Winter Sports. Chapter 18

One sunny morning, Pringle returned from Siberia where he had been visiting Vernonand Bessie. He brought an invitation with him, which he pinned onto the Brigade's notice board. It said 

The Siberian Brigade have pleasure in inviting members of the Prehistoric Animal Brigade to their Winter Sports. A warm welcome, with the promise of excitement and fun will be extended to all competitors. For the programme of events, and details of travel arrangements and accommodation apply to Woolly Mammoth. 

Signed, 

Vernon Mammoth, 

Chairman of the Sports Committee.

Sophie and her friends looked at the program carefully. 

“Do you think we should enter for the aerobatic display?” Sophie asked.

“You need four for each team.” Sonya replied,” I wonder whether Mum would come with us. Let's ask her.” So Sophie, Sonya and Sybilla went together to ask Alice, who was much admired for her speedy twists and turns, and graceful gliding.

“I would love to go to Siberia,” she said, “it's ages since I have had a proper holiday. I will give you some intensive coaching, and we should be able to go and put up a good performance.” So they went to look for Woolly Mammoth, to enter their names for the aerobatic display. They found him talking to Kelly Leah and Megan. 

“I think you should enter the three man bob.” He was telling them.

“Whatever's that?” Leah asked. 

“We have a very steep bob sleigh course, called the Cresta Run. The sleighs carry one, two or three animals, and the heavier they are, the faster they go. I think that you three will have a very good chance, if you can learn to steer around the sharp corners.” 

Other animals crowded round Woolly Mammoth, eager to enter the events and book accommodation in Bessie's warm caves. Mr. and Mrs. Moonlight and Rebecca entered the aerobatic competition with Nicole, who was a friend of Rebecca's, and a team of twelve Dinonychus came to enter the ice hockey event.

“We've heard that the Siberian Wolves are the champions, but we are determined to beat them and bring the gold medal back to the swamp,” said their leader, whose name was James. “We shall call ourselves the Dinonychus Dynamos.” Woolly Mammoth wrote it in his entry book. 

“Good luck boys,” he said, “You will have to be very fit. The Siberian Wolves are the best team we have had for years, and their captain Hot Paws Harry has broken every record for goal scoring since ice hockey began.”

For the next few weeks Alice and her team practised in every spare moment, Kelly Leah and Megan made a bob sleigh, that they learnt to steer down the steep sand hills under the Pteranadons cliffs. All the animals who had entered trained until they were super fit. Uncle Bron and his friends said that, though they were not super fit themselves, they would come to lead the cheering, and Nigel would go to sing whenever any of the Brigade won a medal. He had composed an arrangement of “Gondwana Fair,” with a lot of hiraeth in it. 

“That will get the tears rolling,” he chuckled. 

At last the day came for the competitors to set off. Woolly Mammoth led the long procession, the Pteranadons and Pterodactyls flew in formation overhead, and Kelly Leah and Megan came in their Triceratops Express. In the evening they camped and had their suppers around ten big barbecues which they set up, and as they got closer to Siberia, they were pleased to be able to warm themselves near the hot embers. 

Woolly Mamoth led the long prossession.

One morning, as they set off, it began to snow and Sophie knew that they were nearly there. At mid day Woolly Mammoth lifted his trunk and trumpeted loudly. Soon they saw Vera, Chuck and Dave running through the pine trees towards them. 

“How they have grown,” Sophie thought. They were followed by Bessie, Vernon and a large crowd of the Siberian brigade, waving flags and shouting welcomes. Bessie gave Sophie a huge hug,

“Her dragon girl.” as she called her, and took her into her cave, where a meal of tempting smorgasbord was spread. Steaming cups of Siberian tea were offered to the travellers a nip of vodka for the grown up members of the brigade.

“To keep out the cold,” Vernon said. 

When they had eaten their fill, they were shown to their caves. Sophie, Sonya, Sybilla and Alice had the cave next to Vera, Chuck and Dave. It was large, with a stove in the center made from an enormous stalactite which glowed cheerfully, casting dancing shadows of the Pteranadons onto the walls.

