Katherine of Carrick: The Way of the Warrior

1

Katherine the Worrier

Katherine cringed under the weight of her worries. A new morning, a new place. She burrowed down into her sleeping bag. She was afraid of what was to come, and she hated being scared. She hated being a worrier but at the end of the day she could not escape it. Katherine had BIG problems. The problems even had BIG names. She liked BIG words but she did not like BIG problems. She did not think some of the problems were that BIG but apparently others did. Some of her problems, she was told, were PHOBIAS. She liked the sound of the word across her tongue, but she did not like the look on everyone’s faces when they said it. It was hard for grown-ups to believe that someone that little could have that many problems, they said. Some grown-ups made her think she was faking it, others made her think there was something very wrong with her. Either way, it was not a good look.

It was only grown-ups who seemed to think she was the problem. Children knew the problem had nothing to do with her but with the phobia itself. The problem was the spiders, snakes, frogs and toads, not Katherine.

In the end the problems, the phobias, and the looks all made her worry. Her nana had told her that at least she did not have to worry about death and taxes, but she didn’t want to tell her nana that she did think about dying. She kept that one to herself. She knew that if she spoke of it, the grown-ups would get THAT look and make her go talk to strange people about it. Talking to people just made all the worry worse. She had a fear of strangers and now they wanted her to talk to more of them? Katherine did not think grown-ups were very sensible at all.

Katherine’s mother was the only one who understood and did not make her talk to strangers. It got better when she got Bienkie the Bear. She only had the rabbit before that, and he was not much help.

Katherine’s mother told her that one thing she could always count on was change, so maybe there was really nothing to fear? Maybe the buffaloes in her tummy were just hunger pains? She decided to be brave. She sat up. The room was empty except for the fireplace to the right and the camp bed she had slept on. A bird-like shape flickered on the far bedroom wall, the dancing light inviting Katherine to get up . . . but then something dark suddenly swooped past the window. She gasped and disappeared into her sleeping bag again.

Curled up in her sleeping bag, Katherine felt the phobias creeping up on her.

She was sure they were laughing at her. She pulled her knees tighter to her chest to protect herself from their relentless march towards her. All her phobias raced into her head, whether she wanted them there or not.

The biggest and meanest was ARACHNOPHOBIA. As soon as she thought that, she felt the spiders of the house rally together and march in step towards her camp bed. She could hear their hairy legs scrape and scuff across the silky smoothness of her sleeping bag. Her silent screams were only interrupted by OPHIDIOPHOBIA. The snakes slid and slithered down the chimney flicking their forked tongues. Holding her head with her sweaty hands, she tried to push the bad thoughts from her mind. But as she endeavoured to escape the tight, scaly corridors of her fear she ran into a dead end: BUFONOPHOBIA. The toads squatted by the door and burped slimy bubbles from the corners of their lips, blocking her escape.

She tried to close her eyes tighter, but all she saw was the bulging, blinking eyes of RANIDAPHOBIA staring back at her. The frogs croaked their way out of her open suitcase on the carpet, and vaulted onto her bed with their webbed toes and warty skin. Her skin crawled at the thought, and the ever familiar lump in her throat sat heavy, pinning her down to the camp bed, where she was unable to move because CLAUSTROPHOBIA had tampered with the sleeping bag zip. And no one would ever know because she had to face off against her greatest enemy, the glacial emptiness of AUTOPHOBIA: she was all alone. Bienkie had probably left her too.

Where was Bienkie? Was mummy awake yet? thought Katherine, curled up in a tight, heart-thumping, sweaty ball. This was the first time she had hoped that her mother would come and tell her to get up. At least there would be a grown-up in the room.

I wish Maxie was here! cried Katherine, finally dislodging the lump in her throat. They wouldn’t dare come after her if he was here.

This was nonsense, she thought, trying to remember to breathe. She was a GIRL, which made her much more sensible than anyone else. Didn’t it? And she was seven years old! She was almost a grown-up!

