For Emmie,

  who loves animals

  P. H.

  To Lena Madrid

  E. M.

  Chapter One

  Mia sprang out of the car as soon as it drew to a stop. Running to the end of the muddy track, she stared at the vast forest stretching into the distance. Excitement fizzed inside her. This must be Evertree Forest in the land of Animagia. She was here at last!

  Animal calls echoed from the trees and magic shimmered above the swaying branches. Mia took a deep breath to calm the swirling in her chest. She hadn’t even heard of Animagia till a few weeks ago. Then, one cold Monday morning, she’d discovered that she was an animagical and her life had changed forever.

  Animagicals were people who could transform into animals. It was a rare magical power that appeared around the age of ten. Mia had first found out that she was an animagical when she’d changed into a mouse on the way to school. She’d been worried about being late when she found herself scurrying along on four small feet, her whiskers twitching! Luckily she’d changed back before anyone saw her.

  Three days later, a letter had landed on the doormat inviting Mia to Wild Haven School in the land of Animagia. Mia had known right away that she wanted to go. Standing in front of the huge forest, Mia wondered what it was like inside. She took the crumpled letter out of her pocket and read it for the millionth time:

  On the back of the letter was a map showing how to get there and a list of things to bring. Mia’s stomach turned over. What would Wild Haven be like? Would the lessons be hard? The questions whirled around her head and she swallowed, wishing her heart would stop racing.

  Mia’s little brother, Kai, jumped out of the car. He ran over, followed by their mum and dad. Mum put on arm around Mia’s shoulder.

  “Well, we’re here!” she said. “Are you feeling OK?”

  “I’m a bit nervous!” Mia confessed. “But I can’t wait to see Wild Haven.”

  “It’s good that you’ll be trained by these Guardians,” said her dad. “By the time you come home for the holidays, you’ll be changing into any animal you like!”

  “I hope so,” said Mia.

  “You’ll be great!” Mum hugged her. “Just remember – we’re really proud of you.”

  Another car drew up beside theirs. Then another and another. About twenty children got out of the cars and hurried to the edge of the forest. Mia looked around and a tingling feeling rose inside her. The tingling spread into her arms and legs, and she took a deep breath, trying to push it down. But the feeling grew stronger and the air began to shimmer.

  Suddenly she was scampering along the ground on four little feet with her tiny mouse ears pricked up. A brown tail curled behind her and her nose quivered as she picked up a whirl of sounds and smells. A few kids turned round to stare.

  Mia took some deep breaths to stop her little mouse heart beating so fast. After what felt like forever, the tingling feeling returned and she was back in her human body again.

  “That was so cool!” said Kai. “Do it again!”

  Mia shook her head, nervously tucking her long brown hair behind her ear.

  Mum gave her a reassuring smile and Mia tried to smile back, but her cheeks felt hot. Why did she always have to change into a mouse? It had happened five times already that morning!

  She glanced at the kids around her. This was the first time she’d met other animagicals, but they looked the same as her - completely ordinary. For a moment, they all stared at the magical forest stretched out in front of them. Behind the trees, a ridge of purple mountains rose into the sky.

  “What are we waiting for? Let’s go in!” said a boy with curly hair poking out from under his baseball cap.

  “Shouldn’t we wait for a teacher?” asked another boy.

  “Nah, let’s just go!” The boy in the baseball cap marched towards the trees, but a moment later he was thrown backwards, as if he’d bounced off something invisible.

  “Whoa!” he shouted as he tumbled to the ground.

  Some of the other kids giggled. Mia rushed over.

  “Are you OK?” she asked, helping him up.

  “Uh, I think so!” the boy groaned. “I’m Noah, by the way.”

  “I’m Mia,” Mia smiled. “There must be some kind of magical barrier over here.” Reaching out, she felt around gingerly and touched a wall of icy air that pushed back against her fingers.

  Just then a tall woman with sharp, golden eyes emerged from the trees and headed straight towards them. Stopping in front of Noah and Mia, she drew a shape in the air with one finger and the outline of a misty door appeared.

