Mr. Scruffypup laughed as the pups jumped down. “We’re glad to meet you, Jess and Lily,” he said. “We’ve heard about how brave you’ve been, standing up to Grizelda. Come in, come in! Everyone wants to see you!”
A tiny golden hamster ran toward them, and Jess scooped her up. “Hi, Olivia Nibblesqueak!” she said.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” the little hamster said.
“Me, too,” said Evie eagerly. “We’re going to start the blossom-drop hunt soon and you can join in!”
“That sounds fun,” said Lily, with a laugh, “but what is the blossom-drop hunt?”
“We have it every Blossom Day,” Mrs. Scruffypup explained. “Blossom drops are special tasty treats—the Nibblesqueak family makes them in their bakery, from honeysuckle blossoms. Mr. Scruffypup and I hide them all around Petal Hill and everyone tries to find as many as they can!”
Evie bounced up and down with excitement. “Can we start the hunt now, Mom? Please?”
“Please! We can’t wait!” cried the other little animals, gathering around Mr. and Mrs. Scruffypup.
Mr. Scruffpup chuckled. “We can’t start just yet,” he said. “We need Mr. Cleverfeather to get here first. I wonder where he could be?”
Jess gave a cry as she spotted an old owl, wearing a waistcoat and monocle, hurrying toward Petal Hill. Under one wing was tucked a machine that looked like a mini vacuum cleaner. “Here he comes!” she said.
“Lorry I’m sate,” panted the owl as he reached them, mixing up his words like he always did. “I mean, sorry I’m late. I’ve got my Peffal Putter,” he said, patting the machine, “so we can start the hunt!”
“He means Petal Puffer,” Goldie whispered to the girls with a grin.
“Thank you, Mr. Cleverfeather,” said Mrs. Scruffypup. “Now when the Petal Puffer puffs, the hunt for the blossom drops begins!”
Lily, Jess, Goldie, and the little animals lined up excitedly in front of Mr. Cleverfeather. Evie was holding on to her big sister’s paw, her tail wagging with excitement.
“Petals ready! Puffer steady! Go!” Mr. Cleverfeather hooted.
He pressed a button and the Puffer whooshed thousands of petals high up above them. They drifted slowly downward like colorful confetti. With squeals of delight, the animals ran off to hunt for blossom drops. Lola Velvetnose and Olivia Nibblesqueak ran into the den, while Bella Tabbypaw darted over to search in a flower bed.
“Look!” Bella cried, holding up a little package made of leaves. “I’ve found some blossom drops!”
“Let’s search in the tree house,” said Hattie. “It’s this way!”
The girls and Goldie ran after the two puppies as they bounded over to a huge old apple tree. Built all around the trunk, and reaching up into the branches, was the most amazing wooden tree house they’d ever seen.
“Wow!” gasped Jess as she stared up at the different levels. There were curtains at the windows and pretty flowers painted all around the door.
“Dad made it,” said Evie. “Me and Hattie have lots of fun in here. Let’s see if there are any blossom drops inside!”
Evie and Hattie climbed into the tree house. Then they vanished from sight!
“Where are you?” Lily called up to them.
“Surprise!” Evie giggled, popping up at a third-floor window.
“Hi!” cried Hattie, looking out a door on the second level.
Evie disappeared for a moment, then leaned out of the topmost window. “Boo!”
Laughing, the girls and Goldie followed them inside. More flowers were painted on the walls, and they went up a wooden ladder to the next level, where Evie and Hattie were searching through a huge pile of toys.
Evie give a yip of excitement, and from inside a box of wooden animals she pulled out a small packet made of leaves tied with grass strands.
“Surprise!” Evie called. “Blossom drops!”
She handed the package to Lily, who opened it. Inside were lots of oval, honeysuckle-scented treats.
“Mmm!” Lily said as she ate one. “It’s gooey in the middle! That was a surprise.”
Evie giggled and Hattie pulled her into a hug. “Evie loves surprises!” Hattie said, ruffling her little sister’s fluffy fur.
They all jumped when they heard a terrified squeal.
“Eeeeeeeek!”
It came from the Scruffypups’ den.
“What was that?” asked Goldie, her tail twitching with worry.
They hurried out of the tree house. Little animals were bursting out the front door of the den, scurrying to their parents. The girls and Goldie ran over. Through the windows, they could see a rat, a crow, a toad, and a bat charging through the den, chasing the frightened animals.
“The creatures from the Witchy Waste!” cried Lily. “They’re stealing all the blossom drops!”
Chapter Three
Masha’s Spell
“Come on!” cried Lily as she, Jess, and Goldie ran into the den.
The Witchy Waste creatures were hurtling around the Scruffypups’ kitchen. Snippit the crow flapped his tattered wings at Lola Velvetnose the mole. She’d dropped her big purple-framed glasses and didn’t see him until he was right next to her. She shrieked and knocked over some saucepans. “This way, Lola!” called Goldie, helping her to the door.
Masha the rat waved her straw hat as she pushed the kitchen chairs over. “Yee-ha!” she cried. “This is fun!”
Lily scooped Olivia Nibblesqueak out of the teacup she was hiding inside. “You’re safe now,” she told the tiny hamster, as she carried her outside and placed her on the grass.
“Stop it! You’re scaring everyone!” Jess shouted.
Hopper the toad crawled out from under the kitchen table. She poked her wide, flat tongue out at Jess. Peep the bat landed on a shelf, giggling as he sent a stack of plates crashing to the floor. “Lovely mess!” he squeaked.
There were frightened cries from outside the den. Through the window, the girls saw a familiar yellow-green orb floating over Petal Hill.
“Oh, no!” groaned Lily, as they ran back out of the den.
Cra-ack! The orb burst into smelly yellow-green sparks.
Mr. Cleverfeather flapped backward as the sparks cleared, revealing Grizelda in her purple tunic. Her skinny black pants were tucked into shiny boots with thin high heels. The witch’s green hair hung around her shoulders like wet seaweed as she threw back her head, cackling.
“It’s the meddling girls and the interfering cat,” Grizelda said. “You might have stopped Peep’s fun, but Masha, Snippit, and Hopper haven’t cast their spells yet.” Her dark eyes glittered as she pointed at the watching animals with a bony finger. “Soon Masha will use her magic on one of you—then you’ll turn into a messy rat, too!”
Jess, Lily, and Goldie stood their ground as the animals ran and hid, squealing.
Grizelda laughed. “The spell will make whoever it touches love messiness as much as Masha and her friends. Soon, the forest will be filled with creatures who love messiness and dirt! Friendship Forest will become so filthy that all you silly animals will have to leave. Ha-haa!”
Jess shouted bravely, “You won’t win!”
“We’ll see about that!” Grizelda snapped her fingers and disappeared in a burst of spitting sparks.
The animals were staring at each other in horror. A flash of movement caught Lily’s eye—Masha the rat was scuttling toward Evie!