2 Chapter 2

2 Naomi knew she had to hurry to the glade at the center of the forest. This was the safe place where the Tree Queen lived. Willa and Azmina would

also be on their way to the glade. They would be eager to discover what their next quest was, too. All the same, Naomi couldn't resist bending down to smell the flowers growing all around her. Naomi took a deep breath. The flowers smelled like a heady mix of sunshine, honey, and magic. But then the scent began to fade. A moment later, the smell was completely gone. When Naomi took another breath, the flowers smelled like … cardboard. Even worse, the color began to fade. Now the flowers were gray! "What is going on?" Naomi cried in shock. "It's the Shadow Queen and her tricky Shadow Sprites," said a nearby voice. From behind a tree appeared the strangest, most delightful little bird Naomi had ever seen. She had gorgeous, bright tail feathers, and tiny wings that were all the colors of the rainbow. The bird's tail was long, almost like a pony's tail, and streamed out behind her. Her eyes twinkled in a friendly

way. Most curious of all, a tiny horn protruded from the bird's little forehead. "My name's Unichick," chirped the creature, landing on a branch and giving a little bow. "Because of my unicorn horn, obviously. I'm here to help whenever you need me." Naomi liked the little bird already. And she was very happy to hear Unichick was there to help! "The Shadow Sprites are stealing the color from the flowers now?" she asked, frowning.

The sprites had already tried to take away the sunshine and the sparkle from the forest's waters. Unichick flew closer. "Not just from the flowers. They're also taking it from the grasses and the trees—and all the berries and other fruits that grow in the forest." Naomi looked around. Just moments before, the trees and plants around her had been bright and beautiful. Now she saw the color slowly fading away. The grass beneath her paws, the leaves on the trees, even the ivy was gradually turning pale and gray. Naomi's heart pumped faster. "We have to stop this!" "Yes, and there isn't much time," said Unichick in her singsong voice. "Have you noticed the sky?" Naomi glanced up and saw that the sky glowed red. "The sun is setting much earlier than usual," explained Unichick. "The Shadow Sprites are more powerful in the twilight, when the

shadows are longer. It's going to be hard to outsmart them with the sun so low." "There's no way we Glitter Dragons are letting those Shadow Sprites beat us," declared Naomi. "Come on, Unichick. Let's race to the glade." The trees grew very close together in this part of the Magic Forest. It was hard for Naomi to see where she was flying. The strange red glow of the sky made it harder still. Luckily, Naomi's gymnastics gave her quick reflexes. She ducked underneath low-hanging branches and swooped around thorny bushes. Unichick stuck close to her side. The little creature's bright feathers seemed to glow, which helped Naomi see her way through the dense thicket. It felt good to have the little bird with her because everywhere she looked, Naomi could see signs of the Shadow Sprites. Many of the tree trunks were concrete gray, and when she brushed

against the leaves, they crumbled into ash-like dust. Sometimes she saw gray shapes slither from the undergrowth and curl up the trees. Wherever the shadowy shapes went, they left a faded streak behind them. "The sprites are everywhere," Unichick cheeped. "They are determined to win this time." "Don't worry," said Naomi. "Azmina, Willa, and I will fix this. We're a great team." Just saying the words made Naomi feel stronger. The Glitter Dragon Girls could do anything—she was sure of it! Up ahead, the branches of trees had formed a tunnel. The space was very narrow, but Naomi knew they needed to get through it. "Lucky you're so tiny," she called to Unichick.