The Special Secret by Chloe Ryder Page A

that in places it was higher than Pippa’s head. It was like walking through a pale-green forest. Soon they came out of the grass and into a clearing. To Pippa’s surprise there was a small farmhouse with a large yard.
    â€œMucker!” squealed Stardust. Breaking away from the group, she trotted over to a stocky dark-brown pony with a white blaze, four white stockings, and a black mane and tail.
    â€œPrincess Stardust!”
    Stardust and Mucker brushed noses.
    â€œI’m so glad you’ve come to help with the harvest. I’ve heard lots about you,” he added, shyly nodding at Pippa. “You’re here to save Chevalia.”
    Pippa blushed as red as a strawberry. Everyone had such high hopes for her. She didn’t want to let Chevalia down.

    Stardust’s big sister, Princess Crystal, was standing in the middle of the farmyard putting ponies into groups. As first in line to the throne of Chevalia, she was expected to help supervise the younger ponies on Harvest Day.
    â€œNo talking!” Crystal yelled as she looked at her clipboard. “Stardust and Pippa, you’re with—eeek!”
    Crystal let out a huge shriek and, dropping her clipboard, galloped full speed across the yard.
    Stardust snorted with laughter, then quickly turned it into a cough as Crystal trotted back, her nose in the air as if nothing had happened.
    â€œIt was a horsefly,” Stardust explained to a puzzled Pippa. “Crystal’s terrified of them.”
    Crystal nervously batted the air with her clipboard in case the horsefly returned. She continued, “Stardust and Pippa are with Mucker.”
    Mucker’s face lit up. “Come on—I’ll show you both where to go,” he said happily.
    Mucker led them out of the yard to a muddy field full of tall grass with stems as thick as bamboo shoots. A group of ponies wearing red ribbons were already hard at work. Their legs and faces were splattered with mud and their coats were steaming. As Pippa and Stardust trotted over to the group with Mucker, he explained that it was very hard work harvesting the grass.

    â€œIt’s much thicker than usual,” said Mucker. “Dad can’t understand it. He didn’t do anything different this year.”
    The members of Mucker’s family were farm ponies, and he loved working with them on the land. He gave Pippa some tools and showed her how to harvest the grass.
    Pippa learned quickly and realized that she was beginning to enjoy the work. The grass may have been thick and strong but it made a soft, whispery noise as it was cut.
    The whispering grew more insistent. Suddenly, Pippa realized it was a voice.
    â€œWhat did you say?” she asked Stardust.
    â€œNothing,” replied Stardust, who had a smudge of brown mud on her face.

    Pippa was puzzled—she was sure Stardust had said something. She continued cutting and after a while she heard Stardust speak again.
    â€œSorry, I didn’t quite catch that,” Pippa said.
    â€œCatch what?” asked Stardust.
    â€œWhat you just said.”
    Stardust looked strangely at Pippa. “I never said a word.”
    â€œBut I can hear a voice. Listen!” Pippa added. “There it is again.”
    Stardust stood still, her ears twitching as she concentrated on listening. “Sorry,” she said at last. “All I can hear is the buzz of horseflies, nothing else.”
    Pippa couldn’t understand it. The buzzing voice was beginning to irritate her. Why couldn’t Stardust hear it too?
    â€œWell, look who it is,” a voice said loudly—a different voice, but one that Pippa knew. “It’s Princess Grunge and her best friend, Dirt Girl!”
    Pippa turned around and faced Cinders, the meanest pony in the Royal Court.

Chapter 2
    â€œSo now we know,” Cinders said loudly, her eyes narrowing.
    â€œKnow what?” asked Stardust.
    â€œThat you’re a fake.” Cinders gave a