Liam was a little Dinosaur. He was green, round, and very gentle. He liked to tiptoe, even though his feet were big.
One quiet night, Liam stood on the Moon. The Moon dust felt soft, like flour. The sky was full of tiny lights.
Liam held a small box. “My stars are gone,” he sniffled. The box was empty.
A bright figure floated down. It wore a shiny cape and a calm smile. It was the Galactic Emissary.
“Hello, Liam,” said the Emissary. “I help lost things come home.”
Liam blinked. “Can you help my stars?”
“We will look together,” said the Emissary. “Slow steps. Big hearts.”
They walked past a bumpy Moon hill. They hopped over a crater. Liam said, “Boing!” and giggled.
Then—whoosh!
A shadow slid over them. A Dragon landed with a thump. Its wings were wide. Its eyes were curious, not mean.
The Dragon sniffed the air. “Shiny,” it rumbled. “I like shiny.”
Liam hid behind the Emissary. His tail shook.
The Emissary whispered, “It may be loud, but we can be kind.”
Liam took a tiny breath. “Hello, Dragon.”
The Dragon blinked. “Hello, small Dinosaur.”
Liam pointed at the empty box. “My stars are missing. Did you take them?”
The Dragon looked surprised. “I did not take your stars.” Then it lowered its head. “But… I did find some sparkly dust. It stuck to my claws.”
“Sparkly dust?” asked Liam.
The Emissary nodded. “Star dust can lead us.”
The Dragon held out a claw. Glittering dust fell like sugar. Liam’s eyes grew wide.
“Follow the dust trail,” said the Emissary.
So they went together: Dinosaur, Emissary, and Dragon.
They followed the glitter to a dark crater. Inside, something twinkled.
Liam peered in. “It’s too deep.”
The Dragon puffed. “I am big. I can reach.” It stretched its long neck down.
The Emissary said, “Careful. Slow.”
The Dragon pulled up a bundle—little star marbles, all stuck in Moon mud.
“My stars!” Liam clapped.
But the marbles were dirty. Their shine was sleepy.
The Emissary tapped its cape. “Moonlight wash.”
A soft beam of Moonlight slid over the marbles. The mud melted away. The stars gleamed again.
Liam gasped. “So bright!”
The Dragon leaned closer. “Beautiful,” it whispered.
Liam thought for a moment. Then he opened the box wide. “Dragon, you can have one star marble. A friend star.”
The Dragon’s eyes went round. “For me?”
“Yes,” said Liam. “You helped.”
The Dragon smiled, and its smile was warm. “Thank you. I will guard it.”
The Emissary nodded. “Teamwork makes light.”
Liam put the rest of the star marbles in his box. They jingled softly: ting-ting-ting.
He felt brave now. He wasn’t hiding.
On the Moon, the three friends sat on a hill. Liam held his box. The Dragon held its friend star. The Emissary watched the sky.
“Good night, Moon,” Liam said.
And the stars in his box shone like tiny treasures, safe and happy.