Chapter 1

Scarlet and Blaze

CHAPTER ONE "Higher!" said Scarlett. Isabel, Scarlett's best friend, raised the branch again, balancing it carefully between a bush and the gnarled trunk of an old tree. It was as high as her head now. "I think that's too big," said Cloud, Isabel's unicorn, giving the jump a doubtful look. Scarlett pushed her long blonde hair back over her shoulders. Her blue eyes sparkled as she patted her own unicorn's neck. Her cheeks were flushed from the icy breeze and

snowflakes whirled around her. "It's not too big for us, is it, Blaze?" "Definitely not. I can clear that easily!" Blaze whickered. The cheeky-looking unicorn with fiery red and gold swirls on her snow- white coat loved a challenge, just like Scarlett. "Watch this, Cloud!" Blaze galloped eagerly at the makeshift jump. Scarlett sunk her hands deeper in Blaze's silky mane as she took off, the crisp air making her eyes water. Scarlett loved the feeling of

flying and then plunging back down to earth. As Blaze landed, a few orange sparks flickered up from her hooves and Scarlett caught a faint whiff of burnt sugar. Isabel gasped, "That was incredible. You jumped so high I almost thought you were going to fly away!" Scarlett's heart skipped with hope– the huge jump, the sparks and the sweet smell. Could that mean that Blaze was about to discover her magic power? Every unicorn on Unicorn Island was born with a special magical power– it just took a while for that power to be revealed. Some unicorns could fly, others could turn invisible, some could create light or fire. Scarlett couldn't wait for Blaze to discover her power and she really hoped it would be flying. Scarlett was ten years old and had recently started at Unicorn Academy where she had been given her own special unicorn, just like all the other girls and boys who had joined at the same

time. They were all in training to become fully fledged guardians of Unicorn Island, the wonderful land in which they all lived. Scarlett knew she would only be able to graduate from the academy at the end of the year if Blaze had discovered her magical power and bonded with her. She let her hair fall forward, searching for a red-gold lock of hair to match Blaze's mane that would show they had bonded. But there was no flame-coloured strand in her long blonde hair yet. Disappointed, Scarlett turned her attention back to the jump. "Put it up even higher," she called, hoping that if it was big enough Blaze might actually fly! "I'll put it up in a minute. It's my turn first," said Isabel, riding Cloud to face the jump. Cloud was a pretty unicorn with gentle brown eyes. "I think it's too big for me, Isabel," said Cloud anxiously.

"No, it's not," said Isabel. "Blaze jumped it easily. Let's try!" "Wait, Isabel!" whispered Scarlett, as she spotted Ms Nettles, one of the teachers, cantering over on her unicorn, Thyme. Isabel ignored her. "Don't be boring, Cloud! Come on. Have a go!" "Isabel!" insisted Scarlett. "Behind you!" Of all the teachers to catch them jumping, Ms Nettles was the worst. She was very strict with a fierce temper. "Isabel!" Ms Nettles' sharp voice rang out, giving Isabel a shock. "I hope that you were not about to jump that!" Ms Nettles' glasses rattled on her bony nose as her unicorn halted. "Of… of course not, Ms Nettles," Isabel said quickly. "We were just making jumps, not jumping them." "Definitely not jumping them," said Scarlett, shaking her head. Ms Nettles gave them a suspicious look.