The Storm Dragon Read Online Free Page B

took up guard there, her green eyes fixed on the dragon.
    Cloudy waved his tail at the cat and went on eating. After munching the carrots, he scoffed the cherry pie in one bite and then peered doubtfully at the bowl of pasta. “What’s that?”
    “It’s macaroni cheese. You eat it with this.” Sophy showed him a spoon. “Although now Ithink about it, spoons are probably a bit tricky for a dragon.”
    Cloudy licked the pasta suspiciously and a huge smile spread over his face. “I love macaroni sneeze!”
    “Macaroni cheese !” said Sophy, laughing.
    Cloudy dipped his face to the bowl, gobbled up the pasta and licked his lips. “ More macaroni sneeze, Sophy?” he purred.
    “I don’t think there is any more,” said Sophy, amazed at how much food the little dragon ate.
    There was a whistling from outside and she ran to open the window. Tom was walking past, pushing a wheelbarrow.
    “Tom!” she called softly.
    He stopped underneath the window. “What’s up? Is everything OK?”
    “We’re fine.” She looked around, checking that no one was close enough to hear. “Do you know what dragonweed looks like?”
    “Yes, it’s a little plant with orange flowers.There’s a lot of it in the fields outside the castle.”
    Sophy was going to ask more questions about the dragonweed, but a guard came round the corner. Tom gave her a wave and pushed his wheelbarrow away.
    Closing the window, Sophy thought hard about what Tom had said and her plan for Cloudy’s escape. She could sneak out, search for the dragonweed and bring it back to fix Cloudy’s wing. But what if she couldn’t find the right plant? Then Cloudy would still be trapped.
    No, she would take Cloudy with her. They would go while everyone was having dinner. There would still be guards on the gate but she would get past them somehow. There had to be a way!
    Turning back, she was surprised to find that Spaghetti had jumped on to the bed to join them. The dragon padded up to Sophy’s pillowand breathed on it to make it warm. “There you go, kitty!”
    Spaghetti curled up on the cosy pillow, looking very satisfied. Cloudy began singing softly.

    Sophy didn’t catch all of it but she heard a line about flying through moonlit clouds.
    When the little dragon had finished singing, Sophy asked, “Where’s your home, Cloudy? Do you live near here?”
    Cloudy shook his head. “We live on the rocky cliffs by the Great Ocean. But we are always flying – to the Whispering Forest where the star wolves sing and over the grasslands where the unicorns gallop. Sometimes we go to the Dusty Desert to see the firebirds soaring from the volcano. Sometimes we go to the tallest mountains to see the cloud bears making mist with their ice-cold breath.”
    Sophy imagined each place as he spoke about it – the whispering trees in the forest and mist floating over the mountains. “Wow! You’ve seen so much.”
    “That is our life,” explained Cloudy. “We are storm dragons! We bring rainclouds from the ocean and blow them across the dry land. My brother says that is how the trees and flowers and vegetables get the water they need to grow.”
    “Then you’re helping the whole kingdom!” cried Sophy. “It sounds amazing. I wish I could fly across the kingdom like that.”
    “I was meant to stay on my brother’s back,” said Cloudy, looking sad. “Not fly off by myself…”
    Sophy hugged him tight. “Don’t worry, Cloudy. When the sun goes down, I’ll help you find a way out of here. You’ll be back with the other dragons by morning.”

Chapter Seven
A Whirlwind in the Castle
    Sophy’s plan to sneak out at sunset was ruined when Mrs Ricker asked her to serve Queen Viola and Sir Fitzroy their supper. She carried the plates and silver serving-dishes back and forth, growing more nervous with every minute that passed.
    Cook noticed that Sophy wasn’t herself. When the queen and Sir Fitzroy were eating their pudding, she made the girl sit down and have a slice of