Raina listened to her friends talk, then beat her wings faster. Flying skillfully through the trees, she stayed low in order to see the forest below.
“Maybe another Gummy Fairy saw the book and picked it up for you,” Dash said, coming up beside her.
Raina shook her head. “I thought of that, but any other Candy Fairy would know how worried I would be if I didn’t have the book. Another Candy Fairy would have told me if the book was found.”
As Raina rounded a gummy tree, she spotted a trail of white marks on the ground. “Hmm, what’s that?” she wondered. She called out to Dash and Berry, “Come this way. I see something strange.”
When the fairies landed, Raina took her mint stick and held it down to the white spots. She stuck a long branch into the white goo.
“Good gummy!” she exclaimed. “Is this marshmallow?”
Marshmallow in Gummy Forest was very unusual. While Marshmallow Marsh wasn’t that far away, marshmallow was never seen outside the marsh.
“Sure as sugar, that is marshmallow,” Dash said, kneeling down close to the gooey white mess.
“These markings in the marshmallow look like tracks,” Berry said, bending down for a closer look. “But I’m not sure what kind of animal or creature made them.”
Raina studied the funny shape of the imprints. “Let’s check . . .” Then she stopped herself. “I was going to say we should check the Fairy Code Book.”
“Let’s report this discovery to the others,” Dash said quickly. “I’m not sure what these marshmallow tracks mean or if they have anything to do with the missing book or what else happened today, but we have to let them know.”
Raina bit her lip. If only she had her book to read about the tracks! Her mind raced through all the stories about different creatures and animals. Her head hurt! She just couldn’t think straight. She felt Berry’s hand on her shoulder.
“Come on,” Berry urged her. “Let’s see if Melli and Cocoa have found anything.”
When the three friends returned to the lake, they saw Melli and Cocoa huddled around some gummy plants near the dock.
“Did you find something?” Berry called out.
Cocoa stood up straight. “We’re not sure,” she said. She pointed her mint candy to the ground so her friends could see better. “But there are a bunch of gummy plants around the dock that look like they were stepped on.”
“And some melted gummy plants,” Melli stated.
“Squashed plants sounds a lot like Mogu’s doing. Do you think it could be a sign that that salty troll was here?” Dash asked.
Raina shivered. “I hope not,” she said. “I can’t even think what would happen if Mogu had the Fairy Code Book!”
“If Mogu did come here, I think he’d just be interested in the candy,” Berry said.
“What would Mogu do with the Fairy Code Book, anyway?” Melli asked. “He can’t eat it.”
“I wouldn’t rule that out,” Raina said sadly. “Mogu has an appetite for many things.”
“Did you see Blue Belle?” Dash asked Cocoa and Melli.
“No,” Cocoa said. “We called, but she didn’t come.”
“We found marshmallow by the old red gummy tree, with tracks in it,” Dash reported. “They didn’t look like the shape of Mogu’s feet. And those tracks were much too small for a troll.”
Cocoa raised her eyebrows. “Really? Marshmallow in Gummy Forest?”
“Any ideas about that? We thought it was very mysterious too,” Berry said. “The tracks don’t look familiar.”
Raina sat down and rubbed her head. “Oh, I feel so confused. I just can’t remember!”
Cocoa moved closer to Raina. “Let’s see,” she said. “We’ve got Mallow in Marshmallow Marsh awake during the day, broken candy canes, a missing Fairy Code Book, marshmallow tracks in Gummy Forest, and now a missing gummy cub!”
Raina wrinkled her forehead. “Blue Belle is always around here,” she said.
“What does that all mean?” Dash asked.
“It means trouble,” Raina said, rubbing her forehead. She slid down and sat on a gummy log. “Big trouble.”
Gummy Bear Clue
Maybe it’s time we go to Black Licorice Swamp and talk to Mogu,” Berry said. She looked at each of her friends. “If he has the book, we have to get it back. We must take charge.”
Raina looked at Cocoa. Her Chocolate Fairy friend was the only one who had ever been to Mogu’s home. She had stood up to the old troll when he had stolen her chocolate eggs. “Cocoa,” Raina said, “what do you think?”
