In the heart of the forest, by the serene lake, a group of animal detectives lived in a cozy home. The first rays of sunlight filtered through the palm trees, and the air still smelled of dampness from the recent rains. Birds sang with greater intensity, and the water level in the lake slowly receded, signaling the approaching dry season.
Suddenly, a loud splash echoed from the bathroom. „LA-LA-LA-LA The sun is rising, birds are singing!” shouted Parrot Ali, her voice echoing through the entire house.
„Ali, it’s six in the morning!” groaned Lion Kuba, jumping out of bed and trying to catch his yellow hat. „And are you dancing in there?”
„Maybe just a little!” Ali replied innocently, as another splash and clatter of falling bottles came from the bathroom.
Mouse Patrycja peered through her magnifying glass from the bedroom. „Good morning, everyone Ali, are you using my hibiscus shampoo?”
„Just a little bit… for a shine on my feathers!” Ali replied.
Alfred sniffed nervously. „Is that my floral nectar shampoo?”
After a few minutes, everyone gathered on the patio. Kuba stretched his paws. „Since we’re all awake, it’s time for morning exercises Arms up like a baobab, legs down like roots, tail forward, and a smile on your face!”
Zofia chuckled, extending her neck toward the lake. „Kuba, maybe you should work on those instructions.”
The day began with laughter and jokes, setting the stage for a grand adventure.
Following a refreshing swim in the lake, it was time for a shared breakfast—one of the most important moments of the day. On the patio, a large wooden table was set, where everyone could sit comfortably. Patrycja prepared a toast with goat cheese sprinkled with finely chopped herbs from the garden—lavender and rosemary. She savored each bite, sipping aromatic mint tea.
Alfred treated himself to his favorite snack—a sprinkle of ants on a mango and banana fruit mousse, adding a hibiscus flower for aroma. Kuba was satisfied with a juicy piece of grilled meat, accompanied by fresh lettuce leaves and cherry tomatoes.
Zofia elegantly reached for fresh palm leaves, which she gathered every morning at dawn when they were still covered in dew. She always chose the youngest and most delicate ones.
Ali ate a mixture of colorful seeds—sunflower, pumpkin, nigella, and amaranth—seasoned with dried fruits—cranberries, morels, and raisins.
During breakfast, they discussed their plans for the day and the approaching dry season.
After breakfast, the detectives began their planned renovation of the house. The idea was clear and important—make the house withstand the dry season, the most challenging time of the year in the tropical jungle.
Their first task was to refresh the bedrooms. Zofia stretched her neck to reach the highest cobwebs in the corners of the room. „Oh, how much dust and dampness remains after the rainy season!” she sighed, gently removing them.
Ali fluttered around, collecting dust and small grains of sand that had been blown in by the wind from the savannah. Patrycja checked every corner with her magnifying glass. Kuba used a large broom made of palm leaves to quickly gather branches and remnants of plants that the rainstorms had brought into the house.
„Let’s take care of every detail!” Alfred reminded them, polishing the wooden furniture to a shine. „After the rainy season, our home needs special protection against the dry months!”
When most of the work in the main house was completed, it was time for a special challenge—the renovation of Parrot Ali’s „nook.” It was located next to the main house, in a small hiding place under a metal roof, which Ali had covered to conceal her private sanctuary.
„Oh no, not my nook!” Ali exclaimed, flapping her wings nervously. „Everything is just right there!”
Alfred smiled gently. „Ali, we promise to be very careful. But your hiding place also needs a bit of love and protection for the dry season.”
When Ali finally agreed to open her secret hiding place, the detectives were amazed at what they saw. The nook was a real museum of the strangest treasures Shelves were filled with jars of colorful stones from the lake’s shore, boxes filled with glowing seashells, stacks of beautiful feathers from different birds, and a collection of shiny objects Ali had found during her flights over the jungle.
„Ala, this is incredible!” Patrycja marveled, examining the collection of seeds from tropical plants through her magnifying glass. „But do you really need that bent piece of old metal?”
„And this broken comb?” Kuba added, lifting the object, which had seen its best days long ago.
At first, Ali defended each treasure, saying they could still be useful. But as they began to sort through the collection together, it became clear that many things had lost their value. They discarded broken twigs, cracked shells, and pieces of rusty metal.
In exchange, Patrycja helped Ali organize the real treasures in nice jars with labels, and Alfred protected the shelves from dampness. The entire hiding place received a new protective layer and looked like a real natural history museum.
Next, they moved on to protecting the floors and walls of the main house. The detectives took out a large jar of baobab oil from the pantry, which smelled like African flowers and would protect the wood from the hot, dry wind of the savannah and termites that were especially active during the transition between seasons.