I just need my mantra, whispered Katherine to herself. There is nothing to fear but fear itself. There is nothing to fear but fear itself! There is nothing to fear but fear itself . . .

Using all the courage she could steal from her sticky, prickly, anxious little body, she sat up again, with her eyes scrunched up.

Remain calm at all times, said Katherine to herself.

I am NOT afraid! declared Katherine to the retreating phantoms, with her one eye open and her other eye closed.

The room stared back at her blankly, coal dust hissed down the fire place and the dancing bird sat still on the window ledge long enough for Katherine to realise that the shadowy culprits were really outside.

She untangled herself from her sleeping bag and vaulted across to the window, just in time to see the house sparrows fly past in perfect formation. The light bouncing off the glassy lough flashed the sparrows’ flight path on her bedroom wall for a few seconds before it disappeared again.

Incredible! shrieked Katherine as she looked from her wall to the window and back again, and saw the vastness of the lough that lay beyond the hedge. She opened the window and peered out into the garden. To the left was a dark wooden fence, with a really BIG tree towering over the double-storey house, on the other side.

It’s not just BIG, it’s bigger than BIG, it’s HU . . . MUN . . . GOUS! announced Katherine.

Pleased with her new BIG word, Katherine looked down the drive and noticed a small red wooden gate in the hedge.

Bienkie, there’s a gate to a beach!

Bienkie did not answer. Katherine looked around, wondering where he had got to. She looked back out of the window to follow the drive to the main gate and then, GASP! She saw it!

There’s a castle! she squealed, bouncing up and down. There’s a castle! There’s a castle! There’s a castle!

Such grand news had to be reported instantly. She ran out of her room onto the landing.

Mummy! There’s a castle! Mummy?

In the hallway Katherine discovered she did not know where her mother’s room was. They had arrived in the dark and she had gone straight to bed: she had been too tired to go exploring.

Before she could yell Mummy? again, she heard her mother’s voice.

I’m in the bedroom at the end of the hall.

She stopped suddenly, looking left and right. But which way? thought Katherine to herself.

"To your left," said Katherine’s mother.

Katherine always wondered how her mother had eyes in places that she wasn’t. She really was quite remarkable. Very relieved, Katherine skipped down the red-carpeted hall to her mother to share the good news. They were in the land of castles!

Outside in the garden everyone was waiting for Katherine. The fairies had whispered of her coming. The creatures twittered. The creatures paced. Methuselah sighed, How many times must I tell you, this is a new beginning for us all! The creatures bowed to his wisdom but quietly they were still worried. Some of the creatures were fretters.

"I know there will be fuzzies! There are always fuzzies!" said Ethel the Red.

Katherine had come during the night, the lough wind whistling her arrival as the rain battered the old redbrick house. Wet and weary the creatures of the garden had remained on alert, waiting for the dawn, waiting for the storm to clear, waiting for Katherine.

Methuselah peered at the creatures below, wondering how much longer they could bear to wait. This was going to be a long day, he sighed, as he welcomed the soothing breeze from across the lough, letting it bend and stretch the long night out of him. Keeping watch over her room, he wondered if Katherine would discover his secret and set him free at last.

When can we go to the castle? Can we go before breakfast? asked Katherine, watching her mother lace her boots up.

I am afraid not, replied Katherine’s mother.

Why? whined Katherine.

The furniture is arriving today and we have things to do first, said Katherine’s mother.

"Now? Do we have to?"

If you want to eat, yes we do, and if we want to sleep on proper beds, we do, and if you want to see the dogs, we do.

I suppose, said Katherine rolling her eyes and flopping against the bed.

Katherine had to admit her mother was MUCH smarter and more sensible than she was. They did have to eat. She hoped no one had noticed her forgetting about Max, Molly and Megan. She hadn’t forgotten them really, it was just that with all the excitement of the castle, they had sort of slipped her mind. She did miss them, but she feared the TO-DO list was going to be a rather long one today.

