Daisy's New Wings Read online

  Contents

  Map

  1 A Glorious Dream

  2 Celebrating

  3 Settling In

  4 A Rude Awakening

  5 Into the Forest

  6 An Imperfect Map

  7 Together Again

  8 Racing

  9 Stormy Weather

  10 Working Together

  11 A Dangerous Idea

  12 Consequences

  13 Healing

  14 Flying

  Sneak Peek: Daisy’s Takes Charge

  Across a meandering river,

  in a forest tall and green,

  live the magical Wilderness Fairies

  and their wise Fairy Queen.

  Guided by their Callings

  the Wilderness Fairies strive

  to use their magic wisely

  and help the forest thrive.

  Proving to be a fairy true

  one earned her wings tonight.

  The Fairy Quest completed,

  now she dreams of flight.

  1

  A Glorious Dream

  Daisy’s eyes fluttered open and a smile spread across her face. She’d been dreaming that the Fairy Queen had granted her wings – a dream so sweet that she didn’t want to wake up. She squeezed her eyes shut again.

  A thin beam of sunlight streamed through the knot in the tree trunk that was her window. Keeping her eyes shut, Daisy rolled onto her back to avoid it. The hammock curled around her in an unusual way, as though a large, soft pillow had been laid beneath her. Elusive images from her dream danced in and out of Daisy’s mind, images of the Fairy Queen and a brand new set of wings . . .

  Daisy’s eyes flashed open in an instant. She leapt out of bed and raced to the mirror. Instinctively, she flexed her new muscles and watched with delight as a pair of bright yellow feathered wings stretched out behind her.

  It wasn’t a dream!

  Memories of yesterday came flooding back, of the Fairy Quest with all its riddles and tests, of the Fairy Queen and of the moment when she had been granted her wings!

  Daisy’s best friend, a small, green beetle named Vu, huffed sleepily from his comfy nest beside Daisy’s hammock.

  ‘I’m sorry, Vu,’ said Daisy. ‘I didn’t mean to wake you.’

  Vu stood and stretched his legs, chittering that it was the sun’s fault really.

  Daisy gave Vu a scratch on the head, then stepped over to her wooden chest and took out her wattle blossom dress.

  Taking off her nightie, she pulled the dress on over her head and wriggled into it, only to find that her new wings were pressed tightly against her body. Vu chittered with laughter as Daisy scrabbled and squirmed the dress back up over her head.

  Daisy tried three more dresses before finding one that she could step into and tuck beneath her wings.

  Feeling hot and flustered, she stepped over to the washbowl to splash cold water on her face.

  Impatient of waiting, Vu chittered that he was hungry and could they please go and get some breakfast?!

  Daisy glanced outside. The sun was already at its peak. ‘I’d say we’ve missed breakfast. But if we hurry we might just make lunch.’

  Vu needed no further encouragement. Lifting the stiff green elytra that protected his flying wings, he buzzed into the air and disappeared down the stairs. Daisy’s tummy rumbled, reminding her that she’d had nothing to eat since early last night. She spun around to follow her friend, her new wings brushing against a shelf as she turned. Shells and feathers, seeds and blossoms billowed down to settle in clumps on the floor. With a sigh, Daisy realised that having wings might take some getting used to.

  As she bent down to pick up her belongings, something brushed against her knee. It was the pouch-shaped locket that held her Questing Things. Daisy had created the locket in preparation for the Fairy Quest.

  Though she’d eaten the food and used the clothes on her Quest, it still held tiny versions of her candle, rope, special spiderweb quilt and magic travelling shoes.

  She’d only had it for a couple of days, but Daisy loved her locket. She had a strong feeling that it would come in handy again. After all, the Fairy Quest had been her first adventure but it wouldn’t be her last. She hadn’t even learnt how to fly yet!

  Snapping out of her reverie, Daisy scooped up the fallen items and dumped them back on the shelf. Dreams of flying would have to wait, at least until after lunch.

  2

  Celebrating

  Daisy stared at the kitchen, hardly able to breathe.

  The room had been transformed with garlands of sweet-smelling wattle, and a paperbark banner bearing the words ‘Congratulations Daisy!’ Taking pride of place on the dining table was a magnificent feast, a banquet of blossoms and berries, of toasted bread, crunchy nuts and roasted seeds.

