Uncle Greenwood. ‘Now he’s gone I can hardly see.’
The room had dulled when Shane Annigan left. Questrid shivered. ‘Seems cold now,’ he said.
Amy played with the ends of her long hair nervously. She didn’t like Shane Annigan. He’d said something strange, what was it? Something wrong … She tapped her finger against the table. She watched Copper stroking the cub’s head. The cub was butting her gently under the chin.
Don’t love it so much, Copper. I wish you wouldn’t, thought Amy. Please don’t. Nobody should love a little old wolf cub the way you do, silly girl. Silly Wood girl.
‘I’m just taking Ralick out.’ Copper dragged on a heavy coat and headed for the door.
‘Me too,’ said Questrid.
Amy waited for them to ask her as well, but they didn’t. It was as though they had completely forgottenher existence. She watched Questrid pulling a woolly hat down over Copper’s hair so it covered her eyes. She watched Copper flick him with the end of her scarf so he laughed. It all hurt. Jealousy. It was a new sensation, one she barely recognised, only feeling it like a punch in the stomach.
They hadn’t invited her. They didn’t want her. Questrid didn’t like her.
I don’t care, she told herself. Leave me out, ignore me. I don’t care because I’ve got Granite. Ow! Hollow words. I don’t want Granite! I want Copper and Questrid! I want to stay here! I want them to like me.
She got up. She knew what she had to do: tell them everything. Amy slipped outside.
The wind had died down. It was quiet and still. Snow lay heaped around Spindle House in high sculptured banks, whipped into magical shapes like giant meringues. The night was crisp and clear, millions of stars glinting in the sky.
Amy stopped beneath the cover of the porch, alerted by a gruff, low voice. Nobody had seen her.
‘Wish I was lit up like a lantern,’ said the new voice from deep in the shadows by the stables. ‘Can’t see a thing.’
Amy felt a shiver up her spine; it was the voice from Copper’s room last night. Who could it be?
Questrid laughed. ‘It would be great, wouldn’t it? Isn’t Shane fantastic? Oh, I’d love to be a dragon expert like him. I want to travel and have adventures too.’
‘I loved his stories, but don’t you think he’s just a bit creepy?’ asked Copper. ‘His eyes are a bit flat and—’
‘No! I just thought he was great. What do you think, Ralick?’
‘My highly-tuned wolverine senses are suspicious of anyone arriving by such “chance”,’ said the gruff, small voice. ‘I may only have the brain of a cuddly wolf cub, but I thought he was too bright and too sharp.’
‘Oh, Ralick!’ Questrid laughed.
Ralick! Ralick! It was the little wolf cub speaking! Amy bit back a cry of surprise. The wolf could talk!
No wonder Granite wanted him, thought Amy. How much more valuable was a talking wolf cub than an ordinary one. Why hadn’t Granite told her? Why hadn’t they told her? Why hadn’t anyone shared this secret with her?
Because nobody likes you, she told herself. Nobody really likes or trusts you. You’re a spoiler. A horrible, sad little spoiler.
Amy slipped quickly back into the kitchen. Everyone was busy cooking or talking. They didn’t notice her. Her heart was heavy as lead. She could barely move. She slumped in her chair. I can’t steal the cub, he’ll yell when I grab him. It’s impossible. Granite will be so angry … I’ll have to go back to Aunt Agnes and Uncle John …
Copper and Questrid came back. They began to lay the long kitchen table for supper. Amy willed herself to get up. She felt as though she had a boulder strapped to her back. She had to smile. Had to pretend she was all right.
Copper was whispering to her soup spoon.
‘You’re the only person I’ve ever met who talks to cutlery,’ Amy said as cheerily as she could.
‘It won’t behave,’ Copper said. ‘It’s almost as bad as that one we gave you. It’s sycamore wood and it
The room had dulled when Shane Annigan left. Questrid shivered. ‘Seems cold now,’ he said.
Amy played with the ends of her long hair nervously. She didn’t like Shane Annigan. He’d said something strange, what was it? Something wrong … She tapped her finger against the table. She watched Copper stroking the cub’s head. The cub was butting her gently under the chin.
Don’t love it so much, Copper. I wish you wouldn’t, thought Amy. Please don’t. Nobody should love a little old wolf cub the way you do, silly girl. Silly Wood girl.
‘I’m just taking Ralick out.’ Copper dragged on a heavy coat and headed for the door.
‘Me too,’ said Questrid.
Amy waited for them to ask her as well, but they didn’t. It was as though they had completely forgottenher existence. She watched Questrid pulling a woolly hat down over Copper’s hair so it covered her eyes. She watched Copper flick him with the end of her scarf so he laughed. It all hurt. Jealousy. It was a new sensation, one she barely recognised, only feeling it like a punch in the stomach.
They hadn’t invited her. They didn’t want her. Questrid didn’t like her.
I don’t care, she told herself. Leave me out, ignore me. I don’t care because I’ve got Granite. Ow! Hollow words. I don’t want Granite! I want Copper and Questrid! I want to stay here! I want them to like me.
She got up. She knew what she had to do: tell them everything. Amy slipped outside.
The wind had died down. It was quiet and still. Snow lay heaped around Spindle House in high sculptured banks, whipped into magical shapes like giant meringues. The night was crisp and clear, millions of stars glinting in the sky.
Amy stopped beneath the cover of the porch, alerted by a gruff, low voice. Nobody had seen her.
‘Wish I was lit up like a lantern,’ said the new voice from deep in the shadows by the stables. ‘Can’t see a thing.’
Amy felt a shiver up her spine; it was the voice from Copper’s room last night. Who could it be?
Questrid laughed. ‘It would be great, wouldn’t it? Isn’t Shane fantastic? Oh, I’d love to be a dragon expert like him. I want to travel and have adventures too.’
‘I loved his stories, but don’t you think he’s just a bit creepy?’ asked Copper. ‘His eyes are a bit flat and—’
‘No! I just thought he was great. What do you think, Ralick?’
‘My highly-tuned wolverine senses are suspicious of anyone arriving by such “chance”,’ said the gruff, small voice. ‘I may only have the brain of a cuddly wolf cub, but I thought he was too bright and too sharp.’
‘Oh, Ralick!’ Questrid laughed.
Ralick! Ralick! It was the little wolf cub speaking! Amy bit back a cry of surprise. The wolf could talk!
No wonder Granite wanted him, thought Amy. How much more valuable was a talking wolf cub than an ordinary one. Why hadn’t Granite told her? Why hadn’t they told her? Why hadn’t anyone shared this secret with her?
Because nobody likes you, she told herself. Nobody really likes or trusts you. You’re a spoiler. A horrible, sad little spoiler.
Amy slipped quickly back into the kitchen. Everyone was busy cooking or talking. They didn’t notice her. Her heart was heavy as lead. She could barely move. She slumped in her chair. I can’t steal the cub, he’ll yell when I grab him. It’s impossible. Granite will be so angry … I’ll have to go back to Aunt Agnes and Uncle John …
Copper and Questrid came back. They began to lay the long kitchen table for supper. Amy willed herself to get up. She felt as though she had a boulder strapped to her back. She had to smile. Had to pretend she was all right.
Copper was whispering to her soup spoon.
‘You’re the only person I’ve ever met who talks to cutlery,’ Amy said as cheerily as she could.
‘It won’t behave,’ Copper said. ‘It’s almost as bad as that one we gave you. It’s sycamore wood and it
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