Dragon Magic: The Adventures of The Tribe - Book One: The Adventures of The Tribe, #1

By Carol Ann Browne

The Tribe is the nickname of a sister and three brothers who love action and adventure. Their lives are completely changed when they befriend a baby dragon they discover in the woods. His mother had laid her egg on earth for safety, with the intention of coming back for him.

When the Dragon Queen finds him with the children, she asks if they will keep an eye on him as it is not safe for her to take him back to their home planet. She weaves a spell of invisibility around him and gives them each a talisman so that they can still see him. These gifts also have a magic spell which enables them to instantly go to anywhere they wish, simply by just picturing it in their minds.

They find this good fun, until they make a silly mistake which takes them back in time to a medieval castle. There they meet an alchemist with ambitions in sorcery. He steals Michael's talisman, which traps them in the middle ages.

They need help to free them from the dungeon, and a different kind of magic to get them back home. During their time travel adventure they make a discovery which will assist the Dragon Queen in her quest to rid her home planet of a wicked wizard.

The Dragon Magic fantasy adventure is suitable for children age 7-12, and could be enjoyed by younger children as a bedtime story.
The places visited in the book really do exist.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Carol Ann Browne
• Release date: Dec 8, 2013
• ISBN: 9781501431470

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Chapter 1 – The Dragon's Egg

One day during the Easter holidays, Joe and Michael climbed over the low wall at the bottom of the garden and ran into the woods. They wanted to get out of sight of the house as quickly as possible so that the others wouldn’t follow. Their older brother Luke was too bossy, and little sister Lucy would slow them down.

The two boys were determined to go deeper into the wood than they ever had before. Just to have an adventure!

Slow down, Joe, Michael panted. We don’t need to run any more, the others will never find us now.

Joe was glad to slow down to a walk. The path was getting narrower here because the trees grew much closer together. Michael began to worry about getting lost.

Don’t be such a baby, Joe scoffed when Michael voiced his fears. I know the way home.

Michael wasn’t too sure about that. Joe was only a year older than him after all, and that wasn’t much. People often thought they were twins.

Before they could start to argue about it, they came to the end of the path. The trees opened out to surround a grassy clearing. There was an ancient tree in the centre with several hollows in the trunk. A large hollow at the base looked big enough to hide a small child. On top of the trunk, between the two main branches, lay something round and white.

What’s that white thing? Michael asked almost in a whisper.

Looks like an old football, Joe replied as he walked closer.

It’s got a hole in it. Michael was right, there was a strange jagged hole which looked surprisingly chewed.

I bet some dog’s had it, Joe said, picking up the object. It's not a ball. It's egg-shaped and hard like a shell. Yeuk! It’s full of slime. He tilted the object and they both pulled faces of disgust as a pale yellow goo dripped out onto the grass.

It’s no use anyway, Michael said. Throw it away. As Joe carelessly tossed it towards the edge of the clearing, Michael heard a whimpering sound.

What was that noise?

I didn’t hear anything. Joe shrugged his shoulders. Come on, let’s find another path out of here.

I heard something, Michael insisted. There it is again. It’s coming from the tree. Joe laughed and called Michael an idiot, but the younger boy was undeterred. Kneeling in front of the large hollow he peered in. There’s an animal in here, he whispered.

Joe knelt beside him, their blond heads almost touching. A pair of large green eyes stared back at them.

It’s only a cat, Joe said, standing up again. Come on, let’s go.

It’s very hungry, Michael argued .

Well we haven’t got any food. Come on, it’ll find something to eat when we’ve gone. It'll probably kill a bird.

Michael looked up at his brother, a flash of his famous temper in his eyes. Move away, Joe. You’re frightening it.

After considering his options, which were to do as he was told or fight a full-scale battle, Joe stepped back a few paces. I don’t know what all the fuss is about, he muttered.

Michael ignored him, busy taking a crumpled bit of silver paper out of his pocket. Unwrapped, it revealed a rather soft piece of chocolate Easter egg. He placed the chocolate on the grass in front of the hollow and crawled backwards a metre or so.

Animals don’t eat chocolate, Joe scoffed.

Uncle Kevin’s dog does. Michael turned to look at his brother. Move further back, Joe. And shut up.

Joe obliged with a sigh, wondering how much longer it would take before Michael realised he was wasting his time.

Come on, Michael was saying softly. It’s all right, he won’t hurt you.

You’re bonkers.

Joe’s superior expression vanished, and his mouth fell open as a long, narrow snout appeared from the hollow. It was quickly followed by the huge eyes and a pair of pointed ears, all attached to a head that was neither green nor purple, but somehow, a combination of the two. There was no fur on the head, instead it was covered by tiny scales which seemed to reflect the light without actually being shiny. Wickedly sharp teeth snatched up the chocolate before