Honey Moss and Tickly Toes

The little woven door gave one more sweet, melodic squeak. It rested gently back against the damp soil, open just wide enough for three meadow friends to see inside.

Out poured the light. It was not like the sharp white light of morning, and it was not like the cool shine of the moon. It was a thick, buttery ribbon of amber, rolling out across the dark clover roots. The warm glow spilled right over the toes of Pip's tiny fairy boots. Pip knelt down low on the soft earth. His little green shirt pocket was tucked tight and safe, holding his favorite shiny blue pebble securely inside. He patted his pocket once, just to be sure, and grinned.

Beside him, Blossom hovered with a soft flutter of her transparent wings. She adjusted her wide clover-leaf hat and gave her thin green wand a gentle flick. Pop! A merry little yellow spark hopped from the tip of the wand. The spark danced in circles, swirling right through the amber beam. Together, the wand's spark and the doorway's light made little golden ripples across the dark earth.

Chloe leaned close, resting on her knees so she could see. Her star daisy crown twinkled with dancing rainbow colors, nestled right among the soft dandelion puffs she had tucked into her long pink hair. As she tilted her head, her bright curls brushed against the cool green clover. She took a deep, happy breath through her freckled nose. The air coming out of the hole smelled like warm honey, damp moss, and sweet sunshine baked into pine needles.

"Look at it, Butterfly," Pip whispered, pointing with his little brown stick. "It goes down like a golden slide, but it is made of shiny stone!"

"It looks so warm," Chloe whispered back. Her sparkly pink shoes were cozy beneath her, but the cool evening breeze was still rustling the tall meadow grass above their heads. Down in the hollow, under the clover roots, the halls looked snug and quiet. The amber glow seemed to breathe in and out, soft and slow, like a sleeping kitten.

Blossom buzzed down, landing right on Chloe's shoulder. She tapped Chloe's cheek with one tiny hand, giggling. "Go on, Pip! Take a peek!"

Pip looked back at Blossom. Then he looked at Chloe. Chloe gave him an encouraging nod. Pip wiggled his shoulders. He stood up tall on his fairy feet, stepped right to the edge of the woven birch frame, and took one brave step forward.

Down went his right boot. Tap.

The floor inside was smooth and golden, polished like honey drop candy. It did not squelch like the meadow mud. It did not wobble like a loose pebble. It felt smooth, firm, and wonderfully warm. Pip let out a tiny gasp, lifting his toes inside his boot.

"Oh!" Pip said, his eyes widening. "It tickles!"

"Tickles?" Chloe asked, leaning even closer.

"It does!" Pip lifted his other foot and brought it down beside the first. Tap, tap. "The floor is humming! It hums right into my soles, bzz-bzz-bzz, like a bumblebee having a snooze!"

Pip did a funny little wiggle dance right there on the golden resin threshold. He swayed to the left, and he swayed to the right, giggling as the gentle vibrations tickled the bottoms of his feet. The sweet, warm air wrapped around his ankles like a woolly blanket. Outside in the meadow, the evening was growing gray and chilly, but right here in the root hall, everything was gold and snug.