Dolce's Story Chair - Jingles and the Wishbringer (Part 4)

Dolce: Dad.
Dad: Yes, Dolce.
Dolce: Do you have something to say to my furriends.
Dad: Merry Christmas? Happy Holidays?
Dolce: No! You promised a story. A full story no interruptions this year!
Dad: Dolce. Do you know what life is?
Dolce: Of course I do. What is it for Beans?
Dad: Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans.
Dolce: Oh.
Dad: I am sorry. I didn't give your story the attention it deserved.
Dolce: You should be.
Baci: Chicken! Chicken! Chicken! Chicken! Chicken! and Ham!
Dad: Was that Baci?
Dolce: Just ignore him. Please. Just Ignore him.
Dad: The reason your story has been delayed, paused, stopped, interrupted is that sometimes your bean's brain writes more than a simple blog can contain. This years story grew a bit larger than intended. So I had to sit back and refocus the story. The story I would tell you and Baci as you curled up beside me next to our fireplace with your mom and grandma baking gingerbread in the kitchen.
Baci: Is there chicken in Gingerbread?
Dolce: No, stoopid brother. Otherwise it would be called Chickenbread.
Baci: Ooohmm! Chickenbread!
Dolce: Baci! You're drooling again on the Story Chair.
Dad: Before Dolce and Baci start arguing again, let me start the much delayed four chapter of ...


Jingles and the Wishbringer

Sammy, Tinker and Myrrh rode for many days on Sangilak's warm furry back. Myrrh even found herself falling asleep curled into a tight little ball in Sammy's lap. Tinker rode for the most part, but he also ran along Sangilak's side. He ran until his shorter legs could no longer keep up with the lanky Husky and then he jumped back up onto Sangilak's back and curled up next to his sister, Myrrh. Sammy sat upright and took in the sights and sounds of the forest and meadows they passsed through.
Sammy found the scenery quite beautiful. Although he was getting a little homesick for his warm fire and freshly baked cookies and hot chocolate from the Workshop cafeteria. He shifted his weight on Sangilak's back as he felt a twinge grow in his lower legs. Sammy looked down at Sangilak's back. There was something different about Sangilak.
"Are you doing okay, Sangilak?" Sammy asked as he shuffled his weight around.
"I feel fine." Sangilak replied. "I have not had this good of a run in a long time. Why do you ask?"
"It feels different back here." Sammy stated as he tried to move his tail bone off of the Husky's spine. "Are you getting taller and thinner?"
"I don't think so." Sangilak mused. "But I have never ran this long this far before."
Sammy nodded quietly and he went back to admiring the scenery and gently petting the two cats curled up asleep in his lap.
The strange foursome headed south for another week and a bit. The days had grown darker and darker a little bit at a time.
"I hope that Jingles is okay." Tinker said as he scampered next to Sangilak.
"I w..." Myrhh started to speak, but quickly caught herself. "I hope that everyone at the North Pole is okay too."
Sangilak turned his head to look at Myrrh. His brow furrowed slightly.
"They will be okay." Sammy stated. "As long as Jingles keeps the TiDE from going out, the North Pole will be on a different time than the rest of us."
"What about Christmas?" Tinker asked. "What if we don't find the problem by then?"
"We have until Christmas Eve. We can slow time or speed it up but we cannot go backwards. It is the same technology that permits Santa to visit all the children who believe in one night." Sammy said. "Once the TiDE is allowed to go out, the North Pole will race to match up with us. To them it will be as if nothing happened. Santa will get on his sleigh and will make his rounds like he does every year."
"That all sounds very complex." Sangilak said.
Tinker looked up at Sangilak. The great Husky's voice sounded a bit deeper and had more of an edge than it had when they first met. Tinker noticed that Sangilak was also looking more like the wolves that had nearly captured them in the forest. Tinker hopped up onto Sangilak's back.
"Sammy." Tinker tried to whisper so that Myrrh and Sangilak could not hear him. "I think Sangilak is changing."
"Yes, he is." Sammy whispered back. "I don't know how. I didn't hear Myrrh make a wish and when I asked her she said she has not made a wish."
"Should we be worried?" Tinker asked.
"I don't know." Sammy replied. "No matter what his exterior, Sangilak's heart is true. He has done nothing to deserve our fear."
"Okay." Tinker replied as he hopped back down to run in the light snow.
Neither Tinker nor Sammy noticed the penetrating stare Sangilak gave each of them.

