The princesses along with Prince Fabian walked through the Mysterious Forest which led out of the Jewel Kingdom and into other unknown territory. Although it was still very much daylight the thick trees growing around them and the grim atmosphere made it seem like almost twilight. They stepped their way along with utmost caution as they well knew of the dangers that could be found here.

"I've been through here before," said Roxanne. "But I've never been to the end of it and seen what lies beyond."

"I hope what lies beyond is nice and not scary," said Emily with a shiver.

"You'll have nothing to be afraid of, whatever lies beyond here, as long as I am with you," said Fabian confidently. "For I am a prince and as such I am aspiring to be a slayer of monsters and suchlike."

"I don't know of there being any monsters around here," said Roxanne. "Though there are still many foes to be found. I know Darklings sometimes like to hide in the shadows and sneak up on you."

"And there are also the Jibbets," said Emily. "They are greedy little creatures who like to trick you and steal your most valuable possessions. I should know as they once caught my unicorn Arden in a trap."

"No Jibbet will steal from us, not if I can help it," said Fabian.

They walked on in companionable silence for a while. Then when Sabrina suddenly spotted a very large and unusually shaped and curled orange-red flower growing alone in a patch of dirt ahead of them she thought she'd like to pick it and give it to Fabian as a way of showing him how she trusted him with her. She went up to the flower when they reached it and bent down and took hold of it.

"Be careful, Sabrina," Demetra said warningly. "You don't know what it is and it could be..."

It was just then that Sabrina plucked the flower out of the ground and then at once a huge net rose up from under her and enclosed around her and she was pulled up into it by a cord that hung from a high branch of a tree.

"I knew it!" exclaimed Demetra in horror.

"Help! Help! Get me down from her!" exclaimed Sabrina looking to Fabian.

"Have no fear, princess! I'll soon cut you down!" said Fabian. He drew a small thin silver sword from a hilt in the belt of his tunic and ran forward.

He climbed the tree and cut the cord holding the net Sabrina was trapped in with one quick swipe of his sword. Then just as quickly he jumped down from the tree, landing on his feet, and caught Sabrina in his arms as the net fell down from around her.

"My, how very stylish," said Sabrina putting her arms around Fabian's neck.

"I wonder who put the trap here," said Roxanne.

"I... I think I know!" said Emily with her voice quivering. "Look!"

All around them they saw dozens of small creatures in leather pants and vests with long, spiky teeth and sharp claws. All of them wore masks to cover their eyes and carried slingshots in their paws.

"Jibbets!" they all exclaimed in horror.

The Jibbets all crowded around them, trapping them within their circle. One of them spoke in a painfully shrill voice,

"You have entered into our territory! You must give us what we want from you if you intend to leave!"

"No, we won't give you anything!" exclaimed Roxanne.

"Then we will have to take from you by force!" shouted the Jibbet.

"Stand back the lot of you!" exclaimed Fabian as he took a step forward and pointed his sword at the Jibbets.

Then to his great annoyance, the Jibbets laughed. Then they all aimed their slingshots at them and flung something that was in them in all their faces.

They all felt something strike into their eyes that caused a burning sensation. They began rubbing their eyes frantically to get it out. When they were able to see again the princesses looked down and discovered unto their horror their magic gifts were missing from them. Prince Fabian also couldn't find his sword. Then they saw before them that the Jibbets were now in possession of all of them.

"Hey, you give those back!" exclaimed Fabian.

"We won't for now these are ours!" said a Jibbet holding his sword laughing triumphantly.

"I bet you can't figure out how to use them, though," said Emily.

"Can too!" said a Jibbet who was holding her pan flute.

"Prove it," Emily said demandingly.

"Alright, I will," said the Jibbet. He took the flute and blew on the lowest note. Then suddenly he began shrinking down to size. He was soon only one inch tall and could no longer hold onto the flute and dropped it.

Emily quickly ran up to her flute and retrieved it.

Then Roxanne saw the Jibbet with her magic Shield of Invisibility and got an idea. She whispered the magic words under her breath and then the Jibbet holding it became invisible. In his confusion he dropped the shield so then Roxanne ran up and got it back.

At the same time as this Sabrina noticed the Jibbet with her pouch of magic flying dust take out a handful of it. She quickly whispered the magic words under her breath and then the Jibbet suddenly lifted off of the ground and began rising up into the air freely. He became very confused and didn't watch where he was going and ended up bumping his head on the bottom of a low branch of a tree. He then fell down unconscious and Sabrina ran up and picked up her pouch.

"If you'll look into my magic mirror and tell it what you wish to see it will show it to you," said Demetra.

"Really?" said the Jibbet with her mirror. He held it up to his face and said, "Where can I find some more treasures to steal?" Then instantly the mirror showed him the image of a pot of gold that was buried beneath the roots of a hollow tree that was far to the East of the forest.

The Jibbet squealed with delight as she showed the image to the others. Then they all began running away to find the treasure and the Jibbets who were holding Demetra's mirror and Fabian's sword dropped them in their excitement so that they were able to retrieve these items as soon as the Jibbets were out of sight.

"You were all very clever," said Fabian. "I just hope we've seen the last of those Jibbets."

"Well, now we must keep going forward if we're to get out of here by nightfall," said Demetra sensibly.

So then they went onward. Eventually they reached the edge of the forest and on the other side they could see a peaceful looking landscape. They all thought their worries were long behind them. But then suddenly, from out of nowhere, a giant yellow scorpion with enormous claws came out in front of them.

The princesses all screamed in horror. "This is it! We're done for now!" said Emily.

"Not so, fair princesses!" said Fabian as he drew his sword and rushed forward at the Scorpion. Then with one mighty swipe he had cut off the scorpion's left claw.

The scorpion let out a loud shriek of rage and pain and scurried away from them. They were then able to pass safely out of the Forest.