Sorry for the length, here it is.

A Christmas to Remember

A Green Ember Story by Fleck Cove

When I woke up that morning, everything seemed normal. I swung out of bed and clambered down my bunk ladder. The wood was chilly, and the floor was icy cold. Five days left until Christmas. What a sad day that would be, what with so many people missing family members and traditions.

I grabbed my jacket and dashed down the hall, barefooted.

In the Savory Den, a few sad flowers flopped out of vases. I could hear Gort screaming in the kitchen for some reason. He had been awful grumpy the last few days. But who wouldn’t at a time like this?

I walked to the entrance where Andrew was on guard, his thin threadbare coat wrapped around his shoulders as he huddled inside the freezing room. It was way too cold to go outside.

I jumped up and down on my feet to stop the chill from creeping in.

“Lieutenant.” He muttered, teeth chattering. I winked at him. This really wasn’t a good time to post guards, but we needed a defense of some sort.

The waterfall entrance had frozen into icicles, though our small team had broken the tips off so visitors could enter safely. Right now, we called ourselves the Forest Guard.

“Fleck is fine, its my name.” I muttered absently.

“No thanks. I like calling you lieutenant.”

“Oh fine. Well, second-in-command-of-mine, what do you have to say?” I laughed, sitting next to him.

“What a sad season. What if we could change that? What if Christmas could be happy this year, even though so many rabbits have died?” Andrew asked. I sighed.

“How’s that gonna work, eh? How could you have Christmas like that?” I asked. Andrew chuckled.

“Halfwind is visiting for a convention, what if we did something to show them that it’s not over? What if we decked the halls, cooked a feast, and were all holly jolly? And… oh… back at first warren, we used to do this thing where someone would dress up as Santa for the younglings, then deliver random gifts Christmas Eve?”

“Yeah, but then what about when Santa actually comes? Anyways, who’d be a good Santa?” I Asked. This plan might actually work, but I was a little skeptical.

“Oh, it won’t be any different, he’ll still leave gifts. And you. You could be the marvelous Santa Cove.”

“That sounds like a pirate.”

“Whatevs.”

“It’s on though.” I smiled, shaking his hand. “But on in secret.”

Stretch, Peter, Pacer, Andrew, Bastille, Midnight, Trinity, Dragonsong, Lord Rake, Rex, Gort, baby Smalls, Kyle, Wilfred, and I met in the Savory Den to discuss our plan. Soon, it was settled. Christmas this year would be a great occasion. Halfwind was coming in two days, we had 48 hours to make a perfect Christmas.

The plan was many Christmas trees through Cloud Mountain, wreaths on every door, evergreens and tinsel through the halls, banners, holly, mistletoe, stories, music, food, a surprise for Helmer, and a great big tree in the Savory den with lots of gifts under it. Gifts for everyone.

Andrew, Kyle, Peter, and I went out to find a perfect tree. I carried the saw over my shoulder, and Drew, Peter and I pulled an enormous sled, Kyle riding on it. The snow was almost five feet deep, and at times it was all any of us could do to keep our heads up.

“Why are you so short?” Kyle called down to us. Unfortunately, you really don’t pay much attention when you’re stuck in snow.

It took 10 minutes of running to find the perfect tree. 30 feet tall, wide with bushy branches perfect for hanging ornaments. Mainly we chose it because Kyle got stuck up it. He… needed to practice being a “Forest Guard”

“Dear me. That Kyle is just getting more and more naughty.” Andrew sighed.

I nodded, starting to saw. “That is a very incorrect representation of the Forest Guard.”

“Umm… Fleck… do you know what your doing?” Peter asked as I sawed with gusto. The tree shivered.

“Trust me. I know what I’m doing!” I yelled back, but the tree split down the middle and fell… right onto the sled.

“Told you!” I called merrily. Really, if they wanted to question anything, it should be why Kyle didn’t just jump down. He was only stuck three feet up!

Anyways, he sat on the tree with Peter while Andrew and I, being experts in the art of sledding, went on an adventure.