„This baobab oil is a true gift of the African land!” Kuba said, dipping a brush made of horsehair into it. „My grandfather always said that only natural oil will protect the wood during the African dry season.”
Together, they painted every corner with it, covering the floor and beams with a warm, shiny protective film. Kuba and Zofia worked on sealing the windows, applying new layers of tall savannah grass and acacia leaves to protect the house from the dry, dusty wind of the approaching dry season.
All the work was laborious, but everyone acted with joy and a song on their lips—they knew they were preparing their safe haven for the challenging months ahead when the rain would stop, and the temperature in the savannah would be very high.
As they finished their chores, Lion Kuba announced, „Time for a second breakfast!”
Finally, my nest is just mine again, Ali rejoiced.
The detectives sat together on the patio, resting and enjoying healthy snacks and lemonade made from forest fruits. The break didn’t last long.
„Now it’s time for the room with maps, elixirs, magnifying glasses, and scent vials,” Zofia said.
This room was the heart of their activities—the center of all mysteries and investigations.
The detectives began systematically cleaning and polishing the boards, carefully removing dust, cobwebs, and small grains of red African soil that had seeped through the cracks during the wet season.
Patrycja examined each piece with her magnifying glass, Alfred lifted the heavier boards, and Kuba and Zofia helped turn and gently wipe them. The task was tedious but performed with great care—everyone knew that a solid floor was essential for survival in the African savannah.
At one point, Alfred stopped and furrowed his brow. He placed his hand on one of the boards and pressed it lightly.
„Hey, look at this!” he called out, concerned. „This board is as soft as wet clay after rain and bends under my finger. And it’s oddly gray, like it’s been gnawed by termites!”
Everyone gathered around. Indeed, the board looked different from the others—it was more matte, had an uneven color, and when Alfred tapped it lightly, it produced a dull sound characteristic of wood damaged by insects.
„Oh no!” Patrycja exclaimed through her magnifying glass. „This wood is destroyed by termites I see the characteristic tunnels—during the rainy season, these small insects got in and damaged the board!”
Kuba and Zofia exchanged serious glances. They knew that such a board could break at any moment, and they were facing a long, dry season during which the house had to be in perfect condition.
„We must replace it immediately!” Kuba decided. „In the dry season, there can be no weak points in our shelter!”
„Alfred, go to the Beavers for a replacement board,” he instructed.
While Alfred prepared for his journey, Kuba and Zofia carefully lifted and removed the damaged board. After it was taken away, they saw another sheet of wood underneath—a old, gray, and heavily worn one. After a moment, they stumbled upon something that didn’t fit with the rest of the floor—a rolled-up piece of paper, dusty and hidden between the beams.
Patrycja approached and took the find in her paw. She delicately unrolled it, revealing a writing. „Map of Myy…”
However, the paper was torn and incomplete—the rest of the document was missing.
„What could this be? What does this incomplete title mean?” Patrycja asked with fascination and concern.
The other detectives immediately knew this was a new challenge and mystery that would change their upcoming days.
They began searching through old books, antique documents, and map archives but found nothing. They flipped through pages of books about savannah legends, looked at old maps of trade routes, and studied African tribes, but nowhere did they find any mention of a map starting with the words „Map of My…”.
At that moment, Alfred returned home with new boards from the Beavers. He noticed the focused and slightly frustrated expressions of his friends.
„What’s going on? I see you’re all worried,” he said, setting down the heavy package of fresh-smelling wood.
Patrycja quickly told him about finding the mysterious, incomplete map and their unsuccessful search in the books.
„Hmm, it sounds like a real puzzle,” Alfred muttered, sniffing the old, dusty paper. „This smell… it’s very old paper, maybe even older than our oldest books.”
Kuba scratched his head under his hat. „If our books don’t have the answers, then we need someone who knows more history than us.”
Zofia extended her neck toward a tall baobab visible through the window. „I know We need to ask Owl Sylvia for help. She lives in a large baobab hollow nearby and knows every story from the entire savannah.”
Ali jumped with excitement on her perch. „Yes Owl Sylvia is the oldest and wisest resident of our area. If anyone can tell us what this map means, it’s her!”
Alfred looked at the find with gravity. „I feel that this map holds something very important. Its age and the way it was hidden suggest it’s not an ordinary document.”
Patrycja carefully rolled up the map and placed it in her special detective bag. „In that case, tomorrow at dawn, we’ll head to Owl Sylvia. Maybe she can solve the mystery of this mysterious 'Map of My…’ and tell us why someone hid it so carefully.”
Everyone waited with anticipation and curiosity for the next day’s journey to the wise owl, unaware that the discovery of this map was just the beginning of their greatest adventure ever…