Tang Ri Shan

Magic Tree House- The Hidden Helper

Dinosaurs before Dark

"Natalie? Where are you going?" A voice called from inside the house as 12 year old Natalie Pope stepped out through the screen door.

"Just out for a walk, Aunt Mary" Natalie called back through the screen door. The sun was about to set, and the trees and houses were already casting shadows on the street.

"Don't go too far" Her aunt called out.

"I won't" Natalie said as she left the yard and started walking down the street.

As she walked, her heart ached and her eyes began to water. Reaching inside her shirt, she pulled out a small golden locket on a chain and opened it.

A face of a young man and woman smiled up at her from each wing. Natalie ran her finger over the woman's face. "Mom" She whispered, feeling tears flow down her face. Natalie's mother looked very similar to her, the same heart-shaped face, the same thin eyebrows, and the same cute nose.

Blinking through her tears, Natalie turned to look at the lid of the locket, where the young man's picture smiled up at her. "Dad" She whispered, her voice choked with pain. Her father had the same jade green eyes and the same dark red hair that Natalie had.

"I still can't believe you're both gone!" Natalie sobbed, clutching the locket to her chest as more memories flashed through her head. Memories of her former life living in Chicago, growing up as the daughter of two college professors, her father taught history, her mother taught mythology. She remembered old school friends, of playing with her three dogs, Silver, Shadow, and Sunshine, of watching documentaries with her father and listening to her mother tell her stories while braiding her hair.

Yes, Natalie's life had been perfect, until a month ago, when a terrible accident had changed everything. Natalie could still remember that night, despite her best attempts to forget it; she remembered her parent's laughter as they were driving home. She remembered the large truck that had appeared out nowhere, the horn blaring. She remembered her father yelling, her mother screaming, the brakes squealing, and the car spinning, and then silence.

Natalie rubbed her wrist as she walked, feeling the uneven ridge under her skin. A broken wrist; that was the worst injury she had gotten in the accident that had taken both her parents away from her. Natalie felt her eyes tearing up again.

No! Stop thinking like that! Natalie thought to herself, shaking her head and coming to a stop. Dad always says that the past is in the past. We can learn from it, we can learn about it, but it does no good to live in it! STOP CRYING!

Natalie's eyes suddenly snapped open and she found herself breathing hard. She stared down at her locket again, and felt her tears begin to return.

CRACK!

"Huh?" Natalie glanced up as she heard something, a twig breaking. She glanced towards the woods. Had someone been watching her?

"Who's there?" Natalie called, wiping her tears away. No one answered her, but she saw a shadow dart behind a tree, a person-shaped shadow.

"I know you're there!" Natalie called. "I can see your shadow!"

The shadow moved again, but kept silent.

Natalie was starting to get angry. "Who are you? Answer me!" She yelled.

There was no reply.

Natalie frowned. It was probably her cousins playing a joke on her!

Because her father was an only child, and because her grandparents lived in a place where children were not allowed to stay longer than a month, after the accident Natalie had had to leave Chicago behind to go live with her mother's sister, her aunt Mary, and her husband William Osborne, in the small town of Frog Creek, Pennsylvania.

Aunt Mary and Uncle William had two children of their own, Eight-and-a-half year old Jack and Seven-year-old Annie. Though they were younger than her, both of her cousins seemed to understand the trauma Natalie had gone through, and had done their best to make her feel at home.

Natalie was grateful that her aunt's family had welcomed her, but she still felt uncomfortable about living out here. In a small town like Frog Creek, everyone seemed to know each other, and they seemed to connect in a way that was unfamiliar to Natalie, which only made her feel even more like an outsider. At times, this upset Natalie greatly because she wanted to be a part of this new world, but she didn't know how.

The leaves of the nearby trees rustled, drawing Natalie out of her thoughts. She saw the shadow move again.

"Jack! Annie! That had better not be you!" Natalie warned, starting towards the woods.

As she approached the trees, she suddenly saw a figure bolt from behind a tree and move quickly into the woods.

"Hey! Come back here!" Natalie yelled, running after them.

Natalie plunged into the woods, dodging past tree trunks, hopping over logs and twisting around bushes, but when she rounded a large tree, she stopped.

The figure was gone!

Natalie cried out and planted a fist on the tree trunk. Nuts! I lost them! She thought angrily.

Breathing heavily, she looked around. Beams of golden late-afternoon light streamed through the treetops to light up sections of the ground like spotlights, and shadows were everywhere. The air felt cooler in here, and it seemed…calm.

Natalie felt her anger begin to leave her. It was peaceful in here. A bird twittered in the branches overhead and another one answered nearby.

A gentle breeze rustled the leaves and caressed the skin on Natalie's cheek softly, kind of like the way her mother used to.

Natalie felt a smile cross her face. Her mother used to read her stories about the forest, and how it was full of magic. She had always believed it was true. Natalie raised her head, enjoying the breeze and stepped away from the tree into one of the beams of sunlight. You were right, mom, she thought. There is something magical about the woods. She tilted her head back farther.

What was that? Natalie paused as a faint glint caught her eye and she turned to get a better look. Something shiny was lying at the base of a nearby bush. Natalie bent down to get a better look, and her eyes widened, it was a ring!

"Wow" Natalie whispered.

The ring was simple in appearance, a small blue stone set into a shiny metal band. But as Natalie stared at it, it seemed to shimmer and twinkle in the late evening light.

Natalie wondered, just for a moment, how the ring would look on her, and her fingers began to move towards it.

Wait! Natalie thought, jerking her hand back. What am I thinking? This ring isn't mine! She thought. Suddenly feeling guilty, Natalie raised her head and looked around, but didn't see anyone nearby.

Maybe…Natalie thought, maybe I should just…hang onto it for a while. See if anyone comes looking for it. If they do, I can always give it back. With that thought in her mind, Natalie reached out and plucked the ring from the ground.

"Weird" She said as she straightened up. "It feels warm" The ring did feel warm, as if someone else had been wearing it recently. Again, Natalie looked around; half-expecting the owner to appear from behind a tree and demand it back, but there was no one in sight.

Natalie glanced down at it again, then at her ring finger. Before she could stop herself, Natalie slid the ring onto her finger. It was a perfect fit. "Cool" Natalie said as she raised her hand up to get a better look at it.

Suddenly the blue stone seemed to flash in the late afternoon light and Natalie gasped as a second light, like a camera flash, filled her eyes for a split second.

What was that? Natalie blinked and shook her head to clear away the dazzling lights in her vision. She glanced around, searching for the source of the light, and then her eyes widened.

Across from her was a tall oak tree, and next to the tree, was a long rope ladder!

"What the….?" Natalie whispered as her eyes followed the ladder all the way to the top of the tree, and her jaw dropped. There, nestled between two branches at the very top of the tree, was a tree house.

"Where did that come from?" Natalie wondered as she crossed over to the tree and stood beneath it. She was certain that the rope ladder and the tree house had not been there a minute ago. She grasped the rope ladder in her hands; it felt real enough to her.

I wonder whose it is. Natalie thought. She stared up at the tree house, then at the rope ladder in her hands. Well, I guess there's only one way to find out! She thought and started up the ladder.

As Natalie climbed, she felt a strange feeling come over her, like a cold wind was blowing down her shirt and jeans and against her bare skin. It felt strange, but she kept climbing.

The rope ladder ended at a hole in the floor of the tree house. Natalie poked her head through the hole, and her jaw dropped. The tree house was filled with books!

Books were everywhere! Some were stacked against the walls, while others lay in a small pile in the center. Some were large, some were small, and some were very old-looking with dusty covers, while others looked brand new, with shiny covers.

