The Legend Of Toof: How Tooth Fairies Got Their Srart l6463

The Legend of Toof

How Tooth Fairies Got Their Start

P. S. Featherston

Contents

PART 1

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

INTERMISSION

PART 2

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

PART 3

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

PART 4

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

EPILOGUE

About the Author

By P. S. FEATHERSTON

For lovers of fantasy that ever wondered how the Tooth Fairy tradition began and why it is important to continue, this adventure is for you. Enjoy!

The Legend of Toof

Copyright © 2021 by Fezfam LLC

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews by incorporated media organizations. Printed in the United States of America. For more information all requests America. Copies of any quotations used, the date and media outlet in which they are/will be used/published, and all requests for other information, should be sent to [email protected]. A Fezfam LLC, a Connecticut, USA Corporation.

A Fezfam LLC, a Connecticut, USA corporation

Library of Congress Catag-in-Publication Data, Fezfam LLC.

The Legend of Toof / P.S. Featherston – 1st Edition.

Summary: An Action-Packed Adventure—The unlikely sprite discovers his destiny, uses his unique abilities to rescue his parents, befriend children, battle a dangerous a villain planning to rule the hidden-world and the human-world to form the world-famous Tooth Fairy Fliers and save his civilization.

ISBN 978-1-7358680-0-4 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-7358680-2-8 (trade paperback)

ISBN 978-1-7358680-3-5 (ebook)

ISBN 978-1-7358680-1-1 (audiobook)

[1. Grandparent and child—Fiction 2. Middle-grade—Fiction 3. Fantasy— Fiction 4. Fantasy—Fairies and elves 5. Magic—Fiction 6. Size—Fiction 7. Adventure—Fiction. 8. Robbers and outlaws—Fiction 9. Adventure and Adventures—Fiction 10. Fantasy.]

www.facebook.com/ToothFairyFliers

www.TheLegendofToof.com

TF Press, a division of Fezfam LLC

First Edition

Created with Vellum

Dedicated to my sons, and their questions one toothless evening, and to my wife who said, “write it down.”

PART 1

—GRINNY’S STORY —

Summer 1962. The sun has set behind Crown Mountain. As always, flickering flashes of light flitter over the snowcapped summit, dazzling visitors and townsfolk alike. Darkness is inching across the prairie as stars begin twinkling in the twilight above Tuskador. A few miles from town, on the edge of the valley, a dirt road turns off from the state highway. It es over railroad tracks and through a timeworn covered bridge that crosses Jawbone River. A split-rail fence lines both shoulders of the single lane drive. To the east, hayfields stretch toward an endless prairie where cowboys herd cattle. To the west, beyond tall cornstalks, the foothills step into a forest that rides up the mountain's side. The dirt road ends at the oldest home in the valley, a simple yellow farmhouse built upon a knoll. Behind it are a barn, a corral, and miles of open land. Above the gate, a sign reads: Welcome to Broadgrin Ranch—one family's home for generations. The current owner is Phyllis Broadgrin. She is seventy years old, and everyone calls her 'Grinny.' This summer, twins are visiting the ranch for the first time. Like most nights after dinner, they are playing outside. Roc is catching fireflies in a pickle jar he found in the barn while his sister, Robin, counts the streaking lights darting over the mountain's peak. Country music is playing on the radio when Grinny calls from the kitchen door. "Bedtime birdies. Wash up." "Coming," Roc and Robin tweet, running in the door. "Set them free, young man. They need to go home too, you know," Grinny says. Roc steps outside and shakes the jar until every firefly has flown away, then races upstairs. "I'll pick out a book,” he says. It was his turn. Bedtime always means story-time in Grinny's room. The walls are painted like a magical forest with tiny creatures playing with rabbits and riding on squirrels and deer. Grinny has a name for each one, too. There's even one that she says is her!

"My tooth fell out!" Robin announces from upstairs. "Does that change your plans?" an old man asks from the parlor. Grinny's brother is the ranch foreman and staying with her while his grandchildren visit. He hasn’t seen them since they were born and is making up for lost time teaching them to fish and ride ponies as his grandpa did with him decades ago. "No book tonight," Grinny says, shuffling up the stairs—her cane thumping on every step. "Are you still going out later?" Old Pete asks. "Yes. Ireland and a concert. I'll be home before midnight." Robin meets the old woman at the top of the landing, proudly holding her little white tooth high in the air. "It just slipped out," she says, showing off the new open space in her smile. "Oh my! The tooth fairies will love it." Grinny was impressed. "Ha! Nice try. No such things," Roc snickered. He didn't believe in anything he couldn't see—except air, of course. "Hasn't your mother mentioned tooth fairies to you?" "Heck, no! We're almost seven. We're not kids anymore." "Why do they want my tooth?" Robin asked. "I mean, really." "Nobody is taking your tooth,” Roc said boldly. “No one knows it even fell out.” Grinny patted their heads as they ran to her room. "We’ll read tomorrow. I have the perfect story for tonight." The twins snuggled under the covers as the old woman shuffled into the room and dimmed the lamp. She hung her cane on the door handle, tightened her bun with a pencil, and adjusted her bifocals to the tip of her nose. "It's a beauty. Toof will love it,” she says, inspecting the tooth.

Roc was confused. “Did she say tooth?” "No, Toof!" Robin poked him under the covers. "Pay attention." "Toof is the greatest sprite that ever was," Grinny said as if talking about George Washington. "What's a sprite?" the twins ask in unison, giggling. "Male fairies are called sprites in the hidden world. Females are elles," Grinny says. "Now, children, I have a question. Does everything have a beginning?" "Yes." Robin was sure. “Is this a trick question?” Roc wasn't so sure. "Yes is correct—even tooth fairies and Toof was the very first," Grinny said, as she settled in at the edge of the bed. "You see, Toof had a hard life as a youngster. He was born with an extra-large tooth in the middle of his smile. And, it whistled at all the wrong times. Many sprites his age made fun of his big tooth and dark blue hair." "A big tooth and blue hair?" Roc said under his breath. "Weird." "Shhh! You're weird," Robin replied, nudging him. The twins could see that this story had a special meaning for Grinny. Her eyes were dancing as she spoke. "A long time ago,” she said, “when sailing ships first arrived on our shores, so did the hidden world's most evil villain. Toof was in danger from the day he was born. The gremlin wanted Toof to be his pet. And so, The Legend of Toof …

* * *

PART 1 : — THE GREAT ESCAPE —

Creatures of the hidden-world live all around us. Gremlins, drolls, trolls, goblins, fairies, and dragons are not friends but have one thing in common. They grow quickly during their first years of life. Then, in youth, their aging slows dramatically, and they live for a millennia or more. It takes hundreds of humanyears to reach ten-years-old—in hidden-time and fairies are the only ones that keep count.

Chapter 1

A BIRTH — A great day. A horrible day. Late one evening, long, long ago, a single storm cloud floated along the coast of a vast ocean. Lightning bolts were flashing inside as it ceased moving over a little village hidden atop high bluffs. Below the cloud, behind a door carved into an oak tree, are three creatures. One was about to give birth. "What is happening?" Garstina asked as the tree shook in the wind. "You are having a baby, dear," her husband said. "I mean outside." "It's just a storm," Kahn said, holding his wife's hand. "Deep breaths," the midwife said as she patted Garstina’s forehead with cool, damp leaves. "Your baby is almost here." In the courtyard, friends were singing and dancing. Birds, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, and all manner of woodland creatures were gathered. It was a festive party because fairies are rarely born. Legend says that they arrive only when another, somewhere on earth, peacefully es on to the next world. That is the same belief for all creatures of the hidden-world. No one knows if it is true, but it is what they have been taught for generations. When the door opened, smiling parents emerged from the tree. Garstina was holding her new son. With brown eyes and a tuft of brown hair, the newborn fairy looked like any other infant, with one notable exception. He had a massive tooth in the middle of his smile that was jingling a soothing melody. It sounded like wind chimes in the distance. "We have a sprite!" Kahn exclaimed, jumping into the sky, somersaulting and twirling about. “Yahoo!”

"Yippee!" his friends cheered, ing the happy father in flight. Each was as long as an oak leaf—or about four inches tall in human . Then, as everyone celebrated, something happened that had never happened before. The cloud, floating above the trees, rumbled louder and burst open—but no rain fell. Instead, a fountain of dazzling, golden-pink sparkles poured down. This glimmering shimmer whirled around the village like a tornado engulfing the mother and baby. A moment later, these flakes of light dissolved into the air with a woosh, and a gust of wind pushed the cloud out over the bay. It was still flashing inside as it sank into the sea. Unusual? Perhaps. But many extraordinary things happen in the hidden-world. That evening, two by two, everyone came to meet the baby and congratulate his parents in their tiny home. All swayed to the sweet melodies that filled the room. "What is his name?" the first couple asked. "I'm thinking, Kahn Junior," Kahn said. "What do you think, dear?" "Toof is better,” Garstina said. “He has a large tooth that rings." "True, but Kahn-Junior has a nice ring to it. Easy to ." "It is a good second choice," Garstina said, smiling. "But, Toof fits him, and you will not forget his name." "Yes, dear," Kahn said, rocking his son gently in his arms. "Well, Toof, welcome to the world. I wonder… what will be your destiny?"

* * *

A FAMILY PAINTING — The next morning, Kahn had finished painting a picture of his little family, rolled it into a scroll, and tied it with dandelion stems. It was a gift for his in-laws. Toof, wrapped in warm clothing, was wearing a knitted cap and was strapped to his mother's back. His papoose was made of wood and cloth woven with colorful threads and beads. The little family was going to Garstina's parent's home, where a 'Welcoming Ceremony' would be held in Toof's honor. It is an old tradition that celebrates newborns with dancing, music, and eagle rides. "Time to go," Garstina said, meeting her husband at the cliff's edge. "Look,” Kahn said, pointing to the bay. “Strangers." "Humans?" she asked. "Yes, from across the sea." Every member of the village was curious about the massive dark vessel floating offshore. Some fairies rode on squirrels to the treetops, as others fluttered to a familiar boulder near the water to get a good look. For centuries this was their favorite spot to dive into the sea. On the strange ship, humans in red and black striped shirts climbed its tall poles and collapsed large sheets that were catching the wind. They moved cargo about the deck and filled small boats tied to its side. Unload the Mayflower!” hollered one human, his voice booming across the bay and into the hills. "Drop the anchor!” said another man wearing a large hat. engers emerging from below deck were coughing and appeared ill. Many were carried on wooden planks, too weak to walk after their journey, at sea. They boarded smaller boats and were rowed to shore along with boxes, barrels,

and travel bags. All were taken to a daisy-filled meadow where tents were erected. The travelers were planning to stay. "I will go to their camp and listen to their plans," Kahn said. He was a skillful flyer and always the first scout chosen for dangerous missions. “Not today, dear,” Garstina said. It will not take long,” Kahn said. “We must arrive before the storm.” She did not want a delay. This was Toof’s big day. “We need to know if they are friendly,” he said. These fairies had heard about visitors from across the sea from native humans who lived in the forests. But, this was the first ship they had ever seen. They studied the strangers until an unpleasant odor, almost like death itself, drifted over the ridge, causing Toof to cough. "Send someone else,” Garstina said, wrapping her wings around her baby to protect him from the smell. "Yes. Go on your journey," Terpek, the chief elder, said, pointing to eager elles and sprites hoping to be chosen. "Instruct your scouts. Your family needs you today." "Very well," Kahn agreed. "We will return after the winter snow melts and flowers bloom again." Kahn and Garstina were looking forward to returning to this small village overlooking the sea. They had carved their dream home into a sturdy tree and wanted Toof to soar on the salty breezes that swirl along the shore. Their son would be loved by these villagers. Waving farewell, they hiked into the forest, and, as they did, the strange odor wafted over the hilltop again. "Pee-ewe!" Kahn said, holding his nose tightly. "Toof, my boy, is that you?" "Don't blame my son."

"He's our son, dear. Have you checked his pants?" "They're clean," she said, rolling her eyes at her goofy husband. Kahn snickered. "Well, if it's not Toofie and not me, who else could be making that smell?" "Oh my goodness, this is going to be a long trip," Garstina moaned as she fluttered on ahead. "You sprites are all the same." Once they were deep in the woods, Toof's tooth rang again. This time, it was a sad melody as if it knew that he would not grow up in this village.

* * *

FLYING MONSTERS — The little family took hiked down an old path, created by deer and other animals, on the backside of the hill. They ed under fallen tree limbs and hopped over thorny thickets. When they reached a plateau, they fluttered into the sky, gliding over Catchalot Pond and beyond the reach of hungry snakes that slithered there. They landed near a secluded beach and walked onto the sunbaked sand. It was a bright day, and the sun hung large in the sky. "Peekaboo. I see you," Kahn said, hiding his eyes with his hands and smiling before snatching them away with a gleeful gasp. Snug in his rucksack, Toof giggled at the funny faces his father made. Garstina was carrying a flask of goat milk, a pouch of peas, a few finely sliced apple shreds, and two blueberries, one in each pocket. If they needed more, they would forage as they went, gathering nourishment from stems and shrubs that grow in the wild. “Over there,” she said. “The flat rock near the surf. You swim. We will nap after lunch.” “Okay, mother.” “Ahem. I am not your mother, father. I am his,” she said with a sly grin, pointing at Toof. “Yes, I know, dear. And I am not your father, mother,” he said, kissing her sweetly. Kahn helped his wife untie her papoose and pull it to her chest. She stretched her wings before they receded through slits in her clothing, disappearing under her shoulder blades. Toof sucked on a smushed pea as Kahn jumped into the water to ride the waves. “Watch out for eels,” Garstina said.

A while later, Kahn fluttered out of the sea and landed next to his napping wife and child. As he sat, he noticed dark silhouettes moving on the sand in the distance. He hoped they were seagulls willing to give them a ride, but the sun was in his eyes, and the shadows disappeared into the sea. As the wind changed direction, the foul odor that blew over the cliffside earlier returned, now more potent than before. When Kahn heard a buzzing, like angry bees, he shook his wife awake. "We must go, dear," he said worriedly. "What is it? Wasps?" "I don't know. Maybe hornets. Let's move. Be quick!" Garstina saw Kahn's concerned look and squinted to see what was buzzing, but the sun was in her eyes, too. She held her nose as her wings emerged, but there was no time to latch Toof's pack to her back. She held him to her chest and grabbed her husband's scroll. Kahn took her hand and clutched his walking stick, ready for a fight. They flitted across the beach as fast as their wings could carry them, but fairies are slow flyers like butterflies, not fast like birds. "Don't let them sting our boy!" "I won't," Kahn said, firmly gripping his walking-stick. They were looking for a place to hide. "There!" Garstina said, pointing to a hollow log of driftwood nestled in a cluster of seagrass. " Meld quickly!” he said, firmly. “Disappear, my love." But it wasn't wasps or hornets, or even locust. Three creatures, the size of blue jays but with tiny wings, were descending like hawks chasing prey. An old, wrinkled gremlin with claws for fingers and talons for toes raced by first. "Aghhhhh!" it screeched through its broken, yellowed teeth before veering away. "Leave us alone!" Kahn yelled as he swung his walking stick at the attacker but

missed. As he did, a stronger creature swooped in and snatched Garstina from behind. It happened so quickly that she lost grip of Kahn's hand—her fingers wrenched from his in one quick jerk. The green monster gripped its prey in its talons, and its tail held her snug to its belly. It turned quickly and flew out over the ocean before Kahn could react. Garstina's wings, now useless for flying, were crunched around her body, covering her baby, still in his papoose held to her chest. They instinctively melded into a dark gray color, hiding Toof from view. "Help! Leave us alone! Help!" She cried. "Zilenzzzz!" the monster roared as its tiny wings raced. Kahn fluttered after his wife, but the little dragon was too fast. "No! Garstinaaaa! No! Come back!" he cried, unaware that a third villain was swooping in from behind and that he was its target. The monster was pulling a net through the air as it flew. Kahn was quickly entangled, and his wings twisted and torn jumbled in the netting. He struggled to free himself, but it was no use. His cudgel fell to the beach, unused. "Gotcha," the purple gremlin said.

* * *

HUNGRY SHARKS — Kahn had heard of gremlins but never seen one. He didn't know they could fly, and this one flew fast! He had been taught that they hide in caves, afraid of being eaten by cats and hawks—grumpy and grotesque creatures inside and out. "Stop! Stop!" Kahn demanded, choking on the fumes that surrounded him. "Put us down! Let us go!" "Not a chance fairy. You're mine," his captor cackled. This gremlin had scaly skin and stringy red hair peeking out from under a helmet. It wore a long black coat that flapped, like a cape, in the air. Its tiny wings were buzzing like a frantic bumblebee, struggling to carry the extra weight. "Why are you doing this?” Kahn said. “Stop! Please, STOP!” “Be quiet!” “We've done you no harm. Put us down!” "NO! I am Deekay! You will do what I say," the young gremlin roared. "Ha, ha, that rhymes." He was so proud of himself that he giggled. Kahn didn't laugh. “Oh no, I won’t!” Kahn said as he punched the gremlin's tummy with the full force of his fists. But it did no good. The gremlin’s scales were too hard. Then Kahn noticed that some of Deekay's talons had not hooked him, he grabbed a toenail and bent it backward. "Put us down, or I'll break it off!" "Never!" The gremlin growled. "Okay. You asked for it, big boy," Kahn said, angrily bending the Deekay’s pinky toenail until it snapped with a crack!

"Ouch!" Deekay cried, swiping his needle-sharp claws at the sprite riding beneath him, but did not connect. "Stop that!" "Release us now!" Kahn demanded as he cracked off another talon. In the sky above, the old gremlin watched the action unfold. Over the years, Colsore had captured numerous young fairies. They made the best workers. Today, he was training his son and his son's pet to do the same. "Hold them tight," Colsore said, calmly. "We have a long way to go." "I'm trying, dad. But he's hurting me." "Don't drop him! He's a keeper," the old gremlin roared. But Kahn had already snapped off two talons and was bending a third. Deekay could not bear the pain any longer and gave up. He dropped his catch and grabbed his foot. "Ouch! Ouch! He broke my nails!" "Hook them with all your nails!" Colsore said as he flew by. "Plaak does it. Why not you?" "He's a lizard! He's got bigger feet!" "Arr! Im nutt a lzzzarr!” Plaak was annoyed that his owners kept calling him a lizard. He was not a lizard. He was a dragon! A small dragon with small wings. A mutt perhaps, but still a dragon. That’s what his mother told him. “Im a drageen. I am, I am,” he mumbled sadly to himself. "Go get that fairy," Colsore said. "But dad," Deekay whined. "I don't want to." "Now! Or no more flying dust for you." Kahn, still wrapped in Deekay's net, was tumbling end over end through the air. He couldn’t free himself from the netting and crashed into the ocean—sinking below the waves.

SPLASH! Dazed, Kahn wiggled out of the mesh and struggled to the surface to scan the sky for his family. He did not see them through the clouds. Toof's father was so far out to sea that he didn't even see land. "My wife! Toof! Oh no! Help!" Kahn cried, slapping the ocean in anger. He was in great pain, treading water and fending off hungry fish as the young gremlin approached. Being with his family was more important than defeating this monster, so Kahn called out in a friendly tone. "Mr. Gremlin. Over here! Help!" "Don't hurt me," Deekay said, hovering just out of reach. "I won't." "Do you promise?" "Yes. Pick me up! Take me to my wife," Kahn pleaded as he punched the nose of a fish that came too close. "Fly up here!" "I can't! You tore my wings," Kahn said. The gremlin did not want to save this fairy; he hated them. But Colsore held all of the flying dust. Deekay did not want to run out of flying dust over the ocean. Without smust on his wings, he would drop like a rock! He never learned to swim. "Don't hurt me again. My toes are killing.” As Deekay flew to Kahn, he noticed a shark, an eel, and a manta ray circling the injured sprite. They were looking for a snack, so he had to work quickly. He didn't want to be eaten, either. "Quick! Give me your hand," he said, lowering himself to the rolling waves. "Closer. Closer. A little closer," Kahn said, before thrusting himself out of the

water with an enormous push. "I want to see my…" Toof's father never finished his thought. Just as his long fingers met the gremlin's claws, a sea creature raced up from the depths. It snatched him in its teeth and plummeted below the waves. Gulp. Kahn was gone.

Chapter 2

AN ICY PRISON FAR AWAY — Stowing away aboard the Mayflower that arrived in the bay had been Deekay's idea. He wasn't sure how big the ocean was, so he convinced Colsore that if they rode with humans to the New World, they would only need one extra sack of flying dust to fly home. Smust is what they called it. At first, it seemed like a good idea. The villains used no smust on the trip over. They smelled so horrible, the captain moved in with the crew— so, they slept in his bed! “First class accommodations," Deekay bragged. But the young gremlin miscalculated. They needed much more smust to hunt for fairies in the New World and still fly home. His father would not let him forget it. "Ridiculous!" Colsore said. "This is way too far to go!" "I heard the New World was just over the horizon," Deekay said. "Easy peezee." "Nothing is easy!" the old gremlin said. "But there are fairies here. In this one day, we caught two." "One. We caught one! And it took months to get here. Never again!" Colsore roared. Cold and tired, the monsters grumbled their way through rainstorms and blistering sun over the rolling ocean. It took many days to reach the Old World. "Arr, I neet mur zmrst plezz," Plaak said as he lost altitude. "Absolutely. You deserve more smust," Colsore said, sprinkling a clawful of black flying dust on his wings.

"You understand him?" his son asked. "Yes," he said, with narrowing eyes. "But I don't understand you sometimes." Garstina, still held in the dragon's talons, wasn't hurt, but the smog around her was making her queasy. She was coughing and groggy, holding her son and Khan's scroll. If she dozed off, she might drop them both, so she stayed awake, breathing fumes, for days. Warm in his pack, Toof was protected from the dirty exhaust. He breathed fresh air filtered through his mother's wings. When he awoke, she slyly fed him peas and tiny slivers of apple. The buzzing from Plaak's flapping was so loud no one heard Toof's slurps. As he slept, Garstina pleaded with her captors. "Please, take us home. Why are you doing this?" She said. "There's no us anymore," Deekay said, flying alongside. "You belong to me." "She belongs to me," Colsore corrected his son. "Where is my husband?" "Eaten by a fish," Deekay said, gleefully. "A big fish." Crystal-like tears danced on Garstina’s lashes, and she moaned in between coughs. "I feel sick." "Arrr. Ull gayt uset to dit," Plaak mumbled. But Toof’s mother did not get used to it. Instead, she got dizzier and turned green. When the villains finally spotted land, it took two more days to arrive at Colsore's home, atop Blebble Mountain. This snow-covered summit was so high in the sky that clouds circled below its peak. Up here was a prison like no other on earth. It was home to one hundred fairies that would never be released. On this frigid peak, it snowed every day of the year. Prisoners made smust from sunrise to sunset. When not, they shoveled snow. Afterward, they returned to their cabins for dinner and rest. Every day was

the same dreary routine. A fence with watchtowers encircled the camp. Outside, next to the only gate, was Colsore's home. On the cliff's edge was a large, rickety building called the 'Finery.' It had a crooked chimney that spurted filthy smoke into the sky. Up a slippery slope was the entrance to a mineshaft that ran deep inside the mountain. "Good to be home," Colsore said, hustling to his house to get warm. "Ouch! Eech! Ooch! My toes. My toes. I have to soak my toes," Deekay cried, hopping on one leg behind his father. Plaak released Garstina into the snow and flew to his perch on Colsore's porch. He was met by a droll who draped a cloak over his back. Drolls are slow-witted creatures that guard the prisoners on this mountain. They are an odd mix of flies and trolls with hands and feet, not claws and paws. All have tiny wings and cannot fly without smust sprinkled on their backs. Some look human. Most do not. "Good trip, boss?" A fly-faced droll asked. "Arrr. Tooo longgg. Aamma poooopt," Plaak said. "Is the lower world still warm? It's been so long; I've forgotten how it feels." "Arrr. U wooden liik it. Umiiins ebreeee ware." Garstina was standing alone, shivering in the wicked winds. Her wings receded into her back, and she couldn't do anything to stop them. Fairy wings always hibernate in winter. Without them shielding her son from the arctic chill, Toof got so cold, so fast, he couldn't even cry—and his newborn hair turned from brown to blue! "Oh, no. Someone has arrived!" A tall, dark elle said. She was peeking out of her cabin window when she noticed Garstina standing outside, alone. Trudging through the snow, Tincy cried. "Help! Everyone! Help!” Her brother heard her call and jumped into action. "I'm coming!" Toba cried.

Toba was a thin sprite with dark curly hair. He had been clearing snow from the mine's entrance. He jumped onto a shovel and slid down the slope. A guard opened the gate allowing him to reach Garstina just as her knees buckled. "You'll be okay," he said, giving her his coat. "Blankets! We need blankets!" "Put this on, dear," Tincy said, covering Garstina's ears with her yellow scarf. Redi, a freckle-faced elle with auburn hair who always wore something green, slipped boots on Garstina’s naked feet. Finally, Ping, a stylish elle who always wore flowery designs, wrapped a colorful quilt around the freezing fairy. Soon, all of the camp's fairies, young and old alike, male and female, were gathered around the newest member of their community. They were attempting to block the wicked wind from reaching her. This was the custom on Blebble Mountain when new prisoners arrived. "Are you injured?" Tincy asked. “What’s your name? asked Toba. There was no response, only the chattering of her teeth. Garstina had never been so cold in her entire life! Finally, she said, "Where are we?" "We?" Toba said, looking around. "What do you mean 'we'?" No one had noticed Toof. He was still inside his mother's pack, held to her chest, hidden under Ping's quilt. When Toof whimpered, Garstina pulled a blueberry from her pocket and held it to his lips. Its sweetness calmed him. Everyone was surprised to see a baby in their midst. "Oh my! What have we here?" Ping said, peeking under the quilt. “A baby,” Redi whispered, shocked at such a surprise. "Interesting smile," Toba said, upon seeing Toof's big front tooth. "He's beautiful," Tincy said, elbowing her brother in his side. "It's huge," he whispered in her ear.

Toof was the first infant ever to arrive on Blebble Mountain. Most of the prisoners hadn't seen a baby in hundreds of human-years. They were not allowed. Babies were useless to Colsore; he only wanted workers. If Toof was discovered, there was no telling what he would do. "He's not safe out here. Give him to me, dear," Tincy said. "Trust us," Redi pleaded. "Please, before the gremlins come out,” Toba said firmly, looking around to make sure Toof hadn’t been noticed. Garstina was reluctant to release her son to anyone but took a chance, surrounded by dozens of friendly faces. "His name is Toof," she said. Redi placed him under her shawl as Ping took the scroll that Kahn had painted. Together with Tincy, they slipped out of the crowd and walked quickly to their cabin. Inside, Tincy changed Toof's diaper by tearing up an old shirt and folding it to fit his little body. Ping fed him milk leftover from breakfast as Redi kept a lookout for drolls. Warm, and with his belly full, Toof fell asleep. Still, he needed to be hidden, so they wrapped him in a blanket, tucked him into an open box, and slid him under an empty bunk. "Rollcall!" a guard announced, hammering his fist on the door. "Let's go, ladies." Tincy put Kahn's scroll on the bunk above Toof and added extra logs into the stove to heat the cabin. "We've done all we can do," she said. "Sleep tight," Ping whispered. "Please don't cry," Redi said, closing the door as quietly as she could. A short while later, Colsore emerged from his house and flew over the fence to inspect his prisoners, as he always did at sunrise. He was wearing a brown cape, a fur hat covering his big ears, and gloves that allowed his claws to stick out. Deekay hopped onto the porch, wearing his long coat, a helmet with a horn, and a big bandage wrapped around his injured toes. Plaak signaled the guards to

begin the rollcall. That was the chain of command: Colsore, Deekay, Plaak, and then the drolls. "Be strong," Tincy whispered to Garstina. "Don't mention your baby.” "Keep him a secret," Ping said, nodding in agreement. Toof's mother didn't say a word. She was transfixed on the monsters standing in front of her. Terrified, she bit her lip as tears froze to her cheeks. Like everyone trapped in this icy prison, she learned her fate immediately. "This is your new home," the old gremlin said. "You will never leave here," his son laughed, licking his lips with a wicked grin, standing behind his father. "You will work in the mines," Colsore spoke calmly. He had done this before. "For the rest of your miserable life!" Deekay blurted out. As Colsore turned away, Garstina sneered at his son and kicked the bandage wrapped around his broken toes. "Ouch!” Deekay whined. “Dad, did you see that?" The old gremlin turned to the new elle who had shown defiance and such bravery and winked. "Get to work, everyone. I'm going to bed," he said. Toba helped Garstina up the slippery slope into the mine as a line of fairies followed behind. An equal number, escorted by drolls, marched to the Finery building at the cliff's edge. Toof was alone, asleep in a box, hidden under a bed. He was only seven days old.

* * *

SMUST AND DROLLS — Torches nailed to the rock walls lit a maze of tunnels inside the mountain. They did not provide any heat. Only non-stop work, carving chunks of yellow stone from the cave walls kept workers warm. Inside the great cavity, everyone spoke in whispers. "Why does he make you do this?" Garstina asked. "To make smust," Toba said. "To rule the world," Eillo, a muscular sprite, added. "So, the smelly dust they sprinkle on their wings is called smust?" she asked. "Yes. Smelly dust makes them fly fast," Toba said. "Not flutter like moths, but zip-zip-zip like a dragonfly, only bigger!" "It makes heavy things float in the air. It is inside these blebbles," Lexaf, a longhaired sprite, added, pointing to tiny black-pebbles stuck to a rock he had just carved from the wall. “We call these ‘blebbles.” "Why not use it to fly away?" she asked. "It doesn't work on us. It burns our wings." Toba sat Garstina down and explained that workers in the mine carve stones from the walls. The Finery workers then pry out the black pebbles and cook them. “When blebbles get soft, we peel them and smash the pits to dust,” he said. “Smust!” "How did he figure that out?" she asked, shaking her head in disbelief. "Colsore loves telling this story," Eillo said. "He was young and living in a sewer under a castle and overheard a Jester explain a floating trick to a King. So, one night he climbed into the castle looking for a yellow stone with blebbles

attached. On a candlestick, he saw one and scratched it out." "Then," Lexaf chimed in, "Colsore cooked it, peeled it, smashed it, and smothered the dust on his shoulders." "And flew like a bird," Eillo said. “And the world would never be the same again,” Lexaf added. "Yes, he knew he'd be rich if he could find more blebbles," Toba continued. "Gremlins and goblins will pay anything to get out of the caves and into the air. So, he searched everywhere until he found this mountain, full of yellow stones, and made a big batch of smust. Then, he captured us to build the Finery and carve the shaft into the mountain. This mountain has lots of these stones.” “Then he tricked drolls into coming here,” Lexaf said. "Drolls? Where do they come from?" Garstina asked. “We don’t have them in our land.” "The desert," Toba said. "Colsore used his new flying speed to rescue a colony being attacked by scorpions. They were so happy to be saved, they pledged allegiance to him. So, he moved their nest up here." "Now, most drolls wish they had been eaten by the scorpions," Eillo laughed. "They hate the cold weather, too." "True," Toba said. "But forest and city gremlins love smust. They do not want to go back to hiding in damp caves. With smust on their wings, gremlins can sneak into homes, steal things, tamper with machines, and destroy children's toys!” “They take what they want and rule the countryside. Without smust, gremlins would still hide in caves, afraid to be eaten. Colsore is their ruler, King of the hidden world,” Lexaf said. “He made that title up himself,” Toba said with a grin. "It's not fair," Eillo said. "We do all the work, and he gets paid." "Paid with what?" Garstina asked.

