A little quack
Flori and Luna were following the path to the pond when they heard it: quack? It was not a big pond quack. It was a small, wondering quack.
Luna listens
A yellow duckling stood beside the reeds. Luna lowered her ears and listened. Flori sat down nearby. Nobody hurried the duckling. Nobody barked.
Three clues
On the muddy path were three clues: a tiny webbed footprint, a yellow feather, and a round ripple in the water. Flori pointed. Luna sniffed. The duckling gave one hopeful quack.
Past the daisies
They followed the footprints past the white daisies. The duckling waddled between Flori and Luna. When the path split, Luna stopped to listen again.
A sound across the pond
Quack-quack! called a voice across the pond. The little duckling stood tall. Quack-quack! came two smaller answers. Luna’s tail began to swish.
This way!
Flori found the stepping stones. Luna walked slowly beside the duckling—one stone, two stones, three. Around the reeds came Mother Duck and two bright yellow siblings.
Together again
The duckling hurried into the water. Mother Duck tucked all three ducklings close. Flori clapped softly. Luna sat proudly on the bank, watching four happy tails make four little ripples.