Jess waved to the Paddlefoot beaver family, who were sitting one behind the other in their orange canoe. On the banks all around, animals were laying out their picnics, and sitting at a judge’s table were three elegant swan sisters. Silvia Whitewing, the eldest, nodded gracefully to the girls when they waved.
Then Goldie turned to Jess and Lily. “There’s one more thing to do before the race can begin. Come on!”
Jess and Lily followed her downstream along the riverbank to a beautifully polished waterwheel. It turned slowly and steadily as its blades paddled through the water, making a lovely splish splish sound.
In front of the waterwheel, a family of hedgehogs were rolling around on the leaves and flowers that littered the riverbank. They spiked the leaves with their prickles, then scurried to shake them off onto a pile, well away from the waterwheel.
One of the smaller hedgehogs scurried over toward the girls.
“It’s Harry Prickleback!” said Lily.
“Hello, Jess and Lily,” said Harry, as two more adorable little hedgehogs looked curiously at the girls. “This is my brother, Herbie. And this is our little sister, Emily.”
Emily was wearing a pretty, sparkly tiara on her head. Lots of leaves and cotton-candy-scented petals were caught in her prickles. “Excuse me,” she said, touching Jess’s knee. “I like your curly yellow hair.”
“Thanks,” said Jess. “I like your tiara!”
“Emily won that in a competition,” Harry explained proudly. “She had to solve a lot of really hard puzzles.”
Lily smiled at Emily. “You must be very smart,” she said.
“Oh, yes,” said Mr. Prickleback proudly. “Our little Emily is really smart!”
Emily’s nose blushed pink.
“Your tiara looks so pretty with the petals on your prickles,” said Lily. “We should decorate our hair like that!”
Emily giggled. “It’s not decoration,” she explained. “It’s work. We collect leaves and petals on our prickles so they don’t clog up the waterwheel.”
Mrs. Prickleback bustled over to help get the leaves off Emily’s back. “The Willowtree River flows when we turn the waterwheel,” she explained. “We have to make sure it never stops, or the river will disappear.”
“Only the Pricklebacks know how to turn the wheel,” Goldie said. “That’s why I’ve come to ask them a favor.”
Mr. Prickleback grinned. “Anything for you, Goldie,” he said.
“Will you make the river flow a little more quickly, please?” she asked. “We want to give the boats a flying start!”
The younger hedgehogs squealed in delight.
“Of course,” said their dad. “Everyone, take your places!”
Lily and Jess grinned at each other happily. They couldn’t wait to see the Pricklebacks in action!
Chapter Three
Unwelcome Visitors
Jess and Lily watched the hedgehogs waddle over to the waterwheel. Inside it were five smaller wheels. Each of the Pricklebacks climbed into one.
“Ready, team?” asked Mr. Prickleback.
“Ready!” they cried.
“Then, one... and two... and... Ready! Steady! CURL!”
The five hedgehogs immediately curled up into spiky balls. They rolled forward, each making their own wheel turn. The five little wheels each turned a cog that clicked and clanked, then fit together to turn the waterwheel. Suddenly, the water started to rush through it much faster than before.
“Wow!” said Lily, as the hedgehogs rolled so quickly they became prickly blurs. “No wonder only the Pricklebacks can make the waterwheel work!”
But as the girls watched the waterwheel in delight, Goldie gave a cry. “Oh, no! Girls, look!” she shouted.
A familiar orb of yellow-green light was drifting through the trees, right toward them.
“It’s Grizelda!” Jess called to the hedgehogs.
Emily stopped rolling and uncurled. Her little paws flew to her mouth. “The witch!” she squealed.
All the Pricklebacks stopped rolling. They jumped down from the waterwheel and huddled together, their spines quivering with worry.
The orb burst in a shower of fiery yellow-green sparks. In its place stood a tall, bony woman with green hair swirling around her face like a bunch of snakes. She folded her arms and tapped the sharply pointed toe of one of her high-heeled boots.
“CURL!” Mrs. Prickleback shouted. In a flash, all the hedgehogs rolled themselves into round, prickly balls.
“Your spiky little friends are right to be afraid,” Grizelda sneered. “My next dragon is going to make all the animals leave this forest. Then it will be mine forever! Hahahaa!”
Jess glanced at Lily. Her friend’s eyes were wide, but she could tell Lily was determined not to let the witch see that she was scared.
“We’re ready for anything your dragon does!” Jess said bravely.
“We’ll see about that!” screeched Grizelda. Then, with a snap of her fingers, she disappeared.
Goldie slipped her paws into Jess’s and Lily’s hands. “What do you think this dragon will do?” she asked.
They stood, backs together, watching and waiting. But the forest looked just as lovely as before.
The Pricklebacks had just started to uncurl when there was a mighty roar from above.
“Raaargh!”
Circling in the air was Dusty, Grizelda’s yellow dragon!
The Pricklebacks seemed to be too frightened to move as the dragon gave a rasping giggle. “Heeheeheeheehee! I’m going to make it lovely and dry,” she said. “Friendship Forest will be like a desert!”
Jess was horrified. “You can’t do that!” she yelled. “What about the animals?”
“Heeheehee! Who cares about them?” said Dusty. “My yellow scales will look so pretty in the sun!”
Suddenly, she swooped lower.
“Oh, no,” cried Jess, “she’s heading for the Pricklebacks!”
“Run!” shouted Lily.
“Hide!” yelled Goldie and Jess together.
But the Pricklebacks didn’t move. They shook with fright, their spines quivering.
Dusty flew toward them. She gave another sandy roar and chanted:
“Magic make these hedgehogs change
So they all turn to stone.
Then the river will flow no more,
But be as dry as bone.”
Lily, Jess, and Goldie watched in horror as the hedgehogs’ brown prickles turned gray. Finally, their trembling paws turned gray and were still.
Jess ran to pick up Harry. His spines were cold and hard, and he didn’t feel like a real hedgehog at all. She clutched him to her and turned to Lily and Goldie. Her face was pale.
“Oh, no!” she gasped. “The poor Pricklebacks. Grizelda’s dragon has turned them to stone!”
Chapter Four
A Threat to Willowtree River
With a grinding noise, the waterwheel slowed to a stop.
The yellow dragon flew away, giggling to herself. “Heeheehee! Now the forest will be dry and lovely, just right for sunbathing!”