Barnaby was a playful bear cub who lived with his family deep in the Whispering Woods. One sunny morning, Barnaby woke up feeling (1) than usual. He wanted to explore! "I'm going to find the sparkling stream!" he told his mother. His mother smiled. "Be careful, little one, and don't go too far."

Barnaby bounced through the trees, his nose twitching at the smells of pine needles and damp earth. He saw a busy squirrel burying nuts and a colorful blue jay singing on a branch. The sounds of the forest were like a (2). Soon, he heard a new sound: a gentle trickling. "Aha!" he whispered. He pushed through a curtain of ferns and there it was – the sparkling stream! The water was so clear he could see the smooth, round pebbles at the bottom. Tiny fish darted here and there. Barnaby dipped his paw in, feeling the cool water. It was even better than he had imagined.

He watched the fish for a long time, feeling happy and content. But then, the sun began to (3) in the sky. He realized he had wandered quite a distance. A tiny worry began to (4) in his tummy. Which way was home? He looked around, and everything seemed different. The trees looked the same, and the path he thought he took was gone. Barnaby took a deep breath. He remembered his mother’s words: "Listen to the woods." He closed his eyes and listened. He heard the faint hoot of an owl, and then, a familiar, distant chirping. It was the blue jay! He followed the sound, and soon he saw the very same tree where the blue jay had been singing. From there, he knew his way back. Barnaby quickly followed the familiar path, and soon he was safe back in his cozy den, ready for a long nap. He knew he'd always remember his first big adventure.