Agroup of dolphins were playing follow my leader along the seabed. In and out of the rocks they chased each other in a long, wiggly line.
âItâs my turn to be leader now,â clicked Swift, one of the older dolphins.
Swift swam fast, weaving between the rocks, turning somersaults and rolling in the water. The dolphins chased after him, squealing with delight.
âThis is so much fun!â exclaimed Bubbles.
âLetâs go and play in the kelp beds,â said Swift. âThatâll be even more fun.â
âBubbly,â clicked Bubbles. âYou lead and weâll follow.â
But as Swift headed out to sea, a tiny dolphin named Dot called from the back, âMum doesnât let me go to the kelp beds on my own.â
âYouâre not on your own. Youâre with us,â said Swift.
Dot stopped swimming and shook her head. âSorry, but Iâm not allowed to go there without a grown-up. Please can we play here?â
âIâm going to the kelp beds,â said Swift firmly. âStay here if you donât want to come.â
âBut I wonât have anyone to play with,â squeaked Dot.
âIâll stay behind with you,â said Bubbles.
He darted out of the line and swam over to her.
âYou said youâd go to the kelp beds,â said Swift crossly. âYou canât just change your mind.â
âI can,â said Bubbles.
âWell, Iâm not changing mine,â said Swift crossly. âFollow me, everyone.â
The other dolphins hesitated, then some followed Swift and some stayed with Bubbles and Dot. They immediately started a new game, unaware that Spirit and Star were watching them.
âBubbles was right,â said Star proudly. âYou can change your mind.â
Spirit uttered a long sigh. âIf only all choices were that simple. I sense much harder decisions ahead for the Silver Dolphins.â
âCan we help them?â asked Star.
âNo,â said Spirit sadly. âThe Silver Dolphins must choose for themselves.â
Antonia Lee woke with the sun on her face and a wonderful feeling bubbling inside her. It was the first day of the spring holiday. Two whole weeks of fun and spending as much time as she liked helping at Sea Watch, the marine conservation charity run by her friend Caiâs great-aunt Claudia. Hurriedly, Antonia washed and dressed then went downstairs for breakfast.
Mum and Dad were drinking tea in the kitchen.
âYouâre up early,â said Dad. âDid you forget there was no school?â
âIâm going to Sea Watch,â said Antonia, pouring herself a bowl of cereal. âThereâs a lot to do because itâs just volunteers today Cai and Claudia arenât there this morning.â
âOf course!â exclaimed Mum, passing Antonia a mug of tea. âTheyâll be on their way to the airport to collect Caiâs parents.â
Cai was living with his great-aunt Claudia in Sandy Bay because his mum and dad had temporary jobs in Australia.
âHow long are they over here for?â asked Dad.
âTen days,â said Antonia. She finished her breakfast then sat on the kitchen floor to put on her trainers.
âAre you coming back for lunch?â Mum stepped over her to get to the dishwasher.
âNo, I made some sandwiches last night. Iâll be home for tea, though.â Antoniaâs voice trailed away as a very familiar feeling swept over her. It made her tingle with anticipation. The dolphins needed her! Any minute now the silver dolphin charm Antonia always wore round her neck would call her to the sea.
âGot to go,â she said, hurriedly jumping up. âSee you later.â
âHave a good day,â called Mum.
As Antonia closed the front door her silver dolphin charm vibrated and its tiny tail tapped against her neck. The charm was as soft as a real dolphin. Antonia shivered with delight as suddenly a high-pitched whistle that only a Silver Dolphin could hear shrilled from it.
Silver Dolphin, we need you.
Spirit, I hear your call, Antonia silently answered as she headed towards the beach.
Both Antonia and Cai were Silver Dolphins, or guardians of the sea. They had special magical abilities that let them swim and communicate with dolphins! With these amazing abilities came the responsibility to care for sea life. Antonia wished that Cai was there too as she ran towards Gull Bay. Heâd be frustrated that heâd missed Spiritâs call, even though he was really excited about meeting his parents at the airport. Antonia jumped down on to the deserted beach. The soft, white sand shifted beneath her feet as she ran over to the rocks. Pulling off her trainers and socks, Antonia left them under a rock and ran down to the sea. The water was chilly and her teeth chattered as she waded deeper. There were goose bumps on her arms and legs, but Antonia kept walking. When the sea was deep enough she gracefully dived in. The water was so cold it made her gasp, but she quickly warmed up as her legs melded together to kick like a dolphinâs tail. Hands paddling like flippers, body arching in and out of the sea, Antonia swam to find Spirit.