Morning Routine

Ms. Crayon Wolf stretched her arms and yawned inside her cozy cave home. Sunlight streamed through the crystal windows, casting rainbow patterns across her art supplies scattered on wooden shelves. She loved mornings in Art Gallery City.

"Time to check on the city," she said, floating toward her favorite viewing spot.

From her cave opening, she could see the bustling streets below. Humans and animal citizens hurried to work, their colorful clothes bright against the painted buildings. Street artists displayed vibrant murals while children played with chalk on sidewalks.

Ms. Crayon Wolf smiled, her blue eyes sparkling. Everything looked perfectly normal. She grabbed a crayon from her belt and drew a quick heart in the air, watching it shimmer pink before dissolving.

"Another beautiful day in the most colorful city in the world," she murmured.

But as she turned to go back inside, something felt different. The morning light seemed slightly duller than usual.

The Fading Dawn

Ms. Crayon Wolf shook her head. The morning light definitely looked wrong. She flew down to Main Street to investigate.

"Good morning, Mrs. Hedgehog!" she called to the baker setting up her outdoor stand.

Mrs. Hedgehog, a plump hedgehog with brown quills and a flour-dusted apron, looked up with worried eyes. "Oh, Ms. Crayon Wolf! Have you noticed the colors today? My strawberry tarts look almost gray!"

Ms. Crayon Wolf examined the pastries. The strawberries that should have been bright red appeared dull and faded. Her heart sank.

"When did this start?" she asked.

"About an hour ago. Everything's been getting duller by the minute."

Ms. Crayon Wolf pulled out her phone and called the Art Gallery Museum. No answer. She tried the Rainbow Paint Shop. Still nothing.

Flying higher, she gasped. Across the entire city, colors were draining away like water down a sink. The vibrant murals on buildings looked washed out. Children's chalk drawings were turning pale gray.

"This is bad," she whispered.

A shadow fell across the street. Ms. Crayon Wolf looked up to see a massive hot air balloon descending. Bold letters across its side read: "THE COLOR THIEF'S CHALLENGE - REPORT TO CITY SQUARE IMMEDIATELY."