There were a lot of downhill slopes going back to Cloud Mountain. I tied a piece of plywood to the sled, and Andrew sat on it.

I grabbed my sword and pushed the sled into flight. The larger sled behind us gained speed… until one of its runners popped off.

“Whoo hoo! Were going back the steep way!” Andrew screamed as we shot 80 miles per hour down a super steep slope with a broken tree-and-friend-bearing broken sled bolting after us.

“AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH” Andrew screamed as our rope untied from the sled.

“I thought you knew how to tie a knot!” Andrew yelled. I couldn’t say anything as we flew faster. All I could do was scream.

Suddenly, the slope gave way to an enormous cliff right by Cloud Mountain. We hung suspended in midair a minute then dropped like a stone. We couldn’t scream, it felt like we’d left our stomachs on the clifftop.

Finally, I found my voice. “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH”

As we passed Maggie Weaver’s porch, we saw her shocked expression. I mean, it’s not everyday you see a war fort’s second in command with his second in command holding on to a piece of wood for their lives while a sled and 15-foot Christmas tree barrel after them.

We hit the snow and the base of the mountain. The sled fell a few feet in front of us, the tree falling to the ground next to us, Peter and Kyle clinging to its branches.

Ten minutes later, we had the tree in stalled to a base in the Savory Den with a tree skirt around it. And then, Stretch and Gort came barreling out of the kitchen, sword fighting with ladles and covered in cookie dough. Of course they are, what did my brother do this time? I wondered

Following them was Bastille with a tray of pretty cookies in one hand and crispy burnt ones in the other. We laughed.

I had to climb up the branches to put the angel on top of the tree. Halfway up, I tripped on a branch and fell into the tree. My friends said that the tree had eyes, ears, and hands then. Thankfully, Midnight caught the angel… on her head.

“I will put this up.” Midnight muttered, climbing up and placing the angel perfectly on the top bough.

“Hurry Fleck! I want presents!” Andrew screamed.

“I’m trying I’m trying. Oh, how do I get out?” I remarked, falling through the branches, my Santa hat falling with me… right onto Bastille.

“Cove, you idiot!” She chased me into the kitchen, where Kyle and 4-year-old Smalls were decorating cookies. Only if you call using quill ink to frost a rough interpretation of my face a decoration… I wouldn’t want to eat that, but knowing Kyle, I’d have to. I flew into the wall, trapped next to a picture of King Jupiter someone [definitely not me] had spilled mashed potatoes on. Someone else had apparently tacked my old drawing of Bleston wrapped in Christmas candles to it.

By the time I got back to the tree, two black eyes and everything, I realized Smalls had wrapped Emma up in a gift box.

“Look! Emma’s a present!” He exclaimed. I ran over and freed her… but it seemed she wanted to stay there.

Smalls had apparently started something.

“Santa Cove time!” Peter yelled. He had to chase me around before he could wrestle the suit on me and make me sit in a big chair. But I must proudly admit it took the picture of Bleston and the quill ink cookie to make it happen.

“Ho, ho ho. I’m Santa Cove.” I yelled. I was surrounded by younglings, and by the time I got through all of them, the lights, ribbons, tinsel, and candy canes were on the tree. I ran over just in time to see Smalls eating an ornament. A bright red glittery ornament.

Helmer walked in then, chased by a horde of giggling younglings.

“No Hat, please.” He begged. Bastille snuck up behind him and placed my hat on his head.

“Do I look cringey?” he asked. Everyone just laughed.

By the time Halfwind arrived, Cloud Mountain was Christmas-ed’ up. Just a surprise attack on Helmer left. While he was at the conference, we decorated his rooms. Andrew and I wrote a banner that said: “Merry Christmas, Oathefollower.” Except it was more like: “Marry Christas, oatheefollower.” Since A) Andrew was laughing so hard he forgot how to spell and he forgot the m in Christmas, and b) we met in the middle, but he was faster than me, and we both ended up writing an E. it would have to do, so we hung it up.

“Ooh, who’s Christas, and can I come to the wedding?” Kyle asked. We fell onto the floor dramatically, not able to hold ourselves upright anymore as we laughed. And turned bright red.

