Breezy Day for a Dragon
Juni carefully lined up three crayons on the kitchen counter. Each one was a different shade of beautiful, bright teal. She needed the perfect colors to finish her masterpiece before the big adventure.
Beside her, Fish blew three perfectly round bubbles in his glass bowl. Juni held up her papers so he could see. They showed a magnificent scaled creature with giant wings and a very long, swirly tail.
"He is a friendly dragon," Juni whispered, tapping the glass. "And he is very hungry for a picnic." Fish swam in a happy circle, agreeing that it was time to go.
Juni gathered her drawings under her arm and lifted the fishbowl with both hands. She walked with tiny, careful steps out the door and down the sunny sidewalk, keeping the water perfectly still.
A sudden, playful wind whistled through the trees. It tickled Juni's nose and snatched the top drawing right from her grip. "Oh no!" she cried, watching the paper flutter away like a real flying dragon.
The paper swirled through the air and landed softly on a nearby porch. It slid right toward a large, furry heap. Dog was snoring peacefully in the warm sun, completely unaware of the incoming dragon.
Dog shifted his weight, preparing to roll over for a deeper nap. The drawing was right beneath his heavy paw. Juni gasped and held her breath, hoping her art wouldn't become a doggy mattress.
"Dog, wake up!" Juni called out bravely. Dog's ears twitched. He opened one sleepy eye, saw Juni standing on the sidewalk, and gave a giant, jaw-stretching yawn that made his whole tail wag.
Dog stood up and sniffed the paper. Realizing it was important, he picked it up very gently by the corner. He trotted down to Juni, his tail swinging like a happy pendulum.
"Good boy," Juni said, taking the clean drawing. She felt a warm wave of relief. Dog let out a soft bark, ready to join the adventure and protect the rest of the art.
They walked together to the park. The grass was green and soft. Juni spread out her red-and-white checkered blanket under the shade of a giant, friendly oak tree that blocked the mischievous wind.
Juni set Fish's bowl right in the center of the blanket. She carefully arranged her three dragon drawings around him. Now, the friendly teal dragon was flying all around Fish's little glass castle.
Dog curled up at the edge of the blanket, keeping a watchful eye on the breeze. Juni shared her picnic treats, feeling incredibly cozy and proud of her independent journey and her helpful friends.
Suddenly, Fish blew a tiny bubble that floated up and popped right on Dog's wet nose. Dog sneezed so hard he did a little backward roll, making Juni burst into giant, happy giggles.