"Whoa!" Natalie said as she crawled through the hole and into the Tree House. "Jack would love this place" Natalie chuckled as she recalled her cousin's love of books.

Natalie carefully made her way over the tree house window and looked out. Wow! Look how far you can see from up here! She thought as she gazed out over the tops of the trees. In the distance, she could see the buildings of Frog Creek, the library, the elementary school and the park. Natalie squinted in the fading light. She thought she could even see what looked like a pair of dogs walking on the park's circular path alongside their owners.

Natalie glanced in the other direction and saw her uncle and aunt's house at the end of the nearby street, along with other houses. Natalie saw Henry, the big black dog next door trotting around his yard. He looked very tiny from up here.

"This is amazing" Natalie said as she glanced around the tree house and all the assorted books, and noticed many of them had bookmarks sticking out of them. Where did all this come from? She wondered. Her eyes fell upon a particular book, white with a red cover and a red bookmark sticking out of it. It was a book on Pennsylvania.

Before she could stop herself, Natalie picked up the book and sat down next to the window. She flipped open the book to the page with the bookmark. Hey! She thought. This is a picture of Frog Creek woods!

Natalie glanced out the window and back down at the picture in the book. Sure enough, the picture was almost an exact match, as if the photo had been taken from this tree house.

"And the plot thickens" Natalie said as she placed the Pennsylvania book down and gazed out the window. Just then, a beam of sunlight shone through the window and fell upon the pile of books on the floor.

Natalie frowned. The place suddenly looked like a mess, like her father's office had been. Her father was not a very organized person. Shaking her head at the memory, Natalie absentmindedly began picking up books from the floor and sorting them into the various piles that lay stacked against the far wall. Her mother had taught her to be organized early on and she actually took pleasure in organizing her father's messy office, and enjoyed having him reward her for it.

"What the…?" Natalie paused with a book on castles in one hand and a book on dinosaurs in the other hand. Something on the bare wood of the floor had caught her attention, but she couldn't see anything now.

Natalie tilted her head a little. She was right! There was something shiny embedded in the floor.

She tipped her head a little more, and it came into better focus. The letter M! It seemed to shimmer in the late-afternoon sunlight.

What is this? Natalie thought as she set the two books down and touched the M with her fingers over the glowing letter. Her skin suddenly seemed to tingle and the ring on her finger seemed to glow with the same light as the M.

"Wow" Natalie whispered, awe-struck by the glowing letter. "I really wish I could meet the person that put this here" She traced her fingers over the M.

Suddenly the blue stone on the ring seemed to light up again. "Huh?" Natalie knelt over the letter to get a better look.

The letter suddenly flashed and to Natalie's amazement, her hand suddenly sank right through the floor. "What the…?" Natalie cried and tried to pull her hand back, bracing with the other hand, only for that hand to sink through the floor as well! Now off balance, Natalie screamed as she fell forwards and fell right through the letter in the tree house floor.

WOOOOAAAHHHHHH!" Natalie screamed as she fell down into what she assumed was the inside of the tree. She kept screaming as farther and farther she fell, going faster and faster. Natalie glanced around as she fell and was surprised to see hundreds of books flashing past her.

"YIKES!" Natalie gasped as she glanced down and saw what looked like the ground rise up quickly to meet her. She curled up into a ball and squeezed her eyes shut.

"ARRRITEZZ MOMENTIO!" A loud voice called out and Natalie felt her body suddenly jerk to a stop and braced herself for the pain that was surely coming next, but she didn't feel any. She didn't even feel the ground beneath her.

Natalie eventually cracked open her eyes, and then widened them. She was floating in the air just above the ground! As soon as she realized that, whatever was holding Natalie up suddenly disappeared and she fell to the ground with a thud.

"Ow!" Natalie gasped as she scrambled to her feet, rubbing her arm and her eyes widened as she looked around. She was standing in a round room lit with hundreds of candles, some attached to the walls, some hanging in lanterns, and even some floating in the air!

Natalie could not believe her eyes. The light from all those candles was shining on large shelves that stretched from where she was up into the darkness above, and these shelves contained hundreds of books and scrolls! Many of them looked ancient and dusty, like they hadn't been opened in years.

This can't be possible! Thought Natalie. How could all this be inside that oak tree? The tree had not looked that big from the outside!

"Wh-what is this place, some kind of library?" Natalie gasped as she spun in circles, trying to take it all in.

"Indeed" Natalie froze as a deep whispery voice replied from behind her. Slowly, she turned around.

Facing her was a carved wooden chair, and sitting in that chair, staring intently at her, was an old man with a long white beard. He wore a long red cloak and a blue hat studded with white stars. In one hand, he gripped a large wooden staff with a metal tip.

"Oh" Natalie said, trying to recover from her shock. "H-hello sir, sorry to bother you. I'll just get out of…"

The man help up a hand, indicating Natalie should stop speaking, and then smiled at her. "That is quite alright young lady; there is no need to apologize." He said warmly. "Though I would like to know how you managed to get in here." He added as he rose to his feet. "This is supposed to be a place that only I, or those who work for me, can enter"

"Umm…" Natalie bit her lip, avoiding looking at the man's eyes. There was something strange about them. "I'm not entirely sure how I got in here sir. The last thing I remember was sitting in the tree house staring at the letter M carved into the floor, and I guess I just…fell through it" Natalie shrugged her shoulders, clearly aware of how ridiculous she sounded. But she didn't know what else to say.

"You just fell through the M?" The man repeated, raising a bushy eyebrow.

"Uh huh" Natalie nodded, backing up a little as the man leaned down towards her. His eyes were now looking directly into hers and Natalie found that she couldn't look away, like she was hypnotized.

"What is your name?" The man asked.

"My name is Natalie" Natalie replied almost automatically.

"Natalie, I would like you to tell me everything that happened to you since you came into the woods this evening" The man said in a kind, but firm voice.

Being as brief as she could, Natalie described what had happened to her in the last hour, how she had chased a mysterious figure into the woods and had lost them and discovered the ring hidden beneath a bush, how she had put it on and then found the tree house. How she had climbed up into it and discovered it full of books and how she had found the M on the floor. How she had wished to meet the person who had put it there and ended up falling through the floor.

"I see" The man said when she was finished. "Well, that explains how you entered this place."

"I'm really sorry sir." Natalie bowed her head. "I didn't mean to come in without permission"

The man shook his head. "No. The fault is mine. I should have been more careful. I didn't even realize I had dropped my ring. "

"Your ring?" Natalie gasped, her eyes darting to her hand where the ring gleamed softly in the candlelight. "So it was you I saw watching me at the edge of the woods!"

The man nodded.

"But…why did you run away?" asked Natalie

The man gave a little chuckle. "Because in reality, I am not supposed to be here, and you might have given me away. I cannot allow anyone to know I am here"

Now Natalie raised an eyebrow. "I don't understand. Who are you?"

The man smiled mysteriously. "Who do you think I am?"

Natalie paused and looked the man over. "Well, you look like some kind of sorcerer." In a weird way, it made sense. The man was certainly dressed like a wizard.

"I prefer the term 'Magician'" The man corrected. "But yes."

"And your hat…" Natalie stared at the star-studded hat. "I've read a lot of stories about magic and the only wizard I know of with a hat like that is…" Natalie stopped talking as she realized what she was about to say.

"Go on" The man said.

"No" Natalie shook her head, feeling very silly. "No. That's impossible."

"Is it?" The man smiled again, and motioned for Natalie to speak

Natalie took a deep breath. "The only wizard I know of with a hat like that is… Merlin!" She blurted out, then looked down, expecting to hear laughter.

When the man didn't laugh, Natalie looked up. He was smiling at her and Natalie saw his eyes twinkle. Then, as Natalie stared at him, he slowly nodded.

