The Riddle at the Edge of Forever

Lily pushed through the tall grass until she found it—the sparkling blue pool that only appeared when the moon was full. Its surface shimmered like liquid diamonds.

Beside the water sat something amazing. A sphinx, but not like in books. This one was small, with emerald-green wings and fur the color of sunset oranges.

"You came back!" squeaked the sphinx. "I've been waiting three whole moons!"

Lily giggled. "I brought you something." She pulled an orange from her pocket. The sphinx's eyes widened.

"A moon-fruit! My favorite!" The sphinx took it with tiny paws. "Now I can give you your riddle prize."

Suddenly, a red fox burst from the bushes. His coat glowed like fire.

"Wait!" cried the fox. "Don't answer yet!"

The sphinx frowned. "You're always late, Rusty."

"But I found something important!" The fox held up a smooth silver stone. "Look what I found in the creek!"

Lily gasped. "It has symbols!"

"It's ancient magic," explained the sphinx, munching her orange. "Long ago, this pool was a doorway between worlds. But someone closed it."

"And the stone opens it?" Lily asked.

"Only with friendship's help," said the fox. "That's what the old badger told me. The magic works when three friends work together."

Lily, the fox, and the sphinx looked at each other.

"We're friends?" asked the sphinx.

Lily smiled. "Yes!"

They placed the silver stone into a hollow in the rock beside the pool. All three pressed their paws—or hand—against it together.

The water began to glow. Golden sparkles swirled up like tiny stars. Then, through the ripples, they could see another place—a meadow filled with flowers that sang when the wind blew.

"It opened!" cheered the sphinx.

But then the fox noticed something worrying. The sparkles were fading.

"Someone has to stay to keep it open," said the fox quietly. "Or it closes again."

Lily had an idea. "We take turns! Each month, we meet here. Whoever's turn it is stays behind while others visit. Then we switch!"

The sphinx clapped her paws. "That way everyone gets to adventure AND help!"

The pool's glow steadied. Through it, the singing meadow beckoned.

"Who goes first?" asked the fox.

Lily squeezed both their paws. "Together. We ALL go through, just for a little bit. Then we come back and make a plan."

And so they did—hand in paw in paw, stepping through the magic pool into a world where friendship was the greatest magic of all.

They still meet there every full moon. Sometimes they bring oranges. Sometimes they find new stones. But always, always, they come back together.