5 Ch5-Opeli

CHAPTER 5 OPELI Worm's green light faded as they landed on an island. Drake looked around. A girl was staring into his face, her eyes wide with fear. She wore a yellow dress with a red sash. A white flower was tucked into her wavy, black hair.

"Sorry if we scared you," Drake said. "I'm Drake. This is Ana. And these are our dragons, Worm and Kepri." "Dragons?!" the girl asked, and she took two steps back.

"They won't hurt you," Ana said. "We're friendly. We're here because we need help." "I-I'm Opeli," the girl said, her eyes still wide. "Where did you come from? I saw a bright light, and then... there you were!" "We're from Bracken, a faraway land," Drake said. "Are we on the islands of Noa?" "Yes. We call this island Manu," Opeli answered, not taking her eyes off of Worm and Kepri. "Are you sure that those dragons won't hurt me?" "We're sure," Drake said, and he turned to Ana. "Is there a way to show her that our dragons are friendly?"

He looked around again, thinking. It felt much warmer here than in Bracken. The sky was so blue, and the sun was so bright! Drake smelled salt water in the air, so he knew the ocean was close by. But he couldn't see it. They had landed in a grove of tall trees with green, feathery leaves. Small white flowers grew close to the ground, and tall orange flowers waved in the gentle breeze. A waterfall cascaded down some rocks at the foot of a hill. "I have an idea," Ana said. "Kepri, make a rainbow!"

Kepri glided over to the waterfall. She opened her mouth and aimed a beam of sunlight at the water. The light hit the misty droplets in the air, forming a small rainbow.

Opeli smiled for the first time. "Oh, that is beautiful!" she said. "A dragon with rainbow powers must be a very nice dragon. I am not afraid now. And I am sorry, because I have not welcomed you to our island. What brings you here?"