Luna the Lantern Bearer
Deep in the Western Ghats of India, where the mist hugs the trees and rain sings through the forest canopy, lived a tiny creature few people ever notice—a bioluminescent fungus beetle named Luna.
Luna wasn’t flashy. She didn’t roar or hop or climb trees. What made her special was her soft, golden glow. She used her light not to dazzle, but to signal to other beetles, especially during the monsoon evenings when the forest came alive with sounds.
One rainy night, a curious young bonnet macaque named Timi got separated from his group. He wandered through the undergrowth, afraid and alone. The air buzzed with cicadas, but it was hard to see in the darkness under the dense leaves.
That’s when he saw Luna.
Her gentle glow blinked like a star just above the ground. Timi, drawn to the light, followed her tiny glow. She flew low, weaving her way up a familiar path used by foragers and forest-dwellers. Luna couldn’t understand Timi, but she noticed his nervous chittering and the way he kept following her.
By morning, Luna’s route had led Timi to a fig tree—the favorite gathering spot for macaques in that part of the jungle. As the first rays of sun peeked through the clouds, Timi heard the distant calls of his troop. He whooped joyfully, scrambling toward the sound.
Luna didn’t wait for thanks. She simply blinked twice and disappeared into the ferns.
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