Rising Storm

’Muhanna, whatever are you dreaming about?’ asked Musfirah, her teacher for the third or fourth time. Musfirah was a female light blue grown Livlot dolphin, a very special dolphin species that could live for nearly a day on land.

Muhanna sprang to attention. ‘Oh, ustadha, I’m so sorry. Did you call me? I was thinking about a book that I read. You see…..’

‘I told you millions of times that you mustn’t dream. If I see you dream again, I shall be very cross. I have called and called you. Come to the board and solve this question please,’ said Ustadha Musfirah.

Muhanna was a female light grey kitten and she was nuts about books and she was the only one that loved books in her family. She just couldn’t stop thinking about books.

To her teacher’s amazement, Muhanna solved the question correctly.

‘Were you really dreaming?’ asked Ustadha Musfirah, gaping.

‘Well, I guess I was dreaming,’ said Muhanna.

‘Then how on earth did you manage to solve this question?’ asked Ustadha Musfirah.

Muhanna looked astonished. ‘Why, I learned it from you, ustadha.’

‘Yes, but if you were dreaming and not listening, how could you have learnt it?’ asked Ustadha Musfirah, bemused. ‘Were you pretending to dream?’

‘I don’t pretend. It is real. I didn’t even hear you call me, truly!’ said Muhanna.

‘Well, okay then.. Go back to your seat please and this time, no dreaming!’ said Ustadha Musfirah. ‘Who wants to go next?’

A chorus of ‘me!’ s followed. Ustadha Musfirah chose some students and set them to work.

When at last the bell went for break, hordes of girls swarmed out to the playground.

‘What happened to you, Muhanna?’ asked Maryam, Muhanna’s best friend, a black and white female Livlot dolphin calf.

‘You don’t need to ask, Maryam! We all know that little Muhanna only cares about piles of paper!’ said Latifah, who was passing by. She was looking for Mufazzalah who was a light brown spaniel puppy.. And she was the elder sister of Muhanna and she was dark grey.

‘No, I’m not!’ said Muhanna, indignantly.

‘Why does she have to be so mean?’ said Maryam, furiously.

Muhanna shrugged. ‘She thinks I’m a baby, that’s why.’

‘But that’s just silly!’ Maryam said.

‘Muhanna! Maryam!’ called a voice. Mufizah came running up, a brown and white spaniel puppy, younger sister of Mufazzalah.

‘I say! Have you seen the noticeboard?’ she asked, panting.

‘No, we didn’t. What’s up?’ asked Maryam curiously.

‘There is going to be a sports day soon and for a change, they are going to choose our activities which we are going to play in because, they say, some problems had arisen. We can only participate in two games. So there is a performance day which is tomorrow!’ said Mufizah. ‘Gosh, it is so exciting!’

‘Wow! What activities are there?’ asked Muhanna, thrilled. ‘Is there a book activity too or writing?’

‘I don’t think they are. Now let’s see, there was a relay race, lacrosse, soccer, basketball, and a running race that’s it. Oooh, I do hope that I will be chosen for the relay race and lacrosse!’ said Mufizah.

‘Lacrosse is hard for me. I want to be in basketball and soccer,’ said Maryam.

‘I want to participate in a running race and lacrosse,’ said Muhanna.

Jang! Gang! Gong!

‘Listen, that's the bell. Oh no! We shall be late!’ said Maryam and they hurried to their classroom. Fortunately, they arrived only two minutes late but the teacher still hadn’t come in.

‘What happened? You are mostly the first ones to come!’ said Minnah, a female baby seahorse who liked to lead others.

‘We were busy talking about the sports day,’ answered Maryam, breathlessly.

‘Shhhhh! Ustadha is coming!’ said Mushaa, a red shy female squirrel who was very intent on her work. The girls all went to their desks, awaiting Ustadha.