*Chapter 1: The Disappearing Squirrel*
The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and Anna was upside down in a tree.
She wasn't stuck. She was searching. For Tiko.
"Tiko!" she shouted, her long braid dangling as she peeked under a fat branch. "If you're hiding again, I swear I'll turn your acorns into soup!"
No answer. Only the whisper of wind through the trees. That was strange. Tiko *always* popped out when she mentioned acorns. They were his weakness. Especially roasted with honey.
Anna jumped down, brushing leaves from her knees. "This isn't funny anymore…"
She glanced toward the forest. The edge of the Whispering Forest shimmered slightly, like heat waves on pavement. It always did that when something *magical* was happening.
Anna frowned. "You didn't go in there alone, did you?"
No one ever entered the Whispering Forest without a reason. People said it was full of weird creatures and trickster magic. Her grandmother once told her it changed shape when it was in a bad mood. Or bored.
But if Tiko was inside, she had no choice.
Anna nodded quickly. "That's him!"
The mushroom sighed. "The Shadow Sprites took him. They're in a naughty mood lately. Something about losing their shiny rock."
Anna gasped. "Where did they take him?!"
"Deep into the forest. Probably to their underground hideout." He floated closer. "No human's been down there in years. Not since the Great Giggling Incident."
"The what?"
"Long story." The mushroom looked at her seriously. "If you want to go after your squirrel, you'll need a guide."
"Will you come with me?"
"Me?" The mushroom shuddered. "Oh no, I'm terrible with directions. But I *do* know someone. Name's Bloop. Don't mind his four eyes — he's friendly."
Anna smiled, her heart pounding with excitement and fear. "Lead the way."