The Playful Panda Read online

  Zoe peeped inside the crate. She could just make out a fluffy black and white bundle. The bundle wriggled – and Zoe grinned in delight.There were two adorable creatures, cuddled up asleep together!

  With special thanks to Natalie Doherty

  For Nic, Steph, Joe, Iain and Frankie x

  Chapter One

  A Treat for Daisy

  Zoe Parker grinned as she raced down the path. It was Saturday morning at the Rescue Zoo and Zoe was on her way to visit some of her favourite animals. Halfway down the path she stopped at a wooden gate and reached for the pretty silver paw-print charm on her necklace.

  This was no ordinary necklace – it opened the door to every single enclosure in the Rescue Zoo! It had been a present from her Great-Uncle Horace, who had built the zoo, and Zoe never took it off. She held the charm against a small panel on the gate and with a quiet click it swung open.

  Zoe walked into a warm, wide plain, covered in tall grass and lush trees. Just beyond the gate was the house where the giraffes slept, a tall red-brick building with a high arched doorway. Zoe shaded her eyes from the sunshine and saw the herd gathered at the other end of the enclosure, drinking from a sparkling stream. By the gate stood a wheelbarrow full of fresh straw, and a large garden fork. The giraffe keeper, Frankie, had promised Zoe she could help out this morning, and everything she needed was ready for her!

  Zoe grabbed the wheelbarrow and pushed it into the giraffe house. She picked up the fork and began lifting the straw out, spreading it carefully on the ground so that the giraffes would have clean, comfortable bedding that night.

  She hummed happily as she worked, enjoying the warm breeze and wondering where her best friend had got to. He had dashed off along the path in front of her that morning, too excited to slow down!

  Suddenly the straw in the wheelbarrow started to wriggle. Zoe watched curiously as it shook from side to side. Then a furry little head popped out and a pair of huge, golden eyes blinked cheekily at her.

  “Meep!” laughed Zoe. “There you are, you naughty thing!”

  With a cheerful chirp, the tiny creature sprang out of the wheelbarrow and climbed up on to Zoe’s shoulder, sending bits of straw everywhere. Meep was a grey mouse lemur. He was very small with a long, curling tail and soft, delicate ears that stuck up in the air. He’d come to the zoo when he was just a baby, and lived with Zoe and her mum in their cottage.

  “I wondered where you’d disappeared to, Meep. You’re supposed to be helping me tidy the giraffe enclosure, not making a mess!” Zoe shook her head but couldn’t help smiling. The little lemur was so cute that she could never really tell him off.

  As she finished spreading out the straw, Zoe heard a gentle bray behind her and turned around. The youngest member of the giraffe herd, Daisy, had come over to greet them. She was just a few months old but she was still more than twice as tall as Zoe!

  “Morning, Daisy!” called Zoe. The graceful giraffe trotted over and Zoe put down her fork and reached up to stroke her long, slender neck. Every giraffe had a different pattern of special markings that helped Zoe tell them apart. She knew this was Daisy from the pretty star shape on her forehead.

  “Wow, Mum! Look!” cried an excited voice from the path. “A baby giraffe – and there’s a girl stroking her!”

  The zoo gates must have opened to the public while Zoe was working, because a family of visitors had walked up to the fence. A lady was pushing a bright-blue buggy with a toddler sitting inside, clapping his little hands happily. Next to them was a red-haired girl a bit younger than Zoe, wearing a giraffe T-shirt and holding her dad’s hand. She was gazing in amazement at Zoe and Daisy. Zoe smiled at her, and Meep chattered a friendly greeting.

  The girl smiled back shyly, her eyes wide. “Are you a zookeeper?” she asked Zoe.

  Zoe giggled. “Maybe one day!” she said. “I’m Zoe, and this is Meep. My Great-Uncle Horace is the owner of the Rescue Zoo.”

  “Oh, you mean Horace Higgins! I’ve heard of him,” said the girl’s mum.

  “He’s a famous explorer, isn’t he?” her dad added.

  Zoe nodded. “He met so many hurt, lost or frightened animals on his adventures that he decided to build the Rescue Zoo. Now it’s a safe place for any creature that needs a home,” she explained. “Great-Uncle Horace still travels round the world looking for animals to help. Sometimes he’s away for months, and we never know when he’s going to come back.

