Wait a minute. That's strange. I could no longer feel the rocking of the boat, even though that was always the first thing I was aware of every time my eyes opened in the morning. But instead, everything was completely still. Why weren't we moving?

I was shifting in the bed before my eyelids even had the chance to lift, trying to raise my arms up and out of the blanket to feel the space around me before the sound it caused forced me to pause. That was not the sound of movement on a blanket. It sounded like...

My eyes snapped open and darted to examine my surroundings and confirm my suspicions. It was not the bed that I had awakened in, but my sleeping bag. I was not in my bedroom on the boat, but inside my tent. Right. I had arrived at the campsite yesterday morning, and that was where I was now. I had been on the boat for so long before this point that I had begun to automatically guess that I hadn't left.

I could hear the rustling of a gentle breeze tapping on the outside of my tent as I climbed to a seated position in the sleeping bag. For the first time in the past few days, I felt completely rested. My eyes did not feel sore from the lack of sleep during nights on the boat, and my mind was not clouded with fatigue. This, I could easily tell, was where my recovery would begin.

For a moment, I just sat in a peaceful silence, slowly waking up and pondering each thought as they passed by. Except for the occasional brushing of the breeze against the walls of my tent, everything outside was so quiet; I could only wonder where all of the other animals were. Maybe they were already up and about. Maybe they were all still sleeping. Maybe I would find out, maybe I wouldn't.

As I ran this thought through my mind, I was easily able to picture the scenery that would be waiting for me once I left my tent for the day. I already knew well by experience how beautiful the campsite looked in the morning with the colorfully painted sky in the background of trees and mountains. The weather was probably very nice, as well. In fact, when I had first arrived, I had spent a few thoughts wondering about a variety of flowers at the edges of the grass that had already managed to bloom. As this memory flickered back to attention, I recalled that Mom and Dad had sent me off on my journey with a guidebook to identify naturally occurring plants in nature.

At the very least, taking the steps to learn about the island's native plants would be the most refreshing and mindful way to familiarize myself with this campsite. I climbed out of the sleeping bag, kicking myself free before reaching for my backpack. It felt so light and empty without the sleeping bag and the books, so it wasn't much of a struggle at all to pull it onto my lap as I sat in a kneel on the floor.

Behind several bags of Bells was the guidebook in the bottom of the backpack, slightly ruffled from being pushed down so far but still in decent condition. I withdrew it from the backpack, smoothing it out with my paws before my gaze flicked across the tent to my pale pink jacket crumpled in the corner. I wasn't quite sure how warm the temperature was going to be once I left my tent. It was generally warm yesterday morning when I had arrived, so maybe I wouldn't need a jacket.

Well, there was only one way to find out. I crept over to the door of the tent with my book in my paw, unzipping it with my free paw and poking my head out of the tent to check the temperature. The sun was already high in the sky by now, glistening in a sea of cerulean blue. The air was not cold, not warm, just comfortable; perhaps a jacket would be unneeded against the soft breeze.

I slipped on my flats and climbed out of the tent, tucking the plant guidebook under my arm to zip the door shut once again. As I did so, my ears had begun to register sounds that I hadn't been able to catch from the inside of my tent, sounds that made the fact clear to me that I wasn't actually alone. A few distant conversations of nearby animals sounded from various directions with the exchange of words I was too far away to understand. In a wide-open spot of sunlit grass at the left, a bluejay appeared to be leading a sort of workout group, occasionally giving energetic shouts of encouragement such as "Get those muscles workin'!" or "Keep at it, heeeyyyy!"

I couldn't prevent a faint smile from rising to my face as I straightened up again, holding my book loosely in my arms as I began to make my way across the short grass to the edge of the campsite behind my tent. Everyone seemed to fit in so easily, each belonging in their own separate ways, and I could already tell that I wouldn't have much trouble settling in. All I needed to do was to find a small group of animals I could get along with well to call my friend group. It sounded easy enough.

I could hear the wind rustling past the nearly bare trees as I neared the rim of the grassy area. The flowers I had seen the previous day seemed to dance at the edge, swaying under the influence of the gentle breeze in an array of bright and vivid colors. I came to a stop at an assortment of dark crimson flowers with a deep brown core, examining it for a few seconds to memorize its appearance before flipping open my guidebook.

Let's see, I thought to myself, sifting through the small pages to locate a picture of the flower in front of me. While they were very similar in color, they didn't quite look like the tulips that bloomed on my home island in the spring, making it difficult to discover what type they really were. Red roses? No, they were a bit more openly spaced than roses, and also they held more colors.

Though a bit fainter, I still managed to catch the sound of the bluejay's yelling as I wandered along the patch of flowers, taking in the sights of their appearance and colors. Most of them were red, though towards the edges of the cluster, there was an evident color shift to red-orange and even pure orange. Whatever it was, it obviously grew in a group instead of solo by type, which was something roses and tulips didn't commonly share.

Exploring the pages of the book in my paw, I eventually came across a chapter of text about pansies. A brief scan of the first two pages earned me the information that pansies were actually one of the only flowers to grow in a natural group of a variety of colors, though it was mainly determined by the gardener. I flipped ahead to the next following pages to locate a diagram, instantly identifying them as the same plant. A spark of interest flicked through my mind; even though pansies were not the rarest of plants, I had never seen them before as they did not grow on my island, and so learning of their presence made it all the more intriguing.

Having found my answer, I raised my head at last to scan my surroundings, seeking to delve into more knowledge of any other plants that I could find. With a more careful inspection, it was only then that the fact was revealed to me that between the flowers lived numerous clumps of weeds, which I could identify all too well after being put to the task of pulling them up from the ground every summer in my puppyhood. You would have thought that with so many animals at the campsite, somebody would have taken the responsibility of cleaning up the garden!

After a brief glance around me while musing about the weeds, my gaze fell upon a different array of flowers on a far edge. From a distance, they already looked so much different than the pansies, with yellow and white as their main block of colors and a seemingly fuzzy appearance. If anything, all of these flowers were definitely going to keep me busy.

I wandered closer to the new set of flowers, seeing no reason to hurry, already flipping through the starting pages of different chapters as I approached. After pausing at the start of the plants, I proceeded to flip through different pictures of flowers in search of the ones I had been presented with before removing my focus from the book to observe the ground. Even at first glance, the frizzy flowers seemed very familiar to me, almost like I had noticed them once or twice at home. Dandelions, most likely, though maybe a slight variation of them that I would find somewhere in the book.

