The Enchanted Pony by Babette Cole

Author:Babette Cole
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2011-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

Kelpie Towers

The two princesses flew down to the sea and followed the coastline until Sophie pointed at a jagged inlet. The waves crashed wildly on the rocks and sprayed high up the cliff face. They glided down the inlet towards the land, finally reaching a ruined tower on a tall rock with the sea churning around its base.

Sitting on the rock were a number of small green ponies with webbed fin-like feet. Their manes and tails were made of seaweed. Some of them were playing in the water, diving and surfacing like seals.

‘Here we are,’ said Sophie as Penny landed them on the safest part of the slimy rock she could find. ‘Kelpie Towers. This is where the Kelpies hang out when they are not up to mischief somewhere else.’ She pointed up at the ruined tower surrounded by crashing waves. ‘They keep children’s time-frozen parents in that tower until they decide to use them to trap the child. Nobody has ever dared to go inside or tried to free any parents in case the Kelpies try the same trick on them. Here is the best place to see them in their true form because Kelpies can change their shape as easily as a chameleon changes its colour.’

Moving like seals, the Kelpies flipped over the rocks to greet Sophie and Penny.

One of them offered Penny a webbed fin to help her down.

‘Don’t touch them,’ whispered Sophie. ‘They are very sticky. If you get stuck to one it will carry you beneath the waves and drown you.’

Cautiously, Penny slipped off Sophie, her hand on the Lance of Courage tucked into her waistband.

‘Good morning, Sophie,’ said a Kelpie, instantly turning into a wrinkled old fishwife. ‘Quite an entrance. I did not know you could fly now. Would you and your friend like to come into Kelpie Towers for a cup of tea? Look, your friends are already here.’

Penny was amazed. The other Kelpies had turned themselves into The Fetlocks Hall Flyers! Sam, Pip, Dom and Matt and Carlos ran over to her.

‘Don’t take any notice,’ said Sophie, placing herself between Penny and the children. ‘They are not real. The Kelpies are just playing tricks on you. Banjax,’ said Sophie to the old hag, ‘this is Princess Penny of Equitopia so you can just stop doing that. Her powers are greater than yours and she can see straight through you!’

In a flash the Kelpies resumed their normal shapes.

‘Oh,’ said Banjax, who seemed to be the leader of the clan. ‘Well, that’s different. We are very pleased to welcome you to Kelpie Towers, Your Highness. To what do we owe the honour of your visit?’

Penny straightened her crown and stepped forward.

‘I have come with a special request,’ she began tactfully. ‘I believe that you may know something about the disappearance of my friend Philippa Horsington-Charmers’ parents. They went missing from Africa two years ago. I am asking for your help to find them as I wish to bring them back to Terrestequinus.’

The Kelpies murmured among each other.

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