Soon the foursome found themselves at the edge of a large human city at the dawn of the darkest day of the year. Sangilak stopped a good distance from the edge of the city.
"This is as far as I can take you." Sangilak stated. "I cannot go into the city with you."
"Why not?" Tinker asked as he leapt off of the Husky's back, "We can cover so much more distance with you."
"Although I was once a trusted friend of humans. " Sangilak replied, "I will no longer be welcome within their midst as a free creature."
"Why not?" Myrrh asked as she dropped to the ground and sat beside Sammy and Tinker.
"Because of you." Sangilak stated as he turned his great blue eyes firmly on Myrrh. "I never told you how I found you in the woods. While I was wandering in the Forest after being abandoned, I felt a voice calling me. I then caught your scent on the Great Northern Wind. It was like a brilliant blue ribbon floating through the trees. You called me, Myrrh. The Wishbringer called and I answered."
"No I didn't." Myrrh stammered as she shuffled her gaze from Tinker to Sammy and back again. "I promised them I wouldn't."
"Are you sure?" Sammy asked. "Back in the forest, when we were all cold and tired, you didn't make a little wish?"
"I'm sorry." Myrrh said softly. "I didn't say it out loud, but I did wish that we didn't have to walk anymore."
Sammy frowned slightly.
"I think that you not only brought our friend Sangilak to our rescue." Sammy mused, "But I think you also brought the wolves. One way or another, that night in the forest, we weren't going to have to walk anymore."
"I'm sorry." Myrrh started to sob.
"Don't cry, Myrrh." Sangilak nudged the cat with his great nose. "Once I found out that you are the Wishbringer, I have been making a wish everyday."
"What wish would that be, Sangilak?" Tinker asked.
"I have long been part of two worlds, but never belonging to either." Sangilak replied sadly. "Abandoned by humans, untrusted by wolves. My wish was to belong to one or the other. I thought that by taking you to the human world, I could once again live and be loved amongst humans."
"But instead, You're becoming a wolf." Tinker finished Sangilak's thought. "I thought you were looking more and more wilder."
"I made a wish." Sangilak said, "And the Wishbringer answered. I must go now. You only have a short way to travel to reach the human city."
"We would have never made it this far without you, Sangilak." Sammy said.
"If you hadn't come along." Myrrh purred and rubbed her body against Sangilak's long right foreleg. "We would still be far far away."
"You have granted me my heart's desire, Wishbringer." Sangilak lifted his head and he sang out his first true wolf cry. Sangilak lowered his head gave Myrrh a playful nudge and then gave her right cheek a big slobery lick. "I have named you to the Winds, Wishbringer. You and your friends. None who listen to the Wind will harm you. Ever. That is my gift to you."
"Take care, Sangilak." Sammy said sadly.
"You too, my Friends." Sangilak replied.
"One more thing, the scent of something terrible floats on the winds from over there." Sangilak motioned to a group of human houses. "It blows with the colour of danger and of Shadow. Maybe that is the source of your misery."

Sammy, Myrrh and Tinker watched as Sangilak trotted away from them. Sangilak paused at a small break in the tree line. The three companions sat and listened to Sangilak's mournful wolf song as their departing friend tried out his new found voice. A soft stillness deadened the winter air. Then, in the distance another mournful cry answered Sangilak's question.
"Friends!" Sangilak had cried out. "I bear news!"
"Come friend!" the far off voices had replied. "Tell us your tidings!"
"The Wishbringer has come." Sangilak replied joyfully to the newly risen full moon.

"Angels, We have heard on High." Sammy hummed as he wiped a tear from his cheek.
"What is that?" Myrrh asked.
"Just another thing humans got wrong." Sammy smiled as he coaxed his two furry friends onwards.

