Bedtime Story Collection With Animals

A warm welcome to this soothing sleep story collection, where each of the stories features animals heavily, either throughout the story in the background, or as a main companion in your sleep adventure, as well as an audiobook-style reading of The Velveteen Rabbit to finish. I hope you enjoy this sleepy collection, and I wish you a peaceful, purrfect sleep!

The stories:
1) A Flight With The Eagles
2) Your Adventure With The Sleepy Cat
3) The Husky Sleigh Ride
4) The Enchanted Forest of Wonder
5) Dragon Rider
6) The Velveteen Rabbit (Audiobook Reading)

P.S. Unfortunately, the happy Polar Bear (pictured) does not feature in any of these stories; however, I have now been inspired to possibly create a sleepy adventure with him, which you will hopefully enjoy shortly...

Music by Liborio Conti & Enlightened Audio

Transcript

A warm welcome to this guided sleep story from your very own sleepy cat.

Tonight,

You will be guided into a new world of peace and serenity as you slowly and comfortably drift off to sleep.

This is your time to completely let go and to nurture your body and your mind.

Before we begin,

We will do a short relaxation session,

Preparing you for a good night's sleep.

Please remember that there is no right or wrong here,

And there is no particular way that you should feel in these moments.

Each experience is as unique as us all,

So try to let go of any pressure you might be putting on yourself to feel certain things or perhaps fall asleep quickly tonight.

But it doesn't matter if you do or you don't.

If you simply follow my voice and allow these words to wash over you,

Then you will enter a world of deep relaxation where you can rest and recover.

So,

When you are ready,

Just feel your eyelids becoming heavier and heavier with each passing blink until they gently close.

Remind yourself that this is your time to relax.

There is nothing left to do and nothing left to think.

The day is done now.

Whatever has happened is already in the past,

And here,

In this moment,

The future is beyond our reach.

So if thoughts arise about the day or the week that has been or the days ahead of you,

Then acknowledge that these thoughts are completely normal and valid.

They are part of what makes us human,

Which is a wonderful thing.

But also kindly remind yourself that these thoughts or concerns are of no use to us now,

And tonight there is no need to engage with them.

They are simply thoughts as fleeting as shooting stars across the night sky.

You are safe tonight and you are protected.

You can be reassured by the fact that my voice and these stories will never take you anywhere that is unpleasant.

Your sleepy cat is simply here to guide you on your own twilight adventures and to help you enter a world of magic and peace where you can be completely free.

And now,

We will do a short guided breathing pattern called 3-4-5.

This will allow you to slow down and relax,

Preparing your body and your mind for a wonderful peaceful rest.

When you are ready,

Breathe in through the nose for three,

Hold for four,

And breathe out for five,

Let all of it go now,

Again that's in for three,

Hold for four,

And release,

Blowing away the thoughts of yesterday,

Today,

And tomorrow,

Again in for three,

And let it go.

Continue to breathe in this way in your own time and with each breath out,

Allow your body to sink just that bit deeper into your mattress,

And now allow the breath to fall back into a natural rhythm.

Enjoy this new peace flowing through your body,

Allow your mind to soften and your imagination to unlock as we take flight with the eagles.

You find yourself walking barefoot through a calm and tranquil forest.

The blanket of leaves rustle under your feet and are gentle to the touch,

Sending soft vibrations through the soles of your feet.

You can hear the sound of a stream trickling by you and you watch the mid-morning birds dart through the treetops.

Small spears of sunlight are piercing through the leaves and you feel a cool wind sweep gently through the trees and across your face.

You notice a complete calmness washing over you and you feel as though you are walking in a world that is full of magic and peace,

A place where there is no need to rush or to worry about anything,

A place where you can be present right now in this moment.

All of a sudden there is a rustle in the distance and as you turn to look you see a small rabbit hopping up to you excitedly.

The rabbit stops at your feet and is now gazing up at you.

With a smile you kneel down and stroke the little rabbit on the head as it sniffs your hand affectionately.

Its fur is as soft as silk and seeing this tiny creature brings a new comfort to your heart.

The rabbit turns now and hops off down the forest track,

Occasionally stopping and looking back to you as you follow it with your eyes.

Further ahead you spy an opening in the trees which is filled with a bright yellow light that is pulsing around the edges.

The little rabbit stops one more time just outside this opening.

It turns back to look at you before finally hopping through the gap in the trees.

As you gaze at the swirling yellow light you feel calm and comforted but also intrigued and you think perhaps that you should follow the rabbit.

You walk slowly towards the light stepping over small rocks and branches as you hold onto nearby trees for support.

When you finally reach the opening you push past the soft leaves and walk in.

As you emerge from the other side you are met by the glowing sun warming your skin from head to toe.

Gradually your eyes adjust and you notice that you are in a clearing at the edge of the forest.

You can see rolling hills on the horizon,

Fields of green and yellow and a pastel blue sky for eternity.

There are vast fields of flowers below you which are arranged in neat patches of purple,

Pink,

Red,

Blue and orange.

You look up and notice the shadow of large wings tracing the sky.

As it gets closer you can see more clearly the long yellow beak and huge feathers of brown and white.

The creature flies down and gently lands on the edge of the clearing in front of you.

This is a giant eagle.

You remember stories of these creatures from your childhood but you stopped believing long ago that the giant eagle existed.

Yet here one stands before you,

Dreamlike and utterly magnificent.

The proud eagle bows low and you return the greeting.

Despite the size of the eagle you feel instantly comforted by its presence.

You know without a doubt that you are completely safe.

The eagle bows once more and this time offers you a wing.

You stroke the eagle's back and admire its soft feathers and huge wingspan.

Your eyes meet and you can feel the purity and enchantment running through this mystical creature.

And then you feel a rush of excitement as you climb onto its back.

A deep powerful magic is washing over you.

You know that this eagle will protect you now and it is impossible for you to fall.

You feel the eagle stand up and steadily beat its wings as it begins to hover a little above the ground.

Slowly the eagle takes you higher and higher until you are above the clearing,

Above the fields and above everything.

You are free.

The eagle's feathers are wrapping around you like a blanket,

Keeping you warm and cozy as you glide over rivers and through the endless grasslands.

The colorful flowers dance below as if celebrating your adventure.

With a surge of courage you ask the eagle to please take you higher.

Your new companion obeys,

Soaring up into the clouds and straight through them.

There is a light mist peppering your face and the air is cool but refreshing.

In the next moment you burst out of the clouds and see a vast field of white below you.

The sun is peeping over the clouds and covering your face with a soft warm light.

You stroke the eagle and thank them as they fly over to a nearby mountain peak which is protruding from the layer of cloud.

As you look to the right you notice another eagle bursting through the clouds and flying over to join you.

When this second eagle glides alongside you,

You see that there is another person riding on its back.

As you get closer you realize that this person is someone who is very special to you and someone who you'd want to share this experience with.

This important person looks over to you now and you both share a smile knowing that this experience,

This adventure is something special between just the two of you.

Your partner gestures to drop below the clouds and the two of you guide your eagles back through the mist and out underneath the cloud.

Your partner's eagle flies in a loop swooping over the top of you and coming back down on the other side.

You feel yourselves starting to descend now towards the huge lake below.

The eagles lower slowly over the water until at last your toes dip in the sun-kissed blue and you feel the cool water caress your feet and swish between your toes.

You and your partner share a mischievous smile as you slowly break into laughter.

You laugh uncontrollably at how beautiful and perfect this moment truly is.

And while you are chuckling away together,

Both of your eagles glide along the lake,

Your feet trailing in the water.

Your majestic companions take you down a river and through a long archway of trees with pulsing leaves of green,

Yellow and orange which create a colorful canopy above you.

You can hear the slow beat of the eagle's wings as you steadily glide downstream.

The sun begins to set and a golden red glow illuminates the river.

On the bank of the river you spot many of the other animals of the forest gathering to greet you.

Many of these creatures you recognize and others are very peculiar,

Magical even,

But no less beautiful.

You are completely at one with nature here and you feel calm in the presence of these animals for they are here to guide you.

With a quick double take to your left you notice the rabbit from before and it is running along the riverbank keeping up with you.

Its ears are flapping relentlessly and its little legs are a blur and you cannot help but smile at this rabbit on a mission.

Just ahead is a large rock protruding from the bank and as you fly close to it the rabbit hops onto the rock and with one big leap lands on the back of your eagle.

The lovely animal tucks itself comfortably under your arm,

Nestled between you and the eagle's soft feathers.

You look over to your partner and gesture that you'd like to settle down now and together you ask your eagles to take you somewhere quiet so that you can finally rest.

As you arrive at the end of the archway of trees the eagles take you up high into the sky again.

You rise above the water as dusk begins to settle in and you can see one or two stars starting to show themselves and then you begin to soar towards a mountain peak nearby.

On this mountainside you see a small cozy looking cave lit by a gentle torchlight and as you get closer you see it has two big piles of blankets,

Cushions and pillows.

The eagles gently land at the edge of the cave and let you off their backs.

