Blue was a boy in the Enchanted Forest. Blue was small, but brave. Blue also had big, kind eyes.
One morning, the forest looked wrong.
The flowers were gray.
The mushrooms were gray.
Even the sunbeam spots on the path looked sleepy.
Blue blinked. “Uh-oh. Colors gone.”
A warm whoosh came from above.
Phoenix flew down. Phoenix was bright and gentle. Phoenix liked to help.
Phoenix said, “I think the forest lost its colors. We can bring them back.”
A rustle-rustle!
Fox popped out from a bush. Fox was clever and a little silly.
Fox said, “Maybe the colors are hiding. I am very good at finding hiding things.”
Clink-clink.
Prince walked in, wearing shiny boots. Prince was polite and calm.
Prince said, “Hello, friends. My castle banners look dull. Let’s fix this.”
Blue nodded. “Let’s go together.”
They followed a trail of faint sparkles.
Phoenix lit the way with warm light.
Fox sniffed the ground. “Smells like… smoke and grumpy.”
Prince held Blue’s hand when the path got twisty.
Soon they heard a low rumble.
Grrrroooom.
Behind a big fern was Dragon.
Dragon was huge. Dragon looked angry.
Dragon had a sack. A big, bulging sack.
Blue’s knees shook a little.
Blue whispered, “I feel scared.”
Phoenix whispered back, “It’s okay to feel scared. We stay close.”
Fox called out, “Hello, Dragon! Nice… uh… scales!”
Dragon snorted. “No one gets past me. I took the forest colors. Mine now.”
Prince stepped forward. He did not shout.
Prince said, “Dragon, the forest needs those colors. Can we share?”
Dragon hugged the sack. “No share.”
Blue looked at Dragon’s face.
Dragon’s eyes looked tired.
Blue took a slow breath.
Blue said softly, “Dragon, are you lonely?”
Dragon blinked. “Lonely? I… I like being big.”
Fox whispered to Blue, “Big can still be lonely.”
Phoenix flew in a small circle and said, “We can make a color party. You can come.”
Dragon looked at the gray trees.
Dragon said, “I wanted the colors so I could look at them all day.”
Blue had an idea.
Blue said, “What if we make you your own color treasure, and the forest gets its colors back?”
Prince opened his backpack.
Inside was a little mirror, a ribbon, and a tiny bell.
Prince said, “We can make a shiny charm.”
Fox found clear dew drops on leaves.
Phoenix warmed them.
The dew drops turned into bright beads: red, yellow, green, blue.
Blue threaded them on the ribbon.
Clink! The tiny bell went on the end.
It was a rainbow charm.
Blue held it up. “For you, Dragon.”
Dragon’s mouth opened.
Not for fire.
For a gasp.
Dragon said, “For me?”
Blue nodded. “Yes. And then the sack goes back to the forest.”
Dragon’s claws shook. Then Dragon gave the sack to Blue.
Blue opened it.
Whoooosh!
Colors flew out like butterflies.
Pink on the flowers.
Green on the moss.
Gold on the sun spots.
The Enchanted Forest smiled again.
Dragon gently took the rainbow charm.
Ding-ding.
Dragon smiled too.
Fox did a silly dance. “We did it! No biting! No booming!”
Phoenix laughed. “Teamwork.”
Prince bowed. “Thank you, Blue.”
Blue felt warm inside.
Blue said, “I was scared, but I used my brave voice.”
As a reward, the forest made a gift.
A little chest grew from a tree root.
Pop!
Inside were four glowing color stones.
Phoenix said, “For you to keep.”
Blue put the stones in his pocket.
They glowed like tiny night-lights.
Everyone walked home under bright leaves.
Dragon followed, not scary now, just big.
Ding-ding went the charm, and the colors stayed.