I promise you can explore around the garden today when we have finished the chores, said Katherine’s mother. She knew this would quieten her for now. Katherine sighed her agreement.

Why don’t you fetch Bienkie and get dressed, and we’ll go and get something to eat in town? We are sure to pass the castle.

Katherine nodded. She was still sulking, but breakfast sounded like a good idea: her tummy was making a dreadful noise and she really had to find out where Bienkie had got to. She hoped he wasn’t in a grump from all the travelling; with all the things she had to do today, she really did not need that. Then she would be just like a grown-up – busy and grumpy!

Bienkie! shouted Katherine as she walked out of her mother’s room back to her bedroom.

Standing at the foot of her camp bed, she wondered which bump in the sleeping bag was Bienkie. She lifted the sleeping bag and pulled it back with a jerk, and with that Bienkie flew out like a trapeze artist. He landed on his head next to the bed with a THUD! Katherine made no effort to catch him and frowned at him as he climbed back onto the camp bed.

I guess the TO-DO list is a long one then? said Bienkie.

Yes it is! And there is a castle and the house to explore and we have to do chores! said Katherine with her hands on her hips.

If we work together, I am sure we can get it all done much faster, said Bienkie with a smile.

Katherine looked down; she hated it when Bienkie was so frightfully nice and she was being a grump. Bienkie was a homemade teddy bear, and he was not like any other bear in the world. He was, quite simply, EXTRAORDINARY. He was different, he was smart, but most importantly, he was hers.

I have to get dressed first, said Katherine, annoyed that Bienkie never had to get dressed and always wore the same clothes – a blue-and-white-check waistcoat with a daisy on it. Much to Katherine’s disappointment, her mother insisted that she was not to wear her pyjamas all day.

I can’t believe we have to do chores when there is a castle to explore, moaned Katherine.

The quicker you get dressed, the quicker you can get on with it, said her mother from down the hall.

"Honestly, Bienkie how does she do it? She sees and hears everything."

Mater is an all-knowing and loving being, who won’t be very thrilled when she sees you throwing your clothes all over the bed, whispered Bienkie.

I don’t know what to wear! Where are my favourite shorts? Oh this is hopeless! whined Katherine, flopping down to the floor. She hated having to decide what to wear. Katherine’s mother came up behind her shaking her head, picked up her clothes without a word and in a minute laid out an outfit for her to wear. Katherine was smart enough not to say anything and just hugged her mother when she was done.

Mummy loves me Bienkie! said Katherine.

She’ll love you more when you get dressed and get your little legs downstairs, said her mother as she left the room, winking at Bienkie.

What are you smiling at Bienkie? asked Katherine as she got dressed.

You of course! said Bienkie.

I love you Bienkie, sighed Katherine, taking him under her arm and heading out her bedroom down the stairs to a new day, to her new life. Bienkie could not stop smiling.

After breakfast and her chores, Katherine stood on the drive, staring at the truck with all their furniture in it. There were loads of men scurrying around trying to open the giant doors. It was difficult to imagine this BIG box had come across an ocean, down the Belfast Lough, past the house and castle in Carrickfergus, before it was offloaded and driven here in a huge truck. Her past life seemed so far away now, she thought to herself, rubbing her full breakfast belly.

She was worrying about a lot of things as she watched the men unload. Would it all fit in the new house? What if her boxes were not in there? What if all her Wellington boots were missing? What if her books were not in there? What if they had all fallen out at sea? Could she live with only one pair of wellies?

As the truck reversed down the drive, Katherine saw the castle appear in the distance from behind it. When would they visit the castle? Today? Tomorrow? It looked much bigger than she had thought when they had driven past it on their way to see the dogs. The snarling purple lion with the blood-red claws looked like it would leap off the yellow banner on the castle wall and eat them.

