The jungle was quiet—until the screaming began.
Near the sparkling blue lake, a tiny golden-furred monkey named Kipo wailed at the top of his lungs. His little hands clutched a wobbly branch just inches above the water, his whole body shaking. “Mamaaa! MAMAAAA!”
But Mama wasn’t coming.
Earlier that morning, Kipo had been playing near the shore while his mother gathered fruit. Curious, he’d chased a butterfly—right onto a half-submerged log. Now, trapped and terrified, his cries echoed across the water.
Nearby, a troop of monkeys froze.
“Someone help him!” chittered an elder.
But before anyone could move—a blur of brown fur shot past them.
It was Bobo, Kipo’s usually lazy older brother. He’d been napping in the sun, but the sound of his baby sibling’s panic sent him sprinting.
“Hang on, Kipo!” Bobo screeched as he leaped from tree to tree. His heart pounded. The log was sinking!
With one final vault, Bobo landed on the shaky branch above Kipo just as the log tipped—
SPLASH!
Kipo fell—
GRAB!
Bobo’s arm shot out, snatching Kipo’s wrist mid-air. The little monkey dangled over the water, wide-eyed, as Bobo strained to pull him up.
“I’ve got you,” Bobo grunted. With one mighty heave, he yanked Kipo to safety.
The second they were secure, Kipo buried his face in Bobo’s fur, sobbing. “Y-you came!”
Bobo hugged him tight. “Duh. Who else would save your silly tail?”
When Mama returned, she found them curled together in a tree, Kipo asleep in Bobo’s arms.
“My brave boy,” she whispered, kissing Bobo’s head.
Bobo just grinned. Maybe being a big brother wasn’t so bad after all.
