The meadow was soft with green grass and golden wildflowers. Pip the hedgehog scurried across it, sniffing the warm afternoon air.
Under the old oak tree, a squirrel sat alone. Her tail hung limp. Tears dripped from her nose onto the grass.
Pip stopped dead. His quills prickled up — the squirrel was crying! He scurried closer, ears perked with worry.
Pip tried a silly joke. The squirrel just wiped her eyes with her paw. Pip tried a wobbly dance. She didn't even look up.
Pip tried juggling three dry leaves. They tumbled into his quills instead. He sighed and sat down beside her.
They sat in silence. The meadow hummed with bees and breeze. Pip's paw brushed something smooth and hard in the grass.
It was his very favourite acorn — the shiniest one he'd ever found. He picked it up and turned it over in his paws.
He looked at the acorn. Then he looked at the squirrel's wet face. He thought: She could use this.
Pip held out the acorn. "Here," he said softly. "It's extra shiny. Maybe it will cheer you up."
Sad Squirrel took the acorn slowly. Her fingers wrapped around the smooth shell. She looked at it, then at Pip.
A small smile broke across her face — like sunshine through the leaves. "Thank you, Pip," she whispered.
Pip didn't have a joke or a dance. But he had his favourite acorn — and that was enough.
