Daisy's New Wings Read online

  ‘I see that look on your face,’ said Acacia. ‘And yes, it is very exciting, but if you’re not careful it can be dangerous, too. So today, we’re going to take a closer look at the forest, identify what dangers might be lingering out there for a flying fairy, and think of ways we might avoid or get out of them.’ She passed Daisy the paperbark, ochre and quill. ‘Whenever I travel to a new place, I always make a map of any dangers. Today, you will make one, too.’

  Daisy sighed. ‘Why do I get the feeling it’s going to be a long time before I actually fly?’

  Acacia laughed and patted Daisy’s cheek. ‘Oh, Daisy, you have to walk before you can fly.’

  Setting off again on their forest ramble, it wasn’t long before Aunt Acacia pointed to danger number one – an orb-shaped web strung between two branches high above their heads.

  ‘I flew straight into one of those once. Had the whole front side of me stuck to the web,’ Aunt Acacia remembered.

  Daisy stopped in her tracks, imagining being stuck to the sticky strings of a spider web. She thought it would be pretty scary. ‘How did you escape?’ she asked.

  ‘It was all very terrifying but luckily I had my wand in my hand. At first I could hardly think from panic, but then, as the spider crept closer, I had a sudden brainwave. I cast a slippery spell on my skin and slid right out of my dress.’

  ‘So you mean . . .’

  ‘I had to fly all the way home in my underwear.’

  Daisy laughed. Maybe this morning wouldn’t be so boring after all.

  6

  An Imperfect Map

  It was almost lunchtime when they finally took a break. Daisy sat on a fallen branch, rubbing her aching legs and wishing she’d thought to bring something to eat.

  On the ground in front of her was the paperbark map on which she had drawn symbols showing the location of each and every currawong nest, spider web, snake den, thorny bush and wind tunnel within a morning’s walk from her home.

  Daisy tried not to think about the stories Aunt Acacia had told her of fairies stolen by currawongs or eaten by snakes. Instead, she focused on the lines of her drawings, trying to ignore the sap stains and dirt smudges that somehow kept appearing no matter how careful she tried to be.

  They had stopped so that Aunt Acacia could collect some leaves and stems from a native cherry tree. Hovering up among the branches, absorbed in the task at hand, Aunt Acacia wasn’t taking any notice of Daisy. It was an opportunity too good to miss.

  Taking out her wand, Daisy held it against the paperbark. ‘Dirt and smudges disappear. Make my map clean and clear.’

  A pale white light spread across the page, obliterating every mark upon it. Daisy watched, horrified, as, along with the smudges, every one of her drawings also disappeared. Within moments, the paperbark was completely blank.

  ‘All done,’ called Acacia as she fluttered back down to the ground. ‘Now, how’s your map going? Let me see.’

  Daisy flipped the paperbark over so her aunt couldn’t see. ‘No! I mean, it’s not ready yet. Some of the pictures aren’t very good and I want to fix them up before I show you.’

  ‘I’m not expecting perfection.’ Acacia smiled. ‘I’m sure it’s fine.’

  ‘I know,’ said Daisy. ‘But like you said, this is important, so I want to do it right. Could I have just a little more time?’

  Acacia laughed. ‘If you insist.’ She stared up at the sky. ‘It’s not quite midday. How about I meet you back home at lunchtime?’

  ‘Sounds great!’ Daisy sighed with relief. ‘You go ahead. I’ll just tidy up my work a bit and then follow along.’

  Aunt Acacia gave her a quizzical look, as though she knew there was something Daisy wasn’t telling her. But with a swoosh of her wings, she took off into the air. Daisy watched until she was out of sight.

  She flipped the paperbark over once more. The page was still blank, all her work gone. Taking out her wand, Daisy held it against the paperbark and whispered, ‘Undo.’

  Once again the pale white light crept across the page, leaving a trail of marks in its wake. Daisy’s map began to reappear – every drawing, but also every smudge and stain. Within moments, it was exactly as it had previously been.

  She was wondering how to fix it when Vu flew up to hover before her nose.

  ‘Vu!’ Daisy squealed, pleased to see her friend. ‘How did you find me?’

  Vu chittered that it took persistence, and a little help from Aunt Acacia. He landed on Daisy’s shoulder, leaning over to peer at the map. One quick glance and he turned to Daisy, chittering his disappointment.