  “My mum’s the Rescue Zoo vet. We live in a little cottage here in the zoo, so she can treat any animal whenever they need her. And I spend as much time with the animals as I can, especially at the weekends!”

  “I can’t believe you live here,” the girl said wistfully. “You’re so lucky.”

  “I know,” said Zoe, beaming. She was very proud of her special home!

  “And are the giraffes your favourites?” the girl’s mum asked. “Amy here loves giraffes. She was so excited about seeing them, so this is the first enclosure we came to.”

  Zoe smiled. “Would you like to feed Daisy?” she asked. “She’s already had lots of acacia leaves for breakfast but I have an apple here that you can give her as a treat.”

  Amy’s mouth dropped open. “Really?” she breathed. “I would love to!”

  Zoe reached into her pocket and passed a shiny green apple over the fence. Amy clutched it, looking nervous. “Just hold your arm out straight and keep your hand flat. She won’t bite. She’s really gentle,” Zoe promised, smiling at Daisy.

  Amy’s dad pulled out his camera and started taking pictures as Amy held the apple out. Very carefully, Daisy bent down her long neck and sniffed the little girl’s hand. Then she picked up the apple in one bite and started crunching it happily. Amy gasped. “Her nose is so soft!” she whispered.

  “Did she come from somewhere in Africa?” Amy’s dad asked.

  Zoe shook her head. “Daisy’s mum, Dolly, was rescued from Kenya. But Daisy was born here in the zoo, in the middle of the night. I was the first person to see her! Meep and I came to give Dolly her breakfast in the morning and there was Daisy – already walking around!”

  When Amy had finished giving Daisy her treat, her dad ruffled her hair. “We’d better go and visit some of the other animals now, love. We’ve still got lots to see,” he told her. “How about the hippos next?”

  “We’ll come back to see Daisy before we leave,” her mum added.

  Amy grinned at Zoe. “Thank you so much for letting me feed her. I loved it,” she said, her cheeks pink with happiness.

  The family walked off down the path, chatting excitedly. Zoe waited until they were out of sight, and sighed. “That was close!” she said to Daisy. “I didn’t hear them walking up to the fence. It’s lucky we weren’t talking!”

  Daisy nodded, and Meep squeaked in agreement. “They might have guessed our secret, Zoe!” the little lemur chirped.

  Zoe grinned. Most people thought her life was amazing because she lived at the Rescue Zoo. But there was something else unusual about her – only this was a secret. On her sixth birthday Zoe had found out that animals talk to people all the time! Most people just hear squeaks, grunts, roars and other animal noises. But some people can understand everything they say. Lucky, special people – like Zoe!

  Chapter Two

  A Double Delivery

  “Come on, Meep!” said Zoe. “Let’s head to the otter enclosure. Mum said the babies are getting a new toy this morning!”

  Daisy bleated gently at Zoe, who smiled. “Of course we’ll see you later,” she promised, reaching out to stroke Daisy’s soft muzzle. “Frankie told me you’ve been playing chase with the rest of the herd, and I want to come and watch.”

  Daisy bleated again and fluttered her long, dark eyelashes.
Zoe giggled and nodded. “OK,” she said. “If you’re very good, I might bring another apple with me.” The young giraffe grunted happily and trotted back to the rest of the herd.

  Zoe made sure the gate was safely locked before heading down the path. It was a warm autumn day and the zoo was busy with visitors. Meep scampered along in front of her, darting nimbly through the crowds and along the top of the fences. Some people pointed, and one lady gasped, “Look! That monkey has escaped from its enclosure!”

  Zoe giggled. “Don’t worry,” she called. “Meep’s not a monkey, he’s a lemur, and he hasn’t escaped. He’s one of the most special animals at the Rescue Zoo and he’s allowed to run free.”

  They passed the colourful kingfishers perched around their leafy lake home and the capuchin monkeys in their lush jungle. There was an especially big crowd gathered in front of the next enclosure. Luna was a beautiful arctic wolf with a soft, shaggy white coat, a jet-black nose and pale-blue eyes. Last month her gorgeous cubs had been born: a girl called Stella and a boy called Sam. Their home was a snowy clearing, surrounded by a circle of pine trees glittering with ice, with a gap at the front for visitors to look through. Luna and Sam were curled up asleep together, but little Stella was wide awake and playing happily with her mum’s fluffy tail. When she saw Zoe she gave an excited bark and rushed up to the fence. Zoe waved at her. If the paths had been quieter she would have stopped to speak to the cub, but with so many visitors around it was too risky.