Your tiny rabbit jumps off with you and sits comfortably in your hands,

Their nose twitching with delight.

You and your partner thank the eagles for a magical journey and you hope that you will see them again soon.

They both give you a low bow and fly off into the still darkening night.

You look to your partner who is beaming from ear to ear and the two of you share a warm embrace before at last entering the cave.

Inside is a large campfire with wood enough to burn through the night.

You each find a pile of blankets and pillows and you set up a soft and cozy area to settle down.

Your body and mind are soft and your heart is full of gratitude tonight.

The warmth of the fire softens your muscles and you feel your body becoming heavier and heavier as you go deeper,

Deeper and deeper.

Out through the cave and across the black night you can see a glitter of stars pulsing proudly and there you think you can spot two silhouettes gliding amongst them.

As you bathe in the firelight and stroke the soft head of your rabbit you reminisce on this wonderful adventure.

You feel yourself sinking into the softness of these blankets and the pillows.

You are safe,

You are warm and you are completely content.

You feel your heavy eyelids blinking slowly until at last you give in to the temptation and allow them to close.

The eagles are watching over you tonight and they will guide your dreams as you drift off to a deep healing sleep.

During this meditation and story you will transform into a cat or any animal of your choosing.

Have a little think now,

What animal are you?

What color is your fur?

How about your eyes?

Do you have any unique markings?

Take a moment to just envisage your form and have a think about how you might befriend a sleepy cat.

You lie in a familiar house resting in your favorite spot.

There are distant footsteps in the hallway as someone leaves the front door.

The clock in the living room gives a gentle tick-tock that resonates through the floorboards.

You are in that wonderful space where you have nothing to do and you do not feel restless.

You have the whole day at your command.

And then it is just as you are ruminating on what to do next when a gentle cold nose boops your nose.

Your eyes open to reveal a soft black and white cat looking at you.

A flare of mischief and magic lights up in its eyes.

Your eyes mirror it with added excitement.

It is time that sleepy cat takes you out on an adventure.

You do a large stretch and give a big yawn.

The black and white cat waits patiently,

Cleaning a bit of debris from his paw.

He nods to you as if to ask are you ready and you nod back.

Off he trots to the front door.

With a swish of his tail it opens and the two of you emerge into a quiet residential street.

A smell of fresh rain on dry dirt fills your nose.

The rain was short-lived and it looks like the sun is quickly drying the droplets on the grass.

It is mid-afternoon and most of the houses lay empty while all the humans are at work.

It is the perfect time for you and your sleepy cat to have an adventure.

You follow behind as he leads you down the walkway to the road.

There is a park with a beautiful wooded area at the end of the street.

You both strut down the road as if you own the place and part of you wonders if the black and white cat does own this place.

Squirrels scamper by and chatter from the trees.

Soft chirps of songbirds emerge as the sun shines down gently on the pink and green canopy adorning each side of the street.

The sun is high in the sky and it warms your back as you walk.

The trees that line the road are all a vibrant pink and smell of apple blossom.

Their bright crowns sway gently in the breeze,

Making them look as if they are dancing to the birds' songs and the squirrels' chatters.

The soft,

Cool breeze is welcome and rustles in your cheeks.

Fuchsia petals swirl in the wind like magical spells being cast all around you.

As you watch the tumbling pink eddies,

You catch sight of the black and white cat further ahead of you.

You quicken your pace to catch up with your feline friend.

The pavement is warm on your feet now that the sun has dried up the rain.

It releases a moorish,

Earthy scent which makes you want to inhale even deeper.

Reaching the crossroad,

The sleepy cat stops to stare at the wood.

Across the vacant road,

Behind the empty playground,

The trees sway in the forest.

After a little glance left and right,

The sleepy cat crosses the road.

There is a small curb lined with a soft grass verge.

The grass has been allowed to grow a little longer,

Creating a feathery emerald bed to walk on,

Before at last reaching the tan patch of the playground sand.

You relish the cool sod,

Knowing that the sand might be a little hotter.

The last steps on the emerald blades lead you to the edge of the playground sand.

The wildlife calls to you from the forest beyond.

Your front paw touches the sand of the playground and it is not hot.

Instead,

It is like a warm blanket beckoning you to lie down and take a nap.

The cozy sensation rolls through your whole body,

Sending a calming wave through you with each step on the warm sand.

You saunter through the toasty tan blanket with your friend beside you.

Eventually,

You come to the edge where the playground meets the forest.

A strip of wildflowers and grass lay between you and the treeline.

Tall,

Viridescent strands balance blossoms on their sun-reaching tips.

The flower heads look like beach balls being bounced around a large crowd.

A strong breeze blows now and the wildflowers bow their crowns of blue,

Yellow and red.

It's as if they are bowing to you and your friend.

Right now,

You have never felt more calm and connected to the world around you.

Passing through the towering foliage,

You come upon a small,

Trodden path just wide enough for both of you.

The path has a dark,

Ruddy brown clay with beautiful shining rocks laced with bits of quartz.

You stop to admire the sparkling rocks hidden among the dust of the path.

On closer inspection,

You can see deep veins of purple.

The path is strewn with amethyst.

Through the gaps in the branches of the trees,

You catch glimpses of the sunlight illuminating the amethyst path.

The light refracts shades of purple through the whole nestled path,

Making it look like fairies are flitting by or dancing along the dirt path and in the bushes around you.

Brambles covered in raspberries and blackberries line the trail where the amethyst fairies dance.

The berries smell sweet and the colors pop like little gems hidden in a green thicket.

You stop to take in the smell and the beauty of this secret jeweled undergrowth.

Hints of acidic berries and earthy nests of the unripe fruit accent the sweetness of the perfect ripeness.

Your mouth salivates while your eyes feast on the beauty.

The blackberries are in many stages of maturity,

Making the scent range from sharp and tangy to the well-ripened candy deliciousness of the darkest purple.

The raspberries are almost impossibly red and as big as your paw.

The scrumptiously tart and sweet smell fills your palate so much you believe you can taste it.

It is just then you feel the small tap of a paw on your paw.

The sleepy cat reminds you that this is just the beginning of your journey.

You take one last look at the berry bushes and continue through the forested area.

The bramble and ruddy path have been replaced with soft whites and greens of mosses and lichen.

The forest carpet is soft and smells deeply of trees in various states of breaking down.

Your paws sink slightly into the verdant carpet and leave little imprints as you prance along.

With each step sinking into the plushy ground cover,

Wafts of the pungent undergrowth lift to your sharp senses.

The woody,

Earthy scent is a welcome contrast to the sweetness of the berries.

You lift your head to look for your feline friend.

It is then that you see the tall old trees with low branches covered in bluish-green coniferous needles.

Your whiskers twitch with delight as you approach the dark brown trunk.

You find the sleepy cat using the tree to scratch his jawline and ear.

The tree is gnarled and has many knots and low-hanging branches.

The ridges and furrows provide a perfect way to scratch and itch.

As you rub your back,

You gaze up as the soft sun filters through the branches,

Flickering in light green.

The air is cool in the forest and the breeze is softened somewhat.

It presents a sanctuary of peace and quiet,

Of calm and contentment.

When you have both had your fill of tree scratches,

The black and white cat leads you to an opening in the trees where the sun hits the forest floor.

A meadow of sweet grass and wildflowers fills your view.

Again,

There is a narrow path with the grass pushed on either side.

With each swish of your tail through the soft grass,

A sweet vanilla-like fragrance is released.

The long grass has soft,

Thin blades and looks so tall that they could reach the cerulean sky.

The sun is still warm and bright,

But it isn't beating directly on your fur.

Being lower down in the grass and amongst the flowers creates the perfect temperature.

The small puffs of cotton-like clouds are few in number,

But take on some interesting shapes.

The endless grass sways gently in the breeze,

Making it look like an ocean of infinite green waves.

Lupins,

Irises and delphiniums dance among the sea of sweet grass.

The cool wind lifts vibrant butterflies and buzzing bees to their next floral purchase.

The low buzzing of the bees makes you smile to yourself as you notice they have to flap their iridescent wings even harder when their bodies are covered in pollen.

Butterflies flutter around you curiously,

Interested in what kind of flower you might be.

The first butterfly is very large and when its wings are open it is almost the size of your face.

The deep scarlet and orange papery color is offset by a matte black veining,

Giving the whole butterfly a stained-glass appearance.

Many others flit by you.

One is as small as the tip of your tail,

But has the most wonderful red-to-pink ombre on its wings.

The most magical of all,

However,

Was a deep aubergine-winged butterfly with a soft black fuzzy body.

It landed gently on your nose as if to tell you how beautiful it is.

The purple wings had gold flecks like little freckles all over,

And when the sun hit the gold,

The freckles lit up and sparkled.

Gradually,

The butterflies moved on,

Realizing that you were in fact not a flower.

Looking at the soft grass and the wildflowers around you,

You see birds darting from perch to perch,

Gathering soft down and twigs from the glade.

A small robin gathers the soft fluff from milkweed in his tiny beak.

He flies over to join a larger robin.

Their rust-colored bellies and brown back feathers stand out in the sea of green.

