StorySafari
The next evening, the little orange door on Tilly’s map was still glowing. Grandma tucked Tilly’s scarf snugly. “Home by supper,” she said. Tilly nodded, watching the little door shine.
Tilly took the map to the sunny side of the oak. There was the little orange door! She pushed it open, holding the map close. Beyond it, warm sand waited.
Tilly stepped onto the sand and looked down the dune. Below, little stalls glowed beneath the stars. “A market!” she whispered, and started down the slope.
At the market, Tilly met Kit beside his lantern stall. Kit held up his lantern. It shone brighter than all the others. Tilly smiled. “What a lovely light!”
A soft breeze swept through the market. The other lanterns swung, then went dark. The stalls grew dim. Tilly stood beside Kit, whose lantern still shone. The keepers looked over at them.
The keepers came close. “Could we borrow your flame?” they asked. Kit hugged his lantern. “If I share my light, mine will get smaller.” Tilly listened beside him.
Tilly held a little candle to Kit’s lantern. Its wick caught. Kit looked at both flames. His lantern still shone just as brightly. “See?” said Tilly. “Sharing light never makes yours smaller.”
Kit smiled. Together, he and Tilly carried the flame from stall to stall. One lantern glowed, then another, until every stall shone again. The keepers cheered beneath the bright lights.
The keepers shared sweet dates and warm mint tea with Tilly and Kit. Then Kit gave Tilly a tiny glass bead that glowed softly. Tilly opened her paw to receive it.
“My grandma told me about a little mouse with a map,” said Kit. “She wore a lavender ribbon.” Tilly thought of Grandma’s lavender shawl. Could it be?
Tilly climbed back up the dune and went through the orange door. She reached home just in time for supper. Grandma opened her paws to welcome her, and Tilly showed her the glowing bead.
That night, Tilly set the glowing bead beside the humming shell and silver raindrop on the map. The pale blue door began to glow. Tilly snuggled beneath her quilt, thinking of the lavender ribbon, and fell asleep.