Natalie felt her eyes widen. "Are you…?" She said softly

The man nodded again. "I am Merlin" He said, and he said it in such a way that made it impossible to not believe him.

For a few moments, Natalie was so stunned she couldn't even speak.

Inspired by her mother's stories, Natalie had spent years reading everything she could about magic, when she was younger she wished every night she could one day meet a real wizard, and now Merlin, THE Merlin, the famous magician of Camelot, the wizard who had helped King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, the greatest magician of all, was sitting right in front of her!

Merlin chuckled at Natalie's silence. "I commend you for being so well read, but I would not presume to call myself the greatest magician of all"

Natalie blushed as she realized that the magician had read her thoughts.

Merlin chuckled again. "You should not believe everything you read" He said.

"Yeah, obviously" Natalie giggled nervously "So Merlin…what are you doing in Frog Creek?" She quickly asked, trying to distract from how embarrassed she was.

"A good question, Natalie" Merlin leaned forward in his chair. "You could say that I am protecting someone"

"Protecting someone?" Natalie repeated

"Yes" Merlin nodded. "You see, in addition to being a 'famous magician', I am also a guardian, a guardian of magic, and of all who use it. One of my many duties is to ensure that those who use magic do so for good purposes"

"Sort of like a policeman of magic?" Natalie said.

Merlin paused for a second, than he nodded. "Yes, I suppose you can put it that way" He said.

"Cool" Natalie smiled.

"Anyway, in order for me to 'police' magic, I sometimes use little tricks that allow me to keep an eye on those who are using magic, such as the letter M you saw carved in the tree house floor above us"

Natalie frowned, confused. "Wait, so the tree house isn't yours?"

Merlin shook his head. "No, though I know it well, the tree house is not mine. It was created by another person who has great magical powers, powers strong enough to rival mine. Thus this person can be seen as my 'rival', if you will."

"So you followed your rival here. But why is your rival here in Frog Creek?" Natalie asked.

"In addition to having strong magical powers, my rival is also a great lover of knowledge. They built the tree house so they could to travel to different places and different time periods around the world in order to collect information." Merlin explained.

"And you keep an eye on this person to make sure they aren't using their magic for any other reason?" Natalie guessed.

Merlin nodded. "Precisely. I also like to be on watch should they encounter a problem. A good wizard should always rely on himself first, and his magic second."

Merlin suddenly gave a tired sigh and shook his head. "Unfortunately, I have found that many magic users tend to overlook this rule"

"And you think your rival is one of these people?" Natalie asked.

Merlin's mouth frowned. "No, not…exactly" He admitted, though a little reluctantly. "Let us just say I feel a strong need to keep an eye on them"

"Who exactly is this 'rival of yours?" Natalie asked.

Merlin opened his mouth to answer when…

"Books!" Both Natalie and Merlin froze as another voice rang through the library.

"What was that?" Natalie asked.

"It's filled with books!" The voice said again, very loudly, almost like it was yelling at someone.

"Is there someone else in here?" Natalie asked, glancing around.

Merlin shook his head. "No, that noise is coming from above us" He said, raising his staff as he spoke.

Natalie's eyes widened as she looked up. "The tree house? Is it the creator?" Natalie felt a rush of excitement and fear at the same time. She kind of wanted to meet this creator, but if they were as powerful as Merlin described, she couldn't help feeling a little nervous.

Merlin shook his head again "No, it's not them. I would know if it was" He said, frowning. Merlin's staff glowed dimly and a shining letter M appeared in the air above them.

"You mean someone else found the tree house?" Natalie gasped.

"I believe so" Merlin said as the M floated down to just above their heads. He looked concerned. "But I cannot imagine how that could have happened." Now that the M was close to them, Natalie found that she could easily hear what was happening in the tree house above them.

"Look, you can see far, far away" A voice said, young and girlish. A few seconds later the voice said "There's our house" followed by a loud "Hi Henry!"

"Shush" A second voice, this one a little deeper, like a boy's voice, said quickly. "We're not supposed to be up here" A minute later he said "I wonder who owns all these books"

"I like this one" The girl's voice said.

Natalie's eyes suddenly widened. She knew those voices! "I don't believe it!" She gasped.

"What is it?" Merlin glanced at her.

"I…I think I know who that is" Natalie said, "It's my cousins, Jack and Annie. I'm living with them in Frog Creek. But what are they doing out here?"

"And how did they discover the tree house?" Merlin said, stroking his beard. "Is it possible they know the creator?"

"What?" Natalie gasped. "That's crazy!"

"No other mortal apart from you has seen the tree house before" Merlin said. "I can think of no other explanation"

"Here's a book on Pennsylvania" The boy's voice spoke. Now that Natalie listened carefully, there was no doubt it was Jack's voice she was hearing. "Hey, there's a picture of Frog Creek in here. It's a picture of these woods"

"Oh, here's a book for you" The girl's voice replied. That was definitely Annie's voice.

"This is cool" Natalie whispered. "We can hear everything they're doing up there!"

"Yes, and they cannot hear us" Merlin said, smiling at Natalie's reaction. "I prefer to keep a certain level of anonymity when monitoring other magic users"

Natalie giggled, but stopped as her cousins spoke up again.

"Let me see that" Jack said, and there was a dull thud, like he had just set something heavy down.

"You look at that one, and I'll look at the one about castles" Annie said.

"No, we'd better not" Jack's voice replied. "We don't know who these books belong to"

"Well, it doesn't sound like they know the creator" Natalie said. "They must have just stumbled across the tree house by chance, like I did"

"Wait a minute" Merlin suddenly said, his voice suddenly tense. Natalie glanced over at him and saw alarm spread across his face. "No, it can't be!" He said, his eyes widening.

"Merlin, what's wrong?" Natalie asked, now feeling anxious herself. If Merlin was worried, it couldn't be good.

"Wow" Jack's voice rang out from above them. "I wish I could see a Pteranodon for real"

"No!" Merlin suddenly yelled as the tree around them began to shiver and groan. The candles began to flicker and some went out. A few books and scrolls rolled off the shelves as they began shaking.

"NO! STOP!" Merlin roared and raised his staff in the air. There was a bright flash of light, and the entire room seemed to turn gray and freeze.

"Merlin, what's happening? "Natalie asked, glancing around the room.

"I don't believe it!" Merlin said, now looking amazed. "How can this be possible? Seeing the tree house itself is a feat, but being able to use it?"

"Merlin! What is happening?" Natalie practically shouted at the magician.

For a moment, Merlin didn't answer, and then he slowly turned to look at Natalie. His face was mostly hidden by his beard, but his eyes were full of concern. "Your cousins have activated the magic of the tree house." He said simply. "When the tree house was built, a spell was cast upon it by its creator. When you point to a picture in one of the books in the tree house and make a wish, the tree house will take you to the time and place the picture shows"

Natalie felt a wave of fear flood through her. "Seriously?" She squeaked, her voice tense. "Is that bad?"

"That would depend on which book your cousin was holding when he made the wish." Merlin replied, staggering a little, and leaning on his staff. He suddenly looked tired. "Can you recall which one Jack was looking at?"

Natalie closed her eyes and tried to calm her mind as she thought back to what Jack and Annie had been talking about, and what she had seen in the tree house. Her memory suddenly clicked and Natalie's eyes shot open.

"Jack was talking about a Pteranodon, he must be holding the dinosaur book!" Natalie gasped as pure dread suddenly hit her. "Oh No! They're going back to the time of the Dinosaurs! You have to stop them!" She said to Merlin.

To Natalie's horror, Merlin shook his head. "It is too late now. I have managed to stop time temporarily, but it will not last for long." He motioned to the grayness on the walls. "And even if I could stop them, I am forbidden to do so."