“I don’t think we should make that trip alone or at night,” Cocoa advised. “Black Licorice Swamp is very salty, and I don’t think that I could have managed without Princess Lolli by my side.”
“And we can’t get to Princess Lolli,” Melli moaned. She sat down with a thud. “This is not good.”
“I don’t think going to see Mogu is the answer,” Raina said slowly. She stood up and began to pace back and forth. “We need to be very sure that Mogu was here before we go to the swamp. We can’t blame him just because of some squashed plants. We need more evidence.”
“Agreed,” Dash said. “And sure as sugar, those marshmallow tracks aren’t his.” She wrinkled her nose. “We need to find Blue Belle.”
“There is definitely a missing part to this story,” Berry said. “There has to be another clue.”
“I know it is getting late, but we can’t give up,” Cocoa told her friends.
Suddenly Dash jumped up. “I am going to go back to Mallow’s tree right now. He might be there,” she said. Her wings perked up as she spoke.
“But Mallow might be part of the problem,” Berry pointed out.
Raina saw Dash’s wings dip down. While she knew Berry was right, she felt bad for Dash. Mallow had to be part of this mystery, with his strange behavior. “Maybe Mallow will tell us something that will help us find the Fairy Code Book,” Raina told her.
“You’re right,” Cocoa said. “The more information we get, the closer we’ll be to figuring out this mystery.”
“I’ll go with you,” Berry blurted out.
“Someone should stay here,” Raina said. “This was the last place that I saw the book, so maybe we missed something. After all, it is dark out.”
“Melli and I will stay here,” Cocoa said. Then her face grew serious and her hands tightened into fists. “But if Mogu is the one who has done this, I am heading over to Black Licorice Swamp with or without Princess Lolli!”
Raina knew that once Cocoa had an idea stuck in her head, she didn’t let go easily.
“We’ll see,” Raina said. “Don’t dip your wings in syrup yet.” She winked at Berry. “Come on, let’s go see if we can find Mallow.”
Just as Raina, Berry, and Dash were about to head off to Mallow’s tree, Blue Belle appeared. She was out of breath and was waving her arms around.
Raina quickly went over to the young cub. She tried to soothe her, but she was frantic. “Calm down,” Raina said. “Where have you been? We’ve been looking all over for you.”
“Look how upset she is,” Dash whispered.
“Shh,” Melli said, straining to hear. The cub spoke in a hushed voice only to Raina.
“She has been looking all over for me,” Raina called over her shoulder to her friends. “She must have come while we were flying around searching for clues.” Raina turned her attention back to Blue Belle. She pet the cub softly. “I’m here. You can tell me now.”
The fairies stood quietly while Raina listened to the cub.
Finally, Raina gave the bear a sweet treat. She stood up and walked over to her friends. She took a deep breath and blew her long bangs off her forehead. Then she looked up at the dark sky. “Blue Belle says it wasn’t Mogu who trampled the plants or tracked marshmallow through Gummy forest,” she said.
“Well, that is a relief,” Melli said. “Now we don’t have to go to Black Licorice Swamp.”
Berry moved closer to Raina. “
If Mogu didn’t make this mess, then I’m guessing he didn’t take the Fairy Code Book either.” She looked puzzled. “Well, who did Blue Belle see in the forest and at the lake?”
“Yes, who did Blue Belle say was here?” Dash asked.
“Mallow!” Raina blurted out.
Gummy, Minty Mess
Raina saw Dash’s face turn red. The Mint Fairy was never one to hide her feelings.
“There is no way Mallow made this mess and stole the Fairy Code Book!” she cried out.
“Now, Dash,” Berry said, “don’t get all minty. No one is accusing anyone.”
“I am sure there is another side to this story,” Cocoa said. “We will find out when we find Mallow.”
Raina rubbed her forehead. “This is turning out to be a supersour mystery,” she said. She sat down on a hollowed-out gummy log. “I’m sure Mallow would never take the Fairy Code Book.”
“We shouldn’t jump to conclusions,” Melli suggested. “Just because Mallow was up during the day doesn’t mean he took the book.”