  Daisy’s dad, Efa, and her sister, Maggie, were already seated. Daisy’s mum, Nen, was busy at the cooking bench.

  When Daisy’s tummy rumbled loudly, they grinned in delight.

  ‘Speechless and drooling,’ said Maggie. ‘I think that means we did an excellent job, don’t you?’

  Efa high-fived Maggie, while Vu and Nelli – Maggie’s ladybird friend – lifted their heads from their feeding bowls just long enough to chirp their agreement.

  Nen walked over to the table, beaming. In her hands was an enormous lilli pilli cake, decorated with candles and tiny beeswax wings. ‘Your dad and I did the cooking while Maggie made the decorations,’ she said.

  ‘It’s all so beautiful,’ Daisy gushed. ‘I don’t know what to say.’

  ‘Don’t say anything, just eat!’ said Efa, jumping up from his seat and dragging her to the table. As soon as she was seated they all began to sing:

  ‘For she’s a fairy with wings now, for she’s a fairy with wings now, for she’s a fairy with wi-ings now, and soon she’ll learn to fly!’

  As they sang the last line, a new voice joined in, floating in through the open door from the garden. The voice was familiar, and one that Daisy hadn’t heard in a while.

  ‘Aunt Acacia!’ Daisy squealed, rushing to envelope the owner of the voice in a warm hug as she stepped into the kitchen.

  ‘Hello, little sister,’ Nen smiled, walking around the table to give Acacia a squeeze.

  Acacia was a very striking fairy with short, feathery hair in numerous shades of purple and red. She was wearing a dress of deep-green moss that swept the floor and beautifully complemented her butterfly wings, which shimmered with the rainbow colours of a Purple Copper. Having no young ones of her own, she shamelessly spoiled Daisy and Maggie whenever she came to visit, saying, ‘That’s what aunts are for!’

  ‘What are you doing here?’ asked Daisy. ‘You never visit unless it’s a holiday.’

  ‘I heard a rumour about you,’ Acacia winked. ‘I thought I’d come see if it was true.’ She brushed her hands across Daisy’s new wings. ‘And I can see that it is. These are just beautiful, Daisydoo.’

  Daisy’s cheeks flushed pink with pleasure. ‘Are you going to stay?’

  ‘Just try and get rid of me.’ Acacia laughed, stepping aside to reveal two large bags sitting outside on the leaf litter. ‘Help me bring these inside. We’re going to have so much fun. I’m going to teach you how to fly!’

  3

  Settling In

  ‘If I never eat again, it will be too soon,’ groaned Daisy. She swallowed the last juicy chunk of red bramble berry, and surveyed the scene around her – the glorious feast was now a scattered mess of crumbs on empty serving plates.

  ‘You’re just like a green tree frog,’ said Maggie, ‘eating everything in sight. I have no sympathy for you at all.’

  ‘Come on, Daisy,’ said Aunt Acacia, pushing herself away from
the table. ‘What you need is to get up and moving. Why don’t you help me unpack?’

  Happy to leave the kitchen tidying to someone else, Daisy grabbed one of Acacia’s carpetbags and led her up to the spare room.

  ‘What should we unpack first?’ asked Daisy.

  ‘I’ll do my clothes,’ said Aunt Acacia, transferring dresses and scarves from her bag into a wooden chest. She pointed to a row of empty shelves near a small armchair in the far corner of the room. ‘How about you put my sewing gear over there?’

  Being a seamstress was Acacia’s Calling. She didn’t have a home of her own, preferring to spend her time travelling from one fairy settlement to another, trading the clothes she created for food and a place to stay. Fairies loved new outfits, and few had the time to make them so they were always happy when Acacia came to visit.

  ‘Where have you been travelling to lately?’ asked Daisy as she carefully placed the bolts of fabric from Aunt Acacia’s bag onto a shelf.

  ‘Oh, I’ve been all over the place,’ said Acacia. ‘I spent last week with some cave fairies down by the sea. They were telling me that it’s getting harder and harder for them to travel outside without being seen.’

