Snowy Wishes by Sue Bentley Page B

twisted around, her eyes searching the small cabin.
    Crouching on top of the neat chest of drawers opposite, Robyn saw a tiny,fluffy white puppy, with cute floppy ears, a silky white tail, and midnight-blue eyes. Thousands of tiny diamond-bright golden sparkles glittered in its thick fur.

Robyn’s eyes widened. Her mom must have brought in the cute toy to cheer her up and then forgotten to tell her about it. She must be more affected by her seasickness than she’d realized—first she’d imagined floating on a sparkly bubble raft, and now she thought she’d heard this toy puppy speak to her!
    Robyn stood up and went to reachout toward the toy. “Hello. Aren’t you gorgeous? I wonder where Mom found you.”

    “I came here by myself,” the puppy woofed. “When you fell, I used my magic to stop you from being hurt. I am sorry if I startled you.”
    Robyn gasped and pulled her hand back as if it had been burned. “You…you
can
talk!” she cried.
    The puppy blinked up at her with wide midnight-blue eyes. Despite its tiny size, it didn’t seem to be afraid of her. “Yes.I am Storm of the Moon-claw pack. What is your name? And what is this strange moving place?”
    “Robyn. Robyn Parsons. And we’re on a ship called
Sea Princess
. I’m here on a Christmas cruise with my parents,” Robyn explained, her mind still whirling. She found it difficult to take all this in, but she didn’t want to scare the amazing puppy away. “Um…I don’t know what you did just now, but thanks for helping me. I could have hurt myself badly.”
    “You are welcome,” Storm yapped.
    Robyn slowly backed up to the edge of her bunk and then sat down. “Sorry, I’m feeling a bit sick. I’ve been like this since we came on board.”
    Storm’s little pointed face clouded with concern. “I will make you better.”
    Robyn instantly felt another warm tingling sensation down her back as Storm reached out one fluffy, little white paw and sent a fountain of tiny sparks toward her. They whirled around her, humming like tiny worker bees before disappearing. She felt the sickness washing downward and draining out of her toes, just as if she’d been standing under the flow of a warm shower.
    “Wow! That’s amazing,” she cried delightedly, jumping up. “I don’t feel sick anymore, and I’m not dizzy or anything! Thanks again, Storm!”
    “That is good.” Storm grinned, showing his sharp little teeth, and then his face took on a serious expression. “I need to hide now, Robyn. Can you help me?”
    “I’d love to, but why do you need to do that?” Robyn asked, looking down at the cute white puppy, who was beginning to tremble all over.
    Storm’s midnight-blue eyes darkened with anger. “An evil lone wolf attacked our Moon-claw pack—he is called Shadow. Shadow killed my father and brothers and wounded my mother. He wants to lead our pack, but the others are waiting for me.”
    “But how can you lead a wolf pack? You’re a tiny pu–” Robyn began.
    “Stand back, please!” Storm interrupted.
    There was a dazzling flare of golden light, which blinded Robyn for a moment. For a second or two, she couldn’t see anything. But when hersight cleared, the cute white puppy had gone and in its place a magnificent young silver-gray wolf stood proudly, almost filling the whole of the tiny cabin. Its thick neck-ruff glittered all over as if it had been dipped in gold dust.
    Robyn caught her breath and would have backed away if there had been room. “Storm?” she gasped, eyeing theyoung wolf’s sharp teeth, strong muscles, and huge powerful paws.

    “Yes, it is me. Do not be afraid. I will not harm you,” Storm replied in a deep, velvety growl.
    Robyn had hardly got used to the great majestic wolf when there was a final flash of dazzling light. A shower of bright sparks crackled harmlessly down around her and Storm reappeared as a cute, fluffy white puppy.
    “Wow! You really are a wolf! That’s an amazing disguise,” Robyn