Snowflake would be all right. She was used to hiding her abilities and usually only flew with Forest and Billy.
Flash flew so quickly that he created wind storms. And when he was excited, he had even less control of his speed.
Dunder, on the other hand, Dunder was the epitome of good behavior. “You can help me clean one stall.” He held up a finger. “But only because you already know Dunder, and he likes you. After that, you have to leave.” A sugar plum fairy-sized warning voice told him not to do this while his racing heart urged him on. Time alone with Natasha was a gift he couldn’t refuse.
“Deal. And stop acting like it’s a privilege for me—it’s poop.”
He laughed, scaring away that warning fairy. “Let me go in and make sure everyone is decent.”
“Good idea. I wouldn’t want to interrupt a reindeer in the bathtub,” she winked.
“You have no idea,” he replied with mock seriousness.
Ducking into the barn, he shut the door tightly behind him while trying not to make it sound like he was keeping her out. His eyes lifted to the ceiling first. Sure enough, Sparkle was on the rafters, lounging like a princess. “Hey, pretty lady,” he called softly.
She looked down her nose at him.What do you want?
“I want to bring Natasha in here. But I can’t do that if you’re up there.” Instead of waiting for her reply, which would only make it easier for her to argue, he headed for Rudy’s stall.
She trotted along, dropping hay on his head as she went.Don’t ignore me.
He looked up. “Just this one favor?” he asked softly.
Sparkle floated down and landed next to him. She bumped his hand with her nose.
“Yes, I’ll bring you a treat. Later, okay? After you behave.”
She turned and, in one bound, hopped over her closed stall door, landing gracefully on the hay on the other side.
“Thanks,” he said.
Rudy was next. The young male curled up in the corner, the upper right corner of his stall snoozing away. His nose blinked on and off like an alarm.
The Rudolf gene was so rare that they hadn’t seen it in over seventy-five years.
Rudy’s deepest desire was to be called up on Christmas Eve to light the way through a storm—just like in the old story. However, his blindness had grounded him for years. Flying was dangerous enough when the reindeer could see where they were going.
Faith had performed an operation that restored his sight, and his training was almost complete. With any luck, he’d join the North Pole stables next summer.
Jack let himself into the stall, reached up, and gently woke the reindeer. “We’ve got company, bud. Think you can stay on your feet?”
Rudy nodded, bleary-eyed. He put down on his black hooves and then stumbled over to get a drink from his trough, his nose reflecting on the water.
“Um.” Jack tapped his nose.
Rudy blinked twice, and the light went out.
Snowflake poked her head over the stall door.Don’t worry about me.
“I never do.” Jack rubbed her cheek. “I have a carrot in the house with your name on it.”
Sweet talker.She went back inside her stall.
A gust of wind blew past him, and Jack sagged. “Flash. Really?” The reindeer stopped in front of him like the Tasmanian Devil.
He panted:A guest? For real?
“Nevermind. This will never work.” Discouraged, Jack turned around. “I’ll tell her to go away.”
