“Mr. Cleverfeather!” said Jess, turning to see the owl standing behind them.
“You can use my pea-shoot laugh,” Mr. Cleverfeather explained. “I mean, my secret path. Ta-da!” He swished back a curtain of willow fronds, revealing a wooden path covered in vines that snaked through the treetops.
“A walkway!” cried Lily.
“It helps me get around,” said Mr. Cleverfeather. “My old wings aren’t what they used to be.”
Thanking Mr. Cleverfeather, Goldie, Jess, and Lily ran off along the walkway, grabbing the wooden railings to keep their balance. Soon they were close enough to see Lucy huddled in a cage made from sticks and rope.
“Help!” Lucy whimpered.
“We’re here, Lucy!” Goldie called. “We’ll get you out!”
When she saw them, Lucy’s ears perked up. “Goldie and the girls! Hooray!” she shouted, hopping around on her tiny paws.
When they reached the cage, Jess tugged at the ropes that held the bars together—but they wouldn’t budge. Lily and Goldie tried, too, but the ropes remained firmly tied.
Lucy’s ears drooped back down. In a trembling voice, she asked, “Will I have to stay here forever?”
“Of course not!” said Lily. “We’re going to save you.” But she gave Jess and Goldie a worried look. How could they free the little bunny?
Goldie was examining the knots that held the ropes in place. “Pongo tied these really tightly. We need something to loosen them...”
Jess felt a fizz of excitement as an idea came to her. She took her pencil out of her shorts pocket and worked the tip into the bunched-up knot.
Goldie’s green eyes gleamed as the knot fell apart. “Great job, Jess!”
Jess took one end of the rope, Lily the other, and together they undid the cage. The sticks came apart and Lucy bounded out onto the walkway.
“You rescued me!” she cried, her white tail bobbing as she hopped around their feet. “Thank you, Goldie! Thank you, girls!”
Lily kneeled down to pick Lucy up. She curled up in the crook of Lily’s arm, her whiskers twitching happily.
They hurried back to Mr. Cleverfeather’s tree, where the owl gave a delighted squawk. “Young Lucy! I’m so happy to see you wit and fell—er, fit and well.”
Goldie’s tail drooped. “We’ve rescued Lucy,” she said, “but how can we stop the Boggits before they completely destroy the Blossom Briar?”
Jess gave a cry of excitement. “I have an idea! Mr. Cleverfeather, can we borrow your leaf blower?”
Hiding behind a bush next to Goldie’s grotto, Jess got the leaf blower ready. A horrible smell filled the air, like filthy pond water mixed with stinky sneakers and moldy cheese. Through the bush’s leaves, they could see the Boggits stomping around the Blossom Briar. Many of its flowers had been ripped down and lay trampled around the clearing.
Lucy trembled in Lily’s lap and folded her ears over her eyes.
“Don’t worry,” Lily whispered. “We’ll keep you safe.”
Sniff’s dirty, multicolored fur bounced as she clambered onto Whiffy’s back so she could reach more flowers. She tore down a red one, yelling, “This be good Boggit fun!”
Reek jumped up and gripped a branch of the Blossom Briar that was covered in yellow flowers. With a creak, it snapped under his weight. “Haargh! Haargh!” Reek laughed. He threw the branch into the clearing, where Pongo jumped up and down on it, crushing the petals.
Goldie’s eyes flashed. “I think we’ve seen enough,” she whispered. “Hurry, Jess!”
Jess pressed the leaf blower’s button.
Buzzzz!
SWOOOSH!
A gust of air blew, sending trampled petals into a rainbow-colored whirlwind spinning around the Boggits.
“Uggy! Uggy!” Pongo cried.
“Nasty flowers in my fur!” shrieked Sniff. “Get them off!”
Reek yelled in panic. “Beastly petals in my pants!”
“Pooh! I smell like flowers!” Whiffy roared, brushing off blossoms. “Disgusting! Boggits must get out of here!”
Lily, Jess, and Goldie giggled. Even Lucy peeped out when Jess gave another quick blast, making the Boggits shriek.
“What’s happening?” Lucy asked.
“The Boggits like dirt and nasty smells,” Lily whispered, “so if we smother them with pretty flowers, they’ll go away.”
Buzzzz!
The shrieks and yells grew louder.
“Boggits, back to Grizelda’s tower!” Pongo bellowed. “Bath in mud pool will take nasty flower smells away.”
The horrible creatures thundered off into the trees.
“Hooray!” yelled Jess and Lily. Goldie reached up and grabbed their hands, spinning them around in delight, while Lucy hopped beside them, her tiny white tail bouncing.
Then Jess noticed that a familiar orb of yellow-green light was zipping through the trees toward them...
Goldie’s fur stood on end. “Grizelda!”
Chapter Eight
Watch Out, Grizelda!
The orb of light burst into a storm of angry yellow sparks that faded to reveal Grizelda. Her green hair flicked and twisted like snakes.
Lucy dived back beneath the bush, but Jess, Lily, and Goldie stood their ground.
“Don’t think that you’ve defeated me!” the witch screeched. “You’ve stopped the Boggits this time, but I’ll find a way to take Friendship Forest for myself!”
Jess’s legs were trembling, but she stepped forward. “It won’t work, Grizelda,” she said. “Whatever you try, we’ll stop you!”
Grizelda stooped down low and narrowed her eyes. When she spoke, Jess could feel her cold breath. “Two girls and a cat are no match for me,” she hissed. “You better watch out!”
She snapped her fingers and disappeared in another flash of sparks.
After a moment’s silence, Lily spoke. “Actually, it’s Grizelda who better watch out.”
Jess nodded. “We’ll help keep Friendship Forest safe, Goldie.”
The cat slipped a paw into each of their hands. “I knew I was right about you two,” she said, smiling. “Come on, let’s take Lucy home.”
“And the Boggits ran away, covered in petals,” said Jess, finishing the story of their adventure to all the animals at the Toadstool Café.
Mr. and Mrs. Longwhiskers pulled Lucy into a hug. “Thank you so much for rescuing her,” Mr. Longwhiskers cried.
“Hooray for Goldie and the girls!” chanted Harry Prickleback and Bella Tabbypaw. “They stopped the witch!”
The other animals joined in while Captain Ace the stork flew a loop-the-loop above them.
Mrs. Longwhiskers disappeared into the café to make a celebration dinner, while Mr. Longwhiskers asked about the poor Blossom Briar.
“In time, its blossoms will grow back,” Goldie said. “I’m afraid some of the flowers in the forest have been damaged, but most of them are safe.”
After a little while, Mrs. Longwhiskers called, “Dinner’s ready!”
The café tables were laden with delicious food. Mr. Longwhiskers poured blackberry juice and strawberry soda into acorn cups. They ate honey sandwiches and rolls filled with watercress, cherry tomatoes, and sweet radishes. Next were slices of iced seed cake with cherries on top. Mrs. Longwhiskers said that the cakes were only cookie-size for Lily and Jess, so they could have a whole one each!