"Fruits, nuts, milk, honey, cloth, metal, glass, wood for the fire . . . all kinds of things. Gremlins will trade anything for smust," Toba said. "They fly up here all the time to kiss Colsore's ring." "Despicable! We don't have them in my land, either," Garstina said. "Oh, really? You do now," Lexaf said in a dejected voice. "You were caught." Garstina thought about the ship in the bay and the terrible smell that blew over her village. She shuddered, thinking about gremlins attacking her friends and finding her parent's village. She quietly worried that they would be captured too. "How did you get here?" She asked. "I was playing near my home when Plaak picked me up," Eillo said. "I was riding my surfboard in the waves," Lexaf said. "Tincy and I were at my uncle Fuddle’s house," Toba said. "He was too old, so they left him alone. Colsore only wants strong workers." "I want to go home," Eillo moaned with a long sigh. "I miss my parents." "We all do," Lexaf said, hugging his big friend. "How can we escape if our wings won't work in the cold?" Garstina asked. "I wish I knew," Toba said, hanging his head. Just then, a droll peeking into the cave saw them talking, "Get back to work!” He barked.

* * *

NO BABIES ALLOWED — Garstina's first day was spent inside the mine cutting stones from the walls. She carried them to the surface, and tossed them into wagons again, and again. Outside, as a blizzard raged, other prisoners slid the wagons full of stones down the hill to the Finery. There, they carried them up the steps, past a guard, and stacked them inside the door. They repeated this routine many times that day. At sunset, as darkness blanketed the summit, the workday ended. “Follow me,” Toba said. “I’ll take you to Toof.” “Where is he?” Garstina asked, softly, as if defeated. “With Tincy. Take my hand.” He could see that Garstina was weak and wobbly. “Thank you,” she said. Toba knocked on the cabin door. Ping and Tincy answered. They helped Garstina to her bed where Toof was awake, lying silently in his box. “He’s a good sprite,” Ping said. “Dinner will be ready soon,” a yellow-haired elle with braids said. It was Hidee’s turn to cook. Inside each of the cabins, there was a stove, and the prisoners took turns cooking. Colsore always made sure his workers had vegetables and fruits to keep up their strength. Milk too. Hidee had prepared a dinner of seeds, spinach, green beans, carrots, and boiled leaves. There was no baby food, so she mushed everything into a paste for Toof. "It's the best I can offer," she said. "Thank you." Garstina was genuinely grateful.

She fed her son until Toof's tummy was full, then laid in bed with him and cuddled. Her muscles ached from a long day of hard labor, and she was tired from days without sleep. "We will go home," she said to Toof as tears covered her face. "Kahn will be waiting. You will see." Garstina did not believe that her husband was gone and would never let Toof think so either. "Yes. Keep hope alive," Tincy said, offering the remnants of a smile. "Deekay is not truthful," Ping added, trying to comfort the new mother. “Don’t believe him.” The elles in this cabin gave their new roommates warm pajamas and heavy blankets. Even as prisoners, these fairies could turn worn and torn materials into the most lovely things. Like sprites, they were good with the hands. It was one reason the gremlin needed them so. They were great workers, talented, and easy to control. “Let’s make room, everyone,” Tincy said as she cleared the dishes. On Blebble Mountain, after dinner, the prisoners in each cabin would talk and sing before falling asleep exhausted. They rarely went outside after dark, unless for a special occasion. Tonight was one. Prisoners from the other female cabin next door were braving the arctic winds to meet Garstina and her son. “Where’s the mother?” asked the first elle that came in the door. “Where’s the baby?” asked the second. “What’s his name?” The questions kept coming. “I am so sorry, dear,” an old elle said, sniffling. “This is so unfair.” She had been crying all day. She and the other elles had been a party to this horrible welcoming ceremony too many times. “Whatever you need, we are here for you,” Ping said. “Where are you from, dear?” Redi asked.

That night, they draped blankets over the windows, lit a candle, and talked into the night. It was crowded in Toof's cabin that night as everyone wanted to meet the baby with the human-sized tooth. Dressed in colorful pajamas, the elles listened as Garstina, rocking Toof in her arms, told of their capture through a torrent of tears. When she finished, many of her new friends tried to explain life on Blebble mountain. "Colsore wants workers. Not babies," Tincy said. "You will be here a long time," Cett, an elle from Germania, said matter-offactly. She and her husband were the oldest prisoners on the mountain. "You must be careful. Do your work and hide your baby." "We must rebel!" Garstina disagreed firmly, tossing her pillow across the room. "We will not live here! Our lives are not here." All understood her feelings. In their time, they felt the same. “We tried that," Redi said gently to the crying mother. Long ago, many sprites surprised Deekay while he slept and tied his hands and feet with rope made from straw. They offered to trade him for their freedom. But Colsore laughed, and his drolls swarmed them. Deekay was banished for a year for sleeping and forced to hide in a cave, all alone, without smust. "Unfortunately, the hawks and cats didn't find him," Ping said. "But, when he returned, he was covered in poison ivy," Redi snickered, hoping that a little humor might help her new roommate feel less sad. It didn't work. Garstina’s lip quivered as she cried. Holding Toof to her chest, she didn’t say another word to these strangers that night. "I'm afraid there's no way off this mountain," Tincy said. The situation seemed hopeless until soft chimes surprised everyone. Never had they heard such a glorious sound. Toof's tooth was singing. It was the first time since the night he was born—seven days earlier. No one spoke until the melody faded away.

"Beautiful,” one said after another. “Lovely.” “Magical.” “He must be hidden,” they all agreed. Everyone understood how difficult hiding a baby would be. They were watched and counted every day. Somehow, Toof could not be discovered until he was old enough to work—and that would be many, many years from now. As the evening ended, the visiting elles went back to their cabin, and Garstina's bunkmates climbed into bed. She did too. She cried as she unrolled Khan's scroll and pinned his painting of her family to the wall. She thought of her parents and the Welcoming Ceremony that would never happen, and her husband eaten by a fish. "It can't be true," she prayed as Toof slept peacefully next to her. Outside, as always, frigid winds howled over the summit. Toof's first day on the mountain was over. Thousands more were yet to come.

Chapter 3

FAIRY EATERS — Colsore demanded that a sack of smust be produced daily. This morning, at sunrise, Garstina ed ninety-nine other fairies, at rollcall, standing in a blizzard. "Hurry up," the old gremlin said, furiously tapping his talons on the porch. "You're late!" "I'm not late! You are early," Deekay said, yawning as he stepped outside. "Rise before the sun, and work will get done," Colsore said, flying over the fence to the prisoners waiting in the snow. "Rise before the sun, blah blah blah. Get in line, fairies!" the young gremlin mocked his father as he landed behind him. This rudeness happened every morning. As rollcall began, an old sprite hiding in the back row attempted to muffle a cough. He was sick and leaning on a friend when he was noticed. "He's too weak. Remove him,” Colsore said. "Too weak," Deekay said louder. "Remove him now!" The old gremlin did not hate fairies; he needed them to work for him. But his son hated them almost as much as he hated humans. Deekay was excited to hear what his father would say next. He had heard it before. "Ginja, Vitus!" Colsore called for two specific drolls. "Ginja! Vitus!" Deekay roared until his dad put a claw to his lips. "For goodness sake! Please stop repeating me." Two human-faced guards stepped forward and bowed. Ginja was short and

round, while Vitus was tall and skinny. Both had large noses with pimples and wore shells on their heads with flaps covering their ears. Everyone feared these drolls. Their presence somehow made the air feel even colder. It was believed that they ate sick fairies—ate them alive! When they took prisoners away, they always returned with their bellies full. "Take him away," Colsore said. "With pleasure, most magnificent master," the fat one said. The prisoners surrounded their friend and pleaded for mercy, but to no avail. Drolls, armed with sharp sticks and shields, pushed through the crowd and handed the old, sick sprite to the eaters. "Don't be afraid," Ginja said. "You will dine well tonight." "What do you mean?" Deekay said, looking puzzled. "He means we will dine well tonight," Vitus corrected his friend, laughing nervously with a cackle and a gulp. The eaters quickly tied a rope around the old sprite, sprinkled smust over their backs, and disappeared into the clouds. "Can I go, Dad?" Deekay asked. "I want to watch." "No. Yuck," Colsore said, with a grimace, clearly disappointed in his dimwitted son. "I have other plans for you." He continued with rollcall, and Garstina was next. "How was your first day?” Colsore asked politely. His words were soft, but his smile hung at all of the wrong angles on his hideous, scaly face. "This is wrong! Set us free," she demanded. "I'm sorry, but that's not going to happen, my dear." "Never happen!" Deekay repeated with hatred in his eyes. Garstina glared at the young gremlin, "My husband is braver than you."

"Oh, yea? Then why did he cry when he was swallowed by a shark?" Deekay puffed up his chest, trying to look scary. "I don't believe you," she said, looking at the bandages on his foot. "How are your toes?" That did it. No one could speak to Deekay that way. "Ahhhh! I'll feed you to the fish next time!" He roared, stepping forward menacingly. "Oh, no, you won't," Colsore said, grabbing his son's shoulder, which made Deekay slip in the snow and fall on his bottom. Oof! "Find a replacement for the sick sprite we just lost." "Huh. Really?" Deekay said, surprised. "All by myself?" "You better take little Lizzy with you," his father said. "Arrrr!" The dragon grumbled at being called Lizzy. It wasn’t his name. “I’m a dragon,” he whined. “but just as big as a gremlin.” ",” Colsore said, “No old fairies, no babies, no elles. Just one young, strong sprite to replace the one we just lost. Understand?" "Yes, dad." "And don't drop him." “I won’t," Deekay said, excited to be fairy-hunting without his father. So excited, in fact, that he hugged him for the first time ever. "Get off me!" Colsore said. "We're gremlins. We don't hug!" "Sorry. I didn’t mean it. Plaak! Pack some nets. We're leaving.” As rollcall ended, and before she was marched off to the mine, Garstina ran to her cabin to feed Toof some milk and clean his home-made diaper. She wrapped him in a warm blanket and kissed him until a guard knocked at the door. It was time to go to work.

"Be quiet, my good boy," she said, tucking him back into the box and sliding it under her bed. Her purpose in life was now clear—protect Toof at all costs. Their second day on this mountaintop had begun. Toof was alone under his mother's bunk. But not for long.

* * *

GREMLINS LIKE MUSIC — Fairies are neat, funny, and talented creatures. Most are builders, artists, and musicians—friendly by nature. Gremlins are none of those things. Colsore understood that fairies need song and laughter to survive, so he permitted it on his mountain. It made them better workers. If Deekay was King, he would not. Colsore climbed back into bed as Deekay tried on different outfits in his own room. Catching a sprite made him giddy. "What do you think?" he asked, smudging war paint on his face. "Scary enough?" "Arrr. Looooken gooot masta." "Oh my, Plaak, your breath is horrible," Deekay said, waving his claw in the air. "Fairies brush their teeth. Maybe you should give it a try?" "Arrr. Urz rrr nutt mentee fresh eter," Plaak muttered under his breath. Deekay knew that catching fairies wasn’t easy. They are masters at hiding. They can meld into their surroundings and become invisible in seconds. Most animals never snitch on their little friends, so Deekay needed to find a simple-minded bunny to trick. Squirrels and chipmunks were hard to fool and had sharp teeth that he wanted to avoid. Skunks never listened; they just sprayed a stink, worse than smust, and walked away. “Don’t forget to pack extra smust,” Deekay said. “Arr kay," Plaak responded. “Don’t forget the nets.” “Arr kay.” “Don’t forget to bring some snacks. Worms, please.”

“Arr kay!” “Geeze! Don’t get angry. I’m just trying to help,” Deekay said shaking his head. Becoming the next King of Blebble Mountain filled Deekay's thoughts day and night. If only the old geezer would retire. Then he could expand smust production and attack the Big World. He dreamed of an army with drolls, trolls, goblins, gremlins, dragonflies, horse flies, black flies, locusts, wasps, and bats— all flying with smust-power on their wings. They would attack humans. He was sure that rats, snakes, alligators, and crocodiles would want to in the fun too. "Just because they are bigger, humans think they're better," Deekay snarled. “Who do they think they are!” “Arrr.” Plaak agreed. Of course, fairies felt the same way about gremlins. With a painted face, he latched a pouch of smust to his waist and stepped off the porch. His pet followed behind, lugging two big sacks, the nets, and the snacks. Then, Deekay poured a claw-full of the smust over his own back, greedy as always, and a tiny pinch on Plaak. During a brief pause in the whirling winds, they jumped into the sky and winged over the camp. As they did, Deekay heard something that startled him. It was a sound never heard before on Blebble Mountain—wind chimes. "Impossible," Deekay muttered as he flew over the cliff's edge. "Arrr?" "Did you hear music? It couldn't be. Let's go." But, halfway to the warm world below, curiosity got the better of him. The thought of music coming from the camp while everyone was at work puzzled the gremlin. It didn't make sense that someone would risk being caught. The penalty for missing work was banishment to the deepest, coldest cave. Everyone who went there returned sick and close to death, not that he cared about that. Perplexed, Deekay turned around and landed on the roof of the cabin where the

chimes were playing. He hopped into the snow and kicked open the door. Inside, he quickly found a baby in a basket hidden under a bed. "What are you doing here?" he said as soft chimes filled the room. Instantly, he was mesmerized by the simple melody. It was the sweetest sound he had ever heard. Plaak, following his master, landed at the cabin's door and saw him rocking a baby in his arms. His growl awakened him from his trance. "Arrr!" "What?" Deekay exclaimed, jolted to his senses. "You ugly little thing." "Huh, meeet?" "Not you. You are a handsome lizard. This fairy has blue hair and a huge front tooth. Ugly, ugly, ugly!" "Argh! Im nutta lizarrr! Oh, fagetaboud dit," Plaak said. At least he didn't call him a goblin. Goblins are ugly, rude, and can't be house trained. They make messes everywhere. Astonished to find a baby on the mountain, Deekay brought it to Colsore right away. He barged into his bedroom, awakening him from a daydream about a steaming swamp and lovely elles feeding him juicy gnats. "What are you doing here?" He said, wiping sleep from his eyes. "I have a gift for you, father." "Really? How long have I been asleep?" "A few minutes." "You found a worker already?" “No.” “Well, it better be good. I had a perfect dream going here.” But, before Colsore said anything else, he saw Toof in his son’s arms. Annoyed, he jumped out of bed. His talons were out and scratching the floor.

"Why are you holding a baby?" Colsore said with disappointment dripping from his voice. “Well, dad…” Colsore didn’t wait for an explanation. “I was crystal clear. No old sprites, no elles, and NO BABIES!” "But dad!" "Why don't you listen? You never listen.” The old gremlin slammed the door as he put pants on over pajamas. “Wait outside." "You don't understand," Deekay pleaded through the door. "It's not my fault!" News spread quickly that Toof had been discovered. When it reached Garstina, she dropped her ax, raced past the guards and out of the mine. She jumped into a wagon and sledded down the slope to the gremlin's home. Covered in snow, she burst through the door to find Toof in Deekay's arms. "Leave him alone!" she yelled. Plaak dropped his nets and restrained the angry mother with ease. "Babies are not allowed here," Deekay said, stroking Toof's cheek with a claw. "My father will decide what to do with this thing." "Don't touch him!" Garstina screeched. "Give him to me.” Just then, Ginja and Vitus opened the door. They had returned to the mountain and heard the news. "What are you two doing here?" Deekay asked. "You just left this morning." "The old guy didn't make it," Ginja said. "Did you eat him?" "Nope. Too gooey," Vitus said. "Oh, that's disgusting," Colsore said, entering the room. "Please, no more talk of

eating fairies. Fruits and nuts are better for you, and they don't cry and complain." "Well, you can snack on this little treat," Deekay said, holding Toof higher. "No!" Garstina cried. "I just said stop that talk!" Frustrated, the old gremlin, rubbing his head in dismay, erupted, "How did this baby get here?" He looked confused. "I don't know," Deekay said. "What do you mean you don't know? You are holding him." Turning to Plaak, Colsore asked again. "Arrr, arrr, arrr," Plaak mumbled, hanging his head. He didn't know. "He can't speak real words, dad. It must have been hiding under her wings," Deekay said, pointing at Toof’s mother. "Get rid of it!" Colsore said. "If it can't work, it can't stay." "No! He's mine!" Garstina screamed, squirming in Plaak's grasp. "Silence! You're giving me a headache," Colsore roared. "We'll take it, kindly King," Ginja said, lifting Toof into his arms. "No!” Garstina begged. I can care for him.” But no one was listening to her. The old gremlin pointed to the door. "All of you, out! I need to get back to my dream." "Can I go with them?" Deekay asked. "I'll bring back the tooth as a souvenir." "No! The eaters can handle this. You just find me a worker. Catch me a sprite," he said just as soft chimes filled the house. The old gremlin was instantly transfixed by the melody and lifted Toof from Ginja's arms. He held him until the chimes faded away. "Who are you?" he asked

curiously. "He's my son. His name is Toof." "That's a funny name," Colsore said. "But I get it. It is a big tooth." The young gremlin did not like the change in his father's mood. "No babies allowed, dad. It's your rule. ?" "Don't tell me my rules. I ordered you to find a worker, and you brought me a baby. I should banish you for another year." "He was already here!" "Don't argue. And never harm this sprite. Toof belongs to me now," Colsore said. "He belongs to me," Garstina bravely declared. At that moment, Toof's tooth sang another tune, and a wide grin appeared on Colsore's face. He rocked Toof in his arms as Deekay and Plaak locked claws and swayed to the beat. When it ended, he made a declaration. "From this day forward, Toof is to be brought to me every morning and stay with me until I sleep," he said. "Do you understand?" Deekay huffed. "Yes, dad." "Arr arr." Plaak did too. "He's not yours," Garstina said, seizing her son. "He is my baby!" "Take care of him. Keep him singing. Or else." "Or else!” Deekay roared. It was the best solution for a terrible situation. Toof would spend each day in Colsore's home, not under his mother's bunk. It was warmer there and had a large fireplace and a kitchen. Toof would sleep with Garstina in her cabin until he was old enough to care for himself. He would be safe as long as his tooth rang.

Deekay kicked the snow as he stepped outside. “Babies! What next? A nursery?” He was enraged. Although he secretly liked the melodies that sang from Toof's tooth, he hated that his father was so kind to him. “I hate that odd-looking fairy,” Deekay said. "Arr du toot." "The King can't protect him forever. Let's get out of here."

Chapter 4

THE HUMAN YEAR IS NOW 1849 — Toof is nine years old in fairy time. The earth must circle the sun fifty more times to reach Toof’s tenth and final birthday. Garstina is keeping count. His aging has slowed and he will be youthful for decades to come. Toof’s big tooth has grown into his smile. It no longer is so large that his lip can’t cover it if he wants. It rings up to three times a day. His hair is now long and dark blue, and he wears a bandana to keep it from falling over his eyes. He no longer lives with his mother. Toba and twenty-three sprites in one all-male cabin are his bunkmates. "Toof, let’s go for a walk," Colsore said on one rare windless day. "Where to," Toof replied. "It’s a clear day. Let’s go to the cliff. Perhaps we can see the sea.” “What’s a sea?” “Hahahaha. You need to get off the mountain more often,” the old gremlin chuckled. “There’s a big world out there.” “Ha. Ha. I’ve never been off the mountain.” Toof said. “Oh. That’s right. Sorry about that," Colsore said. Toof was Colsore's closest companion and had grown up at his side, but he was still a captive. The King enjoyed Toof’s songs, witty conversation, and funny ways. He had privileges that no other fairy had and could roam anywhere in camp without question. Drolls left him alone, too. Toof used his freedom to smuggle supplies to his mother and friends, including food, wool for clothing, roots for ointments, and wood for stoves. Whatever was needed, he took from gremlin’s kitchen and storage shed. He didn't work in the mine or the Finery. His

job was simple: tend to the fireplace, prepare lunch and dinner, and run to Colsore when his tooth begins to sing. Deekay detested this friendship and cringed whenever his dad laughed at one of Toof's jokes. So, he picked on Toof behind his father's back and called him nasty names. Lately, the young gremlin had been defying his father’s rules, too, and that night, he arrived with an elle clutched in his talons. He captured her without permission. "I told you no more workers!" Colsore roared, looking out his window and seeing a young elle standing in the snow. "We need them," Deekay roared back. "And many more!" "The beds are full!" "So what? They can double up." Deekay was becoming crueler every day. Outside, Toof raced to the newcomer standing in the snow. He draped his winter coat over her shoulders, just as Toba had done for his mother years ago. "Help! Everyone, help," he called out. “Thank you," the new elle said, her teeth chattering from the cold. Tincy, Toba, Garstina, and their friends, carrying warm clothing and blankets, raced to help. Soon all one hundred prisoners circled the new elle, trying to block the frigid winds from reaching her. "What's your name?" Toof asked. "Kisme," she said. "Huh? What?" Toof said, glancing around nervously. "Kisme. I am nine years old." "Okay…," Toof said, grinning. "But is that your name?" "Yes."

"Phew," he mumbled. "I almost got in trouble." Colsore emerged from his house, slamming the door so hard that large icicles broke from the roof and speared into the snow. He was holding a travel sack as he inspected the prisoner. He ordered Kisme to work in the Finery and live in Garstina's cabin. "I will return in thirty days," Colsore growled. The old gremlin needed time away to think about his kingdom's future. Retirement was on his mind, but he wasn’t sure Deekay would make the best successor. He sprinkled smust on his back and winged into the night sky, heading to his favorite swamp. The prisoners were not happy to see him go. The days were much longer when Deekay was in charge, and no singing was allowed. Tincy and Ping escorted Kisme to their cabin as Garstina talked with her son outside the door. "Will we ever get out of here?" Toof asked. "Someday," she replied. "Your future is not here." "I don't have a future, Mother." She placed her palms on her son's cheeks and looked at him with a warm gaze. "Don't say that. Everyone has a destiny. So do you." "If Deekay takes over, I'm doomed. He hates me." "He's jealous, that's all. Don't upset him. Be kind." "I'll try, mother," Toof said. "You have abilities beyond your wildest dreams," she said before their conversation was interrupted. "Hey, big tooth!" Deekay called from his doorway. "Get over here."

* * *

SNOW SNAKE AND A VOICE — Toof was stepping onto the gremlin's porch when he felt his tooth tingle. It was about to ring again. Only this time, his jaw rumbled and clanged. He had never felt that before. "Arr, Toof est here, Masta," Plaak announced as Toof walked in the door. "Come in. Come in," Deekay said, sitting at the dining table feasting on roasted caterpillars and fried earthworms, his favorite. "Are we having dinner?" Toof asked. "No," the monster said. "But you might be eaten." Toof rolled his eyes. It was customary for Deekay to scare him when his father went away. "Why am I here?" he asked. "To learn the future. Soon I will rule this mountain,” Deekay said. "Your father is not retiring," Toof replied, shaking his head. "He told me so." "He is old. He will have no choice. Things are changing, Toofie. Soon, we will increase smust production tenfold." "Foolishness. There are enough blebbles here to last a long time." "Not for what I want to do," Deekay said while devouring a plate of red-ant pie for dessert. Ants that scurried to the table's edge were squished and eaten. "Delicious,” Deekay said, licking his paws. “Your best pie yet.” "Arrr tang uu," Plaak said, wiping his owner’s mouth with his sleeve. "Toof, my little sprite," Deekay continued. "We are expanding and need more fairies." "Why? Toof asked.

"Simple. We already rule our world. Next up is the big world. Soon, humans will know my name. So, to celebrate our expansion, please accept this gift." "A gift for me?" Toof asked. "For everyone, really,” Deekay said, pinching a purple pimple on his pointy chin. SQUISH! Purple puss plopped onto his plate. Plaak pulled a large crate across the dining room floor, positioning it right next to Toof. “I hope you like it,” Deekay said. “Go on. Look inside.” As soon as Toof pried off a loose plank, sharp teeth snapped at him through the opening. "Ahh!” He cried, jumping back "Ha, ha, ha, arrr, arrr, arrr," the two monsters laughed, holding their bellies and slapping their thighs. They were so proud of themselves for scaring their guest. “What is this thing?" Toof cried. “It’s my new pet,” Deekay said, pulling a long white snow snake from the crate and wrapping it around his neck. “Hissssss.” The scaly reptile lunged at Toof again. She was hungry. "I call her Whitey." "Very creative," Toof replied. "From now on, every night, I will release her outside of your mother's cabin," Deekay told the little fairy. "But why?" Toof asked. Even now, he didn’t understand the evil inside this young gremlin. "Because it is impossible to see slithering under the snow. The dumb drolls may let you sneak around at night, but this mindless animal will not. You will never know where it is hiding! Step outside, and it will swallow you whole. Your mother, too."

"I'll tell Colsore," Toof said, clenching his fists in anger. "Ha! If he gets any slower, Whitey will eat him, too. Things are changing around here. Better get used to it, Toofie," Deekay smirked. "You don't scare me," Toof said, hustling to the door. "Watch out, fairy boy. Whitey's right behind you," Deekay laughed. Outside on the porch, Toof felt his jaw rumble again. Then it tingled and clanged. Then he heard a spitting static that faded away. This scared him, but he did not tell anyone about these strange sounds. Instead, he stopped by each cabin to warn everyone about the new danger lurking under the snow. In his bunkhouse, he huddled with his mates. "Hidee says that in her land, they toss jewelry on tree branches to keep snow snakes away," he said. "We do that when we go skiing," Eillo said. "The jingling scares them." "Why does he want more workers?" Toba asked. "To make more smust and attack humans," Toof said. “He wants more mountains too.” This sounded as ridiculous to everyone as it did to Toof. "Crazy talk," Lexaf said. "What about his father?" "He wants to get rid of him." They would have talked all night, but Toof’s tooth rumbled again. And this time, something happened that would change the world forever. For the first time, a human spoke from Toof's tooth. It was a single phrase in a strange language, but, somehow, he knew what was said, the child's name, and where she lived! "Mama, my tooth fell out," a little girl said, as Toof clutched his chin. His friends stared at him, shocked into silence. A few moments ed before he said anything else. "She lives in Roma, and her tooth fell out,” Toof said.

"How do you know? You don't speak Italian," Toba said. "I don't know how, but her name is Analisa.” "He's right! I know that accent." Eillo was from Roma and spoke Italian. "But how do you know her name?" he asked. "I don’t know," Toof replied. Everyone was afraid for their friend's safety. With children's voices broadcasting from his tooth, Toof was in more danger than ever before. Gremlins like music but hate humans. Especially children! Not even Colsore would be able to protect him now. Unsure of what to do, his friend volunteered a solution. "I can remove that tooth," Lexaf said, holding up his tools. "It may solve the problem." "You'll be a miner like us," Eillo said. "But alive." "Without his singing tooth, Colsore will not be happy," Toba said, hugging his friend. "And Deekay will still take over." "We need a plan. A good plan," Toof said. That night, no one spoke again. They laid in bed, thinking. Toof was staring at his father's painting, now pinned to his wall. He was unsure of what to do next. "Let's sleep on it," he said. Meanwhile, outside, the white snake slithered in the snow. Whitey was looking for a meal.

Chapter 5

THE GREAT ESCAPE — Every prisoner wanted to escape but no one knew how to get past the guards and down to the valley. Now, they had a snake to contend with, too. In a dream that night, Toof recalled walking with Colsore near the cliff's edge. When he awoke, he had an idea. "Mom, will I ever fly?" he asked. "Yes! You will soar," she said with a glint of hope in her eyes. Toof was the only prisoner to have never seen his wings. The last time anyone saw their wings was the day they were captured. "What do yours look like?" he asked his mother. "They are long and clear with pink and silver streaks. I can change the length and colors if I want just by thinking." "I want to see them," Toof said. "I want to see mine too." "You will someday," she said, hugging her son, hoping she wasn’t giving him false hope. "Someday soon," whispered Toof, returning the hug. Toof told her about his dream and the snowy ledge on the side of the mountain he had seen walking with Colsore. No other fairy knew it was there; they had never been outside the fence or near the cliff's edge—they weren't allowed. "If we can get past Whitey and the guards, we can climb down. I know we can," he said. "Then, we will race to the Black Forest. Toba says it's just across the valley." "What about Deekay?" Garstina asked with uncertainty in her voice. She didn't want her son to make a mistake and take dangerous risks.

"We will be gone before he wakes up," Toof said. Garstina wasn't sure it would be that easy. "Promise me," she said. "If the plan works, but I cannot go, you will leave without me." "We go together, mother." "Of course, son. But, if I really cannot go for some reason, and you can, you must promise to go without me and warn everyone about these horrible gremlins." After his mates returned from work that night, Toof explained his escape plan in detail. They talked for hours and went over every detail. "We will dig a tunnel to the cliff," he said. "Right under the belly of the snake." "We are expert diggers," Toba said, playing along as if it was the first time someone had suggested digging a tunnel. “ But how do we get to the valley?" "Wooden wings don't really work, you know," Lexaf said. Toof was ready for that question. "There's a snowy ledge I saw long ago. If we can get there, we can slide down the rest of the way." "Skiing is faster," Eillo said. Hope was growing in their hearts, and they were becoming excited. An escape actually felt possible for once. The plan was well thought out. If the tunnel was carved through the ice under the snow, Whitey could not penetrate its frozen walls. And the most direct route was across the compound, past Colsore's home, and under the guard tower. “We need mining tools,” Toof said. “If they work on stone walls, they will work on ice.” “I’ll get a shovel. I’m big enough to fit it under my coat,” Eillo said. “Two trips, two shovels.” “Great!” Toof said.

