Stories to follow · Chapter 2
Fish with an Unfamiliar Glow
Beyond the gray current, a school of fish carries unfamiliar glowing patterns. Coco, Mimi, and Lulu watch for a signal and leave a safe path open.
Original fiction · Ages 7–10 · Read together with a guardian
Scene 01
The Second School
The next morning, Coco and Mimi watched the fish they had seen the day before. Lulu opened the map and pointed to where they were.
Beyond the gray current, the fish swam in circles. Their scales showed unfamiliar glowing patterns, brighter than before.
Scene 02
A New Pattern
Blue-green lines shimmered along the fish. They circled in one place, scattered, and gathered again.
“Could the gray current have changed them?” Coco asked. “We don't know yet. Looking different doesn't make them enemies. Let's notice what we can see,” Lulu said.
Scene 03
Listening to a Little Splash
Plip, splash. One fish flicked the water with its tail, then paused. Mimi held up her ears and listened to the small sound.
“Maybe they are asking for help,” Mimi said. “But we might be guessing.” The Haru Pets waited without rushing closer.
Scene 04
When the Boat Stops
When the boat moved a little, the fish scattered as if startled. The Haru Pets stopped at once and backed away until the fish had room.
After a moment, the fish gathered again. “Let's wait from farther away,” Lulu said. Coco nodded.
Scene 05
Could It Mean Follow Us?
One fish swam slowly toward the inside of the rocky island. It paused and looked back at the Haru Pets. Another fish followed.
“Could they want us to come that way?” Coco asked. “Maybe. Let's follow just a little. If the fish stop, we stop too,” Mimi said.
Scene 06
Leaving an Open Path
Coco and Lulu checked the map and found a way around the gray current. They left a wide lane for the boat so they would not block the fish.
Mimi moved the boat slowly only when the fish moved. When they paused, the Haru Pets paused too. No one entered the water or touched a fish.
Scene 07
A Resting Place They Chose
A shallow, quiet cove appeared behind the rocky island. The fish paused at its entrance, and the Haru Pets kept their boat outside.
The fish chose to swim into the cove and find a quiet place. The Haru Pets left the entrance open and watched from a distance.
Scene 08
A Quiet Cove, a Longer Current
The fish began to move more calmly. Their unfamiliar glowing patterns were still there, but they could rest in the shallow cove.
Coco drew another star on the map. Far away, the gray current stretched a little longer. “Tomorrow, let's tell the sea keepers what we saw,” Lulu said. The friends stayed quiet while the fish rested.
At the end of the story