Where Dragon Wings Fly
Juni sat on her front steps, cradling the Glass Bowl. Inside, Fish swam in happy circles, his orange scales catching the morning light. Tucked under Juni's arm were three special drawings of a magnificent jade-scaled dragon.
Today was the perfect day for an outdoor adventure. Juni wanted to show Fish the big, wide world beyond their living room window. She took a deep breath of the fresh air and began her march toward the neighborhood park.
Along the gravel path, Juni spotted a familiar furry shape. Dog was snoozing peacefully on a wide, sunny porch. His tail gave one lazy thump as Juni passed, but his heavy eyelids stayed closed in a deep morning nap.
Juni reached the Picnic Meadow and spread out her favorite teal blanket. She set the Glass Bowl right in the center so Fish had a front-row seat. Next, she proudly lined up her three Dragon Drawings in the grass.
"Look, Fish," Juni whispered, pointing to the green crayon lines. "This is the dragon who guards the secret mountains." Fish blew a round bubble that popped at the surface, which Juni knew meant he was very impressed.
Suddenly, a playful swirl of air danced across the grass. It snatched the three Dragon Drawings, lifting them up like autumn leaves. Juni gasped and reached out, but the papers twirled away, scattering in three different directions.
Juni sprang into action. She chased the first drawing as it fluttered toward the stone fountain. With a quick leap, she caught it just before it dipped into the splashing water. "One safe!" she cheered, holding it tight.
The second drawing had sailed high over the bushes. Juni ran fast, her sneakers thudding against the dirt. She reached up high and plucked the paper from a low tree branch. "Two safe!" she gasped, catching her breath.
But the third drawing was tumbling far away, back toward the houses. It drifted down, down, down, landing right on the porch where Dog was sleeping. It settled softly on the wooden floor, right beneath his heavy front paw.
Juni hurried to the edge of the porch, her heart beating fast. She did not want to wake her friend, but she needed her drawing. She took a soft step onto the first wooden stair, making a tiny creak.
Dog's ears twitched. He opened one dark eye and saw the colorful paper under his paw. With a gentle sniff, he picked up the drawing by its corner with his teeth, keeping it perfectly dry and safe.
Juni smiled and clapped her hands. "Good boy, Dog! You saved the dragon!" Dog trotted down the steps, his tail wagging happily. He walked side-by-side with Juni as they headed back to the picnic blanket together.
They returned to the meadow where Fish was waiting. Dog gently dropped the last drawing onto the teal blanket. Juni sat down and arranged all three pictures side-by-side again, feeling a warm rush of happiness and relief.
With her friends beside her, Juni lay back on the blanket. The sky was vast and blue. She looked down at the grass and noticed a tiny, shiny green beetle crawling slowly over the edge of her drawing.
