An Unexpected Arrival

The cool breeze brushed against Hazel’s freckled face. The blazing sun glared down on the swaying flower-filled meadow around her. Her bold friend Scarlet skipped through the parched grasses and stopped suddenly.

A cry pierced through the forest ahead of her and she rushed over. Hazel hurried after her and to her astonishment  found a fuzzy ball of brown fluff. Scarlet scooped it up curiously only to find two staring black eyes.

“A bear cub!” she exclaimed and set it down on the mossy ground.

It stretched and blinked up at the two tall girls above him. Hazel approached the cub cautiously but was soon giggling as he started clambering onto her lap and snuffling his big brown nose into her skirt.