Sammy, Tinker and Myrrh headed to the collection of houses that Sangilak had pointed out before his departure. It was a small cul-de-sac of ten houses. Nine of which were brightly decorated. One of the ten had a sparse string of white christmas lights upon its rain gutters. This was a house that was trying to be in the holiday spirit, but Sammy could sense that there was no hope or happiness behind the yellow glow of the house's decoration.

Sammy pursed his lips thoughtfully. Sangilak had steered them to the the right house. This is where he, Tinker and the Wishbringer needed to be.






To be continued....

Dolce Story Chair - Jingles and the Wishbringer (Part 3)

Dad: Dolce, Where are you?
Dolce: I'm here.
Dad: Why are you so tired today?
Dolce: Scout didn't transport home until he absolutely had to.
Dad: Were you up past your bed time?
Dolce: Just a little bit.Scout's brother Shaggy has a request; he can sit on your lap while you tell the story tonight?
Dad: As long as he knows that whoever is on my lap has the responsibility of turning the pages of the story for me.
Dolce: Shaggy is pretty smart; he can do that no problem.
Dad: When then, I guess I have a page turner for tonight's chapter. So let's all get comfortable and remember that we left off with Sammy, Tinker and Myrrh leaving the North Pole to find out what was happening in the human world...


Jingles and The Wishbringer


Sammy, Tinker and Myrrh walked steadily south. They only stopped for a few short hours at a time to grab a short nap in a quickly dug snow den. Tinker and Myrrh pressed their bodies against Sammy's to help keep him warm. Overhead the Aurora Borealis danced and flickered even during the day.

After trekking for many days, Sammy suddenly held up his mitted hand and brought the little group to a stop. He looked around and then he fished a strange pair of glasses from his backpack. The glasses had what appearred to be several snowflakes stacked on top of each for lenses. Sammy placed the glasses on his head and then adjusted the snowflake lenses on each side.
"What is it, Sammy?" Tinker asked.
"We are at the Last Marker." Sammy said as he pointed to something off to the group's right side. "We are now officially outside of the North Pole. The only way we can get back is if Jingles sends someone for us."
Tinker and Myrrh were suddenly frightened. They had not been in the human world since they were rescued from that cardboard box on Christmas Eve a year ago.
"Well all we have now is our wits, some North Pole engineering and Myrrh's gift." Sammy stated confidently. "if anyone can find out what is going wrong, it's us three."

Once again the three travellers began marching south and soon they began to see sporatic signs of human activity, but no towns or cities could yet be seen.

During their trek through a thick pine forest, Tinker suddenly bounded up to Sammy's side.
"Sammy." Tinker said in a low voice."I think there is something behind us."
"I know." Sammy replied. "It has been following us for the last couple of hours. I think it caught our scent as we crossed that last frozen river."
"Is it dangerous?" Tinker asked as he nervously looked backwards.
"I don't know." Sammy said. "It seems to be fairly large by cat and Elf standards and it is gaining on us."

Sammy and Tinker tried to get Myrrh to hurry up but she was having trouble moving through the deep snow. Whatever was behind the three friends was making great gains on them. Sammy thought he caught a glimpse of a furry dark body several times. He was somewhat worried that whatever it was it might mistake an Elf and two cats for a midday meal. He pulled a Snowstar Sparkler from his pack; it would not hurt the creature behind them, but hopefully it would scare it off if necessary.
"My paws are getting cold." Myrrh complained. "And this snow is sticking to my fur."
"Just a little farther, Myrrh." Sammy coaxed her on. "Then we will find some shelter for the night. I might even be able to get a little fire going to warm us all up."
"Oh."Myrrh sighed. "I would love a fire. I wi..."
"Myrrh!" Tinker shouted. "You can't say those words here in the human world. We don't know what might happen."
"But I'm getting cold." Myrrh snapped back.
"I'm sorry, Myrrh." Sammy apologized. "We will find a place where we can settle in for the night."
"Is it safe?" Tinker whispered to Sammy.