The two birds are gathering to make a nest,

Ready to settle down.

The thought of this makes you aware of how much you'd like to lie down for a short break on this adventure.

The sleepy cat finds a padded area to lay in the fragrant greenery.

He shows you the small patch of fresh catnip growing in and amongst the grass.

The fresh minty taste awakens your senses and refreshes your body and your mind.

The cooling sensation makes your whiskers twitch with every breath.

With a new excitement,

You tumble and roll in the mint catnip and the sweet vanilla grass.

The aroma envelops you and feels like it is cleansing your soul.

Your lovely friend joins you as you dance in the sweet-smelling vegetation.

A few curious little birds gather to see what is rustling in the grasses.

The sleepy cat starts to chirp and click at the birds,

As if telling them funny stories.

You join in slowly at first,

But it begins to feel reminiscent of giggling.

And before you know it,

You are in full chirping laughter with the birds and your friend.

It's just then that the birds take flight and dash across the meadow into the trees.

You and your friend rise up and give in to the chasing game.

The grass and flowers on either side of you blur as you jump and your furry paws barely hit the ground.

It's almost as if you take flight.

Your heart is pounding,

Singing with every deep intake.

Just when you think you are about to take off and fly into the impossibly blue sky,

You burst through the grass and land in a wooded area.

You gallop from root to root and chase the birds with your friend,

Until they cackle a mischievous farewell and fly up into the emerald green canopy.

Your heartbeat settles down and your breathing slows as the forest becomes still and quiet.

The gentle breeze brings back the scent of earth and moss.

Toppled trees are at the beginning stages of breaking down and create the perfect environment for mushrooms to pop up.

Enchanting colorful caps emerge through the forest floor.

Large tangled roots crest the mossy floor and look like whales leaping out of a calm ocean.

As you walk over and closely examine the roots,

You see nestled deep in the crooks a little family of mushrooms.

They look so quaint tucked away in the burrows of the roots.

The short stocky bodies are smooth and pale yellow and each looks like they are wearing a hat with intricate brown lace-like gills over the top.

Their rich earthy smell fills you with peace and you feel your head becoming just a bit heavier.

You flop your furry body down next to the mushrooms and roll your back against the tree roots.

Your soft paw flops on your stomach as you try to get one final back scratch.

You roll back to your feet and give yourself a quick preening while you look around to find your feline friend.

With a nod from the black and white cat,

You know it is time to head back now.

You walk to the meadow and notice that the sun has warmed it comfortably.

Its once teeming life has also moved into the cooler surrounding forest.

You work your way around the meadow,

Staying in the shade of the forest until you reach a grove of dense moss.

You taste the air instinctively,

Letting your animal senses take over.

The delightful freshness of the forest is a whole new experience.

The moss here is softer and thicker than the other side of the meadow.

It has patches of suede textured lichen.

Each branch of the moss is reaching out like silvery grey antlers of a micro-reindeer.

The lime green moss atop the micro-antlers are like soft miniature fur needles.

It represents the whole world but on such a small scale that as a human you would never notice.

Your animal eyes pick up the colors and textures with great definition.

And now you follow the mossy jungle and find yourself on the trail leading back to the jeweled brambles.

The sun is hitting lower now,

Showing each berry in its stage of maturation.

And like a heavenly light through a stained glass window,

The bramble illuminates with emerald and lime and an array of purples,

Reds and pinks.

Your sleepy cat finds the small trodden path through the gemmed shrubbery and lets out a gentle mew to call you over.

You follow slowly,

But you turn back one last time to catch memories of the meadow before finally leaving the magical wood.

You are greeted again by the wild flowers and the tall grass that separates the forest from the playground.

The breeze is almost non-existent now,

So the blades and stems stand still and tall,

Stretching up towards the sun.

You look across the path and see that the playground is still empty.

You slink through the grass,

Back into the sand,

And it warms you up after the cooler atmosphere in the dense canopy of the forest.

It sparkles with every step and shift of sight,

Like a mini desert filled with glitter.

You step over small treasures left by the children when playing.

To your right,

A couple of glass beads in pink and turquoise.

Further along to your left is a small key intended for a toy box or diary.

By the time you reach the edge where the manicured lawn begins,

Your paws are grateful for the touch of cool grass.

Your sleepy cat is just ahead and waits patiently for you at the edge of the road.

They know that you would like to embrace all the sensations of being in this animal form.

You take a slow,

Deep breath,

Still enraptured by the adventure.

And then you join your feline companion as you cross the road together,

Back into your street.

The wind has stopped completely now.

The majestic swirls of pink petals have ceased,

But walking down your street is still just as magical as before.

Pink blossoms coat the road,

The sidewalk,

And many of the lawns.

The familiar apple scent lifts into the air with each step you take,

A radiant trail guiding you home.

The thought of home sets your heart alight.

There is nothing quite like coming home after a big adventure.

Your body is excited to relax in comfort,

And you let out a big,

Uncontrollable yawn.

As you reach your house,

Your companion's tail twitches once again,

Opening the door and letting you both inside.

And there,

In the main sitting room on the dark mahogany floor,

Is a beam of sun.

The bright patch among the dark wood beckons to you like the sweet grass meadow in the forest.

It has the warmth of the sand in the playground and the ever-soothing smell of home.

You sit and clean your paws before flopping down into a comfortable mound.

Your eyelids become heavy,

And your sleepy cat leaves you to rest.

This is the perfect end to a perfect adventure,

As you curl up on a sunbeam and sink into a deep sleep.

And as you go deeper and deeper,

Just feel your mind softening as you allow your imagination to unlock.

And bit by bit,

Your surroundings begin to change.

You are riding inside a small but comfortable sleigh in the middle of a snowy valley,

Surrounded by thick conifer trees.

Their evergreen needles shimmer through the thick dusting of frost that coats them.

Guiding you on your journey is a family of huskies,

Eight in total,

Pulling along your sleigh with complete ease.

They are wolf-like in their appearance,

But you can sense the innocence and mischief of newborn puppies.

The air is cool and crisp,

And you are wrapped in thick trousers,

A nice big coat,

And your favorite woolly hat and scarf.

Your thermal gloves send a beautiful,

Pulsing warmth through your hands,

And this fresh,

Healing air is enchanting to breathe in.

A series of mountain peaks ascend up into the sky,

Which is illuminated in a golden-pink light as the last glow of sunset kisses the snow,

And a beautiful glitter sparkles all around you.

Your sleigh weaves gracefully through the valley,

And you allow yourself to take in this moment of pure peace.

As your eyes flick down,

You see a small wicker basket,

And inside you meet the bright blue gaze of another husky,

A puppy barely three weeks old.

They sniff the air with curiosity,

And their beaming eyes radiate purity and unconditional love.

As you meet their gaze,

Their tail begins to whack uncontrollably,

And their back paw thumps with excitement.

You reach down,

Take this precious puppy in your arms,

And bring them in for a warm hug.

This is Shiva,

And she will be your companion tonight.

You stroke her soft head,

And Shiva wriggles in your hands,

Trying to sniff your ear,

And you cannot help but chuckle at your lovely new friend.

And just then,

There is a new phenomenon taking over the sky.

You watch in amazement as the setting sun suddenly crosses paths with the rising moon,

Creating a total eclipse.

The world around you is plunged into a magical darkness,

And above you,

A bright silver ring pulses in the middle of the black sky,

And a single shooting star passes over it in slow motion.

You notice that there is a gentle tingling sensation running through you,

And as you embrace this new enchantment,

You can feel each and every muscle softening and releasing any remaining tension.

You cannot be sure,

But it feels as if your sleigh is lifting very slowly off the ground,

But since you are still enveloped by the darkness of the eclipse,

It is impossible to know.

In the next moment,

There is a flash of white,

And you find yourself squinting at the new light.

Bit by bit,

Your eyes adjust,

And you realize that your instincts were correct.

You are now soaring above the frosted treetops and between the high mountain peaks.

The new moon pulses above you as guardian of the twilight.

A sea of infinite stars pepper the black night,

And the constellations have never been clearer.

You rise up,

Higher and higher,

Following a faint path of stardust,

And the huskies seem to gallop through mid-air as they take on their very own enchantment.

This land is blessed with the ancient magic of the old earth.

There is a beautiful serenity here,

Where time almost stands still,

And you are right in the middle of it,

Completely protected by the moon and the stars.

Little Shiva has fallen fast asleep in your arms,

And you hold her close to you,

Just inside your coat,

Allowing your body heat to keep her warm.

As you climb high above the mountains,

You are greeted by the sudden appearance of the northern lights,

Rippling in colorful waves on either side of you and following you on your flight.

There is a glistening emerald stardust flowing underneath the sleigh as a rich purple haze spirals around you,

And a soft blue weaves overhead,

Creating an ethereal kaleidoscope of color.

You can feel the deep enchantments within the aurora borealis,

And there is a new heaviness flowing through your body.

You breathe slow and deep and release any remaining thoughts.

These thoughts slowly fall away from your mind and drift back down to earth.

