carefully, so that it landed between Billy and Beatrice. Billy ran towards it, looking as though he was going to knock Beatrice out of the way again. This time, though, she stepped out of the way at the last minute and knocked the ball sideways. Darcy then ran in and knocked it over to where I was. I dribbled the ball towards Jamalâs lair as fast as I could. Billy was running towards me, but he was too far away.
âCome on!â called Beatrice. âScore!â
I looked up. Jamal had started bobbing and weaving in the mouth of his lair, all the time keeping his eye on the ball. I didnât feel entirely confident about kicking the ball past him, but I got in a pretty good shot, up towards the top right-hand corner of the lair mouth.
Jamal, however, simply turned and, using his tail, flicked the ball away as though it were the easiest thing in the world.
Billy was waiting. The ball landed at his feet, and he immediately began to sprint with it. He went past Darcy, and then myself, and then he was bearing down on Beatrice like a runaway train.
âDodge me!â he cried.
But Beatrice didnât dodge him. She slid out her foot and managed to punt the ball away back towards Alicia.
Billy looked down at his feet in surprise.
âHow did you do that?â he said.
But he didnât have any time to think about it, because Alicia had passed the ball out to Darcy, who had passed it to Beatrice, who passed it to me. I dribbled the ball up the field, but this time I wasnât quick enough. Billy was upon me, and even Jamal had come out of his lair mouth towards me.
âQuickly!â shouted Beatrice.
So I passed the ball back to her just at the last moment. Jamal leapt back to protect his lair, and Billy turned so fast that he nearly tripped over his own feet. Beatrice kept her eye on the ball. Although Billy was thundering towards her, she ignored him and, concentrating on Jamal, passed the ball quickly from one foot to the other. Suddenly, just as Billy was about to tackle her, she feinted as though she were going to kick the ball high over Jamalâs head then passed it between his legs instead. Billy made contact, and as Beatrice and Billy fell over in a heap, Jamal, taken in by Beatriceâs feint, leapt up so energetically and waved his wings so vigorously, that he suddenly found himself semi-airborne and did not get back down to stop the ball in time. But he looked pretty pleased with himself anyway.
âGoal!â cried Emery.
âA good feint!â cried Dr. Drake.
âHe flew!â I cried.
âWhat happened?â asked Billy as Beatrice helped him up.
âWe scored!â said Beatrice, laughing.
My sister really is amazing at times.
We didnât get past Jamal again, partly because he was more wary of Beatrice and partly because the third time the ball landed near him, he grabbed it between his feet and, flapping his wings vigorously, took it up into a tree and lodged it between two branches. Although we threw sticks, it wouldnât come down. Jamal looked very pleased with himself. When the ball had been lost, he flapped his wings more than ever, looking at them proudly.
âSoon he will be flying for real!â said Dr. Drake. âBut for now, we had best return home.â
While the others set off, I lingered for a few minutes to watch Jamal, who came to the gate to see us go. Soon the others had disappeared, and I hurried along the path to catch up with them. But I had only gone a few hundred yards when I heard a loud cracking noise behind me. It sounded like splintering wood. Had someone returned to Jamalâs compound? I turned to go back and saw a woman stepping out from behind a tree. She was very tall and had pale skin and jet-black hair. She was dressed in a large black cape, high riding boots, and a very large, black hat. She was beautiful. Suddenly, there was a rustling noise in the trees. It was Jamal. He ran past us through the forest
âCome on!â called Beatrice. âScore!â
I looked up. Jamal had started bobbing and weaving in the mouth of his lair, all the time keeping his eye on the ball. I didnât feel entirely confident about kicking the ball past him, but I got in a pretty good shot, up towards the top right-hand corner of the lair mouth.
Jamal, however, simply turned and, using his tail, flicked the ball away as though it were the easiest thing in the world.
Billy was waiting. The ball landed at his feet, and he immediately began to sprint with it. He went past Darcy, and then myself, and then he was bearing down on Beatrice like a runaway train.
âDodge me!â he cried.
But Beatrice didnât dodge him. She slid out her foot and managed to punt the ball away back towards Alicia.
Billy looked down at his feet in surprise.
âHow did you do that?â he said.
But he didnât have any time to think about it, because Alicia had passed the ball out to Darcy, who had passed it to Beatrice, who passed it to me. I dribbled the ball up the field, but this time I wasnât quick enough. Billy was upon me, and even Jamal had come out of his lair mouth towards me.
âQuickly!â shouted Beatrice.
So I passed the ball back to her just at the last moment. Jamal leapt back to protect his lair, and Billy turned so fast that he nearly tripped over his own feet. Beatrice kept her eye on the ball. Although Billy was thundering towards her, she ignored him and, concentrating on Jamal, passed the ball quickly from one foot to the other. Suddenly, just as Billy was about to tackle her, she feinted as though she were going to kick the ball high over Jamalâs head then passed it between his legs instead. Billy made contact, and as Beatrice and Billy fell over in a heap, Jamal, taken in by Beatriceâs feint, leapt up so energetically and waved his wings so vigorously, that he suddenly found himself semi-airborne and did not get back down to stop the ball in time. But he looked pretty pleased with himself anyway.
âGoal!â cried Emery.
âA good feint!â cried Dr. Drake.
âHe flew!â I cried.
âWhat happened?â asked Billy as Beatrice helped him up.
âWe scored!â said Beatrice, laughing.
My sister really is amazing at times.
We didnât get past Jamal again, partly because he was more wary of Beatrice and partly because the third time the ball landed near him, he grabbed it between his feet and, flapping his wings vigorously, took it up into a tree and lodged it between two branches. Although we threw sticks, it wouldnât come down. Jamal looked very pleased with himself. When the ball had been lost, he flapped his wings more than ever, looking at them proudly.
âSoon he will be flying for real!â said Dr. Drake. âBut for now, we had best return home.â
While the others set off, I lingered for a few minutes to watch Jamal, who came to the gate to see us go. Soon the others had disappeared, and I hurried along the path to catch up with them. But I had only gone a few hundred yards when I heard a loud cracking noise behind me. It sounded like splintering wood. Had someone returned to Jamalâs compound? I turned to go back and saw a woman stepping out from behind a tree. She was very tall and had pale skin and jet-black hair. She was dressed in a large black cape, high riding boots, and a very large, black hat. She was beautiful. Suddenly, there was a rustling noise in the trees. It was Jamal. He ran past us through the forest
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