Chapter 6

6 Hana jumped up, clutching the Thunder Maker and peering at the bears. In the dim light, they looked brown. Her heart skipped a beat. Brown bears could be very dangerous—at least, back home they were. Maybe it was different in the Magic Forest?

Then one of the bears moved and Hana saw it wasn't brown at all. It was midnight blue! It had little dots of silvery white in its fur that looked like twinkling stars. Were twinkling blue bears dangerous? Hana had no idea! But they are Beebi's cousins, she reminded herself. And Beebi is lovely. She turned toward the bears, who were staring intently at the surprise arrivals. They were easily as big as the Dragon Girls, and their claws looked just as sharp. "What do you want?" the biggest bear asked. His whiny voice didn't fit with his bulky frame. "You gave us a scare, rolling in here like that." "Sorry about that," Zora said. "We've come to ask for your help."

All three bears began to grizzle again. "We don't feeeeeeeeel like helping anyone today." "Helping is booooooooring." "We're too tiiiiiiiiiiiiired to help. The thunder stops us from sleeping." Hana frowned. She always found it annoying when humans complained. Complaining bears were annoying, too.

"We're actually here because of the thunder," Zora explained. If Zora was annoyed by the bears, she didn't show it. Hana took a deep breath. She needed to keep her voice calm and even like her cousin's. "If you help us, then we'll be able to help you," she said. Hana swallowed as the three bears moved closer. It was hard not to feel nervous surrounded by such powerful beasts. But I am also a powerful beast, Hana told herself. "What do you mean, Dragon Girl?" the middle bear asked. "We're not really in the mood for visitors right now. We all woke up on the wrong side of the cave today." Hana held out the Thunder Maker. She turned the little handle and the machine sprang to life, its cogs whirring. Thunder cracked and echoed against the stony walls.

The bears gasped. "The Thunder Maker! We've heard so much about it, but we've never actually seen it. Many moons ago, our forebears made the Thunder Drum that powers it." "We know," said Hana, pleased the bears had finally stopped grizzling. "But where IS the drum?" asked the smallest bear, sniffing suspiciously at the machine. "It's meant to sit right here. That's what our mother told us. And that's what her mother told her!" "That's exactly why we're here," Hana said. "Unfortunately, the drum has been destroyed." "Well, it wasn't us," grumbled one of the bears, beginning to grizzle again. "Why do we always get blamed?" Hana took another deep, calming breath. She was starting to think ferocious bears might be easier to deal with than these whiny ones. "No one is blaming you. The Chaos Critters took it. But we do need your help. We've heard

that only you know how to make a Thunder Drum," she said. "We are hoping you'll build us a new one," added Mina. The bears looked uncertain. "It's the only way to stop the constant sound of thunder," Zora pointed out in her soothing way. A loud noise rumbled around the cave. At first Hana thought it was particularly loud thunder. But then she realized it was the bears, all grizzling at once! "It's not fair! Why do we always have to make new drums?" Hana was surprised. "When was the last time you were asked to make one?" "Well… never," admitted the smallest bear (who was also the loudest grizzler). "But our great-great-grandbears had to. And then we had to learn how to make them, just in case. It's very fussy and takes FOREVER."