Katherine did not want to think about the dogs. What if they never survived QUARANTINE? Quarantine, her mother told her, meant they had to stay in kennels somewhere else for a very long time. Her mother had said six months. Katherine did not know how long that really was, but it sounded like forever. It made her sad. When she had closed the gate to their kennel she almost cried. She still had a lump in her throat. She was trying to be brave, but . . . what if they forgot her? What if they didn’t want to come home at the end of it, what if they hated her? Katherine couldn’t help it. She worried about all the What-Ifs, all at the same time.

The What-If clouds thundered over Katherine’s forehead and made her frown. Bienkie knew he would have to find something with which to distract her soon.

Do stay out the way today, said Katherine’s mother coming up behind them, but before Katherine could protest, she added, it may give you both a chance to explore.

Bienkie smiled. Katherine scowled. She wasn’t sure she had time to explore now, she had all this worry to worry about. Bienkie poked her in the ribs. She rolled her eyes, but she knew it was his way of reminding her to let the worry go. Her mother turned her gently and pushed her in the direction of the garden.

I’m going! snapped Katherine. Sometimes they didn’t understand how the worry trapped her legs like a giant octopus, a fearsome Kraken, that tried to stop her from moving. It hurt to pull out of its suckers and take the first step. The head of the octopus sat in her heart where she tried to hide it all: it was lumpy and bumpy and very uncomfortable. It was hard work walking up the drive to the garden, to the unknown, with all this worry clinging to her. No one understood the beast she had to fight every day. Bienkie tried to console and encourage her but some days, the worry was bigger than them both.

The creatures of the garden all peered round the wooden gate, down the drive toward the house. Bob and the Bobbettes waited anxiously on the pier. Ethel the Red was pacing, up-and-down, up-and-down, still hoping Katherine did not have fuzzies. It was Sir Faithful Fortuscue who first saw her walking towards the garden.

She’s coming! She’s coming! he cried from his perch on the garden gate. The creatures twittered and hid in the bushes. Katherine walked through the open gate, stood under the great tree, and looked up.

HUMUNGOUS! said Katherine in a BIG breath that popped the worry beast right off her shoulders without her noticing.

The tree looked even bigger from this side of the garden. The hedge that ran along the drive hid the lough from view, and the BIG redbrick house towered above it. On the right hand side of the garden were apple, plum and pear trees that were all tangled together. It looked like no one had lived here for years. On the left side of the BIG tree were the blackcurrant and gooseberry bushes, and rose bushes at the far end. There was a small path that went between the rose and gooseberry bushes and led to the kitchen door at the back of the house.

Beyond the roses was a set of stairs leading to a small garden that ran alongside the road, which was walled off. Katherine could hear the waves crashing on the beach but she could not see the beach. Behind the fruit trees was a wooden fence separating the garden from the railway station. She could hear the train whistle every time it went into the tunnel behind the house.

Katherine noticed a pigeon perching on the garden gate. It looked like he was wearing a top hat but he was too far away for her to be sure. He did not fly away. With his head to one side, he kept looking at her. Just looking and bobbing, as if he was bowing and welcoming her arrival. But before she could say anything, Katherine was distracted by a noise in the bushes. She looked around the garden but could not see what had made the noise. Katherine put Bienkie down.

What a mess! We need to get this sorted. We need a TO-DO list, Bienkie, she said with her hands on her hips. Leaves to rake up, rubbish to pick up, grass to cut, weeds to yank out, roses to bud, not to mention the PRUNING, said Katherine to Bienkie, hoping he would be impressed that she remembered that BIG word for trimming the fruit trees. Bienkie smiled his appreciation. She spotted a bird seed feeder in the long grass, picked it up and hung it back in the apple tree. She continued to scan the garden to see where the noise was coming from. It sounded like someone, or something, was humming. It reminded her of her grandpa, humming his favourite tunes.

In the bushes along the boundary fence, some of the creatures gathered and twittered amongst themselves as they looked at Katherine standing beneath Methuselah.

