Let’s begin.
Gigi the giraffe and Starlight the unicorn were planning a party at Reed Bend. It was the place where they had first met, on opposite sides of the brook.
Today, their families and their little friend Luma were coming for a picnic and a treasure hunt.
“The best treasure hunt ever,” Starlight said.
Gigi looked at the piles of things beside their tree. There were broad leaves for clues, smooth stones for markers, and a whole basket of colorful fallen petals from the Glade.
“We have plenty of treasure-hunt things.”
“And snacks,” Starlight said.
“We mustn't forget snacks.”
Their families had helped them choose a short loop through the meadow. It stayed on dry ground, well away from the water. The party would finish beneath the shady tree by the brook.
Starlight had an idea. Each stop would remind their guests of one of the friends' adventures.
“A green stone for Echo Caves,” she said. “A leaf boat for Pebble Lake. And the kite ribbons for Windy Ridge.”
“And a little door for Luma,” Gigi added.
Luma peered out from behind the basket.
“I heard that.”
Starlight laughed. “You're early!”
“I'm small. It takes me longer to get places.”
“You can help us hide things,” Gigi said.
Soon the meadow had four little stopping places. At each one, a clue would tell their guests where to go next.
Starlight sprinkled pink petals along the first path, yellow along the second, blue along the third, and purple along the last.
“A rainbow trail!” she said.
It looked lovely. The colors curved through the grass and joined at the picnic tree.
Gigi imagined Mama following the pink trail. Pip would spot the green stone and tell everyone about the frog. Starlight's sister could help with the kite clue.
There was just one thing left to do.
“The food,” Gigi said.
“And cups,” Starlight added.
“And the mat,” Luma said.
“And one last clue!”
Starlight hurried to the basket. Gigi hurried to the tree. Luma hurried to keep up.
Then the wind came.
It began with a rustle in the grass. One pink petal lifted. Then six yellow petals. Then a whole little cloud of blue and purple.
“Oh, no!” Starlight cried.
The petals tumbled across the meadow.
Gigi tried to stop a pink patch with her hoof. Yellow petals drifted over her nose. Luma ducked as a purple one sailed past her ears.
By the time the breeze settled, every path had every color.
Starlight stared.
“Nobody will know which way to go.”
Gigi looked toward the far end of the meadow. She could see her family coming along the path.
Starlight's family would be here soon too.
“We can put them back,” Gigi said.
She started sorting pink petals from yellow ones.
Another breeze scattered them again.
Gigi stopped.
Starlight's ears drooped. “I wanted to show everyone what we made.”
Luma looked across the mixed-up meadow.
“We still made it,” she said. “It's just all the colors now.”
“But the clues don't work.”
From the path came Pip's voice.
“Are we too early?”
Gigi turned. Mama and Papa stood beside him. Starlight's parents and her sister Aster were coming around the bend.
For a moment, Gigi wanted to tell them to wait. She and Starlight were supposed to have everything ready.
Instead, she took a breath.
“Our trail blew away,” she said. “Could you help us fix it?”
Pip looked delighted.
“Before the treasure hunt?”
“I think fixing it is part of the treasure hunt now,” Starlight said.
Aster set down the cups. Papa put the food in the shade. Everyone gathered around the clues.
“What tells us where to go?” Mama asked.
“The colors did,” Gigi said.
Pip nudged a smooth stone. “These don't blow away.”
Luma climbed onto a little mound so she could see the whole group.
“We could make arrows with them.”
Starlight's ears lifted.
“Yes! Big enough for Gigi to see, and low enough for you.”
They made the first arrow together. Pip found the pointed stone for its tip. Gigi placed the longer stones behind it. Luma walked beside the arrow to check which way it pointed.
“That takes us to the cave treasure,” she said.
Starlight put the green stone beside a leaf with a picture of a frog.
Pip saw it and gave an excellent bubbling croak.
Everybody laughed.
At the next stop, Aster set a leaf boat in a small dry hollow. There was no water in it, but the yellow petal captain still looked ready to sail.
Gigi's father made the next arrow while Starlight and Gigi stretched the kite ribbons across a low patch of grass. The kite itself stayed folded safely beside them.
“Do we have to fly that to find the next clue?” Pip asked.
“No,” Starlight said.
“Good. I haven't finished being a frog yet.”
He gave another bubbling croak, and Aster nearly dropped her leaf.
The last stop was Luma's little door: two curved twigs with an open space between them. Beside it stood a much taller opening, made by the branches of their picnic tree.
“One for little feet,” Luma said.
“One for long necks,” Gigi answered.
Now the trail was ready again. The scattered petals shone all around it. They didn't have to point anywhere. They could simply be beautiful.
The group followed the stone arrows together.
Pip told the frog story. Aster asked about the lake boats. Starlight showed her parents how she had learned to turn toward the wind.
At the last stop, everyone helped spread the picnic mat. Nobody made it float.
“I like this one on the ground,” Starlight said.
Aster grinned. “Much easier to put cups on.”
They settled into the shade with leaves, fruit, berries, and plenty of room for little feet.
Across the brook, the forest rustled in the breeze. Gigi could still remember standing here and wondering who was behind those trees.
Now Starlight was right beside her, helping Pip balance a petal on his nose.
“Where shall we go next?” Starlight asked.
Gigi looked toward the woods, the hills, and the winding paths beyond the meadow.
“I have a few ideas.”
“After lunch,” Pip said firmly.
The petal slid off his nose.
Everyone laughed, and Gigi reached for another sweet green leaf. There would be time for another adventure.
Right now, they had a very good party.