StorySafari
High in George’s treehouse, Malek sipped tea as George leaned close, one wing spread wide. “A huge river dragon makes lonely sounds in the Amazon,” he whispered. “They frighten everyone.”
“Then we should help,” said Malek. He tucked the glowing golden-purple potion into his tan satchel, while George lifted a wing and bounced toward the treehouse door.
Soon Malek and George climbed aboard Kate, the cheerful blue train. With the potion safe in Malek’s satchel, Kate’s friendly headlights blinked, and they rolled toward the Amazon.
Inside Kate’s clear tunnel carriage, Malek pressed his hand to the glass. Fish shimmered overhead, while George clung to a seatback and craned his beak at drifting seaweed.
In a bright jungle clearing, Malek crouched beside enormous three-toed tracks. Three monkeys chattered from a branch, pointing toward the river, as George tilted his head and followed their clues.
A deep rumble rolled through the leaves. The jaguar lifted one paw toward the river, showing Malek and George that the sound came from the water, not a jungle chase.
A green snake traced a wavy path through the damp soil, its tail pointing riverward. Malek listened closely. “It sounds like a call,” he whispered, “not a roar.”
On a small raft, Malek held the glowing potion while his satchel rested beside him. George tucked in his wings and lowered his head. Together, they listened to the lonely river sound.
Suddenly, the Great Amazon River Dragon rose beside the raft! George fluttered back with a startled squawk, but Malek stayed calm, gazing into the dragon’s sad, uncertain amber eyes.
As the dragon opened its mouth to take a bite out of the raft, Malek rose the glowing potion and cast it at the great river dragon!
Golden sparkles swirled around the dragon. In a twinkle, it became a tiny moss-green dragon resting in Malek’s cupped hands. “Hello, Moss,” whispered Malek, as George curved one wing close.
Kate carried them home through sunny Santa Barbara Zoo. Moss rested on Malek’s palm, while George flapped happily and remembered the jungle, the river, and their brave tea adventure together.