“Hold on,” Melli said. She held up her hand. “We need to hear if Blue Belle told Raina anything else.”
Cocoa reached out for Dash’s arm. “Melli is right,” she said. “Let’s hear what else the cub had to say before we go flying off to Mallow.”
Raina took a deep breath. “Blue Belle says that she saw Mallow here at Gummy Lake earlier in the evening,” Raina told her friends. “Before Sun Dip.”
“Right after I saw him in Marshmallow Marsh,” Dash said quietly.
“Now both Blue Belle and Dash saw Mallow during the daytime. It must mean something,” Berry said.
I guess the question is, why was Mallow awake before Sun Dip?” Raina asked.
“And where is he now?” Berry added.
Dash looked over at Berry with an icy glare. “Mallow did not steal the Fairy Code Book! He could have asked Raina to borrow it!” she shouted.
Melli stepped between Dash and Berry. “Okay,” she said, “we’re all on the same side here.”
Cocoa took out a pad from her bag. “I am going to start taking notes. This mystery is getting sticky.”
“Blue Belle said that when she saw Mallow he looked like he was in pain. He was walking, not flying,” Raina replied.
“Oh no!” Dash exclaimed. “He must have been hurt. Owls don’t usually walk.” She flew up in the air. “Come on. We have to go now and check on Mallow. We can’t wait another minty moment.”
“Raina, Berry, and Dash will go to the marsh,” Cocoa said. She closed her notebook and handed it to Raina. “Hold on to this,” she said. “Send Melli and me a sugar fly message as soon as you get any information.”
“You do the same,” Raina replied. She took Cocoa’s notebook and stuffed it in her bag.
With the mint sticks helping to light their way, Raina, Dash, and Berry wove around the trees and vines to Marshmallow Marsh.
“Who even knows if Mallow will be home,” Berry said. “It is nighttime, and that’s when Mallow is usually out and about.” She paused. “Well, except for today.”
They finally arrived at Mallow’s tree on the edge of Marshmallow Marsh. Raina flew over to the owl’s hollow-out tree and poked the mint stick inside. “Mallow?” she called. “Are you there?”
There was no answer.
Oh dear, Raina thought.
She was desperate to ask him some questions . . . and find out some answers!
“I really didn’t think he would be here,” Berry said. She folded her arms across her chest.
“I hoped he’d be here,” Raina whispered. Her wings dropped down as she came to rest on a branch next to her friends.
As the three fairies turned around to leave, Dash called out, “Look, there’s Doopie!” She pointed to the trunk of Mallow’s tree. The little red-and-white-striped mint chipmunk was rubbing her back against the tree. “She and Mallow are good friends. Maybe she knows where he went tonight.”
“How strange that Doopie would be here in Marshmallow Marsh,” Raina noted. “She usually doesn’t stray from Peppermint Grove.”
“This is turning out to be one minty night.” Berry sighed.
Dash swooped down to talk to the small mint animal. But the chipmunk got frightened and scooted away, hiding under a nearby gummy bush. Dash tried again, a bit more quietly.
“Hello, Doopie,” she whispered. “I won’t harm you. Have you seen Mallow?” She held her mint up to Doopie’s face.
The mint chipmunk looked up and tilted her head to the side. Her white stripes seemed to glow in the mint light. Dash noticed that Doopie looked a bit uneasy.
“Doopie, it’s important,” Dash pleaded. “I need to talk to Mallow.”
The mint chipmunk backed away.
“Everything’s okay.” Dash tried to sound calm. “I am trying to help Mallow.”
Raina flew down and stood next to Dash. She took Dash’s hand. “I think Doopie is scared,” Raina said. “She isn’t going to answer you.”
“But Doopie and I are friends,” Dash said. “We see each other in Peppermint Grove all the time.” Tears started to well in her eyes. “Doopie, please,” she begged. “Please don’t run away. I need to talk to you!”
The mint chipmunk raced away. She disappeared into the dark night in a minty minute. Now even her white stripes could not be seen.
“I scared her away,” Dash said, crumpling to the ground. “Our best chance for a clue or an answer, and I scared her away.”
