Dolce's Story Chair - Jingles and the Homecoming (Part 1)

Dad: I hope you enjoyed yesterday's teaser. Like I hinted this story takes place a while after last year's story. Hopefully you enjoy. I promise this year's story will be a lot happier. But I promise that I will make you cry by the end.

So please help yourself to some catnip cookies, and large mug of Hot Catmilk and snuggle in on the Story Chair. you might have to push Baci over as he tends to hog the bed/chair/couch.

Welcome to the Story Chair

Jingles and The Homecoming (Part 1)

Sangilak and his pack mate warily approached the outskirts of the fabled town at the North Pole. Sangilak paused several times and sniffed at the crisp winter air. He vainly searched for some sign of his old friends. He looked at his mate and then he shook his massive triangular head negatively.

"I cannot sense them yet." Sangilak admitted.
"It has been a while." his mate replied. "Are you sure they still cry to our Moon?"
"I am certain." Sangilak replied. "These are strange lived creatures. They live many seasons past our own path."
"You mean my path." Sangilak's mate replied. "You have been our pack leader for many seasons. None of our elders remembers a time when you were not pack leader."
"It has been a long time." Sangilak remembered. "Maybe too long."
"The Pack is strong and healthy because of you." His mate snapped in annoyance. "Our cubs play and feed in safety for none dare challenge He Who Races The Moon. When your path ends, it ends. Until then we do not talk of too long."
"I am just baying at a False Moon." Sangilak nuzzled his mate. "Let's see if we can find someone to help us find Sammy and Tinker."
"Strange names, Sammy and Tinker." Sangilak's mate snorted.
"They are even stranger creatures." Sangilak snorted right back.

The two wolves steathfully made their way into the town. The snow covered plain gave way to snow dusted cobblestones and the northern stars were soon eclipsed by flickering lampposts and brilliant strings of Christmas lights. Sangilak's sheepishly regarded the lights as she was uncertain what to make of them.

"These bright things." Sangilak's mate stared. "What did you call them?"
"Lights." Sangilak responded.
"They are just like the ones our pack found." she added. "But these are..."
Sangilak's mate could not find the proper word in the Wolf-tongue.
"Working." Sangilak finshed her sentence. "These lights are working. It has been a very long time since I have seen them. Not since I was a puppy."
"You don't talk of your path before you found the Pack." Sangilak's mate stated.
"It is unimportant now. " Sangilak replied. "The Pack is my life. You are my life."

Sangilak lead his mate down a darkened alley. He could finally smell other creatures on the wind. Unfortunately, so could his mate.

"Sangilak." his mate snarled. "You lied. There is food here. I can smell it. It is different than our food back home, but it still smells like food. Come, I am hungry and I could use the thrill of the Hunt."

Sangilak swiftly turned.

"There is no food here!" Sangilak snarled with his massive canines bared so that his mate would not misunderstand his intent. "There are creatures here that will smell like food and will look like our food back home, but they are not to be hunted. Please heed my words. These are friends."

Sangilak's mate backed away.

"No hunt." she repeated. "Friends only."

The two wolves reached the end of the alleyway. There standing next to large wagon full of verdent green wreaths was a brightly dressed dressed figure with a small leather tool belt cinched around it's waist. The creature was looking up at the side of the building and thoughtfully massaging it's stubbleless chin.

"Friend." Sangilak's deep voice growled from the shadows of the alleyway as he strode out into the open. "I am looking for two creatures that you might know."

The elf on wreath maintenance turned ashen white and then stumbled backwards. He trembled as his eyes stared straight into the large golden eyes of the largest, actually the only wolf he had ever seen.

"Holly and Mistletoe!" the elf cried out. "Please don't eat me!"

"We are not here to hunt." Sangilak's mate moved to the elf's other side. "Besides, I don't think there is enough there for a cub let alone a Huntress."

"Stop." Sangilak snapped at his mate. He turned his head back to the trembling elf laying on the ground in front of him. "I am looking for two old friends, Sammy and Tinker. Where can we find them?"

"They would be in the main garage working on Santa's sleigh." the elf stammerred.

"Where would this main garage be?" Sangilak asked.

"It's next to the stables and across from the machine shop." the elf answered as he tried to still his chattering teeth.

"That's not helping."Sangliak mused.

"Plum Pudding and Figs!" The elf started to weep. "I am trying to help. Honestly, I am."

"I don't doubt you, friend." Sangilak replied. "I think I might need you to take me to this garage."

Sangilak's mate reached down with her powerful teeth and she lifted the quivering elf to his feet by the collar of his fleece-lined vest.

"Don't eat me. Don't eat me. Don't eat me." The elf repeated over and over as he found himself suddenly lifted to his feet.

"What is your name, friend?" Sangilak asked.

"I'm called Nial Hammertrue." The elf stuttered. "It was supposed to be Nail, but my pa was a terrible speller."

"Nial, I am... " Sangilak started to introducve himself, but puased midsentence. "I was called Sangilak once apon a time."

"The Sangilak?" The elf stood a little straigher and brushed the snow from his red breeches and green velvet vest. "I heard stories about a Sangilak from Sammy. Actually, it's the same story. he just tells it a lot.I do mean a lot."

Sangilak grimaced as he realized that the elf had overcome his fear of the two wolves and was now chattering and jabbering endlessly. He was about to interrupt Nial, when his mate growled and stepped towards the elf. Sangilak moved between his irritated mate and the elf.

"Nial." Sangilak blocked his mate from reaching the elf. "Let me introduce my mate. This is She Who Must be Obeyed."

"That is a strange name." The elf responded. He quickly stepped back as Sangilak's companion growled once more. "But wholey and believably appropriate."

"Let me guide you two to the main garage." Nial stated as he tried to regain his composure. "I would ask for you not to cause any problems, but I am pretty sure that two wolves walking down the main boulevard at the North Pole is going to create quite the commotion."

As Nial had expected, the sight of an elf leading two large and wild looking wolves down the main boulevard created quite the commotion. Elfs ducked into stores and quickly shuttered windows and doors behind them. Others jumped into snow backs or climbed up Christmas Trees and tried to hide themselves. Even more elfs ran in panic in any direction that took them away from Sangilak and his mate, She Who Must be Obeyed.

To be continued...

Thanks for snuggling with us, come back soon.