Marmalade pushed the garden gate with his nose. It swung open with a soft creak.
He stepped onto the tall grass and froze. His ears twitched. What a big world this is.
Butterflies fluttered past his ears. He chased one, then another, his paws sinking into the soft green blades.
He leaped at a blue butterfly, tumbled over his own paws, and landed with a soft pat. The butterfly peeked at him, then flew away.
A fluffy bunny hopped by and sniffed Marmalade's tail. Marmalade bowed his head and offered a gentle paw.
The bunny twitched its nose. Marmalade watched it hop away, his whiskers curling with curiosity.
A ladybug landed on his nose. It walked across his whiskers. Marmalade held very still.
The ladybug tickled his nose. Marmalade sneezed — Achoo! — sending both the butterfly and ladybug into the air.
Marmalade blinked and looked around. The sky was painting itself orange. The fluffy bunny waited by the gate.
Marmalade followed the bunny back toward home, his tail held high. He paused once to watch a firefly blink.
He trotted through the gate and into the cozy garden, his paws quiet on the warm stone path.
He curled up in a sun-warmed patch by the back door, closed his eyes, and dreamed of butterflies. Tomorrow, there would be more to explore.