  “Good morning! I’m Miss Tempest, one of the Guardians of Animagia,” she announced. “Come through one at a time. Animagicals only, of course!” She looked at Mia and her golden eyes didn’t seem to blink.

  Mia gulped. It was time to go! She rushed back to her family and gave them each a hug. Mum took a necklace out of her pocket and hung it round Mia’s neck.

  “This is a locket,” she said. “To remind you of home.”

  “Thanks, Mum!” Mia opened it and found a photo of her family inside.

  “Don’t forget your rucksack,” Dad said gruffly, handing her the bag.

  “How long will you be gone?” sniffed Kai.

  “Not long!” Mia hugged him again. “I’ll be back for the holidays.”

  “I wish I could come to Wild Haven too!” said Kai with a huge sigh.

  “I’ll tell you all about it when I get back,” promised Mia.

  Then, with a last hug, she pulled her rucksack on to her shoulders and joined the line of kids trooping through the misty door. She realised she wasn’t the only one feeling nervous. One boy turned into a chicken and ran up and down, flapping his wings, until he changed back again.

  The girl ahead of Mia in the line turned round and grinned. Her black hair curled around her friendly-looking face. “Hi, I’m Willow! Isn’t this amazing? I’ve been waiting to come here for weeks! Which animals have you turned into so far? I’ve been a parrot, a grasshopper and a horse.”

  Mia’s eyes widened. She’d only ever turned into a mouse! She wanted to ask Willow how she’d been so many different animals already, but they’d almost reached the doorway.

  Willow stepped through first. Then, holding her breath, Mia stepped into the swirling mist… A sudden blast of icy air made her skin tingle. Then she was through to the other side.

  Miss Tempest waited till everyone was through before closing the shimmering doorway with one finger. She looked at them, twisting her head jerkily in a way that reminded Mia of a bird.

  “Follow me, everyone!” she said, marching off down the forest track.

  Mia walked with Willow and a quiet boy with fair hair called Finn. Noah had rushed off to be at the front of the line. Willow talked nonstop about her home and all the extra things she’d brought in her rucksack, but Mia was too busy looking around to listen properly.

  The track narrowed as they went deeper into Evertree Forest and the trees leaned together, forming a roof of branches above them. They climbed hills, crossed streams and trudged through clearings full of brambles. Birds sang overhead and they glimpsed foxes and deer between the trees.

  At last they came to a wide river. Mia saw tall rainforest trees growing along the opposite bank. She caught the scent of tropical flowers on the warm breeze and spotted a troop of silver-grey monkeys in the treetops. She wished she could cross the river to explore!

  They followed the forest trail and Mia’s feet began to grow tired. After a long while, they passed a valley full of frosty fir trees and Mia glimpsed some reindeer and a snowshoe hare. Her eyes grew rounder and rounder. How could there be a snowy pine forest and a tropical rainforest all in one wood? It seemed as if the land of Animagia had every kind of place you could think of inside its borders.

  At last, they came around a bend and found a magnificent tree castle towering above the forest.

  Mia caught her breath, excitement swirling in her stomach. This must be Wild Haven!

  Chapter Two

  “It looks like a treehouse and a castle all at the same time!” said Mia, gazing at the tree towers that rose from the top of the castle.

  “Have you SEEN how big it is?” Noah ran over to join them.

  “It’s enormous!” agreed Finn. “It must have taken ages to build it.”

  “I can’t believe we’re going to live here!” Willow shook her head in amazement.

  Wild Haven was made from a ring of trees all woven together to form a castle, with the six biggest trees forming huge leafy towers that stretched into the sky. The grand entrance was up some steps and through a hollowed-out tree trunk. Mia gazed at the little lights glowing inside the tree towers and wondered if that was where she’d be sleeping tonight!

