It was night time and little Lamb could not go to sleep. He then said to his Mom, "Mom, can you please tell me a story?". "Okay", replied Mom. "I'll tell you the story about the Leopard".

"A long time ago, a Leopard came to the farm. We could see it standing on top of a rock outside. Our parents urged us not to go outside the farm", said Mom. "Then what happened?", asked the little Lamb.

"We were playing with a ball and it went outside the gate. One of my friends went out to fetch it and she never returned. She was never seen again. The Leopard took her", said Mom.

"I'm so sorry such a bad thing happened to your friend, Mom", said the little Lamb. The little Lamb was now sad. He could just imagine one of his friends disappearing, he didn't like the feeling.

Little Lamb climbed on to the small opening of the barn they were sleeping in and gazed on the horizon, into the far end of the dark land. "Mom, do you think the Leopard is still out there?", asked the little Lamb.

"No", replied Mom. "Since that incident, no one has seen it or it's tracks near the farm", she added. Little Lamb was now a bit better knowing that him and his friends are safe.

The next day, little Lamb was walking alone in the woods and he got a little far than he usually did and to his surprise, he saw a baby Leopard. He immediately got frightened and kept his distance.

"Hello", said the baby Leopard. "Would you like to play with me?" Little Lamb thoroughly analysed the baby Leopard and frighteningly said "No!." Little Lamb started to walk back home. On the way, he pondered why the baby Leopard wanted to play with him.

Baby Leopard got home later that night. He said, "Mom, something weird happened today". "What happened", asked Mom. "I was in the woods and I saw a Lamb and I asked him to play with me and he said No!"

"I think I know why", said mother Leopard, with a sad face. "Long time ago, when I was just above your age, I went to their village looking to make friends with some of the sheep there", she added.

"I couldn't get in the farm because it was gated so I stood outside on a rock hoping for one of them to notice me. Eventually one of the Lambs came outside chasing after a ball and a human came and took her"

"Took her? Took her where?", asked baby Lamb. "To the abattoir", replied mother Leopard. "When she got taken I ran because I was scared. Since then, they have been blaming me for her disappearance", she added.

"I'm so sorry that you're being blamed for something you didn't do", said baby Leopard. "It's, okay", replied mother Leopard. Baby Leopard now understood why the Lamb didn't want to play with him. But he thought of making things right.

The next day, baby Leopard went close to where he met the Lamb and climbed on a small tree. He was hoping for the Lamb to show up. To his luck, the Lamb did. Baby Leopard explained what happened on that fateful day. "It all makes sense now", replied little Lamb.

Baby Leopard got down from the tree and they both started playing together. They played all the games they could think of, including tag, but they mostly jumped up and down. They were both happy about their new friendship but soon had to leave for home.

Little Lamb was so excited when he got home. "Mom, guess what!". "What?", replied Mom. "I made a friend today. He is a Leopard", said little Lamb. "A LEOPARD!", shouted Mom. "Mom, relax, let me explain", said little Lamb.

Little Lamb told his Mom what baby Leopard had told him. "It all makes sense now. This explains why sheep keep going missing even at the absence of the Leopard.", said Mom. Little Lamb couldn't wait for the next day so he could see his new friend.

The two new friends met again at the same spot and continued doing what they know best - playing. The End!