Natalie couldn't believe her ears. "What do you mean you're forbidden?" She shrieked.

"The creator of the Tree House and I have a pact." Merlin explained, now leaning heavily on his staff. Around him, the walls of the tree were beginning to rumble. "We do not directly interfere in each other's magic. Stopping your cousins from going would violate that pact, and could lead to greater problems."

"There must be something you can do!" Natalie said.

"There is" Merlin said, and this time, when he looked at her, there was firmness in his eyes. "I cannot stop them from going, but I can send you after them"

"M-me?" Natalie's eyes grew round.

Merlin nodded. "I can send you after them, to protect your cousins until they find a way to return home."

"Protect them? From dinosaurs?" Natalie looked at Merlin like he was crazy. "How am I supposed to do that?"

"By letting me transform you" Merlin answered. "Using my magic, I can transform you into an animal from dinosaur times."

Natalie gasped. "Really?"

Merlin nodded. "You will be able to keep an eye on your cousins, and protect them if necessary. But Natalie, listen to me" Merlin leaned forward and his voice became serious. "Jack and Annie cannot, I repeat cannot, know that you have followed them."

"Wh-why not?" Natalie asked.

Merlin suddenly groaned and bent over. The grey in the room around them began to fade as color slowly began to return.

"Are you okay?" Natalie ran to the magician's side.

"My time-freezing spell is wearing off." Merlin gestured to the walls around them, which were now shaking like an earthquake. "Once the Tree House leaves, I cannot send you after it. I need an answer Natalie, NOW!"

"Um…uh…" Natalie glanced around the shaking room, then up at the shining M that still floated overhead. She felt afraid, really, really, afraid. But as she stared up at the M, and remembered that her cousins were on the other side, about to be flung into great danger, she realized that there was only one thing she could do.

"Okay, do it!" Natalie nodded at Merlin, who nodded back and gestured for Natalie to move away.

Natalie backed up to the center of the room and Merlin swung his staff around until the tip was pointing at her and muttered words she could not hear.

A bright beam of light poured from the staff and struck Natalie, highlighting her whole body in a warm glow. Natalie shut her eyes as she heard a loud roar followed by a flash of light that penetrated her closed eyelids, than the light dimmed and everything was still.

Natalie opened her eyes and found that Merlin was now looking up at her. The magician nodded. "Yes, this will do nicely" He said.

"What did you do?" Natalie tried to say, but all that came out was a screech. At the same instant, Natalie suddenly lost her balance and fell forward onto what she thought were her hands and knees, but they felt different. Merlin waved his hand and the air in front of Natalie seemed to solidify into a shiny mirror. Natalie felt her eyes widen.

Gazing back at her was a giant creature with a skinny pointed beak and a long pointed crest on the back of its head. Large bat-like wings were folded on either side of its body.

Merlin had transformed her into a Pteranodon!

"Whoa!" Natalie cried as the image faded. But all she heard was a deep bird-like squawk.

"My spell is ending, you need to go now!" Merlin yelled over the roar of the shuddering room. "Remember, protect your cousins, but do not let them know who you are!"

Natalie dipped her head to show she understood.

"Good luck!" Merlin said and waved his staff. Before Natalie could reply, there was another flash of light and both Merlin and the room vanished.

Natalie blinked and shook her head and suddenly felt like she was falling. She spread out her arms and the large bat-like wings caught the air and easily lifted her back up. When her vision cleared, Natalie now saw that she was outside, flying over Frog Creek woods.

"AHHHH!" a scream made Natalie look up. The tree house was in front of her and a blonde girl was gazing wide eyed at her out the window. "A monster!" Annie screamed pointing at Natalie.

No, I'm a dinosaur! Well, sort of. Natalie thought to herself.

"No! Really!" Annie glanced behind her and a second later a dark-haired boy with red-framed glasses joined her at the window. Even from this distance, Natalie could see Jack's jaw drop and she giggled. He looked so silly! They both did!

Suddenly, the wind began to blow, the powerful gusts catching Natalie's wings and lifting her high up into the sky. She saw Jack nearly fall out of the window trying to keep her in sight.

The wind began to pick up and whistle loudly. Natalie tumbled forward, losing all sense of control.

"What's happening?" she heard Jack yell below her.

"Get down!" Annie yelled back.

The wind buffeted Natalie even harder; it was like trying to fly through a hurricane.

Natalie gave up trying to fight the wind and shut her eyes as it pulled her in a circle, spinning faster and faster.

Then the wind just stopped. Everything was calm, completely calm.

Natalie felt warm currents of air catch her wings and opened her eyes. Her beak dropped open as she looked around her. I don't believe it! She thought in amazement.

The Frog Creek woods were gone. Natalie's Pteranodon body was soaring over a wide field of ferns and tall grasses. Patches of tall trees dotted the field like islands in a green sea. A sloping hill was nearby, with a winding stream at the base, and in the distance Natalie could see volcanoes.

No way! Natalie thought, taking this all in with wide eyes. Am I actually in the time of the dinosaurs?

Natalie had always loved dinosaurs. Her father had loved them too and Natalie had many memories of him taking her to see dinosaur bones at the museum back home. Dad would have loved to see this! Natalie thought with glee.

"Wh-where are we?" A small voice caught Natalie's attention and she saw the Tree House perched in a nearby oak tree. Jack was sticking his head out of the window, his eyes wide as he looked around.

I hope those two are alright! Natalie thought. I'd better stay close to them.

Natalie angled her new body towards the tree that held the tree house and glided downwards. Instinctively sticking out her wings to act as brakes, Natalie coasted to a stop at the base of the tree and carefully folded her wings.

This feels weird! Natalie thought as she dug into the soil with her new claws. Cool, but weird!

Natalie swiveled her large head from left to right, looking for dinosaurs, but didn't see any nearby.

"Hi!" Annie's voice rang out. Natalie looked up to see Annie's head pull back into the tree house.

Who was she calling to? Natalie looked around again, but still didn't see anything.

"Hi!" Annie called again. Natalie looked up again and saw Annie was looking down at her.

Oh, she was calling to me! Natalie realized, feeling a little silly

"Where is here?" Annie called down.

"Beats me!" Natalie replied, but all she heard was a light squawk from her beak. She giggled in her head. Oops, I forgot! Pteranodons can't speak English!

Annie pulled her head back into the window. That's a good question actually, Natalie thought. Where exactly are we in dinosaur times?

She remembered reading that certain dinosaurs only lived on certain parts of the planet during certain periods. If she remembered right, the Pteranodon lived during the Cretaceous period, the last period the dinosaurs lived in.

Natalie felt a shudder ripple through her body. The Cretaceous was also home to some big meat-eating dinosaurs. Natalie hoped that they weren't in an area where any of those dinosaurs lived. The Pteranodon was a flyer, not a fighter. She wasn't sure how much protection this light body could give if they were attacked.

"Hey!" Jack's voice broke into Natalie's thoughts and she looked up again.

Annie was climbing down the rope ladder.

"Are you crazy?" Jack called from the Tree House. Natalie could hear the concern in his voice, but Annie didn't look worried at all as she climbed down.

Natalie watched as Annie leapt to the ground and walked boldly up to her.

"Hi there" She said softly, there was no fear in her voice or on her face. "I'm Annie"

I know who you are. Natalie thought as she watched Annie stop in front of her. She didn't seem to recognize Natalie at all! Natalie decided that she should play along and tilted her head as if she were confused, staring at Annie.

"I like your crest" Annie said, reaching a hand out. "Can I touch it?" She asked.

"Don't get too close to him Annie!" Jack called from above.

For a second, Natalie thought about moving away, but decided against it and kept still while Annie touched her crest. She could barely feel Annie's hands on it.

