I remember my first day at the Cloud Races; it seems like such a long time ago now. I'd come all the way from Terror Mountain, so I was already dead tired...

I sat and watched for a while, trying to pick up some helpful hints from the more experienced racers who were sitting along the edge of the track. However, many of them acted as though they could hardly be bothered with us newcomers. "Did you see that clumsy Bruce out there?" one Uni cackled. "Face first, right into the wall! I tell you, they need to clear out some of these newbies and let us REAL racers have a turn."

Grrr! Who you callin' a newbie?

Can you imagine that, calling us newbies?!? Despite being exhausted from my trip, that Uni had crossed the line with her insults, and I wasn't about to sit back and take it. Despite knowing better, I shot back at her, "Oh yeah? Well if you're so good, then why don't you stop talking and get out there yourself? I'll take you on right now!"

It wasn't until I had taken my place, and looked across at her, that I realised what I'd gotten myself into. The Uni glared at me, shaking her head and snorting violently. My heart was racing, and just when I was sure that I couldn't take it any more, I heard that now-familiar voice yell, "GO!!!" I slowly staggered forward, then hesitated, as all the strategies I'd overheard suddenly raced through my head at the same time. I started to the left, then turned to go back, only to swerve to the right at the last minute, barely avoiding the wall.

In the blink of an eye, the Uni had boxed me in with relative ease. Before I even knew what had happened, there I was: soundly beaten and severely embarrassed. I couldn't help it; I fell to the ground and began to cry.

"Hey newbie," the Uni called out, "why don't you mop up those tears and go make yourself a Gormball, so you can play with the rest of the losers." At this point, I didn't even care anymore. He was right; I WAS a loser...

"You're not a loser," I heard a voice say. I looked up, stunned, and saw that it was the poor speckled Bruce that the Uni had made fun of when he'd crashed into the wall earlier on. "We're all gonna make mistakes during our first days here, but it won't last. Once we know what we're doing, then you watch; we'll be beating these guys in no time..." I nodded my head in agreement; he was right. "C'mon," the Bruce said, "how about a friendly match, you and me?"

"Okay!" I said, running off to stand in line for a race with my new friend....

For as long as anyone can remember, Faerieland has hosted a fast-paced, thrilling competition, commonly known as the "Cloud Races". Until recently, only a select few were allowed to participate in these races. However, thanks to a recent change in the rules, everyone is now allowed to get in on the action. As soon as the word spread that the races were open to all, pets began flooding into Faerieland, with hopes of someday becoming a champion cloud racer.