Chapter 10

10

On the day before Christmas, a reindeer gave to me,

A plan that might help with victory.

No one had a better idea, so despite the qualms about Dancer’s plan to break into the armory, they went with her idea. They sent Leroy ahead to scout, his ability to fly making him their best spy.

Meanwhile, they bundled what they’d salvaged into a pack, and Dancer affixed it to Nanook’s bearishly wide back—thank goodness Kira believed in using long straps—and then shifted to her reindeer shape. They trundled off, led by Dancer, who guided them by following the patterns she knew in the stars. By her estimate, they weren’t too far from the village, only two miles. Two miles of open terrain and unknown threats.

Thankfully, she travelled with predators. Weaver and Rook roamed left, Kira and Artie took the right. Their job? To hopefully prevent them from being ambushed while they dug their way into the armory.

An owlish Benedict chose to ride on Nanook’s back, his sharp eyes scanning ahead.

As they neared the training field, Leroy returned with his feathers ruffled. Rather than all of them freezing to get his report, Dancer shifted. She might have been cold but for a furry bear coat wrapped around her, keeping her warm. Poor Leroy though. His skinny body shivered and his teeth chattered as he relayed what he’d seen.

“There’s about six wolverines stationed in the training field. Several are hiding in the chimneys.”

“What about the village itself?”

“It’s got walrus ringing it every dozen or so yards. Big bastards too. About a dozen or so. I also saw wolverines inside that perimeter. Harder to give you an accurate count since they were constantly moving,” Leroy recounted. “There’s birds perched on Santa’s house rooftop. Not a huge amount, although there’s indication there used to be a lot more, as the snow on all the house tops is disturbed.”

“Did you see any elves?”

Leroy shrugged. “Not out and about, but there appear to be some factories running, judging by the plumes coming up from their stacks. There’s a pair of Yeti sitting outside Gingerbread Hall’s main door and a walrus guarding the rear entrance.”

Two Yeti. Yikes. “Did you see Krampus?”

He shook his head. “Nobody with horns or two legs, for that matter.”

“Anything else?” she asked.

“I did see some of the reindeer. They appeared to be pulling a wagon full of crates from a factory to a big barn.”

A relief to hear some had survived. “Any sign of the kids?”

“Nope. Nor of Santa. I tried dipping down to get a peek inside some windows, but some damned arctic terns came after me.”

“Did they realize what you were?” she asked.

“Doubtful. They were simple-minded birds. Gentle usually, too, so them attacking was a surprise.”

“Thanks for the intel.”

“No problem. I’ll head back to the sky and warn you if anything changes on the ground.”

Leroy shifted and flapped off.

Dancer craned to look at her bearish protector. “You heard all that. How should we handle the wolverines in the field?”

He bared his teeth.

“Obviously you’ll crunch them, but if they’re in the chimneys, you’ll have a hard time sneaking up on them. Not to mention, if one runs off to tattle about our presence, it could bring back more. We need to draw them out. Bait them with something innocuous so they don’t think to warn anyone.”

Benedict ruffled his feathers and cocked his head.

“While I appreciate the offer, I have a better idea.” She stepped away from Nanook’s warm embrace. “Be ready.” With that said, she shifted into her reindeer and took off at a fast trot. Behind her, Nanook uttered a low rumbling growl.

He’d just caught on to what she meant by bait.

Wolverines loved fresh meat. Especially reindeer. She’d have to be fast and tricky if this was going to work.

Her hoofs clopped on the ice, kicking up puffs of snow as she neared the training field. The snowy roofs reminded her that tonight should have been the Christmas run. Could they free everyone in time to save it? The efficient elves had the gifts packed weeks ago, but Krampus might have tampered with the bag. Even if he hadn’t, what if Santa was injured? Did they have anyone that could take his place? It had only ever happened once before when Santa fell ill and couldn’t make the trip. With Santa incapacitated, everyone had pulled together, and Christmas happened, but not without some glitches. Boys getting dolls instead of trucks. Some good kids getting coal. Not ideal, but better than no Christmas at all.

As Dancer neared one of the fake chimneys, she put on a burst of speed, bolting past fast enough that the wolverine who sprang from it fell short. It hit the ground and scrambled to its feet with a snarl before giving chase.

Its sharp barks drew other wolverines from their hiding spots, eight as it turned out. Six in chimneys but two hid under the eaves of the roofs.

With them hot on her tail, she zigged and zagged. Even then it proved close as the rabid beasts converged, trying to trap her inside a noose of furious fur. Before it tightened, she ran for the closest slavering beast. It braced its front paws and snarled, ready to tear out her throat.

Dancer coiled her hindquarters and leaped. Soared right over the snapping menace in a beautiful arc before landing on the other side, still running, heading straight for the charging polar bear. Nanook to the rescue.

The wolverines, hot on her scent, didn’t notice the new threat and followed in a rabid stream. She angled slightly to her left and ran past Nanook, who stuck out a paw and batted the first foe readying to lunge and bite at her hind leg. The wolverine yelped and hit the ground, injured.

The bear stomped it just as the other wolverines launched themselves at the furry polar threat. Nanook roared and stood, the wolverines hanging from him, their jaws clamped to his fur. While they were busy trying to chew on her Nookie, she ran and lowered her head. Her horns might be nubs in her human shape, but as a reindeer, they were three-tined and sharp-tipped. She gored the beast hanging off his ass, a perfect penetrating poke that made the wolverine squeal. She flicked her head and flung it away. Another went flying as Nanook grabbed it, chomped it— crunch —then tossed it aside.

One wolverine decided it had made a poor life choice and tried to flee, but a snowy owl hopped from a snowbank and landed on its back, digging in its talon while the mongrel yelped. A peck of its beak to the back of its neck severed its spine, and the wolverine went limp.

Meanwhile, Nanook was having a grand time playing with his attackers. Grabbing them with his claws and flinging them into the air, high enough they landed hard and didn’t move again.

In short order, the fight was over and a naked Nanook glared at her and bellowed, “What were you thinking using yourself as bait?”

He deserved a reply, so she also shifted. “I was thinking you would protect me, duh.” She rolled her eyes as she shivered in her nakedness. “Now, if you don’t mind. It’s cold. Yell at me later. Or better yet, give me the tongue-lashing I deserve.” Said with an impish grin before she shifted back.

He stood there in shock. His cock also stood for another reason before he changed back into his bear—with a massive erection and fat tight furry balls.

A smug Dancer trotted ahead of him, head held high, and led him to the other side of the field, where, by her calculation, the armory should be situated underground.

She lowered her head to sniff, but her sense of smell couldn’t discern where exactly to dig. She pawed at the ground and rolled her shoulders in a shrug.

Nanook eyed the surface before putting his nose down and giving the area a good sniff. Only after he’d gone around twice did he choose a spot to start digging. Snow and ice flew as he tunneled, the hole widening quickly. As it deepened, his upper body disappeared until only his ass remained visible.

Kira and Arnie lumbered into view, their fur a little ragged but unmarred by blood. The pair saw what Nanook did and joined him, both wiggling their asses as they dug and dug.

Dug a little too well since, suddenly, the ground underfoot collapsed, taking Dancer with it.