Kiki the Crane and the Great Pond Panic

Chapter 1: Stay Calm

In a peaceful wetland called Reedy Hollow, there lived a young crane named Kiki. Kiki had long legs, a graceful neck, and a funny habit. Whenever something startled her, she would stand perfectly still, take a slow breath, and count to five before doing anything at all.

The other animals thought it was a little strange.

"Why do you always stand there like a statue?" asked Pip the frog.

"Because my brain works better when my feet aren't running," Kiki smiled.

One hot afternoon, the animals of Reedy Hollow were enjoying a lazy day by the pond. Ducklings paddled. Frogs sunbathed on lily pads. Rabbits nibbled clover on the bank.

Suddenly, a loud CRACK! rang out from the hills.

"THUNDER!" shrieked Mabel the duck. "A storm is coming!"

"The dam is breaking!" cried a rabbit, though nobody knew who had said so first.

"RUN!" screamed Pip. "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"

In an instant, everyone was in a frenzy. Frogs leapt in every direction. Ducklings scattered and quacked wildly. Rabbits crashed into one another, scattering carrots everywhere. Someone shouted, "To the high hill!" while someone else shouted, "No, to the burrows!" and the animals ran in circles, bumping and tumbling over each other.