Celebrate The Season: Winter
	Stories by Allen Morgan
	Art by Vladyana Krykorka
	Six stories - 72 pages

The White Wolf's Secret Cave (part 4)

"Yes it is. But the regular trees that grow around here still remember the Magic Tree well. When they lose all their leaves and their sap starts to slow, they like to doze. And in their dreams they return again to their First Land home to be with the Magic Tree. They sing the songs from long ago and move and sway in the way of the dance that the Magic Tree knows. The White Wolf is sharing their dream right now, that's why he comes to this secret place. You can dream too if you want to. First you'll need some diamond ice to connect you with the trees."

Megan reached into the pool of tree water and took a small piece.

"Now taste it," said Winter.

Megan looked down at the diamond ice she was holding in her hand. It seemed a bit hard to chew and swallow. She looked at Winter to see what to do. Winter had taken some diamond ice too. She looked at Megan and gave her a wink, then quick as a blink she held up her piece of diamond ice and gave it a lick. Then Winter smiled and closed her eyes. She seemed quite happy and satisfied, so after a while Megan decided to close her eyes and stick out her tongue for a careful lick of her own diamond ice.

"It's sweet!" she exclaimed in surprise.

"Diamond ice comes from the sap of the tree and you know how sweet tree sap can be."

"I've had it on pancakes," Megan agreed, then she licked her fingers and smiled. "Tree water tastes sweet too."

"Yes it does," Winter said. "Now close your eyes and listen and feel the song that the Magic Tree sings."

Megan closed her eyes. After a bit she had to admit that she heard something all right. It was far away and she couldn't quite say what the shape of the melody was. But still, even so, she could feel its strength, it was old and strong and real.

"It sounds kind of faint," she said to Winter. "I wish I could hear it better."

"You can," Winter said. "But you have to be sleeping to hear it well. The Magic Tree song only comes when you dream and the dance moves through you then too."
"I can't dream now," Megan explained. "I have to be home for supper soon."

"It doesn't much matter where you dream or when or why or how. Just take that piece of diamond ice with you and later on when you go to bed take a few tastes," Winter said. "Then when you sleep the Magic Tree will come to you in your dreams."

Winter decided to stay for a while and dream her dream right away. She took a taste of diamond ice, then she stretched out to rest on the floor of the cave with her head on the White Wolf's chest. Megan smiled and waved goodbye, then she crawled back outside again.