“I’ll bring an ax from the mine,” Toba said. “They never search me.” “I’ll get a chisel from the mine,” Lexaf volunteered. “I can get one, too,” Eillo said. “Just one more thing. The tunnel must be deep enough not to collapse under Plaak's weight.” “Agreed!” They all said, laughing. The tunnel’s entrance was to be in Toof's cabin since it was the closest to the cliff. The diggers would work in darkness, even during the day. No candlelight would be allowed because it might reflect through the snow and be spotted by the guards. And everyone would take two planks from their bunk beds and shape them into skis. The elles will weave an extra-long rope using straw from the rafters. The camp’s most talented designers will cut leather from boots and attach them to the skis as foot straps. Fairies that sow will mend extra ski caps, gloves, and socks from cloth Toof "borrows" from the drolls when they are not looking. "When we get to the warm world,” Toof said, “we will be safe.” “Yes, in the Black Forest," Toba said, "hawks, wild cats, and squirrels will protect us. I'll draw a map. I know that forest well." "Great! I will distract Whitey," Toof said. "I think I know how." "We must leave before Colsore returns," Toba said. “Yes. We need to work fast,” Toof said. “We only have thirty days." Everyone agreed that this escape must happen on Deekay's watch, and each fairy had a job to do. The next morning, before Deekay awoke, there was a low murmur at rollcall. The prisoners were discussing the plan amongst themselves. "Digging begins tonight," Toof told his mother in a whisper. That night, they slid Toof's bunk aside and pried up the floor-planks to see the

ice below. Toof was the first digger. His friends worked hard every day, and he wanted to show them that he could too. Picking at the ice was like picking at the walls in the mine. It was slow and steady work. Every clink, clink, clink of the ax was a reward in itself. “We will work in twos,” Toof said, “and every digger needs a friend to remove the ice shavings so that he can continue forward.” “And pull him out if the tunnel caves in.” Toba was the practical one. “I’ll be your partner,” he said, volunteering to work with Toof. “Eillo and I will be a team,” Lexaf said. The others all formed twosomes. There were to be day-teams and night-teams. And all agreed to swap in and out as diggers get tired. From then on, before the sleepy gremlin awoke, sprites in Toof's cabin filled their pockets with ice shavings from the night before and spread them into the snow outside. The shavings were white, so they blended. The sprites stamped them down for good measure, each morning, giving a satisfying crunch. After rollcall, before being marched off to work, the prisoners would circle around the only guard that knew how to count and confuse him. "One, two, three, four…," the droll began, trying to count workers going off to the mine. "Five, seven three, one, eleven,” the fairies would say louder. “Oops. Start over," the droll said. "Stop playing around, guys. You are mixing me up." When distracted, Toof would hustle two diggers into the tunnel. Its entrance was under his bed. Once inside, he slid his bunk back into place and left the floorboards open for air. During the day, he guided the diggers by poking a walking stick through the snow outside. Tapping on the ice kept the tunnel on course. If a droll came near the cabin during the day, Toof started a snowball fight. The simple-minded guards thought it was an excellent game. If one entered, Toof

followed him inside and tapped twice on the floor with his stick. Echoing through the tunnel, the two taps signaled danger; stop digging. Three taps meant it was safe to resume. The howling winds over the summit made the chopping sounds impossible to hear. Work on the tunnel continued day and night, non-stop. It took twenty days to reach the cliff. They were ahead of schedule.

* * *

A SCENIC VIEW — Toof lived his entire life in the snow, polluted smust-filled air, grey clouds, and ice-covered buildings at the top of the world. That morning, his shovel punched through a snowdrift at the cliff's edge. As he emerged, a hole opened in the clouds circling below and, for the first time, he saw the lower world. It took his breath away. It was summertime, and the valley was rich with a rainbow of colors. "Oh my gosh," Toof said breathlessly. “Beautiful,” Toba said, who was with him at the cliff. “Is that grass that everyone talks about?” Toof asked, pointing to a green area covering a large portion of the valley floor. “It looks like grass, but those are trees—thousands of them. Up close, they are gigantic,” Toba said. “I thought they are brown?” “From here, you see only the leaves.” The mighty river looked like a tiny stream winding through an enormous painting from this height. The rolling landscape was full of amber meadows, dotted with blue lakes, and the Black Forest was nestled between faraway mountains. “There’s the snowy ledge,” Toof said, looking straight down the cliff. “Perfect,” Toba said, “Let’s go tell everyone.” Toof could not wait to experience the warmth of the summer sun he had heard so much about. He had never experienced a warm breeze or smelled a rose, or touched a tulip. He had never felt the veins of a leaf, smelled a wheat field, stood in the rain, jumped in a pond, or seen the face of an animal or a fish in a river. He had never heard a bee’s buzz, ridden on a squirrel, frolicked with a deer,

laughed with bunnies, flown on an eagle’s wing, or even rolled in the dirt. His to-do list was endless. As they shimmied back through the tunnel, Toof’s heart was beating like a hummingbird, excited to experience the wonders of the lower world. "We've reached the cliff!" he announced, climbing out of the tunnel. "Great job," Eillo said, patting him on the back. Lexaf shook the snow from his friend's hair. "Icy-blue. Nice look Mr. Tooth Fairy." "The snowy-ledge is directly below the opening,” Toof said. “But a long way down,” Toba said as he emerged from the tunnel. “If the rope is long enough, we can do it!" "And no moon tonight," Lexaf said. "Great! Starlight is all we need." Toof was thrilled. His plan was working. Word spread quickly that morning. Everyone was ready to leave this dreary place. All knew that they had one chance to escape. If anything went wrong, Deekay would undoubtedly seek ruthless revenge. Their timing needed to be perfect, or no one would make it to the forest. "Last day, Mother. We leave tonight. We're going home." "I'm proud of you, son," she said. “Kahn will be waiting.” "Do you really believe that?" Toof asked, staring into her eyes. "He will always be alive to me," she said. The day flew by quickly. Everyone was in a good mood, singing, laughing, and whistling happy tunes as they worked— much to the annoyance of Deekay. That evening, as usual, the gremlin released Whitey into the compound and went to bed. Toof, spying through a frost-covered window, waited for the drolls to settle into their barracks. Nervous anticipation spread through the cabins like a virus.

"It's time," Toof said in a calm but serious tone. "Let's begin." Outside, with no moonlight, even the snow looked black. Without lighting a candle, fairies in all four cabins climbed down from their bunks. They slipped travel clothes over pajamas and held their blankets and skis, waiting for the signal to move. Eillo slid his leader's bunk to the side one last time and pried up the floorboards. He could hear the wind whistling through the tunnel. Outside, frigid gusts whipped over the summit as the guards snuggled under heavy blankets in their beds. It was a typical night on Blebble Mountain, for the drolls anyway. "All set," Toof said. "Tomorrow, this place will be empty," said Toba. "I'd like to see Deekay's face when no one shows up for work," Eillo giggled. "You can always stay behind," Lexaf said, poking his friend. "No, thank you." “Pull the rope through the tunnel and wait at the cliff,” Toof said. “Loop it under everyone's belt." "Okay" Lexaf knew his role and was ready. "I'll help you," Eillo told his best friend. ", no candles and no talking," Toof said. "We know." The great escape was underway. Toba tied one end of the rope to the rafters as his friends stepped into the narrow tunnel. One by one, they belly-wiggled through the ice hole toward the cliff. Whitey, wildly slithering in the snow above, must have felt them under her tummy. "Hissssssssssss!" Toof was prepared for this. He took a snowball from a pile of snowballs he had

made earlier, opened the door, and tossed it toward the rear of the compound. "Fetch," he whispered. The snake, hearing the snowball land, made fast tracks to that spot. "We're ready," he said. "Signal the cabins." Toba tugged on a long cord that he had buried in the snow. It was connected to Garstina's bunkhouse next door. Another cable was attached from her cabin to the next and from that cabin to the fourth. One tug signaled, “get ready to run.” Two meant "run, now!" A chain reaction would have two fairies dash from cabin to cabin to cabin every time the snake was distracted. They tested this part of the plan only once since it was too dangerous to try often. But it worked! Seventy-five souls needed to get to Toof's door before midnight without being eaten by a slippery snow serpent. All were willing to try. "Okay, elles," Garstina said to her friends in her cabin. "Line up." "Here we go," Toof said to his mates in his cabin. "Cross your fingers." "Do it," Toba said. Toof opened the door and tossed another snowball as far as he could. Whitey slithered away, making ripples in the snow, and Toba tugged the cord twice. All four cabin doors opened simultaneously, and two fairies raced to the next cabin in line. Kisme and Cett slid in Toof's door first. The chain was working. "Welcome," Toof said, hugging both elles. "Step into the tunnel. No talking, please." "Yes, sir," Kisme whispered. Cett, the oldest elle on the mountain, was helped into the tunnel by her husband. "Finally, we are going home," she said confidently. "Did you bring your toothbrush, lovey?" he asked.

"Never leave home without it. Put your hat on, dear,” she said. As Toof prepared to toss the next snowball, he glanced out his frost-covered window and noticed candlelight coming from Deekay's home. He raised his hand and signaled Toba to wait. “He's outside!" Deekay was standing on his father's porch, in his pajama-onesies, calling to Whitey to stop its hissing. When she did not comply, he opened the gate, trudged through the snow, and lifted the snake up to his face with one claw. "What's the matter, girl!" he snarled. "Are you hungry?" Whitey waggled and squirmed like a fish out of water while Deekay strapped a leash around its mouth. "Ginja! Vitus! Get out of bed!" he roared. Lamps were lit in the watchtowers, and drolls peeked out of the guardhouse windows. The entire camp was awake as the eaters hustled into the night air. "Stay with Whitey until she calms down," Deekay said, handing them the leash. "Yes, masterful mind reader," Ginja said. "Great idea." "Okay," yawned Vitus. The gremlin returned to his house just as Plaak stepped outside onto the porch, sucking his claw. He was wearing a flowing, slinky-sheer over-the-shoulder pink nightgown and holding a child's doll. "Nice of you to us, princess," Deekay said. "Arrr?" When the gremlin went inside, the prison fell silent again. Vitus handed the leash to Ginja. "I'm going to bed," he said. "But… we have to walk the snake," Ginja whined.

"You take the first shift.” "But I'm afraid of the dark." "Walk her! Both of you!" Deekay boomed from his window before slamming it shut. That night, Whitey never calmed down. The fairies, wiggling through the tunnel, upset her tummy. With the eaters walking outside, most of their friends were stranded in their other cabins, including Toof’s mother. His worst fears had come true. The escape plan was ruined. "I can't go," Toof said, with shock in his eyes. "You must," Toba replied. "I can't leave her," Toof said as tears cascaded down his cheeks. "You promised her. She understands. We all do." Everyone knew that if the gremlins heard a child's voice speaking from Toof's tooth, he would be in deadly trouble. Toof had to leave, his life was in peril. Garstina knew it too. "I don't know what to do," Toof said. "They are waiting in the tunnel," Toba said. Toof's lips quivered, "Are you coming with me?" "You don't need me." "But I do!" "Tincy needs me here," Toba said calmly, patting Toof on the shoulder. "Go. I will take care of your mother." Seven elderly sprites followed Toba’s lead and changed their minds. They could not leave their wives behind, either. "Lead our friends to freedom," one of them said.

"Find your father," said another. "He's dead!" Toof raised his voice, almost a bit too much. "Find Fuddle," Toba said. He had told Toof many stories about his wise old uncle. "He will help you get home. Only then will you know for sure if Kahn is alive or not." "How will I find him?" Toof said through sniffles and snorts. "Take this," Toba said, handing him a map to Fuddle's hedgerow. "Tell him that Tincy and I are together, and well." "I will deliver your message," Toof said, bursting into tears. They hugged, then Toof took his most prized possession off the wall. He folded his father's painting and tucked it under his shirt. "Tell Mother. I will come back for her. Somehow. I promise." "I will," Toba said solemnly, nodding and patting his friend on the shoulder. "Goodbye, Toba." "Goodbye, Toof." Only two elles and eighteen sprites made it to the cliff that night. The other eighty fairies could not leave their cabins and accepted their fate. In the morning, they would distract the guards as long as possible, then go to work. There would be no escape for them— perhaps ever.

Chapter 6

JUMPING INTO DARKNESS — Twinkling stars, sparkling like diamonds, dotted the dark sky. Twenty fairies, covered in frost, attached by a single rope, were huddling on the edge of a giant mountain. Behind them, one guard tower was visible in the distance. When Toof wiggled out of the tunnel, he explained why no one else was coming. "If you want to go back," he said, in a firm tone, "go now." "We are not turning back!" the old sprite said, holding Cett’s hand. "I like being free," his wife said. They were a brave couple. "I’m going home," Eillo said. "I want to fly again," Kisme added, as she inhaled ‘free’ air. The next part of the plan was the most dangerous—leaping through clouds into darkness. At this height, the winds change direction instantly, so smashing into jagged cliffs was a risk each was willing to take. Toof would jump first and latch the rope to a boulder on the snowy ledge. Everyone would then slide down the rope to stay on course. The snow shelf was hidden from view under the clouds circling the summit. Only Toof was sure it was there. Although he was young, only nine-years-old in fairy-years, everyone trusted him with their lives. When Lexaf looped the rope through Toof's belt, they were all connected to each other. All prayed that it was long enough. "One at a time. Don't bunch up," Toof said as he tied his blanket over his shoulders and around his waist. He hoped it might work like a parachute and slow his fall. But didn’t know if it would. "What's the signal?" Kisme asked.

"Two tugs," Toof said. "Do not drop your skis," Eillo added. "You will need them." "Wish me luck," Toof said as he jumped into the darkness. "Good luck," they whispered back. Then it was quiet. Only the wind spoke at the top of the world—whistling and roaring in spurts. Frost caked their hats and clothing with a crusty glaze as they huddled together. Many minutes ed before Eillo felt two tugs. "He made it!" he cheered. "I knew he would," Kisme said. One by one, the others followed their leader sliding down the rope. Each was caught in the arms of those who landed before. When Kisme arrived, she asked, "Why did it take you so long to signal us?" "No one was here to catch me," Toof said, pointing to a bump on his forehead. "It took me a minute to wake up." "Ouch," she said. Eillo was the last to land on the ledge and tugged the rope quickly, five times in a row. That was the sign for Toba to untie it from the rafters, pull it into the tunnel and shuffle the bunk into place. There was a glimmer of hope that the missing prisoners would not be noticed in the morning. If so, the others might try tomorrow night again, but that was unlikely. For Toof and his group, there was no turning back now. "Let's keep moving," he said as his mother's words rung in his ears. He had a job to do. And fairies to warn. They were below the clouds now, walking in deep snow, hugging the cliff around the mountain on a very narrow ledge. When they came upon a canyon shaped like a soup bowl, they stopped.

"We can ski from here," Eillo said. "Okay, then. Put your skis on everyone," Toof said. "Who is going first?" "Me," Eillo said. "I love skiing! I'll lead the way." "I'm going last," Toof said. He wanted to watch the others and not leave anyone behind. "I'll wait with you," Kisme said. Most of the fairies had skied and sledded as youngsters. For them, this was fun and something that they hadn't done in years. Toof had never skied and was uneasy about a long, fast ride standing on two pieces of wood down a steep mountain. “Just don’t fall,” Eillo said. “If your skis come off, it will take days to walk down.” And they didn’t have days. Deekay will be chasing in just a few hours. "Stop at the grass in the meadow," Toof said, ing Toba's advice. "We will stop when the snow ends," Kisme giggled. "Hmm. I guess you're right." "Sway side to side," Eillo said as he pushed off. "It helps you turn." "Follow our tracks," Lexaf said, racing after his friend. A shy sprite named Dilin went next. "Don't think twice, it's all right," he said. It was the first time anyone had ever heard him talk. It would not be the last. The old couple went next. "Ready, Cett? Go," her husband said, sliding away, riding on one ski at a time, side to side. "Show off," Cett said, skiing past him, backward. "Wow,” Toof said, marveling at the old couple. "They've done this before."

One by one, his friends skied down the slope handling its sharp decline with ease. They zigzagged across the snow-bowl, carving tracks through white powder. As their speed increased, they crashed through drifts, jumped over fallen ferns, and sprayed snow left and right. When they reached the Evergreen trees, they disappeared from view. When it was Toof's turn, his heart was pounding so fast he could feel it in his chest. "First time skiing?" Kisme asked. "Yes," Toof itted. "Bend your knees. Put your hands in front of your tummy." "Like this?" he said, following her instructions. "Yes," Kisme said, stepping off the ledge and swooshing to a stop just down the hillside. "I'll wait for you here.” Toof glanced toward the summit and whispered, "I'll come back for you, mother." Then, he tightened his foot straps and skied past Kisme. "Keep going," he said. Toof had never traveled so fast. It felt like he was flying, and he liked it! His knees wobbled as his skis bounced up and down. Snow flew in his face, and it was hard to see. His nose and cheeks were frozen blue like his hair, but he didn't mind. The speed was thrilling! He followed his friend's tracks up one side of the bowl then turned toward the other, working his way to the tree line. He lost his balance a few times but did not fall. He raced past a family of elk, under drooping ferns and skirted around countless tree wells. About halfway down the slope, Toof felt a tingle in his tooth. Soft chimes ed the roar of his skis carving tracks through the snow. It sounded like a symphony in the crisp, cold air. Then, with no warning, a little girl's voice echoed off the mountain walls. "Madre! Padre! Mi diente esta fuera." The child said. She was from Madrid, and her tooth had just fallen out. "What was that?" Kisme said as she pulled alongside.

"I'll tell you later," Toof said, relieved to be far enough from the summit not to be heard. "Keep going!"

* * *

FABULOUS FIRST FLIGHT — The snow thinned, and Toof, skidding on patches of weeds, tumbled head over heels. His friends cheered as he rolled to a stop in a soggy moss. Everyone was kissing the ground and jumping for joy in the high meadow. His wild plan had taken them farther than anyone honestly expected. "We did it!" they cheered. "What is this?" Toof asked as he smushed something in his hands. It was powdery like snow, but not as soft or cold. It sifted through his fingers and was a drab shade of brown. "Dirt," Lexaf said. "Don't eat it." Soon afterward, each fairy felt their shoulder blades twitch in the warm air. Their glee spread like a wave around them as their wings were springing to life! They flapped off the dusty residue and fluttered into the sky. Toof's mouth fell open with amazement watching his friends do somersaults in mid-air. He looked to see which wings were most like his mothers and wondered if his own might emerge. His friend's wings were lovely, but Kisme's were the most colorful things he had ever see. They were long and clear, each with thin streaks of pink and brown with silver flakes like shards of a broken mirror. "Yours will come," she said as she flitted into the sky. "I don't feel anything," Toof said. "Should I?" "You are a fairy, right?" "Yes. I guess so." "Be patient," Lexaf said as he fluttered overhead. "Think flying," Eillo said as he winged by, making Toof twirl on the spot.

"Really?" "You've been walking too long," Kisme laughed. "Jump!" So, he did. Toof jumped and jumped and jumped until he felt something he had never felt before—a tingling in his back. When his wings finally burst into daylight, they were bent and unable to fully open. They caught the air but spun him around. When he tried to fly, he crashed into a pricker bush. When he tried again, he bounced off a tree and ricocheted into the same bush as before, landing upside down. The old couple pulled off the prickers as Kisme flattened out the creases in his wings. Then she took his hand and they fluttered into the air. When she let go, Toof was flying. "This is amazing!" he cheered, flapping carefully on his first flight ever. "Your wings are gorgeous!" Kisme said. They were transparent, radiating a clear luster with hundreds of tiny white flakes. Toof was a little shaky at first but learned how to control his turns by mimicking the flyers around him. He was excited but quickly ed his mission and pulled Toba's map from his pocket. "We must keep moving," he said. "We must find the falls." "Come on. Live a little," Eillo said. "No. Deekay will be getting out of bed soon. Let's go!" Toof said, pointing at the sun cracking the skyline. “Eillo, stop playing around,” Lexaf said. “Let’s get falls.” Toba had explained that the falls were the source of the mighty river. And, riding the rapids was better than being airborne. It was the fastest way through the valley and into the Black Forest. And they couldn’t be seen from the sky. The escapees hid their blankets under trees and followed a rippling stream of snowmelt that merged with others to form a powerful flow. The flow poured over a rocky bluff into a basin far below. They had reached the source of the

mighty river. Toof had never seen water from a natural source; it was a curious sight indeed. There was so much to see in the warm world. "Follow me," he said. Winging over the falls, the group landed next to where the waterfall crashed hundreds of feet below the bluff. Plumes of steam were rising into the air, and suds, as thick as snow, floated on the surface. The water flowed endlessly into the river that raced away from the cliffs. Using sticks and branches, they immediately began building a raft. "Quickly, friends," Toof said. "We must hurry." "If you hear buzzing, meld," Kisme said. "I don't know how to meld," he said. As they finished the raft and were about to launch into the rapids, the escapees heard a familiar screech from high above. It stopped them in their tracks.

Chapter 7

FIND HIM! — That morning, the fairies that were left behind were determined to use their wits to distract the droll that was counting prisoners at rollcall. "One, two, five, nine, fifteen…” “Oh, come on! Not this again. Start over.” When he finished counting, he had more missing prisoners than he had fingers and toes. Nervously, he notified Plaak. Moments later, three big, strong warriors tiptoed into Deekay's bedroom. They had bad news for their sleepy leader. "Arrm nutt telnn um," Plaak said, backing away from the bed. "You tell him, Ginja," Vitus said between the gremlin's snores. "Not me. I'm not brave enough," Ginja said. "You know that." Deekay rolled over and opened one eye. "Is my father home?" He asked with a worried look. "No, no, no," all three said. "Then, why are you in my room?" "We need help with attendance, Master," Vitus said. "Ha! I can't count," Deekay said. "Get out." "It, it, it's important, sir," Vitus stuttered. "Arrr. Smz onez zaa mzzn Itink, buzzz," Plaak muttered.

"Huh? Someone is missing?" Deekay said, wiping sleep from his eyes. "Arr yup.” From a mile above the valley, a roar echoed from the summit. Deekay was awake. He ripped his blankets off, flung them across the room, and raced outside, still wearing his pajama onesies. His nails were out, sharp and long, glinting in the morning sun. His red, bed-head hair was standing up in all directions. Many prisoners were missing, including his father's favorite—Toof. "Where are they?" he demanded, kicking snow and pushing his way through fairies and drolls alike. "Arr donnno. Dunt blaam meet," Plaak garbled, following behind his master. "Vitus! You were outside all night. What happened?" "Nothing happened. Nothing at all," Vitus said. “That is correct, oh great one. Not a thing,” Ginja said. "Well, they didn't disappear. They must be hiding. Find them!" Deekay was so perturbed that another pimple, this one on the tip of his nose, popped, and purple puss plopped on to Plaak's pelt. “Arr datz grozz. Not aghn,” the dragon said, wiping the mess away. "Search the Finery," Deekay roared. He was strutting around in circles and wanted answers. Now! "We already did," Ginja said. "They're playing a trick. What is this, fool the boss day?" When he saw Garstina smiling, he roared, and yellow spittle sprayed everywhere. "Where is he?" Deekay demanded. "Your father will banish you," she said. Toof's mother was not afraid for herself.

Her son was free, and that was all that mattered. The monster pulled an elderly elle out of the line. "Tell me or else,” Deekay roared. "Tell you what?" The old elle said sharply, hands on her hips. “It’s not my job to find things you lose, you meanie.” “Arrr,” Plaak was listening and couldn’t argue with that. She was a tough old that had lived on this mountain for centuries. No one could ever make her do things she didn’t want to do. The search was called off when Vitus announced that he had discovered a tunnel inside Toof’s cabin. "Climb in there. Find where it goes," Deekay said. “Me?” Vitus said. “Yes, you skinny,” Deekay said. “You know, with all the extra meals you get, you should be a lot fatter than you are.” “I have a fast metabolism.” “Huh? Get in the tunnel!” When the skinny eater emerged at the cliff, Deekay flew to the opening. Tapping his lip with a claw, he wondered what happened to the missing fairies. He knew their wings did not work in the cold. “They jumped?” Ginja said sadly, sniffling. “A terrible way to go.” “You might have been too hard on them, sir,” Vitus said, looking at Deekay and shaking his head. “Nah,” the gremlin said. “Follow me.” Deekay sprinkled smust on his back and leaped into the clouds. He found his answer on the narrow ledge where the escapees had landed hours earlier in the dark. Footprints lead him to the snow-bowl where he saw ski tracks in the white

powder. "Clever. They're headed for the Black Forest," he said. "Arrr." Plaak agreed. “Phew,” Ginja said, as if relieved to hear good news. Deekay was upset but excited to be hunting something, especially Toof. No one had ever escaped from Blebble Mountain, and it was not going to happen while he was in charge. "Ready the troops. This will be fun," Deekay said. "Arrr." Deekay flew back to the summit and ordered the remaining fairies to make twice the daily amount of smust. He stationed two drolls in each cabin to thwart any further escape, then moved quickly to recapture Toof. He wanted him back before nightfall and punished. That would show everyone who was in charge. "Destroy that tunnel! Foolish fairies. Toof will pay for this." “Arr!” He raced into the sky with Plaak and thirty drolls following behind. So much dirty smust rained down that the camp's snow melted into a slushy, black soup. Toof had a head start, but the gremlin quickly discovered the wooden slats and blankets at the edge of the snow. When he landed at the top of the falls, he was so close he could smell them. "Yoo, hoo! Toofie. I'm here," Deekay cried out. His voice repeated across the valley twice. “Ha. Did you hear that echo? Petty neat, huh?” “Arr.” Then, he let out a shriek that boomed louder than before and jumped over the falls to the basin three hundred feet below. There, he found twine, branches, and footprints in the mud.

"They're riding the rapids!" he declared. "Follow me." This chase pleased him, but finding fairies inside the Black Forest would not be easy. There were many places to hide and many animals to protect them. He had to catch them all quickly; otherwise, he would not inherit Blebble Mountain. Without hesitation, he flew down the center of the river, faster than the water flowed. "I am right behind you!" He announced as he rounded every bend. His drolls scoured the riverbanks, inspecting every hillside and bush. Most animals nearby smelled the stinky smust and crawled into their burrows to hide from the stench. "Urgh!" When the river forked, Plaak took half of the drolls and went south to the sea, and Deekay, with the rest, continued to the forest. When he discovered Toof’s raft floating abandoned on a riverbank, he was sure the fairies were close by. "They’re here," he said. "Find them!" His soldiers circled out in every direction and questioned frightened bunnies and poisonous snakes. But no one had seen fairies that morning. Deekay reached the Black Forest faster than any flying fairy could but found nothing, not even a footprint. When Plaak returned, he had not found anyone either. For days to come, Deekay posted guards at all the Black Forest entrances and sent search parties into its thick woods. But soon, their smust ran low. They needed to return to the mountain to refuel. They had not found any of the escapees. "Arr buoy tis is emburrizzing," Plaak said to the eaters. “Arhhhhhhhh!” Deekay roared in frustration so loudly that the birds shot out of the trees. "You will regret this Toof,” he mumbled to himself. “I’ll never stop looking for

you." Toof was free.

INTERMISSION

—GRINNY’S BEDROOM

THE TWINS HAVE QUESTIONS — Roc was squirming and wiggling in the bed. Finally, he couldn’t stand it any longer. He tossed the covers over and bolted down the hallway and into the bathroom. “I’ll be right back,” he said. Robin followed and waited at the door. When they returned, they climbed onto the bed. Each had important questions for Grinny that needed answers right away! "This can’t be the end,” Roc said, tugging her sleeve. “Where is Toof?” "What happened to his mommy?" Robin asked. "Does she see him again?" "Did he ever find his home? What about his dad?” “Yeah,” Robin said, still holding her fallen tooth. “I hope he’s alive.” “Those are great questions,” Grinny said, helping the twins back under the covers. Then she continued on. “Word spread quickly in the forests about the great escape lead by a fairy with a giant tooth and blue hair. Deekay and his minions were looking everywhere. Bats, goblins, and gremlins were offered free smust if they found Toof and turned him over to Deekay,” Grinny said. “So, children, as you can see, the adventures of Toof are really just beginning.”

PART 2

— NEW FRIENDS • GOING HOME —

Toof was searching for Fuddle and hoping to find a way across the sea. He was afraid to be lost in this strange warm world, alone. He often thought about returning to Blebble Mountain to be with his mother, but knew he could not. He missed her so.

Chapter 8

MELDING — Melding is an ability fairies use to protect themselves. It is easier for elles than sprites. Females can extend their wings and wrap them around their bodies to become invisible in seconds. They can change wing colors depending on their mood, or dress, even while moving. Sprites cannot. Males must concentrate on their surroundings and stand completely still. Only then can they hide in plain sight. Deekay's shriek from atop the falls warned Toof that he was near. He ed a story that his mother had told of waterfalls near her village and games she played when she was young. "Leave the sticks," he said to the others. "Pick up the raft.” The escapees carried the raft through the mud and set it free to float down the raging river. As it rounded the first bend, Toof fluttered into the air and dove headfirst through the face of the falls. “Do what I do. Come on!" Toof said. His friends followed him and soon were hiding in a narrow cave behind the falling water. Arm-in-arm, they stretched their wings around themselves and melded against a wet cave wall, all except Toof. Melding is an ability most fairies master when they are young. They use it to hide from predators and humans and play games. Toof had never developed this talent. He never had wings before today. "I'll help you," Kisme said. She wrapped her wings around him like a blanket and, like the others, Toof disappeared against the moss-covered cave wall. Everyone stood still so that their feet wouldn't splash in the puddles and give them away. If Deekay peered inside the cave, he wouldn't see anyone. But, if he searched, he'd bump into

them, and they would be caught. "Thank you," Toof said. "You are welcome," Kisme replied. After a while, the crashing water's constant roar got to Toof, and he became impatient. "I'll go look," he whispered. "Why?" Eillo said, standing on Toof's other side. "To see if they are outside." "No! Don't," his friend said. "We can't stay here forever,” Toof said. “Yes, we can! For months if we have to.” “I'll just peek my nose out. Hold this. Don't get it wet," Toof said. Everyone was afraid of getting caught in a trap. But Toof reached into his shirt and handed Kisme his father's painting, still neatly folded. He leaned toward the falls' underside as his friends held onto his shirt. When his nose poked through the water, the power was too great, and his foot slipped on a slippery rock. He tumbled into the water with a terrific splash. "Ahh!" Toof emerged outside under the falls with his hair covered in white suds. He watched as Deekay inspected the footprints in the mud and order his guards to fly down the river. When they were gone, he fluttered into the air and jumped back through the falls. "Change of plans," Toof said, pointing in the opposite direction. “Whatever you say,” Kisme said, letting go a big sigh of relief. “You’re the brave one.” “Or the crazy one,” Eillo said, holding his chest like his heart was about to jump out.