A Pteranodon's crest is mostly bone Natalie thought back to something she had read. I wonder what it was used for. She wondered. She would have to look that up when she got back home. Maybe it acted as a counter-weight against their long beak.

Annie's hands then stroked Natalie's neck. That she could feel and to her surprise it felt good. She had a sudden reference to her dogs being scratched behind the ears. Now I know why dogs like this! Natalie thought as she enjoyed the attention.

"Wow, you feel so soft." Annie said. "Jack said you're a reptile, like a lizard, but you don't feel scaly at all."

Oh, that feels good! Natalie thought with a sigh, closing her eyes as she felt Annie's hands running along her neck and down to her back.

The creaking of the rope ladder made Natalie open her eyes to see Jack on his way down. Natalie chuckled to herself. Jack may be the more cautious of the two, but Natalie was sure there was no way he was going to miss seeing an ancient flying reptile up close.

This is kinda fun! Natalie giggled as she watched Jack stare at them for a moment, frozen on the rope ladder. It's just like with the M in Merlin's study. I can see them, but they can't see me!

Jack hopped off the ladder and landed a few feet away from Natalie.

Well Jack, how do I look? Natalie thought, knowing full well that Jack couldn't hear her.

"He's soft, Jack" Annie said next to her. "He feels like Henry"

Jack snorted. "He's no dog, Annie"

"Feel him, Jack" Annie said.

Jack didn't move

"Don't think, Jack. Just do it" Annie coaxed

Yeah Jack, come on! Natalie agreed mentally. Are you really gonna pass up this chance?

Jack cautiously stepped forward and Natalie felt his hand brush down her neck.

See? Natalie looked at him. That wasn't so bad, was it?

"Soft, huh?" Said Annie

Jack didn't answer. Instead he reached into his backpack and pulled out his notebook. He began writing in it

"What are you doing?" Annie asked.

"Taking notes" Jack replied. "We're probably the first people in the whole world to ever see a real live Pteranodon"

Natalie chuckled in her head as Jack looked her over. Figures he'd do that. Always the scientist!

"I wonder how smart he is" Jack said after a minute.

"Very smart" Annie replied.

"Don't count on it" Jack argued. "His brain's probably no bigger than a bean"

I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that! Natalie thought, looking away from Jack.

"No, he's very smart. I can feel it" Annie said.

Natalie stiffened suddenly. What did Annie mean by that? She wondered. Had Natalie been wrong? Could Annie somehow see through Merlin's disguise?

"I'm going to call him Henry" Annie said and Natalie relaxed. Never mind. She thought, Annie's just being Annie.

"Maybe he's a mutant" Jack said.

Hey! Natalie swung her head around to look at Jack.

Annie laughed. "He's no mutant, Jack."

I should think not! Natalie thought angrily. I'm just a girl in a dinosaur's body! There's nothing unusual…about...that. Natalie suddenly realized the reality of what she was thinking. Okay, maybe it's a little unusual! She said to herself.

"Well, what's he doing here then? Where is this place?" Said Jack

Natalie felt Annie lean closer to her. "Do you know where we are, Henry?" She asked softly.

Natalie turned her head to look at her. I wish I could tell you, she thought, looking into Annie's eyes. She could feel her mouth opening and closing.

Annie noticed. "Are you trying to talk to me Henry?" she asked.

"Forget it, Annie" Jack said, and out of the corner of her eye, Natalie saw Jack writing something else down in his notebook.

"Did we come to a time long ago, Henry?" Annie asked her mouth inches from Natalie's ear. "Is this a place from long ago?"

Natalie realized she could answer this question. All it would take was a simple nod of her head, but part of her knew that might be a risky move.

Before she could make up her mind however, Annie suddenly gasped. "Jack!" and pointed up the hill

Jack looked up and Natalie turned her head to see what Annie was pointing at. She felt her jaw drop. At the top of the hill was a huge dinosaur!

Wow, a Triceratops! Natalie thought in awe as she gazed at the giant creature. There was no mistaking those three long horns and that big frill behind its head.

"Go! Go!" Natalie looked around to see Jack shoving his notebook into his pack. He began pushing Annie towards the rope ladder.

"Bye, Henry!" Annie called over her shoulder.

"Go!" Jack urged, giving Annie a push

"Quit it!" Annie argued, but she started climbing the ladder, with Jack right behind her.

Hey, where are you two going?" Natalie called after them as they tumbled into the tree house. That's a Triceratops; he's not a meat-eater! He's not going to hurt you!

Natalie turned her head back towards the animal, and suddenly didn't feel so sure. That dinosaur was big! Much bigger than her!

Maybe I should keep an eye on him. Natalie decided, shuffling uneasily.

"Just promise you won't pet him?" Jack's voice made Natalie look back up.

Jack and Annie were on the rope ladder. "I promise" Annie said

"Promise you won't kiss him" Jack asked.

"I promise"

"Promise you won't talk to him"

"I promise"

Oh for Pete's sake, just go already! Natalie thought as she stared up at them.

"Promise you won't…"

"Go! Go!" Annie urged and Natalie watched them climb down.

Have fun you two! Natalie called mentally as they headed past her.

Annie stopped to blow her a kiss. "Be back soon, Henry"

"Shush" Jack said and the two plunged into the ferns heading towards the Triceratops.

Hmmm, should I take off? Natalie wondered, tensing her wings. She knew could get a better viewpoint from the air. Then she looked at the Triceratops, at those sharp horns. On second thought, I'd better not. I don't want to spook him, and I can see fine from here. She decided and refolded her wings.

She did shuffle around so that she was facing away from the tree instead of towards it. Wow! Now I see why Pteranodon probably spent a lot of time in the air, Natalie thought as she moved. With her wings connecting her arms and legs together, she felt like an old lady on crutches and could only take tiny steps.

A laugh cut through the air and Natalie looked up to see Annie tumble out from behind a bush, in full view of the Triceratops.

Uh oh! Natalie tensed as the big animal spotted Annie. Annie froze and Natalie slowly lifted her wings, ready to fly to the rescue, as Annie and the dinosaur stared at each other.

Eventually though, the Triceratops turned away from Annie and began moving down the side of the hill. "Bye!" Natalie heard Annie call after it.

Natalie relaxed. False alarm, she sighed with relief. She shook her head as Jack and Annie began climbing the hill.

She saw Jack pause to pick something up off the hillside and chuckled. Collecting samples now, Jack? She wondered, giggling.

"Oh wow!" Annie had reached the top of the hill and was staring at something on the other side. As Natalie watched, she took off down the far side of the hill and vanished from view.

Where's she going? Natalie wondered

"Annie, come back!" Jack shouted before charging up the hill.

Natalie raised her neck to watch Jack, than froze as she heard a shriek.

Annie! Natalie spread her wings.

"Annie?" Jack called as he neared the top. Then another sound filled the air, a deep bellow, like a tuba, but more forceful. Natalie paused with her wings partially outspread and tilted her head. It wasn't an angry sound, more like a panicked sound.

"Jack! Come here!" Natalie heard Annie call

"Annie!" By this time Jack had reached the top of the hill and for a few seconds he stood there, before he too disappeared from view.

Oh great! Natalie raised her head as high as it would go, but she could no longer see either of them. The deep tuba sounds continued. The least they can do is stay in one place! I'd better go see what happened to them.

Natalie spread her wings and tried to lift off the ground, but part of her wing caught on a nearby bush and dragged her back down, digging into the skin on her wing in the process.

Ow! Natalie groaned as she fell rather clumsily back down to earth. Being a flying reptile isn't easy! She realized as she slowly got back to a somewhat upright position.

Slowly shuffling out of range from the spiky bushes, she spread her wings for another takeoff, than looked up, and her eyes widened.

