Mossy Lantern Hollow
Mossy Lantern Hollow sits where two beech trees have grown so close together their roots braid underground, making the ground between them soft and pillowed. A clear stream comes in from the north side, slipping over water-worn stones in long, unhurried steps, and exits under a fallen log that doubles as a low, wobbling bridge. On either side of the log grow bramble runners and broad ferns that press against each other in damp overlap. Pale mushrooms grow in quiet clusters along the hollow's inner walls — some as small as thumbnail coins, one or two as wide as a cupped hand. The hollow stump near the eastern edge smells of rain and old wood, and the damp ground around it holds footprints longer than the drier paths above. Branches overhead filter the light into coins and slow slants, but after rain the stream rises around the log bridge, the ferns lean across the path, and the hollow becomes a place where small travelers must choose their steps carefully.
2
Stories
4
Cast
Who you'll meet here
See all 4 characters →
Fern
Fern is a bold little newt who lives in the damp overlap of Mossy Lantern Hollow and measures about as long as a child’s hand. She is fascinated by anything that sparkles, glints, or catches the light, and she can’t easily ignore a mystery once it has caught her eye.
Milo
He is a curious little creature who fits in a child's palm, always alert to the tiniest changes in his cozy hollow home. He wants to matter to the people he loves and feels things deeply, especially when someone seems left out or worried.
Pippa
She is a cheerful little chipmunk who stands about as tall as a teacup, with a quick smile and an even quicker bounce. She enjoys being around others and tries to keep everyone feeling included, even when she gets a little carried away.
Tobin
He is an older beetle about the size of a plum, slow and sturdy, with a calm way of moving through the hollow. He likes things to stay orderly and predictable, and he can be very patient with younger creatures.
2 stories from this world
The Reflecting Moonwater
A ribbon of moonwater appears in the middle of the woods, turning the path into a shining stream that reflects not just the trees overhead but also strange things that are not there anymore. The forest feels tugged between what is real and what is remembered, and crossing the water might change more than anyone expects.
The Singing Bell Tree
Deep in the hollow, the oldest tree begins to ring like a bell every time the wind passes through it, and each note wakes a different part of the forest—one ring makes flowers pop open, another scatters acorns, and another sends lantern bugs swirling into the air. The bell-tree is beautiful, but its sudden music is stirring the whole woods into a noisy, uncertain dance.