In the middle of the night, Pigúiça woke up with a start.
It was campout night in the meadow. The whole gang was sleeping in the grass under the stars. Bolota was snoring softly, using her long ears as a blanket. Tico was curled up tight like a little bun. Nina slept with one paw over her nose, dreaming and wagging her tail.
But Pigúiça's heart was beating fast, thump thump thump. She looked around, very slowly, to make sure she was really there in the meadow, and not inside the dream anymore.
She tiptoed over to Fofuxo and touched her nose to his ear. “Fofuxo... are you awake?”
“I am now,” he said, opening one eye. His eyes were golden, calm as always. “What's wrong?”
“I had a bad dream. I was lost in a dark forest. The flowers didn't answer when I came close. And I couldn't find my way home.”
Fofuxo didn't laugh, and he didn't say it was silly. He got up slowly and gave her a great big hug, the kind that covers you all the way up. Pigúiça stayed inside it, warm and snug, until the thump thump thump slowed down.
“Do you know what I do when I have a bad dream?” asked Fofuxo. “I change the ending.”
“You can change it?”
“You can. Close your eyes and go back to the forest in your dream. But this time, listen: a teeny tiny flower wakes up and says hi. Then another one. And another. And they light up, one after the other, like a path of little lights.”
Pigúiça closed her eyes. She could see it. The flowers lit up, one after another, making a glowing path across the forest floor.
“And at the end of the path,” Fofuxo went on, “who's waiting?”
Pigúiça smiled. “You. And Bolota, and Tico, and Nina. And everybody's camping out under the stars.”
“Just like right now,” said Fofuxo.
Pigúiça opened her eyes and looked up. The sky was full of stars, and they all seemed to be twinkling just for her. She snuggled between Fofuxo's big paws, rested her head on his chest, and listened to his heart, thump... thump... thump..., nice and slow. And this time, when she fell asleep, her dream started with the happy ending.
