A Breeze in the Clover
Juni held the glass bowl with both hands, walking with slow, giant steps. Inside, Fish drifted lazily, his orange scales catching the bright morning light. Today was the perfect day for an outdoor adventure, and they were finally on their way.
Under her arm, Juni carried three special papers. She had spent all morning coloring the flying reptile creatures, giving them long tails and great purple wings. To Juni, they were not just drawings; they were real friends waiting for a breeze.
She spread her favorite teal blanket near a patch of sweet clover. Fish sat right in the center, his glass home sparkling like a diamond. Juni lined up her three dragons in the grass, letting them warm their painted wings in the sunshine.
"Look, Fish," Juni whispered, pointing to the greenest dragon. "This one is the leader. He flies the highest." Fish blew a tiny bubble that popped at the surface. He was a very good listener, especially when the stories were about flying.
Without warning, a sneaky gust of wind swept across the clover. It snatched the three drawings, lifting them into the air. Juni gasped as the paper dragons took flight, soaring up toward the treetops just like her stories said they would.
"Oh no!" Juni cried. She leaped up, but the first drawing sailed over the tall wooden fence. The second dragon fluttered toward the sidewalk, spinning like a leaf. Juni ran after them, her boots thumping hard against the soft ground.
She reached the path just in time to see the first drawing land gently in a bush. Juni rescued it, checking the edges. "One dragon safe," she whispered, her heart beating fast. But the other papers were still drifting further away.
Down the sidewalk, a fluffy golden dog lay stretched out on a warm porch. Dog was very sleepy, his eyes blinking slowly in the sun. He did not notice the second drawing drifting down, down, down toward his cozy resting spot.
The paper landed right under Dog's heavy paw. He let out a long, rumbling yawn and closed his eyes, preparing to drift back to sleep. Juni stopped at the bottom of the steps, her eyes wide. Her dragon was trapped.
Juni did not want to wake her friend, but she needed her drawing. She took a deep breath and stepped onto the porch. "Excuse me, Dog," she said in her bravest, quietest voice. Dog's ears twitched, and his tail gave a lazy thump.
Dog opened one dark eye and saw Juni. He lifted his big paw, revealing the green dragon beneath it. With a gentle wiggle of his nose, Dog nudged the paper toward her, his tail wagging a bit faster now that he was awake.
Just then, the third drawing landed on the porch railing. Before the wind could grab it again, Dog leaped up with a soft bark. He caught the paper gently in his mouth, holding it by the very edge so he wouldn't tear the wings.
Juni smiled and patted Dog's soft head. "You are a very good dragon catcher," she said. Together, they walked back to the picnic blanket. Dog carried the last drawing proudly, his head held high as they crossed the sunny grass.
Back on the blanket, Fish was waiting patiently. Juni carefully arranged all three drawings again, placing a smooth, heavy stone on top of each one. Dog curled up next to the blanket, keeping a watchful eye on the paper dragons.
Juni sat down and shared her crackers with Dog, feeling warm and safe. She looked at her three dragons, safe under their stones. She decided that tomorrow, she would draw a giant dog with purple wings to fly alongside them in the sky.
