CHAPTER 3
THE DRIZZLES

In her room in the school’s Lakeside Tower, Zuli woke from her long nap. She sat up to see rain still drizzling against her window. What a storm! she thought. It had been fierce enough that all the students were ordered to stay in their rooms.

Zuli left for the dining hall to get something to eat. She pocketed an apple for Rainbow and one for herself. Then she headed for the inner tunnels to the caves, since the outdoor paths would be slippery. As Zuli neared the storm serpent caves, she saw a tail sticking out of one opening.

“Opal, what are you doing?” Zuli giggled. “You forgot your tail out here!”

The storm serpent didn’t stick her head out to greet Zuli like she usually did. In fact, her tail didn’t even move.

Zuli frowned. “Opal?” she called. She stepped through the cave entrance. Normally, she wouldn’t enter the cave of another trainer’s dragon without being invited. But something wasn’t right.

Zuli’s boot splashed into a large puddle on the floor. Her foot slipped, and she reached out to steady herself. Her hand came down on the dragon’s back. The serpent’s scales were hot. Zuli drew back her hand, shocked. Storm serpents were usually cool to the touch.

“Opal, you feel like a fire drake!” Zuli exclaimed. “And why is there water on the floor?” Opal’s cave opened into the inner tunnel—not outdoors. Rainwater from the storm couldn’t have gotten into Opal’s cave.

Quickly, Zuli splashed through the water for a closer look at Opal. The serpent’s eyes were closed, but her mane fluttered lightly by her nose. She’s breathing, at least, Zuli thought, relieved. But the dragon just lay there in the puddle, unmoving.

“I’ll find someone to help you,” Zuli told Opal softly. But Opal didn’t even squint open an eye.

Zuli trudged through the water and back out into the tunnel. There she saw another strange sight. A trickle of water ran out of another cave opening nearby. Zuli’s head spun. What was going on?

As Zuli paused, she noticed how silent the storm serpent caves were. There were no restless dragons wound up from the storm. No brush of scales against the smooth stone. The air felt thick. It was like the tingle of dragon magic before gems started glowing. But no gleam of magical gems came from any of the caves.

Zuli’s heart pounded as she stepped up to the other cave. She held her breath. Finally, she peered into the dark. Another storm serpent—a pale purple one—lay still in a mound of melting snow. A few flakes drifted around the dragon.

It’s like they’re drizzling without trying, she thought. Opal has rain magic, and she was in a puddle of water. This storm serpent must have snow magic. It’s making it snow in here. What’s happening? Do they have a magical cold? The sniffles? Or, I guess, the drizzles?

“Oh, no,” Zuli whispered as a thought hit her. “Rainbow…” She sprinted to the end of the tunnel. It let out onto a mountain path overlooking the lake. Several more storm serpent caves lined the path. Zuli scrambled up to the fifth cave, not caring how slippery the rocks were.

Zuli rounded a boulder and faced the entrance. Inside, she saw Rainbow’s coiled body. She stumbled in, fearing the worst. Rainbow let out a loud snore. She snaked her head around to blink at Zuli.

Stopping short, Zuli realized the cave floor was dry. No puddles! And when Rainbow stretched and yawned, she sniffed at the air. She darted straight for the apple in Zuli’s pocket.

A laugh burst out from Zuli. “I’m so glad you’re all right!” She fished the apple out of her pocket and gave it to Rainbow. “But your friends look sick. I need to get help. I’ll be back as soon as I can!”

Rainbow crunched the apple as Zuli backed out of the cave. Feeling better, Zuli could think more clearly. I’ll get Professor Gale. He’ll know what to do!