The Hunt for Truffle Flowers

          Lullabelle shivered with excitement as she set out with her friend Twitch, the camouflage mouse, for Crystal Lake.  Tonight was the night when the magical truffle flowers would bloom at midnight.  They only bloomed on the night of the full moon and could only be found along the shores of Crystal Lake.  Each flower contained a delicious candy much like a truffle.  Everyone that ate the candy would have good luck for an entire month.  Since the flowers only bloomed for half an hour, it was extremely important that Lullabelle and Twitch be at the lake before midnight.

            Lullabelle had only been to Crystal Lake once when she was younger.  However, she had gotten directions from some other fairies before she set out.  Lullabelle had to carry Twitch in her arms as they flew toward the lake.   When the lake came into sight, she sighed in relief.  She didn’t realize how heavy Twitch would become before they reached the lake.

            They landed next to the lake a half hour before midnight.  Lullabelle had left a little early because she wanted to give them time to find some of the flowers before they bloomed.  She made a light with her wings, and the two friends set out in search of truffle flowers.  However, in the dark everything looked the same.  Lullabelle knew that when the truffle flowers bloom, they let off a faint glow, but when they are closed, they look like every other flower.  There was no way to tell which flowers were truffle flowers until they bloomed.

            Twitch and Lullabelle walked along a path stopping at every flower.  Lullabelle was so intent on examining the flowers as she walked along that she didn’t notice the mud until it was too late.  Her foot slid out from under her as soon as she stepped on the mudslick sending her sliding face first in the muck.

            Once she stopped sliding, she stood up and looked at herself.  “I must be a sight,” Lullabelle stated as she flapped her wings to work magic.  In no time at all, the mud disappeared.  However, from that point Lullabelle started paying more attention to the path than the flowers.

            “I guess we just need to wait until midnight, Twitch,” said Lullabelle.  “There is no way to tell which flowers are truffle flowers until they bloom.”  Twitch nodded in agreement.

            The two friends continued to walk along the path beside the lake.  After a while, Twitch wiggled his nose and went off into the grass in search of something.  Suddenly, Lullabelle heard a loud crash, and Twitch squeaking in alarm.  Lullabelle followed the sound of Twitch’s squeak until she found him trapped in a cage.  He had obviously set off some sort of trap.

            “Oh, Twitch,” sighed Lullabelle.  “What am I going to do with you?  Don’t you know not to go wandering off without me?  Here.”  With that, Lullabelle flapped her wings and turned the cage into a pile of flowers.

            Twitch squeaked his gratitude, but then froze in his tracks.  Right behind Lullabelle was a growling bobcat.  Twitch used his gift of camouflage he had received from Lullabelle for saving her life, and turned the color of the grass.  Lullabelle picked up a handful of flowers and dumped them on the bobcat’s head while Twitch scampered away.  Then Lullabelle flew away to catch up with Twitch.

            “Wow, that was close,” said Lullabelle.  “I guess now we are even.  You saved my life, and now I have saved your life.”  Again, Twitch squeaked his gratitude.

            Then far off in the distance, a clock began to chime.  It was finally midnight.  All around them the truffle flowers began to sparkle and bloom.  Lullabelle and Twitch went from flower to flower gathering the truffle candy and eating it.  They had never tasted such candy.

            “I hope it’s true that this candy gives you good luck,” said Lullabelle.  “I think we both really need some of that.”  Twitch nodded in agreement and continued to gobble down the candy.

            The two friends talked and ate until the flowers closed.  Then they started back for the old castle where they met.  Their tummies were full, and their hearts were happy.  Maybe next month, they would wait until closer to midnight before they started their hunt, but they would absolutely be back.