Hello friends and welcome to Sleep Tight Stories. Bernice has had a very fun, busy day and she is ready for bed. She calls Papa Bear and asks for a long story since she hasn't had one in a while. Papa Bear comes in and says he thinks he'll sleep on her floor, but decides instead to tell her a story about Boo Boo and Kai Kai and their trip to the north. Boo Boo and Kai Kai Go North Bernice had a fun day and sometimes after a fun day, a soapy bath is just the right thing. So she filled the tub with Mama's fancy bubbles, checked the temperature with her toes, not too cold, not too hot, and had her bath. After she did all the usual bedtime stuff. His mama would join her for the routine and sing the, brushing your teeth song, but tonight, Bernice wanted to do it all by herself. She rushed a little through her stretches and laid out her clothes for the morning. She wasn't sure if it would be hoody weather, so she put out the t-shirt Bobby had given her just in case. After tucking Twigga, Wolfie, and Madeline under the covers in their usual spots, she climbed into bed and pulled up the blankets. Papa, it's that time again, she called. She wanted a proper bedtime story tonight, not a short one, but a long one, maybe about Boo Boo and Kai Kai. She hadn't heard one of them in a long time. You could feel Papa Bear coming up the stairs before you heard him. He was just too big. What time is that little bear? Is it time for me to go straight to sleep? He called in his deep rumbling voice. It's time for a bedtime story of course, Bernice grinned, as Papa Bear stepped into her room. But I might fall asleep too. I think I might just lie down on your floor right now, Papa Bear said, settling himself down with a thud. I had a hard day. Papa, you can't sleep in here, you snore really loud. You do too, you know. Papa Bear chuckled, getting back up. Did you have a good bath? Yeah, Papa, I had a super fun day, and sometimes you just need to soak in the tub, especially after gym class. Get rid of all those stinky parts, Papa Bear said, like your stinky toes. Papa, that's an old joke from when I was a baby. I'm not stinky. Except maybe after running outside all day, but that's unusual circumstances. Papa Bear laughed. Mama says you want a long story tonight. Are you sure you can stay awake for the whole thing? Yes, Papa, Bernice said confidently. Then let out a great big yawn. Did you do everything you need to do before bed? I did. I even used Mama's fancy bubble bath, which is kind of strange because it smells like cookies. As long as you didn't try to eat the bubbles, of course not, Papa. Are you comfy? Yes, Papa. How about Twigga Wolfie and Madeline? They say they're ready. And Cookie? Papa Bear glanced down at the little cat curled at the foot of the bed. Cookie blinked once, stretched, and closed her eyes again. Seems like she's ready too, he said. Alright, give me a hug and a kiss, and I'll tell you a story. Thank you, Papa, Bernice said, wrapping her arms around his neck. Once upon a time in a world full of magic and fun, there lived a brave little bear named Boo Boo. She lived in a large castle at the edge of a mystical forest, and in this forest were unicorns, fairies, gnomes, and all manner of insects, birds, and animals. It was a wonderful place. Her best friend was a young dragon called Kaikai, and they liked to play together as much as they could. On this day, Boo Boo was in the garden waiting for Kaikai to arrive. He was often late. He always said it was because he'd had something to do for his parents, but Boo Boo suspected the real reason involved a chocolate tree somewhere along the way. Dragons were always hungry, and when they got too hungry and their bellies rumbled, the noise was so loud that villagers sometimes thought a storm was coming. Kaikai late again asked Jesse Bell, one of the gardeners, looking up from a flowering bush she'd been pruning. She didn't often come to this part of the grounds, but Boo Boo was glad to see her. I think so. You know Kaikai, he probably spotted something tasty and then got distracted by something even tastier. Jesse Bell laughed. I understand that completely. I can barely walk past the kitchen without stopping. So, where are you two off to today? The mountains in the north, Boo Boo said, and then went a little quiet. My father asked me to visit some teachers there while he and my brothers go to the berry festival in the south. Ah, said Jesse Bell, so they get warm weather and fresh fruit and you get… cold, said Boo Boo. Jesse Bell smiled. Well, your father doesn't send just anyone to the north. Boo Boo hadn't quite thought of it that way. A moment later, the sound of large wings filled the garden and Kaikai came swooping down, looking briefly like he might scatter every flower in the yard, before pulling into a slow, surprisingly graceful landing. Good landing, Boo Boo said. I really thought you were going to ruin Jesse Bell's bushes. I was going for dramatic effect, Kaikai said, smoothing his scales. Do they teach you that in your classes? Extra credit, he said proudly. Then his expression turned serious. Now, are you dressed warm enough? It gets cold up in the north and I can only breathe so much fire without getting hiccups. I have an extra layer. Are you sure it's safe? We've flown high before, but not this high in a while and I'm… don't worry too much, Kaikai said. Then after a pause, I flew the route yesterday just to check the air currents and stuff. And, very importantly, I found a treat shop that serves hot chocolate made from the trees right there on the mountain. So we will be warm in every way. Boo Boo laughed. You always find the best places. It is a gift, he agreed. Now hop on, the mountains look beautiful this time of the day. Boo Boo grabbed hold of