A giant silver raindrop smacked down right on Fernley's nose. Before he could wipe it away, a massive CRACK echoed through the ancient trees. Startled, he scrambled quickly under the broad, sweeping leaves of a giant fern.
He squeezed his eyes shut and curled into a small ball. Flashes of bright lightning painted the forest shadows blinding white. He clamped both paws entirely over his ears and waited in the dark hideaway.
Slowly, Fernley pushed his nose out from beneath the fronds to look at the wet earth. The pouring water was soaking rapidly into the dry dirt. Beside his paw, a shriveled mushroom suddenly puffed up like a wet marshmallow, turning shocking purple.
The booming thunder faded into a soft, steady shhhh. Fernley crept out under the open sky and tapped a drooping green leaf. A shower of sparkling drops cascaded down around him. He opened his mouth wide and caught a cool, fresh drop on his tongue.
A chorus of tiny frogs began to chirp from the shiny new puddles. Fernley took a running leap and splashed both feet into the deepest water he could find. Muddy spray flew high into the air, dancing against the emerald moss.
He danced through the wet forest, shaking his orange fur until the flying water spun like a shiny halo. When the next rumble rolled across the sky, Fernley didn't go back to his hiding spot. He just stomped his feet and hopped along to the rainy rhythm.