Nearing voices grabbed my attention at once. A pair of petite bears in strikingly colorful dresses were ambling past me, deep in a cheerful conversation with one another, and though they seemed friendly enough, I felt my feet urge to inch away. One of the bears was a brown bear with bright, lively black eyes, and the other held a fascinating color display of lavender and blue. The movement of my head and the jingle of the bell in my ponytail must have snatched their attention away from their own conversation, and they both glanced over at me.

Before I had the chance to step away to assure them I meant no confrontation, the brown bear was already offering me a courteous wave as she and her friend passed by me. "Good morning, honey!" the brown bear greeted me with a kind smile.

I tried to say good morning in response, yet for some reason, the words wouldn't come out right. I wasn't used to returning a conversation. "Hi," I stammered shyly before the words in front of me pulled my focus back to where it had been in a subtle way to express a wish to end the conversation.

I didn't glance up again until I was sure the bears had already gone on their way. I raised my eyes from the page of my guidebook to see them strolling away without a care in the world, already re-engaged in conversation like they hadn't spoken to me at all. Yikes. The word slinked into my mind as I resisted the urge to cringe at myself and my own awkwardness. How was I supposed to make friends if I couldn't even talk normally to anyone?

If the interaction had made anything clear, it was that I wasn't ready to have another for a while. A slight stir of embarrassment crept through my gut as I shut the book without another word, casting a brief scan around me to make sure I was alone before starting off towards my tent to recharge my confidence in solitude.

I found the inside of my tent exactly how I had left it with my tousled sleeping bag laying near the wall, my backpack resting open on the floor beside it, and my jacket crumpled in the corner. I zipped the door shut after me, plopping down into a seat on the sleeping bag and pushing out a sigh. Well, that happened.

Why had my social skills become so lousy? Sure, I was unsettled by the idea of rejection, but so was everyone else. Maybe it was because I had actively avoided interaction since the day I left home. While it hadn't been that long ago, it was a sudden and consequential change in my life. Perhaps it wasn't quite rejection that I was afraid of, since at the very least it was more definite, but judgment.

My family had been held together with the promise never to judge one another or anyone else, so it was a rare occasion when I experienced judgment at all. But those animals outside of my tent were not my family; they were unfamiliar strangers who didn't have a clue about this promise. Not everyone was going to keep from criticizing me, especially since they didn't know me. Not everyone was going to treat me with the respect that Digby had shown me.

Digby! I hadn't yet given him a call after the task had slipped my mind from the experience of moving to a new place. I would need to do so before I forgot again. I snatched up the jacket from the corner of the tent and scrambled to snag the slip of paper with his work phone number from the pocket before taking it in my paw and climbing to my feet to leave the tent once again. If anyone tried to speak with me on the way to the office, so be it. I had something to get done.

Just as I started to yank on the zipper to open the door of my tent, a thought tumbled down on me and brought me to a pause. To call Digby, I would be traveling to the main office to use the public phone, but the registration sheet I had filled out my information on yesterday stated that all questions and concerns could be answered there in addition to this. Even now, I still didn't have the faintest idea of what to do for work, so that would have been a question to bring to the office.

Leaving my door partially open, I reached back for my backpack again, clawing past what was left of the contents before I withdrew my small notepad and a pen. I had come across a number of questions during the beginning of my stay at the campsite, so jotting them down would be the most efficient way to remember them. I would work on that after I had placed the call.

With everything I needed, I exited my tent once more to depart on a walk to the main office. As I ducked out of the doorway and zipped it shut after me, I let my gaze sweep over the campsite around me to search for the path and discovered a wide parting in the trees on my left. That must have been the way to go, and even if it wasn't, I could follow that path to find someone to ask for directions.

I tucked the slip of paper into the notebook for secure storage, clipping the pen to the binding of the book before I started off briskly through the tent area in the direction of the path. The opening of the trees was like a wide doorway as I approached, inviting me forward into a shaded path of gravelly stone extending for countless yards until the road split. Without hesitation, I ventured forward, listening to the sounds of my shoes tapping against the road and the wind rustling through the tree branches above me to lead me forward.

The path was bare as I wandered along, but I wasn't lonely, since I had my peaceful surroundings to accompany me. The stroll along the trail was uneventful since there was nothing present to make an event, but I soon came across a sign of directions protruding from the ground in between the break in the path. To my right, as stated, I would find myself at the beach and boat dock that I had arrived from yesterday morning, though only the left turn would bring me to the main office.

I took the left turn, descending down a steep hill before a modest, cabin-looking building came into sight at the bottom, the path leading me smoothly right to the doors. There was a small window on either side of the door, and though I couldn't see inside from the white curtains hanging on the inside, a gentle glow of light bled through the fabric. Above the double doors which I would enter from, carved deeply and clearly into the wood, were the words main office. At least I had made it to the right place.

The first thing that was made aware to me while emerging into the building was the comfortable warmth, rushing to sweep over me the moment I stepped inside. Immediately, I could see that the room had a great number of things to look at, leaving my gaze to jump distractedly through the space to examine it all.

It was easy to see that the office was just one main room, considering the size in comparison to the outside, though two different spaces connected through an empty doorway. Set up at the right wall appeared to be some sort of gift shop, holding a number of pocket-sized items on shelves bolted to the walls, and a white phone was hung against the wall at the opening of the entryway to the next space. Through the opening seemed to be a sort of seating area, but I could only spend a brief glance at it before my attention was snatched away.

"Oh, good morning!" A perky, youthful voice spoke up to my left, and I quickly shifted my gaze to see who had spoken to me. At the front desk sat a yellow kitten who didn't seem to be much older than me, dressed in an overalls dress, a pale floppy hat, and a bright smile. "What can I do for you today?"

"Hello," I greeted her, once again finding myself unsure how to sustain a conversation as I awkwardly fiddled with my notebook. "I'd like to make a call, please. Can I use the phone for a minute?"

"Sure, not a problem. It's right over there," the kitten told me, raising her paw to gesture towards the phone on the wall that I had spotted before.

"Thank you," I replied, offering a slight nod of acknowledgment before dismissing myself to the phone on the other end of the room.

