The last raindrop plops. Toby shakes himself, flinging water in every direction. The meadow glistens in the sudden sun.
Toby steps into the meadow where Luna waits, ears flat, squelching in the wet grass. They stare down at their paws—stuck and sticky, every step a loud squish.
"Ugh," says Toby, wiggling his toes. Luna wiggles hers. Their paws are stuck, sticky, and every step makes a loud squish.
They stamp and stomp in the sunny patch. Squeeze. Stomp. Spin. But the paws stay damp and cold.
Luna shoves her paws between two daisy leaves. Squish. "The stream!" she says, pointing down the winding path. They run.
At the stream, Luna tugs a wild strawberry from its bush. She holds it between them. They split it in half.
Sweet red juice drips straight down their paws. "Oh no," says Toby, holding his paw up to the sun. Luna licks the juice off her paw pads and grins.
Toby looks at the babbly stream. Looks at his red, sticky paws. And just... LEAPS in.
Cold water whooshes. Luna yips and cannonballs after him. Splash, splash, SPLASH. They kick and churn the water into a tiny whirlpool.
They crawl out dripping and sit on the soft green grass, paws side by side. The sun dries the water. One daisy wobbles in the breeze.