"I don't know." Sammy said softly, "But if we don't get your sister into shelter soon, she is going to make a wish. I have no idea what would happen afterwards. What if she wishes for warmth and then her wish melts all the snow?"
"We need to find her shelter right away." Tinker agreed.

They increased their pace over Myrrh's objections. Sammy kept reassuring her that there was shelter just up ahead just to keep her putting one paw in front of the other. Sammy and Tinker were so focussed on keeping Myrrh distracted that they failed to notice the dark shadowy forms that had stealthfully crept up and were now tracking the three friends on either side.
Sammy, Tinker and Myrrh came into a small clearing that had tall pines trees all around. The air was still and seemed to be a little warmer. Sammy stopped and looked around.
"I think that we should be able to stop here and get a small fire going." Sammy said as he laid his pack down on the snow covered ground.
"That's sounds good." Tinker said, "I'm getting a little cold, too."
"A fire would be wonderful." Myrrh said excitedly.

"I'm afraid we can't let you do that." A deep menacing growl sounded from the edge of the clearing. "You see my friends and I do not like fire."
Sammy's hand slipped into his pocket and he tightly gripped the Snowstar Sparkler as he watched four large wolves step from the cover of the trees.
"I have not seen your kind before." The largest wolf snarled as he slowly circled around Sammy, Tinker and Myrrh. "No matter. I am sure you will taste just fine."
"I want the fancy dressed one." Another wolf sneered as it crept closer to Sammy.
"You will wait your turn!" The largest wolf turned and viciously snapped at the other wolf who retreated quickly with a loud whimper.

The four wolves slowly moved towards Sammy, Tinker and Myrrh with their sharp pointy teeth bared and deep ferocious snarls emanating from their throats.
"I think if there was ever time for a wish it is now, Myrrh." Sammy said as he pulled the Snowstar Sparkler from his pocket.
"I can't." Myrrh cowered next to Tinker who was puffed up and hissing. "I'm too scared."
"Then get ready to climb a tree." Sammy said as he pulled the tinsel plug on the sparkler.
The sparkler in his hand began to pulse with a brilliant blue light. It grew brighter and brighter until it was painful to the eyes. The wolves pulled back slightly. The sound of something popping and crackling started to come from the heart of the sparkler. The wolves pulled back even farther, but there was still no clear path to one of the tall trees to provide safety from the hungry wolves.

Without warning, another large furry form bounded into the clearing and plowed fearlessly into the side of the largest wolf. The wolf was bowled over onto it side and it snapped helplessly at the new arrival, a large Husky with a thick white ruff and balck and silver sides. Sammy noticed that the Husky had the worn and tattered remanants of a harness around it's neck and on its side. It was the biggest Husky Sammy had ever seen. If not not for the harness, he would have mistaken it for another wolf.
"Whatever you were going to do, I suggest you do it?" the Husky barked.
Sammy tossed the sparkler into the air where it exploded with hundreds or brilliant blue and silver snowlflakes. The wolves yipped and whined and scattered from the clearing.
"Thank you." Sammy said.
"You had better climb on." the Husky said urgently. "These wolves will quickly recover their courage."
Sammy climbed up and was followed swiftly by Myrrh and Tinker.
"What is your name, friend?" Tinker asked and he sat in front of Sammy with Myrrh pressed tightly against him.
"Once I was called Sangilak." the Husky replied.
"Strongest of All." Sammy translated from the northern human tongue.
"Yes. That is what they called me." the Husky said. "Now hang on, I'm not known for my smooth gait."
"What are you known for, Sangilak?" Myrrh asked.
"I can run faster and farther than the Great Northern Wind blows." Sangilak said as he he bolted for the cover of the trees just as the four wolves overcame their shock and fear of Sammy's sparkler.

Through the trees, Sangilak ran with Sammy, Tinker and Myrrh on his back. Sammy held tightly to the old harness and Tinker and Myrrh held tightly on to him. The four wolves were in hot pursuit. They could hear their barking and snarling right behind them. Sammy even thought he could feel their hot breath on the back of his neck.

Sangilak had been well named and he lived up to his boast. He ran as though the Great Northern wind had lifted his mighty paws from the snow. Soon the wolves' cries began to fall away. Thanks to their new friend, they were safe. Sangilak ran true to his word, and he did not stop until they were safe.