Bit by bit,

You watch them disappear from view as you allow yourself to completely let go and to be utterly free tonight.

Your eyes are soft and you are entering a wonderful,

Dreamlike state.

You stare in wonder as these majestic huskies continue to glide through the night and along this swirling,

Colorful stardust,

Guiding you on this unforgettable journey.

Below you,

The mountain peaks pepper the landscape like mini meringues poking up through the wisps of cloud.

The forests are dense,

But through the occasional gaps in the trees,

You can see silhouettes of deer galloping through the wood and owls swooping across the night,

Illuminated by the spotlight of the silver moon.

Your journey takes you over the next mountain peak,

And as you emerge on the other side,

You are greeted by a flat,

White countryside ahead with a collection of little yellow lights in the distance.

Keen to investigate,

You ask your husky companions to fly a little bit lower.

Gradually now,

You begin to descend below the thin patches of cloud halfway down the mountainside and you glide towards these ever-growing lights.

In the next moment,

You begin to make out the details of a small winter village where wooden cottages are nestled in the snow and pulsing with a soft,

Golden radiance from their windows.

In the middle of the main square is an evening market bustling with life.

There are people trading their wares and selling homemade trinkets and goods.

You can hear the distant sound of chatter and laughter,

And there is the faint melody of a tavern song drifting up through the air.

All of the children of the village are gazing up at your sleigh,

Jumping up and down and waving excitedly,

But for some reason,

Their parents don't notice you.

With a smile,

You wave back down to the children and they give an enormous cheer as all of the sensible parents look around,

Slightly perplexed.

Only the hearts and minds of imaginative children could see something so spectacular and magical.

Slowly,

Now,

You begin to fly away from the village and you enter what looks like a portal of starlight.

You are met by a swirling spiral of silver glitter creating a long tunnel ahead.

And before you know it,

You are suddenly back above the clouds,

Leaving the distant village far below and gliding through the cosmos again.

The rippling aurora borealis greets you once more as the portal of starlight continues to guide your way.

There is a new weightlessness trickling across your body and you just give yourself this time to really feel all of these beautiful sensations gently washing over you.

You let go of any holding on and embrace this total freedom.

And just then,

As if by magic,

You watch the surface of the moon slowly appearing below you and singing its very own symphony of sleep.

You can see the different shades of silver and grey blending on the surface and the details of the huge craters become clearer,

Each one its own unique shape and size.

You feel the deep,

Deep magic of this ancient satellite as it pulses in a beacon of hope.

The moon is our guiding light and we treasure this beautiful orb more than any of the stars in the sky.

You allow the enchantment of the moon to cradle you as you just release everything.

There is no need to worry here and no need to think at all.

Right now,

You are at one with this wonderful cosmos and you can just simply be.

You feel a special comfort in the fact that you can return to this land whenever you need to.

This is your new haven,

Your new sanctuary where you can be at peace and bathe in the beauty of the stars.

Your body is relaxed,

Your mind is clear and your heart is happy.

Right now,

Nothing else matters.

The colourful glitter swirls around you and the starlight symphony acts as your very own lullaby.

And slowly now,

You feel yourself begin to descend in a long,

Slow spiral as the huskies carry you back down towards the eternal earth.

You find yourself smiling now and dreaming of a cozy place to rest your head.

You wish to relax by a crackling log fire and to be comforted by the soothing sound of a ticking clock as you drift into peaceful bliss.

As if hearing your thoughts,

This magical land begins to transform,

Granting your wish.

The colours of the aurora borealis fade to black and one by one,

The stars disappear.

The moon bids you a fond farewell and the crisp,

Cold air is replaced by a new warmth.

Your surroundings merge around you and warp into a soft blur.

The frosted trees and the mountain valleys transform into a perfect log cabin where a huge,

Soft sofa is waiting for your arrival.

The enchanted sleigh has disappeared now and you feel yourself going deeper and deeper,

Lower and lower until at last you feel your weight sinking into this comfortable sofa and the sound of a rich,

Crackling fire and an old ticking clock greets you.

The lovely little Shiva is still with you,

Perched peacefully on your lap,

Giving a hushed snore and the occasional twitch of her leg as she dreams away the night.

All but one of the huskies have disappeared and returned back to their home.

Left with you is the beautiful Darcy,

Mother of the tiny Shiva.

Darcy's bright blue eyes look at you with an unspeakable kindness and she rests her head on your lap,

Offering her child one or two affectionate licks on her head.

You stroke mother Darcy and gently tickle under her chin.

There is a strong trust between the pair of you already and,

Hoping to ease her mind,

You promise to take good care of her little Shiva tonight.

Darcy responds with a low bow and a loving sniff of your hand.

Then she turns slowly and,

Content that her baby is in safe hands tonight,

She fades out of sight as if by magic.

Darcy will be back in the morning to spend some quality time with both of you,

But until then she has entrusted little Shiva to your care.

These wonderful huskies are the guardians of the moon and the stars.

Their magic runs deep and if one can be true to them then there isn't a single wish that they can't grant.

You take a slow,

Deep breath and bask in the new warmth of the fire as your soft gaze flicks around the room.

There is a new snowfall outside your window and a cozy red rug lays at your feet.

The simple presence of Shiva warms your heart and you look forward to future days with this lovely little companion as you finally feel the magic of sleep creeping upon you.

A new heaviness washes over your forehead and across your brow.

With each passing blink it becomes more and more difficult to keep your eyes open.

And bit by bit you feel yourself giving in to the temptation until eventually you let your eyes gently close.

You enjoy the relief of finally allowing this heaviness to win.

There is a new warmth trickling over your face and you feel your mouth soften as your lips part slightly.

Your cheeks and jaw become loose.

All of the muscles in your neck and throat begin to unravel like a soft butter slowly melting as all tension disappears.

The warmth moves into your shoulders and your back.

You feel your spine loosening vertebrae by vertebrae and all the muscles across your back and shoulders are giving in to the heaviness just that bit more.

You breathe slow and deep and you allow your belly to completely relax,

Expanding with ease.

And as you breathe out you can feel a new freedom filling your chest as you blow away any remaining thoughts,

Worries and tension.

There is no need to hold on to anything tonight,

This is your time to completely release.

You allow this new warmth to trickle down your arms as the muscles in your upper arms soften and your elbows become loose.

Your forearms completely relax and your hands and fingers tingle with delight.

Your legs become heavier,

Heavier and heavier as you feel yourself going deeper,

Deeper and deeper.

Your thighs are soft and free from tension.

The joints of your knees loosen and release completely.

Your calves begin to tingle with a wonderful warm vibration as you feel the muscles unravelling very slowly.

Your feet are heavy and your toes are pulsing with warmth.

Your whole body is entering a state of total tranquility and you let go of any desire to hold on.

You give yourself over to this beautiful warmth and allow yourself to be at one with your cozy cabin.

In the heart of this snowy,

Magical kingdom where you have embarked on the adventure of a lifetime.

You have made memories here that will stay with you forever and the best part is that you are welcome back whenever you like.

Shiva will always be here to ease your mind and her husky family will be waiting,

Waiting to guide you once again over the moon,

Across the stars and through the majestic northern lights.

And maybe,

Just maybe there will be many more adventures with this mischievous puppy.

The magic of sleep awaits you now and a wonderful world of dreams will keep you safe tonight.

Tomorrow is a new day and you will meet it with a well rested smile.

It is time for you to rest now.

Bit by bit you allow yourself to sink just that bit deeper.

You can let go and drift off into a peaceful,

Rejuvenating sleep.

You find yourself sitting on an old wooden bench in a large open park.

It is a relatively busy day and in the distance you can hear murmurs of conversation and the laughter of children playing games on the freshly mown grass.

As the mid morning sun beams down onto the open plains you see a man playing with his dog.

He throws a blue ball across the field and the little dog gallops excitedly to catch it.

There are many birds darting from tree to tree and down into a small pond to bathe before flying back into their nests.

Flakes of blossom fall from their branches and sweep past you with the gentle wind.

Over to your left you notice an elderly couple walking hand in hand.

They talk and laugh quietly with each other and despite being together for many years it looks as if they are on a first date.

Their love is pure and unwavering and it brings a smile to your face.

As they walk past you they offer a nod of acknowledgement and you wish them both a pleasant afternoon.

There is a simplicity to this park,

One that fills you with a warm and comfortable feeling.

But while it is a beautiful place you yearn for something more,

Something magical.

Right behind you there is a cluster of four thick trees standing tall and proud,

Their bright green leaves glistening in the sunlight.

As you look into the trees you see a small deer gazing at you and it seems to have a purple glow around its body giving it an otherworldly quality.

And then when you blink it has disappeared.

Something inside you sparks to life,

A drive for adventure and you get the urge to investigate.

You move closer to the trees and notice that there is a wall of purple and pink leaves in front of you which gives off an enchanting hum.

The power of curiosity takes over you and you begin to walk through the leaves.

The noise from the world behind you begins to fade and as you emerge at the other side you are flooded with pastel colors of blue,

Green,

Purple and yellow.