Annie was back at the top of the hill, but she wasn't alone. With her was a large duck-billed dinosaur!

As Natalie stared at them, Annie plucked a magnolia flower off the tree and handed it up to the dinosaur. The dinosaur took the flowers from Annie and chewed them in its bill-like mouth.

Whew, another false alarm!" Natalie folded her wings again. She giggled as she watched Annie hand the dinosaur another flower.

"She's nice too, Jack!" Annie glanced down the hill where Jack must be.

Only you Annie. Natalie thought, laughing in her mind as she watched. Only you would try to feed a large ancient reptile that you just met!

Jack had once told Natalie that Annie was always trying to make friends with animals she encountered, but Annie clearly had more courage than Natalie thought.

Suddenly the dinosaur threw back its head and made a loud bellow, a deep noise like a tuba. Annie immediately crouched down.

That was the bellowing I heard earlier! Natalie realized as she watched the duckbill bellow again.

Still bellowing, the duckbill charged down the far side of the hill and disappeared, like something had frightened her.

Just then Natalie felt a cold feeling creep down the back of her head. She didn't know what was causing it, but she had an uneasy feeling that danger was close by. As Natalie saw Jack reappear next to Annie at the top of the hill, the feeling grew worse. Natalie glanced around, but didn't see anything.

"I wonder why she ran away" Annie's voice drifted down to her. "We were starting to be friends"

Up on the hill, Natalie saw Jack glance towards the distant plains, and from his posture, Natalie could tell he didn't like what he was seeing.

Natalie slowly turned her head in the direction Jack was looking, and instantly felt sick to her stomach.

A dinosaur was heading their way. Still far out, but getting bigger and closer all the time. It walked on two legs and had a long thick tail. Its arms were puny and its head was huge. Its jaws were wide open and Natalie could see long sharp teeth gleaming.

Oh dear! Natalie shuddered. This was a dinosaur she definitely recognized. A Tyrannosaurus Rex!

"Run Annie! Run!" Jack cried and Natalie saw the two of them charge down the hill towards her. "To the tree house!"

Yes! Yes! Good idea! Time to go home! Natalie agreed, shifting back and forth as they dashed through the tall grass, ran past her and scurried up the rope ladder.

Then a thought struck her. But how will they get home?

Natalie thought back to what Merlin had said. The Pennsylvania book! She realized, looking up at the tree house. If they got here by making a wish on the dinosaur book, then maybe they can get home by making a wish on the Pennsylvania book!

Annie's face appeared at the window, gazing out towards the plains. "He's going away!" She said. Natalie turned back towards the Tyrannosaurus; it was wandering away from them.

Whew! Natalie felt relieved. Close call!

Then suddenly the dinosaur stopped, and turned back around.

"Duck!" Natalie heard Jack yell from above, and she complied, flattening her head against the grass beneath her. A few seconds later, Natalie slowly raised her head and gazed towards the plains. The Tyrannosaurus was gone.

Where'd he go? Natalie wondered nervously. The danger feeling on the back of her neck was still there. An animal that big can't just disappear, Natalie thought as she slowly looked around. He's around here somewhere.

Natalie shuddered as she imagined the big animal lunging out from behind a tree. She wouldn't stand a chance against that monster. She needed to get airborne.

Natalie spread her wings in preparation for takeoff.

"Hurry!" Annie's voice made her pause. She glanced up, and her beak dropped open.

Jack was climbing down the rope ladder!

No, Jack! What are you doing? Get back up there! Natalie shouted in her head, forgetting that she couldn't talk.

Before she could move to block him, Jack leapt to the ground, raced past her, and darted into the ferns. Natalie turned her head to follow Jack's progress through the tall grass and back up the hill.

What is he doing? She wondered as Jack paused at the top of the hill, than he charged down the other side. Is he nuts?

Natalie heard a tuba-bellow fill the air. The duckbill! Then there was another, and another! It sounded like a whole chorus of duckbills was bellowing on the other side of the hill.

Maybe there are nests over there. Natalie thought, tilting her head; it made the most sense. Why else would dinosaurs stick around when there was a big meat-eater nearby?

Natalie sighed with relief as Jack quickly reappeared with his backpack clutched in his hands.

That's what he went back for! His notes! Natalie shook her head. Where Annie liked pretend things, Jack preferred real things and enjoyed research more than anything else.

He IS nuts! Natalie sighed

Suddenly movement out of the corner of her eye made Natalie freeze, and her blood ran cold.

The Tyrannosaurus had reappeared from out of nowhere. And he was standing between Natalie and Jack!

Natalie saw Jack dart behind the magnolia tree near the top of the hill. Natalie pressed herself against the grassy ground, praying the creature didn't see her.

The Tyrannosaurus raised its ugly head and sniffed the air, its large jaws opening and closing.

Okay, don't panic! Natalie told herself, even as she felt her wings trembling. As long as Jack stays hidden, that monster can't get him.

But just then the Tyrannosaurus sniffed the air again, turned, and to Natalie's horror, began to wander towards the hill.

Oh great! Now Natalie was on the verge of panicking. Now what?

"Henry?" Natalie whipped her head around to see Annie approaching her.

Annie? Natalie's eyes widened. What was she doing down here?

"Henry, I need you to get Jack" Annie said, looking Natalie in the eyes.

What? Natalie tilted her head.

"You" Annie pointed to Natalie. "Fly" Annie flapped her wings. "Jack" She pointed to where her brother was hiding. "Away" Annie pointed up to the sky. "To here" Annie pointed to the tree house.

Natalie suddenly understood. You want me to get Jack back here, She thought, and then felt dread surge through her as she realized that would mean getting in-between Jack and the Tyrannosaurus! Natalie shuddered. That was the last thing she wanted to do!

"Please Henry" Annie pleaded, and Natalie could see tears in the girl's eyes. "Please! You've gotta get him!"

A roar made Natalie look up. The Tyrannosaurus was at the base of the hill and was staring up at the magnolia tree. If it saw Jack now, there would be nowhere for him to run!

Natalie imagined Jack panicking, imagined him running, imagined the monster chasing him, imagined it catching up to him, imagined…

NO! Natalie suddenly felt her fear slip away, replaced by anger and fury. I've already lost my mother and my father! I am NOT losing any more of my family! Without thinking, Natalie pumped her wings and felt herself lift off the ground.

"Go, Henry! Go!" Natalie heard Annie cheer, but her voice became lost in the roaring that filled Natalie's ears as she flew towards the top of the hill.

Hang on Jack! I'm coming! She called out as she flew over the fern plain.

She glanced down as her shadow passed over the Tyrannosaurus and saw the monster look up at her. Its hungry eyes narrowed as it glared at her.

Not on MY watch, buster! Natalie snapped her beak at the monster and flapped higher until she was soaring over the hill.

She spotted Jack crouching down near the base of the magnolia tree. As he shadow passed over him, Jack glanced up and his eyes widened. Natalie angled her wings to bring her down to where Jack was. Jack rose to his knees as Natalie coasted to the ground near him.

Hurry, Jack! Get on! Natalie called to him, wishing that now he could hear her.

Jack just stared at her.

Hurry, there's not much time! Natalie pleaded, glancing down the hill. The Tyrannosaurus was staring up towards them, his eyes locked on them and his teeth flashing in the sunlight.

"GET ON, ALREADY!" Natalie shrieked in her mind, snapping her beak in annoyance. Maybe Jack understood that because suddenly he moved. He shoved the dinosaur book in his hands into his pack and then dashed over to Natalie.

Natalie braced herself as she felt Jack ease his way onto her back and placed both hands around her neck. Hang on Jack! Natalie thought as she began to move forwards. This may get rough!

