Pip hopped along the sun-dappled path. Soon a sparkling stream appeared. On a low branch sat a tiny yellow bird.
Pip opened his mouth to say hello, but only a squeak came out. He pressed his ears flat and scurried behind a fern.
Pip crept forward with paws sinking into cool moss. He tried a friendly hello but tripped over a root and landed in a rustling pile of leaves.
The bird fluttered upward, then hovered, tilting its head. Pip buried his nose in a leaf, then peeked out. The bird hadn't flown away.
Pip sighed and plucked a dandelion. He held it out, and the bird snuffled it, then sneezed! White fluff drifted through the air like snow.
Pip giggled, and the bird chirped a laughing tune. They played chase around a mossy stump until Pip noticed the bird looking toward the dark thicket.
A sudden gust shook the branch. The baby bird tumbled into soft moss below, chirping a worried trill. Pip watched, paws digging into the earth.
Pip closed his eyes and took a huge breath. Then he bellowed, 'HELLO! Are you lost?' His loud voice rang through the trees.
The bird perked up, flapped its wings, and hopped right onto Pip's nose. It nuzzled his whiskers with its warm beak.
They tumbled together in the sunshine, then spent the afternoon exploring. When the sun set, painting the stream gold, they sat side by side, ready for tomorrow.