Mimo waddled into the sun-warmed clearing. There, right in the middle of the clover, sat a giant glowing red apple.
He wrapped both paws around it and gave a hard tug. Mimo curled his tail around his belly like a little orange scarf to keep it safe.
Bunny hopped over first, nose twitching at the sweet smell. Turtle shuffed up, and Squirrel scampereed down from the bridge railing — all staring at the shiny red apple.
Mimo took one step backward, then another. He held the apple tighter against his chest. 'Mine,' he thought.
He tried to drag the apple behind the hollow log, but it rolled with a soft thud back into the open. He tried hiding it under autumn leaves, but the red peeking through looked lonely.
He tried climbing the little wooden bridge to eat it far away, but the apple slipped and bonked him gently on the head.
Mimo sat down hard in the clover. The apple rested between his paws. He looked at Bunny's droopy ears, at Turtle's slow blink, at Squirrel's still-twitching nose.
He found a sharp rock, lifted it high, and brought it down with a loud CRACK. The apple split into five perfect pieces, each one glistening with juice.
Mimo pushed one piece toward each friend. Bunny took a crunch, Turtle took a slow bite, Squirrel squeaked with delight.
Mimo took his own piece — and the apple tasted impossibly, impossibly sweet.