Badger the Mystical Mutt and the Enchanting Exchange , livre ebook

The Lunicorn Press - McNicol , Jackson

Découvre YouScribe en t'inscrivant gratuitement

Je m'inscris

Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne
En savoir plus

49 pages

English

Vous pourrez modifier la taille du texte de cet ouvrage

Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne
En savoir plus

A propos
Informations
Extrait

Description

A Big Top has arrived on the lane with a spectacular attraction: a real live minotaur! But the minotaur wants to return home, and Pogo Paws is homesick for his childhood circus family. The minotaur's labyrinth is in a parallel universe called Esterious, and Pogo Paws' circus is far, far away, and to return would mean abandoning Pickle. Can Badger, with his makeshift magic and a little help from a solar eclipse, open the portal in the Crystal Cave, and make the Enchanting Exchange happen? Or will Pickle sabotage Badger's attempts, and make it impossible for Pogo Paws and the minotaur to ever find their way home?

Informations

Publié par	The Lunicorn Press
Date de parution	29 mai 2015
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9780992926410
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	1 Mo

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0200€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Also Published By The Lunicorn Press
For Myra McNicol
ALSO BY MCNICOL & JACKSON
Badger the Mystical Mutt
Badger the Mystical Mutt and the Barking Boogie
Badger the Mystical Mutt and the Crumpled Capers
Badger the Mystical Mutt and the Daydream Drivers
Badger the Mystical Mutt and the Flying Fez
E-books from The Badger the Mystical Mutt series are also available via the usual outlets
It was three thunderclaps from lightning, and all was eerily still on the lane. In Badger’s garden, where the Mystical Mutt had been practising his latest, spectacular “bowls of toast” trick, nothing moved.
Badger sniffed the air above. “Any moment now,” he said nervously.
Suddenly, the sky lit up with a dazzling blast of lightning, followed almost immediately by another flash. Badger counted the seconds between the flashes, then heard the familiar rumble and roll, boom and crack of the storm.
“Time to take cover before the clouds burst,” thought Badger, frowning at the gloominess above. “Nippy Nimbus must be really cross up there.”
He quickly gathered up his coloured bowls and his sparkly tablecloth, and ran to shelter in his shed.
Further along the lane, Pogo Paws and Pickle, the new joint leaders of the gang, were having a blazing row. A travelling circus had arrived in town and Pickle was not happy.
“I don’t care if you did spend all your puppy years in the circus. We’re not going, and that’s that!” snapped Pickle.
“But a circus has never visited here since mine left that day,” whined Pogo Paws. “It could be my circus, and if it is … I could see my family again.”
“Well, if it’s the same circus, and the same family, that left you behind to fend for yourself all those years ago, why would you want to go back there?” she sneered.
Just then, another bolt of lightning flashed over the lane, followed by an almighty roar of thunder.
“Quick! The storm is nearly here,” shouted Pogo Paws, grabbing Pickle’s paw. “Over there. We can hide in the bins.”
“Don’t be silly,” said Pickle. “That’s dangerous. Some of the bins are shiny. We could be struck by lightning. No, let’s go to Badger’s shed instead.”
As Pogo Paws and Pickle ran towards Badger’s garden, the first heavy thuds of rain fell on the lane. They sprackled clumsily through the crack in the fence and knocked on the door of Badger’s shed.
“Hurry up! Come on in,” said Badger, ushering the dripping pair out of the downpour, which was now pelting off the roof.
Pogo Paws and Pickle shook themselves and peered through the window at the torrent of rain outside.
Pogo Paws shivered. “Thank goodness we’re in here, and not out there.”

“Surely this means the circus can’t go ahead,” said Pickle hopefully. “The grass will be too squelchy after the rain.”
Pogo Paws whimpered.
“Why are you so sad, Pogo Paws?” asked Badger gently. “If it doesn’t go ahead tomorrow, there will be other circuses, and other times. Although, I’ve got a guest spot on the magic stage, so I really want it to go ahead too.”
As Pogo Paws opened his mouth to speak, Pickle interrupted. “He wants to see if it’s the circus he came from, and if any of his old pals are still there.”
“It’s not just old pals, Pickle. It’s my family,” muttered Pogo Paws.
“You’re from a travelling circus, Pogo Paws? I had no idea,” said Badger excitedly.
Pogo Paws’ tail started to wag slightly. Pickle scoffed “Here we go …”.
The little dog puffed out his chest and said proudly, “Yes, I was their star acrobat. That’s where I got my name and how I learned to bounce so high. I loved it.”
“So why did you leave?” asked Badger.
“I didn’t,” sighed Pogo Paws. “I got left behind by mistake when the circus moved on. It was my own fault really, as I was exploring this very lane. I ran and ran to catch up, but couldn’t find them, and that’s how I ended up here … with her!” He nodded his head at Pickle wearily.
Pickle scowled.
As the rain continued, puddles grew into bigger puddles, and weeds sprang up from the muddy grass. It was looking less and less likely that the circus would open the next day as planned.
At the end of the lane, near the duck pond, the candy striped tents of the circus sagged. The flags, which had been all aflutter earlier, now hung limply. The sawdust was sodden and the trailers were caked in mud. Everything was wet and washed-out.
“We’ll just have to wait and see,” said Badger hopefully. “In the meantime, I know what will cheer us all up. I can show you my trick for tomorrow night’s show. I’m still a bit rusty, but it’s almost there.”
Pogo Paws and Pickle both groaned.
Badger assembled his assorted dinner bowls and stood back. He crossed his paws backwards and forwards, to and fro, up and down, tapped each bowl with gusto and started the spell.

