The stars were soft above the nursery, and the blue-and-lavender quilt was spread wide on the floor. Leo Lion, Zizi Zebra, Gigi Giraffe, and Bibi Bunny were already cozy. Tiny Nino Chick stood at the edge, blinking sleepily.
“I want to sit close,” peeped Nino. “Close enough to see everyone.”
Leo Lion patted the quilt with one warm paw. “Come here, little friend.” So Nino waddled over and tucked himself beside Leo’s fluffy mane.
It was warm there, but Nino could only see Leo. Zizi’s stripes were hidden, Gigi’s gentle face was far away, and Bibi’s pillow looked like a blue moon on the other side of the quilt.
Nino tried beside Zizi Zebra next. Zizi sat very still, so still that her stripes looked like quiet bedtime roads. But from that spot, Nino could not see Bibi Bunny at all.
Then Nino tried beside Bibi. Bibi lifted one long ear to make room, but the soft ear rolled down with a floppy little flop. It made a cozy curtain right over Nino’s beak.
Nino blinked. “Where is my place?” he peeped in a very small voice.
For a moment, nobody moved. Then Leo smiled. “Maybe your place is not beside one friend,” he said. “Maybe your place is where every friend can be close.”
“Scoot, scoot,” whispered Leo. Zizi wiggled a little to the left. Gigi leaned her long neck gently to the right. Bibi pulled the blue pillow close, but not too close.
A tiny space opened in the middle of the quilt. It was not too big. It was not too small. It was just Nino-sized.
“Here?” peeped Nino.
“Here,” whispered all his friends.
Nino stepped into the cozy middle. Now he could see Leo’s kind eyes, Zizi’s soft stripes, Gigi’s sleepy smile, and Bibi’s blue pillow. The quilt felt warm beneath his tiny feet.
He touched Leo’s paw. He touched Zizi’s hoof. He touched Gigi’s soft nose. He touched Bibi’s pillow. One, two, three, four friends, all close enough to love.
The friends leaned in gently, making a quiet little circle around him. Leo hummed, “Night-night.” Zizi hummed, “Night-night.” Gigi hummed, “Night-night.” Bibi whispered, “Night-night.”
Nino tucked his tiny feet beneath his feathers. His eyes grew heavy. The cozy middle was not just the middle of the quilt. It was the middle of all his friends.
And in that soft, safe middle, Nino fell asleep. Good night, little friends.
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