Once I had paused to stand in front of the phone, I carefully slid the piece of paper with Digby's number free from its hold, dropping the notebook at my feet to free one of my paws. Straightening up again, I removed the phone from the receiver with my empty paw, observing the numbers on the sheet of paper to allow them to sink into memory before punching them in on the phone to place the call.

I could hear the friendly kitten at the front desk typing casually at her computer behind me as I put the phone to my ear, patiently waiting for the call to be answered. As the seconds ticked by, it was only the dial tone to reach me as the phone rang out on the other line, but after a few rings, the phone was picked up at last. Expectedly, it wasn't answered by Digby himself, but by Lottie.

"Happy Home Designer, this is Lottie," Lottie spoke into the phone in her usual professional greeting. "How can I help you today?"

"Hey, Lottie," I greeted her, shifting to lean casually on the wall beside me. The kitten at the front desk was still typing away at her computer, not paying any attention whatsoever to the conversation. "It's Isabelle."

"Oh my goodness, Isabelle!!" Lottie exclaimed, a tone of nearly shrill surprise instantly entering her voice when she heard me answer. "Are you okay? How have you been? I've been worried about you."

"I'm fine. Don't worry about that," I assured her. "Actually, I'm doing great."

"You just left on your trip a few days ago, didn't you? That's what I heard from Digby," Lottie replied.

"I did, I left by boat," I explained to her.

"By boat?" Lottie repeated hesitantly. "Did you really think that was what's best for you? I trust that you can make the right decision, but I know how sick you get overseas."

"It was a little bit unpleasant, but I got through it," I admitted.

"I don't doubt you did, and I'm so proud of you for doing so," Lottie told me. "Well, I assume that you didn't call for me. That's perfectly fine, of course, I just wanted to know if I should give the phone to Digby."

"Yes, please, but I'm glad I got to talk to you," I told her.

"I'm glad as well. Take care of yourself while you're away, please. And be sure to give me any updates on your trip, okay?" Lottie replied.

"I will," I said.

"Okay. I won't keep you any longer," Lottie promised. Before I had the chance to answer, a soft and muffled thud implied that she had put the phone down, and I could hear her footsteps receding.

The sound of the kitten's typing on the computer filled the room as I waited patiently for someone to return to the phone. Distractedly, I examined the slip of paper in my paw to pass the time, letting my gaze drift over the numbers shown to me as I listened for any sounds on the other line.

It hardly took a minute for me to begin picking up on sounds on the phone again. Footsteps approached the phone for a few seconds before it was picked up again, and the next voice I heard was Digby's.

"Yes?" Digby prompted without seeming to realize it was me who had called. Something about his voice sounded oddly different; it was much less enthusiastic, that much I could tell, maybe even dull at a stretch.

"Hey, Digby. It's me," I told him.

Hearing my voice, Digby's tone snapped into a noticeable shift in a matter of moments. "Isabelle?" he answered hopefully. "Oh, thank goodness. Are you doing okay? I haven't heard from you in a while."

"I'm doing really well," I replied. "I'm sorry I haven't gotten the chance to call until now."

"No, that's fine. I'm just glad you can call now," Digby said. "How long has it been since you left? Three, four days?"

"Four days," I recalled after a brief counting of the days in my head. Four days if the morning I left was counted.

"Wow, that long," Digby mumbled. "You were on the boat for a few days, weren't you? How did that go?"

"It was a bit hard to manage at first," I admitted. "I felt really sick for the majority of the trip, but I recovered quickly. I just arrived yesterday morning."

"Really? Where are you staying now?" Digby asked curiously. "I'm guessing it's not with either of Lottie's parents."

"No, I doubt they would take me," I replied as the memories bubbled back up to attention. I had only met Lottie's parents a few times, but they always seemed to be fighting all the time that I was there before they eventually settled for a divorce. I figured if they couldn't even pretend to like each other, then they surely wouldn't agree to take care of a friend of their daughter's. Lottie was now living with her uncle Lyle on my home island to work at Happy Home. "I've been staying at a public campsite. It's been very nice here."

"No problems so far?" Digby inquired.

"Nothing too major," I said, shifting in my lean on the wall to keep from standing in the same place for too long. "I'm struggling to make friends here, but I know that comes with time. I'm going to start searching for a job soon."

"What sort of things are you looking for?" Digby replied.

"I'm not quite sure yet. I'm taking it slow," I told him. "What about you? How has your work at Happy Home been?"

"Oh, don't get me started," Digby said, managing a lighthearted, faint laugh. "I mean, it's going well. It's just a lot. Other than that, there isn't much else that you don't already know."

"Is today a particularly busy day for you?" I inquired.

"Now that you mention it, yes," Digby answered with a slight pause as if he needed to stop and remember it. "That being said, I might need to return to work soon. We're opening the doors for customers in about fifteen minutes and I'm supposed to greet them at the entrance. I can stay for a little while longer if there's something more you'd like to say, though."

"No, no, go ahead. I don't want to take up too much of your time," I assured him. "I'll call you again soon and tell you anything you need to know."

"All right, thank you. I'll try to be near the phone when you do," Digby promised. "I'll talk to you later."

"Bye," I replied in farewell. After this was said, a click on the other line of the phone signaled that Digby had hung up, and it was time for me to do the same.

I put the phone back up onto the receiver before ducking down to snatch up the notebook from the floor and the pen that was clipped to it. Now that I had given Digby a call, my next task was going to be determining which questions I had to provide me with a clearer understanding of my current situation once they had been answered. Straightening up again, my eyes lingered on the seating area that I wasn't completely sure if it was permitted for my use, and then my gaze flicked back to the kitten at the front desk.

"Excuse me," I prompted hesitantly to get her attention, and her dark eyes darted up from her computer screen to meet mine.

"Yeah, what's up?" the kitten asked cheerfully.

"Am I allowed to sit in the seating area over there?" I inquired, averting my gaze to the next room to indicate where I wanted to go.

"Absolutely. Stay there as long as you like," the kitten replied.

"Thank you," I said, ducking my head to excuse myself out of the room and through the empty doorway with my book in my arms.

The room was bathed in gentle sunlight when I entered, pooling over the floor like some kind of golden liquid from a large window in the back wall. It was only about half the size of the main room, seeming even smaller with benches along the walls, holding long cushions with intricate floral designs in brown and gold. I plopped down onto the far bench next to the window, pulling my legs up in front of me to rest my notebook on my knees.

