The Ruby Mountains Excerpt

  Chapter one:  Ruby and Sapphire

            Ruby was a fairy with bright red hair, and golden wings.  She lived in the Ruby Mountains, which her father named after her.  He was the king of the land, and when he saw how beautiful his daughter was, he decided to name the most beautiful bit of land in his kingdom after her.  The king had spent many of his childhood days in the Ruby Mountains seeking out gems and playing games with his friends.

            Now that Ruby was old enough to explore the land on her own, she traveled the Ruby Mountains just like her father had done when he was a child.  Her best friend was Sapphire, a unicorn that was white with purple hooves, a purple horn, and a pink mane and tail.  They were always found playing together. Today was no exception. The two friends dashed through the beautiful mountains, over moss covered stones, and soft grass.  They splashed through crystal clear streams and danced under tall flowering trees that swayed in a gentle breeze.

            There wasn’t that much time to play, though.  Today was a special day.  It was the king’s birthday, and Ruby wished to get her father the most beautiful jewel that she could find.  The problem was that she had yet to find the most beautiful jewel.  Her father already had so many, and she wanted him to have the very best.  She wanted his gift to be something unlike what any one else would give him.

Sapphire and Ruby were counting flower petals when suddenly, playtime, and the search for the perfect jewel came to a stop.  Dark clouds blotted out the sun, and thunder rumbled overhead.

            “Oh, no,” said Ruby.  “What am I going to do?  It’s about to rain, and I’m afraid of the thunder!” 

            No sooner than she said the words, rain started falling heavily from the sky.  Ruby screamed.  She was afraid of the storm, and lightning flashed around them.

            “It’s okay, Ruby,” said Sapphire.  “I’m here!” she exclaimed.  “Get on my back, and I will find you a place to stay.”

            Ruby climbed onto Sapphire’s back and the unicorn started running forward, her hooves beating as loudly as the thunder that rumbled in the sky.  She felt so bad for Ruby.  She knew how scared of the thunder Ruby was.  She wished for nothing more than to help her friend to not be afraid.  She ran as fast as she could, and then she saw a cave in the side of one of the mountains.  It was hidden behind a waterfall, but she was a unicorn, so she could see many hidden things. 

            “Hold on!” she shouted over the roar of the storm.

            She leaped forward, and then suddenly they were dry, though the cave was noisy from the combined sounds of the thunder and the waterfall. 

            “It’s loud!” shouted Ruby.

            “Let’s move farther into the cave, where it will be less noisy.” Sapphire responded.  So, the two moved further into the cave, glad to be dry.