The Fog Boggarts. Linda Chapman

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      She stopped with a gasp as her toes started to tingle. Whenever she was near to a shadow creature, the Guardian magic made her super-strong and super-fast. It always started as a tingling feeling in her feet. Just like this!

      “What’s up?” said Sam, seeing her face.

      “There must be some shadow creatures nearby!” Sophie whispered. “I can feel my powers starting to work.” She raced along the path, jumping over tree roots and pushing aside branches.

      “Sophie! Wait!” Sam had to sprint to catch up with her. She could go much faster than him when her powers kicked in.

      Sophie slowed down a bit, but excitement was churning through her. Her Guardian powers always made her feel very brave. “What’s that noise?” she asked, hearing a low roaring sound through the trees.

      Sam frowned. “It almost sounds like a waterfall.”

      “It is a waterfall!” said Sophie in astonishment as they emerged through the trees. There was a craggy grey cliff, with water cascading over the top of it into a river below.

      “Weird!” said Sam, turning off his torch. “I didn’t even know there was a waterfall in these woods.”

      Sophie shook her head, lost for words. The exploring they had done in the Shadow Woods had made her realise they were very strange indeed – they never seemed quite the same from one day to the next. Suddenly she noticed something else.

      “Look!” She pointed to the base of the cliff where there were some shadowy caves, their entrances like dark doorways. “They look like just the sort of place a shadow creature might live. Come on, let’s go and check it out!”

      Sam stared uncertainly at the dark opening. “Or we could just walk on by. I bet it’s a quiet and polite shadow creature, staying out of trouble, doing its own thing…” His voice trailed off as Sophie strode off towards the caves, her blonde ponytail swinging. “Oh, why do I bother?” he said, rolling his eyes and hurrying after her.

      Sophie had reached the entrance to the first cave. As she stepped inside the dark, clammy space, she felt her Guardian powers whooshing through her with new force. “Sam, there must be a shadow creature really close by now!” As she spoke, a banner of fog swirled up in front of them. It formed into a column.

      Sam gave a yelp, and his torch slipped from his fingers and fell to the floor, rolling a few inches away. “What’s going on?” he cried. “Where did that fog come from?”

      “I don’t know,” said Sophie, watching the white mist warily. “But I don’t like it.”

      A shiver ran through the fog, and it suddenly became a tall, thin creature with grey skin, a large mouth and the longest, boniest fingers Sophie had ever seen.

      “Whoa!” Sam said, stumbling backwards.

      With a growl, the fog-thing charged straight at them!

      Sophie reacted with superspeed, grabbing Sam out of the way just in time. The creature shot past, swung round in the cave entrance and faced them again.

      “Leave us alone!” said Sophie fiercely, standing in front of Sam. “I’m Sophie Smith. I’m the Guardian!”

      “So?” the creature snarled. “Fog Boggarts are not scared of anyone!” It lunged at them again.