"What brings you three here?" Sangilak asked as he slowed to a gentle walk. "It is obvious that you are not creatures of the woods."
"You two are housecats if my nose remembers correctly." Sangilak said to Tinker and Myrrh. His nose twitched as he sniffed the air about Sammy. "Your scent I don't remember. I do not hink I have come across your kind before."
"He's an Elf." Myrrh said as she balaned herself on Sangilak's broad shoulders."Elf?" Sagnilak repeated. "I have not heard that word before. But you smell friendly enough. Once again, i ask what brings you three here?"

Sammy told Sangilak about what was happening at the North Pole and what he and the two cats were searching for.

"Well, if you want to find a source of misery and hopelessness." Sangilka sighed, "Then it is humans you are looking for. There is a large human city a ways south of here. I will take you."
"Thank you, Sangilak." Sammy said.
"Don't thank me too soon." Sangilak laughed. "Especially after you have been riding my back for several days."

Sangilak found his strength again and he resumed his long striding pace southwards to the human city.

To be continued...

Dolce's Story Chair - Jingles and the Wishbringer (Part 2)

Dolce: Dad, our furriends are arriving! Time to start the second part of the story!
Dad: I'm coming, Dolce.
Dolce: What's taking you so long?
Dad: Maybe, if you helped around the house.
Dolce: I do help out. You bring my mousies from under the sofa, and I puts them right back.
Dad: That's not the help I was thinking of.
Dolce: If you think I am going anywhere near the Sucky Monster, you are on kitty crack.
Dad: Dolce.
Dolce: Yes, Dad?
Dad: Let's start the story...
Dolce: Okay, I am going over there to cuddle with Scout.
Dad: Okay, You do that. Now let me see where were we... That's right... Jingles had just been given a cryptic message. So here it tonight's chapter of...

