Prize Problems by Janet Rising Page A

Woo-hoo!
    Hey, PW , it read, hurry up and come home. My heart started racing—he was missing me! I can’t talk to Moth without you-know-who!
    My heart settled down to its usual pace. You-know-who was our code name for Epona. James was missing my statuette, not me. Or maybe, I thought, pathetically clutching at straws, that was just an excuse. I know, I know, desperate, or what?
    Annoyed at allowing myself to be so pathetic, I dialed Katy’s number, hoping for some good news that wouldn’t juggle around with my heart. She’d be at the yard now, checking on Bluey and Drum and turning them out for the night. I wanted to know what Drum had been up to and how Katy had done at the first of her two Easter hunter trials. It rang forever and then, finally…
    â€œHuddo,” said a voice. It was Katy’s voice, sort of—if Katy was wearing a clown’s nose and happened to be speaking from the inside of a bag with air as thick as pudding.
    â€œWhat’s wrong with you?” I asked, bewildered.
    â€œI’m thick,” said Katy in her new voice.
    â€œDon’t be an idiot, you’re really smart,” I said.
    â€œNo, thick. ILL,” Katy explained, sniffing.
    â€œOh, poor you. What have you got?” I asked her.
    â€œFur-loo. Horwid, stoopid, inconveedient fur-loo!” she replied, obviously not impressed.
    â€œYou sound like you’ve got a speech impediment,” I told her.
    â€œThat’s helbfoll. Makes me feel buch bedder,” she sniffed. “Dow go away, I’m dyin’.”
    â€œHow’s Drummer?” I said, wondering who was looking after him. It sounded like Katy was out of action. Maybe Dee was seeing to him—she was caring for Tiffany for Bean. I could just imagine how annoyed she would be, having two extra ponies to feed and check over. Or—and my heart did another flip at the thought—maybe James was caring for Drum. I wouldn’t mind that.
    â€œOh, Peer, don’t be bad ad me,” Katy said, swallowing hard.
    â€œWhat? Oh, you mean mad. Of course I won’t be mad. You have got someone to look after Drum, haven’t you?” My heart started thudding in my chest. What if Drum had been left to fend for himself? A vision of my bay pony looking forlornly over his half-door wafted before my eyes. An image of the other ponies being mucked out and fed, of Drummer being ignored. Of Drum gazing down the drive waiting for me to come and feed him. Waiting in vain. Was anyone caring for my Drummer?
    â€œShe off-ed, and you dow she takes really good care of Bambi,” Katy continued.
    I held my breath. NOOOOOOOO, I thought, my head spinning. Anyone but her. Katy had to be kidding!
    â€œAre you telling me…?” I began shakily, already knowing the answer and not quite knowing how I felt about it.
    â€œCat will see to Drum’s every need, you dow she will. I’m sorry Peer, I didn’t dow what else to do. Please don’t be bad ad me. She’s lookin’ arvta Bluey, too.”
    I felt numb all over. My darling pony was being cared for by my arch enemy, Catriona.
    Oh pooh, pooh, pooh!

Chapter 10
    When I woke on Wednesday morning, I felt more tired than I had the night before. I’d tossed and turned all night thinking about Catriona caring for Drummer. Why did it have to be her? Why couldn’t it have been anyone, anyone else? Dee-Dee, James, Leanne—even ancient Mrs. Bradley with Henry would be an improvement on Cat. Katy had obviously been desperate. It wasn’t until I’d eaten breakfast that I realized Katy must be missing her hunter trials. How selfish was I, worrying about Drum when poor Katy was ill in bed and missing the competitions she and Bluey had been so looking forward to? I hadn’t even asked her about them, I’d been so distracted by the thought of Cat looking after Drummer.
    I’d have to be grateful to Cat, I thought. I’d have to thank