Chapter 3

3 Up ahead, Phoebe could see the force field that protected the glade. Inside the shimmering orb, Phoebe could just make out dragonish shapes, moving around. She grinned. Rosie and Stella were already here! DasherGirl flew up beside her. "I must leave you here," she said, "but we will see each other again soon, I promise." She rubbed her nose against Phoebe's and flew off into the forest.

The light from the Fire Moon spilled across the force field. Was it just Phoebe's imagination, or was the moonlight even redder now? She glanced up. Yes, the moon was definitely a deeper tone. This was bad! Phoebe took a deep breath and stepped through the force field. It was the best feeling, slipping through the magical air that protected the glade. Inside, the clearing was bathed in a pure silvery moonlight. Here, there were no traces of red at all. Two magnificent dragons flew over to Phoebe, each wrapping an impressive wing around her. "Isn't this cool? We're back for another adventure!" said Stella excitedly. Stella was deep purple and yellow. She was the Starlight Dragon, and was covered in stars. Phoebe nodded. "It's really exciting," she agreed. "Have you heard what our quest is this time?" "Not yet," said Rosie. She was the Twilight Dragon, and her scales were pink and purple. "The queen is still in her tree form."

As Rosie spoke, the glade filled with the sound of rustling leaves. The Night Dragons turned to look at the elegant tree in the center of the glade. It swayed back and forth, almost like it was dancing. The swaying became stronger until the trunk of the tree had transformed into a regal-looking tree woman. She had long, flowing hair and wore an elegant moss-green gown. Two of the tree's branches had become long arms, which the Tree Queen now spread out in a

welcoming gesture. "Hello, my Night Dragons!" she said in her strong, warm voice. "It is so good to have you back. Your help is greatly needed, as I am sure you have already noticed." "Yes, there's a Fire Moon!" Phoebe exclaimed. "And it's messing up everyone's sleep. It's because of the Fire Queen and her sparks." She usually felt nervous talking to people she didn't know very well, especially grown-ups. But somehow the Tree Queen was different. "Exactly, Phoebe," said the Tree Queen. "Nighttime is extremely important here in the Magic Forest. It's when the Dreamlets hatch." "Dreamlets?" repeated Rosie, looking curious. "What are they?" One of the things Phoebe loved about her friend Rosie was how she often asked the very question that was on Phoebe's lips! "They are young dreams," explained the Tree Queen. "Every night, a new batch of Dreamlets is born. They move throughout the forest, finding sleeping creatures they can whisper their stories

to. The stories turn into dreams. And dreams are very important! They help us sort through the problems of the day and learn new things. It's how birds improve their flying, for example. Or how rabbits learn to leap farther than they ever have." Phoebe nodded. She got it. Sometimes, during the day, Phoebe felt scared of trying new things. But in her dreams, she could do anything. After she had managed to do something in her sleep, she sometimes felt brave enough to try it in real life. Like with handstands, which Phoebe had never been any good at doing. Then one night, she had dreamed about doing handstands. When she woke up, the first thing she did was try one out. Right there in her bedroom, for the first time ever, Phoebe had done a perfect handstand! "Recently, there have been fewer Dreamlets in the forest," continued the Tree Queen. "We do not know what the problem is. But I have heard there is something going wrong in the hatchery." "Hatchery?" Rosie asked. "Where the Dreamlets are nursed," explained the Tree Queen. "Once they're strong enough,

they can leave the hatchery and spread their vital dreams." "So you'd like us to go and check out what's happening there?" Stella guessed. The Tree Queen's leaves rustled as she nodded. "The hatchery is near the Moon Lake. You will recognize it when you see it. Phoebe, I'd like you to lead this quest." Phoebe was too surprised to say anything. She wasn't really the leading type. She didn't know if she wanted to lead a quest. What if she messed up? But the Tree Queen looked at her with a kind smile. "You will be a wonderful leader, Phoebe," she said gently. "Here, this is for you." She held out something glittery to Phoebe. It was a ball of magic thread on a chain. It didn't look like much, but it had come in very handy when Phoebe and her friends were on their last quest. Phoebe stepped forward and bowed her head so the queen could slip the delicate chain around her neck.