Magic Bunny: Chocolate Wishes Read online

  Sue Bentley’s books for children often include animals, fairies and magic. She lives in Northampton in a house surrounded by a hedge so she can pretend she’s in the middle of the countryside. She loves reading and going to the cinema, and writes while watching the birds on the feeders outside her window and eating chocolate. Sue was brought up surrounded by small animals and loved them all – especially her gentle pet rabbits whose fur smelled so sweetly of rain and grass.

  Sue Bentley

  Chocolate Wishes

  Illustrated by Angela Swan

  PUFFIN

  For Roger – so sleek and beautiful with coal-black fur

  PUFFIN BOOKS

  Published by the Penguin Group

  Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA

  Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4P 2Y3

  (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)

  Penguin Ireland, 25 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd)

  Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia

  (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd)

  Penguin Books India Pvt Ltd, 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi – 110 017, India

  Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand

  (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd)

  Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd, 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank,

  Johannesburg 2196, South Africa

  Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  puffinbooks.com

  First published 2010

  Text copyright © Sue Bentley, 2010

  Illustrations copyright © Angela Swan, 2010

  All rights reserved

  The moral right of the author and illustrator has been asserted

  Except in the United States of America, this book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser

  ISBN: 978-0-14-196211-5

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter ONE

  Chapter TWO

  Chapter THREE

  Chapter FOUR

  Chapter FIVE

  Chapter SIX

  Chapter SEVEN

  Chapter EIGHT

  Chapter NINE

  Prologue

  Arrow glanced around Moonglow Meadow as he emerged from the burrow. A rainbow shone in his warm brown eyes. Lush grass waved gently in the night breeze and the air was soft with the scent of wild flowers. Other magic rabbits were nibbling juicy leaves or hopping about in the moonlight.

  Bending his head, Arrow began grooming his velvety white fur, which was flecked with silver. A tiny gold key he wore on a fine chain round his neck gave a bell-like tinkle. As the chosen keeper of the magical key, Arrow was responsible for looking after it.

  A large older rabbit with a wise expression and a dark grey muzzle bounded towards him. Arrow saw that Strike looked tired and that there was dust in his fur.

  ‘I did not expect you to return so soon.’ Arrow bowed in greeting before the leader of the warren. ‘When are the dark rabbits coming to live with us?’

  Strike shook his head wearily. ‘They refused. The dark rabbits are unwilling to share our land.’

  ‘I do not understand.’ Arrow was puzzled. The deep gulley next to Moonglow Meadow was home to a neighbouring warren of dark rabbits. Their land had become so dry that nothing grew there any more and they were hungry. ‘How will they survive without our help?’

  ‘By stealing what we treasure the most! Our magic key!’ Strike rumbled, his face darkening. ‘They want to use it to make their gulley green and beautiful again. They are coming soon and are not far behind me.’

  Arrow gasped and his tail twitched nervously. ‘But without the key’s power, Moonglow Meadow will become a desert and we will starve. What can we do?’

  Strike extended a muscular paw and rested it gently on Arrow’s shoulder. ‘You must go to the Otherworld. Hide there with the key so the dark rabbits cannot find it.’

  Arrow gulped at the thought of all the unknown dangers. He felt very young and afraid, but he took a deep breath and then lifted his head. ‘I will do it.’

  Strike smiled with pride and affection. ‘There is no time to waste!’ Lifting his head, he gave a soft but piercing cry.

  Every rabbit in the warren pricked up its ears and came hurrying towards them. They formed a circle around Arrow. Suddenly, the golden key glowed so brightly that Arrow couldn’t see a thing.

  The light faded slowly and where the young white-and-silver magic rabbit had been now stood a tiny fluffy white bunny with huge golden-brown eyes that gleamed with tiny rainbows.

  ‘Use this disguise,’ Strike ordered. ‘Only return when we need more of the key’s magic to protect our meadow. And watch out for the black rabbits! They will be looking for you.’