The escapees shuffled out of the cave and fluttered to a plateau wrapped around the hill. There, they paused to review Toba's map. It was soggy but readable. The Black Forest was to the east. The mountains to the north. The sea was to the south and farmlands to the west. "We can't go to the forest. Deekay is there. So, we will go west." "Good," Kisme said. "My home is that way." "Fuddle is too," Toof said, pointing to an X on Toba’s map. The group stayed together, fluttering close to the ground, hidden from view under the trees. Once in the countryside, they came upon a gigantic red deer, and Eillo asked for a ride. "Will he help us?" Toof asked looking up at this magnificent creature with a head full of glistening antlers-- he barely came up to the deer's hoof. "Yes, climb on," Eillo said. Toof could not believe his good fortune, he had only heard of these handsome animals. Now he and his friends were riding on massive red deer and holding tight to its antlers. They traveled over fields and meadows until they reached a river, noted on Toba's map with a blue line. There they built three rafts from twigs and floated through the lowlands. When the river split away into streams, each raft took a different route. It was safer to travel in small groups. After a few days, only four friends remained on Toof’s raft. “This is where we get off,” Eillo said. He and Lexaf were going to Roma. “Good luck, Toof.” “I hope you get home, Mr. Tooth Fairy,” Lexaf said, crossing his hands across his heart. He liked calling Toof that name. “We will meet again,” Toof said. “Friends forever,” the three cheered as they hugged. Then, his two sprites fluttered off the raft and into the high grass. Later, as the sun was setting, it was Kisme's turn to depart. "I live in a garden on an island next to a building with a bell," she said.

"Sounds lovely," Toof said. "Is it safe there?" "Oh, yes. Come to Paris. You can stay with my family." "Someday," he said hopefully. "I must find Fuddle first." Kisme kissed Toof on both cheeks and they flushed as pink like a rose. She had never kissed him before. "Goodbye," she said, fluttering to the riverbank. "Thank you for saving me." "We will meet again," Toof said with tears rolling down his cheeks. "You better visit me," she said as she hovered at the water’s edge. "I marked my home on Toba's map,” "Stay low!" Toof warned. "Deekay is looking for you." "No, he's looking for you," Kisme replied with a wink. "I hope you find your father." Then she was gone. "Me too.” Toof was now alone floating on a river. Leaving his mother on Blebble Mountain and watching his friends depart left him with an emptiness that could not be filled by berries or seeds. He pointed his raft down the river and covered himself with leaves. “Where are you, Fuddle,” he wondered. Toof drifted under bridges and past castles and farms for days and nights. He was surprised at how many humans lived in the warm world. When he floated through cities, his tooth sang. When in the country, it did not.

* * *

SILLY'S GIFT — Toba's map indicated a giant rock shaped like a ball. When Toof spotted it, he pointed his raft downriver and fluttered to the riverbank. Once on foot, he filled his pockets with wild berries. Later met a hive of bees that offered him homemade honey. Everything was so tasty compared to the gruel on Blebble Mountain. With his full belly, Toof closed his weary eyes. He rested in the shade against the trunk of a tree, but not for long. A wild animal with sharp teeth was hiding in the tree and watching him. It jumped from branch to branch and landed in front of the sleeping sprite. "Ahem. Ahem. Excuse me.” “Yes,” Toof replied, opening his eyes. “Who are you?" The animal asked, dropping its nuts on the ground. "I am Toof, son of Kahn and Garstina." He had never seen such a creature but wasn't afraid. "That's a long name. Anything shorter?" "Toof. What is your name?" "I am a squirrel, silly." "Squirrel Silly? That's a funny name," Toof said. "Not Squirrel Silly, a squirrel." "I don't understand you, Silly," Toof said. "I'm looking for an old fairy named Fuddle. Do you know where he lives?" The furry creature bobbed his head. "He lives in a hedge near a wall." "Will you take me there?" Toof asked.

"Yes, but you have to bring a gift." The squirrel sniffed around the hill and dug a hole in the moist red clay. A moment later, it pulled a dark brown root from the ground. "What is that?" Toof asked. "A truffle. The best in the world," the squirrel said. Toof had never heard of such a thing. "What do we do with it?" "Give it to Fuddle. He will know. Always bring a gift. It's the proper thing to do." "Good idea, Silly." "Hop on. I'll give you a lift," the squirrel said. Toof held the squirrel's fur and the truffle as they raced down a steep ravine. Moments later, they arrived at an overgrown hedgerow, thick with weeds and vines. "Fuddle lives up there." The squirrel was pointing to the top of the hedge. "Thank you, Silly," Toof said, climbing off. "Does he live alone?" "Yes. Long ago, before I was born, two fairies were stolen from here by a flying gremlin. Fuddle is waiting for them to return," Silly said. "Are you one?" "No," he said, fluttering up the hedgerow. "I will wait here in case Fuddle is not home. Okay?" "Yes. Thank you, Silly." Toof noticed many doors hidden inside the hedge. He opened one and found the room to be neat but very dusty. No one was home. He tried another, and it was the same. Then another and another. When he reached the top, one doorway had a sign. Toof wasn't sure if it said: "Welcome" or "Warning." He couldn't read. As he knocked on the door, his tooth rang a gentle melody as if it was saying ‘hello.’ "Who goes there?" Someone said from the other side of the door.

"I have a message from Toba."

* * *

FUDDLE AND ISSY — Fuddle was as bald as a polished pebble, and his brow wrinkled and worn with age. He walked with a limp, was neatly dressed, and somewhat blind—his eyes looked like pearls. "Are you Fuddle?" Toof asked, although he already knew the answer. "Yes, I am. Who are you?" "I'm Toof. I have a message from Toba. He is alive. Tincy too." A smile grew on Fuddle's face. "You know them? Please come in." Fuddle was happy to have a visitor, for rarely did anyone visit his tidy little home. Toof handed the truffle to the old sprite. He smelled it and smiled. "Please accept this gift. Silly Squirrel dug it up for you,” Toof said. “He is waiting outside." "Thank you, Toof. Sit down. I will be back." The blind sprite happily cut wafer-thin slices of the truffle and chopped grapes and radishes for his guest. He carried it into his living room on his finest wooden plates, along with a cup of apple juice, but found Toof asleep in his big chair. The sprite was exhausted from his travels, so Fuddle draped a blanket over him and let him rest. When Toof awoke, he found lunch and a bowl of water and soft leaves on the table to wash his face and hands. Next to that were clean clothes, neatly folded. "Yours must be dirty from your journey," Fuddle said. "These are Toba's. He will not mind you wearing them." During lunch, they talked. "Where are they?" the old sprite asked.

"Together," Toof said. Then he told Fuddle all about Blebble Mountain. The good and the bad. The good was his friendship with Toba and that his mother shared a cabin with Tincy. The bad was everything else. "I wanted everyone to escape," he said. "But they couldn't." Fuddle heard the sadness in the young sprite's voice. "You are brave. Where are you from?" he asked. Toof explained that he was captured as a baby, protected under his mother's wings, flown across the ocean, and raised as Colsore's servant. Thinking of her struggling in the cold made him sad. He choked up as he spoke. "Do not blame yourself. Gremlins are very mean creatures. They take and take and think about no one but themselves." Fuddle told Toof that his hedgerow had been attacked years ago. Only now did he understand why he was not taken. He was too old and blind to work. "The day they came here, they argued. The older one said to leave me alone. But the young one wanted to destroy my home first." "Mother says evil is weak," Toof said. "She is right," Fuddle agreed. After lunch, Toof's tooth chimed a simple melody, and Fuddle touched his visitor's face to feel the vibrations. "No wonder he is chasing you. A singing tooth is very rare. I have never heard of anyone with that ability," Fuddle said. The old sprite's wits were keen, and his wisdom profound. He was sure Deekay would turn over every stone in the land to find this little fairy. So, regrettably, he told Toof that it was too dangerous for him to stay here. "He knows where I live. For your own good, you must leave," Fuddle said.

"Where do I go?" he asked. "Home." "I cannot fly that far." "You needn’t worry. Humans have vessels that sail the seven seas." "How do I find one?" "My friend will help you,” Fuddle said. “His name is Señor El Ratoncito de Los Dientes Perez. The worldliest creature I know. He is a clever mouse, and he will love your tooth." Toof understood what he needed to do but worried about his mother. "Will I see her again?" "I do not know," Fuddle said. "Take one day at a time. Find Señor Perez and go to your father's village. Your destiny lies in front of you, not in the past." "My mother says I have a destiny, too. But what is it?" Toof asked, hoping that the blind fairy might know the secrets to all of life's most important questions. "You will know when it arrives," he replied solemnly. As Toof carried the dishes to the kitchen, Fuddle walked to his bedroom, feeling the wall as he went. When he returned, he brought a checkered scarf and tied it around Toof's neck. Then, he handed him a black walking-stick with a curved handle and knotty spikes along its shaft. It was hard, remarkably light, and made of petrified wood. It glistened in the sunlight that streamed through the kitchen window. "This cudgel has been in my family for a thousand years. Now, it is yours. Use it to protect yourself," Fuddle said. "Thank you. I will take good care of it," Toof promised. He had heard many stories about walking-sticks, but this was the first he had ever held. Every young sprite is given one on his tenth birthday, but Toof was only nine. They use them to ward off snakes, wasps, bats, and other mindless

predators. He accepted this gift with one condition. "I will return it one day," he said. Rested and fed, Toof neatly folded his father's painting into a small square and slid it securely under his new shirt. "Will you come with me?" he asked the old sprite. "It will be an adventure." "No, child. You have brought me great news. I will wait here for my family to return." "How will I find Señor Perez?" Toof asked. Fuddle opened his door and called to Silly still waiting on the stone wall. He wanted the squirrel to find a mouse that lives under a wall in the nearby village. "Tell Issy to pack his sack. He is going on a journey." Moments later, a sharply dressed mouse arrived riding on Silly Squirrel's back and hurried up the hedge. "Hi, Fuddle," the mouse said, as its nose gave a curious twitch. "Hello, Issy. This is my friend, Toof," the blind sprite said. “Hello, Toof,” the mouse said. "Hello Issy," Toof said as he bowed. "He needs to go to the New World,” Fuddle said. “Please take him to your uncle in the city. I would do it myself, but Toof is in a great hurry.” "I am honored to be asked," the mouse said as he swung his travel sack over his back. “I will wait on the wall. Bye, Fuddle.” "Go now, Toof. Be proud of who you are. Your destiny is waiting out there," Fuddle said with complete confidence as they hugged. “Thank you,” Toof said. “I will see you again someday.” Then, he fluttered off to his new friends waiting on the wall.

"Squirrel!" Fuddle called out. "Protect Toof. A gremlin is chasing him." Toba was right. Fuddle was a good and honorable sprite.

Chapter 9

A FLYING SQUIRREL — Toof rode on the squirrel’s back and held onto its neck. Issy held onto Toof; his sack, tied to a stick, was flung over his shoulder. The three agreed to hide from animals on their journey. After all, they did not want anyone telling Deekay that a fairy with blue hair and a giant tooth was heading to the harbor. "Issy, is your uncle a wizard?" Toof asked. "Ha! No. There are no wizard mice," the mouse laughed. Silly Squirrel rolled his eyes as if that was the dumbest question he had ever heard. "Where have you been living? Under a rock?" "No. On top of one," Toof replied with a wry smile. "Señor Perez is the famous Tooth Mouse of Spain. Even squirrels know that," Silly said. That night, the three friends huddled together under leaves, safe and warm. Toof couldn't a more comfortable night. At sunrise, they rose to continue their journey. With a hop, skip, and a jump, they went on their merry way. Around noon, Toof heard a buzzing sound in the distance and signaled Silly to stop under the meadow's only tree. He climbed down and stood completely still as a dreadful smell drifted on the wind. He held Fuddle's cudgel across his chest and tried to meld into the bark, but he needed more practice. His body blended, but his head and feet did not. He was shaking as he tried to meld. He couldn’t concentrate, he was too scared, "What's the matter?" the mouse whispered. "Shhh," Toof replied. Silly Squirrel saw the worried look on Toof's face and climbed the tree to see

what was buzzing around. When he reached the top, he saw Deekay and Plaak land on a branch directly below him. Sniff. Sniff. "We are close,” Deekay said. "Arrr?" “I lived with him for years. I can smell him. Can't you?" "Arrr…nooppe?" Plaak said. Smust polluted the air around the tree, making Issy sick. Toof stretched his wings over the mouse’s shoulders. He was trying to shield him from the stinky odor, but his wings weren't long enough. "Please don't cough," Toof whispered as he covered Issy’s mouth. And Issy didn't cough, but he did sneeze. AH CHOO! "Pardon me," the mouse whispered under his breath. "What was that?” Deekay said, jumping as if pinched. “Plaak, check below!" "Arr kay zir." But before he could move, a flying squirrel burst through the leaves, claws out, lunging at the smelly thugs. "Ahhh! Don't eat us!" Deekay screamed, climbing into his pet's arms. It was about time that he got a taste of his own medicine! “Ahhh!” Plaak cried, too, as he fell off the branch. The two untangled themselves in the air and raced into the sky. "Go, go, go! Let's get out of here!" Deekay said, flying away. "I hate squirrels!" "Meee toooot," his frightened pet said, trying to catch up. Silly Squirrel found his friends under the tree wrapped in each other's arms, face to face, partially hidden under Toof’s wings. "Should I come back later, guys?”

“No,” Toof said as his wings receded. “We’re just hugging. Are they gone?" "Yes. And the red-haired one pooped in his pants, I think," Silly chuckled. Toof took off the checkered scarf Fuddle had given to him and tied it around the squirrel's neck. "My hero. Thank you for saving me." "Just doing my job," Silly said modestly, as his new scarf ruffled in the breeze. Now more than ever, Toof wanted to meet the famous Tooth Mouse of Spain. "Let's keep moving," he said. "I want to go home." Toof didn't quite understand what 'home' meant to him, but after seeing Fuddle's tiny house, he knew that there must be a place for him, somewhere. And he was determined to find it.

* * *

FAMOUS TOOTH MOUSE OF SPAIN — Silly hustled down cobblestone streets weaving under fruit wagons in an outdoor market. Shoppers shrieked as the squirrel and his riders raced underfoot. Issy directed Silly to turn into an alley, one block from the harbor. They stopped at a hole in the wall behind Fernando’s Hideaway—a popular café where there was always music, dancing, and plenty of garbage from the kitchen piled in the back. "We are here," Issy said proudly. "Thank you for the ride, Silly," Toof said. "You are welcome, and thank you for my first name,” Silly said. “Safe travels, my friend. I must go now.” Silly was in a hurry to other squirrels sharing a basket of nuts left unattended in the market. He climbed straight up the building side, jumped to a laundry-line extended across the street, and hurried to the next rooftop. Silly was moving so fast that he appeared to be flying with his scarf flapping behind him. "Goodbye, Tooth Fairy," Silly said as he ran. "Tooth Fairy? Lexaf calls me that too." "Well, you are a fairy, and you have a big tooth," Issy said. "It fits. I like it. Now, let’s go meet the Tooth Mouse." Toof followed Issy into Señor Perez's home. Inside, they found it dimly lit with a golden glow. "Ola! Anyone home?" Issy called out. "Who goes there?" a voice replied. "It is me, Isvaldo." That was the first time that Toof had heard Issy use his real first name. It sounded rather regal. Then, a distinguished-looking mouse, wearing a bright red

coat, dark pants, a white shirt, and a black beret, stepped from the shadows. It was Señor Perez. "Issy! You've grown so tall. Welcome," the old mouse said, opening his arms and hugging Issy with vigor. "Who is your companion?" "This is Toof. He is Fuddle's friend." "Any friend of Fuddle is a friend of mine. How is the old sprite?" The Tooth Mouse asked but did not wait for an answer. "My goodness! Your tooth is almost human size. I hope you don't grind when you sleep. You might ruin it." Toof chuckled. He didn’t know what grinding was. "It is a great honor to meet you, Señor El Ratoncito de Los Dientes Perez." "Oh, please don't. My name is too long," the Tooth Mouse said. "It wastes too much time. Call me, Ratoncito." "Uncle, Toof's tooth sings," the young mouse piped up. "Sure Isvaldo," the Señor laughed. "Seriously, uncle. It rings like bells in the Cathedral," Issy said. "Really?" "It comes, and goes, Señor," Toof said. He was not comfortable calling the famous Tooth Mouse of Spain by his first name, so he opted for a more honorable title. "He does not know when it will sing. It just does sometimes," Issy said. "I'd like to hear it. You see, I collect children's teeth, but none of them sing." He pointed to many teeth resting in beds of straw throughout his den. To Toof, they looked like glimmering pearls. "Señor, children speak through it too. What does that mean?" Issy asked. "Hmmm… it means it is valuable," The Tooth Mouse said. "Can you turn it on? I’d like to hear someone right now."

"That's not how it works, Señor," Toof said. "Okay, then. How about a little song, instead?" "No, sorry." "Is it loose? Perhaps I can trade for it." The Tooth Mouse was always looking for a good deal. Issy tugged on Toof's tooth, but it didn't budge. "Not a wobble," he said. "Señor, why do you collect children’s teeth?" Toof asked. "I only collect first fallen teeth," he replied. "Milk teeth are the best. They have something inside that warms our dens. Without it, winters can be very cold." Toof had never heard such a thing and had many more questions, but one was more important than all the rest put together. "Señor, can you help me get to the New World?" "He wants to see if his father is alive," Issy said. "Of course I can," the Tooth Mouse said, watching Toof's grin grow as wide as the street outside. "There is a ship in the dock going there soon. You must get on board." Issy had been iring one of his uncle's many trophies sitting in the straw, so Señor Perez offered it to him. "Isvaldo, pick one, put it in your sack. I have many. Sometimes, it gets too warm in here." "Thank you," Issy said, choosing a medium size tooth from the Tooth Mouse's private collection. “Wow, it is warm,” Toof said as he felt the warmth emanating from inside. “Yes, like magic,” Issy said. "Issy, why don’t you your cousins and go with Toof.”

“I can do that?” “Yes! Of course. Topolino left for Italy yesterday. You are old enough to travel across the sea. Go. Explore." "Gracias, Señor.” The little mouse was thrilled to be going on another adventure with his new friend. "Thank you, Señor Perez," Toof said, bowing to the famous Tooth Mouse. "Enjoy your journey, boys. I hope you find your father, Toof.” Outside, Toof fluttered behind his speedy little friend. He was eager to make up for the years when flying was impossible. They found Issy's cousins hiding under a mound of trash piled near the docks—it smelled almost as awful as smust. Issy squeaked the introductions, but these city-mice had never met a fairy before and were too shy to speak. They just nodded with their heads down. "They all want to be tooth mice," Issy said. "How did that begin?" Toof asked as they waited to board the ship. "When Señor Perez was young,” Issy said, “he saw a child toss a tooth away. He picked it up and brought it home. It was warmed his mother's den that winter. He looked for more, and over the years, found many. So, he became known as the Tooth Mouse. He is a true hero." "How do you find them?" "It’s not easy. We hide in stores and watch for children wiggling a tooth. Then we follow them until the tooth falls free." "Sounds hard," Toof said. "Yes. A hard and a lonely job," Issy said. "Most mice never even get one." Regardless of its difficulty, all of his cousins were planning to continue the family tradition. Each wanted to be a tooth mouse in the New World. They were a proud lot, and it was an open market.

"And Señor Perez gave you one of his." "Shhh. Don't tell anyone. Now I have two." Issy opened his sack to show both pearls. "My father gave me one, too," he said with glee. "I never have to work again unless I want to." At dusk, the entire group scurried up the ropes that tied the ship to the dock. Toof and his band of mice hurried into the cargo area deep inside the hull. They snuggled into a pile of hay hidden behind wooden barrels, out of view from the captain's cat patrolling the ship. Like all mice, they were afraid of cats—and this cat looked very hungry.

* * *

THE CAPTAIN'S CAT — The tall ship was destined for the New World, but exactly where, no one knew. Wherever it landed, Toof was sure he could find his way to his father's village. His mother had told him of landmarks to look for along the way. That night, onboard, Toof’s tooth rang once, but no child spoke. In the morning, the captain’s cat was peeking around the barrels and burrowing through piles of hay, looking to pounce. Toof wondered about this creature and wanted to meet her, for being friendly was his nature. She explained her job and seemed like a friendly cat, so he asked her to leave the mice alone. "I will try," Kitty said, with a lick of its mouth. "No promises." Later that same day, a fat rat snuck on board and began pushing Issy's cousins out of the hay. He reminded Toof of Deekay, except this rat was even uglier, if that was possible. "Welcome Mr. Rat. These are my friends," Toof said. “So what, big tooth,” the rat said, with a sinister snarl standing on his hind legs, chest out, and paws on his hips. “Stay out of my way or I’ll bite you.” “You don’t scare me,” Toof said. “I’ve been teased by the biggest bully in the world. Just leave my friends alone, please.” “Or what?” the rat said, tapping his foot and pointing at Issy and his cousins to move out of the soft hay behind the barrels. “Find another place to live. Get out! Or I will throw you out. You got it, fairy boy?" Kitty must have been listening because she pounced from the top of the stairs. The fat rat was too tempting for the whiskered feline to resist, and nature got the better of her. "Delicious," she said, rubbing her tummy. "Ick! Gross," Toof said, witnessing the whole thing.

"Sorry, Toof. I couldn't help myself,” the cat said. "This world is a very strange place,” Toof said, stroking Kitty’s head gently later that day. "Meow." The cat agreed. After that, each day, Toof fluttered to the galley and brought Kitty scraps for the day. "I'll keep you fed," he said. "Just don't eat my friends." With that, the mice were spared the same fate as the rat. When the ship finally pulled out of the harbor, Toof's tooth rang, and the mice danced. It would not ring again during the crossing. Toof and Issy watched from the portholes as the Old World disappeared from view. For weeks, the ocean rocked the vessel from side-to-side, but Toof was not afraid. Deekay was not on board. Then, one day, a sailor cried: "Land ho!" Toof had made it to the New World. He never felt freer in his life.

PART 3

— THE NEW WORLD • TRAPPED —

Toof is in the New World searching for his father’s village. Deekay is in the Old World searching for the missing music maker, with revenge on his mind.

Chapter 10

BANISHED — One evening on Blebble Mountain, Deekay returned for more smust to continue his search. His father was waiting and not happy to find twenty fairies were missing, including Toof. "Get off my mountain!” Colsore roared, chasing Deekay with a hot poker from the stove. "It's not my fault," the young gremlin cried. "It's never your fault. Find him!" Deekay begged for forgiveness. "Please, dad. Please!" He wasn't brave enough to force his father into retirement just yet. "Take all the smust you can carry. Bring me Toof or don't come back. GO!" Colsore roared. Deekay carried two large sacks of smust and loaded four more onto Plaak's back. They were escorted to the edge of the cliff by Colsore and his drolls, sharp sticks in hand. As Deekay flew away, his dream of becoming the most powerful gremlin in the world became a nightmare. "He loves Toof more than me," he said, seeing tears in his father's eyes. "Arr," Plaak agreed. As the search for Toof continued, the two villains used most of the smust they carried. Before long, Deekay was forced to make a risky decision. "The New World must have mountains," he said. "We will go there. I need to create my own kingdom." "Arr bouy. Nott dat trip aghen,” Plaak moaned.

The two flew to England to conserve fuel and boarded a sailing ship heading west. Once again, they rode with the humans Deekay despised so much. This time they did not sleep in the captain's quarters. He had a cat too.

* * *

KAHN'S VILLAGE — As luck would have it, Deekay’s ship arrived in the New World, in the same bay as hundreds of years earlier. Searching for blebbles began immediately. As the two villains scoured the coastline for yellow stones, they stumbled upon a fairy village hidden on the cliffs. Terpek's villagers were no match for these fastflying bullies, and so they scattered into the wilderness, leaving everything behind. "Run while you can!" Deekay roared. "I will return with an army." "Arrrrr!" Plaak growled. Deekay wasn't there to catch them, just scare them and eat their food. It made him feel powerful again. For many days, these monsters scoured the coastline for yellow stones but found none. Moving from one summit to another, they progressed inland and ed over a long mountain range. If there were blebbles in the New World, he needed to find them, quickly. Time was running out, and his supply of smust was nearly gone. Days later, in a small town in the middle of nowhere, Deekay decided to keep all the remaining flying dust for himself, so Plaak was grounded. Although he hated humans, Deekay loved the music they made, especially banjos, pianos, and church organs. Those rhythms reminded him of the musicmaker that got away. So, they slept in a church steeple and ate from garbage cans. The gremlin even sang with the choir, from the rafters, on Sundays, but his heart wasn't in it. He was depressed. His plans for world domination had not worked out. He knew that without more smust, he would be grounded too—just a big, slow walking meal for larger animals.

* * *

GOLDEN MOUNTAIN — One day, a cowboy on horseback rode into town, shooting off his gun. He was hollering "Gold! Gold!" as he sat tall in the saddle, waving his hat. Deekay was livid at being awakened. He flew from his lofty perch and stung the cowboy in his bum with the horn on his helmet! "Ouch!" The cowboy cried out, rubbing his rear end. Then, without missing a beat, he continued to talk to the humans gathered around. "Yee-haw! Thar's gold in the western mountains," he said. "My brother mailed me a piece. Lookie here." He was showing off a hunk of stone to the crowd. Deekay listened from under the horse's tail, which, incidentally, smelled like a batch of weak smust. "The streams got more gold than fish," the cowboy said. "Y'all going there?" a young boy asked. "Betcha britches, boy. I'm getting me some gold." "What is gold?" Deekay was curious and flew from his hiding place to take a look. He landed on the cowboy's hat and walked to the brim to see the little nugget the man was holding high. It was yellow and full of black spots— blebbles! "Hey, mister! Y'all got a big ugly bird on your hat," the boy said, pointing at Deekay. The man shook his hat and knocked Deekay off the brim. Perturbed, the gremlin raced around the horse and stung the cowboy again, a second time. "Ouch! It bit me." "Did it on purpose!" the boy exclaimed. "Howdy, hoo. It was wearing a hat, too." "Pack up. We're pulling out," Deekay said when he flew back to the steeple.

"Arrr. Wherz we goinnn bossst?" "The western mountains, wherever they are," Deekay said. Later that day, the cowboy rode out of town in a hurry pulling a well-supplied donkey behind his horse. Deekay picked up Plaak like a baby and flew to catch his ride. They settled under the animal’s tail and locked arms together to not fall off. It was going to be a long and smelly ride across the continent. Finally, they were traveling in style. "Yummy," Deekay said, snacking on a handful of gnats. "Arrr yeah," Plaak agreed as he gobbled down a black fly. When the cowboy saw a mountain range that filled the horizon, he spoke to his horse like his best friend. "Almost there, Betsy. Reckon we gonna be rich perdy soon." Peeking from under the donkey’s tail, Deekay saw a tall mountain covered with snow at its peak. "Looks like home," he said, almost dreamily. That day, they rode into a dusty town where sagebrush and wagons rolled in every direction. Locals in the Tuskador Saloon were celebrating their new fortunes, and townspeople were excited about finding gold in the hills. Deekay overheard an old prospector, with a black tooth, boasting about meeting friends that were sifting for gold. "Let's go," he said as picking up Plaak. He wanted to ride with the prospector into the hills. They landed on top of the man’s ten-gallon hat, inches from his nose as he galloped out of town. "Good golly, Ms. Molly!" the prospector said, holding his nose. "No more peanuts for you. You stink!" "Do you smell anything?" Deekay asked. "Arr…noooope," Plaak replied Standing in the river, two older men with white whiskers waived at the old

prospector as he rode up the path. One was standing in a slow-moving stream, holding a metal pan. The other slipped something slyly into a knapsack tied to his horse's saddle. "Stay here," Deekay said. "Arrr kay." Plaak couldn't fly anyway. When the men weren't looking, Deekay flew to the knapsack and, to his delight, found two hunks of yellow stone encrusted with black pebbles. "We are back in business," he said. He sprinkled his final pinch of smust over Plaak's back, and together flew into the rocks to hide. He was planning to steal the two nuggets. When the men were ankle-deep in the stream, they tried, but the gold hunks were too heavy, so they carried them on their backs into the hills. That night, they listened to the men accuse each other of stealing the missing gold. "I don't understand humans," Deekay said. "They want gold for its color, but if they knew about smust, they could fly! How they ended up in charge of this planet, and dinosaurs didn't, I'll never know.” "Arr yup," Plaak agreed. “D’it makz no zents.” As Plaak scratched out the blebbles, Deekay built a pit, filled it with straw and dry sticks, and lit a campfire. He stole a tin cup from the prospector's wagon and filled it with water. Together, they boiled the bebbles until soft and worked all night peeling the membranes and pulverizing the pits to dust. By morning, they were bathing in fresh, new, smelly smust. "Ahhh. Doesn't that feel great?" "Arr, yaaaa," Plaak agreed. "Rub some on my back, please," Deekay said, enjoying a smust massage for the first time in a long time. "My shoulders, too. Oh, yea." That day, both monsters flew like birds again, free and easy. Deekay surveyed the mountain from top to bottom and what he found made him the happiest

gremlin in the entire world. At the summit, under the snow, hunks of silver and gold covered the ground. Each piece had deep dark blebbles. The two villains were giggling like bunnies as they made a massive supply of smust. "This is where I will build my kingdom," Deekay announced. "Arr kindum?" "No, my kingdom," he corrected his pet. "You work for me." The gremlin found what he needed in the nick of time. Crown Mountain was perfect. The summit was snow-covered even in summer, and its jagged granite walls were steep. No human could ever climb up to its peak. There was no ledge jump and no slope to ski down. Here, he would never run out of smust again. "I need a thousand workers," Deekay said as he surveyed the summit pointing to where his castle, the cabins, and Finery were to be built. “Stone. Everything must be built with stone, like the castles in the Old World. My home must look like a Kings’ home.” "Arrr. Howwz abt zum drollz to helpout?" "Wow, Plaak, your speech is getting better," Deekay said. "Yes! I need drolls too. And I know where to find them." With a large supply of new smust, they loaded their backpacks for a long flight. It would take many days to fly around the world. But they did, arriving at Colsore's house at midnight. Deekay freed Whitey first. The poor thing was locked in a cage. Then, they went to the guard towers and woke one droll after another, giving each an option. "Work for me or be eaten by the snake." It was an easy choice. The drolls decided to live. At sunrise, it was time to settle a score. When Colsore opened his door for morning call, his son was sitting on the porch. Behind him stood Plaak and all the drolls, with their bags packed.

