The Sweet Sneeze of Pebble

A tiny dragon learns to master her magical sneezes while outsmarting a clever thief in an arctic research station.

In the quiet hum of the arctic research station, Pebble the dragon loved to play. She would find pebbles, but every tiny sneeze turned them into delicious, colorful, bouncing jellybeans.

High above, Mr. Bristle watched from the ventilation shafts. He loved the sweet treats, darting down with lightning speed to snatch them away before Pebble could even blink her golden eyes.

Pebble felt frustrated. She needed to focus her breathing to stop the sneezes, but the chilly arctic air made her nose tickle constantly. She had to find a better way.

She began practicing controlled puffs of smoke. If she could warm the air around her, perhaps her nose wouldn't tickle so much. Mr. Bristle watched, waiting for a mistake.

Pebble laid a trap. She gathered plain, hard stones and placed them in a circle. She waited, letting the air stay cold, hoping to lure the hungry squirrel into the open.

As Mr. Bristle lunged for the pile, Pebble let out a sneeze—but this time, she aimed it upward, turning the falling snowflakes into a soft, sweet barrier that blocked his path.

The squirrel was trapped behind the candy wall, but as the sweets began to glow with a strange, pulsing light, Pebble realized her magic had unlocked something much deeper than snacks.