As I plucked my pen from the binding of the book, my attention was brought away from any potential questions to write down from a faint groan of hunger in my stomach. I had been so busy talking to Lottie and Digby that I hadn't even considered the time or the fact that I hadn't eaten yet. It must have been past nine o'clock by now, so it was no wonder that my stomach was already rumbling. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too much of a distraction.

I opened up the book propped up on my lap, flipping it to the first empty page and smoothing it down for use, but then I drew a blank. Where would I even begin with such questions? I tore my gaze away from the book to contemplate this, letting my focus stray out of the window to the cluster of rustling trees scattered along the hill I had descended from on my way here, though I heard no sounds of this.

The main focus of my trip was to find work for myself, so maybe that was the best place to start. That being acknowledged, I still didn't have a firm grasp on what my options were, since I was still so new to the campsite. First, I would ask where the essential locations were and see if the explanation would flow into further answers. Yes, that sounded about right.

Essentials, I jotted down on the page in front of me.

Then there was the possibility that I received no answers for work with this prompted explanation. Perhaps then I would bring up the fact that I was searching for work and ask for advice. Surely the kitten working at the front desk would have some sort of information for me, since she had most likely been working before I started searching. If all went well, after we would strike up a conversation about potential work options for someone of my age and experience, I could move on to less crucial questions.

Work, I scribbled onto the paper under the first word. I didn't bother expanding further on this, since I couldn't see the future of how the conversation would progress. I could think of something as I went along.

Before I could try to think of anything else, the weak rumbling in my stomach resurfaced in my senses again, pulling my focus away from my writing another time. Maybe I would need to ask the questions sooner rather than later so that I could get something to eat. The complimentary fruit basket I had received for my arrival yesterday morning was not going to last me forever.

I shut my book again, tossing my feet back onto the sunlit floor and climbing to my feet. I stepped back into the first room to find the kitten exactly as she had been before, still happily typing at her computer without a hint of interest in anything around her. I opened my mouth to speak, ready to get her attention as I had earlier, but caught sight of a small sign propped up on the desk with a word that could only have been her name: Katie.

"Katie?" I prompted with an involuntary pause to check that it was indeed her name, and confirmed the fact when her gaze bounced up to look across the desk at me again.

"Yes?" Katie replied, paws resting on the keyboard of her computer as she waited patiently to begin working again.

"Can I ask you some questions?" I inquired.

"Of course, ask me anything you need," Katie told me, flashing another joyful smile.

"Thank you," I replied, pausing to peek into my book at my notes to make sure I would know what I was talking about. Essentials, right? "I just wanted to know what important places in this campsite I should take note of for future reference. I just got here yesterday and don't know my way around very well."

"In that case, would you like a map?" Katie asked lightheartedly as I lowered the book again. "I have plenty, so don't feel bad about taking one if you need it. They show every location present in the campsite while being travel-sized for your own convenience."

"Sure, I think that would be great," I told her.

"Absolutely. Just a minute," Katie said, dragging open a drawer beneath the desk holding her computer and withdrawing a neatly-folded modest-sized map from a stack and holding it out to me.

"Thanks," I replied, taking the map from her paw and allowing her time to push the drawer shut before I spoke again. "I'm currently trying to find work for myself and wasn't sure what my options were going to be. I think this will be great in helping me decide."

"You're searching for work?" Katie turned her chair to face me fully and show me another smile. "Good for you! Unfortunately, there isn't much I can tell you right now, since I'm only aware of the working situation in this office. Maybe you can get a job in a shop or a restaurant in the area. I wish I could hire you here, but there isn't really much that can be done."

Instantly, this answer struck me as an option that I shouldn't take. I was glad for Katie helping me and giving me that little push to try and find a job, but working in a little shop or even a restaurant didn't hit close to my bigger, more substantial goals down the road. If I settled for something small too soon instead of searching for something more weighted, the only thing I would succeed in would be finding myself trapped.

But any sort of assistance still helped, so I thanked Katie again anyway. "I'll think about it," I promised. "I'll look over the map and see what I can find. For now, I should probably get going to form a plan."

"Sure, go on ahead," Katie answered, shifting her chair back into place at her computer. I started off towards the door again to make my departure, but the sound of her chair swiveling back around and the call of her voice brought me to an abrupt halt in the doorway. "Oh, Isabelle, one more thing."

I didn't question how she knew my name, considering she had probably picked it up while I was on the phone. Instead, I dropped the door and backed a step into the room again. "What is it?" I asked.

"I did try my best not to eavesdrop on your conversation, but there was something I managed to catch that I'd like to mention," Katie admitted, the edges of her mouth perking up in a shy smile at the confession. "It was that thing you said about struggling to make friends."

"It's not that big of a deal," I assured her. "It was just something that I thought I would bring up. It doesn't bother me much."

"In case it starts to bother you, I want to let you know that all of the animals staying in the campsite are a lot nicer than they might appear," Katie told me in the friendly, youthful voice of hers. "I administer the admittance of all the animals that come here. Who comes, who goes, and all that. Sometimes they might be a bit loud at most, especially the jock boys, but it doesn't feel all that intimidating just because they're so cute. Well, some of them."

I couldn't help but bring a smile to my face at Katie's interest in the athletes that I had seen earlier this morning. "That's good to hear," I replied cheerfully. "To be honest, I haven't really found a boy or girl to catch my eye yet."

"Oh!" Katie looked surprised at this response I had trusted her to hear, though it seemed to be a pleasant surprise for her as she never lost her smile. "My bad, I didn't mean to assume. Well, good luck! I'll be right here if you need anything."

"Thank you," I said with a beaming smile locked over my face, pausing to hear if Katie had anything left to say before pushing my way through the doorway from which I had come.

I left the office that morning with a more awake mind and a smile on my face. I walked back along the path to the campsite with a little bounce to my step, driving me forward with each step of vibrant happiness like the beat of my heart. As the day went on, I felt myself submerging into an enthusiastic, lively mood, the kind of mood that made your confidence glow into sight, and I had no complaints. My energy seemed to radiate out of every movement, leaving me to wish to skip through the grass or even just to dance like no one was watching, but of course, I did neither of those things.

Finally, for the first time in four long days, I had a genuine plan. Or rather, less a plan and more a sturdy idea that could easily blossom into a plan. Viewing the map of the campsite that Katie had given me would most definitely make my options clear of where I would be able to work. I returned to my tent for high hopes of a brighter future and settled into a comfortable seat on my sleeping bag to run through my options.

