Chapter 10

10 The Sky Skimmers had returned and were floating around, beaming. "You did it!" they cried joyfully. "And look how healthy the Dreamlets are now." It was true. The Dreamlets looked strong and cheery again. With just a few moments in the cool moonlight, they'd become extra fluffy. They leapt through the air in joyful, dreamy arcs. DasherGirl gave Phoebe a nudge. "It's time to return to the forest," she said. "We need to get these guys back to the Newt Nurses."

Phoebe nodded. "Jump on our backs, everyone! It's time to get you out there, doing your dreamy thing." With excited squeals, the Dreamlets leapt onto the Night Dragons' backs. "How do we get down?" Phoebe asked DasherGirl once the little passengers were safely on board. "You can just swing down on a moonbeam," DasherGirl replied, like it was a perfectly normal thing to suggest. This sounded scarier than being catapulted up here. But now that she had done that and loved it, Phoebe thought that swinging on a moonbeam might be fun after all! "Can you catch us each a moonbeam, Phoebe?" asked Stella. "They like you the best." Phoebe scanned the night sky with her powerful moonlight vision. She spotted three perfect moonbeams, moving past like the light of a silver spotlight at a concert. In a flash, she reached out and grabbed all three—one with a front paw, one with a back paw, and one with her tail.

"You really are the Moonlight Dragon!" laughed Rosie as Phoebe handed out the moonbeams. "And proud of it," Phoebe said, puffing out her blue chest. "Are we ready to soar? Then let's go!" Together, they bounded over to the edge of the clouds. The Magic Forest stretched out very far down below. "Don't be scared, Dreamlets," Phoebe called to her small charges. "This is going to be fun." Gripping their moonbeams, Phoebe and her friends leapt off the clouds with a collective WHOOP. For a moment, they fell through the air very fast. But then the moonbeams wrapped themselves around the Night Dragons, slowing down the pace of their free fall. "It feels a bit like we're falling through honey!" Stella called excitedly. "Yup. Through INVISIBLE honey!" Rosie laughed. Despite the cool night air, Phoebe felt a warm glow inside. She had never had a dream as wild as THIS!

As they zoomed down toward the Magic Forest, the air became thicker. Soon the Night Dragons were able to use their wings once again. Phoebe could see the hatchery down below. The Newt Nurses had spotted them and they rushed around excitedly. "Ready to land?" Phoebe called. "You bet!" Rosie called back. "This is going to be my best landing yet, I can feel it!" Stella yelled.

The hatchery glowed with pearly moonlight as the Dragon Girls landed on the soft grass. Rosie made her usual perfect landing. Phoebe wobbled a bit but managed to stay upright. Stella did two somersaults, scattering Dreamlets everywhere. "I totally meant to do that!" Stella declared, laughing as she jumped to her feet. "Are you guys all right?" she asked the Dreamlets. "I hope I didn't squish any of you." But Stella did not need to worry about the Dreamlets. In fact, they looked like they'd doubled in size since they'd left the clouds. They gathered together in a circle in the center of the hatchery. A humming noise filled the air, mysterious and beautiful. "What's going on?" murmured Rosie. "They are preparing for dream flight," explained a Newt Nurse. "Watch!" The humming grew louder, and suddenly there was a burst of twinkling light. For a terrible moment, Phoebe thought that the Fire Sparks were

back. But this light was soft and cool, nothing like the burning brightness of fire. The Dreamlets had each grown a pair of wings and were proudly testing them out. The humming sound was still there, but it had changed to something low and gentle. Listening made Phoebe feel happy and sleepy. "Off you go, darlings!" the Newt Nurses urged tenderly. "Hum your dreams into the ears of all the sleeping forest creatures." As a group, the Dreamlets rose up and then floated off in all directions, like seeds from a dandelion blown by the breeze. Phoebe felt a tug on the magic thread. "We'd better go," Phoebe said, even though she was sad to leave. DasherGirl nodded. "The Tree Queen is waiting. The thread will lead you back to her glade." "You're not coming?" Phoebe asked. The little elk shook her head. "I must leave you. But it was a privilege to share this adventure with you, Moonlight Dragon."