A voice spoke near Sophie's foot.

“They  were shown their caves

“Are there any Pterodactyls here?” Sophie looked down and saw a tiny Pterodactyl, wearing a large badge which said “Steward Courtney.” 

“There are Mr. and Mrs. Moonlight with Rebecca and Nicole over there,” Sophie said. The tiny Pterodactyl hurried over to them. 

“Come this way please, I will show you to your cave. And if there is anything you want, please ask me,” she added, in rather a bossy boots voice. Mr. and Mrs. Moonlight smiled and followed her along winding passages. 

“Is your Dad THE Mr. Moonlight?” Courtney asked Rebecca. 

“Yes,” Rebecca replied, “He is quite famous. He's teaching me magic too.” 

“Ooh, lucky thing.” said Courtney. At last they came to the cave Bessie had prepared for them. She had hung a large crystal moon from the ceiling, which gleamed softly from the light of the glow worm lamps. Mr. and Mrs. Moonlight, Rebecca and Nicole thought that it was charming. They said good night to Courtney and were soon settled snugly in their beds, and fast asleep.

In the morning, James and his team of Dinonychus Dynamos were up early. They pulled on their swamp green pullovers and went to practice on the ice. There was no doubt that they were very good, and they easily won their first match after breakfast, against the Snowy Owls. The Siberian Wolves won their match too. They were a very popular team with the Siberian Brigade, and lots of spectators wore their black and yellow colours on their scarves and hats. Kelly, Leah and Megan went to look at the Cresta Run with Vera, Chuck and Dave, who had also entered for the three man bob. They were surprised to see how steep it was, and how sharp the corners were. 

“The ice is like glass,” Megan whispered to Kelly, “I feel a bit scared.”

“Shh, don't let Vera, Chuck and Dave hear you say that, we are going to win,” Kelly replied quietly. Pringle and Vernon came to speak to them. 

“You can have some practice today on the practice runs, you will soon get used to it,” Vernon said. 

“It's very exciting, you will love it.” Pringle told them. 

Then the two enormous Mammoths went to enter the one man bob. First, they had to be weighed against ten ton rock. A large crowd had gathered and they all cheered, as first Pringle and then Vernon tipped the scales with the huge rock on them into the air. They were the only competitors in the one man bob, and had raced against each other for fifty nine years. Pringle always came first, Vernon always came a close second. 

At the bottom of the Cresta Run, Uncle Bron and his friends were waiting with an even larger crowd to watch the finish. A tiny Pterodactyl stood on the finishing line, holding a stop watch, with her stewards badge pinned to her black and yellow hat. It was Courtney. The crowd were hushed, then the sound of distant cheering was heard, the race had started. The cheering grew louder, and a bob sleigh carrying Vernon, (or was it Pringle?) shot over the finishing line. Courtney pressed her stop watch, the Mammoth shook the ice and snow from his coat. It was Vernon.

“I thought it was you,” Courtney said, “You time is four minutes thirty nine seconds, the best ever!” 

Now it was Pringle's turn. Uncle Bron and his friends began to chant,

“Pringle, Pringle, hurry up Pringle,” as a plume of snow could be seen snaking down the mountain side. Their chant grew to a deafening roar, as Pringle's sleigh came into view and hissed across the line. Courtney pressed the button of her stop watch,” Four minutes thirty eight seconds,” she announced. “Pringle is the winner.” Vernon came and congratulated his old friend. He said, 

“By the unanimous decision of the sports committee, we have decided to rename Ten Tone Rock. From today, it will become Pringle Rock, in honour of Pringle's sixtieth win on the one man bob.” Then he hung the gold medal around Pringle's neck while Nigel sang “Gondwana Fair.” Pringle sniffed and dabbed his trunk with a large red Handkerchief. After that Pringle hung the silver medal around Vernon's neck, and the famous Siberian soprano Hazel Hawk sang “Fair Siberia.” and as a large tear trickled down Vernon's trunk, Pringle passed him the red hankie. Then the two old friends walked off together. 