Jingles and The Wishbringer - Part 2

Jingles and Tinker strolled along Marizpan Lane. Jingles was clearly upset. His tail twitched from side to side and he jumped at every unexpected noise. Tinker looked at his adopted brother and worried that Jingles was hiding something bad from him and his sisters. Jingles had been this way for nearly three weeks.
"Is there something wrong, Jingles." Tinker asked.
"No," Jingles replied quickly. He paused and then continued. "Yes. The Elfish Builder's Guild has noted some very peculiar failings in some of the buildings at the edge of the town."
"What do you mean peculiar?" Tinker sounded out the strange new word.
"A bunny hatch freshly built suddenly collapsed." Jingles stated. "And then a Sled Shop crumbled to the ground."
"Was anyone hurt?" Tinker asked.
"Luckily not." Jingles sighed, "But Mrs. Hopsalot and her fifteen children were just outside in their winter garden when it happened. It was far too close of a call for Santa."
"Why are we going there?" Tinker asked. "Wouldn't the Guild be the best ones to figure out want went wrong?"
"They are already there." Jingles turned his head and looked at the younger black kitten. "They are stumped. There is no sign of rot or weakness in either of the structures. They asked for the North Pole's resident engineering genius to come take a look."
"Genius?" Tinker blushed. "I'm flattered."
"Don't get too goofy."Jingles countered, "Or I'll tell your sisters, Myrrh and Cookie."
"Don't please." Tinker begged, "They will tease me mercilessly."
"Yup." Jingles agreed, "That's what sisters do."
Jingles and Tinker spent the rest of the day and all of the next with the Elfish Builders Guild going over the Sled Shop and Mrs. Hopsalot's hutch. Tinker talked a long time with the Elves. He sniffed the wood and the bricks and he paced about each site. Tinker and the Elfs were unable to fathom why the two buildings had collapsed. Both of the structures had simply ceased to hold together and had fallen apart where they stood. Tinker and the Elfs would have spent more time at the two sites, but then word came that another building had also suddenly collapsed.
In the four weeks that passed since the first collapse, eight more structures at the North Pole mysteriously fell to the ground. Soon, everyone at the North Pole was very worried. Rumours began to prop up in the Hot Chocolates Houses and Cookie Shacks around town. Some elfs were whispering that the Magic of Christmas was starting to falter. Santa himself was beginning to get worried.
Jingles, Sammy and Tinker were busy working on Santa's sleigh when Myrrh and Cookie entered the shop. They were each carrying a small basket of breakfast cookies, one basket was for Sammy and the other for Jingles and Tinker. Sammy fetched five mugs from his work bench and poured each of them a draft of Hot Chocolate. As they sat on Santa's sleigh and munched on the cookies and sipped their hot chocolate, Sammy looked at the cats and smiled.
"You four are quite the crew." Sammy Sleighmaster smiled. "It's like you have been here forever."
"I love it here." Cookie sighed. "All the wonderful smells and food."
"I like all the stuff to play with and fix." Tinker said over a mouthful of cookie.
"I wish that every cat could be as happy as we are here." Myrrh stated.
The hackles on the back of Jingles' next stood up and he dropped his cookie onto the floor of the sleigh. He did not know why but something told him to send Cookie away. Something terrible was about to happen.
"Cookie." Jingles said forcefully. "I need you to go and find out from Santa the pattern of the building collapses in Old Town."
"Wouldn't Tinker understand that better than me?" Cookie asked with a scrunch of her nose.
"Please, Cookie." Jingles pleaded. "Just do it."
Cookie shrugged her shoulders and then she bounded off the sleigh and headed to Santa's office to do what Jingles had asked. Jingles watched as Cookie disappearred out of the mechanical shop.
"Sammy." Jingles turned to the Elf in charge of keeping Santa's sleigh running. "Maybe the problem is with the Time Displacement Engine."
Sammy smiled and nodded to Tinker.
"Jingles." Sammy said. "I see you have reading up on your Licorice String Theory. Now if you could just grasp Einstein's Sugar Snowflake Theorems."
"I w..." Myrrh started to speak.
"Myrrh, please hold that thought." Jingles held his paw up to interrupt Myrrh.
"Sammy, maybe you should cycle it a bit." Jingles said as he gave Tinker a wink. "That should work right, Tinker?"
"Uhhh." Tinker stammered, as what Jingles was saying made no sense. "Sure, Give the TiDE a cycle."
"Okay." Sammy said as he turned a small sugar cookie shaped dial on the Time Displacement Engine. "Get ready we are going to freeze things for a second."
As soon as the dial turned, Jingles, Tinker, Myrrh and Sammy dropped out the time stream of the North Pole and returned to the same time as the human world. There was a slight whirr as the countdown clock started to run.
"Sorry to interrupt you, Myrrh." Jingles said. "What were you going to say?"
"I wish we could fix this." Myrrh said with a slightly petulant pout.
Jingles let out a faint gasp. Sammy and Tinker felt something in the air change. They could no longer hear the whirr of the TiDE's countdown clock.
"Shades of Evergreen." Sammy exclaimed, "What just happened?"
Jingles told Sammy, Tinker, and Myrhh about Elbereth's visit two months ago and about the message she gave him.
"I believe that you are the Wishbringer." Jingles said solemnly to Myrrh. "I knew it as soon as I heard you say 'I wish'."
"But why did you send Cookie away." Tinker asked.
"Whenever Myrhh and her were around together, I felt like something terrible was going to happen." Jingles said, "That is why I have been so..."
"Grumpy" Tinker added.
"Yes, Grumpy, the last few weeks." Jingles admitted. "Elbererth's message has been in the back of my mind everyday since. Then today when Myrrh said that she wished that all cats could be as happy as we are here, it became clear to me. Myrrh`s wishes have no power at the North Pole, because the North Pole is one gigantic wish full of hope and joy. It`s like a single rain drop in an ocean. But in the human world..."
"Her wishes would be like a rainstorm in the middle of a drought.`Sammy stated.
"Hope and Joy have faded somewhere in the human world enough to cause the problems here at the North Pole." Jingles said. "You three have to go and find out what is wrong and then fix it. Can you do that?"
"Why can't you come with us?" Tinker asked.
"Because someone has to stay and watch the TiDE." Sammy realized, "The TiDe will keep the North Pole safe, until we get back. But if it resets with no one here, then the others will have no way to get back to the North Pole."
"I will stay here."Jingles nodded."You three need to get provisions and then head south to the human world. Find the source of the lost hope and joy. Once you find it, turn on an emergency beacon. Once I see the signal here on the sleigh, I will reset the TiDE and I will come get you. Snowdrift should be able to make the trip alone."
"Sammy and Tinker, you need to watch over Myrrh." Jingles continued,"Some unscrupulous human might try and take advantage of her power. Myrrh, let no one know what you can do. I have a feeling that the magic will find you without you trying to find it."
Sammy, Myrrh and Tinker climbed down from the sleigh and began scurry about Sammy's workshop to find provisions and clothing for the long trek south. Soon they were ready to go. They stood in front of the open service bay of Santa's sleigh and stared at Jingles.
"Go, I will be here when you get back." Jingles commanded, and as he watched his adopted family start to walk out of the workshop, he called out. "Just remember, I can't do this forever."
"Jingles!" Tinker called back to his brother over his shoulder. "Me fix!"