“Well, I don’t think we are going to find any more clues here now,” Berry said.
“It’s so late that we should just camp out here and wait for daylight and Mallow,” Raina said.
“I’ll fly and get some supplies,” Berry offered. “I’ll be back in a flash.”
Raina looked out into the dark Marshmallow Marsh. This was one of the most bitter days she could ever remember. No Doopie. No Mallow. No Fairy Code Book. She was no closer to solving this gummy, minty mess.
And the longer the Fairy Code Book was gone, the worse it might be for all the fairies in Candy Kingdom.
Key to the Mystery
The sky was still dark when Raina opened her eyes. She couldn’t sleep. Both Dash and Berry were snug in the sleeping bags Berry had brought, but Raina was wide awake. She wished that the pink colors of sunrise would appear across the sky. Once the morning light came, Mallow was sure to fly back home to his tree. And when he did, Raina and her friends would be there.
Raina still couldn’t believe that Mallow had anything to do with the mess in Gummy Forest and the broken candy canes—or the missing Fairy Code Book. She scratched her head. But there were still so many unanswered questions. She looked up at the hole in the tree where Mallow slept. She hoped he’d return soon.
Raina reached over to the small notebook next to her sleeping bag. She opened it and read the list of clues written on the first page. But she was so tired she just couldn’t keep her eyes open. The letters on the page started to get blurry, and Raina rubbed her eyes.
“Raina!” Dash was shaking her shoulder. “Raina, wake up!”
Raina opened her eyes. The sun was high in the blue sky. She squinted and then put her hand up to block the bright light. “Oh no! I must have fallen asleep,” she said.
Berry sat up. “We all overslept,” she said. She stretched and tried to look inside Mallow’s hole. “I can’t tell if Mallow returned early this morning.”
Raina flew up closer to the hole. It was in the shade, protected from daylight, and it was hard to see.
Raina wasn’t sure if the owl was inside. She flew back down to her friends.
“What do you think?” Dash asked. “Do you think Mallow came back and we were all asleep?”
“It is possible,” Berry said.
“It’s hard to see in the hole,” Raina said. “Maybe if I had some more light.”
Dash took a large mint stick and flew closer to the tree with Raina.
“I am pretty sure I see Mallow’
s feathers,” Dash said. “Double mint!” she exclaimed.
“I can’t believe I fell asleep and missed Mallow’s return,” Raina said. Her wings were pointed down to the ground.
“Mallow holds the key to this mystery,” Dash said.
“Maybe,” Raina said. She glanced over at the dark hole in the tree. “Everyone knows you can’t wake a sleeping owl. We’ll just have to wait until Sun Dip.”
“Humpf,” Dash said.
Berry folded up the sleeping bags. “Maybe Melli and Cocoa have found something.”
“Or maybe there’s another book in Raina’s library that can help us,” Dash offered.
Raina hung her head. “No book has all the information the Fairy Code Book has,” she said.
“That might be true,” Berry said, “but we’re going to get to the bottom of this.” She stood tall. “We always pull together,” she said.
“You’re right,” Raina said.
“I’ll stay here,” Dash offered. “If Mallow wakes up or Doopie comes back, I will send a sugar fly message right away. I promise.”
“That’s the spirit,” Berry said, smiling.
Dash gave Raina a hug. “This isn’t a short race to the finish,” she said. “We’re going to have to take on some sharp turns and falls.”
Raina laughed. “I’m ready,” she said. She took off toward Gummy Lake.
Raina saw Melli and Cocoa on the shores of Gummy Lake first. They were sitting on a bright orange gummy tree stump. Her friends’ drooping wings told her that the fairies were still worried.
“I guess you didn’t get to talk to Mallow,” Cocoa said to her friends as they flew over. “When we didn’t get a sugar fly message early this morning, we knew there was no news.”
“Where’s Dash?” Melli asked.
“Dash stayed at Marshmallow Marsh in case Mallow wakes up or Doopie shows up,” Berry explained.
“Doopie? The little mint chipmunk?” Melli asked. “What is she doing in Marshmallow Marsh?”
Marshmallow Mystery Page 2