moonbeams made it taste as sweet as honey. Chloe licked her lips, unfurled her wings, and fluttered off again.
At last she came to a beautiful valley. In the middle of the valley lay a shimmering lake. Silvery mist drifted across the surface of the water. Suddenly, as the first rays of sunlight peeped over the treetops and touched the lake, a jet of water rose high into the air, like a fountain. Fat, glistening dewdrops fell like sparkles from a fairyâs wand.
Chloe breathed a sigh of relief. She had arrived at Dewdrop Spring just in time.
The air was filled with excited meowing and purring. There were Cobweb Kittens everywhere! Fluttering their wings as fast as they could, they headed toward the spring, scooping up dewdrops in their special collecting baskets. Every kitten needed to work very hard if all the cobwebs in Misty Wood were to be covered in dewdrops.
âHello, Chloe,â a little tabby kitten called as he flew past.
âHurry up! Youâre late!â a white kitten cried, her fairy wings glistening silver and gold.
âHere I come!â Chloe called happily to her friends. âSave some for me!â With a flick of her wings, she dived toward the fountain, ready to collect the dewdrops with her basket. But as she held out her paws, she noticed something terrible.
Her basket was missing!
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CHAPTER TWO
A Helpful Friend
Chloe gave a sad little meow. What could have happened to her basket?
Then she remembered. She had set it down on the bank of Moonshine Pond when she stopped for a drink. She must have forgotten to pick it up.
âWhiskers and whirlpools! Whatever am I going to do?â Chloe cried. She looked anxiously at the sky.
It was getting lighter and lighter! There was no time for her to go all the way back to Moonshine Pond. Soon the sun would be up, and Dewdrop Spring would disappear for another day. Then there would be no dewdrops for her to collect, and she wouldnât be able to decorate her cobwebs.
She watched as, one by one, the other Cobweb Kittens filled their baskets and flew away. Her cobwebs would be the only empty ones in all of Misty Wood!
Chloe flopped down on a patch of grass and put her fluffy head in her paws. A tear trickled slowly down her nose.
âIf I canât decorate my cobwebs, Iâll be the worst Cobweb Kitten ever,â she sobbed.
âAnd why canât you decorate your cobwebs?â a cheery voice asked from behind her.
Chloe turned and peeked out from between her paws. A Stardust Squirrel was sitting on a log in front of her, holding an acorn.
Chloe sighed. Normally, she would be pleased to see a Stardust Squirrel.
Stardust Squirrels were some of the most beautiful creatures in Misty Wood. Their soft fur was a glittery gray color, and their wings were a delicate silver and white. When they shook their bushy tails, they sent a shimmer of stardust floating over all the leaves in the wood, making them glimmer and sparkle.
âI left my basket at Moonshine Pond,â Chloe whispered. âNow I canât collect any dewdrops.â
âAnd why did you leave your basket at Moonshine Pond?â the squirrel asked with a twirl of his whiskers.
âBecause Iâd put it down so I could have a drink,â Chloe said, feeling very ashamed.
âI see,â said the squirrel. âAnd why did you need a drink?â
âBecause I didnât have any breakfast.â
âOh, you must never leave the house without having breakfast,â the squirrel said with a twinkle in his eye. He hopped off the log and bounded over to Chloe, leaving a glittery trail behind him. âI always have a bowl of acorns for breakfast. I was just collecting some, actually.â The squirrel held out his acorn to her. âHere, do you want one?â
Chloe shook her head.
The squirrel looked thoughtful for a moment. âWhat you really need is a walnut,â he said.
âNo, thank you. Iâm much too sad to be
Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Martin A. Lee, Bruce Shlain