#in words of jackie stewart...... daddy

[christiangeistdorfer]

JO BONNIER at the 1963 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX

[honeywithblueberries]

Christmas Biscuits Part 3

CHRISTMAS EPILOGUE

Nick woke up with a yawn and stretched contently. With his legs at their longest, he wiggled his toes to amuse himself…. knocking over something at the foot of the bed. He sat up in alarm, crawling over the covers to peer down at what had fallen.

Beautifully wrapped in green paper with purple ribbon, was a long parcel addressed to himself. The todd reached to pull it back onto the bed, jostling Jack from his sleep as he did so.

“Hey!” The hare whined. “What’s the big idea?”

He sat up and blinked over at Nick. Jack’s eyes widened in delight at what his friend had. His own paws still clutched the gift he had received before going to bed. The hare let out a whoop of joy knowing his friend hadn’t been left out.

“Where did this come from?” Nick asked.

Jack bounced up and down on the bed, laughing.

“Santa, Nick! It came from Santa!”

Skye suddenly barreled into the room, a similar package in her paws. She gripped the blue wrappings with glee as she jumped onto the bed and laughed with her hare.

“I told you, Jackie! And he decorated the cabin, too!” The three kits laughed and jumped on the bed, clutching their presents.

The the adults had awoken and crowded around the doorway to Nick’s room. They smiled at one another, reveling in the happiness on those bright little faces. Each thought the others were responsible for the gifts. …………..

Judy snuggled further into her pillow, arms curled around her favorite doll. She tightened her grip on it, wincing as its sharp edge cut into her paw.

I don’t remember my dolly being this pointy, she thought furrowing her brow in her sleep. She opened her eyes and blinked a few times at the gift wrapped in purple paper and green ribbon.

Her name was scrawled in elegant writing on the cream colored card attached to it.

“What in the name of sugar biscuits!” She cried into an empty room, sitting up in alarm.

Judy looked around the room briefly before returning her attention back to the present next to her. Her sisters had long since woken up and rushed down to the tree for their gifts.

Who in the world could’ve given it to her? …………….

Stewart and Bonnie sat on the settee in the parlor, watching their brood dive into their stockings. They had left a gift for each litter in the name of Santa, all of which had been opened. Determined to show they deserved them, there was minimal complaining or whining as the new books, paints, skipping ropes, and other toys were shared.

The Wildes and Frosts sat alongside the lord and lady, with Adrian Bogo looking adorable as he sat with his daughter in his lap on the floor. He read aloud from a picture book to a the youngest litters, Camellia occasionally babbling her approval. Essi played a soft tune on the piano, enjoying the happy laughter that surrounded her.

Meanwhile, apart from the prying eyes and ears of her sisters and brothers, Judy looked at each of her friends. They had all had the same idea to wait until they were together to open their gifts. Jack was grinning more excitedly than any of them.

“Ready?” He asked. Skye nodded to Nick, who nodded to Judy, who nodded back to Jack.

And with that, their curiosity was sated.

Skye opened her gift to find a wonderfully bound journal and elegant pen. It’s cover was a thick black cloth with gold trim etched into it, the intricate design mesmerizing her. She opened to the first page, blinking at the question someone had written on it.

Where does your story begin?

Judy lifted the lid of her gift and gasped. Carved from a dark bit of wood with a Celtic rabbit etched into the hilt, a wooden broadsword, just her size, lay waiting to be used. She gently lifted it from it wrapping, inspecting every inch of the lovely gift. Her eyes paused on the inscription etched on the wooden blade.

Every legend has a beginning.

Nick’s paws trembled as he reached to pick up the wooden cutlass. Beautifully carved, the wooded blade bore the etchings of a fox across it. His eyes traveled the length of the practice weapon, landing on the quote on its hilt.

A hero can come from anyone.

Jack smiled as he looked down into his own gift. Memories of sitting on his father’s lap, staring out the window from the highest point of the mountain towards the sea, sent a wave of homesickness through him. The spyglass he looked at now was similar to what his father let him use. But the compass next to it was something he had always wanted. The note sprawled on the side of it let him release the ache he felt being away from his family.

We never truly leave home. We just wander from time to time.

………….

Devin met with Richard Lupanna to ask for permission to court his daughter. With Lilia and his wife seated on the settee in their parlor, the elder wolf sat in his chair and crossed his legs. Quietly observing the young wolf in front of him, he withheld his snort of distrust.

Richard said no.

Undeterred, Devin said he would court her anyway. The she wolf blushed and hid a smile as her mother chuckled at the young male’s audacity. Outraged, the elder wolf demanded he stay away from Lilia.

“She could do better than the likes of you!” He growled.

Devin merely smiled at his future father in law.

“How long ago did your father in law say that to you?” He asked. Richard paused and took a deep breath. He glanced at his wife and daughter, both of whom were enjoying the scene.

“She’s a terrible snorer!” He said, turning his eyes back to Devin.

“Daddy!” Lilia’s ears grew a bit more pink on the inside as she scowled at her father. The younger wolf laughed.