Dolce's Story Chair - Jingles and The Wishbringer (Part 1)

Dad: Dolce, you and Baci did an amazing job of cleaning up the Story Chair. You would never have known I had ignored it. I'm sorry, Dolce and Baci and all our furriends.
Dolce: Just don't let it happen again. Do you know how we had to clean this? Trust me vacuum cleaners are not a Cat's best furriend?
Baci: We had to lick it clean!
Dolce: Baci! Shut Up! No one is going to want come over now.
Baci: But it's really clean. Cleaner than a human could ever get it.
Dolce: Baci, Please be quiet. Did you get the supplies?
Dad: yes. One ACME Company brand Hot Catmilk Dispenser with Catnip Foam Generator and One ACME Catnip Cookie Processor 2000. By the way where did you find this company?
Dolce: Saturday Cartoons. The Coyote seems to highly recommend it. You will have to stock the veggies and greens manually for our non-feline furriends. Suprisingly, ACME does not produce anything for Vegetarians.
Dad: Can I start telling the story?
Dolce: Yes, but wait. I need to warn our furriends that it starts a little sad and just a little bit dark.
Dad: Do you want to tell the story?
Dolce: Nope.
Dad: Then don't say it is sad and dark. There is some foreshadowing.
Baci: That sounds sad and dark, Dad.
Dad: Baci.
Baci: Yes,Dad.
Dad: Stick a catnip cookie in it.
Baci : Then you shoulda put a catnip cookie in it. Woo Ooo Ooo. Woo Ooo Ooo Ooo. All the single kitties.
Dolce: What is he doing with his paw?
Dad: I do not know. Anyways... To all our furriends, welcome to the first part of this year's story:



Jingles and The Wishbringer


Next to a wrought-iron stove with a gently crackling fire burning within stood a wicker cat bed with a thick plush red pillow. On top of the plush red pillow in the wicker cat bed, there was a fluffy young cat, with brown fur and dark chocolate points and pure white paws, sound asleep. Curled up nice and tight to the fluffy young cat were three smaller bodies all fast asleep, a orange striped cat with her head peacefully laying on Jingles' gently rising and falling chest; a white-mitted brown and black tabby with her head resting on her sister, Myrrh's orange striped tummy; and a fuzzy black cat stretched out along Jingles' back. It was late morning at the North Pole and no one had thought to wake the Santa's only feline citizens.

Jingles opened one eye and looked about Santa's office. The jolly old man was nowhere to be seen. Jingles might have worried about this but it was getting closer to Christmas and he knew that Santa had so much to do and to get ready for. From the corner of his eye, he saw a flicker of bright white.

He extricated himself from the limbs and paws of his adopted family and gave a great big stretch as he tried to coax some energy into his normally lazy limbs. Jingles looked towards Santa's desk that stood in the center of the room. There next to the desk stood the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.

"Elbereth." Jingles whispered as his heart remembered the creature that stood before him.

