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Hi. Sleep tight friends. There's a brand new Smurfs movie coming to theaters July 18th and it's smurftastic fun for the whole family. This time Papa Smurf, voiced by one of our favorite actors John Goodman, has been taken by some very wicked wizards. Now it's up to Smurfette, voiced by Rihanna, to lead the Smurfs into the real world on an epic rescue mission. It's a wild music filled adventure with comedy, heart and teamwork and a smurfy message about being kind and finding your true self. This sounds like a story we would like. With an all star cast and brand new music from Rihanna, Tyla, DJ Khaled and more, it's the perfect summer movie night for everyone. Don't miss the Smurfs. Only in theaters July 18th. A short message for grown ups parents We've all had those times when the whole family is off on their own screens. Wouldn't it be great to find something active and fun that everyone agrees on? Families everywhere are discovering Next Playground an active gain system where your body powers the play. No controllers or wearables, just natural 100% motion driven fun. Fly with how to train your dragon, dance with Barbie, pop bubbles in Gabby's Dollhouse, or master moves with Kung Fu Panda all from your living room. Even better, Next Playground is totally kid safe. No ads, no in app purchases and no mature content. Just good clean fun for long summer days. Want to learn more? Visit nextplayground.com that's nextplayground.com to explore active family gaming today. Hello friends and welcome to Sleept Stories. Lay's is a cat who likes to spend time alone. He was very happy living outside by himself and eating what he could find. But then one day someone picked him up and took him to a place with other cats and dogs. It was awful. Then someone came and took him to a new place. Well, it wasn't a new house, but it was new to Blaze. Blaze and his owner got along well and Blaze loved exploring the house at night. Once his owner was asleep, it was so quiet until one night when Blaze heard a new sound. Blaze and Max Blaze didn't ask to be adopted. He was pretty happy living under a cardboard box near the restaurant that produced all the tasty garbage. It was so delicious he didn't know what it was called, but he especially liked the long stringy stuff with red sauce on top. The only problem was that after eating it he would have to spend the next hour cleaning. The red split off his face. What Blaze liked most about living under the cardboard box was being left alone. He didn't like people or other cats much. He especially didn't like dogs with their loud voices, tongues with drool on them, and big stinky ears. For some reason, a young person wearing tall boots that he couldn't scratch decided to interrupt his version of paradise and despite his hissing and attempts to scare her away, picked him up and put him in a small cage. And then what did she do? She took him and put him in a room full of other cats and dog. Those weeks that he spent there were the longest of Blaze's whole life. It was torture. Those days are over now and his life is a little better. There is no yummy food with red sauce. Instead there is some dry pebbles that make him super thirsty and some other stuff his big person calls chicken and rice with gravy. But he was never hungry. Best of all, he had his own perch high up on the ledge that surrounded the stairs in his new home. His big person seemed kind of old and a bit slow, which suited Blaze just fine. He could run past her whenever he wanted to and she could never catch him. She didn't seem to mind much either, and would still give him something to eat. Twice a day. Most of the time, Blaze would sit high up on his perch listening to his big person come and go. So he was still kind of alone. She was always fixing something or making noise that disturbed Blaze's sleep. Why would she move into an old house if it always required her to fix things? Blaze knew it was an old house because it had so many strange smells, creaks and moans. His big person would often talk on her phone with someone with a younger sounding voice about enjoying living in a new old house in some town called Montague. People didn't realize that cats could understand their language, but just pretended not to. While the daytime was for sleep and avoiding his big person, the night was for exploration and fun. He didn't like to admit it, but Blaze loved all the toys his big person bought for him. He just couldn't help but play with all the bells, furry things and balls she left around. His favorite toy was a string hanging from a blanket on a big chair she sat in, for better or for worse. While he no longer lived under a cardboard box, Blaze was content to be fed and largely left alone. The final light went out and the sounds coming from the room his big person slept in stopped. Except for the snorts that she seemed to always make. Big people were noisy sleepers, it seemed. We cats don't make silly noises he thought. Blaze walked across the ledge from his corner to the top of the stairs, took a look around, and then pranced down the steps to the first floor. It was mostly dark, though. There were these mysterious lights that would turn on whenever he walked past them. This was his time to explore, play, and sit at the window, watching the moving lights that twinkled in the distance. He went to the living room and sat on the end of the couch, looking out the window. But then his ears twitched at the faintest of sounds, a scratching noise. He leapt down from the couch and went to investigate, but saw nothing. Must be the wind moving a branch, he thought, returning to the living room to watch the outdoor lights. Sitting up on the edge of the couch, Blaze heard something again. It was a soft scurrying, barely audible over the gentle hum of the house. He turned his head, his eyes narrowing so that he could focus his attention. The sound was coming from the other side of the room. There was something Blaze could see looked exactly like one of those toys he liked to