I plopped down into a cross-legged seat on the ruffled sleeping bag, listening to the wind tapping at the walls of my tent, and set down my notebook that I had brought back with me on the floor at my knee, leaving my paws empty except for the map that Katie had given me. I carefully unfolded the map, opening it up in front of me, and let my gaze wander across the display to see what I could find.

It wasn't that big of a map at all, extending not even arm's length as I opened it. Immediately, I was able to spot large chunks of light green that was most likely representing the grass around the area, along with darker green specks flicked along the image like paint that was the trees. Important features of the campsite were marked with pale circles, labeled with small text inside each circle.

The very center of the map must have been the main source of the campsite, where I sat at this moment. Tiny, sand-colored tents dotted the center area in the middle of the vast chunk of green grass. If I took note of the locations nearby, I could figure out how to reach them from where I was now. It was a start, at least.

I let my eyes run along a pale path down the right of the map, almost as if I was walking along it with my own feet, and found the small image of a cabin a few inches across with the label of 'main office'. That was where I had been before. If all else failed, I would be returning again. For now, it would not be of any use to me.

I returned my focus to the tent area, searching the area nearby for anything that could help me before my eyes fell on something to the far right of the map, much farther from the campsite than the main office was. It seemed to be a cluster of little houses, from what I was able to see from the size, and on top of it was the label of 'town'. The little houses must have been the shops and restaurants that Katie had mentioned before. I would be able to apply for jobs there and see where that took me, hoping that it would be the first step to help me climb further.

But how do I get there? The town seemed so far from the campsite, perhaps even too far to walk. I wasn't too excited about the idea of taking potential job interviews with throbbing feet. I analyzed the area around the campsite, trying to locate some sort of path or even a bus stop, and then I saw it. At the end of a winding path leading out from the right side of the campsite for about an inch or two was the distinct illustration of a train, labelled by the words 'train station'. Thinner, smaller paths slithered along the map from the train station, most likely stating the routes that the train was scheduled to take, and one of them led directly to the town.

That was it! That was what I was going to do. I would bring myself to the train station early in the morning and take a train down to the town to try my luck at applying for jobs. In fact, I could start as early as tomorrow. My guess was that the shops would not be open as early as eight o'clock, so that would be around the time that I got myself up for the day. I'd get up at eight, prepare myself for departure, ride the train down to the shops, and be there and ready to apply for a job no later than nine o'clock.

And just like that, I had a plan. It was fool-proof! Surely one of the shops would take me, and if not the shops, then the restaurants. I was going to find work before the end of the week. With no more use for it, I folded up the map again, yanking my open backpack closer with my free paw and slipping the map inside. After putting away the map, I proceeded to gather the rest of my belongings, tucking away my books, my jacket, and the plant guidebook I had used this morning. I couldn't tell for sure what I would need on my trip, but it was always good to be prepared.

By the time I was able to zip up my tightly packed backpack, I felt almost like I was floating, with a soaring heart and a racing mind. This was it. The first step I would take to finding work for myself. It was nothing less than progress, and I wasn't going to let go until I succeeded.

And with that, it was time to begin.

The first step of my plan began early in the morning the following day, forcing me up and out of my sleeping bag with the rising sun. I couldn't quite tell precisely what time it was, since there was no clock with me to take reference from, but it didn't matter. After all, I had all the time in the world now.

Faint sunlight bled through the thin walls of my tent when I awoke. With the objective of letting in some natural light to help wake me up, I unzipped the door of my tent to simply hang open, kindly greeted by a soft blue sky and a cool puff of air. I had already packed up all of my belongings the night before, so there wasn't anything left for me to do but eat a good breakfast and mentally prepare myself for the journey ahead.

The number of fruit in the basket I had received on my first day was running short, but that wouldn't be a problem for me, since I had other ways to find food. I grabbed an apple for my breakfast and took it with me as I departed from my tent with my backpack hanging heavily from my shoulders and my map in my other paw, dropping the apple core into the trash can beside the registration table before pausing to glance at the map and figuring out where I needed to go.

A light breeze fiddled with the corners of the map as I held it outstretched in front of me, scanning the image as I stood beside the table and determined my best route. The other animals in the campsite had gradually begun to wake up as well, dragging themselves out of their tents one by one with some faces sleepier than others and wandering throughout the area, but I hardly paid any attention to this.

I examined the map in front of me, letting my mind gradually piece together a firm idea of what I needed to do. Since I was facing outward from the campsite, the path to the main office was to my left, which meant the train station would be directly to my right. I raised my head to scan my surroundings, running my gaze across the line of trees at the right side of the campsite, and soon came across an opening to a path through the trees. It was a much thinner path, leading me away with the smooth pavement, but surely it would take me where I needed to go.

The parting of the trees brought me to a passageway through what looked to be an enormous arch of branches, reaching over me across a light blue sky like they were trying so very hard to touch. I shuffled along the path alone but peaceful, listening to the rustle of my backpack shifting against my back and the faint jingle of the bell on my ponytail with every step. My map was still held loosely in my paw as I ventured forward, flapping in the breeze and waiting for its next use.

The walk along the path spent me just a few minutes at most before the space opened up again. Only a few blocks after the end of the trees brought me to the train station, a wide slab of metal flooring beside the tracks. The train had not yet arrived, but there was a very small cluster of animals waiting near the tracks. It wasn't quite clear what time the train would be arriving at all, so the last thing that was left for me to do was to wait with the other animals.

The air was gradually starting to warm up by the time I had arrived at the station, sweeping across the space with a gentle glide. One by one, animals made their appearance in the next following minutes after I had arrived, each presence bringing me closer to the guess that the train would be arriving soon. Eliminating the risk that I would lose it during my trip, I had tucked my map away into my backpack for when I would get off the train again, and now I stood near the tracks under the beaming sun, listening for any sounds to tell me it was time to leave.

The clock hanging over the station read eight twenty before the train pulled up to the station, a dark shade of black that shone under the brightly shining sun and a height to tower over me, and shuffled to an easy stop to allow the waiting animals to board. I entered the train in the back of the group, filing inside with the rest of the animals to find my seat for the trip.

The seating area was quite a lovely room, benches lined up against the walls with dark maroon cushions and wide windows at every seat causing sunlight to pool onto the floor. Not many animals had boarded with me, possibly seven at most, leaving most of the seats open to my choosing. I claimed a seat near the back of the train, sitting alone as I had no one to join me, and dumped my backpack onto the bench beside me to take a seat.