Natalie could feel warm air beneath her wings; she straightened them, and lifted off the ground!

Almost instantly, Natalie dipped in the air. The wind, which had carried her fine when she was alone, was now struggling to hold up both her and her passenger. Natalie flapped desperately to keep herself airborne.

Okay, this…is not…as easy…as I thought! Natalie panted as she began teeter to one side, and then the other. Natalie felt Jack roll behind her and quickly corrected herself so he didn't fall off!

Finally, Natalie felt a firm gust of wind beneath her and, pumping her wings, rose up into the sky.

A roar made her look down. The Tyrannosaurus was chomping the air and staring up at them.

Sorry, pal! No lunch for you today! Natalie called to it as she glided away.

Woah! The wind current took her over the crest of the hill.

Natalie's eyes widened as she finally caught a glimpse of the valley on the other side of the hill. It was full of enormous duck-billed dinosaurs, all standing guard over large nests made of mud. Nests that were filled with baby dinosaurs!

So this is where the bellowing was coming from! A dinosaur nursery! Wow! Natalie gazed in awe at all the little babies.

As her shadow passed over one of the mothers, she raised her head and bellowed up at her. Uh oh! Natalie suddenly realized, I'd better keep Mr. Creepy away from this place! Hang on Jack!

Natalie circled over the valley once and flew back over the fern plains. The tyrannosaurus growled as it saw them reappear and, as Natalie flew past it, it turned and started back down the hill after them.

She spotted the Triceratops from before grazing in the ferns nearby. It gazed up at her calmly as her shadow passed overhead. Watch out for the Rex! Natalie called to it, squawking down at the Triceratops, but the big animal ignored her.

As Natalie leveled herself out and soared across the plain, she felt Jack's hands loosen from around her neck and gently wrap around her crest. She heard him give a whoop, and then he laughed out loud.

Enjoying yourself, Jack? Natalie thought sarcastically, but she giggled as well. This was enjoyable. Up here, Natalie felt light as a feather, completely free! She could only imagine Jack was feeling the same way.

As they sailed over the stream and the bushes, Natalie turned her head to glance behind her. The Tyrannosaurus was chasing after them, but he was far behind them now.

Natalie dove down towards the tree that held the Tree House and coasted to a stop at the base of the tree.

She felt Jack slide off of her back and she pumped her wings again. Go on Jack! Get going! Natalie urged as she rose into the air again.

"Bye, Henry" She heard Jack whisper as she took off.

"Are you okay?" Annie called from the tree house. Natalie at first thought she was calling to her but she saw that she was looking down at Jack.

Natalie angled her body to circle around and saw that Jack had not moved, but was still staring up at her.

"Jack, are you okay?" Annie yelled.

Jack smiled as he gazed up at Annie. "Thanks for saving my life!" He called up to her. "That was really fun!"

Hey! What about me? Natalie protested, but she knew there was no point arguing even if they could hear her. It had been Annie's idea.

"Climb up!" Annie cried out and Jack took a shaky step.

Natalie spiraled upwards on a warm air current. "Hurry! He's coming!" She heard Annie yell.

Natalie looked out towards the plains, and her heart stopped. The Tyrannosaurus was much closer than she thought and it running now, straight towards Jack!

Oh great! This guys' not gonna give up! Natalie groaned.

The Tyrannosaurus roared hungrily and Natalie shuddered.

Annie shrieked from inside the tree house. Jack, still shaky, grabbed the rope ladder.

Natalie took a deep breath to chase her fears away, as much as she wanted to avoid a confrontation; it seemed there was no other option. With that in mind, she tucked her wings in and dove down towards the ground below. She saw Jack start to climb the rope ladder.

Natalie narrowed her eyes as she fell towards the monster. Okay buddy! She thought. If it's a fight you want. You've got it! She aimed her beak straight for the monster's eyes.

Suddenly, a large gust of hot air slammed into Natalie's side, throwing her off course. Natalie opened her wings to correct it, and the wind caught them and blew her backwards like a kite.

THUD! Natalie slammed into something solid and felt leaves fall around her. She had been blown into the oak tree.

"Make a wish!" She heard Annie cry out from above her.

"We need the book! The one with the picture of Frog Creek! Where is it?" Jack yelled back.

The Tyrannosaurus roared and Natalie opened her eyes to see it just feet away from her. Natalie tried to fly up, only to discover that her wings were caught in the tree's branches.

Oh, come on! Natalie groaned, frantically beating her wings against the thick branches. The Tyrannosaurus reared above her, jaws opening wide.

HURRY JACK! HURRY! Natalie's panicked thoughts filled her mind as she frantically tried to free herself.

It was no use. Natalie heard a scream escape her beak as the Tyrannosaurus lunged towards her.

"I wish we could go home!" She heard Jack yell.

The wind suddenly picked up, it was whistling now. The Tyrannosaurus paused and took a step backwards, roaring angrily. Then it seemed to disappear.

Natalie could feel the tree house begin to spin and the wind seemed to get stronger. Natalie could feel it tear her away from her cage of branches, but she was powerless to fight it.

The wind spun her faster and faster, Natalie shut her eyes and waited for it to end.

THUD! The wind suddenly stopped and Natalie slammed into what felt like a soft earthy floor. Everything was calm, completely calm.

"NATALIE!" Natalie jumped as a deep voice called her name. She winced as she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Natalie! Are you alright?"

The voice sounded familiar. Natalie opened her eyes.

Her vision was filled with scrolls and candles. She slowly sat up and looked around. She was back in Merlin's secret study inside the oak tree in Frog Creek!

"Natalie" Natalie glanced up to see the old magician standing over her, with concern written all over his face. "Are you alright?" He asked again.

Natalie glanced down at her body and realized she was human again. Still too stunned about what had all just happened to speak, Natalie nodded.

"Thank goodness!" Merlin knelt before her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I was very worried"

Seeing true concern in the wizard's eyes, Natalie finally found her voice. "Oh Merlin!" She wrapped her hands around the wizard's shoulders and hugged him. A moment later, she felt Merlin's arm wrap around her. "That was so scary!"

"Come-ing!" Annie's voice made Natalie glance up to see the glowing letter M was still hovering over them.

"What happened to us?" Jack's voice came from the M

"We took a trip in a magic tree house" Annie replied simply

Natalie snorted and shook her head as Merlin released her. How could they be so calm? Natalie felt like her heart was racing a mile a minute!

"But it's the same time as when we left" Jack said.

Natalie's jaw dropped and she glanced at Merlin. "Is that true?" She asked

Merlin nodded and smiled. "One of the benefits of traveling through time is that it often takes no time at all" He said and winked at her.

Despite everything that happened, Natalie burst out laughing, laughing so hard she fell onto her back, laughing so hard that tears came to her eyes. Now that the adventure was over, it felt good to laugh. It made the ordeal seem, less scary.

"Now, I ask again. What happened to you and your cousins?" Merlin asked when Natalie had finally stopped.

Being as brief as she could, Natalie described everything that had happened since their arrival, though she downplayed the part of how she had helped save Jack from the Tyrannosaurus. She didn't want Merlin to know how involved she had become.

When she was finished, she opened her eyes again and saw that Merlin was sitting rigidly in his chair, eyes closed. For a moment, Natalie thought he was sleeping, but he opened his eyes and she saw respect in them.

"You are a very brave girl, Natalie" Merlin said and Natalie felt herself blush.

"Well…I…" Natalie stammered, suddenly at a loss for words.

"I am serious" Merlin leaned forward in his chair, and his voice did sound serious. "The monster you faced would have made many a grown man turn and run, but you risked your own life to rescue your cousin, and then you went back to fight the creature, even though you knew you had no chance against it. That is true courage."