  Arrow straightened his small fluffy shoulders. ‘I will not fail the warren!’

  Thud. Thud. Thud. The rabbits began thumping their feet in time. Arrow felt the magic building and a cloud of crystal dust sparkled around him as Moonglow Meadow began to fade…

  Chapter

  ONE

  Dawn Kenton’s heart beat quickly as she opened the classroom door. She hoped her new teacher would find her someone friendly to sit next to. She was already missing her friends from her old school.

  The teacher was taking the register. Dawn hovered in the doorway, not sure whether she ought to knock politely or say something.

  Oh, great. I’m late on my very first day at my new school, she thought. She felt herself blushing as the whole class turned to look at her.

  Just as Dawn was gathering her courage to speak, Miss Walker lifted her head and spotted her. She had short brown hair and glasses, and had seemed really nice when Dawn came to see the school with her mum and dad a few weeks ago.

  She came over. ‘Hello there. Come on in.’ She put an encouraging hand on Dawn’s shoulder and drew her into the classroom. ‘Listen up, class. This is Dawn Kenton; she’s just moved into the area. I want you all to make her feel welcome.’

  ‘Hi, Dawn,’ called a loud chorus of voices.

  Dawn managed a shy grin.

  Miss Walker pointed towards the back of the room. ‘There’s a spare place next to Emma Packard. Emma will show you around, but remember to come and see me if you ever have any problems. OK?’

  ‘Thanks.’ Head down, Dawn scooted towards the empty chair.

  Behind her, the teacher finished taking the register.

  Two girls nudged each other and giggled as Dawn drew level with them. ‘Let’s see what Emma does!’ one of them whispered.

  Dawn tried not to swing round and look at them but she wondered what they meant. She sat down next to her new classmate and slid her school bag under the desk.

  Emma pulled a face at the two girls who had whispered. She had short hair, blue eyes and a pretty heart-shaped face. Turning back to Dawn, she shrugged. ‘Take no notice of Alesha and Vicky. They’re just jealous cos I get to make a new friend! You can put your stuff in this drawer,’ she said helpfully.

  ‘Um… thanks,’ Dawn said gratefully, relieved that Emma seemed nice.

  It wasn’t just her old school friends that Dawn missed, she was still feeling stran
ge after moving into the new flat. Pets weren’t allowed in Redford Mansions, so Tansy, Dawn’s beloved Jack Russell, had gone to live with her aunt. Dawn knew it would be ages before she stopped missing her little dog.

  As she bent down and began fishing about in her bag, her light-brown shoulder-length hair swung forward. Dawn tucked a strand behind one ear and with her free hand pulled out a pile of books.

  ‘Oh!’ she gasped as the heavy books slid out of her grip and fell to the floor with a crash.

  The kids sitting nearby almost jumped out of their skins.

  ‘Sorry,’ Dawn murmured. She dropped to her knees and scrabbled about, picking up the books.

  Emma leaned over to help her, but Dawn was so flustered she didn’t notice. She got up quickly and her head accidentally brushed against Emma’s forehead.

  ‘Ow!’ Emma exclaimed loudly, clapping her hand over her eye. ‘You clumsy great twerp! You nearly knocked my eyebrow off!’

  ‘Oh, gosh! Sorry…’ Dawn chewed at her lip. She didn’t think it had been that bad, but Emma was making so much fuss that Dawn didn’t dare say anything. ‘Maybe you need first aid or something. I’ll go and tell Miss.’

  As she stood up, Emma and the two girls in front burst into giggles.

  Dawn looked blankly at them. Emma seemed to have recovered completely. What was going on?

  ‘Got you!’ Emma laughed, her eyes sparkling. ‘That was too easy!’

  Dawn smiled awkwardly, trying to see the funny side.

  ‘Is something wrong, dear?’ Miss Walker called out.

