Friends Forever Read Free

Everything was just as it should be. Her moss bed was welcoming and cosy. Her best friend was right beside her, and on her bedside mush-room, the drawings of her family smiled at her in the moonlight.
    Why did she feel so troubled?

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    Chapter Two
    The wasp huddled under a fallen log, shivering in the chill autumn night. Though he longed to fly home to his family, he couldn’t. One of his wings lay bent and crumpled against his striped back.
    The wasp was very young – only a baby, really – and now he blinked back tears. The night was so dark, and he was alone. What had happened to the friendly voices that had found him that morning? One of them had seemed especially kind, and had said they’d come and help him.
    But no one had come.
    An owl called somewhere in the wood, and the wasp trembled. What in waspdom was he going to do? His parents didn’t know where he was. Nobody did.
    Then it came to him. The voices had found him , so perhaps he could find the voices, if he tried! Closing his eyes, the wasp concentrated as hard as he could. Help me! Please! I’m here in the wood! I need help!
    Nothing happened. The wasp refused to give up. He thought even harder, calling out to the friendly voice that had promised to help him.
    The moon moved slowly across the sky as the night passed.
    Help me! Please!
    Twink awoke with a start. The wasp! It was calling for her, pleading for help. But no, it couldn’t have called to her – wasps didn’t have magic. It was just a dream, that was all.
    Twink frowned uncertainly. It had seemed so real . . .
    Stop it! she told herself. It was only a dream . You really are a wasp brain if you get so upset over it! Pulling her covers up over her ears, Twink closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep.
    Can’t you hear me? Please help! I’m in the wood!
    Twink gasped as her eyes flew open again. She hadn’t imagined it. The voice was really calling to her.
    Heart pounding, she sat up and looked out of the window. There were still stars in the lightening sky. No one would be up for a while yet. She had time to go and find the wasp, if she hurried!
    Twink started to push back her covers. Then she saw Bimi’s sleeping figure, and hesitated. Bimi wouldn’t understand. Nobody would.
    Help . . .
    The voice came again, fainter this time. Twink made up her mind. Taking care not to wake the others, she hastily pulled on her clothes and pushed her pillow under her covers, in case Mrs Hover glanced in.
    Easing the door open, Twink slipped out of Daffodil Branch. A moment later, she was spiralling down the dark trunk of the school, passing silent branches full of sleeping fairies.
    Midway down, Twink paused, hovering in place. How was she going to get out? The great front doors would be locked now! Suddenly she remembered – there was a broken window latch in their Flower Power classroom. Miss Petal had complained about it just the other day.
    Twink plunged down into the darkness, turning sharply to dive into a branch corridor. The Flower Power branch was halfway down, jutting off on its own. Oh, please don’t let the door be locked! Landing on the ledge, she wiped her hands on her daffodil skirt and tried it.
    The door slipped open easily. Twink let out a breath and sped into the moonlit room, half-flying and half-running.
    Which window was it? Twink glanced at the row that marched down the branch. There, that one! A moment later she was tugging gently at its wooden latch. It hadn’t been fixed yet, and the window swung open. Cool night air swirled into the room.
    Twink gulped. Should she really do this? Leaving the school at night was a serious matter – she and her friends had got into awful trouble for it last term. Then she thought of the voice again, and knew she didn’t have a choice. She flitted up and squeezed through the narrow frame.
    Suddenly Twink was hovering outside, halfway up the school. The wood crouched darkly across the