For most of the year, the world was harsh and unkind. Political voices filled the airwaves with negative messages. Teachers handed out homework. Bullies attacked. Bosses piled on the workload and cut pay. Cars broke down. But at Christmas there was a call for peace on earth. Families gathered to celebrate long-standing traditions and create a few new ones, too. If Santa let down even one-fifth of the children on the Good List, the results could be catastrophic.
He had to kidnap Felix. Not just for his family’s ranch to continue on, but for Billy and Aspen and all the other children around the world. Doing the wrong thing was the right thing to do.
He opened the truck door. “I am so getting on the Naughty List for this,” he grumbled. Gathering tack out of the trailer tack room, he retraced his steps from earlier and ended up at the cabin.
Light spilled from the windows and landed on the snow, giving it a golden glow in contrast to the silver from the moonlight. Golds and silvers–Christmas colors. It was a sign, wasn’t it?
Clove’s grandma was on the couch, her fuzzy gray hair just visible over the back. She was watching one of those Christmas shows that his sisters-in-law loved so much. He could be bribed with a plate of Christmas cookies into watching one or two of them with his mom. She liked the ones that included royals and castles and such. She’d even cut out sugar cookies in the shape of crowns when one of those came on. He could practically taste the sweet icing.
Drake circled the house, searching the branches overhead for Felix’s large body. More like looking for a big lump in a bunch of lumps as snow gathered. It fell softly–not hard enough to cover his tracks, darn it all. At least it muffled his footsteps. If the temperature had been five degrees warmer today, he’d be crunching through a thin layer of ice with all the sneakedy-sneakedness of the abominable snowman.
Felix shouldn’t be this hard to find because he had a rack that was almost as impressive as Dunder’s. Not that Drake would dare whisper such a thing in Dunder’s presence. The graying reindeer was retired and spent his days lounging in the barn, eating more oats than any other reindeer on the ranch. His glory days were behind him–or so it seemed. When the school groups came for field trips, he trotted out and met the kids, giving them all a taste of the magic a reindeer who flew for Santa carried in his or her soul and looking as spry as a two-year-old.
Unfortunately for Drake, Felix wasn’t up a tree or down the lane. Nope. He’d taken up residence on the back porch near the door, in plain view of Grandma on the couch. He’d curled up like a cat with his legs tucked under him and a contented, heavy-lidded look on his long face.
Drake waved.
Felix lifted his eyebrows, or what would be eyebrows.You’re back?
Drake approached slowly. He’d worn the gloves he used when caring for Sparkle last time, hoping the scent would entice Felix to cooperate.
“Hey, Buddy.” He’d seemed pretty interested in other reindeer, and Drake wasn’t above using that to get in Felix’s good graces. He held the halter out in one hand. Reindeer didn’t appreciate surprises–well, most reindeer didn’t, and it probably depended on what the surprise was. A carrot was always welcome.
Felix eyed the halter with more than a little mistrust as he scrambled to his feet and down the stairs, raising a clatter that would wake the dead.Don’t hey buddy me. What’s that for?
“I know you’re not used to this, but it’s not so bad. I promise.” He held it out in front of him, dangling the clasp so it clicked. “Go ahead. Take a look.”
Felix stretched his neck all the way in a good impersonation of a giraffe. He sniffed.
Drake’s hopes lifted. Reindeer were curious creatures, and it worked to his advantage tonight. This exercise, showing the reindeer the lead rope, was something they did with calves within the first two weeks. The sooner they were accustomed to being haltered, the sooner they could start training. Felix was so far behind the calves that were born this last summer that he’d never catch up.
In a quick move, Felix grabbed the halter with his teeth and threw it behind him. It landed on the stairs.
Drake glared. “That wasn’t cool, Felix.”
Felix chortled.
“You like reindeer games? I’ll show you reindeer games.” He unhooked the rope he’d attached to his belt and started swinging the large loop. “This one’s called rope the reindeer.” Flash was the only reindeer in the barn who could beat him at this game–and that was because he flew so quick Drake could barely see him, let alone catch him.
Felix leaned down on his front legs, lifting his back end and wagging his tail.I want to play.He jogged back and forth across the clearing.You’ll never catch me.
“Bet!” Drake called. He watched Felix’s pattern and started swinging the rope over his head.
Felix chortled. He juked just when Drake knew he would, and Drake let the rope fly. It circled Felix’s antlers and settled around his neck. Felix hopped onto the porch and ran down the steps. The rope wrapped around the porch support beam, and Drake planted his feet and leaned back against the tug. If Felix wanted a fight, they’d take the house down with them. He hoped he didn’t freak out when he realized he’d been caught. The rope tightened across his neck. Drake prepared to let go. It was just a game, after all.
Felix stopped in his tracks.You caught me?He pulled his chin back as if trying to see the rope around his neck.
“You got him. Now what ya gonna do with him?” asked Grandma from behind Drake.
He nearly jumped out of his coat at the sound of her voice. She must have gone out the front door and snuck up on him.
Felix stomped one hoof and then lifted his chin and bugled.Yeah! Good one!
Grandma folded her arms across her coat, a bemused look on her laugh-lined face.
“Ma’am. I. Uh.” Drake stared at the rope in his hands, feeling as if the words “guilty” and “thief” were woven into the fibers. “This isn’t what it looks like.”
Her eyebrows shot up so fast they broke speed records. “I certainly hope not, because it looks like Felix is about to tear down my porch roof.”
