Ruby Fuzzybrush’s Star Dance

Chapter Two The Magical Moonstone

The setting sun streaked the sky above Friendship Forest with pinks and reds. As they walked through the forest, Lily waved to some birds who were snuggling down for the night in their nest in a hollow tree.

“Good night!” chirruped the smallest bird, yawning sleepily.

“Sleep well!” Jess called to the cute little birds.

“Everyone’s going to bed!” Lily said.

“Not everyone!” Goldie said with a smile. “There are lots of nocturnal animals in Friendship Forest. Like the Fuzzybrush fox family.”

“We’d better talk to them about the strange things they saw,” Jess said.

“Where do they live?” Lily asked.

The cat smiled. “In a very unusual home,” she said. “You’ll see!”

After a while, a tall, narrow building came into view. Soft light glowed from the circular window at the top.

“It’s a lighthouse!” cried Jess. “An orange-and-white-striped lighthouse!”

“The Fuzzybrushes keep the lighthouse night-light on when it’s dark,” Goldie explained. “With that and the stars, all the nighttime animals can see their way around the forest.”

“Wow,” breathed Lily. “Do you think the Fuzzybrushes would let us see inside?”

Before Goldie could reply, a door on the side of the lighthouse opened and the Fuzzybrush family ran out to meet them. Two larger foxes and two cubs bounded around the girls in a whirl of pointed noses, orange fur, and fluffy tails.

“Welcome to our home,” said Mrs. Fuzzybrush proudly.

The adorable fox cubs bounded excitedly around the girls. The girl cub had a pretty bow around her neck, and the boy had a baseball cap on.

“Do you remember us?” the girl fox asked eagerly.

“Of course we do, Ruby,” said Lily. “And you too, Rusty!” She gave them each a big hug.

The brave cubs had helped Goldie and the girls defeat Grizelda in their adventure with little Bella Tabbypaw the kitten.

“Could you tell us about the thing you saw in the sky?” Goldie asked Mr. and Mrs. Fuzzybrush.

“It was a black shadow, as big as me,” said Mr. Fuzzybrush in a gruff voice, “and it glided over the forest.”

“It was spooky!” said Ruby. Rusty nodded in agreement.

The girls and Goldie exchanged glances. “This must be something to do with Grizelda,” Lily whispered.

Mrs. Fuzzybrush glanced up at the darkening sky. “The sun’s almost set, children,” she called, “so it’s—”

“Star dance time!” cried Ruby.

Jess was puzzled. “What’s a star dance?” she asked.

“Come with us,” said Mr. Fuzzybrush kindly, “and we’ll show you!”

Everyone followed him inside the lighthouse. On the ground floor were a comfortable living room and three cozy bedrooms.

“That one’s mine!” said Ruby proudly, as they passed a pretty, round room decorated in red and pink.

“It’s the color of rubies!” said Lily.

Rusty rushed them past his bedroom. “Mine’s a little messy,” he said. The girls peeked inside and smiled as they saw a building set and little toy foxes scattered messily all over the bedroom floor.

They went up a spiral staircase right to the very top of the lighthouse. In the middle of the floor was a wooden star-shaped table. Sitting on top of it was a smooth, white stone the size of a watermelon. It glowed with a soft, pretty light.

“That’s so beautiful,” breathed Lily. “What is it?”

“It’s the magical moonstone,” Mr. Fuzzybrush explained. “We need it for our star dance. Every evening we dance around it, to wake the stars. Then at dawn, we dance again to put them back to sleep.”

“The star dance is a special dance that only foxes know,” said Goldie. “It takes a really long time to learn.”

“It’s getting dark now,” said Mrs. Fuzzybrush, “which means it’s time for our star dance! Come on, children, let’s go to the clearing!”

Mrs. Fuzzybrush carefully picked up the moonstone and raced down the spiral staircase.

Lily and Jess followed the foxes as they hurried into a clearing next to the lighthouse. Mrs. Fuzzybrush put the magical moonstone down in the center and gave it a brush with her tail.

Ruby tugged at Lily’s skirt. “Rusty and I know all the steps now!”

The Fuzzybrushes took up their positions around the magical moonstone and began to dance.

Goldie, Jess, and Lily watched in delight. The foxes stepped, dipped, glided, and turned around the moonstone, weaving complicated patterns. Each time they swept past each other and their bushy tails touched, the glow from the moonstone grew brighter.

Lily glanced up at the night sky. “Look, Jess!” she whispered. “The stars are coming out.”

Jess gazed at the sky. “It’s so beautiful!” she cried. “Oh! The brighter the moonstone becomes, the more stars appear.”

The girls stared in delight as hundreds—no, thousands—of stars winked and blinked in the darkness. Soon it was almost as bright as daytime, as the forest lit up with sparkling silver starlight.

Suddenly, Rusty cried out, “Look, Mom, Dad! Up there in the sky!”

Everyone stopped dancing and turned to stare.

A dark shadow, just as Mr. Fuzzybrush had described, was flying through the night sky.

Jess and Lily watched as it came closer.

“That’s not a shadow,” Lily said shakily.

“You’re right,” cried Jess. “It’s one of Grizelda’s dragons!”