  Miss Tempest glared round at the new animagicals until they were all quiet. “Five Guardians set up this place a long time ago under the leadership of Lady Jiang,” she told them. “Animagia is a special place containing every kind of habitat and every kind of creature you can think of. There are rainforests, grasslands, beaches and mountains. It’s easy to get lost, especially when you’re new, so use the signposts and stick to the paths.”

  Noah put his hand up to ask a question but Miss Tempest just frowned at him.

  “You’re here to learn to control your animagical powers,” she went on. “Each one of you has a true animagical form – the animal that suits you best – and it’s very important that you find out what that is.”

  Everyone began talki ng at once.

  “Did you know we had a true animagical form?” Willow whispered to Mia.

  Mia shook her head.

  “I hope we can choose what it is! I want mine to be a lion!” said Noah, and he roared loudly.

  “You will NOT get to choose your true animagical form,” said Miss Tempest sternly. “Your true form will choose you!”

  Noah opened his mouth and closed it again.

  “I think I already know what mine is,” Willow said to Mia. “I’ve always loved horses, so I’m sure that’s what I’ll be!”

  Mia tried to ignore a fluttery feeling in her stomach. She really hoped her true animagical form wasn’t just a mouse!

  “All right, everyone! Listen careful—” Miss Tempest broke off as a screeching bird call echoed from the trees.

  The Guardian cupped her hands and replied with her own bird call. Then, hurrying to the castle entrance, she reappeared a moment later, followed by a tall girl wearing glasses.

  “Sofia will help you settle in,” Miss Tempest said quickly. “For now – I must go!” And she leaped into the air, stretching out her arms.

  In a blur of feathers, she transformed into a golden eagle with powerful wings. Circling over the new animagicals, Miss Tempest soared into the trees and disappeared. Mia stared after her in surprise.

  “Whoa, that was awesome!” said Noah.

  “Hi, everyone!” said the girl with glasses. “I’m Sofia, and it’s my third year at Wild Haven. I’ll explain to you where everything is and then you can go off to find your rooms.”

  “Where did Miss Tempest go?” asked Willow.

  “The Guardians have a lot of important duties,” explained Sofia. “They each watch over a part of Animagia and take care of the animals that live there. Miss Tempest guards the Indigo Mountains and all the mountain creatures.”

  “I thought the Guardians would spend their time teaching us,” said Noah.

  “They will, but sometimes they have to take care of other things,” said Sofia. “You’ll get used to it. OK, follow me inside, please!”

  Sofia led the way through the enormous hollow tree trunk that formed the entrance to the castle and stopped in a hall filled with books and armchairs. Hundreds of leafy branches wove together to form the walls and ceiling, and a wooden staircase led to the tree towers above. Animals were dotted around the hall, with swallows nesting on the roofbeams and a bright-eyed panther watching from the stairs. Three black bear cubs were sleeping in the corner.

  “Do you think they’re wild animals? Is it safe to have them in here?” she whispered to Finn.

  “I guess it must be,” said Finn.

  Sofia overheard them. “Don’t worry – no wild animal would ever hurt an animagical. The land of Animagia has a special kind of magic that lets everyone live in peace together.”

  Mia crouched down beside the sleeping bear cubs and stroked their soft fur.

  “OK, everyone. Listen, please!” called Sofia, clapping her hands.

  Mia noticed a strange mark on the palm of Sofia’s hand and wondered what it was.

  “Oh, I almost forgot!” Sofia pointed to the entrance. “There’s a chalkboard by the main door where you’ll find your training timetable. You’ll have lessons on forest craft or animal skills every day, and at least one Challenge a week.”

  Mia and Willow exchanged looks. What was a Challenge? Mia was about to ask, but Sofia was already leading them out of the entrance hall. She stopped by an open doorway. Through it, Mia could see a grassy central courtyard surrounded by the castle walls.

  “Here’s the Gathering Green where we meet for campfires,” said Sofia.

  Mia watched a lemur scampering across the Green. In the centre stood a huge round sculpture made from wood which looked almost like a window. Carvings of different animals danced around the edge of the circle.