Suddenly you are standing in an entire forest hidden away from the world and unlike anything that you have seen before.

The ground is flooded with thick leaves of different colors,

Deep purples,

Rich emerald greens,

Turquoise blue and a pulsing orange.

Tiny spears of sunlight are piercing through the canopy of leaves above you and coming down in spotlights on the forest floor.

This place is untouched by human hands and you realize that you have entered a new realm of wonder and tranquility.

The forest is oddly familiar and you feel safe and calm here.

Something tells you that this is the place you have been looking for.

As you gently walk through the forest the colorful leaves provide a soft cushion for your feet.

The trees are enveloped in a curious aura as if guarded by an ancient magic.

They tower high into the sky and their thick branches create a web above you covering the entire forest.

You place your hand on a nearby tree.

It is warm to the touch and you feel this warmth course through your hand,

Down your arm and across your entire body.

You are met by a wave of total release.

There is a delicate purple mist spiraling on the forest floor with specks of silver shining through.

The air is still and the forest is quiet.

You have entered a world without worry and a world without judgment.

Here you can simply be yourself.

Butterflies cross your path and a multitude of fluttering colors surround you.

One or two even land on your finger,

Beating their wings gently as they welcome you to their home.

As you go deeper into the forest you feel all the weight leaving you and your body is light and free.

One by one you can see any remaining thoughts dissolve completely as they are taken away by this enchanting forest.

Right now you cannot imagine a place more beautiful than this.

You arrive at a wooden bridge that crosses over a gentle stream and is surrounded by large beautiful flowers of many colors.

As you cross the bridge you notice that from out of the flowers fly the tiniest of creatures.

They look like the fireflies from our world but they are smaller and shine much brighter.

They begin to fly above your head and form a dancing glitter under the forest ceiling.

And then they slowly drift downstream as if guiding your way.

You follow these tiny creatures as they weave through the forest.

The purple mist still covers the floor and the ground is soft under your feet.

The little fireflies lead you at last through tall bushes of green and yellow.

And as you walk through they provide a gentle vibration that instantly relaxes all the muscles in your body.

You allow these beautiful sensations to wash over you and feel a soft tingle across different parts of your body.

It's as if the magic of this forest is lifting you up and you are gliding through these soft bushes.

As you emerge at the other side you arrive at a small clearing surrounded by trees.

There in the middle is a quiet lake with water of silk-like texture and the color of sapphire.

Ahead of you stands a tall rock formation from which a waterfall is cascading into the lake.

A crystal white mist swirls over the water and rises into the forest air.

The firefly creatures create a wonderful display above the lake.

And as you watch the colors dancing above you,

More and more animals begin to enter the clearing.

These are the guardians of the forest surrounded in a purple glow and they will look after you tonight.

You sit on the soft bank and take in this beautiful forest with its tall trees and enchanting colors as you watch the glowing fireflies still performing above you.

Over to your right you notice the same deer from the park emerging from the treeline and walking in your direction.

As it reaches you,

It gently rubs its head against your arm and you stroke its soft fur.

It's almost as if this wonderful animal knew what your heart was yearning for and decided to bring you here.

In the next moment,

The deer turns and begins to guide you down a new path and you leave behind the dancing fireflies and the colorful clearing.

As you follow the deer down the forest trail,

There are hundreds of leaves falling to the floor in slow motion.

And it feels like time itself has stood still in this beautiful place.

As you round a corner behind the deer,

You come to a patch of tall blue grass that comes up to your waist.

The deer guides you to the middle of this grass and they lie down in the clearing.

You sit beside your new companion and scratch behind its ear as it tucks its head under your arm.

Slowly now,

The deer begins to fall asleep with its head comfortably in your lap.

And as you feel yourself lying back in the grass,

It's as if you are supported by a huge cloud and you feel each and every muscle let go as you breathe a satisfied sigh.

The air is warm and calming and as you breathe in,

You feel your belly and chest expand with ease as a new freedom flows through you.

Above you,

You watch in amazement as the canopy of leaves slowly opens,

Revealing the incredible moon singing with its own lullaby and backed by the eternal night sky dotted with stars.

You can hear the enchanting sounds of the heart of the forest which is tempting you to go deeper and deeper.

You give yourself permission now to completely surrender to this moment of magic.

Everything about this forest is pure and beautiful and with your new companion by your side,

You feel safe and protected.

You feel grateful to have found this place and now you know where it is.

You smile at the fact that whenever things overwhelm you,

You have unlimited access to this hidden kingdom.

This is your sanctuary of peace.

You feel your body and your eyes becoming heavier and with each passing blink,

It is impossible to keep them open.

You are warm,

You are comfortable and you are free.

The enchanted forest and the midnight moon will guide your dreams tonight and your lovely deer will watch over you.

You are ready to enter a deep and peaceful rest.

Slowly,

You are drifting and drifting into the forest and into a perfect sleep.

Allow your mind to soften and for your imagination to come alive as you become a dragon rider.

Your adventure begins tonight,

Walking through an emerald woodland in the early evening,

With the sun starting its slow descent and beautiful beams of gold and red pierce through the trees,

Peppering the forest floor.

The birds of the forest have already settled themselves in and you are accompanied only by the soft sound of a summer breeze and your steady footsteps across the bed of leaves below.

Through the gaps of the trees,

You see the silhouette of mountains far off in the distance and endless green hills rolling across the landscape.

As you wander through this ethereal wood,

You are met by a collection of butterflies fluttering above you.

Their colorful wings glisten in the golden beams as they dart across the treetops.

It is clear now that you have left the hustle and bustle of modern life far behind you,

Where there is very little time to relax.

Back there,

It can often feel like there is never a moment to stop and that there is always something to be done.

But here,

Things are different.

There is a beautiful stillness to this land and time moves at a slower pace.

There is no urgency,

No deadlines and no worries at all.

Here is the perfect opportunity to find some peaceful solitude.

To bask in the beauty of nature and to be at one with this enchanting earth.

It is a calming,

Meditative experience.

One that fills you with a deep sense of peace.

As you journey through the wood,

You remember some of the enchanting tales of your childhood.

Fables tell of a famous dragon as dark as the night that resides deep within this land.

Once a month,

Under the light of the full moon,

The dragon would plunder nearby towns,

Taking the season's harvest for themselves.

This dragon was feared among the locals.

However,

In all your years,

You have never once seen a dragon or heard of these plunders happening anywhere else.

And so,

Over time,

The stories faded to myth and from myth into legend.

Now,

Few people can recall the fable of the black dragon.

But you remember it well and you reminisce on long nights by the campfire,

Listening to these tales,

Your heart full of wonder and a sense of adventure.

Unlike the other folk of your town,

There was a secret desire within you.

To meet this dragon.

Before you know it,

You come to a line of tall purple bushes pulsing with an enchanting radiance,

The likes of which you have never seen before.

As you look around you now,

You realize that you have strayed far from the path and that you are on the borders of a new world entirely.

The air is different here.

Cleaner,

More beautiful,

If that were possible.

You feel the fire of adventure rekindle in your belly and memories of childhood wonder guiding your heart now.

As without another hesitation,

You squeeze through a small gap in the hedge.

You emerge into a beautiful clearing,

Illuminated by the setting sun,

Beaming in a golden red spotlight.

There are waterfalls all around you,

Leading into a crystal blue lagoon where multicolored fish dart through the water.

The clearing is lined with a pure white rock,

Topped with purple and emerald trees.

What is this place?

It's as if you have entered a secret magic portal and come out the other side into a hidden garden of wonder and tranquility.

And just then,

In the corner of the clearing,

You spot a huge majestic creature fast asleep.

Your heart flutters with excitement as you watch its smooth black body rise and fall with its long,

Deep breaths.

Can it really be?

No,

That was the stuff of legend,

You tell yourself.

Just silly stories.

And yet,

A sense of wonder,

Curiosity and excitement is flowing through you.

Before you know it,

You are tiptoeing over to this huge animal,

But your heart does not feel fear.

Somehow,

You feel confident.

You know that a place as beautiful as this couldn't possibly be home to anything harmful.

And with this reassurance,

You edge closer to the mysterious creature.

Suddenly,

The creature sniffs,

And their head slowly lifts as their body begins to unravel.

First,

The tail slides across the little white rocks.

Then,

The huge body reels above you.

And finally,

Two enormous wings unfold,

Almost in slow motion.

Your eyes widen with amazement,

As right now,

Waking up from a deep slumber,

Is the very same dragon from the tales of your childhood.

It cannot be,

And yet your eyes do not deceive you.

As dark as the night they told you,

That much is true.

But red eyes?

No,

This creature is blessed with gentle eyes of a tranquil blue,

Like a soft lake peppered with starlight.

As the two of you look at each other,

You offer a low bow,

Showing them that you mean no harm.

Suddenly,

The dragon smiles a toothless smile at you,

Slightly dopey,

But innocent,

Happy and pure.

Their features are soft and friendly,

And there is not a drop of malice in their eyes,

Not a hint of anger.

These eyes radiate warmth and kindness.

