Lăbuș was a very happy little dog with spots like raindrops and a tail that wagged like it had its own engine. He loved running in the park, chasing squirrels (very respectfully, of course), and sniffing every tree as if they held secrets from the stars.

One sunny afternoon, while trotting down his favorite path, Lăbuș skidded to a stop.

Right there on the sidewalk was the most colorful bird he had ever seen—except… it wasn’t a real bird. It was a chalk drawing.

Its feathers swirled in blues, yellows, and every color in between. It had wide, curious eyes and a crooked little beak like it was laughing at some secret joke.

Lăbuș stared. The bird didn’t move, but in Lăbuș's heart, it fluttered.

“Hello,” Lăbuș said softly (in Dog, of course). “You look like you’d be fun to play with.”

And just like that, the bird winked.

From that moment on, the bird became real—but only in Lăbuș's mind. He named it Chalky. Chalky rode on his back during walks, told stories about faraway clouds, and sang little songs only Lăbuș could hear.

They became the best of friends.

Then, one day, the sky darkened.

Rain fell.

Hard and fast.

When Lăbuș returned the next morning, Chalky was gone. Just a wet sidewalk and a memory remained.

Lăbuș barked and whined, sniffing the ground. He tugged at his leash, trying to tell his owner.

But she only smiled gently and said, “Come on, silly. It’s just chalk.”

Lăbuș barked louder.

She didn’t understand.

Day after day, and then day after day, Lăbuș searched for Chalky. He looked behind benches, sniffed around trees, even peeked inside trash bins.

No bird.

Until one cloudy afternoon, while trailing a strange scent near the old oak tree, Lăbuș wandered into a part of the park he’d never seen before — quiet, foggy, and still.

There, under a crooked lantern, sat The Iron Wizard in his grey coat and a very pointy hat.

“Lost something?” the Wizard asked, without turning around.

Lăbuș froze.