Kaikai's warm scales and settled in. And with a great sweep of his wings, they lifted off. The castle garden shrinking below them, the flowers becoming specks of color. The whole forest spreading out like a patchwork of green and gold. At first the wind was loud and rushing, but as Kaikai found his height and began to glide, it softened into something almost peaceful. Boo Boo could see the winding river far below and tiny dots that were probably farmers in their fields and farther out the faint shimmer of the sea. Can I ask you something? Boo said, sure. Do you think it's fair that my brothers get the berry festival and I get the cold mountains? Kaikai was quiet for a moment, which was unusual for him. I think your father probably knows that you can handle it, he said. Your brothers will probably just eat berries all day anyway. Boo Boo laughed, despite herself. They flew for a good while, the air growing crisper, the trees below turning darker and more dense. Then, the mountains appeared ahead of them, white capped and enormous, their peaks poking through thin clouds. We go between those two, Kaikai said, nodding toward a narrow gap in the ridge. That looks quite narrow, Boo Boo said. I measured it yesterday, roughly. Roughly? My wings fit, mostly. They were nearly at the pass when a sharp gust of wind came rolling through it and for a moment Kaikai dipped hard to one side, his left wing folding back against the force of it. Boo Boo gripped his scales and said nothing, which was the wisest thing to do. Kaikai beat his wings twice, hard and steadied himself. That, he said catching his breath, was not in my notes from yesterday. Are you alright? Fine, completely fine. A pause. I may have been a bit optimistic about the air currents. They came through the pass and Boo Boo let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. The valley below was wide and white and the mountains stood all around it and nestled along one edge was a small village. Smoke rising from chimneys, lights warm in the windows. There, said Kaikai, not so bad. Not so bad, Boo Boo agreed, though her knuckles were still a little white from the pass. They landed at the edge of the village where a group of older gnomes and a tall woman in a heavy wool cloak were already waiting. Word had apparently arrived ahead of them, probably by Sprite, Boo Boo Guest. Guests were faster than dragons and considerably more punctual. You must be Boo Boo, said the woman stepping forward with a warm smile. Her name was Sable and she was the head teacher of the Northern School. Your father speaks very highly of you. He does, Boo Boo said. He does. Come, let me show you what we're working on. The school was small and tucked into the side of a hill. Its walls lined with shelves of books and maps and jars of preserved things. Boo Boo couldn't quite identify. The students were younger than she'd expected and they looked at her with wide curious eyes. Sable explained that the Northern children studied differently. Their lessons were woven into the seasons, into the landscape itself. They learned by going outside and observing, by drawing what they found, by asking questions before looking for answers. Your father thought you might enjoy seeing it, Sable said. He said you ask very good questions. Boo Boo thought she might like to come back here someday, for longer. On their way out, one of the younger students, a small gnome with ink-stained fingers, tugged on her sleeve. Did you really fly through the mountain pass? We did, Boo Boo said. Was it scary? Boo Boo considered this honestly. A little, but we made it through. The gnome nodded, satisfied, and went back to her drawing. The treat shop was exactly where Kaikai had promised. A small, warm building at the far end of the village. Its roof dusted with snow and its windows fogged with heat from inside. Strings of soft lights hung above the doorway and the air around it carried the smell of melted chocolate and something spiced that Boo Boo couldn't quite name but immediately wanted more of. Kaikai had already located the outdoor table, the large one reserved for tall guests who couldn't fit through the door and arranged himself beside it with great satisfaction. Boo Boo pushed open the door and a small bell chimed over her head. The warmth inside was instant, like stepping into a hug. The shelves were lined with jars of all sizes, filled with things that gleamed and shimmered. A gnome behind the counter, old, round with a magnificent mustache, looked up and smiled. Lying visitors, he said, we don't get many of those. Sit, sit, I'll bring something hot. He brought two mugs of chocolate, one regular sized for Boo Boo and one that was more accurately described as a small bucket for Kaikai, along with a plate of biscuits made from chocolate harvested that morning from the trees just beyond the shop. The chocolate was dark and rich and had a faint taste of something smoky that Boo Boo decided was probably the mountain air. This, said Kaikai, wrapping both claws around his mug, was worth the wind. Boo Boo looked out the window at the mountains, still and white in the late afternoon light. I think, she said slowly, my father knew I'd like it here. He usually does, Kaikai said, and took a long happy drink. They sat until the mugs were empty and the biscuit plate had been refilled more times than Boo Boo could keep track of, though she suspected Kaikai had a pretty good idea. When they pulled their layers tight, stepped back out into the cold and lifted off into the clear northern sky for the long, easy flight home. And with the gentle sound of Bernice's snorts, Papa Bear turned down her light, gave her a kiss on the forehead and said, I love you, little bear. And that is the end of our story. Good night, sleep tight.
