Zora the snow dragon, p.1
Zora the Snow Dragon, page 1
Contents
Title Page
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Sneak Peek
About the Authors
Copyright
Zora pressed her nose against the cab’s window, her excitement growing. She recognized this street. It was just around the corner from her cousins’ house. This weekend, Zora’s mom had to travel for work to the city where Hana and Mina lived. And she’d taken Zora with her!
Zora and her mom had gotten up very early that morning to catch the plane, but Zora didn’t mind. She kept thinking about how surprised her cousins would be to see her. Hana and Mina had no idea Zora was coming to stay for two nights. She couldn’t wait to see their faces!
“This will be the second time you’ve seen your cousins this year,” Zora’s mom said, reaching over to squeeze her hand. “First at your grandma’s birthday, and now this trip.”
What Zora’s mom didn’t know was that the cousins had seen one another even more than that. And not just in the games they played together online. Recently, the three girls had been called to a mysterious place called the Magic Forest. While there, Zora, Hana, and Mina transformed into magnificent Storm Dragons and went on important quests.
Her cousin Hana was the Thunder Dragon. She had a little cloud on her forehead. Mina was the Lightning Dragon. On her forehead was a zigzag shape, just like a bolt of lightning.
It made perfect sense to Zora that her cousins were thunder and lightning. They were twins, so they really belonged together. But at the same time, they were very different. Just like thunder and lightning!
When Zora transformed into a dragon, she had a snowflake on her forehead. She liked snow a lot. It was so fun to play with. She also loved how snow blanketed the world, making everything calm and quiet. Looking out the window and discovering that it had snowed overnight was the best way to wake up, in Zora’s opinion.
Just then, Zora saw a white fleck float by the cab’s window. Then she saw another and another. Snowflakes!
“Look at that sky,” Zora’s mom said. “It’s gone completely white. A snowstorm is on the way.”
Zora had to stop herself from gasping. The ruler of the Magic Forest—the Tree Queen—had told Zora, Hana, and Mina to look out for storms. Could this snowstorm really be a message from the queen that it was time to return?
Excitement pulsed through Zora. Maybe it was time to return to the Magic Forest? She really hoped so!
By the time they pulled up outside the cousins’ house a few minutes later, snow was falling thick and fast. The wind had picked up, sending white flakes whirling. Zora and her mom gathered their bags and hurried up the driveway. It was very cold. Zora was glad to have the new hat her mom had bought her.
Zora rang the doorbell, her heart beating so fast she thought she might burst. She loved visiting her cousins. Their house was always full of people, pets, and noise. Mostly, Zora preferred things to be organized—but it was so fun to visit the mayhem of her cousins’ home!
“What?!” Mina cried when she opened the front door. “It’s so great to see you! What are you two doing here? Hang on, come in out of the cold before you answer that. Watch out for our art project. It’s kind of taken over the house.”
Zora and her mom were ushered into the warm, messy, friendly home. They were soon joined by Hana, a dog, two cats, and Zora’s aunt and uncle. Everyone was talking, barking, and meowing at the same time as they made their way down the hall and into the kitchen.
“We’re making hot chocolate,” Hana explained. “But not normal ones. We thought we’d add a bit of chili.”
“And then we’re going to stir in some ice cream right at the end,” Mina added. “What do you think?”
Zora laughed. She didn’t want to be rude, but she would rather skip the chaotic ingredients and stick to the normal recipe.
“Come on,” Hana begged. “Let’s mix things up. We might create an amazing new taste.”
Zora was about to say that she didn’t think chili and ice cream would be good in hot chocolate when she noticed something. Her hat was missing.
“My hat! I must have dropped it outside,” she said.
“That’s not like you,” said Zora’s mom. “You’re usually so careful with your things.”
“You’ve caught our messy gene already,” Hana joked.
“You can run, but you can’t hide,” added Mina, wiggling her fingers dramatically.
“You two keep your messiness away from me,” Zora joked back. “I’ll just go and find my hat.”
“Be quick,” Zora’s mom said. “This storm is getting worse by the minute.”
Zora, Hana, and Mina exchanged a look. Clearly they were all wondering the same thing: Was this storm their signal from the Tree Queen?
“I will,” Zora promised, dashing back down the hall and out the front door.
Outside, the snow was so thick that Zora could barely see a few feet ahead. Sheltering her eyes with her hand, she looked around the driveway. Ah! There was her hat. As Zora took a first step toward it, she heard singing.
Magic Forest, Magic Forest, come explore . . .
This song was familiar to Zora. She’d heard it both times she had been called into the Magic Forest. Zora grinned to herself. She was going back! Carefully, she took another step, her foot sinking deep into fresh snow. As the snow whirled about her, the song grew louder.
Magic Forest, Magic Forest, come explore.
Zora reached out her arms, feeling the power of the wind and snow and eagerly listening for the final line of the song . . . the line that would transport her back to the Magic Forest. When she heard it, Zora joined in, singing pure and clear:
Magic Forest, Magic Forest, hear my roar!
Zora felt herself lift off the ground and spin around and around as the world faded to white.