Movement among the animals on the train had slowly ceased within a minute of my seating. After everything had gone still, it wasn't much longer before the train gave a gentle lurch, whirring into steady motion as it had been before it had stopped. And then, it was time to sit back and wait for the journey to move forward.

Trees with budding flowers and distant snow-dipped mountains inched past the window as the train rolled by, passing me by as I leaned casually against the wall to stare out at the world. I could feel the seat beneath me fidgeting slightly as the train traveled over the tracks, causing my head to bump lightly against the surface of the window with every jolt, but I hardly gave it a thought. Soft conversations had begun to arise from various seats around me, peacefully adding to the sounds of the clicking wheels below, but my focus was on what was outside of my window.

I lost myself in the thoughts of the near future I was getting myself into. I pictured the little town that I would be arriving at, trying to find any form of work. I didn't quite have a clear idea of what it would look like or how the work would seem, since it was difficult to tell so many big details from a tiny illustration on a map. For some reason, I imagined it like a festival of sorts; miniature shops of various entertainment, always bright with energy and a genuinely enjoyable place to spend one's morning. A place like that could always use new workers, couldn't it?

After a decent yet indefinite chunk of time slicing into the trip, eventually the thought occurred to me that I wasn't certain how to tell which stop to exit the train. Around this time, I had given in to the idea of removing my map from my backpack, sparing it another glance to make sure I knew what I was doing. Based on the thin lines resembling the routes that the train would take, I was able to determine that the town was not the final stop, but since it was such a large location, it was one of the more significant ones. Surely I wouldn't have much trouble at all figuring out when to depart.

This was one of the last memorable thoughts to run through my head before I began to sink in and out of a light doze for the remainder of the trip. I could just barely recall stuffing the map back into my backpack, having received the answers I had searched for, before drifting into the darkness of my closed eyes at what seemed like the very next moment. When my eyelids first began to droop, it was then that it occurred to me how sleepy I was from waking up so early. A few times in the remainder of the trip I had woken myself up, hastily peering out the window to check that the train wasn't nearing a stop before nodding off again with the denial of the thought.

The sound of a shrill whistle snapped my eyes open again at the abrupt end of my extended nap, causing the fact of my situation to tumble down on me once more as my gaze flicked to the scenery outside. It was no longer a vast forest that I saw before me once I opened my eyes like when I had first left, but a brick wall that covered my view from the window. The train was still in motion, but it was slowing by the second, screeching into a careful halt. We had arrived at one of the stops, that much was clear. But was it mine?

After a few seconds of decreasing speed, the train evidently jolted to a complete stop. Within seconds, animals were already climbing up from their seats, picking up necessary bags and belongings before filing through the aisle to head out of the train. Uncertainly, I rose to my feet as well, examining the crowd of departing animals as I slipped my backpack onto my shoulders. If I left now, I would at least be able to take a second train if I exited too early. Missing my stop entirely would be a different story.

I drifted after the slim crowd moving to leave the train, following them back in the direction of the exit and to the doors again. As I approached, I managed to catch a glimpse of the world outside through the open doorway: A light blue sky hanging over an array of modest-sized buildings leading out from the station on an extensive brick path reaching farther than I could see from where I stood. If anything, it did indeed seem like a little town. I must have been in the right place.

I continued to follow the crowd of animals as they advanced forward through the doorway, stepping off the train and down onto the brick path. I ducked through the doorway at the end of the group, raising my head once I had emerged fully into the sunlight to scan my surroundings as I gripped the straps of my backpack hanging from my shoulders. The town looked so vast and substantial from where I stood at the start of the path, seeming to throw my eyes open wide to the possibilities that lay before me.

Step one, I thought to myself, glancing around at the small buildings lined up on either side of the path cast out from the station. Here we go.

Within the next few minutes following my arrival, I had already gotten to work. I searched the path from front to back, inspecting every building lined up along the sides and putting them away in my memory to locate the small shops with potential work for me. During my hasty exploration, I was almost completely alone; only a few animals were present in the town at this time, not wandering like I was doing but instead claiming seats on various benches. This left me curious for a minute before the fact became clear to me that all of the buildings were still dark inside, leading me to the possibility that nothing had opened up for the day yet.

Eventually, I came across two shops near the middle of the path, positioned directly beside one another for convenience. One of them was a little souvenir shop with a clock set up above the door that read eight fifty-five, and the other a candy shop claiming to sell a countless number of different sweet treats. While both shops had no activity nor light through their glass doors, slips of paper taped to the windows stated that they only opened at nine. I had a little bit of waiting to do before I could continue my plan.

The white, well-polished bench across the way from the two shops was still empty, so I took the opportunity to sit for a minute while I could. I tugged my backpack from my shoulders and plopped down into a seat on the bench, dropping the backpack to the ground at my feet, and allowed myself a moment to catch my breath and reconsider the information that had been presented to me.

I recalled everything that I had seen on my search through the town, bringing back what I was able to remember to attention. While most buildings I had passed by didn't seem to be offering work any time soon, I had spotted a major restaurant with a sign reaching out for new workers. It was too big of a leap for the first day of seeking work, so that would be my next location if I couldn't find work in the shops.

The minute hand on the clock slowly crept forward to the next hour as I sat in solitude, keeping a careful watch on each of the glass doors to see which one would be opened first. Soon, nine o'clock had finally come and gone, but shortly after it did, lights flooding one of the shops snatched my attention. Someone had turned on the lights in the right shop, which was the one to sell souvenirs.

I pushed myself to stand again, gathering my backpack from the ground just before someone appeared behind the glass door. As I put on my backpack, preparing to enter the shop, a cream-colored cat paused on the other side of the door to unlock it with a tiny silver key before disappearing away from the door again.

I briefly adjusted the straps of my backpack to prevent them from weighing heavily on my shoulders before striding forwards and pushing my way through the glass door. On racks scattered throughout the room and shelves bolted to every wall were little collectible objects that instantly reminded me of what I had seen of the main office, though this room was much larger.

In the time that I had spent outside, the cat at the door had managed to make her way back through the room to a cash register at the front desk in the back of the room. By first glance, I could easily tell that she was very shy or surprised by my presence so soon in the day, her dark eyes only spending a moment on me at the door before averting her gaze again and aimlessly running a paw over her chin in a distracted and fidgety way.