play with, except. Except it was moving by itself. Could this be what everyone at that shelter talked about? A mouse. It was a mouse, and it was tiptoeing across the wooden floor, unaware that he had just piqued the interest of a feline observer. Blaze's tail flicked in anticipation, and a spark of play lit up his eyes as he prepared to pounce. The moment Blaze's paws hit the floor, the chase was on. With a quick glance over his shoulder, the mouse darted under the coffee table, his tiny heart racing. You can't catch me. He squeaked, a hint of playfulness in his voice as he zigzagged past the sofa. Blaze, agile and swift, followed close behind, his claws clicking lightly on the hardwood floor. Oh, I'll catch you, little one, he meowed, more excited by the game than the catch. The mouse scurried towards the bookshelf, squeezing behind a row of books. Blaze, skidding to a halt, peered behind the books, his green eyes gleaming with amusement. Nice move, but I'm not giving up that easily, he purred. The mouse, emerging from the other side of the bookshelf, darted towards the kitchen, his tiny gray tail a blur. Blaze leaped over a pillow on the floor, ran faster and faster, and was just about to catch the mouse when it was gone. Blaze searched the kitchen. He looked in every corner and couldn't find it. He jumped up on the counter, knocking over a vase full of water and spilling it all over the floor. He even looked at the ceiling. But the mouse was nowhere to be found. After sitting in the kitchen for an hour or more, waiting for the mouse to reappear, he was a patient cat. Blaze went to his bowl, got a drink, and returned to the living room to watch the lights until his big person got up. She would then feed him, and if he could escape her pets, he would disappear to his hiding place at the top of the stairs for the rest of the day. That night, Blaze pranced down the stairs, determined that if that mouse appeared again, he would be certain to catch it. Instead of his usual playing, exploring, and staring at the outside twinkling lights, Blaze took up a position hidden under a chair where he was sure he would be able to catch the mouse. And he waited. And he waited. The house was quiet, with only the usual hum and a gentle ticking of a new clock punctuating the silence. Blaze's ears perked up at every creak and whisper of the night, his eyes fixed on the shadowy corners of the room. Old houses made all kinds of noises in the night, which until now, Blaze had mostly ignored. He felt a thrill of anticipation. The waiting was part of the game. And the fun. Then he heard it. The soft, almost inaudible patter of tiny feet. Pit, pat. Pit, pat. Pit. Pit, pat, pat. The mouse emerged cautiously from behind the curtain, his nose twitching as he sniffed the air. Blaze remained perfectly still, a master of stealth under the chair. Suddenly, the mouse stopped and turned his head towards Blaze's hiding spot. I know you're there. You know? He called out, his voice a mix of challenge and fun. Blaze couldn't help but be impressed by the mouse's perception. He slowly emerged from under the chair, trying to look nonchalant but ready for the chase. You're pretty clever for a mouse. That's what you are, right? A mouse, Blaze said with curiosity and a hint of respect. The mouse laughed, his eyes sparkling with intelligence. And you're not too shabby for a cat. I am a mouse. But you can call me Max, he added, moving a little closer. Blaze relaxed and sat down, his tail curling around his paws. I was just getting started, but you're quite the runner, he admitted. Max nodded, then sat on his hind legs, looking up at Blaze. I have lived in this house long before you and that new big person arrived, and to be honest, I have been a little bit lonely. Last night's chase was the most fun I have had in a long time. I prefer to be alone, but I do like to chase. I just can't help myself. It's like it's a part of who I Am I see something moving and I have to chase it, blaze said, looking up like he was pondering the meaning of life. Max glanced around the room, his eyes reflecting a sense of play. How about we change the rules of this chase a bit? I can't exactly ignore a cat in the house. And I'm sure it would be more fun for you if I was here than if I was not. Blaze tilted his head, considering. What if we just enjoy the chase? No catching. Max's whiskers twitched in amusement. A game of chase without the catch. That could be interesting, he mused. And so that night, an unusual agreement was formed between Blaze and Max. A cat and a mouse. Every night they would play their game. If Max could outrun Blaze, Blaze would have to promise to let him roam around without pouncing on him every time he sees him. If Blaze wins, he would be declared champion of the house. Every night the game would reset and start all over again. The next morning, Blaze went into the kitchen to have breakfast. He was tired after playing their game most of the night. Max had won and pranced around, gloating until just before sunrise. Blaze, though a bit grumpy from the lack of sleep and his defeat, couldn't help but admire Max's cleverness and agility. He watched Max disappear into a tiny crack in the wall, his little tail the last thing to vanish. As he nibbled on his breakfast, Blaze pondered over the night's events. He had to admit it was the most fun he'd had in a long time. The thrill of the chase, the challenge of trying to outsmart Max, and the unexpected turns of their game had brought a sense of excitement he hadn't known he was missing. He realized that maybe, just maybe, having Max around wasn't such a bad thing at all. As he finished his meal, went upstairs to his perch and settled down for a long day of napping, Blaze thought about what the next night might bring. Maybe he could propose a new game, a different challenge this time. One thing was certain. This unusual friendship and their games had only just begun, and many more adventures were waiting for them in this new old house. And that is the end of our story. Good night. Sleep tight.