  “Some of the bedrooms are upstairs in the tree towers and there are more underground between the roots,” Sofia went on. “It’s two people per room and you can pick whichever you want as long as they aren’t taken.”

  Willow nudged Mia and grinned. “Let’s find one together!” she whispered, and Mia nodded. “If you have any problems, just talk to Miss

  Gosling,” Sofia added. “She isn’t one of the Guardians, but she looks after people if they’re sick or injured.” She nodded to a door with a ‘First Aid Room’ sign pinned on it. “All right, everyone! I’ll let you find your rooms and…”

  The rest of her words were drowned out as everyone rushed for the stairs. Mia got squashed against the wall as other children barged past her. For a moment, she had a horrible feeling she was going to change into a mouse again, but Willow grabbed her hand.

  “Let’s go!” she shouted.

  Willow and Mia raced up the staircase, which led them through a roof made from wooden beams and tangled branches. Noah and Finn rushed after them. They emerged into an open space where little rope bridges criss-crossed from one tree to the next. Spiral staircases looped around the trunks of the six largest trees leading to the tree towers at the top. But when Mia and Willow reached the bridge to the first tree tower, it was crammed with people.

  “Let’s try the next one!” called Mia, making for the second rope bridge.

  A girl with a gold hairband jumped in front of her, barring the way. “There’s no more room in this tower,” she snapped.

  “How do you know?” demanded Willow. “You haven’t even gone inside yet.”

  “We don’t want our tower full of mousy little animagicals!” The girl flicked a glance at Mia. “Come on, Jade, let’s go!” She pulled another girl past Mia.

  “You can’t stop us coming in if we want to!” said Mia, her cheeks growing hot.

  “Can’t I? Watch this then!” The girl smirked and transformed into a wild boar with sharp tusks. Then she changed back to human again, and she and her friend ran into the tower, laughing.

  “That’s Alina,” said Finn, sighing. “She pushed in front of me when we came through the doorway into Animagia.”

  “I don’t want to be in the same tower as her anyway!” said Willow.

  Mia looked all around. The crowd of new animagicals had scattered. Streaks of orange hung in the sky as the sun dropped behind the trees. The wooden bridges linking the towers swung gently in the wind and birdsong echoed through the forest.

  “I guess we should head to the bottom and find rooms in the tree roots instead,” said Noah gloomily. “There won’t be any left up here.”

  “Wait – look!” cried Mia, pointing. “Let’s try this tower!”

  Chapter Three

  Racing over the bridge, Mia followed a spiral staircase that twisted around a tree trunk. Perched at the top was the tallest tree tower, rising high over the rest of the castle. Mia dashed up the staircase. She really hoped there were some rooms left up here!

  “Ooh, it’s a long way down!” gasped Willow behind her.

  “It’s all right – we’re nearly there!” Mia ran up the last few steps.

  A picture of a bird with outspread wings was painted on the door at the top and the sign read: ‘Skylark Tower’. Mia opened the door and stepped into the hallway.

  “Wow! You can see for miles!” said Noah as he reached the top of the staircase.

  “There’s an empty room over here!” Willow said to Mia.

  “Come on, Finn! Let’s find another one that’s empty.” Noah charged off down the corridor.

  Heart thumping, Mia followed Willow into the room. The walls were made from thin branches all twisted and woven together. Two sleeping hammocks hung at opposite ends of the room and a little round window looked out on to the forest. A leaf-pattern blanket was folded up inside each hammock and a fluffy red rug lay on the floor.

  “Ooh, comfy!” sighed Willow, jumping into a hammock and closing her eyes.

  “I’m definitely going to like it here!” Mia dropped her rucksack and ran to the window.

  The daylight was fading and Skylark Tower swayed gently in the breeze. Mia stared out at the forest. An eagle was circling over a stretch of snow-covered pine trees and a wolf howled in the distance. In the other direction, Mia thought she caught a glimpse of the sea.

 

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