shirt. From a pile of laundry on the floor, she grabbed a pair of mostly clean pink corduroy pants and a T-shirt with a bumblebee on the front. Clara looked for her favorite shoes—lime green sneakers—but she couldn’t find them in her closet, under her bed, or buried in the pile of laundry. She shrugged, peeled off her socks, and slid her feet back into her flip-flops. She pushed the feather into the back pocket of her pants and bolted out of her room.
Clara raced along the hallway, down the stairs, through the living room, and across the kitchen. She burst out the back door and hopped across the slate stones that led to the woods surrounding her house. As she stepped into the forest, she realized she hadn’t closed the back door. In fact, she hadn’t even heard the outer screen door latch shut. She knew she really ought to go back and close both doors. But she was so excited to visit the Wing Realm that, instead of turning around, Clara kept running.
She leaped over a creek where she and her sister liked to make potions. She barreled down a hill, pulled the feather from her pocket, and skipped into a clearing with a large pine tree. A second later, glittery light swirled. And then there appeared a green velvet armchair with silver wings on its back. The armchair jumped up and down. It leaped over to Clara, spun around on one leg, and nudged her. Clara laughed and patted the top of the chair. “It’s good to see you, too,” Clara said.
She was about to sit down on the chair when she felt something pressing against her calves. Clara looked behind her. No Name Yet was jumping up and pushing her paws against the backs of Clara’s legs. The puppy wagged her tail and panted. “Did you escape from the house and follow me here?” Clara asked, laughing and picking up No Name Yet.
Clara paused and considered what to do. One option was to run back to her house and put No Name Yet inside. But that would leave the puppy feeling sad and lonely. And it would delay Clara’s visit to the Wing Realm. Another option, Clara realized with a burst of excitement, was to bring the puppy with her. Clara kissed No Name Yet’s head and said, “Get ready to meet to meet the pegasus princesses!”
Holding No Name Yet a little tighter in her arms, Clara sat down on the armchair. She grabbed No Name Yet’s collar as the chair jumped up and landed on top of the large pine tree. For a moment the tree and the chair swayed back and forth. The puppy yipped with excitement. Then the chair soared upward, skidded across the roof of Clara’s house, and launched up into the sky. The chair flew higher and higher. It began to spin, faster and faster. Everything went pitch black. And then, in a few seconds, the chair landed with a clatter on a tile floor.
Clara opened her eyes. She knew exactly where she was: the front hall of Feather Palace. The black floor shimmered under the light of the chandeliers. On the walls, painted magenta, hung portraits of all eight pegasus princesses and their silver pet cat Lucinda. Pegasus statues reared up with outstretched wings from marble pedestals. Pegasus fountains spouted rainbow water. The pegasus princesses’ eight thrones formed a horseshoe in the center of the room. Pushed up against Rosie’s pink throne was Lucinda’s silver sofa, with its back shaped like a cat head. In the middle of the cushion, Lucinda lay curled in a ball, fast asleep. Her head rested on the star-shaped pillow Clara had given Lucinda for her birthday.
Clara heard a voice call out behind her, “Let’s practice one more time. We’ve almost got it.” With No Name Yet still in her arms, Clara stood up and turned around. All eight pegasus princesses stood in a tight circle with their eyes closed. Rosie counted, “A one and a two and a one two three four.” The pegasus princesses nodded their heads to the beat as they danced, tapping and sliding their front and back hooves against the tiles in intricate rhythms. As Clara watched, she found herself quietly tapping her flip-flops against the floor and wishing she could join in. No Name Yet seemed to feel the same way. The puppy wiggled and squirmed in Clara’s arms. Clara hugged her more tightly and whispered, “Hold on just a minute. You’ll be able to get down soon.”
When the pegasus princesses finished tapping and sliding, Rosie said, “That time was perfect. Thank you so much for all your hard work and practice. I’m thrilled to say we’re ready for the concert.”
The pegasus princesses opened their eyes and smiled.
“I can’t believe we did it,” Stitch said.
“I’ve never practiced anything—not even swimming—as much as we’ve practiced this,” Aqua said.
“The concert this afternoon will be amazing,” Snow said.
“I’m excited the big day is finally here,” Dash said, flicking her mane and swishing her tail.
Clara couldn’t wait any longer to tell her pegasus friends she had arrived at the palace. She was also eager to hear more about the concert that afternoon. “Hello!” she said.
The pegasus princesses turned toward Clara. Their eyes widened. They reared up and flapped their wings with excitement. And then they landed and galloped over to her.
“We’re so glad you’re here!” Rosie called out, trotting in a circle around Clara.
“Welcome back, human friend,” Mist said.
“I knew you’d arrive in time,” Snow said.
“The Garden Orchestra’s first concert is this afternoon,” Rosie said. “How would you like to join us in the rhythm section?”
“I would love to,” Clara said. “Thank you for inviting me.”
“Fantastic,” Rosie said. “This is going to be the best day ever. I just know it.” Then she noticed No Name Yet in Clara’s arms. “Who is this?” she asked with an excited smile.
“This is my family’s new puppy,” Clara said.
“She is absolutely adorable,” Rosie said.
“I love puppies,” Stitch said.
“Me too,” Mist, Dash, and Aqua said.
“Look at those fluffy ears!” Snow said.
“She’s such a beautiful color,” Star said with a wink.
“I’m so glad you brought her,” Flip said. “What’s her name?”
“She doesn’t have one,” Clara said with a sigh. “My family hasn’t agreed on a name yet.”
Rosie grinned and widened her eyes. Her tiara—which had a gemstone design with a jumble of letters—sparkled. She looked at No Name Yet. And then she began to bark.
No Name Yet leaped from Clara’s arms. She bounded right up to Rosie and let out three loud barks.
Rosie nodded as she listened. She turned to Clara. “Your puppy says her name is Quacklemeyer Cavendish Oberdorfer. But she likes to be called Quack for short.”
“Thank you,” Clara said. “What a great name.” She kneeled, held out her hand, and called, “Here, Quack! Come!”
Quack turned as soon as she heard her name. She wagged her tail, ran over to Clara, flopped onto the floor, and rolled over. Clara and the pegasus princesses laughed as Clara gave Quack a belly rub. She was excited to tell her family the puppy’s name—she had a feeling Miranda and her parents would all love the name Quack.
