The Whispering Woods and the Lost Laughter

Previously

…And the Glimmer Sprites, their faces now lit with pure, unadulterated glee, finally found their voices. Not just chirps, not just tentative giggles, but full, clear, bell-like laughter that echoed through the enchanted forest. It was a sound so beautiful, so unexpected, that it brought a strange, warm feeling to Lily’s chest. Barnaby the badger, who had been peering from behind a particularly large mushroom, let out a surprised snort that quickly turned into a hearty guffaw. His stern, whiskered face crinkled with mirth, and for the first time, Lily saw that he wasn’t just grumpy; he was also quite… jolly. The spell, it seemed, was well and truly broken.