Thimble sits at the edge of the meadow. A bright blue butterfly flutters past his nose. He thinks, "Where did you go?"
Thimble's ears twitch. He hops forward until his toes touch the first shadow. The dark trees beckon.
Big roots rise from the ground like sleeping snakes. Thimble climbs over each one — step, step, step.
Snap, crackle — a twig breaks under his foot. The blue butterfly darts through the branches ahead.
Thimble squeezes under a low-hanging branch. It tickles his ears. The forest grows darker and smells like wet dirt.
He hops over a narrow stream on wobbly stones — splash, splash, splash. The butterfly lands on a flower just beyond the water.
Thimble pushes through a final curtain of vines. A round clearing opens up before him.
Wildflowers burst in every color — red, yellow, purple, and blue — swaying gently in the breeze.
The blue butterfly flutters down and lands on Thimble's nose. His whiskers wiggle.
Thimble picks one small purple flower and holds it gently in his teeth. He thinks, "For me."
He hops back toward the meadow. The forest path looks a little less scary now.
When he reaches the sunny edge, Thimble drops the flower. He wiggles his nose at the butterfly, who flutters back into the trees.