A Unicorn Adventure! by Chloe Ryder Page A

her feelings.”
    Stardust was surprised. “I was only teasing. I didn’t mean to upset her—I forgot how much she wanted to sing the solo.”
    Stardust was anxious to make it up to her sister, so together they sneaked out of the Royal Courtyard.
    Once outside, she whinnied to Pippa, “Get on my back.”
    Pippa jumped onto Stardust’s snowy white back, and they cantered off to look for Honey.
    â€œThere she is,” Pippa said, pointing, as they left the castle over the drawbridge.
    â€œShe’s heading for the Grasslands,” Stardust said, galloping after her.
    Leaning forward like a racing jockey, Pippa buried her fingers in Stardust’s mane. The pony galloped so fast that the air rushed at Pippa’s face, making her eyes water and her hair stream out behind her in dark, wavy ribbons.
    Honey didn’t stop at the Grasslands but galloped on across the Savannah.
    â€œWhere’s she going?” Pippa shouted.
    â€œI don’t know.” Stardust sounded worried. “This is the way to the Cloud Forest, but she can’t be going there.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    Stardust’s stride faltered slightly. “Because it’s haunted.”
    Pippa tightened her fingers on Stardust’s mane, knowing that if Honey entered the haunted forest, she and Stardust would have to follow her.
    â€œFaster,” Pippa urged.
    Stardust lunged forward.
    â€œHoney, wait!” called Pippa. “Stardust has something to say to you.”

    They were almost at the edge of the Cloud Forest when Stardust finally caught up with Honey.
    â€œI’m sorry,” Stardust panted. Her sides were heaving and Pippa slid from her back to give her a chance to catch her breath. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
    â€œI can’t sing either,” Pippa confided. “I’m useless at it, and I get so shy I blush.”
    â€œYou, shy!” Stardust and Honey exclaimed together.
    Pippa nodded. “I’m very shy about lots of things, but Mom says if you pretend to be confident, then everyone will think you are.”
    Stardust was impressed. “That’s great advice! I never guessed that you were shy about anything.”
    â€œSo where were you going, Honey?” Pippa asked. “Have you got a secret hideaway?”
    Honey blushed and shuffled her hooves. “Sort of,” she admitted. “If I tell you the truth, you won’t believe me.”
    â€œWhy won’t we believe you?” asked Pippa.
    â€œIt’s a secret, so you have to promise not to tell anyone,” Honey said. “I was going to see my friend Goldie. She lives in the Cloud Forest.”
    â€œNo one lives in the Cloud Forest,” said Stardust.
    Honey took a deep breath. “She’s a unicorn.”
    â€œA unicorn?” Pippa asked, surprised. “Unicorns are real?”

    â€œOh, please!” Stardust snorted with laughter, until she noticed that Pippa was glaring at her. “There’s no such thing as a unicorn,” she said. “Unicorns are make-believe—they only exist in bedtime stories for foals. Besides, you wouldn’t dare go into the Cloud Forest—everyone knows it’s haunted.”
    Just then a beautiful noise drifted toward them. As they stood and listened, Pippa wished her ears could prick up to detect sounds like Stardust’s and Honey’s.
    â€œWhat’s that?” she whispered.
    â€œIt’s the ghosts!” neighed Stardust. “Hop on my back, Pippa. We should get out of here.”
    Now it was Honey’s turn to laugh. “Oh, please!” she said. “There’s no such thing as a ghost. That’s the sound of the unicorns’ song.”
    â€œIt’s beautiful,” Pippa said, feeling herself soothed as if by a lullaby.
    â€œIt’s amazing!” said Honey. “But I’ve never heard them sing together like that. We must find Goldie and see