The Dark Floor

The next day Polly flew down low. She went past the canopy, down to the floor. It was a different world. Almost no sun reached the ground. The light was dim and the air was cool. Her red head was the brightest thing there.

A line of green moved on the dark soil. Polly looked closer. They were ants. Each one carried a piece of leaf, like a small green sail. They are leafcutter ants. They are farmers. They grow a special fungus and eat it.

On the floor, nothing is wasted. Old leaves, wood, and fruit break down fast. Then the trees use them again. The forest grows on its old parts.

On a dark leaf, Polly saw something bright. It was a tiny frog, blue and black. Bright skin means danger. Polly looked but did not touch.