Morning Sparkles

Sierra hopped through Sunflower Valley as the first rays of sun painted everything gold. Dewdrops on the giant sunflower petals sparkled like tiny diamonds around her.

"Good morning, beautiful flowers!" she called out, her fluffy blue tail bouncing with each step.

The sunflowers towered above her, their cheerful yellow faces all turned toward the rising sun. Sierra tried to reach up to touch the lowest petals, but even on her tippy-toes, her small paws couldn't quite make it.

A colorful poster fluttered on a wooden fence nearby. Sierra's brown eyes grew wide as she read: "SUNFLOWER VALLEY'S FIRST GOLDEN PETAL CONTEST! Collect the most beautiful petals to win!"

The Flying Helper

Sierra read the poster again. The contest started in just one hour! She looked up at the towering sunflowers, their petals dancing high above her reach.

"This doesn't seem fair," she muttered to herself.

Suddenly, a tiny ruby-red hummingbird zipped past her ear, hovering near the poster. The bird's wings beat so fast they looked like a blur.

"Are you entering the contest too?" Sierra asked hopefully.

The hummingbird tilted her head. "I'm Ruby. I saw you looking upset. Those sunflowers are pretty tall, aren't they?"

Sierra nodded sadly. "I can't reach a single petal, even on my tippy-toes."

Ruby's eyes sparkled with mischief. "What if I told you the contest rules don't say you have to pick the petals yourself?"