Sari opened her grandmother's old map and traced her finger from Sumatra all the way down to Papua.
A soft breeze rustled the pages. It carried the sweet scent of rainforest flowers.
Sari grabbed her satchel and stepped outside into the emerald green forest.
High above, an orangutan swung from branch to branch. It dropped a handful of red rambutans at her feet.
Sari picked one up. Sticky and sweet. She watched the orangutan disappear into the leaves.
Sari knelt at the edge of a coral reef. A sea turtle glided past in slow motion.
She reached out and the turtle bumped her fingers with its smooth shell. Bubbles rose and popped against her lips.
Sari climbed a volcanic highland trail. A Komodo dragon crossed her path, its yellow tongue flicking.
The dragon paused and tilted its head at Sari. Then it lumbered into the tall grass.
Sari followed the footprints into the mangrove forest. She saw orangutan handprints and sea turtle tracks in the mud.
Under a banyan tree, the Komodo dragon rested while birds nested above. Sari's eyes went wide. Every creature, every plant, connected in one living web.
Sari pressed her palm to the warm earth. 'I'll protect you all,' she whispered. She sat down and opened her satchel to the map, drawing one long green line connecting every creature she had met.
