On the edge of a quiet forest, a boy named Eli wandered too far from his village. The sunlight flickered through the trees, and every path looked the same. Hours passed, and fear settled into Eli's heart like a heavy stone.

Night fell. Strange sounds echoed around him - whispers of leaves, distant howls. Hugging his knees under a wide oak, Eli tried not to cry. Then, through the dark, a soft glow appeared. A tiny fox with silver fur and bright eyes trotted up to him, carrying a scrap of cloth from his village.

Trusting the fox, Eli followed. They weaved through the trees, crossed streams, and climbed small hills until, finally, the soft lights of his home blinked into view.

Eli never forgot the fox - or the way the forest, once so frightening, had carried him safely back to where he belonged.