The Little Lantern

Part One

Lila's cat did not come home. The sun had set and the woods were dark.

She took her little lantern from the shelf. It made a small, warm circle of light.

"Here, kitty, kitty," she called. Her voice sounded small in the big, dark woods.

An owl looked down from a branch. "Who goes there?" he asked in a soft voice.

"It is just me," said Lila. "I am looking for my cat. Have you seen her?"

"I heard a meow by the creek," said the owl. "It was near the stones."

Lila walked to the creek. The lantern lit the water and made it shine.

A baby rabbit sat on a stone. It was lost and shaking. Lila knelt beside it.

"I will light your way home," she said. The rabbit hopped to its burrow.

Then, from behind a log, came a soft meow. Out walked the cat, with moss on her tail.

Lila hugged her cat. They walked home under the stars. The lantern glowed.