Cloud Magic

Erin’s face. ‘Look, don’t worry. I’ll tell Xanthe all about this and then we’ll email Chloe and tell you what you should do.’
    ‘Thanks,’ Erin said in relief. It was good to know she wasn’t going to have to figure things out on her own any more. She knew she should probably go back soon. She really didn’t want to after such an amazing night, but if her parents found she was gone, and there was no note or anything, they’d be worried sick. ‘I should go home now,’ she said reluctantly.
    ‘Maybe you and I could meet tomorrow and start looking for the stallion,’ said Chloe eagerly. ‘We could try to find this place with a black weather-vane he told you about. We don’t have to be stardust spirits to look. We could start searching in the day. Why don’t we meet here in the morning?’
    ‘I can’t in the morning – I’m going riding,’ said Erin. ‘But I could meet up in the afternoon. I’ve not seen you around; do you live in Long Medlow?’
    ‘Yes, but we only moved here two weeks ago,’ Chloe explained. ‘We’re just outside the village. It’s an old chapel. It’s been turned into a house. Oh, I’m so glad I’ve met you. I haven’t made any proper friends since I got here. I’ve started going to St Anne’s School, but everyone in my class has already got a best friend.’
    ‘It’s like that in my class too,’ sighed Erin. She suddenly wanted to tell Chloe all about Fran and Katie, but realized she really needed to go now. She could tell her tomorrow. ‘I’ll meet you here at about two o’clock then?’
    Chloe nodded.
    Allegra hugged Erin. ‘Xanthe and I will mail you at Chloe’s and we should be back visiting Chloe soon. We’ll see you then. Good luck with finding the stallion.’
    ‘Thanks,’ Erin told her gratefully.
    ‘Oh, and don’t tell anyone that you’re a stardust spirit,’ Allegra warned her. ‘You’re only allowed to talk about it with other stardust spirits.’
    ‘See you tomorrow,’ Chloe called. ‘When you get home, you need to say “Stardust be gone” and then you’ll change back to normal. Otherwise you’ll be a stardust spirit until the morning!’
    ‘Thanks!’ Erin said with a grin. ‘See you tomorrow!’
    Waving goodbye, she flew back towards her house. Her mind was buzzing with everything she had found out, but inside she felt ten times lighter. So much had happened that day, but at least she had friends she could talk with about it now.
    I’m not on my own any more , she thought. Relief flowed through her as she practised swooping through the sky, the stars shining above her.

C H A P T E R
    Five
    When Erin woke up, she thought for a moment that the night before had just been a dream. But it hadn’t. She hugged her knees to her chest in delight.
    Sitting up in bed, she glanced towards her window. The curtains were still open and she could see that the sky was covered with grey clouds. She got out of bed and picked up one of the hagstones from the box. The horses were there. They were moving around restlessly. The mares and foals were huddled together. They looked unhappy.
    I’ve got to find Tor and set him free so he can go back to them , Erin thought.
    She felt very glad as she remembered that Chloe had suggested they meet up that day. It would be so much better searching for the sky stallion with a friend rather than on her own.
    Watching the horses in the clouds, she wondered what the day would hold.
    When Erin arrived at Hawthorn Stables that morning, she went to the tack room and found Fran and Katie there. They were looking at a magazine.
    ‘Hi,’ Erin said to them.
    ‘Hi,’ Katie said briefly.
    Fran didn’t say anything. She was short and slim and had shoulder-length blonde hair. Katie was much taller with brown hair tied back in a ponytail.
    ‘What are you reading?’ Erin asked them.
    ‘Just Pony magazine,’ said Fran. She closed it pointedly as Erin tried to look at it. ‘Have you seen who you’re riding today?’ There was a smirk on her face.
    ‘No,’ Erin replied.
    ‘Wilf.’ Fran and Katie looked at each other and giggled. Wilf was the oldest pony on the yard and he was really slow and lazy.
    Erin felt a flash of disappointment. They were going on a beach ride and she’d been hoping to ride one of the faster ponies. Oh well , she thought quickly, never mind . She pictured Wilf’s cute face: he had a big stripe down his nose and gorgeous big brown eyes. He might not be the fastest pony, but she