Nimbus, the tiniest cloud in the whole sky, blinked awake and immediately felt strange. He looked down and gasped—he wasn’t soft or fluffy anymore! Instead, he was just a faint mist, barely able to float above the treetops. All around, other clouds were puffing and drifting in the gentle morning breeze, but Nimbus wobbled unsteadily, feeling lost and invisible.
Nimbus floated over to the brightest place in the sky, where the Laughing Sun beamed cheerfully. Laughing Sun, a radiant orb with a wide, kindly smile, noticed him at once.
"Excuse me, Sun, have you seen my fluff? I can’t float or make shapes without it,"
"Oh, dear Nimbus! I haven’t seen your fluff, but here’s a warm ray to cheer you up," said the Laughing Sun, sending a golden beam that tingled pleasantly but didn’t restore his fluff.
Determined, Nimbus drifted down to the Mountain Giants, towering figures with beards of snow and deep, rumbling voices. They looked up as he approached, their noses twitching.
"Mountain Giants, can you help me find my fluff?"
"Ah-CHOO!" sneezed one giant, sending a flurry of snowflakes towards Nimbus. The snow landed on him, cool and prickly, but it quickly melted away. Nimbus smiled politely, though the snowflakes weren’t quite right.
As Nimbus floated along, a flock of birds swept by, their feathers flashing iridescent in the sunlight. The birds noticed the little cloud and swooped in circles around him.
"Have you seen any fluff? Mine has vanished!"
"We have feathers! Would those help?" chirped the leader, dropping a handful of downy plumes. Nimbus tried them, but they tickled so much he giggled and sneezed them right out, sending feathers drifting on the wind.
Feeling hopeless, Nimbus gazed down and noticed something familiar swirling along the ground—soft, silvery fog, drifting gently among the trees and meadows. With a start, he realized it looked just like his own fluff, scattered across the fields and woods. He watched as animals and flowers basked in its coolness, and the sleepy earth seemed refreshed.
Nimbus decided to help, shading a fox who napped beneath his cool mist, and letting thirsty flowers drink from his dew. With every act of kindness, Nimbus felt himself growing fluffier and fuller. Soon, he was plump and bright once again, floating higher and higher. The other clouds cheered as he soared up just in time for the Great Sky Parade, his fluff the softest and most beautiful of all.
As the clouds danced across the sky, Nimbus realized he was bigger and happier than ever. He hadn’t needed to be big to be important—just kind and helpful. The adventures he’d had made his fluff shine even brighter, and he beamed as he joined the festivities, the star of the Sky Parade at last.
