Chapter 3: Into the Woods

When the first pale light crept through her curtains, Ruby was already dressed. She pulled on her sturdy boots, the ones with the worn soles that had explored every corner of the farm. She grabbed a small backpack and stuffed it with a water bottle, an apple, and a flashlight. Then she tiptoed downstairs, past her parents’ bedroom, and slipped out the back door.

The air was cool and smelled of dew and earth. The sun was just peeking over the horizon, painting the sky in shades of pink and gold. Ruby took a deep breath and headed for the barn.

Jump was waiting for her on the fence, his green eyes bright in the morning light. He meowed when he saw her, a soft, questioning sound.

"Morning, Jump," Ruby said, reaching out to stroke his fur. "Ready to help me figure out what the creature took?"

Jump meowed once—yes—and hopped down, leading Ruby into the barn.

The barn was dim and smelled of hay and dust. The cows stood in their stalls, watching Ruby with big, sad eyes. The sheep huddled in the corner. Even the mice, usually so busy, were still and quiet.

Ruby knelt in the middle of the barn and made a soft meow sound, thinking as hard as she could: Jump, can you show me what the creature took?

Jump looked around the barn, then padded toward a corner where a pile of old sacks lay. He stopped and meowed loudly, pawing at the floor.

Ruby followed him. "Is it here?" she asked, meowing the question.

Jump meowed twice—no—and then looked up at a dusty shelf high on the wall.

Ruby climbed onto a crate and peered at the shelf. It was empty, but there was a circle in the dust where something round had once sat. "What was here?" she wondered aloud.

She jumped down and hurried to Yapper’s spot under the oak tree. The dog was already awake, his tail wagging weakly when he saw her.

"Yapper," Ruby said, making a soft bark sound, can you tell me what the creature took from the barn?

Yapper whined. He got up and walked slowly toward the barn, Ruby following. Inside, he went straight to the same spot Jump had shown her and sat down, looking up at the empty shelf. He let out a long, low bark that sounded like a name.

Ruby frowned. "A name? What name?"

She tried again, thinking the question: Was it a thing? Something you could hold?

Yapper barked once—yes.

Was it shiny?

Yapper barked once, his tail wagging a little.

Was it round?

Another yes bark.

Ruby’s heart raced. "A shiny round thing," she murmured. "What could that be?"

She looked around the barn, her eyes landing on an old photograph pinned to the wall. It was a picture of the farm from years ago, and in the corner stood her grandfather, holding a small silver bell.

The bell! Ruby remembered it. It used to hang on the barn door, and when you rang it, all the animals would come running. But it had been taken down years ago and put on the shelf for safekeeping.

"The bell," Ruby whispered. "The creature took the bell."

She made a bark sound to Yapper: Was it the silver bell that used to hang on the door?

Yapper barked once, joyfully, and licked her hand.

Ruby’s mind raced. Why would a creature from the woods want a bell? It didn’t make sense.

She ran back to the house, where the old wombat was waiting on the back steps, basking in the early sun.

"It took the bell," Ruby said, panting. "The silver bell from the barn."

The wombat’s eyes widened. "The bell," he repeated, his voice low. "That bell is old magic, Ruby. It was used long ago to call the animals together, to keep them safe. If the creature has it, it can use it to draw the animals out of hiding. Or worse."

Ruby’s stomach dropped. "But why? What does it want?"

The wombat shook his head slowly. "I do not know. But you must get it back. The bell is the key to setting things right."

Ruby looked toward the woods. The trees stood dark and silent, their branches reaching out like fingers. A shiver ran down her spine.

"I have to go in there," she said. "I have to find the creature and get the bell back."

The wombat nodded. "Be careful, child. The woods are not what they seem. The creature may be clever and dangerous. But you have something it does not."

"What?" Ruby asked.

The wombat smiled, his wrinkled face softening. "You have the animals. They will help you, if you ask. And you have courage. That is worth more than any magic."

Ruby took a deep breath. She turned to Jump and Yapper, who had followed her from the barn.

"I’m going into the woods," she said, making the sounds for both of them. Will you come with me?

Jump meowed once, his tail held high. Yapper barked once, his ears perked forward.

Ruby smiled. "Then let’s go."

She walked to the edge of the farm, where the grass met the trees. The woods loomed before her, dark and quiet. A narrow path wound between the trunks, disappearing into shadow.

Ruby stepped onto the path, Yapper at her side and Jump on her shoulder. The trees closed in around them, blocking out the morning light. The air grew cool and still.

For a long time, they walked in silence. Ruby listened for any sound—a howl, a rustle, anything—but the woods were eerily quiet. Even the birds were silent.

Then, up ahead, she saw something glinting on the ground. She hurried forward and bent down.

It was a small piece of silver. A chip from the bell.

Ruby picked it up, her heart pounding. The creature had been here. And it had dropped a clue.

She looked up and saw more silver chips scattered along the path, leading deeper into the woods.

"This way," she whispered.

She followed the trail, Yapper and Jump close behind. The chips led her to a clearing where the trees opened up to reveal a small, mossy pond. In the middle of the pond stood a tall, dark figure. It had bright, glowing eyes that reflected the water like twin moons.

The creature.

Ruby froze. Her breath caught in her throat.

The creature turned its head and looked right at her.