Leo the little lion was a very bouncy boy. He loved to play all day long! He’d tumble with his brothers and sisters, chase butterflies in the tall grass, and roar (a very small roar, of course!) at the fluffy clouds. But when the sun began to set, Leo didn’t like it very much. The shadows seemed to grow long and wiggly, and everything felt…different.
“Mama,” Leo whimpered, snuggling close to his mother’s warm mane. “It’s getting dark. I don’t like the dark!” Mama Lion smiled gently. “The dark isn’t something to fear, little one. It’s just the sun saying goodnight. And when the sun says goodnight, the stars come out to play.”
Leo peeked out from behind his mother. He *did* see tiny twinkles appearing in the darkening sky. “Stars?” he asked. Mama Lion nodded. “Each star is a little light, shining just for you. They’re watching over you while you sleep.”
Mama Lion pointed with her nose. “See that bright star? That’s Stella. She’s the bravest star of all. She shines even when the clouds try to hide her.” Leo tried to be brave like Stella. He took a deep breath, just like Mama Lion showed him. In…and out…
“Now,” Mama Lion said, “let’s say goodnight to everything around us.” They said goodnight to the tall grass, goodnight to the butterflies, and goodnight to the fluffy clouds. They even said goodnight to the wiggly shadows, telling them to have sweet dreams.
Leo noticed a little firefly blinking nearby. “Goodnight, little firefly!” he whispered. The firefly blinked back, as if saying, “Goodnight, Leo!” Leo felt a little bit calmer with each goodnight. He realized the dark wasn’t empty; it was full of quiet wonders.
Mama Lion wrapped her paws around Leo. “Close your eyes, little one,” she murmured. “Think of Stella the brave star, and all the other twinkling lights. They’re keeping you safe and warm.” Leo closed his eyes and imagined himself floating among the stars, feeling peaceful and sleepy.
He took another deep breath, and another. The shadows didn’t seem so scary anymore. They were just part of the night, a time for rest and sweet dreams. Soon, Leo was fast asleep, dreaming of chasing fireflies and roaring at the stars. And Mama Lion smiled, knowing her little lion was learning to be brave, even in the dark.