The spinning stopped and Zora felt the ground beneath her once more. She looked down. Yes! She was back in dragon form! Zora loved how strong she felt as a dragon. She also loved knowing that with a few flaps of her powerful wings, she could soar into the air. It was so great to be back in the Magic Forest.
But hang on . . . Zora turned on the spot. Was she definitely in the Magic Forest? The landscape looked completely different from how it had the last time she’d visited. The colorful plants and lush grass were all covered with a layer of snow. Blue snow!
“Maybe snow is always blue in the Magic Forest,” Zora said to herself.
Lots of things about the Magic Forest were unexpected and, well, magical.
But deep inside, Zora knew that there was something wrong. Sure, snow sometimes had a faintly blue look to it. But this snow was electric blue. It didn’t look at all natural. When she scooped up a pawful, it even felt different. Rather than soft and crunchy, it was rough and scratchy.
A little creature bounded toward her. It looked like a very fluffy fox. It was completely white except for the inside of its ears, which were pink. But unlike foxes in Zora’s world, this one had wings growing from its back.
“This is not normal snow that you are looking at, Storm Dragon,” the fox said.
Zora smiled at the tiny fox. Most of the creatures in the Magic Forest could speak. “Is this the Chaos Queen’s work?” she guessed.
The little fox nodded, its bright eyes serious. “She’s furious that you and the other Storm Dragons keep bringing order back to the forest. This magical snow is her latest trick. And it’s even worse than her never-ending thunder or that horrible green lightning. She’s covered the entire forest with blue snow. Even the places that don’t normally get any snow. It’s created chaos. Plants and flowers are withering. Fruits are freezing on their branches. The rivers have frozen too early. Food is running out and the creatures are finding it harder to feed themselves and their babies. This snow also makes it difficult to find our way around. We’re so glad you’ve come back to help us, Snow Dragon.”
“It’s my pleasure,” Zora said. “What’s your name, by the way?”
“I’m Snowfi,” the fox said. “I’m here to help you during this quest. My first task is to guide you to the Tree Queen’s glade. She wants you there as quickly as possible.”
“Let’s go, then,” Zora said, spreading her wings wide and giving them a big flap. As she rose into the chilly air, Snowfi did the same.
“Remember to watch out for Chaos Critters,” Snowfi warned as they darted off between the snowcapped trees. “The Chaos Queen has grown more powerful since you were last here, and so have her critters. They’ve also turned blue like the snow, so they are hard to see.”
“I’ll keep my eyes open,” Zora promised.
Zora happened to be very good at noticing things. Small details that other people missed just seemed to catch her eye. If there were Chaos Critters lurking around, Zora was sure she would spot them.
It was strange flying through the forest. Despite having been here twice before, Zora found that nothing looked familiar. Everything was blanketed in blue snow. The forest even sounded different. Instead of being filled with the happy singing of birds and scampering of forest animals, it was strangely quiet.
The creatures must be hiding, thought Zora.
She could understand why. Normally, Zora loved being in the snow. But this snow just made Zora worried. If the Chaos Queen was ab
le to cover the entire forest in strange blue snow, her powers must have become truly awesome.
A shiver ran down Zora’s spine. She got the feeling she was being watched. “Look out!” Zora cried.
She and Snowfi had just enough time to swoop away as Chaos Critters leapt from the branches and flew toward them. At least, Zora assumed they were Chaos Critters. They looked very different from the annoying bugs that she and her cousins had encountered before. Last time Zora was here, the critters had been small and black with scratchy, scuttling claws. These creatures were three times as big. And so were their claws! Just as Snowfi had warned, they now had the same blue tint as the snow.
Zora realized something else was new about the Chaos Critters: They could fly.
Zora’s pulse pounded as she zoomed through the trees. She had to get away from the critters! She knew from experience that once they got ahold of you, they were very hard to shake. Now that they had grown bigger, Zora suspected they’d be even harder to shake off. Zora flew this way and that, higher and lower, trying everything to lose them. But it seemed that no matter what she did, the Chaos Critters were right behind her, their horrible high-pitched squeaks echoing through the silent forest.
Snowfi approached and spoke urgently into her ear. “These creatures thrive on chaos. If you fly in an even, steady way, it might make it tougher for them to follow you. And try to keep your thoughts calm, too.”
Zora hesitated. The idea of flying in a straight line did not seem like a cunning plan. In fact, it seemed risky. She could still remember how it felt last time, having her wings covered in these creatures. Zora did not want that happening again!
But what Snowfi said rang true. If these creatures loved chaos, then being the opposite might just work.
Up ahead, Zora spotted more Chaos Critters preparing to launch themselves at her from a tall tree. Zora fought the urge to dart to the side. Instead, she flew straight ahead. She didn’t speed up, and she tried to stop her thoughts from racing around.
As she flew past the critters, Zora worried her heart was going to explode. Would the creatures drop down onto her? But the Chaos Critters didn’t move. It was like they couldn’t see her. Zora resisted the urge to cheer.
“Good work, Snow Dragon,” Snowfi said in her ear. “You outsmarted them. Now, let’s hurry to the glade.”
