Leo the lion cub loved playing in the tall, golden grass. He would pounce and roll and pretend to be a mighty king! But Leo’s favorite thing to do was watch the fireflies twinkle at dusk. They looked like tiny stars dancing in the air.
One evening, Leo noticed a little firefly flickering weakly. It wasn’t dancing with the others. It was all alone, and its light kept going out. “Hello?” Leo called softly. The firefly zipped closer, its light blinking sadly. “I… I’m Flicker,” it whispered. “And I’m lost. I can’t find my family.”
Leo felt a pang of sadness for Flicker. He knew what it felt like to be a little bit scared. “Don’t worry, Flicker,” Leo said kindly. “I’ll help you find them! We’ll look together.”
They searched and searched. Leo carefully parted the tall grass so Flicker could fly easily. He asked all the other fireflies if they had seen Flicker’s family, but no one had. Leo started to feel a little impatient. It was getting late, and he was sleepy.
But then he remembered how sad Flicker was. Being a good friend meant being patient, even when things were hard. Leo took a deep breath and said, “Let’s look just a little bit longer.”
Suddenly, Flicker’s light brightened! “There!” he cried. “I see them! That’s my mama and papa!” A whole group of fireflies were twinkling happily in a nearby bush. Flicker zoomed towards them, his light shining brighter than ever.
Flicker’s mama and papa thanked Leo for helping their little firefly. Flicker zipped back to Leo and gave him a tiny, glowing hug. “You’re the best friend ever, Leo!” he said.
Leo smiled. Helping Flicker felt even better than pouncing and rolling. He realized that being a good friend wasn’t about being a mighty king, it was about being kind, helpful, and patient. As Leo walked home, he watched the fireflies dance, knowing he had made a new friend and learned something very special. And that made him feel warm and sleepy, ready for a good night’s rest.