"I have returned, father." "So, now you're an early riser," Colsore said mockingly, before noticing his prisoners were dressed for travel. "Come in, son. Let's talk.” "No, dad. You come with me." "Leave here at once," the old gremlin demanded. "Arrest him," Deekay said, signaling to Ginja and Vitus. "No more swamp holidays for you. I will build you a special room on my mountain. You will love it." "You are making a mistake, son." Deekay wasn’t listening as he turned to Garstina. "I haven't forgotten about your son," he said. "Toof is next. Search parties will scour the earth. I will put a King's ransom on his head. I will find him." Garstina stood stoic and didn't say a word. Drolls gathered all the smust they could carry, and each latched onto a fairy. Everyone took a bag of smust, as fuel for the drolls, along with their clothes. They were going to the other side of the world—Crown Mountain. Before leaving, as if to put a dagger in his memories, Deekay burned the buildings and all the smust they couldn't carry. The mountaintop erupted like a volcano, lighting up the sky. Blebble Mountain was now closed for business— permanently. Word of Deekay's return spread quickly throughout the hidden world. Gremlins would pay more for smust and call him King Deekay, or get none at all. Fairy villages throughout the New World were now being attacked. The number of workers on Crown Mountain was doubling every month. Prisoners were working harder than ever, day and night. Deekay's plan to attack the human world was in motion, but there was still something missing—Toof.

Chapter 11

GOING HOME — Far south of where Deekay landed in the New World, Toof's ship pulled into a small harbor. His heart jumped, and he fluttered to the top of the tallest mast. He had arrived on the other side of the ocean at a seaport humans had built. The waters were turquoise blue and green, and a warm breeze blew through palm trees along the coast. There were buildings, but all were constructed of logs. None had colorful designs as Toof had imagined he would see in a "new" world. "We are here," Toof said. “Hooray!” Issy cheered, jumping and celebrating. They had made it, and now they needed to get off the ship. The mice hid inside crates that were loaded onto small boats and rowed to the dock. Onshore, they scurried into buildings and houses. Once Toof’s friends were safely away, he fluttered to the ship's bow, landing on a railing next to a man wearing a tricorn hat. "Thank you for the ride, Captain," Toof said. "You are wel… welcome," the captain stuttered. His mouth fell agape as he watched a fairy flutter away. "Say goodbye to Kitty for me," Toof said. He and Issy rendezvoused near the edge of town to say goodbye as planned. They decided to go in different directions. Issy wanted to ride in a wagon full of food and supplies, pulled by massive horses. Toof was going in another direction, up the coast. “I want a town with families,” the mouse said. “If I’m going to be a tooth mouse, I need to be near children with lots of milk teeth.”

"I understand,” Toof said. “Goodbye, my friend,” Issy said. “I will miss you." "I'll miss you more,” Toof said as his eyes filled with tears. "Don't cry. Our paths will cross again,” the mouse said. “It is our destiny." "I hope so." Toof's chest heaved as he cried. Watching Issy's wagon roll out of town was sad for him. Saying goodbye to another creature he liked so much was hard. All of his friends had moved on with their lives. Now, it was his turn. It was time to find his parent's village and warn them about Deekay. Most of all, he wanted to know if his mother was right. Was Kahn alive? Toof fluttered northward along the shoreline, looking for white sandy cliffs, with a forest on the top, looming over a bay. He flittered over dunes and swamps until he realized that roads, built by humans, were faster. Each night, he covered himself with leaves to stay warm and looked at his father's drawing. Worn, torn, and faded, the painting was priceless to him. Each night, before falling asleep, he would scan the heavens and repeat a promise to himself. "I will come for you, Mother." However, honestly, he did not believe that was possible. When his journey took him near human cities, his big tooth rang, and he was happy to hear the melodies. When he found himself in the forest, it did not make a sound. When he happened upon fairy villages tucked in the woods, he was welcomed by the elders. "I am Toof, son of Kahn and Garstina," he said proudly. "I come to warn you of flying gremlins." The elders always gave him a bed for the night and food to eat. They held meetings in the center of each village where Toof spoke about dangerous gremlins to anyone who would listen. "They will attack from the air," he said. "By the time you smell smust, it will be too late." As hard as he tried, he could not describe the horrible smell of smust. He did his

best by comparing it to animal poop and rotten cabbage. Most villagers did not believe that he had escaped from a mountaintop prison across the ocean. They had never seen a blue-haired fairy with a big front tooth before. Some thought he was a weirdo city-fairy, just having fun telling them outlandish stories. "How come we've never heard of flying gremlins?" someone always asked. "If Deekay is so mean, how did you escape?" was another popular question. Most did not take his warnings seriously. At one village, lying in bed late at night, Toof heard young sprites making fun of him, singing: "Gremlins and dragons and drolls oh my! Gremlins and dragons and drolls, oh my!" "You stink like smust," a young elle giggled. "Whatever that is!" "I do not," her friend laughed. "You do." "Rest," the elders would politely say. But, they did not believe Toof, either. Convincing fairies in the New World was not an easy task. "I hope you never meet them," Toof said time and again. Although he was sad that he was being laughed at, and cried himself to sleep many times, Toof was not discouraged. He knew the truth. With Fuddle's stick in hand, nothing was going to stop him. He was determined to find his home and fly off the cliffs as Kahn had done as a young sprite. He wanted to witness the powerful storms that pound the beaches in winter and find the waterfall his mother played in as a child. He proudly walked into the forest, chin up, despite snickers from the young fairies who did not believe him. Nothing was going to stop him now.

* * *

A NATIVE’S CRY — Many weeks ed before Toof saw tall white cliffs with a forest on top near the water's edge. As he approached, he noticed smoke rising in gray swirls from a town sitting along the bay. It had homes, stores, dirt roads, and churches. Garstina had not mentioned this town because it did not exist on the day they left for his Welcoming Ceremony. Toof followed his mother's directions up the hill and flew over Catchalot Pond. He worked his way higher until he found the hidden trail. In a moment, he would be safe in his father's village. He knew he would be welcome, even if Kahn was not there to greet him. Finally, he would rest in a bed of his own. But as he got closer, Toof smelled danger in the air. Smust! His mind was racing. "How can this be?" When he rounded the final bend, he saw a native in the center of the village seated on a tree trunk with a bow and arrow resting next to his knee. His hands were covering his face, and he was crying. The village had many doors carved into trees and a stone path that led in different directions, but no villagers. His mother had told him about the local humans that shared this forest with fairies for generations. They were kind natives that helped to clear fallen trees after storms. It was a friendship between fairies and native land-humans that went back to the beginning of time. Toof flew to the native, folded his arms across his heart, and bowed. The native extended his hand, and Toof landed on his rugged palm. "Where is everyone?" Toof asked. "Gone,” was the native’s reply. Toof feared that everyone was taken to Blebble Mountain. "What happened?" "Two monsters came," the native said, pointing to a tall ship in the bay.

Toof shivered at the thought of Deekay in the New World, hunting for workers. "Were they taken away?" he asked. "No. They scattered into the forest," the native said. "Never to return. Following the sun to the western lands.” "What do I do? I've come so far,” Toof said. "You must go. It is not safe here now." "I have no place to go." "I will stay here tonight," the native said. "Do not worry. I will squash them if they come back. You rest." Toof knew that the native could not stay here forever and that he would not stay here alone. So, he asked the only questions that were still on his mind. "Do you know Kahn?" Toof said. "Kahn?" the native asked. "He is gone forever." Toof, choking back tears, was afraid to say anymore but did. "Is he dead?" "Dead? Kahn?" The native shook his head. "No. He is following the sun to the western lands." Toof's heart skipped a beat, and his mouth dropped open. He fluttered into the air and somersaulted before kissing the native on the cheek and again and again. "Yippee!" Mother was right. Father is alive!

* * *

A WOLF — Toof slept protected by the native that night. His delightful dream about flying off the cliffs was interrupted, just before waking, with a nightmare of Deekay swooping in and tossing a net on him. At sunrise, it was time to leave. “Are you ready," the native asked. "Yes. Goodbye village,” Toof said. “I hope to see you again.” Toof gathered warm clothes, food, and supplies into a backpack he found under a bed. He fluttered to the native’s shoulder and twirled Fuddle's petrified cudgel as they hiked westward. When they reached a wide river. "Be brave," the native said as they parted. "I'm not afraid," Toof replied. "Thank you for helping me." Toof fluttered to the opposite riverbank and again was on his way to places unknown. Later, a wild animal galloped by, and Toof asked for a ride. It bowed its head as a signal to hop on. "I will take you through the woods," it said. “What kind of animal are you,” Toof asked. “Horse. A stallion, actually.” “You are very handsome.” “Neigh. Thank you,” the horse said. When they reached a large pasture, Toof fluttered away. The horse did not want to be caught by humans in an open field. Later, Toof boarded a fox that ran through the underbrush. During the following days, he fluttered from sunrise to nightfall. One day a buck allowed him to hold on to its antlers as it jumped over walls and bushes. Another day, an eagle flew him over deep canyons full of slithering snakes. Along the way, Toof met bands of traveling fairies and asked

about his father. No one knew Kahn, but they were fleeing from two sharp tooth monsters. He was heading in the right direction. "I'm right behind you, father," Toof said. He would repeat that whenever he needed strength. When he reached a river so vast that it cut the land in half, a hawk gave him a lift across the great divide. With the help of wild animals, he pushed on. As a winter chill filled the air, Toof met a wolf that gave him a ride through tall grass covering the plains like a blanket. At night he slept in its thick fur. When snow fell from the sky, his wings retracted. He could not fly again until spring so, the wolf brought him to the door of prairie-fairies that agreed to take him in for the winter. "Thank you, Mr. Wolf. You're not so scary after all," Toof said. "Don't tell anyone," the wolf said with a wink. "Ah-Woooooooo," it howled as it ran to find its pack and chase a herd of buffalo.

* * *

THE BELLS — The prairie fairies were the Bells— a family that included parents and a nine-year-old elle, and a five-year-old sprite. All wore green overalls and had bright yellow hair. They were farmers, tinkers, and fixers of things. They lived in a comfortable burrow at the top of a ridge. It was a small home on the range, where the deer and antelope played. Here, Toof never heard a discouraging word, and skies were bright and sunny most days. That winter, they played games and sang many songs. The snow on the plains was lighter and warmer than the crusty-ice on Blebble Mountain. This powder shimmered in the sun, and Toof could go outside without getting frostbitten. The Bells were thrilled to have a world traveler stay in their home that winter, and their daughter never left Toof's side. Upon hearing about his travels, she revealed that she had always dreamed of visiting relatives in the old-world one day. They lived in a royal garden in a city called London. Sometime later, with Toof's help, this little elle traveled there faster than she ever thought possible. As it turned out, she had many amazing adventures and became quite famous in her own right. She even met a human family and helped some lost boys out of a jam. But this isn't her story; it is Toof's. When wildflowers and prairie grass peeked through the melting snow, it was time for Toof to move on. His wings emerge from hibernation, and he fluttered into a warm spring sky. He was going west. “Thank you, Bells,” he said. “You are welcome, Toof. Come again.”

* * *

THE TETONICS — Before long, Toof spotted tall granite cliffs with a snowcovered summit in the distance. In the valley, under the mountain, he met fairies swimming in a pond. "Hello. My name is Toof." "Hi, Toof. I am Willow," an elle about his age said. "Welcome to Tetonic.” "I have come a long way. May I rest here tonight?" he asked. "Yes. Come with me." “I am looking for my father. Has he ed this way?” “I do not know, but I will ask.” Tetonics village was nestled in a cove on the open prairie. It had no fence or wall protecting it from intruders. It didn't need barriers. The Tetonics had natural protectors like hawks that chased away bats and field cats that ate troublesome snakes. Bison, buffalo, and wild horses never ran through their village out of respect for their little friends. That day, the village elders were meeting with a visitor in the Grand Tent. The visitor was trying to convince them to move their village to a safer location high in the hills when Willow interrupted their meeting. "Pardon me, father," she said to the chief. "I want you to meet someone. It's important." Thorn excused himself with a bow and followed Willow outside. He found Toof besieged by youngsters touching his blue hair and staring at his tooth. Behind him stood a tall ten-year-old sprite, making funny faces at Toof behind his back as others laughed. When Chief Thorn arrived, his son stopped. Sage did not want to be caught being rude to a guest.

"Welcome to our village," the chief said, bowing to the young traveler. "Thank you," Toof replied, touching his heart and bowing in return. "My daughter says you are looking for someone. Is that correct?" "Yes. I am searching for my father. His name is Kahn. Has he ed through your village?" "How long have you been searching for him?" Thorn said. "My entire life." "I see. Please rest while I conclude my meeting," Willow took Toof to her family hut, a modest home built of sticks and dried mud. She gave him a cup of water and carrots as a treat as Thorn returned to his gathering. "There is a traveler outside who knows your name,” Thorn said in a friendly manner. "Many know my name,” the visitor said. “He has blue hair.” Thorn was looking for a reaction that might signal that his hunch was correct. “I know of no fairy with blue hair,” Khan said waving his hand as if that was ridiculous. "He has a large tooth in his smile,” Thorn said, studying Khan’s face for any reaction. "A what?" Kahn asked, turning around. "A large front tooth," Thorn said, grinning and pointing to the door. Kahn stared at the chief in disbelief, eyes growing wide, then ran outside. "Where is he?" "Toof is in my home," Thorn said, delighted at witnessing this reunion.

A crowd had gathered next to the chief’s hut, so Kahn fluttered over the villagers, landing at the door. Thorn landed next to him. "Did his mother have blue hair?" he asked. "No," Kahn said, unsure of what to do next. "Exhale," the chief said kindly. "Now, open the door." Willow and Thorn watched as the two strangers stood in silence, staring at each other. Then, Toof unfolded a paper he had carried halfway around the world. Kahn fell to his knees when he saw the painting of his family he had created so long ago. Toof stepped forward and helped this stranger to stand up. Both were weeping. "Father. Is it you?” Toof said meekly. “Yes, Toof. I have missed you so much.” As they hugged, the chief and his daughter stepped outside, allowing Toof and Kahn privacy for a proper reunion. “Mom said no fish could eat you." "I was lucky, son," Kahn said, holding this tall young sprite, shaking him and pinching his face as if to be sure he wasn’t dreaming. "You were beyond the clouds. I couldn't see either of you. My wings were torn. I couldn't fly. The sharks were circling me." "Then how did you…?" Toof asked, sniffling. "A dolphin," Khan said. "It snatched me, jumped over the sea creatures, and raced to the beach. A seagull flew me home. As I said, I was lucky, but there wasn't a day that I didn't miss you both." “We needed you, dad. Mom misses you,” Toof said, holding his father’s hand. “I know. My heart has broken a thousand times thinking about that terrible day. I miss her too." “I know where she is," Toof said.

"Tell me everything." Father and son locked arms and stayed close for days. Toof spoke of how Garstina had wrapped him in her wings that day on the beach. He explained how she cared for him and taught him to be calm in the face of cruelty. He told his father about all his friends on the mountain, the mine, the Finery, smust and Deekay's plans to rule the world. He mentioned his good fortune at meeting Silly Squirrel, Fuddle, the famous Tooth Mouse of Spain. How he sailed the ocean with Issy the mouse, met Kitty, the captain’s cat, the brave native, the wolf, and the Bells. Without them, he never would have found his father. "The Tetonics don't know what lies ahead," Toof said. "Deekay is here." "I know he is," Khan said. "He came to our village on the cliffs." Father and son devised a plan to help the Tetonics move to the forest, and at the campfire, they did their best to convince the elders. "You are in danger," Toof told them. "Gremlins will come with the humans across the prairie. They travel on ships and will ride in wagons. They have smust and can fly faster than us. They are bigger too!" "If you move to the hills, you can hide in the forest. Perhaps build snaggle nets from the vines," Kahn added. "That might help." Other fairies that had recently ed through Tetonic were fleeing their homes because of a flying gremlin and sharp-toothed dragon. Chief Thorn had heard those stories and believed Toof. When a wagon train with hundreds of settlers rolled into the valley heading west, it was the confirmation he needed. His land was no longer safe from intruders. With humans filling the plains, Toof's tooth finally sang. Willow was glad it did. Toof wasn't so sure. The elders danced to the beat, and that embarrassed Toof. He smiled and let them have their fun. Sage pointed at him and laughed. Enjoying anything with Toof was out of the question for him, even if he liked his melodies. It was then that Chief Thorn made his decision. "To protect our citizens,” he said, “Tetonic will move to the forest."

"No, no," the villagers cried. "We have lived on these plains since time began.” "We must not move because of him!" Sage said, pointing at Toof. "Silence, son," Rose, an elderly elle, said. "Your father's decision is final." "Come on, mom! He didn't escape from prison. He's a faker," Sage said. "I believe him," Willow said. As Toof stood to leave the gathering, Sage stood in his way and stopped him. "You are not welcome here," he said. "Leave our village!" "I'm planning to," Toof replied.

Chapter 12

THE YEAR IS NOW 1900 — Toof is celebrating his tenth and final birthday. His aging has slowed and he will remain youthful for many decades to come. From now on, only life events like weddings will be honored—a tradition so old, no one re why it is so. It took fifty human-years to move the Tetonics into the high forest and build a beautiful village. New Tetonic village was hidden behind thick brush and under quaking aspens on the far shore of Upper Plate Lake. Everyone had charming new homes carved into the trees or tucked inside stone walls. The pond nearby had a whirlpool that swirled around water-worn stones forming slippery slides where young fairies play. Toof and Kahn took an abandoned squirrel den halfway up a sturdy lodgepole pine and made a home. Using tools they made themselves, they built a window, a door, and a wrap-around porch where they could see the village, the lake, and the valley. "Mom would love it," Toof said. Both knew that the likelihood of reaching Garstina was low. And, freeing her, less than that. They had talked about going to the old world once their work helping the Tetonics was finished. And now it was. “Traveling will be difficult,” Kahn said. “I know, father.” “Finding Blebble Mountain might take a lifetime.” “I know, father.” “Climbing to its peak might be impossible. Even condors don’t fly that high.” “I know. So, how do we save Mother?" Toof was hoping for an easy answer. "I do not know. But we have completed our work here.”

“Yes, we have, so when do we leave?” Toof asked. “Tomorrow,” Kahn said. “After your party. Regardless of the difficulty, we will try. Mother deserves our best effort.” They had done all they could for the Tetonics. Hanging snaggle nets in the trees was the last item to complete. If attacked, villagers will cut the cords. The nets will fall, hopefully trapping the intruders long enough for the Tetonics to flee. They were never tested. "Will they catch flying pigs?" Sage snickered. He didn't believe in flying gremlins or anything else. "Be nice!" Willow snapped at her brother. "He's fooling you," Sage snapped back. "Voices don’t speak through his tooth. Have you heard any? I haven't." “You said the same thing about the melodies. Then they did.” Willow was the only youngster in the village who was kind to Toof. They were good friends. But her brother was the leader of the young Tetonics. If he didn't like Toof, they wouldn't either. “I believe him,” she said. “I don’t!” Sage responded pounding his fist against his chest. “And I never will.” Toof’s tooth rang about once a day now, but children’s voices had not spoken since the night he skied with Kisme. He hoped that once he became an adult, the chimes and the voices would stop forever. "Why does it ring, Dad?" Toof asked. "I do not know," his father said. "I wish it would stop. It makes me different from everyone.” "Everyone is different. One day, no one will notice your tooth," Kahn said, hugging his son. "They will see only a good and handsome sprite."

"I don’t want to live like this.” "You've faced greater challenges. Be confident." "I'll try, father.” Toof wanted to believe in himself but didn't. He fluttered to the forest floor and walked to Willow's house inside a stone wall. "Will you me for cake tomorrow? It's my birthday," he said nervously. "My tenth." "I know!" Willow said. "I've been waiting for you to ask me." "Do you think anyone else will come?" Toof said. "Maybe. Let's meet at the lake in the morning and ask before my brother arrives." "Okay. It's worth a try," Toof said.

* * *

THE SOUND OF MUSIC — It was a windless morning in the Teton forest. Deekay and Plaak were flying home after hunting for fairies along the Rio Grande. They caught one sprite. He was wearing a sombrero, carrying a guitar, and crying. "Let me go! Put me down!" Rekee said. "Put him to work. I'll be there shortly," Deekay said as he hovered over the lake. "Arrr kay," Plaak said, continuing to the summit. They had taken a new route to the mountain over Upper Plate Lake when Deekay heard something unusual—music. Humans never climb this high into the hills, so he wanted to investigate. He flew across the lake and landed in a tree above a secluded inlet. Here he discovered what he had dreamed about for years—Toof. The music-maker was petting a wild mountain lion near the water's edge as his tooth sang. He wasn't alone. "Finally," Deekay murmured as he swayed to the beat. Next to Toof was Willow and many of Tetonic's youngest fairies. They were playing in the water, laughing, swimming, and having fun. "My lucky day," the gremlin said, rubbing his greasy claws together. Toof had hoped that others might him in a game of hide and seek, and if anyone did, he would invite them to his party that afternoon. But Sage arrived and spoiled the plan. He and his friends were swinging their walking sticks, pretending to fight. "No one is going to your party," Sage said, pointing with his stick. "Stop being so rude!" Willow said. "He’s not one of us!"

Even on Toof's most important day, Sage was mean to him. Toof climbed onto the mountain lion and rode to his father's treehouse. "I'm leaving," he said as his tooth stopped ringing. "Don't you mean escaping?" Sage laughed. Hypnotized by the sweet melody, Deekay almost fell from his perch. When he shook himself awake, Toof was gone. Sage and the youngsters noticed a foul stench drifting on the breeze but did not realize what it was. They blamed each other for farting, as immature sprites often do. "What did you eat, stink bugs?" one said. "No, Toof's birthday cake," Sage hooted, slapping himself for being so funny. Then, they held their noses and jumped into the lake to get away from the horrible smell. They would not be swimming here tomorrow. Deekay flew to the summit as fast as he could. "Plaak! Plaak! Toof is here. Ready the drolls. We attack today!"

* * *

SLIPPERY CAKE — Toof was already home when Deekay awoke from his trance. His eyes were red and tearful when someone knocked at the door and handed him a gift wrapped in colorful leaves. "Happy Tenth Birthday!" Willow chirped with a big smile and a hug. "Open her gift first," Kahn said as he pulled a long box from under his bed. "Happy, happy birthday to you. Happy, happy birthday to you…" they sang. It was almost enough to make Toof forget how alone he felt a few moments earlier at the lake. His grin widened as he opened Willow's present. To his delight, it was a new paintbrush made of soft bunny-hair. Willow’s gift included an array of colorful paints made from huckleberries, red raspberries, black elderberries, mountain ash, and snowberries. Toof loved painting with Willow. With her guidance, he could now sketch almost anything he saw. She was a great teacher. "Thank you," Toof said, hugging her. "You're welcome," she said. "You are my best friend, you know." Then, Kahn handed his son his gift. “Happy Birthday, son.” "What is it, Dad?" "Something I have wanted to give you since the night you were born. Like my father for me, I now do for you," Kahn said. "I hope you like it.” Toof shook the long box, although he was pretty sure what was inside. Like all growing sprites, he had used twigs as walking sticks in imaginary battles against snakes and bats. He practiced dueling with his father and studied his best moves but could not enter any Tetonic competitions. Outsiders were not allowed; it was a tribal law.

Inside Kahn’s box was an oak walking stick, handcrafted by Khan. It had a knob handle on one end and a black marble stone wedged into the foot. It had a leather strap, colorful feathers attached to the grip, and Toof's name carved into the shaft. It was just like his dad's. "I love it!" Toof's eyes were sparkling with joy. “Thank you!” "I’m happy you are here. I am proud of you," Kahn said. "Thanks, father, but you will never beat me again," he said with a cunning smile. Toof finally had his very own cudgel. Sparring matches together had become very competitive. Toof's hard work was paying off. He pretended to be battling Sage and winning the Tetonic title or fighting Deekay and saving his mother in their friendly duels. "They won't laugh at me anymore," Toof said as he whipped it around his back, twirled it in the air, and made his father's double-stutter, step-back, reverse jabjab move. "A little quicker, and you have it, son." "Sage will run away like a frightened rabbit," Willow said. "Fight only if necessary," Kahn said. "That is rule number one." "Let’s eat. Blow out your candles," Willow said as she carried the cake Khan had baked that morning. "What do you wish for?" "I can't tell you, or it won't come true," he said. They were having fun until Willow heard a strange sound from outside. She turned to look out the window, gasped, and dropped the cake. "Ahh!" she cried SPLAT! Apple crisp and cream covered the floor. "What's the matter?" Toof said.

“Look!” Willow said, pointing at a fly-eyed monster, the size of a sparrow, with sharp teeth. It was on the porch looking at her through the window. Soon it would be coming in the door.

Chapter 13

DROLLS EVERYWHERE! — Kahn opened the door and peered down to Tetonic Center. Toof opened the window and looked toward the lake. Willow coughed as a putrid smell drifted into the room. “Smust!" “Really?” Willow said as her eyes teared up from the stench. “Oh my gosh! “Deekay is here,” Toof said. “Yes,” Kahn said calmly. He ed the smell from that day on the beach when his family was torn apart and when he arrived in Terpek’s village. Toof jumped into action and raced to the side of the tree. He cut a snaggle-cord and called others to do the same. Lower the nets!" he said. "Defend Tetonic!" Kahn shouted to elders n the courtyard below. "Hide!" Willow cried to her friends. Drolls were already winging through the dense foliage and landing in the square. "Sound the alarm,” Toof yelled to Thorn. Sprites grabbed their cudgels and gathered in Tetonic Center as older elles melded in place. Mothers picked up their young ones and ran to their homes. The youth at the lake heard the warning horn but were swarmed before running away. “Help! Help! Mommy!” The invaders flew through the village so fast that the nets fell useless to the ground. They were not designed for such a large-scale attack.

Fairies with bows and arrows loaded and shot one arrow after another at the flying monsters. Those with cudgels stood back-to-back and fought gallantly but didn't stand a chance. The Tetonics were overwhelmed. A hundred drolls buzzed through the smog, snatching fairies and flying away. Screams grew louder as panic set in. They easily entered fairy homes; they did not have locks. They never needed them before. Toof and Willow watched from the window as Kahn leaned against the door, cudgel in hand. Deekay shrieked from the treetops as smust fell like black rain all over Tetonic. "Search every home! He's hiding somewhere." "What was that?" Willow said. "Deekay," Toof replied. "Stay close to me," Kahn said, twirling his cudgel in his hand. "I won't let him take you this time." "Let's put these sticks to use," Toof said, twirling his gift just like his dad. "Willow, no matter what happens, meld." "I will fight with you," she said, picking up Kahn’s guitar. A moment later, a hairy droll, one of the gremlin's ugliest fly-faced guards, tried to enter their home. Toof and Kahn slammed themselves against the door crushing the droll's arm, and it flew away, whimpering. "Ouch!" Two more intruders immediately took its place and barged in, splintering the wood door. Kahn clobbered the first, spun him around, and nudged him over the railing to the forest floor below. Toof matched the second intruder swing for swing, wooden stick versus metalnail, crashing into the kitchen table and chairs. "Get out of my house!" he cried as they dueled. Willow wrapped her long wings around herself and quickly became invisible. She inched her way along the wall, blending into everything as she snuck up behind the intruder. When she got close, she smashed Kahn's guitar over its

head. Then, Toof poked him out the door and over the railing, just as his father had done a moment earlier. "Sorry about your guitar, Mr. Kahn," Willow said. "It's okay. I'll make a new one." When a third invader tried to climb in the window, the two friends tossed paints at him, covering him in greens and blues. "Yuck!" he cried, as a cup of red paint landed in his mouth. Willow poked him in the nose with Toof's new paintbrush. "Ouch! That hurts!" it cried before leaping away. All three fairies fought as hard as possible until Plaak landed at the door. His roar shook the tree. His fangs, brown and sharp, were smiling at them as he stepped into the treehouse. "Arrrrrrr!" Kahn swung his club, but it bounced off Plaak's hard head and snapped in half. The dragon grabbed Kahn with one claw and reached for Willow with the other. She melded and disappeared, but not fast enough! Plaak knew where she was standing and seized her. Her arms and legs were flailing as it turned to leave. "Let them go!" Toof cried as he lunged at the monster and cut a hole in one of its wings. Plaak yelped in pain but still hopped onto the deck. "Noooo!" Plaak growled as he struggled to lift off with a torn wing. Again, Toof lunged, but this time he slipped on his birthday cake as the little dragon rose into the air. He tossed his birthday stick like a spear, but it bounced off, and, in a cloud of smutty-haze, they were gone. "No! Come back!" he cried, struggling to his feet. Toof watched helplessly as Kahn and Willow were flown over the treetops. He wanted to follow but wasn't fast enough. Flying like a butterfly is no match for dragon speed—even an injured one.

"This can’t be happening,” Toof cried, seeing the sky full of drolls. His heart sank, and his lip quivered in fear, or perhaps it was anger. Toof was alone, and Deekay was outside. The attack raged on as drolls chased fairies all over Tetonic Center, laughing and growling. When anyone tried to flutter away, they got caught. Melding didn't work either. Deekay was on to that trick. "Sprinkle smust everywhere," Deekay ordered. "When they sneeze, grab them." Tetonics were not used to such a dreadful stench. When Toof heard someone land on his porch, he slid under his father's bed and melded into the floor. A droll entered and sprinkled smust all over the house, but Toof didn't cough or sneeze. After all, he had grown up on Blebble Mountain. "No one here, master." "Keep looking." Soon, Tetonic fell silent. Everyone had been captured. Tears rolled down Toof's cheeks as he crept to the window and peeked outside. The village was destroyed. A layer of soot coated everything. Then, his tooth started to tingle. "Oh, no. Not now, please," Toof said to himself. Toof stuffed a cloth in his mouth and bit down hard. He cupped his hands over the cloth to muffle the melody, but it was no use. It was the wrong time for a sweet song, maybe even the worst. The chimes echoed through the village, and it did not take long for the gremlin to land in his doorway. "Hello, big tooth. I've been looking for you," Deekay said, arms crossed. His claws were glistening in the sunlight, and he was standing on Toof's birthday stick. "Get away from me,” Toof said, boldly. "Nice seeing you, too. Your music brought me here. Without it, I never would have found this lovely little village so close to my home." "Return my friends!" Toof roared.

"Friends? Ha! They didn't sound like friends at the lake this morning.” "Leave me alone." "Sorry, Toofie. You belong to me," Deekay said, stepping into the house. "No, I don't," Toof said as he slammed the splintered door on the Deekay's foot, snapping off his big toenail. "Ouch! Not again!" the bully cried out in agony, clutching his toes. Hopping on one foot, the gremlin ripped the door off and threw it outside. "Back off, Deekay. I don't want to hurt you." "Come here, you foolish, flighty fairy." Toof had never used Fuddle's cudgel. Although it was petrified and hardened like stone, he never wanted to scratch it. Instead, he hung over the doorway in a place of honor. With nowhere to run, and following Fuddle’s advice, Toof plucked the cudgel from above the door and swung. His blow landed on Deekay's helmet, breaking off his horn. BOING! In all of his battles, the gremlin had never been struck so hard. Dazed and wobbly, Deekay rubbed his head. "Lucky swing," he said as his eyes spun in their sockets. With the exit blocked, Toof tried to squeeze out the window, but Deekay grabbed his leg and pulled him in. Toof turned quickly and smashed the super-hard cudgel on the monster's foot again. This time, on his pinky toenail. "Ouch! Stop that! What is it with your family and my toes?" When Toof swung again, the gremlin blocked the blow and held Toof tight. "You will not escape again." "Put me down!"

