The Sleeping Pearl

Crunch, squeak, crunch went Knut's space boots in the snow. Crunch, squeak, crunch went Dinkabel's boots right behind him. The drifts on Planet Tiumberly were as fluffy and white as giant scoops of vanilla ice cream. High above them, the jagged mountain peaks looked just like enormous white bears curled up for a winter nap.

Between the snowy hills stood the ice pillars. They were see-through and tall, stretching all the way up toward the pale sky. Whenever the cool breeze slipped between them, the pillars buzzed with a sleepy, gentle hum. It sounded like a warm cup of cocoa on a cold afternoon.

"Look, Dinkabel," whispered Knut. He patted his heart-shaped pink head and pointed toward a quiet hollow.

The curly ribbon tracks stopped beside a smooth bank of snow. In the middle of the hollow rested the second captive unicorn. It lay curled on its side, fast asleep inside a sparkling shell of clear ice. Its pearl-white mane glowed with a soft, milky light, shining right through the frost. It looked peaceful and very still, dreaming beneath the humming pillars.

"We found you," Dinkabel said softly. Her square head bobbed with delight, and her rainbow-striped cheeks turned bright pink. She smoothed down her blue tunic and smiled at the sleeping creature.

Knut reached a cozy mitten into the pocket of his spacesuit—the one that looked very much like a pair of old flannel underpants. Right inside sat the fuzzy magic blossom. It was snug and toasty, giving off a tiny puff of sweet, cinnamon-warm air. Just a single touch of that warm flower would melt the crystal shell and wake their new friend up.

"Hold tight to my hand," Knut whispered cheerfully. "We will walk over very softly so we do not startle him."

They took one step. Then they took another. Squeak went the powdery snow under their toes.

Just as Knut stretched his hand forward, an unexpected gust of mountain wind came rushing down the valley. Whoosh! The wind rattled against the tall see-through pillars until they sang out loud and bright like brass bells. Up on the rim of the hollow, an enormous shelf of powdery snow wobbled.

Plop! Swish! Whump!

A huge mound of heavy, packed snow tumbled down between the pillars. Fluffy white clouds of powder puffed into the air and settled right across the path, stacking up into a tall, frosty barrier. When the cloud cleared, Knut and Dinkabel found themselves standing before a solid wall of ice and snow, completely cut off from the hollow.

Knut blinked his big dark eyes. Dinkabel tilted her square head and tapped the snow wall with one finger. It was very thick and very cold.

On the other side of the white wall, the pearl-white mane still glowed like a little nightlight in the quiet hollow, waiting for the warmth to reach it.