The Sun-Stone Quest.
In Willow-Hollow lived two small friends, Mossy and Dilly. Mossy was quiet and strong. Dilly was quick and bright. Their home was under a big old tree. It was a good home.
But one day, a grey cloud came. It stayed above Willow-Hollow. The sun did not shine. The flowers felt sad. The river did not sparkle. Everything was dim.
Mossy and Dilly went to see Old Grove. Old Grove was the oldest tree. He had seen many seasons. “Old Grove,” said Mossy, “Why is Willow-Hollow dim?”
Old Grove moved his big leaves. “The Sun-Stone is lost,” he said. “Long ago, a bad wind took it. The Sun-Stone keeps our light true. It must come back.”
Dilly jumped. “We will find it!” she said. Mossy nodded. “Yes, we will. For Willow-Hollow.”
Old Grove told them, “Go east. Find the Whispering Woods. Then look for the Gloom Cave. The stone waits there.”
So Mossy and Dilly began their trip. They said goodbye to their dim home. They walked into Whispering Woods. The trees were tall. Their leaves made soft sounds. “Whisper, whisper,” went the wind.
They saw many little animals. A bluebird sang a quiet song. A small deer looked at them. They were not alone.
Soon, they came to a sparkling stream. Water ran over smooth stones. On the water sat tiny boats of leaves. And on the boats sat Glimmerwings. Glimmerwings were small folk. They had wings like dragonflies. They glowed softly.
“Hello, little travelers,” said one Glimmerwing named Shimmer. “Where do you go?”
“We seek the Sun-Stone,” said Dilly. “To make Willow-Hollow bright again.”
Shimmer and the Glimmerwings looked at each other. “We know the way to Gloom Cave,” Shimmer said. “It is dark and cold. But the Sun-Stone is there.”
The Glimmerwings showed the path. They flew above Mossy and Dilly. Their small lights helped. Soon, they saw a big, dark opening in the ground. It was Gloom Cave.
“Thank you, friends,” said Mossy. “We go in now.”
“Be brave!” called Shimmer.
Mossy and Dilly went into the cave. It was very dark. It was cold. They walked slowly. They heard drops of water. *Drip, drip, drip.*
Then, they saw a soft light. It was far away. They walked to it. The light grew bigger. And brighter.
There it was! The Sun-Stone. It was a big, round stone. It shone with a warm, yellow light. It was beautiful. It made the cave warm.
Mossy and Dilly touched the stone. It felt warm. They knew it was special. Mossy was strong. He took the big stone. Dilly helped him. It was heavy.
They walked back out of the cave. The Glimmerwings cheered! They helped Mossy and Dilly carry the stone to Willow-Hollow.
As they came near, the grey cloud began to go away. The Sun-Stone shone so bright. When they placed it back in Willow-Hollow, the light spread everywhere. The flowers stood tall. The river sparkled again. The air was warm.
Old Grove smiled. “Welcome home, Sun-Stone,” he said.
Mossy and Dilly felt happy. Their home was bright. All was good again. They knew a little courage could bring much light.
The End.