Ember Flare Finds Calm

Ember Flare Finds Calm

by

Patches the Story Dog

Patches the Story Dog

A story about Big feelings

for your 1st Grader

1st Grader Big feelings

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Ember Flare, a small, curious dragon with bright orange and red scales, stretches her tiny wings wide while standing on a soft green moss floor inside a cozy cave with shimmering crystal-covered walls. In the background, the warm, glowing interior of a dragon family cave with tiny crystals twinkling on the walls.

Ember Flare woke up and stretched her tiny wings. Today was the day! Today was her very first flying lesson. She had waited and waited, and now it was here. "I am going to fly!" she said with a big, toothy grin.

Ember Flare, a small dragon with bright orange and red scales, runs excitedly down a rocky path with her tiny wings bouncing behind her. In the background, misty purple mountains surround a cozy dragon village with colorful caves—red, blue, green, and gold—dotting the hillsides.

Ember Flare ran outside into the morning mist. The purple mountains stood tall and proud all around the village. Colorful caves dotted the hillsides like jewels—red, blue, green, and gold. A wide meadow stretched out below, where other young dragons were already gathering.

Ember Flare, a small dragon with bright orange and red scales, bounces on her feet in a wide green meadow, her tiny wings quivering with excitement. In the background, a wide meadow with soft green grass stretches toward misty purple mountains.

In the meadow, a big, gentle dragon teacher stood before the young dragons. "Welcome, little fliers!" she said in a deep, kind voice. "Today you will learn to use your wings. First, we stretch. Then, we flap. Then, we jump!" Ember Flare's heart beat fast. She was so excited she could barely stand still.

Ember Flare, a small dragon with bright orange and red scales, crouches low with her tiny wings spread wide, about to leap into the air from the soft green meadow grass. In the background, a bright blue sky with wisps of morning mist drifting between purple mountain peaks.

Ember Flare stretched her wings wide. She flapped them once, twice, three times. The wind tickled her scales. "I can do this!" she whispered. She bent her legs, took a big breath, and jumped up, up into the air!

Ember Flare, a small dragon with bright orange and red scales, lies sprawled on her belly in the green meadow grass, her tiny wings crumpled awkwardly to her sides, a shocked look on her face. In the background, the wide green meadow stretches toward misty purple mountains under a bright sky.

But her wings wobbled. Her tail spun the wrong way. And then—THUD! Ember Flare tumbled right down into the grass. She rolled and bumped and landed on her belly. Some of the other young dragons looked over. One of them giggled.

A pair of small dragon nostrils with bright orange and red scales around them, with tiny golden sparks popping and fizzing out of the nostrils against a blurred green and blue background. In the background, a soft blur of green meadow grass and blue sky.

A huge, hot feeling rose up inside Ember Flare. It started in her belly and climbed up, up, up into her chest. Her cheeks burned. Her eyes stung. Little sparks shot right out of her nose—POP, POP, POP! She felt embarrassed. She felt frustrated. She wanted to hide forever and never, ever come back.

Ember Flare, a small dragon with bright orange and red scales, curls up into a tight ball behind a large mossy rock, her tiny wings pressed close to her body, tears glistening on her cheeks. In the background, the edge of the dragon village with colorful caves—red, blue, green, and gold—dotting the misty purple hillside.

Ember Flare ran. She ran past the meadow, past the colorful caves, and behind a big, mossy rock at the edge of the village. She tucked her wings in tight and curled up small. "I am no good at flying," she said. "I will never try again." Warm tears dripped down her scaly cheeks.

A large, graceful dragon with deep crimson and amber scales and kind golden eyes sits calmly beside a large mossy rock, her long tail curled around her feet. In the background, soft purple mist drifts between the purple mountains near the edge of the cozy dragon village.

After a little while, Ember Flare heard soft footsteps. Her mom sat down beside the big, mossy rock. She did not say, "Stop crying." She did not say, "It's not a big deal." She just sat close and waited. Then she said, very gently, "Can you tell me what the feeling is?"

Ember Flare, a small dragon with bright orange and red scales, peeks up from behind the large mossy rock with watery but curious eyes, her tiny wings slightly unfolding. In the background, gentle purple mountain slopes with soft mist curling around them.

Ember Flare thought hard. "It is big and hot," she said. "It is embarrassed and frustrated all mixed up together." Her mom nodded. "That is a lot of feeling for a little dragon. But naming it is the first step. When you name it, it gets a little less scary." And it did. Just a little.

A small dragon snout with bright orange and red scales, eyes closed peacefully, with a gentle wisp of cool silvery breath flowing out of slightly open jaws, no sparks. In the background, a calm, misty scene of purple mountains and soft green hillside.

"Now let's cool your fire," her mom said. "Breathe in slow through your nose—like you are sniffing a flower. Then breathe out slow through your mouth—like you are blowing on hot soup." Ember Flare tried it. In through her nose, slow and soft. Out through her mouth, long and steady. The sparks stopped. The hot feeling in her chest got a little smaller. She did it again, and again, and again.

Ember Flare, a small dragon with bright orange and red scales, stands up on her feet beside the large mossy rock, looking upward with wide, hopeful eyes and her tiny wings half-open. In the background, the wide green meadow is visible in the distance with young dragons still practicing under a bright sky.

"Mom," said Ember Flare, "the big feeling is still there. It is smaller now, but it did not go away." Her mom smiled. "It does not have to go away. You can carry a feeling and still be brave. Every dragon wobbles before they soar. Even me." Ember Flare looked up. "Even you?" "Even me," her mom said. "Three times, in fact."

Ember Flare, a small dragon with bright orange and red scales, hovers just above the green meadow grass with her tiny wings spread wide, a look of wonder and determination on her face, a few inches off the ground. In the background, the wide meadow stretches toward misty purple mountains under a golden afternoon sky.

Ember Flare walked back to the meadow. Her legs felt shaky. The big feeling sat in her chest like a warm stone. But she stretched her wings. She flapped them once, twice, three times. She bent her legs, took a slow breath in and a slow breath out, and jumped. She wobbled—but this time, for one bright, beautiful moment, she floated.

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