That night there was a party, with games and dancing, and it was after midnight before every body went to bed. 

“Now don't be late in the morning,” Kelly said to Leah and Megan, when they said good night, “We are first off in the three man bob, see you at the top of the Cresta Run, at nine o'clock sharp.” 

But in the morning when Kelly and Megan arrived at the top of the Cresta Run, Leah was nowhere to be seen.

“I hope she hasn't overslept again,” Kelly sighed, “She finds it so hard to wake up in the mornings.” 

Leah awoke from a beautiful dream at twenty to nine. Half asleep, she remembered that she had to meet Kelly and Megan at nine o'clock, and rolling out of her bunk, charged at full tilt out of the cave, and in what she hoped was the direction of the Cresta Run. Suddenly, her front horn got hooked up in something. She tripped slightly, and swung high into the air. After performing a double somersault she landed and charged on. 

“I hope I'm on the right track.” she thought, “It's very narrow, and rather wobbly.” again her horn got caught in what seemed to be an iron ring. This time she was flung high into the air, and described a graceful triple somersault. Rubbing her eyes, Leah began to wake up, she thought she could hear the sound of cheering. 

“I must be getting near to the Cresta Run,” she thought, but as she landed, she bounced six or seven times before she managed to regain her balance, on what she realised must be a trampoline. She jumped neatly onto the floor, and the cheering and clapping began again. Six judges were holding up cards with quite high marks on them. Vernon Mammoth steeped forward. 

“Well done Leah,” he said, “We didn't know you were entering for the gymnastics, but with those marks you stand a good chance of winning a medal.”

“Please could you tell me where the top of the Cresta Run is?” Leah enquired sleepily. 

“Just along the road and turn right at the Reindeer's Garters, you can't miss it.” 

“Thank you,” she called back as she charged on. Kelly and Megan were giving up hope of beginning on time, when they saw Leah rushing towards them. Flinging themselves together on to the sleigh they raced down the Cresta. They had no time to be scared, as they took the sharpest corners at breathtaking speed. As they arrived at the bottom they heard Courtney call out.

“Four minutes fifty nine seconds,” and knew that it was a time that even Vera, Chuck and Dave would find hard to beat. 

Mr. and Mrs. Moonlight were waiting at the bottom of the Cresta Run, with Rebecca and Nicole, to cheer Kelly, Leah, and Megan, and they watched together as the other competitors raced down. The only ones better than the Triceratops were Vera, Chuck and Dave, who beat them by one second, and won the gold medal, while Kelly Leah and Megan won the silver.

“Very good for a first attempt,” Vernon said, as he hung the medals round their necks, and to the sounds of Nigel's beautiful rendering of “Gondwana Fair” the tears rolled down their cheeks.

Afterwards they all went to have lunch at the “Reindeer's Garters,” and after that to the ice rink to what they knew would be an exciting final between the Dinonychus Dynamos and the Siberian Wolves. The four Pteranadons came with them, and just before the match began, Courtney, who had finished her work for the day, slipped into the seat beside Rebecca. 

“I love watching those Wolves,” she said as the wolf pack skated onto the ice, “Especially Hot Paws Harry.” Their leader was a big wolf with handsome silver grey ruff, which looked very nice with his black and yellow pullover. Then the Dinonychus Dynamos skated out in their swamp green pullovers. They had polished their terrible claws with bee’s wax, so that they flashed in the winter sunshine as they waved to their friends and supporters in the crowd. The referee blew his whistle, and the match started.

The Dynamos twisted and weaved among the Wolf pack until even Hot Paws Harry looked quite confused. Suddenly, James swept the puck between the paws of the Wolves goalkeeper and scored the first goal. Buster, the goalkeeper looked very sad, and Hot Paws patted him on the shoulder and had a quiet word with him and others in the team. After that the wolves kept closer together, and the Dynamos found it difficult to get through their defences. Then Hot Paws Harry scored his first goal. His supporters gave their famous wolf howl, and Courtney bounced up and down in her seat shouting “Hot Paws! Hot Paws!” Twice more the Wolves scored, and then the referee blew his whistle for half time. After the interval the teams came out again and soon James scored another goal. Now Uncle Bron and his friends started to sing

“When the Claws go marching in.” Courtney was jumping up and down again. 