  ‘I know. It’s dreadful! I tried magic to get rid of all the stains, but it made things worse. I don’t think there’s anything I can do.’

  Without warning, Vu launched himself into the air. He chirped quite cheerfully that Daisy was hopeless without him, then disappeared between the trees.

  That wasn’t very helpful, thought Daisy. She looked at her map and sighed. Nothing would get those sap stains out. She’d just have to apologise to Acacia and hope she wasn’t too disappointed in her.

  With a chitter of triumph, Vu zoomed back into the clearing. Dangling from his claws was a thin piece of paperbark.

  Flying up to hover before Daisy’s face, Vu dropped the paperbark into her lap.

  ‘Good thinking, Vu!’ said Daisy, giving him a quick scratch on the head before settling down to work. With a whole map to copy, there was no time to dawdle.

  The sun was just reaching its peak as Daisy swept into her garden and hurried across the leaf litter, holding her newly drawn map open so the ink could dry in the breeze. The nutty scent of roasted seeds floated through the open back door, making Daisy’s mouth water. She quickened her step.

  ‘Mmm, what’s that delicious smell?’ she asked as she stepped inside.

  Acacia was lifting something from the stone basin, which was filled with hot ashes. ‘Wattle seed damper,’ she said. ‘Nen’s been wanting my recipe for years but it’s the only thing I cook better than her so I’m determined not to tell.’ She winked at Daisy, brushing away the ashes and placing the damper on a large plate.

  Snatching the map from Daisy’s hand, Vu gave it to Acacia.

  ‘Thank you, Vu.’ Acacia smiled. ‘Now I’ll have something to look at while Daisy sets the table. Wow, you’ve done a great job of this map, Daisy. Keep it somewhere safe, and the first few times you go flying make sure you have it with you so you can avoid all the danger spots.’

  Plonking jam and plates on the table, Daisy turned to her hopefully. ‘Will I be flying this afternoon?’

  ‘Ah,’ said Acacia. ‘First we eat. Then we’ll discuss this afternoon.’

  7

  Together Again

  Daisy stood amongst the leaf litter just outside the back door, wondering anxiously what her next lesson would be. Her aunt had told her to leave the map in her bedroom, so she knew she wouldn’t be flying just yet.

  ‘So,’ said Acacia. ‘Are you ready for some exercise?’

  Daisy looked at her warily. ‘That depends. Will I be exercising my legs or my wings?’

  From his perch on a nearby sapling, Vu chittered that she wouldn’t fly far by fluttering her legs.

  ‘I agree with Vu,’ said Acacia. ‘I think we’d better focus on your wings.’

  Daisy sighed with relief. ‘Sounds good to me.’

  ‘Right,’ said Acacia. She stepped over to examine Daisy’s wings. ‘Very pretty! But not ready to fly.’

  Vu chittered his agreement.

  ‘What do you mean?’ asked Daisy. ‘What’s wrong with them?’

  ‘Nothing’s wrong with them,’ said Acacia. ‘Your shoulder muscles just aren’t very strong yet. We need to build them up if they’re to hold you in the air. Watch me.’ Acacia began to move her wings. ‘Up, down, out and in. Up, down, out and in. Alright, Daisy, your turn.’

  Acacia turned Daisy around and took hold of her wings.

  ‘Do you remember the pattern?’
/>   ‘Up, down, out and in,’ said Daisy as Acacia guided her wings.

  ‘Excellent!’ said Acacia. ‘A few hours practice will make all the difference.’

  ‘A few hours?’ cried Daisy in disbelief.

  ‘If you want strong muscles, you have to give them a workout.’ Acacia was adamant but gave Daisy a sympathetic look. ‘I’m sure the time will pass quickly. Just use your imagination to make it fun . . . and maybe find somewhere with a good view.’

  Acacia made to head back into the house.

  ‘Aren’t you going to stay with me?’ Daisy ran after her.

  ‘Sorry, honey, but it’s just repetition now and I’ve got other work to do. Go and find a nice, quiet spot to practise and I’ll see you around mid-afternoon.’ With a quick pat on Daisy’s shoulder she disappeared back inside the house.