I thought she was a girl?

She is!

She is NOT!

Is too!

Is NOT!

IS!

Is NOT!

She doesn’t have long hair and she’s wearing shorts. Boys wear shorts and have short hair.

IS!

Is NOT!

Their argument ended when they heard her speak.

I can see you! said Katherine, trying to stand taller, folding her arms so that she would not look like she was scared.

The creatures gasped. Bienkie growled.

I know you are there, I can see your BIG nose! Bienkie couldn’t see what Katherine could see.

There was no movement, just more giggling from along the boundary fence, but she kept looking at the gooseberry bushes. Katherine was too scared to move, and too curious to run away.

Come out and declare yourself! she stormed, stamping her foot. Or face the consequences!

But now she was worried she might have to live up to what she had said. She looked behind her to make sure Bienkie was still there. Bienkie growled again. From behind the gooseberry bushes stepped a gnome.

Katherine stared at him. The gnome looked about as tall as her wellies, and had a grey moustache, pronounced whiskers and a beard. He wore green combat pants tucked into red Wellington boots, a green polo neck and matching waistcoat, and a red pointed hat. He smelled of freshly ploughed fields and warm vanilla, and had a BIG knife hanging from his belt. He gave a graceful bow to Katherine and then stood bolt upright, like a soldier. The creatures held their breaths. Was she going to be like ordinary people and freak out?

Katherine was intrigued by the little man. She had never met a gnome before. Bienkie narrowed his eyes – he wasn’t sure he liked this gnome. He looked too sure of himself, and he was only a gnome. He wasn’t even a bear.

Brushing a lock of hair from her face, Katherine tried to stand even taller. She was not quite sure what to say. What do you say when you meet a gnome? She didn’t really like talking to strangers. People always thought she was a know-it-all.

Umm . . . errr . . . hello, my name is Katherine. Katherine with a K. That’s a kicking kay, not a curling cah.

"Pleased to meet you my dear, you are welcome in Carrick.

We have been waiting for you," said Gnome.

Really? How did you know I was coming? said Katherine.

The fairies told us, said Gnome, surprised that Katherine did not know this.

Fairies? said Katherine.

The gnome looked at her like she did not know much. He did not say anything more. She rubbed the sides of her shorts with her sweaty hands and looked down and back at Bienkie. He would know what to say. Bienkie didn’t say anything, he just gave the gnome his evil-eye. The gnome glared back. It wasn’t a good start. What if they got into a fight? What if the gnome chopped Bienkie in half with his BIG knife? What if Bienkie ripped the gnome’s head off?

Katherine tried to ignore the worry and think instead of what her mother told her to do when meeting new people, but her thoughts were interrupted by the gnome.

Have you guessed the house’s secret yet? said Gnome.

Secret? What secret? said Katherine.

She liked the gnome already. He didn’t mess around with small talk. He got straight to it.

You just have to look at the house and you will see, said Gnome.

Katherine was still trying to work out how a gnome had got into her garden, not to mention how and what the fairies knew about her, but the idea of a secret banished any and all worry from her mind. She was hooked. She was entranced. It was difficult to remain calm.

Remember to breathe, said Bienkie, keeping his eye on the gnome. He knew Katherine was captivated. He needed to break the spell. Katherine ignored him.

What kind of secret? said Katherine, looking straight at Gnome.

There is something INside the house that no one can see . . . unless you are OUTside the house, said Gnome.

Bienkie guffawed.

Give me a clue! Katherine blurted back. She was in a hurry to solve the mystery.

Nope, it’s time for tea, said Gnome, and with that he walked behind the humungous tree, and disappeared.

Nope? Excuse me? Hello? Where did he go? said Katherine, walking around the tree.

Typical! said Bienkie.

Honestly, how annoying! said Katherine to the empty garden.