“As am I,” came the flippant reply.

“And she has atrocious table manners.”

“Daddy!” Lilia groaned and buried her face into her paws. Mrs. Lupanna snorted into her handkerchief. Devin laughed harder.

“She must always been right and can be argumentative. And her singing voice leaves much to be desired,” her father stood and took a step forward, leaning in his head towards the younger wolf. “And her cooking is dreadful! What with her nagging and constant chatter, truly, she is turning into her mother,” said Richard, gesturing to his wife. She stopped laughing and glared at her husband. “In the best way, love.”

“Fortunately, I am rarely right about anything. And I do enjoy a good argument. She and I can both be terrible singers together and I am male enough to cook for her,” Devin turned his gaze to the two females watching them. “You list what we have in common and show me what a lovely future I could have,” Mrs. Luppana blushed as Devin winked at her. “Perhaps I should be asking for her hand now, instead of asking just to court her?”

He brought his eyes to Lilia. The she wolf blushed and grinned at him.

“You may court her,” said Richard, sighing and giving him a hard stare, “if only because you may loose her interest and send her into the arms of a proper suitor.”

Lilia stood and walked towards her handsome wolf. She smiled up into his eyes and brought her paws to his muzzle.

“Not a chance, Daddy. Not a chance.” ………….

Ian Wolford stood with his back to the wall. Dressed in his dark coat and thick pants, he huddled deeper into his scarf as he watched the front grounds for movement. He picked up distant noise from the Hopps family and their friends playing in the snow on the other side of the wall, but, for the most part, he tuned it out.

He closed his eyes and sighed. Taking Devin’s shift was turning into a regretful thing. How dull it was at the moment. But the Santa plan had worked for him, even if Jack didn’t fall for it.

Oh, well, he thought, feeling a bit rueful. They must all grow up sometime.

The sound of familiar paw steps made him smile, though he didn’t open his eyes.

“I thought you would still be asleep,” he said.

“Me, too,” replied Claudia as she approached him.

“Don’t leave me in suspense, Fang,” the wolf teased.

He opened his eyes to look at her with a smile. Claudia stood just off to the side of him with her paws tucked into her coat. She was gazing at the ground and frowning, an expression he hated. It made him feel like a failure as a friend. She sighed and pointed up.

“Mistletoe,” Claudia said as his brown eyes widened on the bough growing on the tree above him.

Without a word, she swooped down and caught his lips. One paw came to his muzzle as she deepened it briefly, pulling away all too soon for his liking. He stumbled forward in surprise when she did and regarded her with amazement.

“If you tell anyone, I fill your bed with crickets.” And with that, she turned on her heel and walked away.

Ian watched her go, a small smile forming. His tail wagged and his ears shot up as she disappeared around a corner.

“That’s fair.” ……………………..

Adrian Bogo was patrolling the grounds again. The Hopps had set up a buffet for their security and, wanting to make sure they all enjoyed it, he relieved each mammal for a short respite. His ears flicked as the registered the sounds of laughter from the courtyard as snowballs were thrown, snow angels were made, and snow mammals were built.

Stopping by the archway leading to it, Bogo paused and took in the sight of the happy kits, watched over by their parents. His own little calf was being lead around the yard by two of the older Hopps bunnies, her laughter warming his heart as her hooves crunched down on to her first snow.

Dark eyes darted to Nick and Judy testing out their new swords, stopped on occasion by Vivian. The vixen would fix their posture and mouth some advice to the pair before they continued their play.

Skye had climbed a tree and was about halfway up, the spyglass pointed off into the distance. Judging by how Jack stood with compass in paw, the other pointed where his friend was looking, they were trying to see his home across the vast distance that separated them. The spyglass was held briefly aside as she scribbled notes into her new journal.

“I must say, Winston,” began the buffalo, as the sound of crunching snow came up beside him, “the gifts were a nice touch.”

He turned to smile at the slightly dazed reindeer buck who came up beside him. The smile dropped as he registered the face of the newcomer. The buck shook his head and blinked before meeting Bogo’s eyes.

“Huh? I actually wanted to apologize, Adrian,” he said, bringing a hoof up to rub the bridge of his nose, “Paula went into labor last night.” Slightly teary eyed, his hoof dropped and a soft smile illuminated his face. “We have a baby doe!”

Bogo’s jaw dropped as he looked from his old friend then to the foursome still playing and laughing on the patio. Turning back, Winston had not even registered the expression of disbelief on the buffalo’s face. His thoughts obviously on the wife and newborn daughter he had waiting for him, the buck grinned as tears ran down his face.

“I’m a daddy, Adrian,” he whispered, half terrified and half overjoyed. “On Christmas day! It’s a Christmas miracle.”

Nodding at his friend, a smile growing on his face, Bogo put an arm around him and lead him to where his own wife stood laughing.

“Yes it is, Winston.” He smiled as his eyes met Essi’s, the light they always held growing tenfold as he walked towards her. “Yes it is.”