"Hello, Beloved One" Elbereth smiled. "I bring you tidings."

"But Santa is not here." Jingles replied as he slinked out from under the pile of gently purring and sleeping cats.

"I have already brought Santa his scroll." Elbereth said. "I have left yours on the table. Do not delay in opening it, Jingles."

"The scroll bears no fear for me anymore." Jingles said. "Without touching it, I know of one name that it bears. I know that you took her to play and run at the Rainbow Bridge. Maybe one eon, when all this is gone, I will see her again; maybe at the Meadow or across the bridge. Tell my mom, Amaretti, that I love her and that I have missed her everyday since we parted."

"You are a Beloved amongst all Beloved Ones. I will gladly bear your message to your mother." Elbereth said with a faint smile. "But that is not why I have come to you alone. I come bearing a message from another."

Elbereth pulled a single black feather from beneath her cloak. The air chilled about the feather, and it began to sparkle with tiny fine ice crystals. Jingles' gasped at the sight of the lone black feather.

"Shadow." Jingles hissed as he instinctively moved to protect his family.

"No, not Death." Elbereth reassured the suddenly agitated cat. "A Prophecy from one who has seen Death."

Elbereth crushed the feather in her hands and she cast the fine powder towards the ground. A dark cloud swirled and floated to the floor of Santa's office.

"I am sorry." Elbereth said softly and then she disappearred.

The dust of the crushed feather fell to the floor in a peculiar pattern. Jingles read the words the dust formed on Santa's office floor.

"When Hope is Lost
And Joy not Found,
To Pay the Cost,
A Wishbringer is Bound."

As he mouthed the last word of the strange verse written in crushed angel feather, Jingles felt a terrible load fall apon his soul. An unexpected breeze gathered within Santa's office and scattered the message across the timbered floor. This message was for Jingles alone.


To Be Continued...

Dolce Story Chair starts tomorrow night.

To all our furriends,

The Story Chair has been all cleaned up and now looks brand new. The buffet tables are set up and ready for the treats our Dad has made (purchased) for our visitors. It looks all Christmassy.

We have fluffed all the pillows and freshened all the fuzzy blankets so there is plenty of room for all on the Story Chair.

So pop by and scope out a comfy spot for tomorrow.

Til then, Merry Christmas

Dolce, Baci, Magoo, Bella, Smudge and Chloe

The Story Chair is in a sorry state

Dolce: Dad has not kept this place clean. There's catnip crumbs all over the place and the catmilk has grown a nasty green fuzz. This is just gross!
Baci: Dolce! Dolce! Dolce!
Dolce: Yes, doofus?
baci: Dad said no more name calling.
Dolce: But that is your name. I checked on your adoption papers and that is your real name.
Baci: No, it isn't.
Dolce: Yes it is. You can go and check. I'll wait.
Baci: I'll check later. Dad said that we need to make sure the Story Chair is still usable. It's been so long since we've used it.
Dolce: It needs some serious cleaning. There is stuff everywhere.
Baci: Ewww! It's really dusty!
Dolce: I know. Humans are so messy.
Baci: But we has to get it cleaned up. Dad has a Chrissymouse Story for us. We gets to go and visit Jingles and Tinker and Cookie and Myrrh and Sammy and Taylor and Santa.
Docle: Baci, breathe. I know. I was helping Dad with the cat action sequences. Sometimes he doesn't get it. Luckily, he has me for quality control and editing.
Baci: So when does the story start?
Dolce: We have until this weekend to get the Story Chair cleaned up. Dad is going to start the story early this year so that none of our furriends miss it. But we need to warn them that it will be over six nights so they have to come back and visit often.
Baci: Will Dad keep the catnip cookies and warm catmilk going so that all of our furriends can visit and enjoy whenever they want.
Dolce: Of course, but first we have to get that weird green thing off the cookie plate.
Baci (nomming and crunching): It's a catnip cookie from last year. Surprisingly still tasty.
Dolce: Ewww!
Dolce: Furriends who have not been here for a while, please come back. Our Chrissymouse Story begins this Sunday...

Dolce's Story Chair: Jingles and The Wishbringer