Victory and the All-Stars Academy by Stacy Gregg Page A

when she saw Issie emerge with the animal in her arms. Wrapped in the jersey was a blue-grey fluffy shape with a little black nose and button eyes. “It’s a wombat!”
    â€œDon’t be daft, Stella!” said Issie. She pulled the sweatshirt away so that the others could see.
    It wasn’t a wombat. It was a puppy.

Chapter 6
    The grey bundle in Issie’s arms whimpered and squirmed. “Ohmygod!” Stella leant over Woody’s neck and stared down at the puppy. “He is sooooo cute!”
    â€œHe’s shaking like a leaf,” Issie said, “and he’s covered in dirt. He looks like he’s been in there for ages.” The puppy panted weakly in Issie’s arms. “Poor thing, he must be thirsty and he’s probably starving!”
    â€œHow did he get under there?” Charlotte wondered. “There are no houses around here. Where did he come from?”
    â€œMaybe he ran away from home,” suggested Stella. “Or maybe he’s wild?”
    Issie giggled as the puppy’s pink tongue snaked outto lick her fingers. “I don’t think he’s wild.”
    â€œWell, what are we going to do with him?” asked Kate. “Maybe we should let him go and he’ll make it home on his own.”
    Issie shook her head. “Even if he knew where his home was, I don’t think he could walk very far. He’s exhausted and dehydrated. We’ll have to take him back with us.” She looked up at Kate. “I think I can carry him, but you’ll have to lead Victory for me, OK?”
    â€œYou’re going to walk?”
    â€œIt’s the only way. He’s too big for me to carry on the horse.”
    Issie turned to Charlotte. “Is it all right if I keep him wrapped in your jumper? He really likes it.”
    â€œTotally,” Charlotte said.
    Issie held the puppy securely against her chest with both arms. It was a long walk back and the pup was a fair size. Issie guessed he was quite old, perhaps almost fully grown. He was definitely heavy! It was like carrying one of those big bags of potatoes that her mum bought at the supermarket. She hoped she was strong enough to get him home.
    At least the pup was too exhausted to squirm abouttoo much. He stayed wrapped cocoon-like inside Charlotte’s sweatshirt. Issie could feel his wee heart beating against her belly as he panted, and when she looked down, she could make out the little black twitchy nose in between the folds of the jersey and his pink, moist tongue darting out now and then as the pup tried to lick her hands.
    â€œIt’s OK,” Issie told him, “you’re coming with us. We’ll take care of you.”
    With Issie on foot, the others had to ride super-slowly. It took them twice as long to get back to the stables and by the time they arrived, Tara and the others had already gone back up to the house.
    The girls put the puppy in one of the empty stalls and, even though he was weak with exhaustion, he managed to take a really big drink from one of the water troughs. The pup was wobbly on his feet and flopped down almost immediately after that and fell asleep in the straw.
    â€œHe is super-cute!” Stella said, admiring hisbrindled coat, which was a sort of smoke-grey colour sprinkled with white hairs. The puppy’s face had ginger markings, a bit like a fox, and his legs and belly were ginger too.
    â€œWhat sort of dog is he?” Kate asked.
    â€œDon’t ask me,” said Stella. “I thought he was a wombat, remember?”
    â€œWell, Wombat,” Issie said, stroking the pup, “we’d better get you some food.” She turned to the others. “He must have been in those bushes for a while. He’ll be starving.”
    â€œWe’ll untack your horses for you,” Kate offered. “You and Stella go and tell Tom about it and then get him something from the kitchen.”
    While Charlotte, Kate and Morgan sorted