"Stop yelling. Your mother is waiting for you," Deekay said, wrestling Fuddle's petrified cudgel from Toof's hand. "Wow. I like this weapon. I'm keeping it." Toof was the last in a long line of fairies brought to the mountaintop that morning. As he neared the peak, another sweet melody rang from his tooth. Everyone on the summit heard it. Kahn's heart sank. Garstina, helping Tetonics with warm clothing, heard it too. Her heart raced. Fate, and a horrible gremlin, had brought them together again.

* * *

CHILDREN LAUGHING — Dressed in summer clothing, the Tetonics huddled together for warmth at the top of Crown Mountain. Their wings retracted in the frigid air, and they choked on filthy smog. After releasing Toof into the snow, the purple monster landed on his balcony and hopped inside. "Ouch! Eeech! Ooooh! My toes are killing me," he whined. This prison was bigger than Colsore's. It had more cabins, and the Finery building was gigantic. Deekay's home was a stone castle, and the mine had a large door that kept the snow from blowing inside. Everything had been built by the fairies trapped here. More than a thousand, all in torn clothing and old rags, were trapped here. If Toof thought life on the old mountain was terrible, Crown Mountain was worse—hideous! "Toof! Toof!" Garstina cried, pushing through the Tetonics. Behind her were Toba, Tincy, Redi, Ping, Hidee, and many others from Blebble Mountain. "Mother!" Toof said while being smothered in kisses. "Father is here." Then, Kahn stepped forward. It had been more than two hundred years since they had seen each other. "Is it really you?" Garstina said, pinching her husband's arm. "I did not know where to find you," Kahn whispered in her ear. "We were leaving tomorrow…" He didn't finish his words, just shook his head in disbelief. "We're together now,” Garstina said, kissing him and tying her scarf around his neck. “Yes. That's all that matters," Kahn said as he pinched her cheeks. “I love you.” “I know,” she replied. “You are a lucky sprite.”

“Oh good. You haven’t changed.” Kahn tickled her, and they giggled together as if no time had ed at all. Toof smiled at seeing his parents play, but he was already looking for a way off the mountain. "He can't hold us," he said. "Not us," Kahn said, forcing a smile. Garstina wasn't so sure. "He works us day and night," she said. "I'm sorry I left you, mother,” Toof said. "Don't be silly. You couldn't stay. And you found your father!" The gremlin hobbled onto his balcony with his foot wrapped in a big white bandage and addressed the Tetonics shivering below. "Welcome. You belong to me now." "Arrrrrr!" Plaak sneered, showing his fangs. "Making smust is your job,” Deekay roared. “Do it well, and you will live. Put them to work!" "Bbuuut Masta," Plaak said, reminding his owner of something important to tell the new prisoners. "Oh yes. It slipped my mind. Attention! I have exciting news,” Deekay said. “All of the new sprites will go to a mountain near the top of the world. It is beautiful there! Magnificent views. Plenty of work for everyone.” Both villains delighted in seeing the reactions to this announcement. "What? What did he say?" Sage said. Only now did he realize that Toof had been telling the truth about gremlins. Fear was on his face. "He’s splitting us up," Willow said. "No, that can't be," Garstina said, shaking her head.

"Humans call it Denali," Deekay said. "It is the tallest mountain on this side of the world. We will triple production! You leave in three days." Chief Thorn had heard enough. He stepped forward and spoke directly to the gremlin. His wife, Rose, held his arm and showed her courage too. "Mr. Gremlin. Release us. We have done you no harm," Thorn said. Deekay did not permit rebellion, no matter how small, and flew to the couple. "Troublemakers!" he said. "Too old! Seize them!" "No, Deekay, don't do it," Toof begged. He knew the eaters would be summoned next. "Silence!" Deekay roared. "They have you to thank for this.” “Me? What?” “Yes. If you did not escape, I never would have found this village. I would not have all these new workers, and I would not be ready to attack humans,” Deekay said, stroking his pointy chin, smiling a creepy grin. “So, Toofie, you have helped me a great deal.” The eaters stepped toward, and their creepy grins made everyone cringe. "Time to retire," Vitus said. "And have a good meal," said Ginja rubbing his tummy. "Help them!" Willow pleaded. The Tetonics tried, but Deekay's guards, still dressed for battle, pressed through the crowd and seized the old couple. Thorn peacefully motioned to his friends and touched his heart. "Be strong," he said. "I love you all," Rose followed, bowing and touching her heart, too. A moment later, the proud couple was lifted into the clouds and gone.

"Bring me Toof," roared Deekay. Standing with Toba and his parents, Toof's knees buckled. Something was welling up inside that he could not control. It was the first time it had happened since skiing with Kisme. His tooth rumbled, static followed, then a child spoke clearly. "Mommy! Mommy! Look what I have!" a little girl said. The Tetonics were stunned. "Ha! Ha! Ha!" the child giggled sweetly. Somehow, Toof knew it was an Irish lass named Noreen, who lived in a place called California. "Who dares to laugh?" Deekay said, looking for the culprit. He picked up Sage with one claw and demanded an answer. "Tell me!" Shaking in fear, Sage pointed at Toof. When Plaak reached for him, Kahn knocked away the dragon's claw and blocked his advance. "Don't touch my son!" "Arrrr!" "It's okay. I’ll go." Toof said. He didn’t want his father to get hurt. "You're not laughing now, are you, Toofie?" Deekay said, towering over his music maker. "Play me some music. Sing!" All eyes were watching Toof, but nothing happened. The only sound anyone heard was the whistling wind over the summit and distant hammering from inside the mineshaft. Toof nervously glanced around until he noticed a window with metal bars in the basement of Deekay's castle. Inside, a sad face was staring out. It was Colsore. Then, his tooth rattled, and chimes rang until interrupted by another's child's voice. "Ola mama, my tooth fell out." It was another little girl, Eva, from an island called Puerto Rico. "What was that?" Deekay said, holding his ears in agony.

He hooked onto Toof's shirt and lifted him to his scaly face. Staring into his mouth, he asked, "Who is talking? Humans? Children? I hate children!" Toof shrugged his shoulders, bit his lip, and nodded. At the top of Crown Mountain, the signal was more clear than ever. When another child spoke, Deekay had heard enough. He hoped that Toof would sing for him, but he would not allow children's cheerful chatter broadcasting on his mountain. Laughing had already been banned. "What happened to you, Toof? Where has all the music gone?" he said. "Gag him!" Plaak forced a thick wad of cotton into Toof's mouth. "If you cannot sing for me, you must go. Take Toof away! I never want to see him again," Deekay said. Toof looked to his parents but could not utter a word. The cotton had already frozen in his mouth, so his eyes spoke for him—he was scared. "Deekay, no! Have mercy," Garstina pleaded. "Please don't do this." The gremlin wasn't listening. As Plaak wrapped twine around Toof, Kahn rushed to his rescue and slammed into the dragon, knocking him to the snow. But drolls quickly pulled him off. A moment later, just like Thorn and Rose, Plaak lifted the blue-haired fairy into the clouds and disappeared from sight. Sage and the Tetonic youth were not making fun of him now. Toof was gone. "Put them to work!" Deekay said. "I need to soak my toes."

* * *

A HOT AIR BALLOON — Toof was dizzy twirling below the flying dragon. If he could get the frozen cotton out of his mouth, he could breathe again. As they flew down the mountainside, his back warmed, and his wings emerged. One was caught under the rope. The other was not. Toof flapped his freed wing and swung from side-to-side under his captor. He landed on Plaak's back and untied his hands with one big thrust. The monster tried to shake him off, but Toof rode him like a bucking bronco. Toof pushed at the frozen wad in his mouth with his tongue until it came loose. Then, he pulled himself to Plaak’s face and spit it into his eye. PITTOOIE! "Ouch!" Plaak yelped. "Put me down!" Toof said as another child spoke. "Stop the voices!" Plaak cried as he rubbed his eye with one paw and tried to cover both ears with the other. "It's creepy." "Lizzy! You can talk?" Toof had never heard Plaak say a "real" word before. "Of course, I can talk. I choose not to. And don't call me Lizzy!" "Why?" "I eat better as a pet… and my name is not Lizzy! Be polite." "Oh my goodness, you faker. Put me down," Toof said. "No. Turn off those voices. They're worse than fingernails on a seashell." "Oh yea, you asked for it." Toof was fed up, so he reached under the dragon's shirt and stroked his armpits with his fingertips. "Tickle, tickle, tickle." Plaak squirmed, giggled, bucked, and kicked. He had never been tickled before.

This was the first time ever, and he did not like it. "Stop it! Ha, ha, ha. Stop it. I'll do anything!" "Where do they take old fairies? Tell me!" Toof was not going to be pushed around any longer. He was fighting for his life as he clung to the dragon's back. "I don't know! I don't ask. Ha, ha, ha. Please stop tickling me. Please!" Plaak cried. "Okay, I will. How do you like this?” Toof said as he tugged at the wing he had speared earlier that day. "Ouch! Hey, that hurts! Tickle me instead." The two were looping in circles when a hot air balloon appeared in the distance. Plaak was too busy laughing, crying, rubbing his eye, and covering his ears to notice the floating contraption drifting closer and closer. They were on a collision course. WHAM! They crashed into the basket hanging below the balloon. Plaak’s head was stuck in the wicker as his feet and tail flailed wildly. The men in the floating contraption watched in amazement as Toof, still wrapped in twine, grabbed two pieces of wicker and jumped into the sky. Toof plummeted toward earth with one wing caught under the twine and the other pointing straight up. He looked like a bird with stiff wicker wings. "Hmm. That gives me an idea," Orville said, witnessing this strange sight. "Me too!" said his brother, Wilbur. When the brothers landed, they immediately went home and closed their bicycle shop. They immediately built a flying machine with stiff wings and a tail that stood up, that looked just like Toof. Later, after a few modifications, they became quite famous for their flying invention, but this is not their story. It is Toof’s. Toof was in trouble, rocketing toward earth wrapped in twine. When his wicker

wings snapped and he tumbled out of control toward the ground. “Help!” he cried. “Help!” Luckily, a friendly hawk, seeing his distress, swooped in to help. Toof landed on its feathers and held on with all his might. But, as the bird prepared to land, it turned too quickly, and he slipped off, crashing through a leafy tree. Bang! Snap! Thud! Then, everything went black.

PART 4

— PIXIE DUST • BATTLE OF THE BARN —

In three days, the sprites on Crown Mountain will be separated from their wives, mothers, and sisters and sent far, far away. Toof’s father, too.

Chapter 14

A GIRL NAMED PIXIE — Toof landed on a sleeping dog. Dukie yelped, jumped, and shook its fur as if it had just gotten out of a bath. That sent the sprite hurtling through the air once more. Ka-plunk! He landed hard a second time. "Ahh! My goodness. What is this?" An eight-year-old girl was astounded at what just plopped into her lap. She immediately cupped her hands around the creature to prevent it from flying away. She assumed that it was a fairy from the forest. After all, it was about four inches tall, had wings, and paint smudged on its face. “Ouch,” Toof moaned, rubbing his throbbing head, unsure of where he was. When his vision cleared, the first thing he saw were two gigantic legs. One was stretched out straight, wearing a fat white boot with toes sticking out. The other was bent from the knee with its foot, resting in the grass, wearing a shoe. When he rolled over, a giant was staring at him. Her smile put him at ease. “Arf! Arf!" A dog barked and poked its face over the little girl’s lap, sniffing. "Hi, boy. Yes, I am okay," Toof said, with a canine growl and petting its big, wet nose. The little girl giggled at this fairy talking to her pet until it spoke in a language that she understood. "I think I crashed into that," Toof said, pointing at the hot air balloon floating away in the sky. His thoughts were still jumbled from the fall. "You can talk?” The girl said, gently removing the twine tangled around his little body. “Do you have a name?" "I am Toof," he said, as his wings receded into his back. "Where am I?"

"Grampa’s house. I'm Pixie. I live here. Are you injured?” “I don’t think so,” he said, holding her thumb to steady himself, still dazed from his fall. “Are you injured,” he asked, pointing at her bandaged foot. “No. I’m okay. I fell off a pony. Broke my ankle,” Pixie said in a whisper. It was then, out of the blue, that Toof ed everything that happened that day, and his tone changed from pleasant to troubled. "My parents are trapped!” He said urgently, still rubbing his head. “Everyone is! I need help." "Shhh! Quiet." Pixie placed a finger to her lips and looked around as if not to be heard. She struggled to stand. “Let’s go to my room,” she said. “We can talk there. Shhh.” Pixie left her crutch under the tree and carried Toof to the kitchen. As she reached the door, her brother called to her from atop his pony near the barn door. "Whatcha got there, Pix?" he asked. Pete was two years older, but he played with his sister most days because there were no other kids this far out in the valley. "None of your beeswax," she snapped. “Hey! You don’t have to be rude. Grandpa! She’s mean.” Puzzled at his granddaughter’s response to a simple question, the old man stopped chopping wood and politely asked, “Can I see that thing you’re holding, little lady?” "Later, grandpa. I got to go," Pixie said. "Go where, honey?" “To the bathroom.”

The old man nodded. Grandpa was a patient soul that lived with the children at the ranch. With their parents away for the week, he was teaching them to fish, milk cows, and gather eggs from his chickens. He especially loved answering their most important questions. “Okay, dear,” he said. Inside the house, Pixie climbed the stairs faster than ever before. Once in her room, she placed Toof on her bed. As she nervously wiggled her loose tooth, a soft melody filled the room. She knew that was odd, but meeting a talking fairy wasn't normal, either. Maybe it means he's hungry, she thought. "Let’s clean up and have lunch," she said. "Thank you," Toof replied. A few minutes later, he floated in warm water with soap bubbles in the bathroom sink. Pixie laid his clothes on the windowsill in the sun to dry, and Toof dried off with a hand towel. Pixie searched her dolls for an outfit that might fit her visitor. In the privacy of her room, Toof recounted what happened that day. "My gosh, he is a terrible gremlin!" Pixie was flabbergasted. She had just learned that Toof's parents, and many other little creatures, were trapped on the mountain she saw from her window. “He’s the most wicked villain in the whole world,” Toof said. “You are safe with me,” she said. They talked until grandpa called her for dinner. "I'll be right back. Don’t let my brother see you," she said as she closed the door. Pixie ate quickly and returned to her room with bread and peas smushed into her pocket for her friend. She carried a half glass of milk and a cookie, too. "Will you help me save my parents? They are up there," he said was pointing out the window at Crown Mountain. Pixie was much bigger than Deekay and could easily crush him under her big,

heavy cast, he thought. "Of course, I will," she said. "Yea! Great!” Toof cheered and fluttered all over the room. He was thrilled to have a giant on his side. “Thank you, Pixie. You’re the best.” That night, grandpa tucked Pixie in, said a prayer, and blew out the candle on her nightstand. With hope in his heart and exhausted from a long day that began at the lake, Toof slept in a bed Pixie prepared in her dollhouse. He dreamed about his new friend squashing Deekay and freeing his mom and dad. It was a wonderful dream. Pixie did not rest so easy. She regretted making a promise she could not keep. Climbing the tallest peak in the entire range was impossible!

* * *

READING GOLD — The next morning, Pixie was wiggling her loose tooth and watching Toof sleep. Soft chimes filled her room. If she stopped, so did they. When Rupert, the old rooster, crowed "Cock-a-doodle-doo," from the barnyard, Toof awoke. "Good morning. Want some breakfast?" Pixie asked. "No, thank you. I'm ready to go," Toof said. "Go where?" "Up there," he said, pointing at the mountain. "That's very far away," she said, as she cleaned her room, pretending to her promise. "You promised to help me," he said, landing on her shoulder. "I need to think." "We don't have time. My father is going to Denali soon, wherever that is." At breakfast, Pixie learned from grandpa that Denali was in Alaska and even taller than Crown Mountain. When she returned to her room, Toof was not happy to hear that news. "You promised," he said. Pixie was so afraid to hurt her little friend, she told another fib. "Don't worry. I'll figure it out." At lunch, grandpa knocked on her door. "Are you okay in there?" he asked. "Yes, gramps, I'm fine," she said. Later, her brother jiggled the door handle. "Coming to dinner?" Pete asked.

"I'm not hungry." "What's going on, Pix? You've been in there all day. Are you sick?" "Nah, just tired." "Can I come in?" Her brother never went into her room when the door was closed. Everyone needs privacy, and he didn't want her coming into his room either. "Go away!" She was not telling anyone about her secret friend. After dinner, grandpa put a bowl of chicken soup, bread, and a glass of cider on Pixie's desk. "Eat something," he said. "Tomorrow, fresh air and exercise, okay?" "Yes, sir." "I'll be back to tuck you in." "Not tonight, grandpa. I'll do it myself." "Okay, dear. Say your prayers," the old man said, closing the door with a click. "Good night." Pixie and Toof ate dinner together as the moon's light reflected off the mountaintop outside. "I can't believe how close we are," he said. "It looks close, but the top is very far away," she said, then changed the subject. "Can you read?" "I don't think so. What is reading?” "It's fun. I'll show you." Pixie picked up her favorite picture book titled “Golden Crown.” She was excited to be a teacher and wiggled her loose tooth as she read. A soft melody filled the room as she pointed to each word. Toof, sitting on her lap, followed along.

"Above a western valley stands a mountain very tall— Covered by snow, under thick ice, inside a granite wall— Lay stones so lovely that thousands once came— Across the nation, too many to name— Riches were found by men and boys— The peaceful valley became bustle and noise— They scoured the hills and panned river flows— For valuable stones that sparkle and glow— Hunks were gathered from the prairie floor— Many more hid inside, near the mountain's core— When all the gold was taken from the riverbeds— People stopped searching; they did not look overhead— For legends say that a tunnel runs deep— Too small to enter, near its tallest peak— Hidden in clouds, protected by the cold— The only way to reach a heart of solid gold— Today, no one looks for riches visiting Tuskador— They hike the woods, fish the streams, and shop in its stores— For the gold rush is over. It is peaceful here again. Crown Mountain guards the valley like an old and trusted friend—"

They read this book many times until Toof knew it by heart. That night, he learned how letters form words, words make sentences, sentences become stories, and stories make books. "You did it!" Pixie cheered. "You can read." "You know what? I think Fuddle's sign said 'Welcome,’" Toof said. “And there is a tunnel up there and lots of gold." "Gold? Are you sure?" Pixie asked. "Yes. We toss it away. Deekay only wants the blebbles to make smust." "People don't need smust but love gold," Pixie said. "We trade it for money. We can buy a hundred pencils with one little piece. It makes pretty jewelry, too." Toof was intrigued. He knew where to find thousands of big pieces. "If I can get you gold, will you help me?" he asked. "I cannot walk that far," Pixie finally itted. "Will Pete do it?" Toof was desperate. "No! He'll trap you like a firefly. Talking fairies are more valuable than gold." "How about grandpa? Does he need gold?" "I don't know," she said. "Will you ask him? My parents are in danger."

* * *

RATEEN — The next morning, Toof looked like a porcupine. His bed-head hair was sticking up from a restless sleep. "Funny hair!" Pixie said, holding up a mirror. Toof didn't laugh. He just let it be. "Will you speak to grandpa today?" "Yes, after breakfast. Let's go to the barn first," Pixie said. Outside her window, someone was listening. A stylish mouse had been following Pixie for weeks and watching her every move. It had been hiding in the bushes near the big tree when Toof landed on Dukie. It followed her when she took Toof to her room and saw everything. Whenever he fluttered to the window, it hurried to the drainpipe to avoid being caught. Rateen was a tooth mouse, just like his ancestors. He wanted to snatch Pixie's tooth as soon as it fell out. It will be the first tooth he finds all by himself. When he saw Toof's tooth, he wanted that, too. "I wonder if it's loose," the mouse thought. Yesterday, a chipmunk stopped by his den and told him about flying monsters that had attacked Tetonic village. Bad news travels quickly in the forest. Rateen wanted to meet Toof and ask about that event. Today he would try.

* * *

HIDE 'N SEEK — Also listening outside Pixie's bedroom was her brother. With his ear pressed against the door, Pete heard whispers. "Is someone in there with you?" he asked. "Don't be silly. Get away from my door." Pete was perplexed. Last week, his sister was begging to play with him, now she stayed in her room, talking to herself. "Can I come in?" "No." "Grandpa says you need to play outside." " I'm coming,” Pixie said as she opened her door dressed in a long raincoat, galoshes, and a smile. “Good morning.” "Why are you wearing that? It's not raining," Pete said. "Why are you wearing shorts?" she replied, annoyed at his question. "Cause it's a hot summer day,” he said. "Morning, grandpa,” Pixie said, walking through the kitchen. “Expecting a storm?” he asked. “Nah. Just getting fresh air and exercise,” Pixie said as she stepped outside. “Is something going on?" Grandpa asked Pete as the boy grabbed a donut. "Yup, and I'm going to find out what it is. Hey, Pix wait up,” he yelled as he ran after her. “You want to play something?"

"How about hide n' seek… for a dollar?" she said, as they entered the barn. "Okay. Find this ball if you can. Cover your eyes,” her brother said, taking on her challenge. Pete tiptoed around the horse stalls while watching his sister closely to see if she was peeking. He slipped his baseball under a pile of straw near the door, ran around her three times, and climbed to the loft. "Open your eyes," he said. "Is it up there? You know I can't climb the ladder with a broken foot." "Nope. Down there. I'll count to a hundred. You find it, you win. Ready? Go. One, two, three, four…" Pixie turned her back to her brother and whispered to the sprite riding inside her pocket. "Did you see where he put it?" "It's under the chickens," Toof said. Giggling, Pixie pretended to search the barn and won the game at the last second. "Found it!" "You peeked," Pete said. "Do it again. Double or nothing." He lost again, and when he lost a third time, he owed his sister four dollars but only had one. "Four dollars, please," she said. "One more time for eight." He was sure she couldn't keep winning. "Make it ten.” "I don't have ten dollars." "Then pay me the four you owe me right now." "Okay, ten dollars," he said. "But only thirty-seconds." This time, Pete blindfolded his sister with a scarf and put the horse's feed bag over her head. He made her crouch down, hold her head between her knees,

cover her ears and count to fifty out loud. Watching her closely, Pete tiptoed around the barn, rattling doors and jangling shovels and rakes. He was making noises in every corner to throw her off. When he was satisfied that he had found the perfect hiding place, he spun her around five times, removed the bag covering her head, and untied the blindfold. "Your thirty seconds start now," he said. "One, two, three…" Pixie didn't waste a second. She wobbled past him, across the barn to the third stall, swung the door open, and reached under a horse blanket to find old overalls hanging on a hook. "It's in there," Toof whispered. "Thanks," she giggled. In the back pocket was the ball. She tossed it to her brother before he reached thirty and walked out of the barn. "Ten dollars, please." Pete was dumbfounded. "How did you do that?"

Chapter 15

A TALKING DOLLHOUSE — Pete was more determined than ever to find out what was going on with his sister. When grandpa called them for dinner, Pixie went to the kitchen, but he did not. He waited in the parlor until she was seated, then raced upstairs and snuck into her room. Toof was sketching on the wall when the door opened. He jumped into a pile of stuffed animals and tried to meld. Looking around, Pete saw that everything was pretty much as it had always been, toys, books, and dolls. Only now, on the wall, was a sketch of a forest with creatures and animals that looked real! "Wow!" he said, marveling at the detail. “This is good. Too good.” A few days ago, she could only draw stick figures. “Who did this?” he wondered. When he moved to get a closer look, he was standing right next to Toof but did not notice him. The sprite was melding pretty well now. Watching through the window, Rateen worried that Toof might be caught, so he jumped into action. Squeezing through a hole in the screen, he scurried under the bed and across the floor. "SQUEAK! SQUEAK!" the mouse said. The boy lunged after the rodent sending dolls flying but didn't catch the critter. Toof used the distraction to flutter into the dollhouse and peer out a second-story window. Pixie was in the kitchen, eating when she heard the commotion coming from her room upstairs. She nervously began wiggling her loose tooth and, immediately, soft chimes played in her room upstairs. "What is that?" Pete said, hearing the melody. The boy got on his knees, looking for the source of the chimes. It was coming

from the dollhouse! Inside, he saw something move in the shadows and reached in to grab it but missed. "Squeak, squeak!" the mouse raced up the boy's arm and jumped onto the bed, to the nightstand, and out the window. "Ahhh. What is going on in here?” When Pete looked back, the shadow was gone. He was about to lift the roof off the dollhouse when the music stopped playing, and Pixie called him to dinner. "Come on, Pete! We're waiting for you." But her voice didn't come from the kitchen; it came from inside the dollhouse! A moment later, more nervous than before, still wiggling her tooth, she yelled again. "Get out of my room!" "What the heck!" Pete tumbled backward, banging his head on the bedpost. He raced into the hall, slamming the door behind him, and jumped down the stairs in two strides. He landed in a heap at grandpa's feet. "See a ghost?" the old man asked. Pete was too stunned to speak. Sitting at the table, the children silently studied each other until Pixie was sure Toof had not been discovered. " the butter, please?" she said innocently. "How did you…" Her brother did not finish his question. He did not want to be laughed at during dinner. Upstairs, once the coast was clear, Toof peeked out of the dollhouse and saw the mouse sitting on the floor. "Hi, Toof. I'm Rateen. Can we be friends?" "We already are," he said.

In the kitchen, Pixie was still wiggling her tooth, so her conversation was still broadcasting loud and clear in her room. Toof listened as the humans talked. Rateen didn't understand this language, so Toof did the translation. "Grandpa, do you believe in fairies?" Pixie asked. "Yes, dear. Why do you ask?" "Gee whiz, Pix. There are no fairies in modern times," her brother said. "Gramps believes, so do I." "He's just being nice." "My tooth is loose, grandpa," Pixie said. "Almost ready to fall out." "Save it, dear." Rateen's eyes widened, and he rubbed his paws together, thinking about Pixie's loose tooth. "It's a keeper," he squeaked. "Yes, and when she wiggles it, I hear everything," Toof said. "Probably because you are higher than she is," Rateen said matter-of-factly. "You see, her voice rises in the air, just like heat rises from a tooth." "Hmm. I never thought of that," Toof said. “You are brilliant, Rateen.” “Oh, no, I’m not brilliant. Just been around,” the mouse said, blowing on his paw and rubbing it on his chest proudly. No one had ever paid him such a wonderful compliment. At dinner, grandpa told stories about how different cultures celebrate children's first fallen teeth. The old man knew many important things. "Some people believe there is magic inside a child's tooth," he said. "In olden days, Vikings would string them to their ships for good luck. They believed it would bring them home safely from the sea. In China, they toss them on the roof or in the garden to bring good fortune. In old Europe, mothers tossed them into the fire and made wishes. Some say that, sometimes, firewood will float in the

air for a moment if you look closely. Like magic." "You know, there is magic in her tooth," Toof said. "Yes. It warms our dens," the mouse replied. "I know that. Ratoncito de Los Dientes Perez told me that himself," the sprite said. "You met the Tooth Mouse of Spain?" Rateen was impressed. "Yes, he knows me. We're friends." "I'm related to him! My grandfather was Issy Perez. He was from Spain, too." "I knew it! I see the resemblance," Toof said. Toof had always wondered where Issy had settled. As everyone knows, mice do not live long lives like fairies, so Toof was happy to hear that Rateen was following Issy's footsteps as a tooth mouse. "He was a good friend of mine," he said. “The best!” When the bedroom door opened, the mouse scurried under the bed. Pixie was carrying peas and carrots in her pocket—dinner for her friend. "Did Pete see you?" she asked. "It was close," Toof said, fluttering to her shoulder. "Rateen distracted him. Otherwise, I'd be in a pickle jar right now." "Who is Rateen?" she asked. Toof called to the mouse to come out, but he wasn't ready for such a meeting. “Squeak squeak! No way! I’m going home,” Rateen said, racing up the nightstand and slipping through the screen. He did not want to meet a human. They usually chase him with brooms. "Oh, my!" Pixie was astounded to see such a sight, but nothing was impossible anymore.

"He's the local tooth mouse," Toof said as if it was as typical as a dentist or a farmer. "Local what?" She asked. "Tooth mouse. It’s his job. It started in Spain." “Wow!” Pixie said. “There’s so much to learn about the little world.” “Yes, I’m learning more every day, too,” Toof said. As they sketched on the wall, Toof told her about everyone he had met on his journey. When it was time to brush her teeth, Pixie's tooth finally slipped out. Toof was riding in her pocket when a sharp B-flat rang in the upstairs bathroom. "Did you hear that?" Pete said. "I didn't hear anything." Pixie said, holding her tooth. Grandpa, standing at the doorway, carefully examined the fallen pearl. It was clean and white. "Probably loaded with magic," he said. Pete laughed so hard that water leaked from his nose. "Sure, grandpa, I have a whole mouthful of magic," he said, opening his mouth wide. "Look." Toof heard the word 'magic' again, and it gave him an idea.

* * *

MAGIC! — That night, Pixie set her tooth on her nightstand as Toof settled into her dollhouse bed. Grandpa said prayers, blew out the lamp and went to Pete's room to do the same. Toof couldn't sleep. Thoughts of his parents trapped kept him awake. His father and other sprites will be moved to Denali tomorrow, and there was nothing he could do about it. Rateen was outside the window, peeking in. He could not take his eyes off of Pixie's sparkling tooth on the end table. When all was quiet, he shimmied through the window. "Finally, it's mine!" he said as he snatched it. "No, Rateen. No!" Toof fluttered to the window to block his exit. "I thought you might steal it." "I need this tooth," the mouse squeaked, clutching the treasure to its chest. "But, it's not yours," Toof said. "Yes, it is! I have followed this girl for weeks waiting for this to fall out. It's the first tooth I've ever gotten on my own. I deserve it,” Rateen argued. Toof stepped forward and extended his hand. "You can't have it without Pixie's approval." “Yes, I can. Finders keepers. That’s how it works. It’s mine.” "Give it to me," Toof said, stepping forward, his hand out. Instead of handing it over, Rateen stepped back and stumbled off the nightstand and onto the bed. He fumbled the tooth into the air, and Toof caught it. "Ha. Thanks, Rateen," Toof said, grinning a wide smile. "Hey, that was a mistake. Give it back!" the mouse squeaked.