“I love that Dynamo,” she shouted in Rebecca's ear, “Come on James,” she yelled as James scored two goals in quick succession winning the match, just before the referee blew his whistle for time. 

“I thought you supported the Wolves,” Rebecca said, “I thought I did, but I support the Dynamos now. Especially James.” Courtney replied.

The wolves and Dynamos swapped pullovers with each other, and left the ice laughing and chatting together, they had all enjoyed their exciting game. Courtney gave her black and yellow pom pom hat to Rebecca, and Rebecca gave her swamp green one to Courtney, and she pinned her stewards badge on to it. During the match Mrs. Moonlight had been watching Nicole. She was very quiet, and had not cheered at all, not a bit like her usual happy self. 

“Are you alright dear?” Mrs. Moonlight inquired, “You look rather pale.” 

“I've got an awful tummy ache,” poor Nicole replied, “I think that I would like to go to bed.” Mr. and Mrs. Moonlight took Nicole back to their cave, where they tucked her up with a hot water bottle. Courtney came in with a large bottle of Bessie's special medicine for Siberian tummy. 

“Take a spoon full three times a day, and you will soon be well again,” she said, “And I brought you my new time travel jig saw. It's Homo Sapiens in an automobile.”

“Thank you Courtney, I shall enjoy doing that,” Nicole said. Next day, Nicole was still feeling rather sick, and Mr. and Mrs. Moonlight decided that they would not be able to enter the aerobatic display without her. When Courtney came with Bessie to see how she was feeling, Courtney said,

“I will enter the aerobatics with you. I have often seen you practicing, and I think that I could take Nicole's place.” Nicole was disappointed that she was not well enough to go herself, but she wished them all luck, and snuggled down into bed. Bessie read to her from her Siberian story book, and in the afternoon Hot Paws, Harry and James popped into see her for a little chat, and signed her autograph album, so she was not bored. 

An enormous crowd had gathered at the sports stadium to watch the aerobatic display. There were a lot of entries, and the audience was thrilled as they watched the graceful Albatross Wanderers and laughed at the antics of the Giddy Grebes. The standard was extremely high, but as Alice, Sophie, Sonya and Sibilla watched they all thought to themselves that they could do even better. Mr. and Mrs. Moonlight with Rebecca and Courtney had called themselves the Crescent Moons, and everyone agreed that they gave a magical performance. Courtney had to flap her wings a few extra times, she was so small, and unfortunately that lost them one or two marks. 

“I shall practice hard, and next time we will win a medal,” she said afterwards to Mr. and Mrs. Moonlight. Mr. and Mrs. Moonlight looked at each other, and then at Courtney. 

“You know that I'm going home with you,” Courtney said. “What about your Mum and Dad?” Mr. Moonlight asked. 

“You are my Mum and Dad now, I can't remember ever having another Mum and Dad.” 

“Well Christina,” Mr. Moonlight said to his wife, “You always said you would like a large family, it seems we have started to collect one.” Rebecca was very pleased to have Courtney for a sister and so it was a happy family of Pterodactyls that returned to the swamp after the winter sports finished. At last it was the turn of Alice Sophie, Sonya, and Sibilla to give their performance. They had called themselves the Grey Arrows. The crowd sat watching silently as Alice found a strong thermal and quickly led her team up to ten thousand feet. To the spectators on the ground they seemed small specks in the sky as they began their display. Never again for ninety million years, until the Red Arrows flew through the skies of Europe was a display given to equal theirs, and they glowed with pride as afterwards, Vernon hung the gold medals round their necks. Then Nigel sang “Gondwana Fair.” They felt their eyes prickle, and then the tears streamed down. Soon everyone in the stadium, except Nigel, was sniffing or dabbing their eyes. 

“Oh dear,” thought Sophie, “Why ever should I be crying on the happiest day of my life?”

  
“Its all that hiraeth,” muttered Alice.