The Treasure Thief.
The luminous trap
The cozy forest floor becomes a blur as you decide to follow the mysterious shimmering light. You scamper along, just a little squirrel filled with outlandish courage. Your tiny feet patter over the fallen leaves, the sound echoing inside your racing heart. Suddenly though, the earth shakes, the acorn-sweet smell that had been in your nose goes away. It feels as if the earth just got pulled from under your tiny paws!
With a squeak of surprise, you find yourself free-falling! You're spinning, tumbling downwards inside a deep pit you had not seen before. Your little heart pounds wildly inside your chest. Even though everything is a swirl, you notice a soft, glowing green light all around you. It’s the same light that had lured you here, and now it dawns on you. The light wasn't a magical acorn nor a surreal glow; it was only fungus all along! Fungus that covers the sharp edges of this deep pit. Its glow provides a stark contrast to the ominous shadow it casts on you.
You’re shivery and scared, but as a bright-eyed forest furball, you know giving up is not an option. This fall could scare regular squirrels out of wits, but you gather your cleverness. Your life takes an unexpected turn after skimming over acorns and running from tree to tree. You begin to understand that your forest is filled with wonders and dangers. From this moment on, your squirrelly tasks include evading unexpected traps and towering tree heights on your quest for those magical acorns. Every little decision adds to your ongoing story. You’re no ordinary squirrel, and this is no ordinary forest, after all, but something far deeper and more enchanting.