The Storm Dragon Read Online Free Page A

bedroom and dashed inside, shutting the door behind her. Then she put the basket down on her woollen rug and pulled the sheets off Cloudy.
    The little dragon had fallen fast asleep.

Chapter Six
Furry Friends
    Sophy gazed at the little sleeping dragon. He looked so cute with his soft purple cheeks and a faint curl of smoke coming from his nostrils. How could anyone think of throwing him into a dungeon? Now and then he gave a little squeaky snore and his wings twitched. Sophy wondered if he was dreaming about flying. His left wing was still crooked. How was she going to help him get back to his family when he couldn’t fly?
    Sophy took the bag of stones from her apron pocket. All the rocks were dull and grey exceptfor the magical one. She tucked the bag with all the ordinary stones into the back of her sock drawer. Then she took out some thread and tied the two halves of hollow rock together before fastening the cotton around her neck. The rock looked as if it were whole again.
    Sophy smiled. Wearing the magical stone as a necklace would be much better than picking it up every time she wanted to talk to Cloudy. The rock was tucked beneath her clothes so there was no danger of anyone seeing it.
    Cloudy stirred and blinked at her with large amber eyes.
    Sophy knelt down next to his basket. “Cloudy, I’ve been thinking. Maybe I could take a look at your wing and see how poorly it is? Helping you get home would be a lot easier if you could fly.”
    Cloudy yawned and sat up, stretching out his crooked wing. “OK, Sophy,” he said bravely.
    Sophy studied the wing anxiously. “Does it hurt if you move it?”
    Cloudy tried to flap the wing but hardly managed to lift it at all. His little face crumpled and tears came to his eyes.
    Sophy’s heart ached to see him upset again. “Don’t worry,” she said. “Cook has a brown medicine that she gives me when I hurt myself. Maybe it works on dragons too.”
    Cloudy sniffed miserably. “Mummy always gives me dragonweed.”
    “Dragonweed? Is that a plant?” Sophy wrinkled her forehead. She’d never heard of dragonweed but Tom might know what it was as he did so much gardening.
    Two big tears rolled down Cloudy’s cheeks. “I miss my mummy and I’m sooo hungry!” The last part almost turned into a howl and a burst of wind whirled round the bedroom. Sophy had to shush him and stroke his ears. When Cloudy grew calmer the wind dropped again.
    “If I go to fetch you some food, do you promise you’ll stay quiet?” she asked him.
    Cloudy nodded eagerly. “The cake was yummy but I need more to nibble.”
    “I’ll find you something.” Sophie smiled. Dragons obviously had big appetites even when they were young!
    She crept down to the kitchen to look for leftovers that no one would miss. While Cook was outside talking to the delivery boy, she took a piece of cherry pie, three carrots and a bowl of macaroni cheese. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her that she was pretty hungry too. Wrapping the food in her apron, she hurried away and nearly ran straight into Sir Fitzroy.
    “Someone find me that dragon!” he was yelling as he stormed down the corridor.
    Sophy hung back in the shadows until he’d passed by. Then she dashed upstairs as fast as she could. She found Cloudy curled up in her bed, but still awake. His purple tail looked funny sticking out of the side of the quilt.
    “Here you are.” She set the food downcarefully. “I don’t really know what dragons eat so I hope you like it.”

    Cloudy leapt out of bed. “Mmm – yum!” he said, taking a bite of carrot.
    Sophy took a carrot too and sat down next to him. There was a scratching at the door. She jumped, then realised it was probably only Spaghetti, the castle cat, who liked to sleep on her bed in the afternoons. She opened the door and the big ginger cat strolled in and got halfway across the room before noticing Cloudy. Spaghetti gave a startled meow and her fur stood on end. Then she sprang into the corner and