But Toof did not. Instead, he pointed over Rateen’s head. Pixie was awake and leaning on her pillow only inches from the mouse. "What's going on here?" she asked. "Ahhh!" Rateen squeaked. A human was staring right at him! The mouse raced to the window, slipped through the screen, and slid down the drainpipe. "I hate you, Toof!" he cried as he ran to the barn. "Sorry, we woke you, Pixie. Rateen wanted your tooth, and I stopped him." "I'm glad you did," she said. "I have an idea." "Me too." Simultaneously, they said one word: "MAGIC!"

Chapter 16

SPEED OF LIGHT — Pixie put on her robe, and Toof stood on her shoulder, holding her earlobe. The hallway was dark, and her brother's door was closed. They snuck downstairs to the sound of the crackling wood burning in the fireplace and grandpa's snoring. "Shhh. Don't wake him," Pixie said as she stepped into the dimly lit parlor. Grandpa was sleeping in his favorite chair with Dukie at his feet. A newspaper was balanced on his knees, and his spectacles had slipped to his chest. His false teeth were soaking in a glass of soapy water next to a kerosene lamp on the side table. "Wait for me," Toof said, fluttering to the hearth for a closer look. "Okay, toss it." The magic they were hoping to see was floating wood. Pixie counted to three and pitched her tooth into the flames. It landed under a burning log and quickly turned from white to red. Standing inches away, Toof heard a snap, crackle, pop as it got crispy. Then a log crashed onto the hot tooth, cracking it open. A large puff of sparkly golden powder fizzled out and covered the hearth. A pinch flicked onto Toof's shoulders, and he felt a warm tingle from his head to his toes. "Ahhh, choo," he sneezed. "Bless you," Pixie whispered. "I feel funny," Toof said, trying to shake off the sparkly dust. But as he did, his wings began to flap uncontrollably fast. They were almost invisible. Then WHOA! He raced around the room in a streak of light. First, Toof bounced off grandpa's glasses, then the lamp before crashing into a picture on the wall. He was out of

control, leaving contrails of sparks in his wake as he bounded around the parlor. Pixie tried to catch him, but Toof was too fast. Dukie ran to the kitchen, afraid, as grandpa stirred, and one sleepy eye opened. "Help me! Help, I can’t stop!" He cried. When he became entangled in Pixie's hair, she halted his wings from flapping and stepped into the hall. “Gotcha. Let’s go!” “Hold me,” Toof said. “I feel like a racehorse stuck at the gate.” Pixie managed up the stairs as quickly as she could with a broken foot. She closed her door and watched in amazement as Toof zipped around her at breakneck speed. "There is magic inside," he cheered. "Yahoo!" "You're so fast, you are a blur," Pixie giggled, wide-eyed with wonder. After a few more circles, Toof gained control of his turns and hovered in front of his friend, waving his arms wildly to find his balance. "Stand still,” he said. “I’ll land on your shoulder.” “Okay,” Pixie said, holding her hair to the side. As Toof came close, a hand reached out from the closet and snatched him out of the air—it was Pete!

* * *

RATEEN'S PEARLS — Her brother had snuck into her room while they were downstairs and saw everything. His hands were cupped around the flying mystery—and not letting go. "Aha! I knew it. Something is going on here," Pete said. "Put him down!" Pixie cried. "He's mine!" "No way. Tell me what this thing is, or I'll tell grandpa." The children were arguing nose-to-nose as Toof fluttered wildly in the boy's grasp, struggling to get free. When he saw a giant thumb, he bit down with his big tooth. "Ouch!" Pete yelped, loosening his grip. Toof flew off, buzzing around the bedroom like an angry wasp. Pete, afraid of being bit again, ducked and swatted wildly at the super-fast flyer, missing every time. Then, he watched as Toof landed softly on Pixie's shoulder and held onto her earlobe. "Hello, Pete," Toof said. "It talks!" The boy was stunned. "He is not an 'it.' He's a fairy," Pixie said. "Impossible! They don't …" Pete stopped himself in mid-sentence. A four-inch fairy with blue hair and a giant tooth was two feet away, smiling at him. "I have to tell Rateen," Toof said, dashing through the hole in the screen so fast that it fell off the house. The children jumped to the window to see Toof zoom over the horse corral in a blaze of light and make shimmering circles over the cornfields in the dark sky. The golden sparks faded away when he disappeared behind the barn.

"Maybe they do exist in modern times," Pete said. "Of course, they do," his sister said. "Everybody knows that." "And it talks?" "Yes. He talks." Pixie corrected him again. "Who is Rateen?" Pete asked after a long pause. "A mouse." "A talking mouse?" "Really? You know nothing," Pixie said mockingly. "Mice can't talk to us." Inside the barn, Toof patted Rupert on its head, and a few grains of sparkly dust rubbed off. The old rooster floated into the air and out the loft's open window. "Enjoy the ride," Toof said, then he raced to Rateen's den. When he entered, he saw two glowing teeth sitting in a nest of straw. They were the trophies Rateen treasured so much. "Those are fine-looking teeth," Toof said. "Gifts," the mouse replied glumly. "One is from Issy, and one is from the Tooth Mouse himself. I've never gotten one of my own. Tonight was going to be my first." "You'll find another." "Not likely. I had one in my hands, and you took it from me!" "I'm sorry, Rateen, but Pixie's tooth has magic inside." "I know that! It heats my home." "I mean, flying magic. I’m faster than the gremlin!" "Why do I care? I don't have wings," the mouse said.

Toof hoped they could still be friends and flew around the den to show off his light-speed. He stopped next to Rateen's two prized teeth to ire them, but the mouse was afraid he might take them. "Don't touch those!" "I'm not," Toof said. "Get out!" The mouse said, waving his paws in disgust. "You're no friend." "Forgive me, Rateen. I did not mean to hurt you." There was nothing more Toof could say, so he left and flew to the fireplace. Grandpa was awake and reading, so he waited until the old man went to the kitchen before scooping up the remaining sparkly dust from the hearth. Toof had a plan and needed every pinch.

* * *

A BIG DECISION — The sun was up, and the ranch hands were latching their horses to the hitching posts. The mail train was whistling its way across the valley toward Tuskador Station, and Rupert was crowing his regular wake-up call. This time, next to the weathervane on the barn's roof. Grandpa was stymied as to how the bird got up there. Rupert can't fly. "Fetch him down," he said to a worker. When they did, grandpa noticed a tiny sparkle on the rooster's head. He touched it, and his fingers tingled. When he looked at Pixie's window, he saw the children talking. "Can I play with him? I won't tell anyone," Pete asked. "Okay," Pixie agreed. "But not hide and seek. You cheated," Pete said. "Keep your dollars. I know where to get gold." "Oh yeah. Where? "I'm not telling you." Pete was flipping his silver dollar when Toof flew into the room. "Is your thumb, okay?" he asked. "Yes," the boy said. "I'm sorry I grabbed you." "I'm sorry I bit you," Toof said, inspecting the boy's sore thumb closely. It was nice to meet Pixie's brother finally. He wasn't so scary after all. "Wow! That powder makes you fly fast," Pixie said. "You're faster than light." "Faster than Deekay, too," he said.

Pixie knew that Toof wanted to free his parents and pleaded for him to stay with her. "Your wings will freeze up there. You told me they don't work in the cold," she said. "I'm so fast, I don't think they will get cold." But to be safe, Toof zoomed around the room and quickly tailored a flying jacket and tights from one of Pixie's dolls. He was not going to change his mind. "I have to go now. I don't know how long pixie dust lasts." "Pixie dust?" the children said together. "Yes. I'm naming it after Pixie. After all, it came from your tooth, Pix." Toof emptied all the pixie dust he had collected into a small pouch, strapped it to his waist, and jumped to the window. When he noticed that his friend was crying, he paused. "My parents need me," he said. "I must try to save them. "But you will be caught," Pixie said, fearfully, clasping her fists hastily in front of her face. "But Pixie. You can't climb that high. Pete can't either. Grandpa is too old, and Deekay is taking my dad to Denali. I must go before that happens,” Toof said, persuasively, nodding his head as if he knew he was correct. “Right?” With that, he kissed Pixie on her cheek and flew out the window. "I'll come back. I promise," Toof said before racing away in a flash. The children watched as his golden sparkles raced down the dusty lane and disappeared in the morning sky. Pete put his arm around Pixie as she sobbed. He had never hugged her like that before, but this was no ordinary occasion. "Who is Deekay?" Pete asked. "A gremlin,"

"Does he talk?... Oh, never mind." Pixie told her brother the whole story as they peered out the window. Both were worried that Toof might never come back. Outside, grandpa watched the sparkles zoom away from Pixie's window and down the road toward Tuskador. When it disappeared into the forest below Crown Mountain, he turned to see the children hugging. He was still holding Rupert and rubbing the golden sparkly dust between his fingers. "Hmm. What is this?"

Chapter 17

SOURI — With determination like never before, Toof raced to the summit with one quick stop in Tetonic Village. He needed something. Inside his tree, he found his father’s gift stuck to the floor with Apple Crisp and Cream cake. "I may need this," he said as he tied it to his hip. It was snowing at the peak when Toof arrived a few moments later. Hiding behind a boulder, layered in ice, he could see Deekay's castle, the Finery, the cabins, and the entrance to the mineshaft. Workers and drolls were everywhere. When he felt his tooth about to ring, he waited to see if a child would speak. And one did. "My tooth fell out, Mummy," a girl named Karen from Connecticut said. Toof now understood his tooth perfectly. It was picking up signals from children worldwide who were wiggling a loose tooth. When one fell out, he knew who they were and where they lived. The higher he was, the better the signal, like listening to grandpa in the kitchen when he and Rateen were upstairs. "That must be it," he said to himself. He spotted a tool shed next to the tunnel's entrance and pulled his scarf up to hide his face. As he prepared to jump into the air, Whitey slithered up from behind, looking for breakfast, and lunged at the sprite. Chomp! "Hssss!" It missed. Toof sped away so fast he created a white tornado that hid his movements. He landed behind a tool shed near the mine and peeked around the corner. A droll, in heavy winter clothing, leaning on his spear, was sleeping standing up. Fairies were sliding wagons full of gold hunks down the hill, and each hunk was

covered with blebbles. They carried them into the Finery, then pushed the empty wagons back up the slope to be refilled. Toof recognized some of the workers as Tetonics, and they looked exhausted. There were many more prisoners here than ever lived on Blebble Mountain. Toof realized he did not have enough pixie dust for everyone to escape. "What are you doing here?" A voice asked, tapping him on the shoulder. Toof lowered his scarf to talk. "Who are you?" "I am Souri," the elle replied. "Don't be sorry." "I'm not sorry. I am Souri, from India," she said, studying the stranger's colossal tooth. "You must be Toof. Deekay thinks you are dead." "Not yet," he said. "I've come to find my parents." "Very noble and very dangerous," she said. "Don't worry about me. I'm faster than the gremlin." Toof zoomed around the elle and touched her shoulder. His speed surprised her. "Very impressive, Mr. Tooth Fairy. But he is bigger and meaner than you." "He has to catch me first. Will you help me?" "Of course. Your father is in the mine," Souri said. "Follow me. And hide that tooth. It is a dead giveaway." Toof retracted his wings, pulled his scarf over his face, tucked his blue hair under his cap, and followed Souri around the shed. They ed a line of tired fairies walking into the mineshaft, past the guard. Inside, fire lamps lined the walls, and the deeper they hiked, the colder it became. When Souri shivered, Toof sprinkled one, teeny-tiny grain of pixie dust on her head to keep her warm. "Wow! What is that?" she asked, fanning herself as if on a hot beach. "I call it pixie dust. Do you like it?"

"Oh, yes! I am tingly all over," she said, grinning. They continued winding their way down to the deepest cave until they heard hammering coming from one lone sprite. "There he is," Souri said. In the dim light of a single lantern, Toof saw his father chopping at the cave wall. His clothing was torn and dirty, and he looked tired and weak. In his hands were a hammer and a chisel. "Someone is here to see you, Kahn," Souri said. "Hi, father," Toof said, stepping out of the shadows. The light reflected off his tooth, and Kahn rubbed his eyes. He did not believe what he was seeing. His son was standing in front of him! "I thought you were…" Kahn's words trailed off. "I got away," Toof said. "When Plaak returned with a swollen eye, I knew you had put up a fight, but…" "I'm okay. Really I am," Toof said as they hugged. "I've come to rescue you." Toof explained how his new friend had helped him discover a magic powder hidden inside a child's tooth. He demonstrated it by dropping a grain of pixie dust on Kahn’s head. It instantly warmed him— the first time since arriving on this mountain. The bruises on his body healed, too. "Jumping bullfrogs! I love your pixie dust," Kahn said. "Careful, dad. Too much, and you will bounce off the walls." Toof had a limited supply of pixie dust and didn't want to give his away too fast. He didn't know if a pinch would last a minute or a day. "We need to find mother," he said. “I don’t know where she is,” Kahn said. “We were separated after I pushed Plaak

into the snow.” For pushing his favorite pet, Deekay condemned Kahn to the mine's greatest depth. Here it was always dark, damp, and cold. He was not fed food and only drank water that leaked from the cavern walls. He was forbidden to come to the surface until they left for Denali. Garstina would be handed to Ginja and Vitus as dinner if he did. Some penalties are worse than death. "She must be in the Finery," Souri said. "Let’ go there," Toof said, without hesitation. On the way out of the mine, the three switched places with three old-timers worn out from hauling hunks of gold to the surface. "Take a break, fellows," he said and traded his new coat for one of their dirty robes. He gave each one grain of pixie dust, and the unexpected warmth was a big surprise. "Oh my! I'm warm again," the first cried. “What was that?” "I don’t know, but it smells spectacular," the second sprite said. "Apples and acorns! I feel like a kid," said the third. "It's called pixie dust, gentlemen," Toof said proudly. "More powerful than smust and renewable." "A renewable fuel?" Souri asked. "That is correct. All-natural and no smog," Toof added. Souri skillfully avoided guards as they moved toward to exit. The three went unnoticed into the daylight and ed others sliding wagons of stone down the slope to the Finery for processing. Thick black smoke, billowing from its chimney, polluted the air and turned the white snow grey. A droll, standing at the building's entrance, inspected every slab that came through the door. And he was mean! "What are you doing here!" it said upon seeing Kahn.

Before Kahn could answer, a child spoke from Toof's tooth. "It just slipped out, Daddy!" Maggie, a girl on a faraway island, said. She had just lost her tooth in the sand at Surfside Beach. “What was that? Don’t move!” The droll said, reaching for his whistle.

* * *

SMUST ROOM SKYLIGHT — Toof did not hesitate. He zoomed around the building in a blaze of light and scared the droll with “BOO” from behind. The guard jumped over the railing and landed headfirst in the snow. By the time he stood up, all three fairies had entered the Finery. "Pretty fast, son," Kahn said. "It reminds me of my race against the Pequots when I was your age. You see, they had a runner who was very…" "Tell me later," Toof said. “Let's keep moving.” "Okay. Don’t let me forget, that story is a good one,” Kahn said. “This way,” Souri said as she ducked under a long table that stretched into the next room. The three crawled past the legs of fairies, prying out blebbles from gold slabs on the table above. When they reached the end of the assembly line, they met others filling burlap sacks with blebbles. Each bagger was from a different country. "Toof? Is that you?" one said. It was Toba! "No time to talk. I'm looking for mom.” Toof said. "She's downstairs with Tincy. Grab a bag. Do what I do." Toof filled a sack with blebbles and followed his friend through a doorway. Souri and Kahn did the same. In the next room, older sprites tossed de-blebbled hunks of gold out a large window and over the cliff. "One, two, three, heave!" a droll said. "Yea! I win!" said another. "Come on, sprites. You throw like elles!" the first droll said, angry at losing the wager.

The guards were placing bets on who could toss the useless yellow hunks of stone the farthest. They were too busy to notice tresers walking right past them. Through the next doorway was a staircase to the Smust Room. A guard was stationed at the top of the stairs. Toba blocked its view as Toof, Kahn, Souri and other baggers slipped by and down the long stairwell. The lower chamber was cavernous and more organized than on Blebble Mountain. Down here, hundreds of fairies were tied to tables producing an enormous amount of smust. Tons of blebbles were being smashed, cooked, and pulverized every hour. It was hard to see anything in this haze-filled chamber. High on the ceiling was a skylight window that allowed smoke from the cookers to escape. The chimney wasn't big enough! Everything in the Smust Room smelled like rust, and the sound of fairies coughing was mixed with a constant thumping of hammers smashing blebbles into smust. Whomp! Whomp! Whomp! Two guards walked around the tables, inspecting the work. The prisoners were working hard just to stay warm. If blebbles were not pulverized to very-fine dust, all would be punished. Smust had to be lighter than pepper to work on Deekay's wings. "Mom is in here somewhere," Toof whispered. "We will find her," Kahn said. They stopped halfway down the stairs to scan the workers at each table. Toba saw his sister and pointed. "Over there," he said. "Your mother is next to Tincy." Toof didn't want to draw attention to himself, so he followed Toba to the floor. He walked across the room, delivering fresh blebbles to tables just like other baggers. When he arrived at Garstina's chair, he lowered his scarf. "Hi, mother. Quitting time." "Toof! How can it be?" she said, struggling to stand and kiss him.

"Time to leave, my dear," Kahn said, poking his head around his son. "Oh, my goodness!" Garstina exclaimed. “You too?” They kissed. Souri untied the rope latching her to the chair, then did the same for Tincy and the others at that table. An elle seated at the next table tapped on Toof’s shoulder. Her clothes were filthy, and her face smudged with grime, but Willow's smile was the same. "Toof, is that you?" she asked. "Willow, I'm so happy to see you," he said. "Me too," she said, as he untied her foot from her chair. Just then, Toof felt another tingle in his tooth. He knew that stopping the melody was futile. It was followed by another child's voice that broadcasted loud and clear. "Toof, can you hear me? Come home, Toof." Pixie said, but it was Pete who was wiggling his tooth! They were in the barn. The clucking chickens gave it away.

* * *

THE SKYLIGHT — Deekay was standing on his balcony, iring his empire, when he saw a flash of light zoom around the Finery. He marveled at the shimmer that trailed behind this speedy creature and ordered Plaak to surround the building. "Lock the doors. Capture the intruder.” "Arrr kay.” “No one gets out!” From the top of the stairs, Deekay saw a hooded fairy but did not know who it was. Work stopped as drolls rushed into the lower chamber. "Capture that creature! Deekay roared. Toof's knees buckled at the sound of the gremlin’s voice. He reached into his pouch and sprinkled a small pinch of pixie dust on Willow, Tincy, and Garstina, and their wings sprung to life. "Souri, take them up there," he said, pointing to the skylight. "We'll meet on the roof." "I will stay with you," Garstina said. "No, mother. I'll be there in a flash." The elles held hands, raced to the ceiling, and shimmied through the open skylight window. Hidee and Ping, both working at Willow's table, followed behind. "Steady as you go," Toof said. With drolls closing in on them, Toof sprinkled a handful of pixie dust over Kahn's shoulders.

"Distract the guards, father,” he said. “We need more time.” "I am on it," he replied, saluting his son before rocketing away in a flash. Unsteady at first, Kahn was a fast learner and mastered his new speed quickly. After all, he was a top scout and always the first chosen for dangerous missions. His experience paid off. He raced around the tables, untying fairies and spinning drolls in circles that tried to catch him. "Wow!” Toba said, witnessing the speed of pixie dust. “How can I help?" he asked. "Bring baggers to the skylight. I will meet you on the roof. Be careful, Toba. This powerful stuff,” Toof said as he sprinkled a dose of pixie dust over his friend's head. Toba winked as if to say, ‘don’t worry,’ then his wings raced, and he crashed into the wall and bounced into Toof's arms. “I love this dust!” Toba said, shaking off his wooziness. Once he got the hang of super-speed and lifted a bagger to the skylight. As one wiggled through, he went back for another. As drolls streamed in the Smust Room, Toof jetted around untying workers from their chairs. Kahn was ruining bags of smust by dumping them into the cooker as lights of speed were zooming to the skylight. The chamber was filling with thick smoke, blurring everyone's vision. There was so much pepper-fine smust in the air that chairs began floating into the air. Hundreds of workers helped in the mayhem by tossing blebbles at their captors. The Finery was in chaos. Then, more chimes rang out again, and two children spoke. The gremlin screeched in pain at hearing Alex and Oliver’s voices. Brothers, vacationing in York Beach, each lost a tooth at the Short Sand’s arcade, at the same time! Only now did Deekay realize who the super-fast treser was. "It's Toof! Catch him! Get the nets!" "Arrrrrr!" Plaak didn’t wait for a net. He jumped into action and flew straight at Toof.

But Toof jab-stepped so fast that Plaak missed him and crashed into floating chairs. When a bug-eyed droll flew to the skylight to block the exit, Toof caught up to him. With one ninja kick, he sent him bounding into a bowl of boiling blebbles bubbling on the stove. "Ouch, ouch, hot, hot, hot!" he cried, fanning his bum. Toof's speed dazzled the gremlin. "He's over there. Oops, now he's over there. Toss your nets!" Deekay roared. When Toof's tooth spoke next, it was a happy little girl named Christine from a town in New York. She just lost her tooth in a pool and was diving to the bottom to find it. “It’s in the deep end, guys. I’ll get it.” Apparently, she was an excellent swimmer for such a young human. "Ahhh! Gag him! Turn off those voices!" Deekay was in agony. As more and more guards poured into the chamber, Toof signaled to Toba and Kahn to get to the skylight. Toba wiggled through first. Then, Kahn pushed his son through the narrow opening. “Go Toof go!” he said. Once on the roof, Toof reached back to help his father. “Give me your hand,” he said, but Deekay had caught up. The gremlin clasped a claw over Kahn's mouth. They were struggling in the air on the other side of the glass. Kahn managed to kick away the wooden wedge holding the window open, and it slammed shut. Toof had escaped to the roof, but his father had not. "Get out of here!" Kahn cried as loudly as he could. "Get to the roof! Deekay roared. “He is getting away!" Toof knew that they would soon be overwhelmed, so he sprinkled the last of his pixie dust on everyone and jumped into the air. Holding hands, they streaked into the clouds leaving golden sparkles trailing behind.

"Don't let go," he said. "This will be a fast ride." In all, ten fairies made it to the roof— Garstina, Souri, Toba, Tincy, Redi, Ping, Hidee, Rekee, Willow, and Sage. With Toof leading them, they rocked toward the moon and pivoted sharply down the mountainside. They ed over Upper Plate Lake and skimmed over Woods Pond, roared up three hills, through Feather’s Orchard, circled around an old lollipop tree, past children playing kick-the-can on Doc Flynn's field, and down Rumley’s woodland before turning toward town. "Holy moly!" Garstina cried. "Scared, Mom?" "No. I love it!" She said. "Where's Dad?" "I'll go back for him." When they flew through in Tuskador Center, their speed caused a dust-devil that startled a horse tied to a hitching post outside The Cap & Crown Hotel. "Woo, easy boy," Toof said. As they circled the gazebo on the town green, his friends swung wildly behind him but held on. Then, Toof raced down the main road past Tartar Tavern, Cuspid Cakes, and Gums Candy Store and into the valley. Seconds later, they crossed railroad tracks, flew through a covered bridge over Jawbone River, and down a dusty drive. Toof was taking them to Pixie's house. A light was on in the barn, so he angled for the hayloft window. Inside, Pete was still wiggling his tooth. It was barely loose. "Where's Pixie?" Toof asked, landing in the boy’s palm.

Chapter 18

THE BIG RED BARN — At the summit, Deekay stood in the snow, watching contrails of golden sparkles fade away in the sky. He knew he had to act fast, or more fairies might go missing. Next to him, tied with a rope, Khan was kneeling in the snow. "How does he fly that fast?" the gremlin asked. "Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you," Kahn said. "If you do, I will let you live." "Nope." Deekay noticed a small spec of shimmer on the snow next to Kahn and touched it. It was warm, and he was intrigued. "What is this?” “I don’t know,” Kahn said. “Plaak! You lied to me,” Deekay roared. "Bbbuuut I…" Plaak stuttered as he genuinely believed that Toof had fallen to his death after crashing into the floating basket. "Follow them," Deekay said. "Learn where he hides. Do not fail me again!" "Arr kay!" The little dragon said. Plaak bowed to his owner and doused himself in smust. Flapping his little wings as quickly as he could, he sputtered into the air. He didn't think he had a chance of catching Toof. The sparkles in the sky had already evaporated. When he landed on the gazebo in Tuskador, he wondered if he should run away or return with more bad news. Neither was a good option.

But, luckily, pixie dust gives off a lovely aroma. So, Plaak followed the fragrance all they to the big red barn. He peeked in the window and saw the runaways relaxing on a bale of hay. A boy was feeding them bread and milk as a dog, a rooster, chickens, and a horse looked on with curiosity. Plaak saw Toof on a little girl's shoulder in the middle of the barn, holding her ear. He listened as the sprite recounted the events on the mountain. A mouse, looking through a hole, was listening too. "Did you hear me?" Pixie asked. "Loud and clear. Just like you were in the kitchen," Toof said. "Is this everyone?" she asked, looking around. "No. Many more are trapped up there." "How can we help?" "I need more pixie dust." "We've been looking all day," Pixie said. "Pete almost smashed grandpa's wooden teeth, but I stopped him. They're not real." “We asked the Keegan sisters fishing at the bridge if they had a loose tooth,” Pete said. “They thought we were nuts, but Kathy said she’d wiggle one out if it would help,” Pixie said. “That’s a good friend,” Toof said. "The best,” Pete said. “Then we rode to the dentist and begged for teeth. So he gave us an old skeleton skull from dentistry school.” "I pried its teeth out and smashed them on the street, but no pixie dust came out," her brother said. "Worth a try," Toof said. "But I think only first teeth have magic inside."

"I think so too," Pixie said. "That's why Pete was wiggling his." "Keep wiggling," Toof said. He knew he did not have enough pixie dust to go back for anyone. He only had the flakes remaining on his wings. "What do we do now?" Pixie asked. "Where is California?” Toof said. “A child there had lost a tooth. And, other places too. I need to find those children." "I have a map in my room," Pixie said. "Let's go." As they left the barn, a piece of straw floated down from the rafters. Plaak had heard their conversation and was on his way to the summit. "You're not making a fool of me again," he said to himself as he winged away.

* * *

SPEAKING BEAUTIFULLY — Deekay was not waiting for Plaak's report. He ordered his guards to lock all fairies inside the great cavity without lamps or blankets. It was pitch dark and bitter cold inside the mineshaft. The old gremlin was the last to enter. "Don't do it, son!" Colsore pleaded. "Play with your friends' dad. I have work to do." When Deekay locked the door, hundreds of voices fell silent. It was as if those souls didn't exist anymore. If they didn't get out soon, they would freeze. "Ginja! Vitus! Do not open this door, or I will feed you to Whitey," Deekay said. They nodded that they understood and gulped. With Whitey slithering somewhere under the snow, so leaned against the mine's door with spears in hand. If the snake lunged, they needed to be ready. Kahn looked on helplessly. Deekay had different plans for him. When Plaak arrived, he gave his report. "For goodness sake,” the gremlin interrupted. “Stop mumbling. I heard you playing with Whitey the other night. You can speak better than that." "Arrrr?" "Stop faking. I forgive you for letting Toof get away." "Reelee? Piinkeee cweer." "Yes, I pinky-swear. Now, tell me everything, as clearly as you can,” Deekay said slowly so that his pet would understand. "Arrr right. Here gooooezz,” Plaak said. “Toof is hiding in the big red barn in the valley. It seems that his tooth rings when children lose a tooth, or wiggle it, or

something like that. I'm not 100% clear on those details. But, when a child's tooth falls out, he hears them, knows who they are and where they live.” "Good golly, Plaak! You speak beautifully. Did you go to school?" Deekay said. "Mommy read to me,” Plaak said. “You are so lucky,” the gremlin said, staring off reflecting on his own childhood. “But there is more, sir.” “More?” “Yes, and listen carefully; this is important. Inside a child's tooth is something called 'pixie-dust.' Apparently, named after a human girl who wears a big, white cast on her foot. It's pixie dust that allows Toof to fly like a lightning bolt. It is what he used so effectively against us tonight. It smells nice, too." "Huh.” Deekay pondered a moment. “Yes. It makes perfect sense that the secret to lightning-fast super speed comes from a child's tooth. I should have known. So obvious.” "Sure, master. But there is even more,” Plaak said, rolling his eyes. "Really? More than that!" "Yes," Plaak said. "It is imperative that you stop Toof from gathering first fallen teeth. If you don’t, he will control all of the world’s pixie dust, forever. He will share it with fairies everywhere, and you will never catch one again. They may catch you! You must get to those teeth before he does." "Okay,” Deekay said, nodding. "I understand. Just one last thing.” “Sure, boss. What is it?” “What does ‘imperative’ mean? "Important." "Ah. So you are saying that it is important for me that I visit children?" Deekay said, squirming at the thought of that. "Is there any other way?"

“No," Plaak said. "They have the pixie dust." Toof's father was listening and feared what would happen next. "Just leave him alone, Mr. Gremlin," he said. "Toof will never hurt you." Oh, so now I'm Mr. Gremlin. That's not what you called me the other day, Mr. Kahn. Know this, tonight, Mr. Gremlin is going to kill Toof, and you will watch me do it," Deekay cackled. "No, boss! No! Capture him," Plaak said. "You need his tooth to find the children who are losing their teeth. ?" "Oh, I see. Now I get it. Good thinking, Plaak. I'm promoting you to Head of Drolls." "I'm already Head of Drolls,” Plaak said, scratching his head. "Not officially. You need a certificate for that." "Huh?" "Now, let me get this straight, if I keep Toof alive, all pixie dust will be mine. We won't need smust anymore, and we will fly like lightning bolts instead of birds." "Yes." “Got it.” Deekay's path to world domination was becoming apparent. He always wanted what Toof had— especially Colsore's love. Now he wanted Toof's clean smelling, super-fast flying dust. It is faster than smust and renewable like children themselves. The supply will never run out. He won't need to catch and feed thousands of fairies, dig in the earth for yellow rocks, process dirty blebbles into smust or smell bad anymore. He could have a new, streamlined operation that simply visits children and takes their teeth. There would be plenty to sell to bats, locusts, mosquitos, flies, stink bugs, hornets, and wasps. They all would like to fly as fast as light. He would attack humans sooner, too. They will be defenseless against him and his light speed. Pixie dust was his holy grail to ultimate power!

