Winter Wonderland #5 by Sue Bentley Page B

freezing outside, and they might need extra bedding.”
    “Aren’t you glad that we haven’t bought you that pony you wanted?” her mom commented. “Imagine having to muck out in this awful weather.”
    “I wouldn’t mind,” Preeti said at once. She meant it, too. She knew she’d do anything for a real pony of her own. She and Lisa and Hayley talked about them all the time.
    “I’ll help you!” Viren said, grabbing achapati and leaping up.
    Grandma put a hand on his arm. “No, you will not. Stay there now. Eat,” she urged. “Your sister can feed those rabbits and guinea pigs.”
    Preeti grabbed her coat from the mudroom and went outside. The air smelled cold and clean, with a chalky freshness. An icy wind was now blowing, and cold snowflakes stung her face and stuck to her eyelashes. She wondered if Lisa and Hayley were missing her as much as she was missing them.
    Preeti pulled up her collar as she trudged through the deep snow. Her boots sank almost up to their tops as she picked her way slowly to the huge old barn at the edge of the garden. Beyond it was a blurred white view of open fieldsand woods. Opening the barn door, she went inside.
    A warm smell of clean animals met her. The far end of the barn housed her dad’s lawn mower, workbench, and gardening stuff. Three large cages stood against one wall.
    “Hi, guys!” Preeti said, bending down to talk to the bunnies and guinea pigs.“Guess what. It’s snowing outside! It’s a good thing you’re all cozy in here.”

    The little animals came snuffling up to the wire mesh to greet her. Her favorites were two handsome guinea pigs, called Chandra and Surya. Surya had golden fur that grew in swirly rosettes. And Chandra had petal-soft silver-tipped gray fur.
    Preeti filled water bottles, tipped food into bowls, and replaced soiled bedding. Luckily she had recently stocked up on food. A friendly local farmer had sold them a huge bale of straw and a bunch of hay. So no matter how long the snow lasted, she knew that the animals would be warm and well fed.
    She had just finished cleaning up when there was a bright flash of violet light and a shimmering cloud appearedin the center of the barn. Preeti saw twinkling crystal droplets forming on her coat sleeves.
    “Oh!” She narrowed her eyes as she tried to see through the strange multicolored mist. Had some kind of weird ice storm blown into the barn?
    As the mist began to fade, Preeti saw that a pony was walking toward her. It was sturdily built, with a well-shaped head, a pretty light-grayish-brown coat, and a darker gray mane and tail.
    “Can you help me, please?” it asked in a velvety neigh.

Preeti felt her mouth drop open as she stared at the pretty pony in complete shock. She must have been so amazed at seeing it just appear in their barn that she was imagining things. There was no way a pony could talk!
    “Where did you just come from? How did you get in here?” she murmured aloud to herself.
    The pony flared its nostrils and lifted its head. “I have just arrived here from far away,” it whinnied.
    Preeti did a double take. “Y-y-you really c-c-can talk? But . . . but how come?”
    “All the other magical Lightning Horses in my herd can talk,” the pony told her proudly. “My name is Comet. What is yours?”
    Preeti still couldn’t believe this was really happening. It was like something out of a fairy tale. She felt like pinching herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.
    “I—I’m . . . um, Preeti Nimesh,” she found herself saying. “I live here with my parents, my grandma, and my little brother, Viren.”
    Comet dipped his head in a formal bow, and his dark gray mane swung forward.“I am honored to meet you, Preeti.”
    “Er . . . me too,” Preeti, said, wondering if she should curtsy or something. She settled for bowing her head in a jerky little movement. “Did you say that you came from far away? Like a different town or something?”
    “A lot farther. I live