It wasn’t long before Zora saw something shimmering between the trees. The glade! As she approached, Zora heard Hana’s thunderous roar and spotted the lightning-fast Mina. Zora was so happy to see them. It would be much easier to deal with the huge Chaos Critters when she was with her cousins. Together, it felt like they could take on anyone and anything.
Snowfi hovered in front of Zora. “Goodbye for now, Snow Dragon,” she said. “We’ll see each other again soon.”
The snowy little fox gave a friendly bark and flew off between the trees.
With an almighty flap of her wings, Zora passed through the force field that protected the glade. The shimmering air tingled against her scales. It was much warmer inside the glade. There was no blue snow here, either. In fact, there was no snow at all. Flowers bloomed and birds twittered happily as they fluttered about.
Zora felt herself relax. Outside, chaos ruled. But here in the glade, everything felt calm and in control, just how Zora liked it.
As she landed on the soft green grass, her cousins flew down beside her.
“Hello again.” Hana grinned.
“Two cousin reunions on the same day is pretty special, huh?” Mina added, giving Zora a wing-hug. “Hey, did you see all that weird blue snow on the way here? I think it’s a bad sign.”
Zora nodded. “It’s definitely a bad sign. But we’ll find a way to get rid of it.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that,” said a warm, familiar voice.
While Zora, Hana, and Mina had been chatting, they hadn’t noticed the Tree Queen transforming into human form. Now the queen stood before them, dressed in her mossy green robes. She was smiling, but Zora detected a flicker of worry behind the smile.
“Something bad is happening, isn’t it?” Zora said quietly. She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the queen’s answer.
The Tree Queen’s smile faded and when she spoke, her tone was serious. “Yes, my observant Snow Dragon, I am afraid you are correct. The Chaos Queen has seen how strong you three are. So she is using a different tactic to gain control. She is trying to bully me into handing over my crown.”
The Storm Dragons gasped.
“You can’t let the Chaos Queen take over,” Mina said, looking horrified.
“She would destroy the Magic Forest,” Hana added, her voice rumbling like low thunder.
The Tree Queen rustled her leaves. “Believe me, I do not want to,” she said. “But the Chaos Queen has threatened to keep covering the forest in mountains of blue snow until I relent. It is my duty to protect this place and all who live here. I hesitated to call you here, knowing how dangerous this mission will be. But I don’t know how long the Magic Forest can survive like this.”
“The forest needs you in charge,” Zora said firmly. “It would be a disaster if the Chaos Queen took power. It’s good that you called us.”
Hana and Mina nodded.
“Thank you, Storm Dragons,” the Tree Queen said gravely. “Then I must ask you to undertake a very difficult quest. The Chaos Queen is extremely powerful now. Remember that she drained the energy from the lightning orbs you rescued last time you were here? She is using that power against us.”
Zora stepped forward. “I am the Snow Dragon,” she said, holding her head high. “I know that I’ll be able to stop her—that is, if I have the Thunder and Lightning Dragons by my side.”
“Absolutely!” roared Hana.
Mina stretched out her wings, which sparked with power. “Don’t worry, Tree Queen. We’ll fix this in no time.”
A smile returned to the Tree Queen’s kind face. It wasn’t as wide as usual, but it was full of hope. “If anyone can beat the Chaos Queen, it’s you three,” she said.
“Just tell us what needs to be done,” Zora said.
She knew the quest was going to be hard, but she couldn’t wait to get started. As much as she loved snow, this blue stuff needed to go.
“You have already visited two of the Magic Forest’s weather stations,” said the Tree Queen. “The one for thunder, in the Thunder Theater. And the one for lightning, in the Lightning House.”
Zora and her cousins smiled, remembering how exciting both those missions had been.
“This time you must travel to the third weather station,” the Tree Queen continued. “There you will find the Snowflake Maker. At least, this is where it should be. Something has clearly gone wrong. Normally the machine is operated by the Snow Key. The blue snow is a warning. It means someone else is using the machine—and using it the wrong way.”
“So we need to find the Snowflake Maker and stop the Chaos Queen from using it?” Zora said.
“Correct,” the Tree Queen said, swaying in the gentle breeze. “That will be a challenge in itself, but it is not the hardest part. You must also find a way to remove the Chaos Queen’s stolen power.”
The queen reached out a branch to Zora. Dangling from it was the find-o-meter that the Storm Dragons had used on their previous missions.
“I hope this will be useful,” she said, her voice sounding more like rustling leaves than words. As the Dragon Girls watched, the Tree Queen began her transformation back into tree state. Her gown looked more like moss than fabric, and her arms more like branches.
“Just remember,” the queen continued, her voice very faint now, “that the cold temperatures may affect how the find-o-meter functions, just as the lightning did last time. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. You may find new ways to use it. Be careful, Storm Dragons. The Chaos Queen is unpredictable, and she’s determined to gain control of the forest.”
“Well, that’s too bad,” Zora said, giving a low roar. “Because we’re just as determined to stop her!”
Zora asked the queen one final question. “Where do we find the third weather station?”
The Tree Queen’s answer was barely more than a whisper. “Head for the true snow,” she said. “And find the bears who glide.”