“ One two tickety boo, turn these bowls into …”
He stopped and scratched his head.
What’s wrong?” asked Pogo Paws.
“I can’t quite remember the rest of the rhyme.”
Suddenly, the bowls began to vibrate, as hundreds of slices of toast burst out in all directions. The buttery toast swirled and birled around their heads, filling the shed. Pogo Paws, Pickle and Badger slipped and slid, and they all ended up flat on their backs.

“I think you’ve got a bit more work to do on that one,” shouted Pogo Paws, over the crunch and the crumble of the countless crusts.
Badger smiled sheepishly. “Er, yes. If I could just remember the spell …”
Backstage at the circus Big Top, in a sturdy cage, behind iron bars, flanked by two vicious guard dogs, there came a roar bigger than any thunderclap.
The huge beast grunted and lay down in the corner of the cage.
On a lamp post at the other end of the lane, a poster advertising the circus announced:
Introducing …
the only living Minotaur in this world!
Fresh from the mysterious land of Esterious,
our star attraction is half-big-folk, half-bull.
Come and see it … if you dare!
The next day dawned with a blazing sun. Badger emerged from his shed, sniffed the air and smiled. A moment later, Pickle appeared too, blinking in the brightness of the sunshine.
“It looks like the circus will go ahead after all,” said Badger.
“Do we really have to go?” groaned Pickle.
The shed burst open as Pogo Paws bounced into the brand new morning.
“Woweeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! What a brilliant day! We can go to the circus today. Hooraaaaaaaaaaaaay!”
Pogo Paws bounded round Badger’s garden with glee.
Pickle looked at Badger sulkily, and said: “I don’t want to go to the circus. It’s all he ever talks about. So what if he’s homesick? I’m fed up with it.”
“Oh, Pickle, look at how happy he is. Surely you can turn that frown upside-down and go along with Pogo Paws. It’s only for one day. Besides which, I’ve got my star turn there later this afternoon. Come for me … please?” Badger pleaded.
Pickle sighed. “Okay, I suppose, if I really must.”
“Right then, you two, off you go back to the lane, I’ve got some serious practising to do before tonight’s show,” said Badger.
As Pickle and Pogo Paws headed for the crack in the fence, Badger was already setting out his coloured bowls and trying again to remember the spell.
Backstage, at the circus, the minotaur felt its eyes sting with tears, as the ringmaster jangled keys outside its cage.
“Not long now, Beast!” bellowed the moustached ringmaster. “Then you can run free inside the ring, to amaze and astound the crowds.”
The minotaur sighed.

“Look a bit more fierce! You’re our star attraction. Get up … now!” ordered the ringmaster, cracking his whip.
The minotaur ducked and pawed the ground with its chunky boots. Through gritted teeth, it let out an almighty roar.
“That’s more like it. That’s what keeps our audience terrified. Keep it up!”
Outside the tent, the sideshows and fairground were in full swing. Music blared, lights shimmered, candyfloss billowed and coconuts shied.
Pogo Paws and Pickle arrived at the circus.
“Right, Pogo Paws, you have to win me something for coming here today,” announced Pickle.
“Of course. Take your pick. Which stall do you fancy?” replied Pogo Paws, with a swagger.
Pickle looked at the stalls and thought for a moment.
“I could do with a collar actually. I’ve never had one before, so if you could win me one of them, then I might start to enjoy myself today,” said Pickle.
“That, my dear, should be easy-peasy lemon squeezy. Let’s head over to that stall there,” pointed Pogo Paws.
In front of them stood a hexagonal booth jam-packed with every shape, every size and every colour of dog and cat collar. In the middle hung three circular hoops, with a sign that said: “ Try your luck at scoop the hoop. Three crunchy-munchy chewy chops for three shots. Throw the ball through the hoop to scoop a prize!”
Pogo Paws handed over three of his treasured crunchy-munchy chewy chops, and picked up the brightly coloured balls.
“Stand back, Pickle. Watch and learn!” said Pogo Paws confidently.
He eyed the hoop and took aim. His first ball bounced off and fell to the ground. Pickle smirked. “Not so easy after all, Pogo Paws!”
Pogo Paws frowned and took aim with his second ball. It too bounced off the hoop and missed.
“Hang on a minute!” shouted Pogo Paws. “The balls are too big for the hole in the hoops. It’s a scam. Watch this, Pickle. I’ll get that collar for you.