The Storm Over the Forest

At the edge of the forest, where tall trees sway in the rhythm of the wind, lived the wise owl Murdric. From the top of his tall pine, he always noticed the slightest changes in the forest and often warned his friends if something was amiss. One morning, while the sky was still clear and the sun shone over the forest, Murdric saw dark clouds on the horizon. They slowly but surely moved in, covering the sun and bringing a dim evening-like light to the forest.

The owl frowned, watching the clouds gather, becoming darker and denser. He knew what this meant—a storm was coming. Deciding to warn his friends, he flew down from his tree and hurried to the Flower Meadow, where Rocky, Sia, Topa, and Hops often gathered.

When he arrived at the meadow, Rocky, Sia, and Hops were playing, jumping around, and gathering flowers, unaware of the changes in the sky. Topa, the cautious hedgehog, sat a bit apart, studying a map of the forest that Rocky had recently given him.

Murdric landed on the meadow and called out loudly:

“Friends, listen to me! A big storm is coming. We need to quickly find shelter and prepare for the rain.”

The friends stopped playing and looked up at the sky with concern. The clouds had already covered most of the sky, and the wind was picking up.

“Oh no!” cried Sia. “What are we going to do? We won’t make it back to our homes in time!”

Rocky, always full of ideas, suggested:

“Let’s find a big tree that can shelter us from the rain. If we stick together, no storm can harm us!”

Topa, thoughtfully looking at the forest map, added:

“I know a place nearby. There’s a huge, old oak tree with thick branches. It could make a great shelter.”

The friends quickly agreed with Topa’s suggestion and set off toward the oak. The wind was growing stronger, and they had to hurry to reach it before the rain started. Soon, big drops began falling from the sky, each one seeming as heavy as a bead of morning dew. Shelly, slightly behind due to her slow pace, soon joined her friends, nodding in support.

When they finally reached the oak, the rain had intensified, and large drops were falling, splashing on the ground. Under the wide branches of the oak, the friends found protection from the rain. The leaves formed a natural umbrella, shielding them from the falling drops.

Sia huddled next to Rocky, shivering from the cold:

“I’m so glad we made it here! Now the rain doesn’t bother us.”

Murdric, always perched a bit above the others, looked around and suggested:

“I’ll try to fly up and see if anything else is approaching. But if the storm gets worse, we may need to find a better shelter.”

The friends watched as Murdric spread his wings and flew into the thick of the swirling clouds. From up there, he could see far and wide, noticing every gust of wind and every movement of the clouds. He saw that the clouds were getting thicker and that the rain would be heavier than he had expected.

When Murdric returned, he announced:

“We need to reinforce our shelter. The rain is getting stronger, and we’ll need to stay here for a while.”

Rocky and Topa began gathering leaves and branches to make a thick layer of protection against the rain. Sia helped arrange the leaves so that they would block the water. Hops, full of enthusiasm, carried leaves and helped his friends strengthen the shelter.

Once the shelter was ready, the friends huddled together, sharing warmth and support. The rain outside seemed distant and almost friendly while they were together.

While the rain poured down, the friends began telling stories of past adventures, remembering the time they searched for the Moon Flower or helped Sia find her favorite toy. Each of them realized that the best moments of their lives were tied to their friendship and the support they gave one another.

Soon the rain began to ease, and the clouds started to part, allowing the first rays of sunlight to peek through. The forest once again became bright and joyful, and each leaf on the trees sparkled with drops of dew.

Sia sighed with relief and said:

“How wonderful that we can always help each other when things get tough.”

Rocky nodded and added:

“No storm can scare us when we have friends like you. Thank you, Murdric, for the warning. And thank you all for your help and support.”

From that day on, the friends knew they had nothing to fear as long as they had each other. They fondly remembered the day they took shelter under the oak and listened to the rain. That storm became a symbol of their unity, and they knew they could always rely on one another.