The dark forest path stretches before Thistle. He creeps forward, his little paws tiptoeing over roots and leaves.
Thistle tiptoes through the undergrowth. His ears twitch at every sound.
A twig snaps! Thistle freezes. He thinks, This is too dark.
A tiny green-yellow light flickers — then another, and another. A firefly hovers right in front of his nose.
The firefly zips backward, then forward — as if saying, Follow me!
Deeper into the woods, the firefly lands on a cluster of mushrooms that glow soft blue. Thistle blinks. His nose twitches.
The firefly zips upward. Thistle looks up — the moon hangs full and bright between the branches, painting silver paths on the ground.
Thistle walks with his head held high, following the firefly's glowing trail through the moonlit forest. No longer rushing. No longer hiding. Just moving forward into the beautiful dark.