Bella Tabbypaw in Trouble

Chapter Eight Home, Stinky Home

Jess and Lily helped Mr. Cleverfeather put the roof on a hut for the Boggits. He’d brought a new invention, the Lifter-upper. As Jess sat on a seat and pedaled madly, the Lifter-upper raised the roof. Lily pushed a button, and the roof moved directly above the hut.

Mr. Cleverfeather pressed a button. Down it dropped. Bang!

The Featherbills laid down a carpet of slimy pondweed from near their river barge.

“Urgh, it’s yucky,” said Ellie Featherbill.

“Boggits love yuck,” Lily giggled. “And muck.”

Other animals heaped garbage around the hut. Pongo looked at it fondly, as Reek and Sniff splashed in the mud. Bella and the fox cubs rolled around beside them.

“The smell doesn’t bother you after a while,” yelled Rusty, laughing.

Just then Mr. Cleverfeather called, “The rut’s heady—er, I mean the hut’s ready!”

“Not ready.” Whiffy grunted. “Hut needs mud.” She scooped up fistfuls of swamp goo and threw it over the roof.

The other Boggits joined in happily.

Reek grunted. “Girls and cat find swamp. Girls good!”

Sniff grinned. “Cat good!”

“Mud good!” cried Whiffy.

Pongo turned to Bella. “Kittycat want to help?”

Everybody wanted to help!

Suddenly, Lily’s eye was caught by an orb of light floating across the swamp.

“Grizelda!” she cried. “Grizelda’s here!”

The animals shrieked and ran to huddle behind Goldie and the girls.

The orb hovered, then, with a flash and a cra-ack, it burst in a shower of yellow sparks. In its place stood the witch, wearing her shiny purple tunic and pants, and her boots with their sharply pointed toes. Her green hair swirled around her head like snakes.

“Boggits!” she screeched. “Get back to work. Go and smash those pillars!”

There was a moment’s silence. The Boggits muttered together.

“Oh, no,” Lily whispered. “They’re going to obey her.”

“We can’t let them,” said Jess. “Boggits!” she yelled. “You have a new home. You don’t need to do what she says!”

Pongo looked at Jess. He looked at the dirty new hut. Then he turned to Grizelda. “No!” he shouted. “Boggits not helping anymore!”

Reek lumbered forward. “Grizelda smash pillars herself.” He growled.

“What!” shrieked Grizelda. “Me? Work? Are you crazy? You do it!”

Lily and Jess held their breath. Would the Boggits give in?

“No!” Whiffy snapped, peering from behind Sniff.

Grizelda screamed, “If you want a new home, get rid of the animals first—”

“No!” said Pongo. “Boggits is happy in swamp. Go away!”

Grizelda’s hair whipped the air. Her face was dark with rage. “I won’t give up,” she snarled. “Friendship Forest will be mine!”

She snapped her fingers and vanished in a shower of hissing red sparks.

The animals cheered. “Hooray for the Boggits!”

“Thank goodness she’s gone,” said Lily, then she gasped. “But what about the damage the Boggits did to the cavern? What if they’ve already done enough to harm the forest?”

“Oh, we stopped them before any serious damage was done,” said Goldie. “I’ll go and check later to make sure, but I think Toadstool Glade will be just fine.”

“Hooray! The forest is safe!” Lily cried.

But Jess noticed a flicker of worry cross Goldie’s face. “What is it?” she asked.

“I think Grizelda meant what she said,” Goldie said nervously. “She won’t give up until she has the forest for herself.”

Lily gave her a hug. “Then we’ll do our best to stop her. We promise!”

Jess hugged Goldie, too. “You can count on us!”

The animals waved good-bye to the Boggits, then set off home. The Boggits sat in the swamp, patting mud into their fur. They grinned at Goldie and the girls, showing their filthy teeth.

“I can’t believe we’re sort-of friends with them now.” Lily giggled.

“Me neither,” said Jess. “They’re all right when they’re not obeying Grizelda, aren’t they? Dirty, of course.”

“And smelly,” Lily said.

“And hideous and lumpy,” said Goldie.

“But kind of nice, too,” Jess added, and they laughed.

It was time to leave the swamp. Jess picked up a purring Bella, and Lily held the fox cubs’ paws. Overhead, the butterflies fluttered like a rainbow cloud.

Back in Toadstool Glade, the animals threw a party to celebrate. There was lots of yummy food from the Toadstool Café and everyone danced to music coming from a strange box that Mr. Cleverfeather called his Melody-o-Matic. Lily, Jess, and Goldie whirled around. Bella swished her tail in time to the music and the Longwhiskers family danced the bunny hop, which included lots of hopping.

Eventually, it was time for Lily and Jess to go home.

“My mom and dad won’t believe how much exploring I did,” said Bella as they gave her a farewell cuddle. “Thank you for rescuing me.”

“You’re very welcome,” said Lily. They waved good-bye to their other friends and followed Goldie to the Friendship Tree at the center of the forest.

When they reached it, Goldie said, “I’m so proud of you for helping to stop Grizelda. When I first saw you at the wildlife hospital, I knew I could count on such brave, kind girls.” She hugged them.

“We’ve had such wonderful adventures,” said Jess.

“I’ll come back for you soon,” Goldie promised. She touched a paw to the tree and a door appeared in the trunk. “Good-bye for now, girls!”

“Good-bye!” said Lily and Jess. Holding hands, they stepped through the door and into the golden light. When it faded, they were back in Brightley Meadow.

“What an amazing adventure,” sighed Jess as they went over the stepping-stones and back to Helping Paw. “I’m so glad the forest is safe.”

“Me, too,” agreed Lily.

Although the girls had been gone all night and much of that day, no time had passed in their world. At the wildlife hospital, the kittens were just waking up.

“They’re so cute,” said Lily. “The smallest one looks a bit like Bella, doesn’t she?”

“She does,” said Jess. “Oh, Lily, she’s so sweet. I wish—”

She stopped as the door opened, and Mr. Forester came in, clutching his mug of tea.

“Jess, I’ve been thinking,” he said. “We’ll need to find homes for all these kittens. Maybe one of them could live with us.”

She threw her arms around him. “Oh, thanks, Dad!” she cried. “I’d really love the tiny one!”

Lily lifted the kitten into Jess’s hands. As the little creature purred, the girls shared a secret smile. What a magical day!

The End