Chapter 2
The Human World

THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, Likee fell on the solid ground in the forest. "Ouch!” she mumbled, finally recovering, and using all her strength, she moved her little body. She felt painful on her body, and saw that she was bruised and aching.

Likee twisted her neck and looked around. She felt that it was not like the bear world she grew up in. It seemed that it was not in the land animal world anymore!

There was a very tall tree beside her, almost reaching up to the sky, so Likee thought she could climb it to go back to her bear world territory. Although Likee wanted to leave home, she still did not want to leave her bear territory. She clambered to the top, but there was not even one way back, just blue sky with white clouds.

Likee climbed down, felt both hungry and thirsty. She was totally lost here, not knowing where she was!

So she continued to look around slowly. Suddenly, from a long distance away, she saw HUMANS. So, this must be the human world! Some bears in her tribe had loved talking about it because there were humans everywhere there!

Likee saw that they were having Burping Food Time. Likee did not know it was called LUNCH here. Back at her home, it was called Burping Food Time because the chefs made the most delicious food that time that would make you burp soundly! It was truly a feeling of contentment.

This made Likee even more hungry. Slowly and quietly she creeped closer to the area where there was human movement. She looked in the pot. There, in the pot was a potful of food! How happy Likee was! Oh, thank goodness! “Yay, this is awesome!” Likee squealed. At once, she started munching on the food.

Likee ate neatly, taking one pawful of food at a time, and gently stuffing it in her mouth. She didn't leave one scrap of food.

Then she grew thirsty. Again, she opened the pot expectedly and this time, sweet water appeared in the pot. It was a magical pot! From the pot, she had a nice long drink. Likee was really thankful for her dear mother!

With renewed strength, she started exploring the human world. By accident, she found a poor thin injured sparrow lying by a bush with thorns, so she decided to take a good care of the sparrow, who Likee named Salizie.

Soon after, they found a hollow in the forest to live in. Likee fed her nuts and seeds, meatballs and veggies. Soon, Salizie grew amazingly healthy after the comfortable and yummy meals.

Salizie thanked Likee very much. Likee felt lucky to meet every single living thing on the planet, because they could speak the same language, and it would be so much better to communicate like that. Slowly, their relationship began to form closer, and stretched between them.

Very soon, autumn flew away.

On the first day of winter, suddenly Likee asked Salizie: “Salizie, do you know where I can learn to dance?”

“What? Learn to dance? You'll need money to learn, and you'll need to work to get money.” Salazie said astonishingly.

The days got colder and colder, they felt they should find a better new home, so they set off at once. As they walked through one village, everyone looked at them strangely. A small bear with a sparrow on her shoulder? How strange!

They passed through another beautiful little village.

Just at the end of the road, Likee stopped in front of a kind looking old man, she thought he must be the wisest, “ Is there a place we can live in, sir?” Likee asked in her sweetest voice.

The old man was scared by them, and stumbled backward slightly. He abruptly remembered something. A long time ago his father had told him about a secret passage which allowed different kinds of animals to pass through, but until now, he had never seen anyone make this big change. But now, before him stood a small harmless bear and a bird .

“Yes,” The old man woke up from his daze, and said, “Go straight to the end and turn right. Yes, that's it, the tremendous night-star elephant cave. ”Then the old man whistled, chuckled and went off.

Likee stared, she couldn't believe the human world was like this. She had been so scared when she had fell down to the human world...

Suddenly, Salizie gave Likee a gentle push waking her from her day dreaming. Straight, then turn right! They walked until they reached the cave.

“Oh, my god!" When she stopped in front of the cave, Likee cried out in surprise.