Papa's Brilliant Idea: Hide-and-Sleep!

Papa Tiger, his tail giving a frustrated little flick, watched Roary chase a sunbeam that was stubbornly refusing to set. Mama Tiger, her usually serene face creased with a hint of weariness, sat on the edge of Roary's plush tiger-striped rug, holding a half-finished storybook. They had tried everything. Mama’s most enchanting tales, filled with brave knights and sleepy dragons, had only made Roary’s eyes sparkle with more mischief. Her gentle lullabies, usually enough to coax even the most stubborn kitten into dreamland, had been met with a cheerful, slightly off-key rendition of a jungle ditty by Roary himself. Papa’s soft, rumbling growls, meant to be soothing, had been interpreted by Roary as an invitation to a wrestling match.

"Perhaps," Papa Tiger sighed, his voice a low rumble that usually calmed the jungle, but today only seemed to echo the general chaos, "we need a new approach."

Mama Tiger nodded, her ears drooping slightly. "I've read every book, sung every song. He's like a little whirlwind of *awake*." She managed a weak smile. "A very cute, very furry whirlwind."