  A little further along was another beautiful enclosure – but this one was empty. It was full of bamboo plants with a waterfall trickling down a rocky cliff. Three low wooden platforms were built in the middle, connected by ladders and ramps. This used to be the home of Su Lin, the giant panda.

  Zoe couldn’t help feeling sad as she walked past the empty enclosure. Su Lin had died a few months ago. Zoe’s mum had explained that Su Lin wasn’t hurt or poorly – she was just very old. Zoe had cried for ages but tried to remember that Su Lin had loved her life at the Rescue Zoo. She had been a gentle, cuddly creature, full of funny stories about growing up in China with her little sister, Bai Yun. Zoe bit her lip and glanced at Meep, who jumped into her arms for a hug. They both missed the giant panda very much.

  Once they turned the corner and saw the otter enclosure ahead, Zoe felt more cheerful. Noisy squeaks of excitement were coming from their riverside home.

  Zoe and Meep ran up to the fence, and Meep scampered on to Zoe’s head for a better view. Jess, the otter keeper, was holding a yellow bouncy ball above her head. The baby otters, Otto and Benedict, were waiting on the riverbank, eagerly bobbing their sleek little heads up and down. Then Jess threw the ball into the water, and with a splash Otto and Benedict jumped straight after it! Otto reached the ball first and sent it high up into the air with a clever flick of his snout. His brother squeaked happily and turned a roly-poly under the water. “That looks like fun!” Zoe called, laughing.

  Suddenly Meep’s ears pricked up. “What’s that noise, Zoe?” the little lemur asked.

  Zoe listened. Over the squeaks and splashes of the otters she could hear a strange honking sound. “I don’t know, Meep,” she said, puzzled. “It’s a bit like when some of the geese caught a cold last year.”

  “Or when Oscar tied his trunk into a knot by accident,” Meep suggested, giggling.

  “I don’t think it’s an animal sound at all,” Zoe said thoughtfully. “It sounds more like…a car horn playing a funny tune. But how would anyone drive a car into the Rescue Zoo? The paths aren’t wide enough!”

  The noise was growing louder now, and Zoe could hear the low grumble of an engine. Otto and Benedict were peering curiously over the fence, and in the trees above them a flock of wild green parakeets started squawking excitedly.

  Suddenly a huge, gleaming motorbike appeared from around the corner. With another honk of its horn it sped down the path towards them. The driver was wearing a big, shiny helmet, a safari jacket and a pair of old-fashioned goggles. A white scarf was wrapped around his neck. Meep squeaked with joy and Zoe gasped. “Great-Uncle Horace!”

  With a screech of brakes, the motorbike pulled up next to them. Its number plate said RESCUE 1 and it was covered with colourful stickers, showing all the places in the world that Great-Uncle Horace had visited. Attached to it was a bright-red sidecar with the hot-air balloon symbol of the Rescue Zoo painted on the side. A large and very grumpy-looking bird was perched inside it, her blue feathers fluffed up. Kiki was Great-Uncle Horace’s hyacinth macaw, and they went everywhere together, just like Zoe and Meep!

  Great-Uncle Horace lifted off his goggles and beamed at them, his untidy white hair sticking out from underneath his helmet. “Zoe, my dear. And Meep, you little rascal! It’s wonderful to see you both. I’ve missed you very much.”

  “Hooray! Hooray! Goo’s back!” chattered Meep. The funny little lemur found it hard to say Great-Uncle Horace’s name so had made up his own version instead.

  “We’ve missed you too,” said Zoe, grinning. “I can’t believe you’re home, Great-Uncle Horace. We thought you were somewhere in Asia!”

  “I was in Asia, my dear. Northern China, to be precise. And I’ve brought a very important delivery back to the zoo!” Great-Uncle Horace’s eyes twinkled. “I came as fast as I could, by boat and then by bike. That’s why Kiki here is rather cross. We drove along some very bumpy roads, you see. Motorbike is not her favourite way to travel.”

