It all happened one unusually hot summer’s day when Stella woke up at home, outside Rose Cottage. Immediately, she could feel the heat of the midday sun even though she was in the shade of a large pine tree. As she stepped out of the pine tree’s protection, the full heat of the sun made her big head drip with freezing water. Quickly, she stepped back into the shade to cool off. Then she frantically looked around for her parents but all that she could see were two carrots, two hats, lumps of coal and two piles of melted slush. They had both forgotten to step into the shade when they went to sleep. Stella’s heart broke.

Her thoughts were rudely interrupted as the door of the cottage swung open and the family of five came struggling out carrying big bags and suitcases. They all got into the red car and drove off on their holiday into the misty distance.

Stella was now alone. She rolled her eyes as the car went out of sight. She was despising the family in her mind as they had left her all alone. A slight rustling noise came from over head.

“What is that?” she whispered to herself.

The sound was getting closer and closer and closer. Then out of nowhere a four legged silhouette flew out of the sky, crash landing head first into the snow.

“Who are you?” Stella gasped.

“Oh, hi!” he said surprised, “I’m Ralf the reindeer.”

“Why are you here?” she asked.

“I crash landed, sorry. I’m a learner flyer,” Ralph replied. “The question is why are you here?” he continued. “All the snow creatures are melting! It is a strangely warm summer this year in Sweden,” said Ralph. “Come with me to a colder place!”

“B-but I don’t want to go” stuttered Stella. “This is all I have known!”

“I will take you out of danger, but you have to trust me” sighed Ralf. “All you have to do is jump on my back and I will take you as high and as cold as I can go.”

“Ok then, I will trust you.’’ Stella murmured. Hesitantly, she put her stubby little feet over Ralf’s furry brown back.

In a few seconds they were high in the morning sky looking down on all the straw roof cottages.

“Hurry, hurry!” shouted Stella. “We need to go higher, where it’s more cold!”

Stella’s carrot nose started slipping down but Ralf shivered “having you on my back is really cold!”

“Quickly, I’m melting! ”shrieked Stella.

Slowly but surely Stella was dripping with cold water. Suddenly it started snowing, quite heavily. The snow was getting heavier and heavier, They were clearly losing height.

“Arrgh!” screamed Ralph.

“What’s the matter?” asked Stella. But before Ralph could answer they were falling, falling, falling.

“HELP!” screamed Stella. Suddenly they crashed into a large pile of snow.

Stella struggled her way out and shook the snow off her body. “ARRGH!” Stella growled.

“RALF!” she shouted. However, Ralf was nowhere to be seen.

She looked around but all she could see was crystal, white snow. Suddenly a white figure rose from the pile of snow they had landed in.

“AAHH!” she screamed.

“Don’t worry, it’s just me, Ralf” he whispered.

“What’s the matter, you seem to be in pain?”

“My l-l-leg!” he gasped. Blood ran down his leg, transforming the white snow. Stella gasped.

“What’s happened to you?” she shrieked. But he did not reply. She lay him down and comforted him.

“Please speak!” she whispered.

“P-please use your scarf!” he gasped.

“As what?” she asked, confused.

“A-as a b-bandage” he gasped

“Oh, of course!” she realised. She grabbed her scarf from her neck and wrapped it around his bleeding leg. “There!” Stella said.

“Thank you!” whispered Ralf.

They started their journey again but made slower progress because of Ralph’s leg. They carried on their tiring journey to the Finnish atmosphere.

“Brrr it’s still freezing up here!” shivered Ralph.

“Stop shaking around its really bumpy!” exclaimed Stella.

“Remember I’m a learner flyer” Ralph replied. Still they carried on, on their long, long trek with no food.

“Urgh, I’m starving, can we stop for a food break?!” moaned Ralph.

“Stop moaning!” Stella insisted “You’ll have to eat a bit of my carrot nose! We don’t have time to stop!”

“Ok, carrots are my favorite food anyway” Ralph told her.

As Stella had a gigantic nose it lasted Ralf a few minutes. After he had eaten some of the carrot he felt a lot, lot better and staggered north faster and faster and faster.

“How’s your leg” asked Stella as she looked at the brown, hairy hoof wrapped in her scarf.

“It’s well on the road to recovery” lied Ralf.

He was secretly in lots of pain and he was sure it was bleeding a lot underneath. Stella could tell Ralf was feeling weaker but being very brave.

“Are we there yet?” groaned Stella. “No!” answered Ralf.

“Are we there yet?” groaned Stella once again. “No Stella be patient!” said Ralf. This time he was quite annoyed.

Hours later they finally saw the first sight of Finland, roof tops surrounded them as they started to loose height. The night’s stars shone brightly into Ralf’s beady eyes, making him crash down into the soft, cold snow.

“ARGH!” they both screamed.

“My leg, I think I landed on it” Ralf whimpered “I’ll be alright.”

“Are you sure?” Stella asked.

“Never mind my leg, look around we’re in a winter wonderland. Stella our journey has come to an end!” Ralf said, trying to hide the pain of his leg.

It was true, they were in Finland, in the yard of Oakley Manor Gardens.

“Wow, it’s amazing!” gasped Stella. “There are loads of snow friends here for me!”

“Well, this is your new home!” Ralf said happily. “I told you I would get you here. You just needed to be patient.”

“Thank you for giving me a bigger understanding of the world” thanked Stella.

“It’s been a pleasure working with you and I will be sure to visit you soon!” Ralf exclaimed. And in a flash, he flew off into the night’s sky.