Chapter 3

Chapter THREE Dad shot into the air with his black cape flying out behind him and I held my hand out to Nova. She took it and we flew up into the air too, following Dad who looked like a giant bat flapping in the darkness. 'Pluto definitely fell somewhere near this town!' said Nova. 'I just didn't see exactly where!'

'Look for anything glowy!' shouted Dad. 'Keep your eyes peeled!' I stared down at the dark fields and the forest below, straining to try and spot anything that might look like a moon kitten. But all I could see was darkness and the occasional headlight from a car winding along the country lane. It's useless, said Nova after a while. 'We're never going to find Pluto!' and she

started to cry again. 'It IS more difficult than I thought,' said Dad, as we hovered in the air above a clump of trees. 'But he will be somewhere. We're just not looking in the right place. What if we NEVER look in the right place!' said Nova. 'I can't go back home without him! Mum will be so cross!' 'She must be worried!' I said thinking about how I would feel if Pink Rabbit had

gone missing. 'She will be if we're not home by tomorrow evening,' said Nova. 'Pluto and I often stay out playing with our friends all night long. Mum's used to that. The sky is perfectly safe for young Glow Sprites and their pets as long as we stay close to Glistopia. But if we're not back by the time she gets home from work at the Stardust Factory tomorrow evening then I'm going to be in big, big trouble!' 'Hmm,' said Dad. 'Why don't you come back to our house, Nova?' I suggested. 'Maybe, if we get some sleep, we can think of a better plan in the morning!' Then I had a

sudden thought. 'There's a famous astronomer coming to visit our school tomorrow,' I said. 'Maybe she will be able to help! She might know something about how to find a lost moon kitten.' Nova looked doubtful. 'I'm not sure,' she said. 'Most humans don't know anything about us.' 'Well even if she doesn't,' I said. 'She's an astronomer. She probably studies the night sky all the time! Maybe she was looking through her telescope last night and spotted where Pluto landed!' 'Maybe...' said Nova, starting to look a bit more hopeful. She wiped

her eyes and put the bat patterned handkerchief into her pocket. 'I AM quite tired,' she said. 'Maybe it would be better to begin our search again in the morning.'