  ‘Seen by who?’ asked Daisy.

  ‘The humans!’ Acacia whispered. ‘They’re becoming quite common now in some parts of the forest, so much so that some fairy colonies are talking about moving.’

  ‘Have you ever seen them?’ asked Daisy, her eyes wide with wonder.

  ‘Too many times,’ Aunt Acacia replied. ‘They look quite similar to us, really, but without wings and ever so much bigger. Did you know that a human’s finger is as big as a grown fairy?’

  Daisy could hardly imagine it. It seemed too strange to be true.

  ‘Well, I’m just about finished up here,’ Aunt Acacia said as she placed her last dress into the wooden chest and closed the lid. ‘How are you going with those fabrics?’

  ‘Just a few more,’ said Daisy, reaching in and pulling out a pale-green fabric. ‘This one’s very pretty.’

  ‘Then that one will be for you,’ said Acacia with a smile. ‘You’ll need some new dresses in quite different designs now that you’ve got wings to manoeuvre around.’

  ‘Tell me about it,’ groaned Daisy, thinking of her struggle to get dressed that morning.

  ‘Well, I’m all unpacked now,’ said Acacia. ‘I might as well get started straight away.’

  Daisy watched Aunt Acacia as she went about setting up her sewing station. She shuffled from foot to foot, waiting for Acacia to realise she had other, more pressing matters to attend to . . .

  But Aunt Acacia didn’t seem to notice, and Daisy couldn’t keep it in any longer. ‘But Aunt Acacia,’ pleaded Daisy. ‘I thought you were going to teach me how to fly?’

  Aunt Acacia swivelled round to face her niece. ‘Be patient, Daisy. Give your old aunt a chance to settle in, and then tomorrow we’ll begin your lessons. You’ll have to wait just one more sleep.’

  4

  A Rude Awakening

  Daisy woke the next morning at dawn’s first light, rested and eager to get going. Vu was still snoring in his sleeping nest. When Daisy reached over and tickled him on the head, he snuffled grumpily.

  ‘Time to get up,’ sang Daisy.

  Vu snuggled deeper under the covers, making it clear that he intended to go straight back to sleep.

  ‘Suit yourself,’ said Daisy. ‘But don’t blame me if you miss breakfast again.’

  Vu grumbled and yawned as he crawled out and started his morning stretches.

  Daisy smiled. She could always count on Vu to put his stomach first. Rolling out of her hammock, she stepped over to her wooden chest. Resting on its lid was a parcel, wrapped in a fresh, new leaf and tied with gymea lily fibre.

  Where did this come from? wondered Daisy as she picked it up.

  Carefully, Daisy untied the bow. The leaf spread open like a flower bud to reveal a dress of the palest green. Daisy picked up the dress and held it under her chin. Dozens of yellow paper daisies, magically shrunk and preserved, adorned the neckline and hem, their colour perfectly matching her new wings. ‘Aunt Acacia,’ she whispered, happy tears welling up in her eyes. ‘She must have been up all night.’

  Stepping easily into her new dress, Daisy then put on the belt that held the velvety sheath for her wand. She turned to Vu. ‘Well,’ she said, ‘What do you think?’

  Vu chittered that as a boy and a beetle he didn’t have opinions about dresses. Daisy made a sad face so he flew over to her shoulder and kissed her on the cheek. All forgiven, they wandered to the kitchen together.

  Nen was humming as she washed the dishes. A fresh batch of nutcakes lay cooling beside her on the counter, their delicious smell filling the air.

  ‘Morning!’ trilled Daisy, kissing her on the cheek. She grabbed a nutcake and took a huge bite. The warm honey filling dribbled down her throat. ‘Mmm, heavenly, you should make these more often.’ Daisy gulped down the remaining cake. ‘Is Aunt Acacia around? I’m ready to start my lessons.’

  Nen shook her head. ‘Still asleep I’m afraid. Maybe a nutcake would entice her out? They were always her favourite when we were growing up.’

  ‘Thanks,’ said Daisy. Grabbing a nutcake off the counter, she headed towards Acacia’s bedroom.

  Aunt Acacia was in a deep sleep. Daisy waved the nutcake under her nose, hoping the smell would wake her up.

