Glimmer sniffed a loose root and gave it a hard yank. A rolled parchment tumbled out. His ears perked up.
He unrolled the parchment on a flat stone. Shimmering blue lines traced a path through the forest. The Guardians' treasure!
Glimmer followed the map until he reached a mossy circle. Three stone figures stood among the trees. He hid behind a toadstool.
The smallest guardian stepped backward and vanished behind the toadstool. Glimmer held out a blueberry. It rolled under a root.
"Okay," he whispered. "I'll try again." He crept closer to the middle guardian.
Glimmer tickled the guardian's ankle with a fern leaf. The guardian flinched and dropped a handful of acorns.
"Oops," Glimmer said, picking one up. It was warm from the sun. He kept walking.
The largest guardian blocked the path. Its face was carved into a deep frown. Glimmer sat down.
Glimmer pulled out a faded photo of himself as a kit. He mimicked his first wobbly steps.
The guardian's stone toes tapped. Once. Twice. A crack formed — not breaking, but smiling. "You're brave," it rumbled.
The guardians stepped aside. Under a great root was a hollow. Inside lay a single smooth stone with a fox print.
"For the friend who came," said the smallest guardian. Glimmer pocketed the stone and walked home.
On the way back, Glimmer greeted every statue he passed. They all waved back in stone.
Glimmer carried the smooth stone home. The forest felt different now — like it knew his name.
That night, Glimmer placed the stone on his windowsill. It glowed faintly, like a tiny moon.
Glimmer curled up beside it and dreamed of mossy circles and smiling stone friends.