Sauntering past the racks of souvenirs positioned through the room, I carefully crossed the space to reach the front desk, causing the cat working there to raise her head to look at me again as I approached. She wore a light pink working apron over a sky-blue dress, presenting a small name tag that spelled 'Merry'.

"Hello," I greeted her as I came to a stop at the front desk.

A bright smile quickly crossed Merry's face when I spoke to her, but her paw was brushing her chin again. It must have been a restless habit. "Good morning! What can I do for you?" she asked cheerfully.

"I was just wondering if you were offering work here," I explained. "I saw this little shop and thought that it would be a good place to work. Do you have any applications?"

"Oh, um," Merry replied, her gaze shifting awkwardly around the room like the answer was somewhere on the shelves. "If I'm being completely honest... I doubt there's much for you to do here. We haven't had any open working positions for quite some time. I don't think I would be allowed to offer you any work."

"Oh," I mumbled, my heart sinking slightly. Well, that was one option gone.

"I'm sorry to give you the bad news. I'm sure there will be another place that will have work for you. Good luck finding it, mweeee!" Merry said lightheartedly.

Unfortunately, the shop next door sent me away as well. After the short interaction with Merry in the souvenir shop, I had gone next door to the candy store only to have my request denied as well. I was greeted after entering by an enthusiastic blue and white spotted rabbit by the name of Francine with the unlucky news that the shop was a family-run business with her twin sister Chrissy and wouldn't be opening working positions for a long time. The next thing I knew, I was back outside on the brick path with my first opportunity slipping from my grasp.

Well, that happened. It appeared as though I had just failed the first step of my plan. The clock above the door displayed a few minutes before nine twenty by the time I had emerged from the shop, entering the path occupied by more animals strolling by than when I had entered. For a moment, I was struck with a mild disorientation: What was I supposed to do now?

With a little hope, maybe the restaurant would have some work for me. It was a bit of a risk, considering I had no working experience before now, but they could have been more likely to hire me since they were searching for workers. That was what I would do; I would return to the town tomorrow and test my luck at getting a job.

I stood back to observe my surroundings for another moment, gradually gathering the foundations of my new plan, before starting off on a stroll down the path I had traveled down before. Just because I had no more work to do didn't mean I couldn't spend a little more time.

The second step of my plan began the following morning. I stumbled out of my tent by nine-thirty after accidentally oversleeping past nine, grabbing a pear from my fruit basket as a rushed breakfast before departing for the train station. I had been there once before, so there was no trouble getting there a second time.

The day unfolded the same way as the previous one. I reached the train station with several minutes of wait time before the train shuffled up to the station for boarding. I rode the train for nearly half an hour, letting it bring me back to the town I had visited yesterday before I exited with a firm objective and a determined plan.

I wasn't exactly thrilled about my arrival at the town at ten in the morning, but on the bright side, everything would surely be open already. With my second visit, every building I passed already seemed vaguely familiar, leading me forward as I recollected the steps to the restaurant. Once I was able to locate it and push my way through the doors, I found it both open for dining and also fairly busy, appearing to still be advancing through breakfast.

A gentle purr of conversation resonated through the large space as I stepped through the doors. Tables and booths throughout the room were occupied by animals seated to eat their meals and several waiters in white aprons wandered past to collect orders and deliver dishes. Considering how populated the space was already, I figured that I would be waiting for a while.

Despite the eating area being so crowded, the lobby was deserted when I emerged into the restaurant. A bench with a worn-down cushion was positioned against the wall near the door for those who would wait for service, so I lowered myself into a seat with my backpack forcing me almost over the edge. I didn't bother removing it, since I would be standing up once I was approached anyway.

For a few minutes, I only sat and waited, but I was patient. The seconds passing me by did not bother me as I listened to the sounds in the room, studied my paws to keep myself entertained, and drifted through each thought that came and went. Even though I hadn't been here for long, I could already sense a comfortable, welcoming feeling hanging in the atmosphere. Everywhere I looked, I caught sights of cheerful smiles and lively conversations that truly made the place out to be something enjoyable. I could already see myself being content with working here, making pleasant conversation with the visitors as I served food throughout the day. But maybe I was just getting a little ahead of myself.

"Just one today?" an approaching voice snatched my attention away from my thoughts of work. Instantly, my gaze flicked over to see a squirrel in a pale tan color with the same white apron as any of the other servers nearing the lobby from the left aisle with a small notepad in his paw.

"Oh, no, I'm actually not staying," I rushed to clarify, stumbling over my words from being approached so abruptly as I rose to my feet. Once standing, I could see that the squirrel was no taller than my shoulders. "I just had a question."

The squirrel glanced down at the notepad in his paw for just a moment before slipping the notepad away into the pocket at the front of his apron. "What do you need, sulky?" he asked, raising his head to return a steady focus on me to show he was listening, with black eyes under a sweep of dark blond bangs.

"I saw the sign outside on the door that said you were hiring new workers," I explained, adjusting my backpack on my shoulders so that it didn't sit as heavily. "I was just wondering if you could give me an interview or an application."

"The sign on the door?" the squirrel repeated.

"Right," I replied with a brief nod of my head, causing the bell on my ponytail to jingle, but his confusion was faintly concerning. Surely he would know what I was mentioning, wouldn't he?

For a moment, the squirrel didn't seem to have an answer as he considered this, and then he shook his head. "I'm sorry, I think that sign is a little outdated," he told me. "We recently filled out all of our working positions already. We stopped accepting applications a week ago. Unfortunately, I can't offer you a job here."

"Oh," I said in a hesitant response, struggling to come up with the right words for the situation. I had been almost certain that I would receive at least an interview, but with my luck, I shouldn't have been surprised that I was turned away a third time.

"Thank you for letting me know that the sign was still up there, though. That will be gone by the end of the day. We don't want any more confusion," the squirrel went on. "Is there anything else I can do for you today?"

"No, it's fine," I told him, and he nodded in acknowledgment before hustling back in the direction from which he had come, his puffy tail bouncing after him with every step. Having no other reason to stay, I ducked back through the doorway to leave without another word.

Ten minutes after the disappointing event found me back at the bench across from the little shops I had visited earlier, slumped into a casual seat with my backpack resting limply at my feet. Even though there was no physical weight on my shoulders, defeat left my body heavy, slouched over with my elbows on my legs as the bricks underneath me held my unmoving focus.