Bastille pulled us out and we hid behind a potted plant as footsteps echoed in the hall.

“Cove!” Helmer yelled, and laughing, we ran, splitting up. I jogged past the mistletoe, but not without first bumping into Hanna Grant under a piece of Mistletoe, which, of course, fell on my head.

“Umm… hi?” I asked.

“Oh... umm… uhh…”

“Umm... oh… how’s… umm... the… umm... summary?” I asked.

“Umm… summary?”

“I... umm… mean… for… school… I mean... no, the... umm arm?”

“I’m supposed to be writing a summary on the arm? Why. umm… didn’t I know about this.?” Hanna asked.

“Gak, I mean how’s the army.” I said, pronouncing each syllable.

“Good.” She laughed, winking at me, and sprinting off. Embarrassed, I kept walking.

That is, until I heard the voices of little kids screaming presents. A twelve-year-old should not have to be harassed about gifts.

“Sorry kids, I don’t have any...” I was cut off.

“PRESENTS!” a little kid screamed, leaping on my cloak as I took off, barreling into the tree in the Savory Den. Well, actually, into the tree. When I freed myself 5 minutes later, the little one was peacefully asleep on my cloak, and I looked exactly like a walking Christmas tree.

And Everyone was laughing.

“I know I look like a Christmas Tree, but I don’t care.” I screamed.

I guess you could say that Christmas turned out ok. On Christmas Eve, we handed out packages to the younglings of Halfwind and Cloud Mountain. There was a candlelight church service [in which Bastille accidentally dripped wax down her chair and Andrew almost burned the room down when I tried to teach him how to light candles.

I guess it was better when we sang Silent Night. Everyone knew the words and the music was amazing.

After that was Christmas Eve dinner. Kyle insisted upon dying his pineapple purple with cranberry juice.

We could only open one gift that night. I chose a small one from Bastille. It was a letter reading: “I highly recommend Fleck Cove for dangerous missions with high risk of implosion.” I smiled, nibbling the candy she’d sent me. It certainly hadn’t been a silent night, but it was the best Christmas I’d ever had.

When I woke up that morning, The stockings were filled, there were presents everywhere, food smelled delicious in the air, and music was coming from the savory den.

I helped my friends organize everyone’s gifts, then we waited for rabbits to wake up. I tried a mug of warm coffee. It was bitter and I have to say absolutely not. No, no, nopety, and NO.

Bastille loved coffee though.

When presents were opened, there was a festive feeling in the air, but even more so when before breakfast I was called to read from the Maker’s word.

After breakfast, I sat with my friends sipping apple cider and listening to the choir. They sang a new song:

Snow gleaming on the ground,

Happiness, all around.

Children laugh,

Old one’s smile,

Christmastime is here.

Oh I’m wishing you a happy one,

A great one,’

A shiny one.

Oh I’m wrapping up this year with a bright bow,

A happy one, for you.

Oh I’m wishing the next year grandly,

The happiest,

The happiest.,

I’m wishing the next year bright,

For you and for me.

Oh I’m wishing you a happy one,

A great one,’

A shiny one.

Oh I’m wrapping up this year with a bright bow,

A happy one, for you.

Ohhhh Sleigh rides.

Oh buckle tightly up.

Oh I’m wishing you a happy one,

A great one,’

A shiny one.

Oh I’m wrapping up this year with a bright bow,

A happy one, for you.

Hearing a horse outside, I rushed out. Helmerson stood ready to pull a sleigh, all buckled in. and up in the sky, a similar sleigh flew off, pulled by a host of flying reindeer.

Helmerson’s sleigh was big enough for 10 rabbits at a time. I ran inside. “Speaking of sleigh rides, anyone want one?”

As I drove through the beautiful snow, my nose nipped by the cold, I realized that it truly was a fine Christmas. The Maker sure had blessed us this year, even with everything that had happened. It sure was a Christmas to Remember.

THE END

-Fleck Cove, December third, 2021.

Merry Christmas.