"Th-thanks" Natalie glanced at the floor, embarrassed. Merlin had read her mind again, she realized. He knew how involved she had been. "Too bad I blew my cover"

Merlin let out a deep breath. "Maybe, maybe not. But I think you made the right decision." He said and Natalie smiled at him.

"Come-ing!" Annie's voice rang out from the M above them and Natalie could hear her cousins moving around above them. It sounded like they were preparing to leave.

"I think I'd better go" Natalie looked at Merlin, and the wizard nodded, smiling like he understood.

Natalie smiled back at him. "Good bye Merlin. It was nice meeting you"

"And it was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Natalie" Merlin gave Natalie a small bow.

Natalie bowed back, and then paused. "Oh! I almost forgot!" Natalie glanced down to see that she was still wearing the ring she had found, she now knew it was Merlin's. She moved to take it off, but paused when Merlin held up his hand to stop her.

"I would like you to keep it. Consider it a token of my regards for the great deeds you have done today." Merlin's face suddenly became serious again. "And for the great deeds you will do in the future" He added.

Something about the way he was speaking made Natalie feel uneasy. "What do you mean?" She asked.

Merlin leaned back in his chair. "I sense that your cousins will soon return to the tree house. They now know how to use the tree house's magic and I imagine today's adventure has left them with many questions, and at this point, no answers."

"And you think they'll come here looking for those answers?" Natalie said.

Merlin looked at Natalie. "Mark my words, Jack and Annie will be back, and when they do, they may need your help again"

Natalie nodded, feeling nervous again. She really hoped Jack and Annie weren't going to come back, but she knew that Merlin was right. They probably would be back, and soon. She knew because if she were in their position, that's exactly what she would do.

Merlin pointed to Natalie's hand. "The ring you wear is worn by people who are in my confidence. It will allow me to contact you if they return to the tree house, and you can use it to contact me as well if you learn when they plan to go. In addition, it will allow you to enter this place from the ground, rather than fall through the Tree house floor." Merlin gestured to the study around them.

"How?" Natalie asked. Secretly she felt relieved that she wouldn't have to fall through the floor again.

"When you come to the oak tree that holds the tree house, place your hands upon the bark of the trunk and speak the following rhyme" Merlin closed his eyes as he spoke

"I wish to pass into the heart,

For a new mission I seek to start"

"I wish to pass into the heart, for a new mission I seek to start" Natalie repeated.

"Good" Merlin smiled at her, but then his face changed again. "Also, I must ask you for one more favor"

"What?"

"You must swear that you will keep your connection with me and the tree house a secret. No one can know." Merlin said.

Natalie's eyes widened. "No one?" She repeated.

"No one" Merlin shook his head. "Not even Jack and Annie"

"But why not?" Natalie asked.

"There are many reasons" Merlin said. "But the most important one you should know is, because if my rival were to learn about you, they may see your involvement as more of my interference, this would lead them to try to prevent you from following your cousins next time." Merlin paused and Natalie thought she saw the magician's eyes flash in the candlelight.

Natalie shuddered as she imagined the Tyrannosaurus rearing up over Jack and Annie. She nodded. There was no way she was letting her cousins face such problems without some backup!

"Do you swear to secrecy?" Merlin asked.

Natalie nodded again. "I swear not to reveal my involvement with the magic tree house to anyone" She said, raising her hand scout-style.

Merlin nodded, looking satisfied "Now you should go home. Get some rest" He said, sitting back down in his chair.

Natalie nodded and turned to go, then paused. There was no doorway she could see leading outside.

"Um, how do I get out of here?" She turned back to Merlin.

The wizard smiled at her and pointed to an opening behind her that lead to what looked like a blank wall.

"Through there" He said.

Natalie crossed the room and examined the wall. There was no knob, so Natalie pressed her hands against the wall and pushed. There was a low creak and a flash of light and she found herself outside next to the rope ladder.

Natalie glanced behind her and saw only the trunk of the tree. The bark was smooth and undisturbed.

Did that really just happen? Natalie wondered, scratching her head. It all suddenly felt like a dream.

A flash of blue caught her eye and she stared at the ring on her finger. The blue stone seemed to wink at her.

Natalie smiled, and then glanced up at the tree house nestled in the branches above her.

"Yep" Natalie said "It happened" She laughed to herself and began to walk out of the woods

A minute later, she had almost caught up with Jack and Annie, and was close enough to hear them talking.

"No one is going to believe our story" said Jack

"So let's not tell anyone" said Annie

"Dad won't believe it" said Jack

"He'll say it was a dream" said Annie

"Mom won't believe it" said Jack

"She'll say it was pretend" said Annie

"My teacher won't believe it" said Jack

"She'll say you're nuts" said Annie

By this point, Natalie was right behind them, but they had not yet noticed her. Natalie opened her mouth to say something to them.

"Natalie won't believe it" Jack said, and Natalie paused.

Annie shook her head. "She'll say you're crazy" She said as they kept walking, leaving Natalie standing there with her hand raised.

"Yeah, besides with her mother and father still fresh on her mind, she might think we were making fun of her" Jack said, and Natalie felt her jaw drop and her eyes widen.

"What do you mean?" Annie asked.

"Uncle Michael studied history, remember?" said Jack. "He did lots of research about the past, and dinosaurs were always one of his favorite topics. You know he inspires me every time I do research"

"Oh yeah, and Aunt Sally studied legends and stories. I remember she used to tell me all these wonderful 'myths'." Annie said. "I loved Aunt Sally's stories!"

"Yeah, we'd better not tell Natalie. She'd only take it the wrong way." said Jack. "We'd better not tell anybody"

"I already said that" said Annie. "It'll be our secret"

Natalie watched her two cousins walk down the street towards their house.

Was that really what they think of my parents? Natalie wondered, pulling out the locket and opening it. She thought that no one could love her mom and dad as much as she did, but maybe she was wrong.

Her uncle's voice, rich and deep, echoed in her mind. "If history teaches us anything, it is that humans learn best through experience. The past is chock full of examples of how experience has helped unlock greatness inside of us."

Her mother's voice, musical and light, added "What I like best about myths and legends, is that new chapters are being written all the time, even now. And by learning about legends, we learn about ourselves too"

Natalie felt a smile come to her face as tears fell through her eyes. She couldn't tell Jack and Annie that she knew about the tree house. Her parents wouldn't have wanted her to, and plus, she had promised Merlin she wouldn't tell.

"Tomorrow, we'll go back to the woods" She heard Jack say.

"Of course" Annie agreed

"And we'll climb into the tree house" Jack said

"Of course" Said Annie.

"And we'll see what happens next" Jack said

"Of course" Said Annie. "Race you!"

Natalie smiled as she watched her cousins take off running. "And I'll be right behind you, every step of the way" She said quietly, glancing down at the ring on her finger.

"You two aren't the only ones who can keep a secret. Let's see how long it takes you to realize that" Natalie chuckled as she took off running after them towards her aunt's house.

Her life in Frog Creek was about to get very interesting.

And Cut!

Like a lot of people, I grew up reading the Magic Tree House series, it's always been one of my favorites. Even now, grown as I am, I still sit down to read one or two of these books every time I go to the library.

I've been wanting to write my own version of the series for some time. But this is strictly a back-burner project, meaning that how often I update will depend on what readers like yourselves think of it. If you want to see more, you're going to have to tell me. That shouldn't be too hard, right?

Natalie Pope is a character that I created, the other characters can all be found in the actual book series. And in case you didn't catch it, Jack and Annie's parents are named after the series author, Mary Pope Osborne, and her husband William. Natalie's last name is also the author's middle name.

I have big plans for this series, but like I said, whether or not these plans bear fruit depends on you. That being said, I hope you all enjoy!

Until next time!