Breeze and the Emerald Wing
The sun felt like a warm hug on the grass. Juni held her breath and lifted the Glass Bowl with both hands, making sure the water stayed perfectly still. Inside, Fish swam in a happy little circle.
Beside her lay the Emerald Drawings. Juni had used her favorite teal crayon for the sky, but the creature itself had magnificent green scales. "We are going on an adventure," she whispered to the paper dragon.
With the drawings tucked safely under her arm and the Glass Bowl held out front, Juni marched out of the gate. Her boots made a rhythmic tap-tap-tap on the sidewalk. Fish bubbled in agreement.
Whoosh! A sudden, playful wind swept down from the treetops. It tickled Juni's nose and snatched the Emerald Drawings right from her grip. The papers swirled into the air like giant autumn leaves.
Juni gasped, holding the Glass Bowl tightly so Fish wouldn't spill. She watched the first drawing flutter over a tall hedge, while the second one drifted toward a cozy house with a wide porch.
On that very porch, Dog was enjoying a wonderful morning nap. He lay stretched out in the warm sunshine, his tail giving a lazy twitch every now and then as he dreamed of chasing tennis balls.
The wind danced across the porch and dropped one of the Emerald Drawings right onto Dog's back. He didn't even blink. He just let out a soft snore, nearly squishing the beautiful green dragon beneath him.
"Oh no, Mr. Dragon!" Juni squeaked. She hurried up the porch steps, balancing Fish carefully. She didn't want to wake the sleepy pup, but her artwork was in grave danger of becoming a doggy bed.
Dog's ears wiggled. He opened one sleepy eye, saw Juni, and let out a giant yawn. With a happy shake of his furry body, the drawing slid off his back and landed safely on the wooden floor.
"Good boy, Dog," Juni whispered happily. She picked up the paper and showed him the picture. Dog sniffed the crayon dragon, his tail wagging back and forth like a happy windshield wiper.
But there was still one drawing missing! Dog trotted down the steps, his nose to the ground. He let out a cheerful bark and pointed his nose toward Maple Park, where a splash of white paper lay in the grass.
Juni followed Dog into the bright green park. The wind had finally tired itself out, leaving the air still and sweet. There, right next to a patch of yellow wildflowers, was the very last drawing.
Dog gently picked up the drawing by its corner, making sure his teeth didn't rip the paper. He trotted over to the blue picnic blanket and laid it down right next to Juni's cozy lunch basket.
Juni set the Glass Bowl in the center of the blanket. She sat down and lined up the three drawings. They were a little crinkled, but the emerald dragon still looked magnificent, especially with Fish swimming nearby.
Dog curled up at the edge of the blanket, letting out a satisfied sigh. Juni shared a piece of her picnic biscuit with him. "You are the best dragon-catcher in the whole world," she said softly, hugging his neck.
As they rested, Juni looked closely at the glass. A tiny green clover leaf had floated into the water, resting perfectly on Fish's head like a little emerald crown. Fish swam proudly, king of the picnic.
