Chapter 2

2 When she felt herself touch down to earth, Phoebe cautiously opened her eyes. Was she really back in the Magic Forest? And was she really no longer an ordinary girl, but a fierce dragon? Looking down, Phoebe saw that her feet had transformed into taloned claws and her legs were covered in shimmering pale blue scales. She certainly looked like a dragon. But just to make sure, she breathed in deeply and let out a loud roar.

Yep, she was definitely a dragon! Phoebe often had vivid dreams, but she'd never had one in which she could roar. Phoebe looked around in wonder. It was night in the forest, just as it had been at home. But nighttime in the Magic Forest was different from anything Phoebe had ever experienced. The cooling air carried the fresh smell of trees and wilderness. Phoebe was used to city smells, which weren't always nice. And they often seemed stronger at night! Above the treetops was the deep, velvety blue sky. It looked almost like an ocean. The moon floated near the horizon, looking much bigger than she had ever seen it. The sky in the city never looked as inky and gorgeous as this. The city lights faded it to a dark gray. Phoebe tilted her face toward the moonlight. She thought the moon had special properties, even though Rosie and Stella teased her that it was just her imagination. Moonlight always made her skin tingle in the best way. With such a big moon, Phoebe was expecting to feel extra tingles tonight.

But strangely, her skin felt itchy and irritated, like she was getting sunburned. "It's a Fire Moon," said a gentle voice in Phoebe's ear. Hovering in the air beside Phoebe was a very odd, but also very cute, little animal. It looked like an elk, with magnificent antlers reaching up from its head. But this creature had raccoon markings and was smaller than an owl! "Excuse me, was that you who just spoke?" Phoebe asked. She knew enough about the Magic Forest to guess that this tiny, flying elk thingy probably had spoken to her, but it seemed polite to check. "Yes," said the little animal. "I'm DasherGirl. And I was just explaining that we have a Fire Moon. That's why it's so big and its light is sort of prickly. It's also why it is that odd color." The low-hanging moon definitely had a red tinge to it. "How often does the Fire Moon come?" asked Phoebe. She had heard of supermoons and blue moons, but never a Fire Moon.

"This is the first in a very, very long time," said DasherGirl. "And it's not a good thing. It's hot rather than cool, and it makes it hard for the creatures of the forest to sleep. That's why the Tree Queen has called on you and the other Night Dragons." The Fire Moon sounded bad, but Phoebe couldn't help grinning at DasherGirl's words.

"Rosie and Stella are here?" "Of course!" said the little elk. "They've just arrived at the Tree Queen's glade. Come on, I'll lead the way. But watch out for Fire Sparks. There are a lot of them around these days." It was exciting flying through the forest at night. Although it was dark, Phoebe didn't find it hard to see. And her flying skills were getting better and better, so she had no trouble keeping up with DasherGirl as she darted through the trees. Even though it was the middle of the night, a lot of the forest's daytime animals were active. On the branch of a tree, Phoebe saw a family of squirrels. "I can't sleep! It's too hot, and my tail feels itchy," she heard a baby squirrel complain. "My dreams are all wonky!" moaned another little squirrel. "I dreamed I was being chased by a giant acorn." One of the bigger squirrels pointed up at Phoebe as she flew past. "Look, children. It's a Night Dragon! They'll fix this problem, don't you worry."

Phoebe waved at the family as she flew past, hoping they couldn't tell how nervous their words had made her feel. It seemed like a lot of creatures were depending on her and her friends. She really hoped they didn't let them down! "Watch out!" DasherGirl called suddenly. "Fire Sparks!" As Phoebe looked around, she was engulfed in tiny, dazzlingly bright lights. The Fire Sparks buzzed around her eyes and ears, making it impossible to see or hear anything else. They were so terrible! Phoebe usually didn't get very angry, but she could feel annoyance bubbling inside as she twisted and turned to avoid them. "Stay calm," DasherGirl warned. "Fire Sparks feed off anger and frustration. If you let them get to you, it makes them stronger and brighter. Think about calming things." It was hard to think about calm things with bright lights buzzing around. It was even harder when you were flying at top speed through a moonlit magic forest!