Fledge Star by Titania Woods Page B

‘Poor Madge – she still hasn’t got over Glitterwings losing the Fairy Finals last year. She’s determined to put together the best Fledge team ever.’
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    .
    Twink stared at the notice. She had never played Fledge before, but she loved watching the high-speed game. It was probably a daft idea, but – but maybe . . .
    Bimi clutched Twink’s arm. ‘Twink, you should try out!’
    Trust Bimi to know what she was thinking! Twink looked at the notice again, and sighed. ‘I’m not a good enough flier, Bimi. I’d get laughed off the field.’
    Bimi drew her away from the crowd. The two fairies flew slowly along, drifting downwards past empty classrooms. ‘You would not! You won the award for best flier in the entire school last year, didn’t you?’
    Twink rolled her eyes. ‘That was only because I had just learned how! It doesn’t mean I’m good enough to play Fledge.’
    â€˜You should do it,’ said Bimi. ‘You really are a good flier, Twink. And the worst they can do is say no, so why not?’
    Twink hesitated as a flutter of hope stirred in her. ‘I don’t know,’ she said finally. ‘I’ll think about it.’
    The Great Branch was the largest branch in the school – a long, high space with gracefully arched windows. Bright glow-worm lanterns hung from the ceiling, and rows of mossy tables were lined up and down its gleaming wooden floors, with a different-coloured flower hanging over each one.
    Twink let out a contented breath as she flew in with the other Peony Branch fairies. Last term, she had thought the Great Branch looked like a garden at midnight, shadowy and mysterious. Now, in the pure, clear light of springtime, it looked like a garden at dawn.
    â€˜There we are!’ she said, pointing to a table with a large pink peony over it. ‘We’re much nearer the back this year, aren’t we?’
    â€˜That’s because we’re not little First Years any more – they don’t need to keep such a close eye on us,’ grinned Pix, a clever red-headed fairy.
    The girls perched on their spotted mushroom seats, watching as the rest of the school flitted in. Twink glanced across at the Daffodil Branch table. The fairies sitting at it all looked terrified!
    When everyone was finally seated, Miss Shimmery, the HeadFairy, lifted up from the platform at the front of the Branch. The school fell expectantly silent as she hovered above them, her rainbow wings gleaming.
    â€˜Welcome back!’ she announced in her low, rich voice. ‘And to all of our new students, a warm welcome.’ She smiled down at the front row of tables. ‘We hope you’ll be very happy here at Glitterwings Academy.’
    Miss Shimmery went on to make the usual announcements: they’d be expected to wear their uniforms from tomorrow, Flight lessons for the First Years would begin the next morning, no high-speed flying allowed in the corridors . . .
    Twink looked out of the window. She couldn’t see the Fledge field from here, but she could picture it in her mind – a circle of grass with a forest of different-sized poles rising up from it. Each pole had a hole through it, and when they played, the fairies jetted through them at speeds that would make your wings sizzle. It was such an exciting game! Should she really try out, though? Her neck prickled at the thought.
    â€˜Twink!’ hissed Bimi, nudging her hard. ‘Stand up, it’s the school song.’
    â€˜Oh!’ Twink jumped to her feet. She hadn’t even noticed that the cricket band had started up! Hastily, she began to sing with the others:
    Oh, Glitterwings, dear Glitterwings
    Beloved oak tree scho-ool.
    Good fairy fun for everyone,
    That is our fairy ru-ule.
    Our teachers wise,
    Their magic strong,
    With all our friends,
    We can’t go wrong.
    Oh, Glitterwings, dear Glitterwings
    Beloved oak tree scho-ool.
    The music