Then,

The dragon falls to the floor in dramatic fashion,

And rolls onto their back,

Sticking out their tongue.

Your new friend appears to be demanding a belly rub,

And you cannot help but laugh at their innocence.

With a happy heart,

You approach this gentle giant,

And stroke its soft,

Warm belly,

As this silly dragon begins to pant like a big,

Daft dog,

And an uncontrollable laughter takes over you.

You feel as though you have been ready for this moment for as long as you can remember.

These old tales never left your heart,

And now you know why.

You have always known,

Somehow,

That this dragon is real.

When all others stopped believing,

You never gave up hope.

And what's more,

You know for certain that the old fables of destruction and plundering were just that.

Exaggerated stories to scare the village children into doing their chores and going to bed on time.

But the truth is entirely different.

Here is a beautiful,

Misunderstood creature.

This wonderful dragon craves nothing more than affection,

Companionship,

And a place to belong.

It feels like you have been reunited with an old friend,

As the two of you sit by the tranquil lagoon in a peaceful silence,

Basking in each other's company.

Here is a majestic,

Ancient creature,

A guardian of this old,

Enchanted earth,

And in their company,

You have never felt more safe.

There is a lovely breeze drifting through the clearing,

And a gentle mist rises from the lagoon.

Right now,

There is nothing left to do,

And nothing left to think.

You can simply be.

In the next moment,

Your dragon sits up eagerly and rests their wing on the floor,

Gesturing for you to climb aboard.

With a new excitement,

You perch on the edge of their wing.

Instantly,

You feel yourself being lifted very gently into the air,

Before being placed down on the dragon's huge back.

Their scales are smooth and warm,

And it is incredibly comforting.

It is clear that this wonderful creature already trusts you implicitly,

And the feeling is mutual.

Up here,

You are completely protected,

And you feel blessed to call this dragon your friend.

Suddenly,

Your companion turns their head to look at you with another toothless smile and happy eyes.

You take this as your cue to hold on tight,

And your heart is full of wonder as you feel your dragon begin to gallop faster and faster.

At the very last moment,

They pull back,

And you feel yourself lifting up.

You glide over the pulsing treetops and ascend up into the sky as a new world opens up in front of you.

Above,

Thick,

Fluffy clouds act as nature's ceiling,

And the bright beams of sunset pierce the clouds,

Illuminating them with specks of gold and red.

Below sits the enchanting forest where your adventure began tonight.

And looking down at the vast purple and green leaves rippling in the sunset,

You realize just how lucky you are to have stumbled across this tiny,

Hidden lagoon and to finally meet your lovely dragon.

Your majestic companion glides with a smooth,

Effortless flight,

And an incredible sense of freedom is flowing through you.

The wind traces their wings as they beat slow and strong.

You hold on tight and stroke your dragon,

Thanking them for this magical adventure.

They respond by taking you even higher and banking to the right now,

Where in the distance you can see a vast ocean of sapphire.

As you approach the endless sea,

Your dragon descends slowly until their stomach is almost touching the ocean.

Their wings stretch wide and flat now,

Simply gliding just above the surface as their paws trace the water.

With a new excitement,

You mimic your companion,

Dipping your feet into the cool,

Refreshing ocean.

The sensation is so beautiful and you cannot help but smile.

You loosen your grip now and sit up tall on the dragon's back.

You breathe in this fresh,

Healing air slow and deep,

And you allow this unbelievable freedom to take over you.

You allow yourself to completely let go and to enjoy every second of this wonderful flight.

You are protected by your guardian tonight,

And you know that under the watchful eye of this dragon,

You are completely safe.

It is the adventure of a lifetime,

An adventure that you will never forget.

Suddenly,

A small fleet of gold-feathered birds descend from the clouds and fly in formation around you.

These creatures have a magical glow around them,

As if sent by the sun itself,

And they are unlike anything that you have ever seen.

They show you the way now as your dragon follows their lead,

Banking gently to the left and then to the right as the flock of golden birds swoops across the vast blue.

In the next moment,

Your eyes widen with amazement as families of silver dolphins suddenly appear below and follow you on your journey.

One by one,

They leap from the depths of the sea and are briefly kissed by the golden red sunset.

They call out to you happily before diving back down under the surface.

It is an incredible display,

One that you feel so privileged to witness.

Just then,

The baby dolphin of the pod swims right up next to you until they are within touching distance.

They glide alongside your dragon and peep their head out of the water to greet you.

You reach out your hand and stroke this beautiful creature,

Caressing their head as they call out with glee and they nozzle your hand mischievously with their nose.

And as you take in the vastness of the ocean,

The golden red clouds above you,

The mountains in the distance,

And all of your wonderful companions,

You feel completely at one with nature.

You know that the folks back home will never believe your tales of adventure when you return,

But perhaps it is better that way.

This is your secret,

And you are free to sneak away and return to this hidden corner of the world and visit your wonderful dragon whenever you need to.

In the next moment,

Your dragon begins to lift once again,

And you bid a fond farewell to the baby dolphin and their family.

You glide higher and higher and leave the swirling sea of sapphire far behind you.

Guided by the golden birds of the sun,

You approach the thick,

Fluffy clouds.

Suddenly,

You are surrounded by soft white,

And a refreshing spray of water gently peppers your face.

After a brief second,

You are met once again by a golden light as you emerge from the clouds.

Below you now is a blanket of white reflecting in a soft red and pink,

Illuminated by the last light of the setting sun.

It creates the appearance of candy floss drifting underneath you,

And it is a beautiful contrast to the rich blue and purple sky that is slowly turning from dusk to twilight.

In front of you are a series of mountaintops peeping through the clouds.

Your dragon glides over the mountains,

Swooping between the peaks as the fleet of golden birds continues to guide your way.

Above the clouds,

The air is pure and fresh.

With each breath in,

You feel your entire body soften,

And a new clarity enters your mind.

And with each breath out,

You release any remaining worries and any remaining tension.

A weightlessness washes over you now,

And this floating,

Gliding sensation fills you with a deep sense of peace and comfort.

It is the definition of freedom.

As the last light of the sun disappears over the horizon,

The clouds turn instantly from a soft pink to a shimmering blue and silver,

Illuminated by the new moon that is suddenly pulsing above you.

The golden birds have disappeared with the sun.

They have completed their task tonight and brought you to the summit of the world,

Where all magic begins,

And you are left once again with your beautiful dragon.

Your new companion is a constant comfort to you.

They carry you with ease and keep you safe on this remarkable adventure tonight,

The first of many,

You hope.

And now,

As the stars begin to reveal themselves,

You see a new mountain appear out of thin air,

As if by magic.

It pulses with an enticing radiance,

And is far bigger than the other mountains.

You could swear that this mountain was not there before.

As you continue to climb with your dragon,

Approaching the highest peak of the tallest mountain,

You feel as though if you went any higher,

You might be able to touch the moon itself.

A silver glitter is beginning to illuminate the night sky,

And the many constellations are glowing above you as you catch glimpses of the Milky Way spiraling in slow motion.

Your wonderful companion flies around the mountain peak,

Following a faint silver path all the way around,

Until you arrive at a small opening in the mountain.

Your dragon pulls back now,

And bit by bit,

They descend into a small clearing.

You land with a soft thud,

And your dragon lowers their wing to the floor.

You kick your legs to one side,

And slide effortlessly down their wing,

Until your feet touch the solid ground.

To your surprise,

Your feet are enveloped by a soft,

Warm grass.

Your companion pants heavily from the journey,

And you hold your hand out to them with a smile.

The dragon kneels down and gently nuzzles your hand with their head.

You are so grateful to them for bringing you on this adventure.

You whisper a heartfelt thank you,

And you tell them that you could not wish for a better companion.

You stand for a moment,

Caressing this beautiful creature,

And basking in this new bond of friendship.

You gaze into the dragon's loving blue eyes,

Now looking very sleepy.

Time to rest,

You whisper.

In the next moment,

Your dragon lies on the ground,

And creates a small shelter with their wing.

Without hesitation,

You shuffle underneath their huge wing,

And sit back on the grass.

With a satisfied sigh,

You gaze out across the vast,

Eternal landscape below.

The rolling hills,

The vast blue ocean,

And the endless trees are illuminated by the pure,

White orb of the moon,

And backed by the pulsing constellations.

The stars are almost within touching distance,

And they shimmer with incredible clarity as they begin to sing their very own symphony of sleep.

The clearing is surrounded by steep rocks on either side,

Which keeps the wind at bay.

And there is an unusual warmth up here,

As if this mountain is connected to the very core of the earth,

Warmed by this perfect planet.

As your eyes follow the patterns of the stars,

And the slow spiral of the Milky Way,

This hypnotic light brings you even deeper into a peaceful state of tranquility.

And try as you might,

It is impossible to keep your eyes open.

You feel yourself becoming heavier,

Heavier,

And heavier,

Going deeper,

Deeper,

And deeper.

Your lovely dragon gently places their huge paw over you,

And it acts as a safety blanket.

The soft weight allows you to relax,

And as your breath becomes slow and heavy,

You feel each and every muscle in your body completely let go.