  Meep sniggered and Kiki gave a haughty squawk. The cheeky lemur and the proud old bird loved their owners but they didn’t like each other very much! “Naughty Meep,” whispered Zoe.

  “Anyway, my dear, hop on!” said Great-Uncle Horace.

  “Where are we going?” Zoe asked. As she climbed on to the motorbike behind Great-Uncle Horace, with Meep on her shoulder, she spotted a large wooden crate tucked into the sidecar next to Kiki. What could it be? Great-Uncle Horace had mentioned a very important delivery. Zoe’s heart leaped. Please let it be a new animal for the Rescue Zoo! she thought hopefully.

  “Oh, not far,” said Great-Uncle Horace, smiling mysteriously. “Hold tight!”

  The engine roared and they raced back along the path. All around them the air was filled with happy squawks, whinnies and hoots as the news that Great-Uncle Horace was back spread through the zoo.

  They turned the corner and parked at the side of the path, underneath a sprawling plum tree. “Zoe, look where Goo has brought us,” Meep whispered in Zoe’s ear.

  “Su Lin’s empty enclosure!” Zoe gasped. She glanced at the wooden crate. Suddenly her heart was racing with excitement.

  Great-Uncle Horace took off his helmet and turned to Zoe. “I know you must be wondering what I’ve brought home with me, my dear,” he said, smiling. “Well, it is a new animal for the zoo – and we already have the perfect home for it. Can you guess what it is?”

  Meep bounced up and down on Zoe’s shoulder. “I know! I know!” the little lemur chirped.

  Zoe took a deep, nervous breath. She thought she knew too – and she desperately hoped she was right. “Is it…is it a panda?” she asked, crossing her fingers tightly.

  Great-Uncle Horace shook his head. Meep squeaked in surprise and Zoe’s heart sank in disappointment. As soon as they had arrived at Su Lin’s enclosure, she’d been sure it was a panda.

  Then Zoe realised Great-Uncle Horace was chuckling softly. He climbed off the motorbike and helped Zoe and Meep down too. Kiki flew out of the sidecar and landed in the plum tree overhead, making a few golden leaves drift gently to the ground. Then Great-Uncle Horace reached over and opened the door of the wooden crate slightly. “Have a look,” he told her.

  Zoe peeped inside. It was warm and snug in the crate, and she could make out a fluffy black and white bundle. The bundle wriggled – and Zoe grinned in delight. There were two adorable creatures, cuddled up asleep together. “I can’t believe it!” she cried. “It’s not a panda. It’s two pandas!”

  “That’s right!�
�� said Great-Uncle Horace, beaming happily. “Two baby panda cubs. They’re just three months old – and they’re sisters. Zoe, meet the Rescue Zoo’s first ever panda twins!”

  Chapter Three

  Zoe’s Mistake

  Zoe stared in delight at the fluffy bundles. One of the sleeping cubs rolled over and yawned, showing her tiny pink tongue, before snuggling back up against her sister.

  “They’re beautiful,” Zoe said softly. “Where did they come from?”

  “From another zoo,” Great-Uncle Horace explained. “Twin pandas are very rare indeed, Zoe. But it costs a lot of money to look after just one panda, because they need so much special care. The zoo could only afford to keep one cub, and was going to send her sister to a panda orphanage.”

  Zoe frowned. “But that’s horrible! They’re twins; they belong together.”

  “Exactly, my dear!” cried Great-Uncle Horace, nodding. “That’s why I decided to bring them both to the Rescue Zoo. It was the only way to make sure they weren’t split up.” He glanced at the enclosure, then smiled at Zoe gently. “Besides, I knew how much everyone was missing Su Lin. Of course, the twins can never replace her. But when I had the chance to bring pandas back to the zoo, I just had to take it!”

  “I’m glad you did,” Zoe replied, grinning. Meep chattered in agreement and Zoe smiled at her little friend.

  “Well, I’d better tell everyone else,” said Great-Uncle Horace. He rummaged around in the pockets of his safari jacket. Zoe giggled as he pulled out a ball of string, then a compass, and then a packet of his favourite custard-cream biscuits. In the largest pocket he found his battered old safari hat, which he jammed on to his head. Finally he held up what he had been looking for: a walkie-talkie.