  ‘Um, no. I… I… I’m fine,’ Dawn stuttered, only just realizing that she was still standing up. As dozens of pairs of eyes turned to stare at her she felt herself going bright red and she wished the floor would open up and swallow her. To her horror, she felt her eyes prickling with tears as she quickly plonked herself down again.

  ‘All right, class,’ the teacher clapped her hands. ‘Take out your workbooks please. With Easter approaching, we’re studying different customs round the world.’

  ‘Hey, what’s wrong?’ Emma said, glancing sideways at Dawn.

  Dawn blinked hard. She hated being made fun of and all of a sudden she missed her old life, her friends and Tansy even more. But she didn’t say any of that.

  ‘I’m fine,’ she murmured again. ‘Just leave me alone.’

  Emma shrugged and bent over her workbook. ‘Suit yourself.’

  At lunchtime, Dawn found an empty table and sat by herself to eat her sandwiches. Emma was with a group of girls nearby. ‘Hey, Dawn! Come over here!’ she called.

  Dawn thought about going over, but they were all laughing loudly and messing about. She didn’t want to be the butt of their jokes for a second time that day, so she hunched her shoulders and pretended she hadn’t heard.

  The rest of the day seemed to crawl by. When the bell for home finally sounded, Dawn escaped as quickly as she could.

  She grabbed her coat from the cloakroom and flew out of the school gate.

  She swung her school bag by its long strap as she hurried home to the nearby flat. She sighed heavily, thinking about how before Tansy would have run to her the moment she got in, her stubby tail twirling. School and home really weren’t very happy places to be right now.

  Dawn turned into the neat gardens that surrounded Redford Mansions. It seemed quiet in there and she could sit by herself until she felt less upset. Otherwise her mum would notice that she looked glum and start asking questions, and she didn’t want to worry her.

  She threw her bag on a bench and sat down next to it. Suddenly, there was a bright flash, and a shower of crystal dust drifted towards Dawn like a glimmering cloud.

  Dawn screwed up her face, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. As the dust slowly dissolved, she spotted a tiny fluffy white bunny on the grass.

  ‘Can you help me please?’ it asked in a scared little voice.

  Chapter

  TWO

  Dawn’s eyes widened as she stared at the cute little bunny in complete astonishment before shaking her head for being silly. Talking animals only existed in fairy tales, not in real life!

  The bunny’s long floppy ears lifted and it twitched its pink nose nervously. Dawn walked slowly forward and then hunched down so she wouldn’t frighten it.

  ‘Hello there,’ she said gently, reaching out her hand. ‘Aren’t you gorgeous? I wonder how you got here. You can’t belong to anyone in the flats.’

  ‘That is true. I do not belong to anyone. I have just arrived,’ the bunny said in a shaky little voice.

  Dawn did a double take and only just stopped herself jerking her hand back as if she’d been burned. ‘You… You really can talk! How come?’

  ‘All of the rabbits in my world can talk,’ Arrow told her, lifting his little head proudly. ‘I am Arrow, guardian of Moonglow Meadow. May I know your name?’

  ‘Um… yeah. I’m Dawn. Dawn Kenton. I live in one of these flats with my parents.’ For the first time she noticed that the bunny had gorgeous melting brown eyes that seemed to glimmer with tiny rainbows.

  Arrow bowed his head. ‘I am honoured to meet you, Dawn.’

  ‘Likewise.’ Dawn bowed awkwardly. ‘Where is Moonglow Meadow?’ It sounded beautiful, but Dawn had never heard of such a place.

  Arrow shook his head and something round his neck tinkled softly. Dawn saw that he wore a fine gold chain with a key hanging from it. ‘Moonglow Meadow is where my warren lives.’

  Dawn nodded. She knew that ‘warren’ was the name used for a group of rabbits who all lived together. At her old school she’d done a project about animal groups. ‘I didn’t know there were any meadows or fields near here. Is it far away?’

