Little Ducky was a fluffy ball of yellow, and tonight was a very big night. It was the first night he would sleep in his own little nest, away from Mama Duck. He wiggled his tiny toes and looked at Mama with big, worried eyes. “But Mama,” he quacked softly, “what if I get scared?”
Mama Duck smoothed his downy feathers with her wing. “Oh, my sweet Ducky,” she said, “being brave doesn’t mean you aren’t *ever* scared. It means you try new things even when you feel a little bit worried. And I will always be close by.” She pointed to the twinkling stars. “See those stars? I’ll be watching over you from under one of those.”
Ducky looked at the stars, but he still felt a wobble in his tummy. Old Man Turtle, who lived nearby, peeked his head out of his shell. “First nights are always a little tricky,” he rumbled kindly. “But you have a lovely nest, and a good mama. That’s a wonderful start.”
Mama Duck had made sure Ducky’s nest was extra cozy. It was lined with soft reeds and smelled like sunshine and water lilies. She had also left his favorite pebble, a smooth, grey stone he loved to push around with his beak. “This pebble will remind you of our happy days together,” she said.
As the moon climbed higher, Ducky started to miss Mama terribly. He closed his eyes and imagined her warm wing around him. He wished she would just stay. But then he remembered what she said about being brave. He took a deep breath and pushed his pebble around with his beak.
He started to notice the sounds of the night. The gentle rustling of the reeds, the chirping of crickets, and the soft hoot of an owl. They weren’t scary sounds at all! They were the sounds of the pond settling down for a peaceful sleep. He realized the pond was still the same, even when Mama wasn’t right beside him.
He remembered his routine. Mama always told him to count ten lily pads before closing his eyes. So, he started to count. “One… two… three…” Each lily pad he counted made him feel a little calmer, a little more sleepy.
By the time he reached ten, Ducky’s eyelids were very heavy. He snuggled into his nest, clutching his pebble. He wasn’t completely *not* scared, but he was brave enough to try sleeping on his own. He knew Mama was watching, and he knew he could be a little independent duck.
And as he drifted off to sleep, Ducky dreamed of swimming with Mama, chasing dragonflies, and counting lily pads under the twinkling stars. He knew that even though nights away from Mama might feel a little bit scary, they could also be filled with peaceful dreams and the warm feeling of being loved.