All of the tension in your muscles is slowly unravelling,

Like a soft butter melting.

The magic of sleep awaits you,

And you know that you will dream the most beautiful dreams.

You are safe tonight,

Guarded by your companion,

And surrounded by a world of starlight.

Your mind is soft,

Free from all thoughts.

Your body is heavy,

Free from all tension.

Your breath is slow and deep,

Free from all holding.

Bit by bit,

You go deeper,

Deeper,

And deeper.

Nothing can find you here.

You are protected,

You are safe,

And you are completely at peace.

Your wonderful dragon will protect you tonight,

And you are free to enter a world of dreams and a world of starlight,

Completely at one with this magical universe.

And as you go deeper into relaxation,

Let us begin tonight's story,

The Velveteen Rabbit by Marjorie Williams.

There was once a velveteen rabbit,

And in the beginning he was really splendid.

He was fat and bunchy,

As a rabbit should be.

His coat was spotted brown and white,

He had real thread whiskers,

And his ears were lined with pink sateen.

On Christmas morning,

When he sat wedged in the top of the boy's stocking,

With a sprig of holly between his paws,

The effect was charming.

There were other things in the stocking,

Nuts and oranges and a toy engine,

And chocolate almonds and a clockwork mouse,

But the rabbit was quite the best of all.

For at least two hours the boy loved him,

And then aunts and uncles came to dinner,

And there was a great rustling of tissue paper and unwrapping of parcels.

And in the excitement of looking at all the new presents,

The velveteen rabbit was forgotten.

For a long time he lived in the toy cupboard or on the nursery floor,

And no one thought very much about him.

He was naturally shy,

And being only made of velveteen,

Some of the more expensive toys quite snubbed him.

The mechanical toys were very superior and looked down upon everyone else.

They were full of modern ideas and pretended they were real.

The model boat,

Who had lived through two seasons and lost most of his paint,

Caught the tone from them and never missed an opportunity of referring to his rigging in technical terms.

The rabbit could not claim to be a model of anything,

For he didn't know that real rabbits existed.

He thought they were all stuffed with sawdust like himself,

And he understood that sawdust was quite out of date and should never be mentioned in modern circles.

Even Timothy,

The jointed wooden lion,

Who was made by disabled soldiers and should have had broader views,

Put on airs and pretended he was connected with government.

Between them all,

The poor little rabbit was made to feel himself very insignificant and commonplace,

And the only person who was kind to him at all was the skin horse.

The skin horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others.

He was so old that his brown coat was balled in patches and showed the seams underneath,

And most of the hairs in his tail had been pulled out to string bead necklaces.

He was wise,

For he had seen a long succession of mechanical toys arrive to boast and swagger,

And by and by break their mainsprings and pass away,

And he knew that they were only toys and would never turn into anything else.

For nursery magic is very strange and wonderful,

And only those playthings that are old and wise and experienced like the skin horse understand all about it.

What is real,

Asked the rabbit one day when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender before Nana came to tidy the room.

Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?

Real isn't how you are made,

Said the skin horse.

It's a thing that happens to you.

When a child loves you for a long,

Long time,

Not just to play with,

But really loves you,

Then you become real.

Does it hurt,

Asked the rabbit.

Sometimes,

Said the skin horse,

For he was always truthful.

When you are real,

You don't mind being hurt.

Does it happen all at once,

Like being wound up,

He asked,

Or bit by bit?

It doesn't happen all at once,

Said the skin horse.

You become.

It takes a long time.

That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily,

Or have sharp edges,

Or who have to be carefully kept.

Generally,

By the time you are real,

Most of your hair has been loved off,

And your eyes drop out,

And you get loose in the joints,

And very shabby.

But these things don't matter at all,

Because once you are real,

You can't be ugly,

Except to people who don't understand.

I suppose you are real,

Said the rabbit,

And then he wished he had not said it,

For he thought the skin horse might be sensitive.

But the skin horse only smiled.

The boy's uncle made me real,

He said.

That was a great many years ago,

But once you are real,

You can't become unreal again.

It lasts for always.

The rabbit sighed.

He thought it would be a long time before this magic called real happened to him.

He longed to become real,

To know what it felt like,

And yet the idea of growing shabby and losing his eyes and whiskers was rather sad.

He wished that he could become it without these uncomfortable things happening to him.

There was a person called Nana who ruled the nursery.

Sometimes she took no notice of the playthings lying about,

And sometimes,

For no reason whatever,

She went swooping up like a great wind and hustled them away in cupboards.

She called this tidying up,

And the playthings all hated it,

Especially the tin ones.

The rabbit didn't mind it so much,

For wherever he was thrown,

He came down soft.

One evening,

When the boy was going to bed,

He couldn't find the china dog that always slept with him.

Nana was in a hurry,

And it was too much trouble to hunt for china dogs at bedtime,

So she simply looked about her,

And seeing that the toy cupboard door stood open,

She made a swoop.

Here,

She said,

Take your old bunny,

He'll do to sleep with you,

And she dragged the rabbit out by one ear and put him into the boy's arms.

That night,

And for many nights after,

The velveteen rabbit slept in the boy's bed.

At first,

He found it rather uncomfortable,

For the boy hugged him very tight,

And sometimes he pushed him so far under the pillow that the rabbit could scarcely breathe.

And he missed,

Too,

Those long moonlight hours in the nursery when all the house was silent,

And his talks with the skin horse.

But very soon,

He grew to like it,

For the boy used to talk to him,

And made nice tunnels for him under the bedclothes that he said were like the burrows the real rabbits lived in.

And they had splendid games together in whispers when Nana had gone away to her supper and left the nightlight burning on the mantelpiece.

And when the boy dropped off to sleep,

The rabbit would snuggle down close under his little warm chin and dream,

With the boy's hands clasped close round him all night long.

And so time went on,

And the little rabbit was very happy.

So happy that he never noticed how his beautiful velveteen fur was getting shabbier and shabbier,

And his tail becoming unsewn,

And all the pink rubbed off his nose where the boy had kissed him.

Spring came,

And they had long days in the garden,

For wherever the boy went,

The rabbit went,

Too.

He had rides in the wheelbarrow,

And picnics on the grass,

And lovely fairy huts built for him under the raspberry canes behind the flower border.

And once,

When the boy was called away suddenly to go out to tea,

The rabbit was left out on the lawn until long after dusk,

And Nana had to come and look for him with the candle,

Because the boy couldn't go to sleep unless he was there.

He was wet through with the dew,

And quite earthy from diving into the burrows the boy had made for him in the flower bed,

And Nana grumbled as she rubbed him off with a corner of her apron.

You must have your old bunny,

She said.

Fancy all that fuss for a toy.

The boy sat up in bed and stretched out his hands.

Give me my bunny,

He said.

You mustn't say that.

He isn't a toy.

He's real.

When the little rabbit heard that,

He was happy,

For he knew that what the skinhorse had said was true at last.

The nursery magic had happened to him,

And he was a toy no longer.

He was real.

The boy himself had said it.

That night he was almost too happy to sleep,

And so much love stirred in his little sawdust heart that it almost burst,

And into his boot-button eyes that had long ago lost their polish,

There came a look of wisdom and beauty,

So that even Nana noticed it next morning when she picked him up,

And said,

I declare if that old bunny hasn't got quite a knowing expression.

That was a wonderful summer.

Near the house where they lived was a wood,

And in the long June evenings,

The boy liked to go there after tea to play.

He took the velveteen rabbit with him,

And before he wandered off to pick flowers,

Or play at brigands among the trees,

He always made the rabbit a little nest somewhere among the bracken where he would be quite cosy,

For he was a kind-hearted little boy,

And he liked bunny to be comfortable.

One evening,

While the rabbit was lying there alone,

Watching the ants that ran to and fro between his velvet paws in the grass,

He saw two strange beings creep out of the tall bracken near him.

They were rabbits like himself,

But quite furry and brand new.

They must have been very well made,

For their seams didn't show at all,

And they changed shape in a queer way when they moved.

One minute they were long and thin,

And the next minute fat and bunchy,

Instead of always staying the same like he did.

Their feet padded softly on the ground,

And they crept quite close to him,

Twitching their noses,

While the rabbit stared hard to see which side the clockwork stuck out,

For he knew that people who jump generally have something to wind them up.

But he couldn't see it.

They were evidently a new kind of rabbit altogether.

They stared at him,

And the little rabbit stared back,

And all the time their noses twitched.

Why don't you get up and play with us?

One of them asked.

I don't feel like it,

Said the rabbit,

For he didn't want to explain that he had no clockwork.

Ho!

Said the furry rabbit,

It's as easy as anything,

And he gave a big hop sideways,

And stood on his hind legs.

I don't believe you can,

He said.

I can,

Said the little rabbit,

I can jump higher than anything.

He meant when the boy threw him,

But of course he didn't want to say so.

Can you hop on your hind legs?

Asked the furry rabbit.

That was a dreadful question,

For the velveteen rabbit had no hind legs at all.

The back of him was made all in one piece,

Like a pin cushion.

