heard first?” she asked as she pulled on a pair of grey cargo trousers hanging from a chair.
Flushing with embarrassment, Antonia nodded. She didn’t want Hannah to think she was showing off, but Hannah grinned, happy to accept that Antonia was a more powerful Silver Dolphin than her. They finished dressing in silence and crept into the hall, meeting up there with Cai, who came out of his room carrying his shoes.
“Let’s go,” whispered Hannah, unbolting the front door.
“What about writing a note for your mum?” Antonia reminded her.
“No need,” said Hannah. “Mum’s used to me doing my own thing. And it’s Sunday. She never gets up this early!”
Hannah closed the front door of the flat and led the way along the corridor, down the stairs and across the lobby to the apartment’s communal front door. Even though only a Silver Dolphin could hear the call, the shrill whistle still made Antonia nervous. Wincing, she followed Hannah outside. The grass was heavy with dew and by the time they reached the gate at the end of the garden, Antonia’s trainers were soaked.
Hannah pelted down the public footpath, Antonia and Cai hot on her heels running side by side. Soon the ground began to level out, and as the trees thinned, Antonia caught the smell of the sea. She inhaled deeply, loving its sharp, salty tang and the mewling cries of the early morning gulls.
The path ended in a kissing gate. One by one the Silver Dolphins squeezed through it. Hannah didn’t wait for Antonia and Cai, but sprinted up the sand dunes rising before her.
Antonia followed, the soft sand shifting under her feet. Her calf muscles protested at the unfamiliar sensation of running uphill on moving sand. Spiky green marram grass grew everywhere and it whipped against Antonia’s trousers as if urging her on. Panting with exertion, she arrived at the top of the dunes and stood there for a moment, her eyes scanning the vast expanse of sand ahead.
“Wow!” exclaimed Cai.
“It’s huge,” Antonia agreed. The sand spread before them like an enormous yellow canvas, the sea a splash of blue on the horizon.
“Hurry,” urged Hannah, pulling off her shoes and socks.
Antonia and Cai did the same, leaving their shoes hidden in a clump of marram grass. Antonia’s bare toes found it hard to grip on to the powdery dunes and she kept sliding backwards. At the bottom the sand was much firmer. Antonia pounded across the beach with Cai, catching up with Hannah and running alongside her as she raced towards the flat sea. The water was icy cold. Gritting her teeth, Antonia braced herself and dived in.
Silver Dolphin, we need you.
I’m on my way.
The shock of the freezing water made Antonia gasp out loud, but seconds later her legs melded together like a dolphin’s tail and she stopped noticing the cold. She was a Silver Dolphin! Antonia whistled for joy as her body arched in and out of the steely-grey sea.
“Over there,” panted Hannah after they’d been swimming for ages.
Antonia had felt the dolphins’ vibrations long before she spotted their four silver heads anxiously bobbing in the water. Hannah swam towards the largest, a proud-looking common dolphin whose wise eyes were lined with stripes that ran to his mouth.
“Welcome, Silver Dolphins. Thank you for answering my call,” clicked Vision. After quickly greeting everyone by rubbing noses, he clicked, “Follow me.”
Vision led the Silver Dolphins to a large rock rising from the sea like a jagged mountain. An animal was floundering around on top and, as the Silver Dolphins came closer, Antonia saw it was a grey seal. She swam faster, reaching the rock ahead of Cai and Hannah.
It was a struggle to clamber out of the water and up the rock’s barnacle-encrusted side. Antonia’s foot slipped on a strand of wet seaweed and she started to fall backwards. Cai saved her by putting his hand on her back and pushing her up again. Gratefully Antonia regained her balance on the rock and held out her hand to help Cai then Hannah up too. There wasn’t much room and the seal eyed them warily, her whiskery nose quivering with alarm.
“Steady,” crooned Antonia, holding out her hands palms upwards to show the seal she meant no harm.
The seal didn’t move, but her grey-tan sides heaved fearfully as she breathed in and out.
“You’re a big girl.” Antonia spoke in a low, calm voice as she took a step closer. The seal had an enormous belly and Antonia guessed she was carrying a pup.
“Oh!” Antonia’s breath caught in her throat as she spotted a long scratch on the seal’s flipper. The seal had been lucky. Something sharp had done that and it could have caused a much nastier injury.
“Here,” said Hannah, pulling a small plastic pack of tissues from her pocket.
“Thanks.” Antonia took them and cleaned the dirt from around the scratch. The seal flinched, but Cai and Hannah reassured her with calm words.
“There,” said Antonia, putting the tissues in her pocket.
The seal seemed in no hurry to leave the rock. She nudged each of the Silver Dolphins, her whiskery nose tickling them and making them giggle.
“Another job done,” said Hannah with a grin.
“Not quite. We don’t know what injured the seal. It had to be something caused by humans or pollution or we wouldn’t have been called to help.” Antonia peered into the sea as if the answer might be obvious.
“You’re right,” said Cai. “We’d better have a look around.”
One at a time they lowered themselves from the rock and into the sea. Antonia was last, holding back to say goodbye to her new friend. When she finally splashed into the water, Vision had been joined by the three dolphins Antonia had seen earlier. Hannah swam among the dolphins as she introduced them.
“This is Dancer, Vision’s wife.” Hannah pointed to a pretty dolphin with a rich gold blaze and dreamy eyes. Dancer bobbed forward and greeted the Silver Dolphins by patting their heads with her flipper.
“This is Lulu, Vision and Dream’s daughter,” Hannah continued.
Clicking a laugh, Lulu rolled in the water, flashing her silver belly at them. Then, righting herself, she squeaked, “And this is Rolly, my best friend.”
“And that’s Lulu’s friend Rolly,” said Hannah, laughing.
“Hi, Silver Dolphins,” clicked Rolly, smacking the water with his fin.
“Can we play with the Silver Dolphins?” asked Lulu.
“We haven’t finished yet,” said Antonia. “We have to find out what scratched the seal’s flipper before another animal gets hurt.”
“We’ll help. We’re good at looking for things, aren’t we, Rolly?” clicked
