The day was warm and sunny, which is always perfect for going on walks. Today, Penny and Coco wandered Mochi Meadow to a new part of the valley they have never been to before. Penny picked where they were going, and Coco made sure they knew how to get back home. Wandering new places was so exciting for Penny, who knew what brand new adventures waited for them around the corner?
Penny led the way, wide-eyed and eager. There were so many new things she hadn’t seen before, new trees she had yet to climb, and new views to see. “Isn’t this exciting, Coco?” Penny cried out.
“It is pretty exciting,” she replied.
Sometimes, going to new places made Coco nervous, because she was worried about getting lost. This was why she kept track of how to get back home. However, wandering new places wasn’t so scary with a friend. She knew she and Penny could figure out how to get home if they worked together. Suddenly, Coco heard a trickling sound. “Do you hear that?” asked Coco.
Penny was trying to reach for the lowest branch of a tree. “Hear what?” she replied.
“It sounds like a river,” Coco said.
Coco followed the sound past Penny’s climbing tree. There it was, flowing gently from Moonlit Mountain to Bubble Beach. It sparkled in the sunlight as the water passed her by. “I was right, it is a river!” exclaimed Coco.
Penny was on top of the first branch, reaching for the second as Coco discovered the river. Finally high enough, she looked back and saw the river too. Excited, she jumped down, rolled over (because she fell), got up, and ran over. Penny gasped in disbelief, “I can’t believe we haven’t seen this river before!”
“Yes, I didn’t realize Mochi Meadow was so big,” replied Coco.
Coco sat down to dip her tired feet in the river. With one little dip, she pulled her feet right back out. “Oh! The water is freezing!” cried Coco.
“Let me try,” Penny said as she knelt down.
Penny stuck her hand into the clear water and then shivered. It was so cold that the moment you touch it, it instantly cools you down. “Ooo, I have an idea!” exclaimed Penny. “What if we had a contest to see who can keep their feet in the cold water the longest?”
“Ok,” replied Coco.
Penny counted them off and they stepped in together. Their bodies shivered from the shock of the cold and their feet began to sting. Penny shouted about how cold it was and maybe this was a bad idea. Coco began to walk around and found it easier to forget about how cold it was. Penny tried it too and also found it easier to stay in as well. They waded a bit, looking at the rocks on the water bed. Soon, Penny could only think about how the tips of her foot froze. “Ah, you win, Coco!” Penny shouted, then she ran out of the river.
Relieved, Coco stepped out too. They both sat at the edge of the river, letting their feet warm back up in the sun. “So what did I win?” Coco asked.
Penny laughed. “A hug!”
Penny hugged Coco tight and then fell down on her back. As she fell down, her head landed on a rock. “Ouch,” cried Penny and sat back up.
She picked up the rock and then threw it into the river. There was a satisfying plink sound as the rock hit the water. Penny looked around and found more rocks to throw. She picked up another rock and stood up to throw it. This time the splash was bigger. Penny looked around again for the biggest rock to make the biggest splash. Satisfied with what she found, she lifted it high into the air and threw it down as hard as she could.
The rock landed too close to Penny and Coco. Penny got wet and Coco shielded herself from the splash. “That was too close, Penny!” shouted Coco.
“Sorry!” Penny apologized. “I’ll go throw rocks somewhere else.”
“No, it’s ok,” Coco replied. “Just don’t throw it too close next time. I like watching you.”
Penny tried different ways of throwing rocks into the river. Sometimes she would twirl around before throwing the rock in. Or she would face away from the river and throw it behind her back. That made her worry she’d hit her leaves, but luckily she threw it high enough to go over them. Coco even suggested she’d try throwing with her eyes closed. However, Penny almost threw the rock at her because she was still a little dizzy from twirling.
Out of rocks and very tired, Penny sat down to rest. Penny felt her body relax as the sun shone on her face and heard the river passing. It was so peaceful to listen to. It was almost as relaxing as listening to the waves at Bubble Beach. Except the sound was softer and didn’t fill your ears. She looked over at Coco and found she was doing the same thing.
“I’m so glad we found this river,” Penny said. “We should definitely play here again.”
Coco nodded. “And who knows what else is in Mochi Meadow that we haven’t found yet. But I think it’s time to go home.”
Coco stood up and Penny followed her. Coco looked around behind the bushes next to the river to find their path. However, Penny had already started running home. Coco ran up to catch up with her. Luckily, Penny was already heading the right way.
