Chapter One: Fantasia in Danger
'It's a rock-biter,' the Tiny responds. 'And look! He wears a white
flag,' he points to the flag hanging around the rock-biter's neck.
'That means he's a messenger! Just like us!'
'Excuse me,' says the rock- biter. 'May I sit around this fire with
you? i am on my way to the Ivory Tower.'
'Come, sit! The Nighthob and I are on the same mission too! Something
awful has happened, and my people sent me to take this message to the
Empress!'
'Tell us this message,we might have the same message to tell.'
suggests the Nighthob.
'I will,' the rockbiter chimes in. 'You see, there was this beautiful
lake one day, and then it was gone the next.'
'What happened to it?' the Nighthob asks.
'Did it dry up?' asks the Tiny.
'I don't know, it just wasn't there any more.' the rockbiter replies.
The Nighthob thinks for a minute.
"The wind howles through the ancient trees of the Howling
Forest," she reads. "Suddenly, something crashes and rumbles
through the trees. Then, it stoppes in a clearing where a Nighthob and
a Tiny are camped around a fire. The Tiny jumps to his feet and runs
to the Nighthob. 'What is it?' asks the Nighthob, his moon-sized eyes
open wide.
