The Morning Splash

Zlata stretched her arms wide as morning sunlight danced across Azure Lagoon. The water sparkled like tiny diamonds, and colorful fish swam in playful circles below the surface.

"Come on, Popsicle!" she called to her dark grey cat, who was busy batting at a floating flower petal.

Popsicle's green eyes followed the petal as it drifted away. He pounced, landing with a small splash near the lagoon's edge.

Zlata giggled and knelt beside the water. Through the clear blue, she spotted something unusual—a shimmering tail disappearing behind a coral formation.

"Did you see that?" she whispered to Popsicle.

The cat's ears twitched forward, alert. Far in the distance, dark clouds gathered on the horizon, but Zlata's attention stayed fixed on the mysterious movement below.

Alice's Call

Zlata leaned closer to the water, trying to spot the shimmering tail again. Suddenly, a small head popped up from behind the coral—a young mermaid with silver-blue hair and worried green eyes.

"Please help!" the mermaid cried. "I'm Alice, and there's a terrible storm coming! All my sea friends are trapped in the deep caves, and the water is getting rough. My mother sent me to find someone brave."

Popsicle, her dark grey cat, arched his back as thunder rumbled overhead. The once-calm lagoon began to churn.

"The storm will flood everything," Alice continued, her voice shaking. "We need someone who can swim down and guide everyone to safety before it's too late!"

Dark clouds swirled closer, and the first drops of rain began to fall.