  ‘Yes, very far. In another world,’ Arrow explained. ‘I am keeper of the magic key, which keeps our meadow lush and green. But our neighbours, who are fierce dark rabbits, are trying to steal it. Their land is dry and stony, and they will not share the meadow with us. They want to use the key’s magic to change their own land. If they do this, Moonglow Meadow will become a desert.’

  ‘Oh no! That would be awful!’ Dawn exclaimed.

  ‘Yes, it would. That is why I was sent here to hide and keep the magic key safe.’

  Dawn nodded slowly, looking at the tiny bunny more closely. ‘I don’t mean to be rude, but aren’t you a bit small for such an important mission?’

  Rainbows gleamed more brightly in Arrow’s warm brown eyes. ‘Please stand clear,’ he ordered, rising up on to his back legs.

  Dawn felt a strange warm prickling sensation down her spine as the key round his neck began flashing and a cloud of shimmering crystal dust swirled about Arrow. When it cleared, Dawn saw that the cute little bunny had vanished and in his place stood the most amazing and majestic rabbit she had ever seen. It was as big as a large cat and had silky white fur flecked with silver. The tips of its ears looked as if they’d been dipped in silver glitter and its chocolate-brown eyes flashed with jewel-bright rainbows.

  Dawn gasped. Nothing could have prepared her for such a magnificent sight.

  ‘Arrow?’ she gulped in wonderment.

  ‘Yes, it is still me, Dawn,’ Arrow said in a smooth velvety voice.

  Before she had got used to seeing Arrow in his true form there was a final glow of light from his key and he appeared as a tiny fluffy white bunny again.

  ‘Wow! That’s an amazing disguise!’

  Arrow twitched his white whiskers nervously. ‘I am afraid it will not fool the dark rabbits if any of them find me. I must hide quickly.’

  ‘You can stay with m–’ Dawn began eagerly. ‘Oh, I keep forgetting that we’re not allowed pets in our new flat.’

  Arrow dipped his head in a shallow bow. ‘I understand. I will ask another person to help me. Thank you for your kindness. It was nice to meet you, Dawn.’ He took two small hops towards a nearby bush.

  ‘No! Please, wait!’ Dawn burst out.

  She couldn’t bear to lose him, especially as no on
e else had been friendly to her all day. As a big strong rabbit with thick white fur Arrow was magnificent as guardian of his meadow. But as a tiny fluffy bunny with melting brown eyes he was totally adorable and Dawn just wanted to help him.

  She thought hard. ‘I know! I’ll smuggle you into our flat inside my school bag. Mum’s going shopping straight after work and Dad’s not back for ages, so no one will notice. You can live in my bedroom with me.’

  Arrow’s eyes twinkled gratefully. ‘Thank you, Dawn. I would like to live with you very much.’

  Dawn opened her school bag and placed it on the ground. Arrow kicked up his back legs, leapt inside and settled down next to her tiger-print pencil case.

  ‘Let’s go!’ Dawn zipped the bag, leaving a small opening so he could breathe. They went into Redford Mansions through the main doors. ‘We’re on the third floor, so I usually use the lift. It might feel a bit odd to you at first,’ she warned him.

  ‘I am not afraid. I know that I will be safe with you,’ Arrow said in a muffled voice.

  Dawn felt a surge of pride that the tiny little bunny trusted her. She was looking forward to taking care of Arrow and finding out more about him. It might even help her feel a bit less lonely for Tansy. Her heart felt lighter than it had for days.

  Chapter

  THREE

  ‘There. How’s that?’ Dawn tucked Arrow into the cosy nest she’d just made by tucking a woollen scarf inside an old shoebox.

  Arrow snuffled about, nibbling and pawing at the scarf before curling up with his nose between his fluffy white paws. ‘This is a good place to sleep.’

  Dawn smiled, delighted that he liked it. She picked up the box, ready to take it into her bedroom, when the kitchen door banged open. Her mum staggered in with two shopping bags.