"You know, I hate secrets and mysteries! continued Katherine, stomping around the tree in the hope that he would reappear. Well, no, actually I love mysteries, I love solving them. I love it when all the pieces click together like a jigsaw puzzle. I just don’t like NOT knowing things. And I don’t like waiting!"

The creatures giggled at Katherine’s babbling. Methuselah was right. Katherine was just what they needed. She leaned her hand against the tree. She looked back at the house again.

There are one . . . two . . . eight chimney turrets, three windows on the top floor on this side, there are no doors on this side, there is a courtyard between the garage and the kitchen. There’s Mummy!

Katherine saw her mother waving at her from the linen room window. She waved back but turned away quickly just in case her mother tried to call her inside to do more chores. There was no time for chores; they had a mystery to solve. A secret to discover. Perhaps Bienkie would have an idea of how to solve this, she thought to herself as she turned around to face him. But Bienkie was not paying attention to her: he was scouring the garden for the gnome. Bienkie thought the gnome was trouble. Deep down, the bear in him told him to keep an eye on the gnome.

Katherine folded her arms and tapped her foot impatiently. She did not have time for Bienkie and his green monster. She loved Bienkie, but he did get frightfully jealous for no reason at all. It was the poet in him, he said. He had to express, not repress what he was feeling, unlike Katherine, who pushed all her worry and fears deep inside her until they festered and finally exploded into a SAD-MAD-BAD.

Why don’t you like the gnome? said Katherine.

He BOMBINATES, said Bienkie, narrowing his eyes. He knew it wasn’t a proper reason, but soon he would have one. Bombinate – it’s like the bees that won’t leave the honey or the jam alone – all that humming and buzzing, it gets stuck in your head, explained Bienkie.

Grandpa used to bombinate, said Katherine, understanding the new word and letting it pop and bumble across her tongue.

Sure. But at least it was Beethoven, said Bienkie, remembering how Katherine’s grandfather used to hum while he gardened.

Anyway, don’t we have a secret to discover? said Bienkie. He really did not want to talk about the gnome.

Yes, we do! said Katherine, clapping her hands together.

There is something INside the house that no one can see, unless you are OUTside the house, said Katherine, repeating what the gnome had said in the hope that Bienkie would solve the secret instantly.

I think, said Bienkie, we need a new PERSPECTIVE. A new way of looking at this – we need a better view.

Katherine nodded. She did not know what perspective meant but it sounded good, and she loved it when Bienkie used BIG words. It made the little things seem more important. Bienkie was always a great help. He was her GO-TO bear. It paid to talk to Bienkie and think things through.

"What does that mean, exactly?" said Katherine.

It means we need to look at the house with DETECTIVE eyes, said Bienkie, pointing to the front of the house.

Let’s go! said Katherine, as she grabbed Bienkie by the paw and pulled him into her arms.

Katherine loved the idea of being a detective. She charged round to the front of the house with Bienkie in the crook of her arm. Bienkie wasn’t sure his bones could take the thumping and bumping. Katherine never walked. She had what he called a DOTTLE-TROT. A unique and remarkable way of walking that left even grown-ups struggling to catch up with her. It was difficult to keep up with Katherine when she was intrigued. She was always desperate to discover new things. She hated not knowing things. She wouldn’t stop until she knew it all.

"I have counted all the windows and there don’t seem to be any extra doors. I know there is a loft space, and if I know that then it’s not a secret, is it?" said Katherine, pointing to the house.

Bienkie knew Katherine was really talking to herself, thinking out loud, is what she called it. Some might call it babbling, but he liked it: he felt part of something, even if she was just holding him. Katherine always made him feel he was part of something exciting. Katherine made him want to jump out of bed in the morning and not just sit on the wardrobe like an ordinary bear. He was a bear with a mission. He had purpose.

Are you listening, Bienkie? said Katherine.

Bienkie nodded. He looked at the house again. How many bedrooms does the house have?