What was I supposed to do now? I had just lost every chance to work in this little town and had no idea whatsoever where to turn next. Sure, I expected my request to be rejected a couple of times, but now I simply had no place to go. In the blink of an eye, I was back to square one.

I must have missed something. Maybe I had been too hasty and jumped in too soon. I tried to recall the conversations I had, running through every sentence that I could pull from memory, attempting to figure out where I went wrong. After all, I had only been searching for a few days. Maybe the right job for me was still out there and would take some time to find it.

How had I started before? When I paused to consider this, memories flashed through my mind of the first time I had announced that I was looking for work. It had been in the main office a few days before, first on the phone with Digby and then again to Katie at the front desk. If I could trace my steps back there, perhaps I would have the chance to start again. But then again, it was possible that starting again would be useless; it was possible that this journey was doomed from the start and that I didn't have quite what it took to find work. Would I just have to try again when I got older? Was it really time to give up and head back home?

No. What a silly thought! It was completely foolish of me to expect results to start appearing so soon. Maybe every rejection was simply to show me that while I couldn't succeed on my own, I would get further with a little bit of help. A stable and promising job would not be handed to me without any effort, I had to earn it. Giving up and heading home would be the easy way out, not to mention completely unsatisfying after everything I had been through to get here. If I couldn't find work here, then I would just have to find it somewhere else.

Without a beat of hesitation, I sprung off of the bench, snatching up my backpack from the ground and tugging it back onto my shoulders. I started off down the path with a brisk step, already on my way back to the train station with hardly a thought beforehand, aiming to reach the campsite again as soon as possible.

I might not have known quite what to do yet, but I did know where to find out.

. . .

As I was unable to figure out my next step on my own, the next logical thing for me to do was to seek the help of someone who would. While the idea that I couldn't find any options of work in any location I had access to was mildly intimidating, I couldn't let myself sit in that mindset for too long. This was why I was already on my way back to the main office from the moment I set foot in the campsite again after arriving by train.

In my moment of desperation, I turned back to Katie. She understood my situation and though she was still unable to offer me work in the main office, she agreed to help me find work for myself outside of the office. In doing so, she warned me that exploring our options might take some time, since she would be searching for jobs outside of the campsite she ran, and that my options could have been very limited due to my young age and lack of experience, but I leaped at the opportunity anyway. It was the last option I was able to take and I couldn't afford to let it pass me by.

In the meantime, Katie insisted for me to take a break while she searched to give me a chance to fully settle into the campsite. She stated that I was working far too much and thought I deserved more of a calmer visit. She promised that she would get any information to me as promptly as she could and invited me to take it easy and relax until she found something. The wait didn't completely sit right with me, almost like I should have been doing more for myself and pausing now would make me appear lazy, but I had no other choice than to accept this as well.

I waited every day for an answer. I was sure that Katie was hard at work for me and therefore didn't bother her about it, but the inquiry lingered in the back of my mind. Days eventually stretched into weeks and I fell into a sort of comfort in the campsite. It was almost like a home away from home, with nature welcoming me in its presence like an old friend, which I still struggled to make. Sure, I was on friendly terms with the other animals staying at the same campsite as me, but I never quite reached the point of a genuine friendship. This didn't bother me much, since I was able to call Digby often and provide him with any updates on my situation that came to my attention.

March crept by without any word, and then April. Pink flowers bloomed from the trees lining the campsite with the opening of May, showering over the tents with any gust of breeze, and spring had finally begun. Occasionally, I surrendered to a jab of homesickness from being away for almost two months, but other than that, I was growing used to my presence elsewhere. I had finally begun to settle in and become familiar with what life at the campsite was like. It was a few days into the month of May, very nearly seven weeks into my stay at the campsite, when Katie had an answer.

It was not an answer I would have hoped for, but it was an answer nevertheless. I could still recall the distinct look of regret on her youthful face when she delivered the bad news. Katie explained to me that she had spent the last several weeks searching for any potential work for me but could come up with nowhere hiring under twenty years old. She had even offered to put in a good word about me to try and persuade employers to consider, but no one would give me an interview. This was when the fact had become clear to me that I would not be able to find work on this island, and since the sole purpose of this trip was to work, I could no longer stay.

And so, I took a risk. I bought another ticket to leave the island by boat in search of an island with more options to work. The boat was scheduled to leave on May 7th by ten in the morning, and I counted down the days to when I would leave. However, word quickly spread around the campsite of my departure, which led me to discover that Katie had organized a public campfire on the night of the 6th to say goodbye.

It was everything I could have asked for. For the first time, every animal currently staying at the campsite was gathered around a campfire deep into the night, with dancing flames and bright sparks flicking towards the sparkling stars. We chatted, we laughed, and we thoroughly enjoyed each other's company as the night inched further. It was a night of the silly things, like rambling about random aspects of our lives that we wouldn't even think to mention in the daytime and gasping at a shooting star to dash through the sky. Our conversations had then shifted to the wishes that had been brought about as a result of this, but I kept mine a secret. I wished for a new beginning of my journey, a fresh new start to carry me into the future. Then again, whether or not it was ridiculous to hope for a future because of a star, that night it didn't matter.

After that special event of farewell, I rose early in the morning to board the boat. I had gathered my belongings and took off from the campsite no later than nine-thirty, officially ending my stay at last, and left the island by boat at precisely ten. I was anxious about the idea of traveling by boat after what had happened the first time, but luckily, it was hardly as unpleasant. A few hours of each day spent over the water stuck in bed with a bothersome nausea brought me through the next few days without any notable issue before the boat reached land once more on May 9th.

I began my stay at the second campsite with high hopes of beginning my plan again, but it wasn't long before these hopes became unrealistic as well. Within a week, the fact had become clear to me that there wouldn't be any work available to me at all, let alone of my age. Because of this, I didn't waste any time there and departed for a third island by the 18th.

Since I had done it so frequently in the past few months, traveling by boat was almost a breeze by now, except for the occasional uncomfortable jabs in my stomach. Because of this, I arrived at each island with a bright curiosity and a distinct faith in the future, wondering every little possibility it could have in store for me with each passing day. It was like a fresh start each time, wiping away the remnants of the past I left behind.

But little did I know, with all of the new possibilities and new futures came along new friends.