  ‘Nice and quiet?’ groaned Daisy. ‘Learning to fly should be challenging and exciting, not nice and quiet!’

  Flying down to land on Daisy’s shoulder, Vu snuggled for a moment against her cheek. Then he marched across her shoulder and down her arm. When he reached her upturned palm he lifted the stiff green elytra that covered his flying wings and, with short, sharp trills, began to mimic Daisy’s exercises.

  ‘Yes, sir! Right away, sir!’ laughed Daisy as she followed his lead.

  Still practising, they headed into the forest. ‘Up, down, out and in,’ Daisy chanted as Vu trilled in time. So caught up in the pattern was she that Daisy hardly noticed where they were going. Time slipped away and the outside world faded as she and Vu lost themselves to the rhythm.

  Suddenly, with hardly any recollection of how they got there, they came to a stop at the top of the waterfall.

  Daisy stared out across the deep pool below, thinking of when they had been here for her Fairy Quest. She had conjured a rainbow, but then almost drowned, trapped in the tumbling water that had dragged her down to the lily pond below. If not for Ripple, the water nymph who’d saved her, Daisy doubted if she would have made it out alive.

  ‘Do you think Ripple might be down there right now, Vu?’ Daisy asked.

  Vu chittered that there was only one way to find out.

  Daisy grinned. ‘Let’s give it a go then, shall we?’

  She dropped to her knees beside the waterfall, poked her face under the water and called Ripple’s name as loudly as she could – just like the water nymph had told her. The words bubbled from her mouth, snatched away to topple through the waterfall and down to the pool below.

  Standing up, Daisy scanned the water for any movement that would signal something rising up from below.

  There was nothing.

  Bending back down to the water, she pushed her face beneath it and called out again. As she brushed the wet strands of hair back from her face, something caught her eye.

  There was a flicker of movement in the pond below, then a flash of green as something dived out of the pool, into the waterfall and out of view. Daisy waited, grinning, until a few moments later a triumphant Ripple leapt through the top of the waterfall, swimming through the rushing water to the shallows where Daisy stood.

  ‘Wow,’ said Ripple. ‘Look at those wings! You’re certainly a real fairy now.’

  ‘Thanks,’ said Daisy, not sure whether to be proud or insulted.

  Flying over to hover before Ripple’s face, Vu chittered indignantly that Daisy had always been a real fairy.

  ‘I know,’ said Ripple. ‘It just wasn’t so obvious before.’

  ‘I’m so glad to see you again,’ said Daisy. ‘What shall we do?’

  ‘I know!’ said Ripple. And with one swift movement, she pulled Daisy into the water.

  Daisy squealed in panic. Aunt Acacia’s map hadn’t covered swimming. What if her wings filled with water and pulled her under?

  Tucking her wings against her back to free her arms for swimming, Daisy pushed up to the surface.

  She felt behind her and was relieved to find the water had simply flowed over her wings, just like it did on the fishing birds that dived in the river.

  Laughing and squealing, they played in the water, Ripple diving under to pull Daisy’s legs, Daisy splashing Ripple in the face whenever she rose to the surface.

  Finally, too tired to go on, Daisy crawled from the water and lay in the sun.

  The fine yellow feathers of her wings were wet and bedraggled, so heavy against her back that she barely had the strength to lift them.

  ‘So much for building up my muscles,’ Daisy said. ‘I don’t think I’ll be flying any time soon.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ asked Ripple.

  Daisy explained about the exercises she had been meant to do.

  ‘Don’t worry,’ said Ripple. ‘They’ll dry out soon and you can start again.’

  As Daisy sat up, stretching her wings wide to catch the warm rays of the sun, Vu flew over from where he’d been hiding, away from the water and any danger of getting wet, and chittered that it was time to go.

  Daisy looked up at the sky. It was mid-afternoon already. ‘I have to go,’ she told Ripple. ‘Aunt Acacia will be waiting.’

  Bending down, she kissed her friend on the cheek. ‘Thank you for a lovely afternoon,’ she said, then smiled as she realised something that made excitement bubble up inside her. ‘Next time I see you, I’ll be flying!’

  8

  Racing

  As Daisy walked across the back garden to her house, Vu chittered that he needed a nap. Daisy watched him fly through the knothole into their bedroom.