He sat still in the bracken,

And hoped the other rabbits wouldn't notice.

I don't want to,

He said again,

But wild rabbits have very sharp eyes,

And this one stretched out his neck and looked.

He hasn't got any hind legs,

He called out.

Fancy a rabbit without any hind legs,

And he began to laugh.

I have,

Cried the little rabbit,

I have got hind legs,

I'm sitting on them.

Then stretch them out and show me,

Like this,

Said the wild rabbit,

And he began to whirl round and dance,

Till the little rabbit got quite dizzy.

I don't like dancing,

He said,

I'd rather sit still.

But all the while he was longing to dance,

For a funny new tickly feeling ran through him,

And he felt he would give anything in the world to be able to jump about like these rabbits did.

The strange rabbit stopped dancing,

And came quite close.

He came so close this time,

That his long whiskers brushed the velveteen rabbit's ear,

And then he wrinkled his nose suddenly,

And flattened his ears,

And jumped backwards.

He doesn't smell right,

He exclaimed,

He isn't a rabbit at all,

He isn't real.

I am real,

Said the little rabbit,

I am real,

The boy said so,

And he nearly began to cry.

Just then there was the sound of footsteps,

And the boy ran past near them,

And with a stamp of feet,

And a flash of white tails,

The two strange rabbits disappeared.

Come back and play with me,

Called the little rabbit.

Oh,

Do come back,

I know I'm real.

But there was no answer,

Only the little ants ran to and fro,

And the bracken swayed gently where the two strangers had passed.

The velveteen rabbit was all alone.

Oh dear,

He thought,

Why did they run away like that?

Why couldn't they stop and talk to me?

For a long time he lay very still,

Watching the bracken,

And hoping that they would come back.

But they never returned,

And presently the sun sank lower,

And the little white moths fluttered out.

And the boy came back and carried him home.

Weeks passed,

And the little rabbit grew very old and shabby,

But the boy loved him just as much.

He loved him so hard that he loved all his whiskers off,

And the pink lining to his ears turned grey,

And his brown spots faded.

He even began to lose his shape,

And he scarcely looked like a rabbit anymore,

Except to the boy.

To him he was always beautiful,

And that was all the little rabbit cared about.

He didn't mind how he looked to other people,

Because the nursery magic had made him real.

And when you are real,

Shabbiness doesn't matter.

And then one day the boy was ill.

His face grew very flushed,

And he talked in his sleep,

And his little body was so hot that it burned the rabbit when he held him close.

Strange people came and went in the nursery,

And a light burned all night,

And through it all the little velveteen rabbit lay there,

Hidden from sight under the bedclothes.

And he never stirred,

For he was afraid that if they found him,

Someone might take him away,

And he knew that the boy needed him.

It was a long,

Weary time,

For the boy was too ill to play,

And the little rabbit found it rather dull with nothing to do all day long.

But he snuggled down patiently,

And looked forward to the time when the boy should be well again,

And they would go out in the garden amongst the flowers and the butterflies,

And play splendid games in the raspberry thicket like they used to.

All sorts of delightful things he planned,

And while the boy lay half asleep,

He crept up close to the pillow and whispered them in his ear.

And presently the fever turned,

And the boy got better.

He was able to sit up in bed and look at picture books,

While the rabbit cuddled close at his side.

And one day,

They let him get up and dress.

It was a bright,

Sunny morning,

And the windows stood wide open.

They had carried the boy out onto the balcony,

Wrapped in a shawl,

And the little rabbit lay tangled up among the bedclothes,

Thinking.

The boy was to go to the seaside tomorrow.

Everything was arranged,

And now all that remained was to carry out the doctor's orders.

They talked about it all,

While the little rabbit lay under the bedclothes,

With just his head peeping out,

And listened.

The room was to be disinfected,

And all the books and toys that the boy had played with in bed must be burnt.

Hurrah,

Thought the little rabbit,

Tomorrow we shall go to the seaside.

For the boy had often talked of the seaside,

And he wanted very much to see the big waves coming in,

And the tiny crabs and the sandcastles.

Just then,

Nana caught sight of him.

How about his old bunny,

She asked.

That,

Said the doctor,

Why,

It's a mass of scarlet fever germs,

Burn it at once.

What nonsense,

Get him a new one,

He mustn't have that anymore.

And so the little rabbit was put into a sack with the old picture books and a lot of rubbish,

And carried out to the end of the garden behind the fowl house.

That was a fine place to make a bonfire,

Only the gardener was too busy just then to attend to it.

He had the potatoes to dig,

And the green peas to gather,

But next morning he promised to come quite early and burn the whole lot.

That night the boy slept in a different bedroom,

And he had a new bunny to sleep with him.

It was a splendid bunny,

All white plush with real glass eyes,

But the boy was too excited to care very much about it,

For tomorrow he was going to the seaside,

And that in itself was such a wonderful thing that he could think of nothing else.

And while the boy was asleep,

Dreaming of the seaside,

The little rabbit lay among the old picture books in the corner behind the fowl house,

And he felt very lonely.

The sack had been left untied,

And so,

By wriggling a bit,

He was able to get his head through the opening and look out.

He was shivering a little,

For he had always been used to sleeping in a proper bed,

And by this time his coat had worn so thin and threadbare from hugging that it was no longer any protection to him.

Nearby he could see the thicket of raspberry canes,

Growing tall and close like a tropical jungle,

In whose shadow he had played with the boy on bygone mornings.

He thought of those long,

Sunlit hours in the garden,

How happy they were,

And a great sadness came over him.

He seemed to see them all pass before him,

Each more beautiful than the other.

The fairy huts in the flowerbed,

The quiet evenings in the wood where he lay in the bracken and the little ants ran over his paws,

The wonderful day when he first knew he was real.

He thought of the skin horse,

So wise and gentle,

And all that he had told him.

Of what use was it to be loved and lose one's beauty and become real if it all ended like this?

And a tear,

A real tear,

Trickled down his shabby velvet nose and fell to the ground.

And then a strange thing happened,

For where the tear had fallen,

A flower grew out of the ground.

A mysterious flower,

Not at all like any that grew in the garden.

It had slender green leaves,

The color of emeralds,

And in the center of the leaves a blossom like a golden cup.

It was so beautiful that the little rabbit forgot to cry and just lay there watching it.

And presently the blossom opened and out of it there stepped a fairy.

She was quite the loveliest fairy in the whole world.

Her dress was of pearl and dewdrops,

And there were flowers round her neck and in her hair,

And her face was like the most perfect flower of all.

She came close to the little rabbit and gathered him up in her arms and kissed him on his velveteen nose that was all damp from crying.

Little rabbit,

She said,

Do you know who I am?

The rabbit looked up at her and it seemed to him that he had seen her face before,

But he couldn't think where.

I am the nursery magic fairy,

She said.

I take care of all the playthings that the children have loved.

When they are old and worn out and the children don't need them anymore,

Then I come and take them away with me and turn them into real.

But wasn't I real before?

You were real to the boy,

The fairy said,

Because he loved you.

Now you shall be real to everyone.

And she held the little rabbit close in her arms and flew with him into the wood.

It was light now,

For the moon had risen.

All the forest was beautiful and the fronds of the bracken shone like frosted silver.

In the open glade between the tree trunks,

The wild rabbits danced with their shadows on the velvet grass.

But when they saw the fairy,

They all stopped and stood round in a ring to stare at her.

I've brought you a new playfellow,

The fairy said.

You must be very kind to him and teach him all he needs to know in rabbit land,

For he is going to live with you forever and ever.

She kissed the rabbit again and put him down on the grass.

Run and play,

Little rabbit,

She said.

But the little rabbit sat quite still for a moment and never moved,

For when he saw all the wild rabbits dancing around him,

He suddenly remembered about his hind legs,

And he didn't want them to see that he was made all in one piece.

He did not know that when the fairy kissed him that last time,

She had changed him altogether,

And he might have sat there a long time,

Too shy to move,

If just then something hadn't tickled his nose.

And before he thought what he was doing,

He lifted his hind toe to scratch it,

And he found that he actually had hind legs.

Instead of dingy velveteen,

He had brown fur,

Soft and shiny.

His ears twitched by themselves,

And his whiskers were so long that they brushed the grass.

He gave one leap,

And the joy of using those hind legs was so great that he went springing about the turf on them,

Jumping sideways and whirling round as the others did,

And he grew so excited that when at last he did stop to look for the fairy,

She had gone.

He was a real rabbit at last,

At home with the other rabbits.

Autumn passed,

And winter,

And in the spring,

When the days grew warm and sunny,

The boy went out to play in the wood behind the house.

And while he was playing,

Two rabbits crept out from the bracken and peeped at him.

One of them was brown all over,

But the other had strange markings under his fur,

As though long ago he had been spotted and the spots still showed through.

And about his little soft nose and his round black eyes,

There was something familiar,

And the boy thought to himself,

Why,

He looks just like my old bunny that was lost when I had scarlet fever.

But he never knew that it really was his own bunny.

Come back to look at the boy who had first helped him to be real.

The End