Ember and the Sleepy Spark

High on a grassy green hill lived Ember. Ember was a dragon, but he was very small. He had shiny red scales, two little green wings, and four round toes on each foot. Inside his tummy, Ember carried a tiny golden spark. It felt like a warm cup of milk after a long day of play.

Every evening, the big sun went down behind the trees. The sky turned pink, then purple, and then deep, quiet blue.

Ember stood at the door of his cave. "Oh no," he said to his little green wings. "Here comes the dark."

The shadows looked big. The rocks looked sleepy. Ember liked the bright sunshine best of all.

Hop, hop, hop. Up the path came Willa the bunny. Willa had long, floppy ears and a nose that went wiggle-wiggle-wiggle.

"Hello, Ember!" said Willa in a cheerful voice. "Are you ready for sleep?"

"Not yet," said Ember, looking at the shadows on the ground. "The dark is very big, and my cave is very dim."

Willa hopped closer and sat on a smooth rock. She touched a little glass lantern that hung near the cave door. Inside the glass was a little white candle.

"You do not have to sit in the dim, Ember," said Willa softly. "You have that cozy spark right in your tummy. Can you make a little puff for the lantern?"

Ember shook his head. "What if it goes out?" he asked.

"Let us try together," Willa said. "Take a breath in, and let a breath out. Blow, Ember, blow."

Ember opened his mouth. Whoosh. Out came a tiny cloud of cool gray smoke. The smoke tickled his nose, but the candle did not light.

"That was a good try," said Willa, wiggling her nose. "A very good try. A spark just needs a moment."

Just then, two wide wings swept through the air without a single sound. Flap, flap, glide. Sage the owl landed gently on a low branch right above them. Sage had big, round eyes that blinked slowly, one two.

"Good evening, little friends," Sage said in a smooth, quiet rumble.

"Sage," called Willa, "Ember wants to light his lantern, but the dark feels too big."

Sage tilted his head and blinked again. "The dark is just the blanket the world puts on to rest," Sage said. "And you, Ember, carry your own little sun inside."

Ember touched his red tummy. It felt warm and gentle, like a purring kitten.

"Feel the warm spark," Sage whispered softly. "Do not push it hard. Just let it shine. Take a breath in, and let a breath out. Blow, Ember, blow."

Willa tapped her foot softly on the grass. Tap, tap, tap. Sage tucked his wings close and nodded his round head.

Ember looked at the little white candle in the glass lantern. He stood up tall on his round dragon toes. He stretched his two little green wings. Then, Ember took a slow, deep breath through his nose. His red tummy grew round and bright.

He leaned toward the lantern. "Hoo-oo-ff!" he blew.

Pop! Out flew one tiny golden spark!

It danced across the grass. It hopped right through the little round door of the lantern. It touched the white wick.

Flicker.

A bright, happy flame bloomed inside the glass. It was yellow and orange and gold. The gentle light reached out into the grass. It lit up Willa's soft gray ears. It lit up Sage's brown feathers. It made the stones of the cave look warm and friendly.

"I did it!" cried Ember, clapping his little red hands. "Look at the light!"

"You did it," said Willa, smiling happily.

"You did it all by yourself," Sage hooted in his gentle voice.

Ember carried his warm lantern inside the cave. The yellow glow painted the walls with cozy, dancing shapes. The dark outside did not feel big anymore. It just felt like nighttime, ready for sweet dreams.

Willa curled up in a nest of soft clover by the cave door. Sage closed his big round eyes up in the leafy tree.

Ember set his glowing lantern on the little wooden table beside his mossy bed. He curled his tail around his toes. He folded his green wings over his back. His tummy was warm. His cave was bright. And with one happy sigh, the little dragon closed his eyes and fell fast asleep.