  Aunt Acacia was waiting for her by the back door. ‘How did your exercises go? Are you feeling stronger yet?’

  ‘A little, I think,’ said Daisy, walking over to join her aunt.

  ‘Well, we’ll soon find out,’ said Aunt Acacia. ‘Come on, we have a bit of a walk ahead of us, and if we don’t get started the day will be over before we get there.’

  Daisy had a spark of a thought. ‘I know how we could get there quickly,’ she said. She unclasped her locket and took out a pair of tiny, silver boots. Tapping them with her wand, she whispered, ‘Undo.’

  ‘How clever is that?!’ exclaimed Aunt Acacia, as they changed into a pair of green, lace-up boots, perfectly sized to fit Daisy’s feet.

  ‘You haven’t seen anything yet!’ Daisy grinned, slipping the boots onto her feet.

  ‘Tell me where we’re going and I’ll race you there,’ said Daisy.

  ‘I’ll take that challenge,’ said Aunt Acacia, her eyes gleaming with anticipation and her wings fluttering behind her, ready to go. ‘Race you to the old angophora tree,’ she said, swooshing into the air and away.

  The race was on!

  Daisy skipped between the trees, her magic boots turning each step into a leap. The familiar forest paths became hazy and indistinct as Daisy sped through the bush. Every now and then, Daisy glanced at the sky. A flash of purple showed her Aunt Acacia keeping up.

  Daisy burst into a run, leaving Aunt Acacia far behind.

  The sounds of the forest jumbled together. The crinkling leaves, the soft whoosh of the wind, the birdcalls and insect cheeps blended into a joyful music that sent a shivery thrill down Daisy’s back.

  In no time at all the outline of the old angophora tree appeared in the distance. The soft ground beneath Daisy’s feet was replaced with huge sandstone rocks. Daisy stopped and took off her boots, thinking it might be safer to walk the last few steps to the edge of the plateau.

  The old angophora was a massive tree. In defiance of the wind and fearless of gravity, it grew on the very edge of the sandstone plateau, its twisting, grey-green trunk and branches leaning out over the River Sea. Though she rarely got the chance, Daisy loved to sit high up among the angophora’s long, green leaves and watch the river flowing between the forest shores on its way to the ocean beyond. It was one of her favourite places to daydream.

  There was no time for daydreaming now though as Aunt Acacia zipped through the trees, dropping down with alarming speed to land beside Daisy
on the plateau.

  ‘I didn’t think you had a chance of beating me,’ said a startled Aunt Acacia. ‘With shoes like those I’m starting to wonder whether you need to fly at all. Maybe I should just save my time and head home . . .’ she said as she made to fly back.

  Daisy’s heart pounded. Surely Aunt Acacia couldn’t be serious? ‘Wait! You are joking, aren’t you?’ she asked.

  Aunt Acacia turned around. ‘Would I do that?’ she said with a wink. ‘Now, take hold of my wrists and don’t let go,’ said Aunt Acacia, wrapping her hands around Daisy’s wrists and gripping them tightly.

  Daisy felt the ground fall away beneath her as Aunt Acacia surged into the air and she dangled from her aunt’s outstretched hands. Up they went, following the tree trunk as it twisted and curved.

  As they passed the first fork in the trunk, gusts of wind swirled around the tree. Daisy grinned and swung her feet as the wind tickled her cheeks.

  Higher and higher they flew until they had almost reached the very top. Acacia hovered over a slim, jutting branch and lowered Daisy onto it.

  Daisy’s feet touched down lightly on the old angophora tree, exhilaration and excitement flowing through every part of her body. A strong, southerly wind gusted through the high branches, making the tree creak and the branch sway beneath her. With her feet balanced lightly, Daisy shifted her weight so as not to be blown off.

  ‘Bend forward,’ Aunt Acacia called into the wind as she landed gracefully beside Daisy and settled herself into a seated position. ‘Feel the wind pushing against you. That’s right. Now, slowly stretch out your wings.’

  Daisy nodded. She had been holding her wings tightly against her back, but now she released them, stretching them wide and displaying their full magnificence.

  ‘Excellent,’ called Acacia, making Daisy beam. ‘You have wonderful wind resistance. See if you can get some movement going. Beat your wings back and forth.’