Tiago stumbled through the shaken forest, his ice-blue scales catching on broken branches. The ground still trembled beneath his feet. He called out for his family — but only the wind answered, rustling the leaves.
Three forest friends popped out from behind a fallen log — a squirrel, a frog, and a badger. They nudged Tiago forward, chittering and croaking directions toward where his home used to be.
They reached the river, only to find it had carved a new, wider path across the valley. The frog hops onto a floating log while the squirrel chatters encouragement as the little dinosaur tests the rushing water with his claw.
The frog hopped onto the log and paddled forward. The squirrel chattered from a low branch above. The little dinosaur lowered his claw into the rushing water, testing the current before taking a careful step.
A shimmering cloud of fireflies rose from the riverbank, swirling upward like golden dust. They formed a glowing trail leading deeper into the forest, and the little dinosaur followed with his friends close behind.
The fireflies settled onto the branches above, painting the forest in warm amber light. Tiago followed the glowing trail deeper, the three small friends staying close, until the trees parted and a familiar clearing appeared.
Tiago reached the clearing and found his family waiting under the great oak, their eyes wide with relief. The fireflies settled onto the branches above them like tiny stars, and the whole forest seemed to hold its breath.
Tiago buried his snout in his father's neck. The fireflies drifted higher into the branches, becoming tiny stars against the deepening sky. His family stood close together, and the forest was quiet at last.