Chimes Kara gets cross Kara was angry.
She stomped around huffing and puffing.
How dare they call me bossy!
She hissed softly to herself.
Kara kicked at a heap of leaves lying under a tree.
A rock was hiding under the leaves and she kicked that too.
Meow!
That hurts!
She yelped,
Holding her foot with her front paws and hopping around on one leg.
I know how to row a boat.
Why didn't they listen to me?
Kara got tired of hopping around on one foot and plonked herself down on a fallen log.
She crossed her front paws in a huff.
The otters taught me all about boats and the river.
I know just how it's done.
Kara and her friends Fantin and Kiki wanted to visit Shy Bunny.
Fantin is a little fox.
Kiki is a kind of deer called a clipspringer.
They borrowed a small boat from the otters to row to Bunny's little house.
The trouble started as soon as they got into the boat.
Fantin didn't want to sit the way Kara told her to.
She wanted to face the other way to see where they were going.
Kiki got scared when Fantin and Kara started fighting.
She wanted to jump out of the boat.
Then they all jumped out of the boat.
They ended up going nowhere.
Kara sniffed crossly.
Then an idea popped into her head.
I will go on my own.
I will show them how it is done.
Then they will know I was right.
She jumped up and ran down to the river.
The little rowing boat was bobbing in the water.
Fantin and Kiki were nowhere to be seen.
Kara was a caracal,
Which is a kind of cat.
Like most cats,
She didn't like getting wet.
But she did love rowing a boat.
First she had to untie the boat and jump in.
This was easy when she had her friends to help.
It was more difficult on her own.
Oh no,
The boat is drifting away too fast,
She said,
Getting a bit flustered.
She tried pulling on the rope to get the boat closer to the riverbank.
She was not strong enough.
I'm just going to have to make a leap for it.
She got as close to the edge of the water as she could.
Then she wiggled her bum a few times and jumped as far as she could.
Kara reached the boat,
But only just.
She was hanging onto the boat with her front paws.
Her legs were dangling in the water.
She was wet and glum.
Oh dear,
Now I need to get myself into this boat.
She huffed and puffed.
She clawed and scratched.
She pulled herself into the little rowing boat.
Now I just need to grab the oars and I'm ready to row.
Where are the oars?
They weren't in the bottom of the boat.
They weren't hooked to the sides of the boat.
Kara looked behind her.
In the distance she could see one lonely oar.
But how could she get back to the oar if she couldn't row?
They must have slipped from the boat when I jumped in.
Oh no,
What am I going to do?
I won't be able to stop the boat when I get to Shy Bunny's house.
Then I'll be swept along all the way to the sea.
Kara started to cry.
Meow,
I will be lost at sea and nobody will even know where I've gone.
She sniffed.
Oh meow,
I will miss my friend so.
Then Kara heard voices from the river's edge.
Kara,
Wait for us.
Fantine and Kiki were jumping up and down and waving at her.
Help!
She shouted at them.
Then louder.
Help!
I've lost the oars.
I can't steer the boat.
She shouted at her friends.
Fantine knew what needed to be done.
Kiki,
Run and fetch one of the fairies.
I will stay here and try to help.
Fantine was a really good swimmer.
She jumped into the river.
She started swimming as fast as she could.
First she grabbed one oar between her teeth and dragged it to Kara in the boat.
Got it,
Thank you!
Kara called to her as she grabbed the oar from Fantine.
Use it to keep the boat from drifting further down the river.
Fantine shouted to her.
I'm going to fetch the other oar.
Kara stuck the oar into the water.
The boat started going around in a circle.
At least I'm no longer drifting out to sea,
She thought.
Fairy Poppy followed Kiki to the river's edge.
They watched as Fantine clambered into the boat.
She was soaking wet.
Kara had both oars now and was rowing them back to the bank as fast as she could.
Are you two all right?
Poppy sounded worried.
Yes,
Poppy,
We're just a bit cold.
I got cross with Fantine and Kiki.
I went off on my own,
But then things went wrong and… Fantine saved me!
Kara started sobbing.
Poppy helped them from the boat.
She hugged them both until Kara stopped crying.
We need to get you dry before you catch a cold,
Poppy said.
She said the magic words as she waved her wand.
Fire spark,
Chase away cold,
Chase away dark.
Fire wood,
Please help us now,
We will be good.
Fire flame,
Chase away cold,
Chase away harm.
Sparkles flew from the ground in front of her.
Within moments a cozy fire appeared.
Fantine and Kara could dry off their coats.
By now the sun had set.
Kara and her friends were cozy and happy around the warm fire.
I wish we had some marshmallows to roast,
Said Fantine.
Oh,
I almost forgot.
I have some marshmallows in the boat.
I wanted to take them to Shy Bunny.
We might as well have them now.
Kara ran to fetch them.
Soon they were having a lovely sweet treat.
When their tummies were full,
Kara,
Fantine and Kiki called up next to the warm fire.
Poppy watched from a tree to keep them all safe.
I will never run off again when I'm cross,
A very sleepy Kara said to her friends.
It's okay,
We still love you,
Sighed Fantine.
I'm just happy that you are safe,
Whispered Kiki.
Good night Fantine,
Sleep tight Kiki,
Sweet dreams Kara.
It had been a long day filled with adventures,
But now it was bedtime.
