✉️ The Pen Pals

Luna lived in a city by the sea. Miso lived in a village in the mountains. They had never met, but every month, they wrote each other a letter.

"Dear Miso," wrote Luna. "Today I watched the fishing boats come in. The seagulls were very noisy, and one tried to steal a fish from a basket! What's it like in the mountains? Love, Luna."

A few weeks later, the mail carrier brought a letter with a picture of a mountain on the stamp. "Dear Luna," wrote Miso. "In the mountains, it's very quiet. Today it snowed, and I made paw prints all the way to the barn. The goats say hello. Love, Miso."

They told each other everything. Luna sent Miso a seashell, and Miso held it to her ear and heard the sound of the waves. Miso sent Luna a pressed mountain flower, purple and dry, that still smelled sweet.

One day, Luna was sad because her best friend in the city had moved away. She wrote to Miso about it. Miso wrote back: "I'm sorry you're sad. Remember, friends can be far away and still be close in your heart. I am!" Luna read it three times and felt much better.

Then, one summer, Luna's family took a trip to the mountains. Luna's heart beat fast as they drove up the winding road. At the top, by a little wooden gate, a cat was waiting.

"Miso?" said Luna. "Luna!" said Miso. They ran toward each other and bumped noses. They felt like they had known each other forever, because, in a way, they had.

They spent a whole week together, exploring the mountains and talking and laughing. And when Luna went home, the first thing she did was write a letter: "Dear Miso, I miss you already. Love, Luna." Then she purred as she sealed it.