Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8 A bramble grabbed Sophia's arm. "Get off!" she cried, prying it away. Ava dismounted. Brambles snagged at her feet, but she fought back, pulling them aside. "This is all my fault for suggesting we come this way!" she said, feeling guilty. "Does it hurt a lot, Rainbow?" Rainbow nodded miserably. "We should have brought a first-aid kit— bandages, stuff like that," Ava babbled, unable to stop talking. "What are we going to do? We're stuck here! We're—" "Ava!" interrupted Star. "Calm down." Ava stared at Star. "I'm panicking, aren't I?" "Yes." Star nuzzled her shoulder. "Breathe and think." Ava took a couple of deep breaths as Star went on. "There are lots of plants around. Is there anything here you could use to help Rainbow's

leg?" Ava frowned. Star was right. Lots of plants had healing properties. "Knitbone!" she realized. "That's what we need. My dad taught me how to mash the leaves into a healing paste. It's quick and easy and works like magic on wounds or broken bones." She glanced at Rainbow, who was sorrowfully holding his leg up. Now that she was thinking about plants, she felt much calmer. "If I find some and make a paste, we can use it to heal Rainbow's leg." She pulled off her soft purple hoodie, which had been ripped by the brambles. "Here," she said, putting her finger in a tear and making it bigger. "Make a bandage out of this, Sophia, and tie it tightly to stop the bleeding while I find some knitbone." "While we find some knitbone," Star corrected Ava. "I'm coming with you." Ava gave Star a grateful hug, then they set off through the dense undergrowth. Ava was glad for Star's company. If anything, the plants were getting more aggressive, and it was hard work forcing a way between them. Gradually, though, the vegetation began to thin until finally the mountain slope opened onto a grassy meadow. The whole

area was speckled with bushes that were bursting with dark-blue berries and small green plants with red buds. Ava recognized the plants instantly. "Knitbone!" she said, breaking into a run. "And look, Star! Sky-berry bushes as well!" She swept her arm around, happiness filling her. "I was right! Rainbow's magic was telling us where to go!" Ava's first thought was to pick some sky berries for Star to eat, but then she remembered Rainbow with his injured leg. Star could wait a little while longer. She plucked a handful of berries, stuffing them into her pocket, then sank to her knees in the middle of a patch of knitbone. Star brought her two flat stones, and Ava quickly ground the fishbone-shaped leaves into a thick green paste. She wrapped it in some more leaves. "That's it. Let's get back to the others now!"

Ava vaulted onto Star, and they cantered back to Sophia and Rainbow, Star leaping the creepers that tried to snare her as she passed. Ava removed Rainbow's bandage and thickly spread the green paste over his leg. "That's incredible!" Sophia said as the edges of the wound came together to heal. "How does it feel?" "Good." Rainbow tentatively put his weight on the leg. "It's like a miracle." "This is the real miracle!" Ava said with a grin. She pulled the sky berries from her pocket. "Look what else Star and I found!"

"Sky berries!" exclaimed Rainbow. Sophia squealed. "You found some bushes, Ava?" "Yes. There are loads, so eat as much as you want," Ava urged Star and Rainbow as she shared the berries with them. "That feels so much better," said Rainbow as he gobbled them up. "I feel stronger already!" Star agreed. Ava and Star led them through the brambles to where the sky-berry bushes were growing. "They're healthy-looking bushes," said Ava. "I'll take cuttings and try growing them nearer to the academy." While Ava and Sophia filled their panniers with sky berries and cuttings, Rainbow and Star munched happily from the bushes. "All done!" Ava said at last. "Let's go and show Ms. Nettles." "Ava…" Something in Sophia's voice made Ava look up. "Oh no!" she whispered in horror. While the girls had been busy, something else had been busy too! A ring of bushes with needle

sharp thorns had started growing around them and their unicorns, trapping them in a circle. "What's happening?" Ava said. Rainbow whinnied in alarm. "It's okay, Rainbow!" shouted Sophia, running over to him and vaulting on. "Jump over them! Quick!" Rainbow leaped forward, galloped a few strides, and soared over the still-growing bushes. "Come on, Ava!" Sophia shouted. Ava started to run to Star, but a creeper caught her ankle and pulled her to the ground. The bushes grew even taller. The thorns reached up toward the sky, trapping Ava and Star, leaving them no way out.