Why? It’s obvious! There are five, if you count the small room upstairs, that’s ours in the middle, mummy’s is at the end over there on the left, the room between us is the small room with a door that opens into my room, on the other side of my room is the spare room and then at the back is the guest room but you can’t see it from this side of the house. Only four of the rooms have a lough view, replied Katherine.

"What is that room then?" said Bienkie, pointing to a room to the right side of the house.

There was only one window and the room looked dark inside.

"That’s the kitchen . . . but the kitchen isn’t upstairs, is it?"said Katherine.

Exactly! said Bienkie.

Supermurgatroid! Well done, Bienkie! Why didn’t I see that? exclaimed Katherine, squeezing Bienkie tighter. He really was a clever bear, she thought. I am so glad you’re MY bear!

Bienkie blushed. Let’s see what the gnome thinks of that, he thought to himself.

Let’s go and see how we get into that room. I think we best go in by the kitchen door so we don’t run into grown-ups, suggested Katherine.

Bienkie nodded his approval. Katherine charged back through the garden towards the kitchen door. The creatures twittered and chirped. It was all about to change. Methuselah was just watching and waiting.

CHAPTER 2

The Secret Room

We’ll have to be STEALTH. I don’t want to be sent to my room to unpack boxes. OK? whispered Katherine. Bienkie nodded his head. Katherine was pleased with her BIG word. She had learnt this word from her brother; he was into all kinds of spy stuff.

Do you know what stealth means Bienkie?

Kind of, said Bienkie. He did know what it meant but he knew Katherine liked talking about what she knew, so he pretended not to know.

It means we have to be quiet like a mouse. No one must know we are even here. Like that black plane that no one knows is actually there, said Katherine, hoping it all made sense. Katherine also hoped she had remembered it correctly, but it sounded right – it sounded clever and secret.

Katherine quietly opened the back door. There was no one about. Once inside the house, Katherine knew she needed to be careful and not get in the way of the movers, otherwise there was sure to be trouble. She could hear her mother directing the movers in her study.

The back door led into an outside hallway, with the garage at the far end and the kitchen on the right. Just past the kitchen door was a large door leading to a small courtyard and the boiler room. Katherine opened the door and stepped out of the cold darkness of the passage into the sunlight of the courtyard. She was standing directly below the kitchen window as she looked up and saw the window of the room they had seen from the garden. It was, without a doubt, directly above the kitchen.

Now they just needed to find a way in. There was no way in from the outside. They would have to go back inside the house and risk grown-ups getting involved, which was bound to ruin the adventure.

It was quiet when they walked into the kitchen. Katherine listened to hear where everyone was, more importantly, where her mother was. She heard a few distant voices that seemed to be coming from outside. Holding Bienkie’s paw a little tighter, she tip-toed to the main hall to make her way up the stairs, but just as she put her foot on the first stair . . .

Katherine? said her mother.

Her mother was still in the study by the front door. Katherine did not move. Katherine did not say anything.

Katherine, I know you’re there.

Yes, mummy? squeaked Katherine, dropping her head.

Katherine dear, do go and unpack your boxes. We’re running out of space in your room, said Katherine’s mother.

Now? huffed Katherine, looking up and putting her one hand on her hip. Bienkie winced. There was no reply, just silence. Katherine’s mother was brilliant at saying something without even speaking a word, smiled Bienkie.

"Fine! But I was in the middle of something!" stormed Katherine, stomping up the stairs. Just when things got interesting grown-ups had to ruin it all, she thought. Katherine flung open her bedroom door to see one of several large boxes in the middle of the floor next to her camp bed. The box marked ‘BEARS’ was jumping up and down and there were muffled voices coming out of it. Katherine let go of Bienkie and he fell onto the carpet as she charged toward the box. She gave it a kick and it bounced across the room, banging into the box marked ‘BIRDS’.

Honestly, pack it in! Bienkie and me are in the middle of an adventure! raged Katherine. She kicked the box again. And again! Bienkie knew then that she was in a proper grump. This was her SAD-MAD-BAD.

She let out all