"Toof will never work for you," Kahn said. "Yes, he will, or you will be eaten. Each time his tooth rings, he will have a choice, give me the location of the child or lose a friend." "Brilliant," Plaak chuckled. "Parents will tell their children about me," Deekay crowed. "King Deekay, the Famous Tooth Gremlin. I like the sound of that." "Great plan, master. I wish I had thought of it," Plaak said. "If your son gives up easily, you and your wife will live in your village and never be bothered again. If he does not, you will be separated forever." Deekay let out a wicked cackle and stepped onto his balcony. Outside, hundreds of drolls stood dressed for battle. Each was carrying an extra sack of smust, a nail, and a net. He spoke to his soldiers as he thrust Fuddle's petrified cudgel into the air, again and again. "The Tooth Fairy will be mine tonight," he roared. His soldiers cheered and hopped on his every word. "Catch Toof. But do not damage his big tooth. Whoever resists, put them into the mine with the others. We won't need them anymore." "How about me?" Plaak said. "?" "Oh, yes. Also, Plaak is now officially the Head of Drolls." "Thank you, master. And about the certificate?" "You will get that later." The gremlin leaped into the air and flew over the cliff. Kahn was dangling from a rope held in his talons. An army of drolls followed behind their leader, flying in rows under a full moon. Their destination was Pixie's barn. "This is going to be fun," Deekay said. “Yes, it will.” Plaak agreed.

* * *

KNOCKED OUT — Ten fairies were in the barn filling their bellies. Pixie and Toof were looking at the World Atlas for the nearest cities he could visit with only the dust on his wings. He did not want to run out of pixie dust too far from home. "New York is too far,” Pixie said. “Connecticut, Nantucket, York Beach, Puerto Rico. No, no, no, and no.” "How about California?" Took asked. "Perhaps," Pixie said. "If you get to the first child before running out of fuel, you can use that tooth's pixie dust to get to all the others," Pete said. "Before long, you will have more pixie dust than you need to go anywhere," Pixie said. "Okay, it’s settled,” Toof said. "California, here I come." "Now, what town was that?" Pixie said. Before Toof could answer, Dukie barked at something moving outside. Toof rocketed to the door to look, just as a foul odor drifted into the barn. "He's here!" he said. "Who's here? Pixie asked. "Deekay and his drolls,” Toof said. “They are surrounding the barn." The fairies climbed on Pete’s shoulders. "Protect us," they cried. "Nothing's getting past me," he said, punching his fist into his palm. Within seconds, a swarm of flying drolls, the size of hummingbirds, ed

through the hayloft window and hovered near the rafters. They wore helmets and held swords that looked like carpenter nails. The flapping of their wings sounded like ten thousand wasps. It frightened the chickens, Dukie barked, a horse bucked in its stall, and Rupert clucked nervously. A dark rain of soot fell as smust choked the air. "Pix, stay close!" Pete said. His tone wasn't comforting. "I'm afraid," she replied. The fairies were trapped. They couldn’t run away, even if they wanted. Deekay's drolls had weaved a gigantic spider's web across the barn door! Neither child had ever seen such a sight. For a moment, the invaders stopped flapping their wings, and the barn fell silent. They floated in a "V" formation above the loft until a purple creature, almost six inches long, flew into the barn. Next to it was a green dragon with small wings and a tail. "I wish I had my baseball bat," Pete said. "Use my crutch.” Pixie handed it to her brother, wincing as the invaders screeched. Pete took a couple of practice cuts as Deekay twirled Fuddle's petrified cudgel in one claw above the loft. Kahn, tied with twine, dangled below the monster, unable to move. "No one gets away. Do not hurt Toof. He is my pet,” Deekay said. “Arrr kay.” The children did not understand a word, but the fairies did. "We must fight!" Toof said. “Use your speed. We can do it." The animals scattered when the drolls nose-dived toward the floor. The buzzing of their wings filled the barn again. Toof reached into his pouch, hoping for a little pixie dust, but it was empty. He and his friends would fly only with the residue remaining on their wings—for as long as it lasted.

"Make them dizzy so they'll crash!" Toof said, pulling out his birthday stick and vaulting into the air. His friends followed, and streaks of shimmer lit up the barn. Garstina zoomed up to Kahn and was promptly chased away by five ugly drolls swinging their nets. "Let's go!" Willow said to the others. "I'm right behind you," said Ping, as they all streaked into action. "Stay close, Tincy," Toba said to his sister. "I've got your back, big brother," she replied. The fairies used their superior speed to frustrate the drolls. The children watched as the chase raged all around them. Hundreds of winged creatures flew overhead, tossing nets at streaks of light. Finally, Pixie had seen enough. "What are we waiting for?" she said. “I need to get a look at this monster.” So, she grabbed a fly swatter and climbed to the hayloft. It was the first time she reached to loft since falling off her pony. "Be careful, Pix," her brother said. “Don’t fall off!” "Worry about yourself. If that ugly monster comes near me, I'll whack him!" “I’ll help you,” Toof said, zooming over and holding her sleeve as she climbed the ladder. “Thanks, Toof.” Pete jumped into action, swinging his sister's crutch like a home-run hitter. Any droll that flew too close found itself smashed across the barn. "Strike one, strike two, whack! Take that, you ugly bird!" Toof appealed to his friends to work together. "Never fly alone!" The fairies were outnumbered but much faster. Each had ten invaders in hot

pursuit tossing nets and swinging nails, but a sharp turn and quick stop sent them tumbling into the wall. Some drolls collided midair and dropped to the floor only to have angry chickens peck at their wings. They were using more and more smust just to stay close, but the fairies were slowing down, too. The longer the chase, the faster their pixie dust wore off. With so much smust in the air, straw was floating and whirling around the barn. Rupert was covered in it. The old rooster floated to the ceiling and pecked at Deekay as he drifted by—but missed. "Nice try, old bird," the gremlin said. Time had come for Deekay to call upon his second swarm to the battle. These were his elite drolls who had built the spider-net across the door. They attacked at full strength as the first swarm slowed down. Soaring above action, Deekay did not take his eyes off of Toof. The blue-haired fairy was having fun confounding his warriors. When one droll tossed a net, Toof zoomed away so fast that it landed on another attacker. "Missed me!" Toof said. "Hello. I'm over here!" "Get him!" Deekay screeched. "Not there, behind you!" He was so frustrated that he flung Kahn at the wall. Seeing that, Toof whizzed across the barn and caught his father just before he crashed into a shovel. He untied him and wrapped the twine around his waist. "I may need this," he said. "Thanks, son!" "Help! Get away from me,” Garstina cried from a horse stall. Her pixie dust had worn off, and two ugly drolls had tossed a net over her. "I'm coming, dear," Kahn cried. His pixie dust was still at full strength, and he smashed into the drolls and sped away with his bride. As the battle wore on, to Toof's dismay, his friends began slowing down, so he called to the gremlin. "Deekay! Leave them alone. Let's talk," he said.

"No talking. Give up. You cannot escape. It's over. Time to come home." "Never!" Toof said. "You will regret that," Deekay said, turning his sights elsewhere. Pixie was standing on the loft, swatting at Plaak, who was taunting her just out of reach. Deekay noticed that the girl was unsteady on her feet and circled and buzzed through her hair like a horsefly in summer—only much bigger than a horsefly. Pixie lost her balance and grabbed onto the railing. "Help!" Pixie screamed, dangling from the loft, gripping onto the railing for dear life. "Hang on!" Pete bounded up the ladder and pulled her to safety. “Come near her again, and I’ll crack you across the room,” he said, pointing at the scaly purple monster.” Plaak was laughing when Toof challenged him. "Catch me if you can, Lizzy!" "Arrr! Don't call me Lizzy! I'm a dragon." "You don't breathe fire like the big dragons," Toof teased the ruffian. "We don't all breathe fire… you, you tiny little Elf!" "I'm not an Elf.... never said I was." “Arrrr! I’ll get you.” It was a setup. Plaak chased Toof into the pigpen where Hidee and Ping were waiting to toss mud on his wings. Unable to fly, he ran to Dukie's water bowl to wash off, but Rekee, Tincy, and Toba followed and peppered him with more and more mud. Some got in his mouth and covered his eyes so he couldn't see. “Yuck. Gross,” Plaak spitted and wiped the mud from his lips. “Arf! Arf! Arf!” Dukie barked and cornered the little dragon, prancing back and forth and side to side. “Arf! Arf!” “Stay away, doggie. Be a good little doggie. Get away!” Plaak cried.

With only a light dusting of pixie dust remaining on his back, Toof knew that he had to challenge the gremlin, face to face. He was a good stick fighter. His dad taught him well. But, he wasn't sure he could defeat the meanest gremlin in the world, who was using Fuddle's petrified cudgel, but Toof had to try. "It's just you and me now!" Toof said. "This is your last flight," Deekay declared. "After tonight, you never see your wings again." The singing sprite had to work fast. Toof zoomed around Deekay, trying to make him dizzy, but the gremlin was in no mood for games. He was not afraid of a skinny, little blue-haired fairy with a big, goofy tooth. "Come closer, speedy," he said, twirling Fuddle's super-hard stick like a baton. "Leave us alone," Toof pleaded, flying just out of reach. "Never. You're my pet. First Plaak, then Whitey, and now you." "Me! Why?” "Because I want children to know me," Deekay said mockingly. "Why? You hate children," Toof said, being coy. "Yes, but I love pixie dust. With it, I will be invincible! Humans will bow to me.” The gremlin knew the secret of super speed, so Toof had to win this battle. If he lost, the creatures of the little world, the hidden world, and the human world would be in trouble. With pixie dust, gremlins would be lightning-fast and visit all children and take all their teeth! Even parents wouldn't be able to protect them. No one would be safe. Toof noticed his friends were now standing on the barn floor. Their flying fuel had run out, and they were surrounded by Deekay’s guards. Everyone was watching Toof and Deekay in the air above. "Give up. Before your friends get hurt.”

"No way, Deekay!" Toof said as he zoomed past the gremlin jabbing him on the left. His pixie dust was low. He had to act fast if he had any chance to win the battle of the barn. BONK! When Deekay turned left, Toof raced by on the right. BOP! "Ouch," the gremlin moaned, that jab hurt. Toof was slowing down and hoped to wrap Deekay in the same twine that earlier held his father. He was twirling it like a cowboy lassoing as he flew past. He was ready to toss it over the gremlin, but the Deekay had plans of his own. He stopped moving altogether and hovered in the air. He didn't even look at Toof. It was an old tactic he learned from Colsore when battling hawks that came too close. He needed to time his next swing just right. “Watch out!” Kahn cried. He knew what Deekay was doing. “It’s a trick!” But Toof didn’t hear his father. When he roared past Deekay again, the gremlin ducked and swung. Toof didn't know what hit him. Fuddle's super hard cudgel struck him by surprise. It was a quick and decisive jab that smashed into Toof's beautiful smile. KLANGGGG! Toof’s big tooth was knocked out! His wings went limp. He held his injured jaw and shook his head, dazed and confused. Then, just like the cloud that burst open on the night he was born, an avalanche of dazzling shimmer poured like a waterfall from Toof’s mouth. A few flakes fell in a crack between the floor planks, but most landed on Pixie as she watched her friend struggling to fly.

Chapter 19

POCKET PIXIE AND A PICKLE JAR — Pixie was engulfed inside a blinding tornado of golden flecks of light swirling inside the barn. When it finally dissolved, everyone gasped—even the drolls. Pixie was gone! "Pixie!" Pete cried as he ran to where she once stood. On the floor, he found her foot-cast and the fly swatter. Next to them was a pintsized Pixie, laying on her back, arms extended and moaning. She was the size of an elle. "Wake up! Wake up!" Pete said, tenderly picking her up in his hands. Toof staggered over, rubbing his head. "Is she alive?" he asked nervously. "I'm alive," she said. "Pix!" Pete cried. "You're teeny-tiny. What will we tell grandpa?" There was no time to think about that as a loud screech filled the barn. The gremlin was angry! "Ahhhhh! Darn!” He cried, pointing at Toof. "Without your tooth, you are useless. You are going to Denali tonight! Your little girlfriend, too. She can work in the mine with your mother!" "Maybe," Toof said, still blurry. "But I'm not through with you yet." But his speed gone, and his friends were grounded. Toof was fluttering next to Pete, like a butterfly. "It's over, Toof. Give up," Deekay said as the Head of Drolls flew to his side, his wings finally clean of mud. "I'll distract the boy," Plaak said. "You get Toof."

Surrounded by a hundred drolls, Kahn, Garstina, and the other fairies stood helpless in the center of the barn. In a few minutes, they would all be prisoners again on Crown Mountain. "We've got to help Toof!" Willow said. "Does anyone have any pixie dust left!" Garstina cried. No one did. But Sage had an idea.

* * *

BIG PICKLE JAR — Willow was surprised to see her brother volunteer to help. His idea was to scrape off their wings. There might be enough for one last flight. Four fairies fluttered to the loft. "We have something for you," Willow said. “Stand still.” Souri smudged a handful of pixie dust on Toof's shoulders. "It's all we have left," she said. "Go get him, Toof," Sage said, patting Toof’s shoulder as a friend would do. "You can do this!" Toba said. "You are the Tooth Fairy." "Protect Pixie," Toof said. "Don't worry about her. I'll put her in my pocket if I have to,” Pete said. “Go get’m Toof!” Toof's wings raced just like last night, at the fireplace. They were almost invisible as he zoomed circles around the gremlin. He was so fast that the monster saw only a dash of light. Apparently, fairies have adrenalin that gives them extra strength, just like humans. On his first , Toof lifted Fuddle's cudgel right out of the gremlin's claw. "This does not belong to you," he said, tossing it to Toba. Deekay was stunned, and the drolls gasped. “Lucky grab, Toothless!” Plaak handed his owner horseshoe nails, and together they tossed them at Toof. Each nail narrowly missed his wings and spiked into the wall behind him. It was two against one, and everyone wondered who would win this air-battle. So did a mouse watching from a hole in the wall. Rateen could not standby any longer and scurried up a post and across a beam. A moment later, he was standing on a

roof rafter. Next to him was Rupert, still floating in the air, bouncing against the ceiling. Below him, hovering over the loft, was Deekay! Squeaking like an angry rat, Rateen lunged at the gremlin, swiping his paws. He tried to scratch him but fell short, landing at Pete's feet. He scurried away to try again. "What was that?" Deekay cried. "A squirrel!" "Just a mouse, sir," Plaak said. "Ahh. I hate them, too." Toof had seen enough. This was his fight, and he wanted to finish it himself. His wings roared as he pushed off the wall and raced at Deekay. Then, Toof changed direction in a bolt of light and crashed headfirst into Plaak's belly. Oomph! The collision sent the little dragon tumbling into the shovel that was earlier meant for Kahn. Bash! Plaak plunged into the mud. Splash! His last sack of smust was ruined. "Now it's your turn," Toof said. "Come and get me, you toothless imp," Deekay said. It was a championship duel. Toof was battling the world's meanest gremlin, matching him swing for swing—two sharp nails against one wooden birthday stick. Bash, bang, bam! "Take this and this," the gremlin said. "You need to be quicker than that," Toof replied. Whack, whang, wham, wap! Training with his dad had paid off. Deekay was surprised at Toof's skills, and so was everyone watching from below.

"Wow. He is good!" Sage said. "Better than you." Willow was impressed, too. Deekay had heaver swings, but Toof's rapid thrusts and speed were impossible to defend for long. As the gremlin tired, it was time for his dad's double-stutter, step-back, reverse, jab-jab move. Toof lunged, then changed direction and went behind his back, stealing one nail from Deekay's grasp and tossing it to the floor. Then, in a flash, he jab-stepped right and went left, leaving the gremlin unbalanced and scored again—poking him in the bum. “Ouch.” "Yes!" Kahn cheered, thrusting his fists into the air and hugging his wife. He was hoping to see that move. Garstina was too. “Yes!” she howled as she jumped and cheered. Deekay tried to defend against the quicker, smaller sprite, but his long sharp claws got tangled up in his long coat, and he fumbled his second sword. That is when Toof used the twine that earlier held his father and lassoed Deekay like a rodeo calf. Before the gremlin could cut his way free, Toof lowered him to the loft where his friends didn't miss a beat. Pete slapped the fly swatter on the gremlin as Pixie rolled one of grandpa's extra-large pickle jars across the floor. "Gotcha!" Pete said, trapping Deekay like a gigantic firefly. The King's claws tore at twine but were helpless against the thick glass. He screeched at the top of his lungs as Pete poked holes in the cap for air. "Plaak! Help! Get me out of here." But the little dragon was nowhere to be found. Pete held the jar high for all to see as the fairies leaped for joy. Toof flew to Pixie, took her hand, and fluttered into the air together, circling the jar for all to see. "Hooray! HOORAY!" Everyone was cheering for the winner. Even drolls were high-fiving each other.

They were free now, too. The battle of the barn was over.

* * *

TWO TO THE RESCUE — With Deekay trapped in a jar, the drolls were leaderless. Once they processed that fact, they grabbed all the remaining sacks of smust and raced from the barn in a mad rush. The last one out turned back and peeked his head in the window. “Great victory, Toof. Congratulations,” he said before racing after his friends. The drolls were heading south, looking for a hot desert near the equator to call home. They left their heavy coats behind. They wouldn't need them ever again. Plaak was nowhere to be found. He snuck out of the barn unnoticed, covered in mud and hay. Without smust, he couldn’t fly, so he walked to the river, found a hole, climbed in, and hid. Souri, Tincy, Toba, Redi, Ping, Willow, Rekee, Hidee, and Sage hoisted Toof and Pixie on their shoulders and cheered. Garstina found Toof's cracked tooth lying in the hay and presented it to him as an award. Both parents were beaming with pride at their son and flew to his side. "My hero," Garstina said. "Our hero," her husband said with his arm draped over his shoulder. “Toof, my son. I’ve got to tell you that story about the Pequots. You will love it. You see, it was night, like tonight…” “Yes, father. Later, okay?” “Oh, sure, son. It can wait. Tonight’s your night.” Tincy gave Toof a kiss and handed him a necklace she weaved from leather strips found in the barn. She had turned his broken tooth into a pendant he could wear around his neck. "I'll keep it forever," he said.

Everyone cheered until Kahn realized something vitally important. "I hate to interrupt this celebration," he said. "But the others are locked inside the mineshaft. They'll freeze if we do not free them tonight." "We need more pixie dust," Toof said. "I'm out." The remaining film on his wings would never take him to the summit and defeat Ginja, Vitus, and the snow snake all by himself. "We can't flutter there," Sage said. "It's too high." "Even eagles can't fly that high," Kahn said. "Climbing the cliff wall will take too long," Toba said. "What do we do?" Tonight's victory was hollow if hundreds of friends were lost inside the mountain. Time was running out. By morning, it would be too late. The barn was silent until interrupted by rapid footsteps inside the wall. They stopped, then started again, then a creature skidded to a stop in front of Toof. "These are for you," Rateen said, huffing and puffing. He was holding two glistening white teeth that were warm to the touch. "My father would be honored if you used them. So would I." "Thank you, Rateen," Toof said, smiling and holding his friend's prized pearls high for all to see. "I will pay you back, I promise," Toof said, and indeed, he did in the months to come. "Hooray!" the fairies cheered. Pete grabbed a horseshoe and crushed the two perfect pearls to smithereens. Out of each came plenty of sparkly pixie dust. Each flier took some and raced from the barn. They were going to Crown Mountain to save their friends. "Come on, Pixie. Fly with me,” Toof said. And she did.

Chapter 20

GREATEST IDEA EVER — Toof's fliers jetted into the dark sky, and to everyone's surprise, his tooth still worked! His pendent rang a soft melody, and then another child spoke. This time a little girl vacationing in Greece had just lost a tooth. Caroline was her name. At the summit, Sage and Toba used their speed to trick Whitey into its cage. In time, they would free her in the Amazon, where she could live with other snakes. With all that out of the way, Toof confronted Ginja and Vitus. He was surprised by their friendliness. "Open the door. Release the prisoners," he demanded. "With pleasure," Vitus said, touching his forehead, swirling it to his tummy and bowing, like a proud servant. "And do not leave the mountain," Toof added. "We won't Tooth Fairy. Thank goodness you are here," Ginja said. The trapped fairies went to their cabins to get warm and rest. They would never work here again. Then, Toof called everyone to a meeting in the Finery, which was the largest room on the mountain. “You are free,” he said. “Deekay will not be returning.” Hundreds of fairies huddled together, crying tears of joy. Toof explained how pixie dust worked and promised each an ample supply so that they could fly home quickly. But going home to separate villages far away was bittersweet for everyone. They were friends. Many had worked and lived together for hundreds of years. "Do not worry," Toof said. "You will see each other again. With pixie dust, you can go anywhere, at any time.”

As more children rang in from around the world, Garstina took notes. Somehow, she knew their names and locations, too. Perhaps it was because of the flakes of light that poured from the cloud on the night of Toof’s birth. Or, because she was the mother of the most gifted fairy the world has ever known, no one will ever know. But she, like Toof, knows who the child is and where to find a lost tooth when voices ring in. And she shares that knowledge with her friends. For Garstina is the famous Fairy Godmother that sprites in hidden-world call “Gar” and elles call “Stina.” Two names that will forever be ed as one. That night was the first of thousands yet to come. Toof, Pixie, Tincy, and Toba zoomed to New York, York Beach, and Surfside to retrieve four fallen teeth. Rekee, Yrik, and Willow went to California, Seattle, Phoenix to retrieve three. Tincy and Hidee flew to Florida and Puerto Rico as Souri, Ping, and Redi jetted off to Hawaii and Australia, with a stopover in Japan, to surprise Ping's mother. She had not been home in a long, long time. The others visited children in Greece, Mexico, Korea, Canada, Europe, China, Brazil, and other countries worldwide. When they returned with their cargo, Kahn and the elders opened each tooth and distributed pixie dust evenly. More trips brought more supply. In the days to come, Kahn built a glass case for Toof’s pendant where it would be on display for all to see. As the pixie dust supply grew, everyone flew home at supersonic speed. And the darts of light that dance over Crown Mountain have not dimmed since. When Toof returned from his travels, he summoned for the old gremlin. "I was greedy for power," Colsore cried, wiping his nose as spittle leaked out. He was ashamed of mistreating Toof and his friends. "Please forgive me," he said. And, of course, Toof did. He saw that the old gremlin understood how terrible it was to be trapped against his will. His apology was sincere. "Take two sacks of smust and go to the swamp. You are retired," Toof said. "Thank you, Toof. But where is my son?"

"He is in a safe place and well cared for." Colsore crossed his hands over his heart and bowed to the music-maker. "You are a great leader. I am proud of you," he said before chugging into the sky. Then, Toof called for the fairy eaters. No one expected him to be as kind to Ginja and Vitus as he was to Colsore. When they walked in, they were whistling a happy tune. "We never ate anybody," Vitus said. "They just thought we did." "We're vegetarian, actually," Ginja said. "Do you mean my parents are alive?" Willow asked. "Yes," Vitus said. "We will take you to them whenever you want." "What did you do with the others?" Toof asked. "We asked bunny rabbits where to find friendly villages. They took them in and fed us, too," Ginja said, rubbing his tummy. "That's why we like our job so much," Vitus said. "Wonderful! You are free to leave." Toof told the eaters, although they really weren't fairy eaters after all. "May we stay?" Ginja asked. “We don’t have a home to go to.” “And we like it here,” Vitus added. "Yes," Toof said. "You are welcome here, my friends." That night, Toof visited the Bells in their home on the range and gave them a tooth to warm their den and a full bag of pixie dust so they could fly to London at light speed. His friends would always have plenty of flying magic. Finally, Toof called for Tincy and Toba. He asked them to him on a journey to a sprite that helped him find his father. He wanted to surprise Fuddle with Toba and Tincy and return his petrified cudgel, as promised. But mostly, he wanted to hug his old friend.

“Let’s find Eillo and Lexaf in Roma, too,” Toba said. “And visit Kisme in Paris on her island,” Toof added. Pixie, unsure of the answer, quietly asked: “Can I come with you?" "Yes, of course. Without you, we would never fly anywhere,” Tincy said, hugging the little human. “Hold my hand. We will fly together.” “Great!” Toof said. “And my hand too.”

* * *

A PROPER PARTY — The next morning, Pixie and Toof returned to the ranch. After circling the globe, she could feel the pixie dust wearing off and wanted to be home before it did. They landed in the barn just as grandpa finished building a birdcage for his new pet. Deekay wasn't happy, but he had had a bath, his claws were trimmed, and he was well fed. "Hello, grandpa," Pixie said, returning to girl-size right in front of him. "Where have you been, little lady,” the old man asked. Pete had told him the entire story so that he wouldn't worry about her safety. "Everywhere!" Pixie said. She explained that each flash on the mountain was a tooth fairy going somewhere or returning. Grandpa understood. He always believed in a tooth's magic and little creatures that hide in the world. "This is my friend,” she said. “His name is Toof.” "Hi, grandpa," Toof said, standing on Pixie's shoulder, holding her ear. "It is nice to meet you, sir." "Nice to meet you, little fellow. Next time you kids go out, leave me a note,” Grandpa said with a wink. That afternoon, Pixie threw a proper tenth birthday party for her little friend. It was complete with streamers and the biggest apple-crisp and cream cake any fairy had ever seen. Toof's parents and all of his friends were there. Each had colored their hair blueberry-blue in his honor, even Rateen! This was the party Toof had always dreamed of, and it was a perfect time to share his most fabulous idea. "Attention everyone. I am forming the Tooth Fairy Fliers," he announced. "From now on, I will collect all children’s milk teeth and give pixie dust to every fairy

in the world." "Great plan!" Toba said. "I want everyone to fly fast and free. Who wants to be a Tooth Fairy Flyer with me?" "We do!" they all shouted in unison. "Great! And we must give gifts to children. A trade for their tooth," he said. "Like a truffle or a walking stick or a paintbrush. Any ideas?" "How about turning those stones into Tooth Fairy coins?" Pete said. "I can shape them into circles," Kahn volunteered. "I'll help," Lexaf said. He had skillful hands too. "We can slide them under their pillows while they sleep," Eillo added. With everyone's , the snowy summit atop Crown Mountain was transformed into the most magnificent winter wonderland on earth. Deekay's castle became Tooth Fairy Central. The cabins became workshops to shape old gold slabs into new polished coins. And the Finery became the most incredible music hall on earth where fairies from every nation sing and dance and celebrate together. From that day forward, children and fairies would forever be linked. For as long as there are children, Toof and the Tooth Fairy Fliers have a job to do—make the world a safer and cleaner place for everyone to live. For, pixie dust means freedom from the greedy gremlins that want to rule the world, pollute the air, and enslave the weak. Now you know how Tooth Fairies got their start. Please tell your brothers, sisters, family, and friends. For, Toof and the fliers need our help in sharing this wonderful tradition with generations of children yet to come.

EPILOGUE

— PIXIE IS WHO? —

"DOES TOOF’S TOOTH STILL WORK TODAY?" Robin asked. “Yes. Whenever a child loses a tooth, the Tooth Fairy Fliers go to find it,” Grinny replied. “Do they leave gifts?” Roc was curious about Tooth Fairy coins. “Yes. Many times they leave a special coin pressed from golden rocks, carved from the mountain long ago,” she said. "Are they still friends?" Robin asked. “Toof and Pixie, I mean.” "Yes. They fly together all the time, as fast as lightning. Toof might even come here tonight." "Wow! I want to fly like them. Let's wait up," Roc garbled through a big, long yawn. Both children wanted to meet Toof and his fast-flying fairies, so Robin kissed her tooth and slipped it under her pillow. "I'm going to try it,” she said. “Hey Robin, let me kiss it too,” her brother pleaded. “No! That’s gross,” she said, nudging him. The twins snuggled together, staring out the window at the snow-covered mountain awash in moonlight. Then, their eyes grew heavy, and they drifted to sleep just before Toof, and the fliers flew into the room.

"Hi Pixie," they said. "Hello, Tooth Fairies," Grinny said as Toof landed on her shoulder. "Busy night, tonight?" "Yes. Hidee and I are off to Portland," Souri said. "A little girl lost her second tooth today!" "Willow and I are off to Texas," said Tincy. "A boy lost his tooth at pre-school, and we're going to find it for him." "Kisme and I have stops in Italy, , and Poland!" Ping laughed. “We are swamped!” "We have one stop in Canada, then we are going to see Rekee sing with Ginja and Vitus at the Finery," said Lexaf. ‘The three tenors are terrific!” “Want to us?” Eillo asked. "Yes. Save us two seats," Toof said. "Pixie and I are meeting are visiting a boy in Ireland who just lost his first tooth.” The first tooth is Toof's favorite to fetch, and Pixie always flew with him on those special trips. “We will be back before the concert begins.” Toba and Sage slid a shiny coin under Robin's pillow, and Redi’s placed her tooth in a travel sack. Then, the Fliers lifted a large bag of freshly made pixie dust into the air and poured it over Grinny's head. Instantly, a tornado of sparkling flakes whirled around the room. When the golden glitter dissolved, Grinny was Pixie again—the size of an elle and as youthful as she was that night in the barn, so many years ago. "Ready, Pix?" Toof asked. "Yes, I am," she replied. Standing together at the window, the Tooth Fairy Fliers turned to ire the finished mural of Tetonic Village colorfully painted on the bedroom wall. Then, before flying away, they spoke to the old man standing in the bedroom doorway. "Good night, Pete," they said.

Over the years, Pixie had ed Toof on thousands of flights, but for some reason, pixie dust did not work on her brother. Pouring bags of pixie dust over Pete’s head or even swimming in a tub full didn't work. After many attempts to shrink him to fairy size, they stopped trying. Apparently, the glitter that poured from Toof’s tooth onto Pixie in the barn long ago had unique magic all its own. Without it, no one would ever shrink to fairy size again. “I’ll be home by morning,” Pixie said. "Have a safe trip," old Pete replied. "Let's go, Tooth Fairies. We have work to do," Toof said, taking Pixie’s hand. The Tooth Fairy Fliers follower their leader and streaked into the night. Long bursts of glistening golden glitter scattered in very direction—north, south, east, and west. Toof and Pixie danced high above the barn in shimmering circles of golden sparks before forming the shape of a heart that glistened in the dark sky. Then, they flashed across the prairie and disappeared over the horizon. They were off on another fantastical adventure. "Yahooooo!" Toof howled. "Good night, children. See you soon.”

The End.

About the Author

The night the legend began...

P.S. Featherston is a husband, father, entrepreneur, and writer. He is donating a portion of royalties from this publication, in all its iterations, to SmileTrain.org and RainForestTrust.org. These organizations help children in need of specialized care and advocate for the protection of our planet’s ecosystems and the creatures that inhabit them. He is currently working on a sequel to The Legend of Toof, related properties and an adult drama to be released in 2021.

www.TheLegendofToof.com