Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9 "I'm coming, Ava!" Star kicked away the brambles wrapped around her hooves and leaped at the creeper attacking Ava. She stamped on it and tried to break Ava free. Rainbow whinnied from the other side of the thorny wall, and Sophia shouted out Ava's name. The creeper seemed indestructible. The harder Star trod on it, the tighter it squeezed. Ava began to feel faint. She locked eyes with Star, pleading silently for help. "Let go of Ava right now!" snorted Star furiously. Steam curled from her nostrils, and she smashed the creeper with her hooves. Sparks crackled into the air. Star stamped harder, tossing her mane. "Star!" croaked Ava. There was a strong smell of burnt sugar. Ava breathed it in and felt slightly revived. "It's your magic, Star!" she panted. Star whinnied in surprise. "It is?"

"Yes!" The creeper began to wind toward Ava's face again. Star stamped, and this time a fountain of glittery sparks rose in the air. Some landed on the creeper. With a pop, it doubled in size. Ava squeaked as she disappeared into its thick folds. "No, no, no!" said Star in horror. "I'm so clumsy! I didn't mean for that to happen!" "Ava? What's going on?" yelled Sophia. Ava knew Sophia and Rainbow couldn't help her. Only Star could save her now. Using all her strength, she pushed aside the coils of the creeper. "Star, you've found your magic. It is plant magic. You can make things bigger or"—she gasped —"smaller!" "That was me?" Star stared at the enormous creeper. "It can't be! I can't do growing magic." "You can," insisted Ava. "Trust me, Star. You can do plant magic. Only you need to reverse it, quickly. Make the creeper shrink!" Star's eyes met hers. "Please," squeaked Ava as the creeper tightened further. "You can do this, Star."

"But I'm too clumsy! What if I make it bigger again by mistake?" protested Star. "No, you're not," gasped Ava. "You're the best and smartest unicorn in the world!" Their eyes met. Star hesitated, then she snorted, striking her hoof firmly on the ground. Purple, green, and gold sparks exploded around her. "I've found my magic!" whinnied Star in delight. Arching her neck, she stamped her hooves. A continuous fountain of sparks rained over the

creeper. There was a loud bang, and the creeper pinged back like an elastic band and landed in a heap. It writhed and hissed as it shrank until, with one tremendous shudder, it fell still. Ava was pale as ice and shaking violently as she slowly stood up. She staggered over to Star. "You saved me!" she said as she buried her head in Star's silky mane. "I knew you would." Star nuzzled her. "I couldn't have done it without you. You made me believe in myself, but I almost killed you." Star's eyes widened as she remembered. "When that creeper doubled in size…" Ava started to giggle in nervous relief. "I thought it was the end too." She hugged Star tightly. "I'm glad you worked out how to use your magic!" "What's happening?" Sophia shouted frantically from the other side of the wall of thorny bushes. "We're okay!" Ava called back. She looked at the bushes. "Use your magic, Star." With a confident whinny, Star trotted to the bushes and stamped her hoof. As sparks rained down on the bushes, they shrank to a normal size. Ava leaped on Star's back, and she jumped over

the top of them, landing beside Rainbow and Sophia. "You're okay!" said Sophia in relief. "Rainbow and I were really worried." "Your hair, Ava!" Rainbow said, staring. "What do you mean…?" Ava stopped to catch a lock of lilac hair that had fallen into her eyes. "Star," she breathed, holding it out. "We've bonded." Star turned her head and stared at the lock of purple hair, the exact same shade as her mane. "Hooray! This is the best day of my life! Oh, Ava. You're my best friend ever!" "For always!" cried Ava in delight. She bent down and hugged Star's neck. Rainbow whinnied, and Sophia whooped. As Ava sat back up on Star, Sophia smiled. "I'm so glad you've bonded." "Me too," said Ava, her eyes sparkling. "But now let's get these sky berries back!" The girls galloped off across the mountain on their unicorns. It was a long way back to the others. They dodged bushes and trees, the unicorns going as fast as they dared.

"Whoa! What's that?" asked Sophia, pointing suddenly to one side. There was an urgency in her voice that made Ava sit up straighter and look. As she did so, something came galloping out from behind a bush —a figure in a flowing black cloak, riding a tall unicorn. The figure raised a hand, there was a sharp crack, and a vine snaked out of a tree. It snatched at Ava's arms, trying to pluck her from Star's back. "Oh, no you don't!" Star hit back, blasting the vine with a shower of golden sparks. The vine hissed and shriveled to a motionless tendril. BANG! A bush suddenly exploded in their path. Rainbow swerved, throwing Sophia onto his neck. She shrieked as she clung on. The cloaked figure laughed and pointed at Star. A creeper rose up and curled around Star's legs. Star tripped, but her own magic was strong enough to shrivel the creeper. Ava urged Star on as magic sparked in all directions. Creepers whipped in the air, and bushes exploded. Star and Rainbow rode on, dodging enchanted branches and tendrils. With a snort, Star sent a giant bramble arching toward the masked figure. It caught the rider's