Bucky marched down the pine needle path, chest puffed. Orange triangle markers hung from the trees. One wavered sideways off the trail. Bucky's eyebrows furrowed.
He hopped off the path after a fluttering blue butterfly. The butterfly dipped high and low through the pine boughs, then vanished. Bucky's ears perked forward.
He reached into his pocket for the marker map, but it was gone. A sharp gust of wind swept it away. Bucky looked around. The pine trunks blurred together.
A tiny sniffle drifted through the trees. Bucky followed the sound past three orange markers. Behind the third marker, a shivering chipmunk peeked from a hollow log.
Bucky held out his paw. The chipmunk grabbed it and climbed aboard. They marched together past marker after marker.
Until the trees opened into a wide clearing. Tall tents glowed yellow. Kids and families waved from a crackling campfire.
Bucky's cheeks flushed warm as the chipmunk squeaked triumphantly. He shared a home berry with a girl bear and a raccoon. They roasted marshmallows until the sticks were golden brown.
Smoke curled up past the starry sky as Bucky and the chipmunk sat side by side on a log. The campfire popped and sparkled. Bucky's tail curled happily around the chipmunk.