The Morning Routine

Marker Mother Deer stretched her arms above her head, watching the sunrise paint Artwood City in soft orange light. The Marker Tower Fortress gleamed like a giant crayon reaching toward the clouds.

She pulled her giant magic marker from its holster and began her morning practice routine. The marker glowed bright blue as she swept it through the air, leaving shimmering trails of colored ink that sparkled and danced.

"Perfect spirals today," she said to herself, creating loops of purple and gold that hung in the air like floating ribbons.

A small blue ink droplet fell from her marker and splashed onto the tower's stone floor. Mother Deer barely noticed as she continued her exercises, painting broad strokes of green and red across the sky.

The droplet wiggled. Then it rolled. Mother Deer paused mid-stroke, looking down at the tiny blue spot that was now moving in circles, leaving a miniature trail behind it like a confused caterpillar made of paint.

The Tiny Visitor

"What in the world?" Mother Deer knelt down for a closer look. The blue droplet had grown legs—four tiny paint legs that wiggled as it walked in wobbly circles.

"Hello there, little one," she whispered.

The droplet stopped moving and looked up at her with two microscopic black dots that might have been eyes. It squeaked something that sounded like "Home!"

Mother Deer blinked. "Did you just talk?"

"Home! Home!" The tiny creature's voice was barely louder than a whisper, but definitely real.

More droplets began falling from her marker—red, yellow, green, and purple. Each one hit the ground, sprouted legs, and started calling out the same thing: "Home!"

Soon dozens of paint creatures scurried around her feet like confused ants. Some climbed up the tower walls, leaving colorful trails. Others bumped into each other, mixing their colors together.

"Where is your home?" Mother Deer asked, but the creatures just kept repeating their single word.

A jogger in bright sneakers rounded the corner of the tower. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the moving paint spots.

"Are those... alive?" he gasped.