William loved birds! He loved their bright colors and the way they flapped their wings. He even tried to flap his arms like wings, but he couldn't quite fly. William, who was four years old and super strong, lived in Dallas with his family and his pet, Yuna. Yuna was a very special pet, a magical talking bird who was 54 years old!
One day, William's dad said, "Guess what, everyone! We're moving to a new house!"
William wasn't sure he liked the sound of that. "But what about my secret hideout at the zoo?" he asked.
"Don't worry, William," said Yuna, her voice a soft chirp. "We'll find you a new secret hideout. Maybe even a better one!"
Their new house was close to a big, sandy place called the Magic Desert. "It's called 'magic' because the sand changes colors!" William's dad explained.
William was excited! He ran outside with Yuna perched on his shoulder. The desert sand really was a beautiful sight! It shimmered with shades of pink, purple, and orange. Suddenly, they saw something amazing. A group of camels was walking by, led by a man with a long white beard.
"Excuse me!" called William. "Have you seen any secret hideouts around here?"
The man smiled. "Secret hideouts, you say? Well, I've heard whispers of mermaids living in a secret oasis deep within the desert. Maybe that's a good place for a hideout!"
Mermaids! William's eyes widened. He loved stories about mermaids!
"But be careful, little one," the man warned. "Mermaids are tricky creatures. They might be beautiful and sing enchanting songs, but they can also be mischievous!"
William, with Yuna still on his shoulder, decided to look for the mermaids. He walked and walked, the desert sand feeling warm beneath his shoes. Finally, they reached a shimmering pool of water surrounded by palm trees. It was like a tiny paradise hidden in the middle of the desert!
And there, splashing in the water, were the mermaids! They had long, flowing hair and shiny tails that shimmered in the sunlight. They were singing a beautiful, bubbly song.
"Wow," William whispered. "They're amazing!"
Yuna chirped in agreement.
One of the mermaids swam closer. "Hello there, little land dweller," she said. "What brings you to our humble oasis?"
"I'm William," he said. "And this is Yuna. We're looking for a new secret hideout. We just moved here!"
The mermaid giggled, a sound like tinkling bells. "A secret hideout? Well, you've come to the right place! But first, you have to answer a riddle! Are you ready?"
William nodded eagerly.
"What has cities, mountains, and water, but no houses, trees, or fish?"
William thought hard. He looked at Yuna, but she just tilted her head, pretending to be a regular bird. This riddle was tough!
He looked back at the mermaid. "I don't know," he admitted. "What is it?"
The mermaid smiled. "A map! It’s a map!"
William laughed. Of course!
He spent the rest of the day playing with the mermaids. They taught him how to splash water with his tail (well, he tried his best!) and told him funny jokes. He even discovered a little cave hidden behind a waterfall - the perfect secret hideout!
As the sun began to set, William knew it was time to go. He waved goodbye to his new mermaid friends and promised to visit again soon.
"I think I'm going to like it here," William said to Yuna as they walked back home, the desert sand cool beneath their feet.
Yuna chirped and snuggled closer to him. Finding a secret hideout in a new place wasn’t so bad after all! They even had new friends who were mermaids! William knew this was the start of a grand adventure!