  No response. She sighed loudly and whispered her name. Still, Acacia didn’t wake.

  Daisy hadn’t done any magic since using it all up during the Fairy Quest. She had felt her magic regrowing inside her though, and thought that by now it might just be strong enough to use again. Taking out her wand, Daisy chanted, ‘I summon up a breeze that blows. Tickle my aunt under the nose.’

  A soft morning breeze swept through the window, swirling lightly around the room. Aunt Acacia wrinkled her face and snuggled deeper into the blankets.

  Losing patience, Daisy tapped the hammock with her toe. It swung sideways and Aunt Acacia startled awake. The hammock wobbled as she struggled to sit up, twisting and dumping Acacia, blankets and all, onto the hardwood floor. Rubbing her head, she looked up at Daisy with a bemused expression on her face.

  Daisy held out her hand. ‘Nutcake?’

  Nen chose that moment to walk past. One look at Aunt Acacia sprawled on the floor and Daisy was sent to wait outside so her aunt could have breakfast in peace.

  Determined to wait patiently this time, Daisy snuggled into a soft, mossy spot in the garden beneath her favourite mushroom cap. She closed her eyes and was soon lost in a daydream of flying through the canopy.

  But a panicked chitter from Vu brought Daisy back to the present.

  5

  Into the Forest

  Daisy jolted upright and scanned the yard, sighing with relief when she saw Vu playing aerial chase with Nelli. Daisy smiled, watching them play, her daydreams still floating around her head. Soon she’d be able to join in with the flying games, too.

  A few moments later, Maggie flew into the yard. She was humming softly to herself and carrying a handful of baby gum leaves.

  ‘What are the leaves for?’ called Daisy.

  Maggie’s face lit up with excitement.

  ‘I’ve been experimenting,’ Maggie said. By blowing across the sides of the leaves, I’ve managed to make different notes. Now I’m trying to put a tune together.’

  Of course, thought Daisy rolling her eyes. It would be something musical.

  Music was Maggie’s Calling. She was always humming or singing or tapping things together. She loved experimenting with different sounds and putting them into the songs she made. And just like the magpies that were her namesake, she had a beautiful voice for singing.

  Though Daisy liked music, she wasn’t passionate about it like Maggie. She wasn’t really passionate about anything yet but was sure she would be one day, when she found her Calling. Though she would never tell anyone, Daisy had a strong feeli
ng that her Calling would be something special, something no other fairy had been Called to.

  Aunt Acacia stepped through the back door and spied Daisy under the mushroom cap. She waved her hand and called her over. ‘Well, what are you waiting for? You seemed so eager to get started with your lessons.’

  Daisy called to Vu but he chittered back that he was having too much fun with Nelli and would catch up with her later.

  Aunt Acacia threw an arm around Daisy’s shoulders, affectionately pulling her close. ‘I guess it’s just the two of us then,’ she winked.

  ‘Where are we going?’ Daisy asked as she and Acacia strolled through the forest.

  ‘Everywhere,’ said Aunt Acacia. ‘Come, sit with me for a moment.’

  Once seated, Acacia drew her wand from a cleverly hidden sheath inside her boot. Aunt Acacia’s wand was unlike any other that Daisy had seen: its pale, white wood was wrapped at intervals with many coloured ribbons, and a precious opal was set into its tip. Daisy was mesmerised by it as Aunt Acacia twitched her wrist to perform a spell.

  ‘Summon clay, feather and bark, to light a mind that now is dark.’

  Tiny purple sparks shot from the tip of Acacia’s wand, arcing through the air to dance across her palm. As they spun, the sparks fused together. They blended and changed colour, forming a rolled-up piece of paperbark, a tiny bottle of ochre and a lorikeet feather quill. Acacia placed these on the ground beside her, then took both of Daisy’s hands in her own.

  ‘Now, I know I’m not usually so serious, but this is important. Flying will give you a lot more freedom than you’re used to and allow you to travel much further than you ever have before.’

  Acacia’s words sent Daisy’s imagination soaring. She pictured herself flying to far-off parts of the forest and even beyond the forest boundary, meeting new animals and fairies, and maybe even seeing a human . . .