Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN Scarlett clung to Blaze's mane as they plummeted downwards. A heap of soft snow cushioned their fall. Scarlett jumped to her feet, shaking the snow crystals from her blonde hair. Blaze leapt up too and they both looked around. They were at the foot of the steep glacier. Scarlett's heart sank. The diamonds were at the top of the glacier at the crown. They were going to have to climb! There was a whizzing sound, reminding Scarlett of the whine of a fly, and something

plopped into the snow at her feet. Instinctively, she snatched it up but before she could look to see what it was, Dancer came thudding down through the air, skidding into Blaze and sending her flying. "Sorry!" Layla's eyes were huge as she hung on tight to Dancer until he finally stopped rocketing around. "What's that you've got, Scarlett?" "I don't know." Scarlett held out her palm, revealing a toy building, like a tiny model. It looked familiar but it took several seconds to work out why. "It's Unicorn Academy," she said in surprise. "Is it yours, Layla? It's definitely not mine."

Layla shook her head. "It's not mine either. Where did you find it?" "It found me!" Scarlett studied the toy closely. She was impressed with how life-like it was. But why had it just appeared? "What's that noise?" Layla said suddenly. Scarlett could hear it, too; a fearful growl that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. It sounded like… "A sabre-toothed polar bear!" she cried as she turned and saw a giant bear behind them. She shoved the little model of the school into her pocket. The white monster bear was ten

times bigger than Blaze. Its tiny eyes burned with fury as it reared up, standing on its hind legs. Its long claws were sharper than knives. Opening its cave-like mouth, it roared, showing yellowing razor-sharp teeth. Layla screamed. "Gallop!" cried Scarlett, vaulting on to Blaze's back. Her legs were like jelly as Blaze took off. All she could think of was being impaled on the polar bear's teeth or slashed by its deadly claws. Blaze stormed up the side of the glacier with Dancer right beside her. Scarlett's heartbeat matched the thud of Blaze's hooves as she galloped away. The ground behind them shook as the polar bear gave chase. "Faster!" urged Scarlett. Her hands gripped Blaze's mane as she leaned forward, willing her on. The polar bear was close behind them. Every time it roared it gave off a blast of hot breath

that stank like rotting fish. Blaze and Dancer galloped bravely, but their hooves were slipping and sliding as they climbed up the glacier. The sabre-toothed bear was gaining on them. There was no way they could outrun it and there was nowhere to hide. Scarlett glanced across at Layla. Pale with terror and looking like she was about to faint, she was clinging to Dancer's neck.

"I need something to fight with!" Scarlett