Flying High by Titania Woods Page B

dark eye. Twink looked doubtfully at its smooth feathers, wondering what to hold on to. She had never ridden a bird before.
    â€˜How do you –’ she started.
    â€˜Daffodil Branch!’ said Sooze. The two birds took off with a rush.
    â€˜Eek!’ shrieked Twink. She grabbed wildly at the glossy grey feathers, and looked down before she could stop herself – and then she wished she hadn’t! The front doors were already so tiny that they looked like part of an ants’ house. Oh, wasps! Her stomach lurched crazily.
    â€˜Whee!’ Sooze cried. Her lavender hair blew across her laughing face. ‘I can hardly wait to really fly,’ she called across to Twink. ‘But this is a lot better than riding mice!’
    Twink clutched her bird’s feathers as branches and classrooms sped past them. She thought she’d give anything to be back on the ground with safe, obedient Brownie!
    But then as suddenly as the ride had begun, it was over. Spreading their wings, the two birds landed on a ledge with a single daffodil hanging over it. Shakily, Twink slid from her saddle as Sooze jumped off and pushed open the door.
    Their branch was decorated with dozens of white and yellow daffodils. A carpet of light green moss lay underfoot. Cosy beds made of darker moss lined the curved walls, with a single large daffodil hanging upside down over each one like a canopy.
    The other fairies in the room were chatting and laughing, unpacking their bags. Sooze grabbed Twink’s arm. ‘Come on, let’s choose our beds.’ The two fairies raced into the room.
    There were eight mossy beds, and only two of them weren’t already taken. One was at the very end of the row, and the other halfway through it. Twink stopped short in disappointment. She had hoped to have a bed beside Sooze.
    Sooze just shrugged when she saw, and hopped on to the bed halfway through the row. ‘I’ll take this one. Lots of company!’
    Twink hesitated, and looked at the fairy on the bed next to Sooze’s. ‘Would you like to swap?’ she asked.
    The fairy had silvery-green hair and lacy green wings, and wore a very posh frock made of woven dandelion petals. She stuck her pointed nose in the air.
    â€˜No, I won’t swap. You should have got here earlier, shouldn’t you?’
    Sooze laughed. ‘Oh dear, I chose the wrong bed. Fancy having to live next to you!’
    The fairy sniffed and turned away. Twink bit the inside of her cheek to keep from giggling. Going over to the last empty bed, she put her bag on it and glanced at the fairy who had the bed next to her.
    Her eyes widened. She was the most beautiful young fairy Twink had ever seen, with shimmering dark blue hair and silver wings with delicate golden swirls on them. Her dress of bluebell blossoms looked so lovely on her that Twink felt plain and dull in comparison.
    I’m being silly , thought Twink, tucking a strand of pink hair behind a pointed ear. I bet she’s really nice. She smiled at the fairy.
    â€˜Hi, I’m Twink,’ she said.
    Colouring up, the beautiful fairy hardly even looked at her. ‘I’m Bimi,’ she muttered.
    There was a pause. Twink slowly unpacked her things, putting the drawings of her family on top of her bedside mushroom. Finally she tried again.
    â€˜Who’s that other fairy, the one in the dandelion dress?’ she whispered.
    Bimi shrugged. ‘She’s called Mariella,’ she said shortly, and turned away without another word.
    Twink sighed. It seemed very unfair that she had to be next to this unfriendly fairy instead of Sooze. Bimi probably thought she was too pretty to talk to someone as ordinary as Twink.
    Sooze had been chatting to some of the other fairies, but now she bounced across to Twink and squeezed her hand. ‘Cheer up,’ she whispered. ‘Even if we’re not together, we’re still opposites!’ Twink smiled at her, feeling much