A star in the sands

Christmas was approaching in the Otherworld.

That good old Mr. Badger had found his outfit for Baron Toad's Christmas reception. The latter was putting the finishing touches on his festive menu to delight his guests. As for Miss Squirrel, she was having the hardest time calming her little ones, who were getting more and more excited as the big night approached.

The workshop of Father Walrus, nestled under the eternal snows of the far north, was bustling. The penguins, dressed in their green outfits and hats, were running everywhere, wrapping gifts, adjusting ribbons, and adding shiny stars to the packages. 

Outside, the seals tasked with pulling the sled, well wrapped in their harnesses, were resting before the great night that was approaching.

At dusk, a curious little penguin, Piko, discovered an old golden chest covered in dust in a corner of the workshop. On the lid, an ancient symbol depicted an endless desert, with a mysterious city in the distance. "Father Walrus, what is this?" he asked while observing the chest.

The old walrus with long tusks turned to Piko with a smile. "Ah, Piko, you have found a treasure! A very old memory of a city lost in the sands, an ancient place, a lighthouse in the desert long since swallowed!"

The other penguins gathered around Father Walrus. They knew he was about to start one of those old stories he was famous for.

He took a deep breath and smiled, grabbed the box and opened it. 

Inside, a golden powder flew up, illuminating the room. In a magical flash, the workshop transformed and revealed dunes of golden sand and an immense city of white and yellow columns with doors adorned with precious stones and mosaics in vibrant colors.

The little penguins looked around them with mouths, or rather beaks, agape.

In the heart of the city, at the top of a tall tower, a light shone, cutting through the shadows of the night.

Guided by the light, our little friends arrived at the main square, distinctly distinguishing the fascinating light at the top of its tower.

"A star of the desert, a beacon in an ocean of sand that guided travelers and called to it the adventurers," said Father Walrus, "a gift to the ancient peoples of these now-lost places, which carried within it hope and for some a call to exploration and distant discoveries."

By closing the box, the old walrus brought all his little world back to the workshop.

"I have known many people who spent their lives searching for this place now lost in the folds of the other world," sighed the master of the place.

"Those who have returned have brought back many stories, and one of them brought us this." The old walrus then brandished his old teapot, from which emanated a powerful scent of mint against a delicate background of linden and rose. He served a cup to each, transporting them once again into distant daydreams populated by adventurous caravaners braving the sands of the desert in pursuit of a dream.

That night, Piko the little penguin slipped a small pouch of the delicious mixture into each of the packages so that every child from the other world could share a bit of this adventure on Christmas morning.