Chapter 7

7

Oh, come all ye faithful, bring your guns and ammo.

Oh, come ye, oh come ye to rescue some kids.

“This is your fault! I should have been here protecting my cubs, not chasing after you,” Nanook roared, which didn’t have the effect he wanted seeing as how he was standing, naked, gloriously so, his rage making his balls jingle and his cock jangle.

She kept her gaze on his face. “Do you think it would have mattered? Or did you not notice everyone is asleep?” She swung her hand to indicate his sister and her husband, lying face first in their dinner. “They gassed the whole town, most likely with the same stuff Santa uses to blanket cities and towns so no one spots him on his run.”

“I would have fought it off!” he declared.

“No one can unless you’ve been given the antidote.” Which wore off after a few days. All the reindeer took a dose before their Christmas ride.

“This can’t be happening. This is my fault. I should have never left the cave.”

“So, your girls would have been perhaps spared but not everyone else’s kids. Your nephews are missing too.”

He glared at her. “I’m aware. Your point?”

“The point is now we have to act. Even if your girls hadn’t been taken, can you really say you wouldn’t have helped your sister get her boys back?”

“Of course I would have. I might not be a social bear, but I’m not a goat’s butthole.”

“We need to move fast, especially since we don’t know why Krampus took the children.”

“What if it plans to eat them?” Nanook suddenly shrank in on himself.

“Don’t think like that.” She reached out and put a hand on his arm.

“Why else would that thing take them?”

“We don’t know, and freaking yourself out won’t help.”

He paced, bouncing his dick with his angry stride. She averted her gaze.

“I need to get to Charlie. He’ll fly us over, and I will tear Krampus to pieces,” Nanook declared, slamming a fist into his palm.

“Excellent plan, but maybe we should bring more than just an angry ice bear.”

“I’m worth ten foes,” he growled. “Twenty when I’m pissed.”

“And Krampus has more than that in that army I told you about. You said Benedict changed his mind? We should bring him along. Anyone else good with a gun?”

“I know a few. But they’re all asleep.” He waved his hand. “How long until they wake up?”

“Not long. An hour at most and given we spent part of that traveling, they should be waking up shortly. While we wait, let’s get packing for the trip.”

Before they could start, Kira began to rouse, lifting her face from her bowl of stew, licking her lips before opening her eyes and mumbling, “I must have been more tired than I thought.”

“You were drugged so Krampus could take the kids!” Nanook announced without preamble.

The claim fully woke Kira, who sprang to her feet and roared, “My babies!”

It led to Arnie stirring next. “What’s wrong, my chonky wife?”

“Someone took the boys.”

“And my girls,” Nanook added.

“What?” Arnie popped up from the table and began to bulge, his polar side reacting to the news.

“Hold on.” Dancer waved her hands. “Before you go charging outside, they’re not here.”

“They can’t have gone far,” Arnie growled.

“Actually, they can since their abductors came by air.”

“Air? The kidnappers flew?” Kira asked with a creased brow.

“Kind of. Krampus used Santa’s sled pulled by some flying wolverines.”

The claim stunned Kira and Arnie into silence.

Nanook’s face turned icy and hard. “So, here’s what we’re going to do. Kira, I need you to find Rook and Weaver. Tell them to bring all their guns. Arnie, you’re fetching Benedict. Make sure he’s got his tripod and scope. Also, we’ll need sleds to transport everyone.”

“How will a sled catch them if they’ve been taken to the North Pole?” Kira cried, clasping her hands.

“They won’t, but they’ll get us to Charlie.”

Their faces went from confused to understanding and determined. “Who else should I grab?” Arnie asked.

“Charlie’s chopper can hold up to fourteen people, including the pilot. Although, given the size of some of us, a safer number of passengers might be ten,” commented Nanook.

“So, Rook, Weaver, me, you, Charlie, Benedict, that’s five. Four polar bears, a caribou, and a flightless owl. Who else?”

“Me,” Dancer announced. “I might not be able to shoot, but I know the village.”

“I’m going as well,” Kira declared. “And don’t you dare say no to me. They have my boys. Those wolverines are going to make great carpets by the time I’m done with them.”

“So that puts us at seven. Who else?” Nanook asked.

The other three selected were Gertie, who could pick locks. Leroy, who was a snow goose and could provide aerial reconnaissance. And to round it off, Felicia, an arctic fox who could get into tight spaces.

Within the hour, they were loaded and ready to go. Dancer rode behind Nanook, arms wrapped around his solid frame. The sledge they pulled was loaded with supplies.

Benedict doubled behind Gertie but only after complaining, “Riding bitch! How emasculating.” Arnie and Kira each had their own ride. Leroy shared with Felicia, and Rook took Weaver on his snowmobile. Their large party took off, watched in silence by those who’d lost children but wouldn’t be coming on the rescue mission.

How horrible for them to wake to their progeny gone, but she noticed how many of them stiffened their upper lips—and showed teeth—when Nanook gave a short speech.

“I’ll get the kids back and will eat the heart of the bastard who took them!”

Violent, to the point, and kind of inspiring.

Despite her initial impression of the man, she’d come to see there was a depth to Nanook. A father who would do anything for his kids. A loner who retained strong family ties. A sense of honor, coming after her because he feared she’d get into trouble A reluctant hero… Oh and a stud.

In the past, Dancer had only really dated other reindeer. She didn’t have many choices in Santa’s Village. The elves were too fragile for a woman her size and strength. Whereas the visitors and other folks who’d passed through seemed to gravitate to the more delicately sized females.

But Nanook saw her as a woman. Had been visibly aroused by her presence. What a pity his ex-wife had ruined him for relationships, not that he’d be even contemplating one with his twins in danger. Currently, he focussed on rescue, and that meant she had to get her antlers straight. Once they reached the North Pole, they’d need a plan of action. Krampus would most likely have sentries watching. They had no idea what kind of numbers to expect. Not to mention, they’d have to be cautious lest the innocents get caught in the crossfire, which led to her wondering why Krampus had taken the children in the first place—and if they were still alive.

As they travelled, the sky remained a glowing green, the lights swirling and shifting, illuminating the snow while, at the same time, messing with visibility. Arnie’s sled hit a rut and snapped a ski, forcing him to double up on his wife’s sled, but that was their only hiccup.

They pulled up outside Charlie’s place, a large hangar with no windows and a single person-sized door, if one ignored the massive bay door blocked by a snow drift.

Nanook rapped and waited.

No reply.

He pounded harder, and a faint grumbling was heard from within. “Calm your fucking teats. I’m coming.”

The door opened to reveal a grizzled man, his white hair standing on end, his beard and mustache just as messy. He squinted at Nanook. “I know you. Weren’t you stationed at Alert?”

“Yup. Been a while.”

“No shit. Your hair’s kind of long for the military, or have their standards changed?”

“I retired. Just a civilian now.”

“Says the guy who arrived at my door loaded with guns.”

How could he tell? They were still packed on the sled.

“We need your help,” Nanook stated.

“For what?” a suspicious Charlie asked. He’d yet to invite them inside.

“We need transport to the North Pole. Preferably within a mile of Santa’s Village.”

Charlie snorted. “No can do.”

“Is the chopper broken?”

“Nope. It’s in fine condition. Thing is, Santa and I have an understanding. I don’t take lookie-loos near his territory, and in return, I get a case of Jack every year at Christmas.”

“This is an emergency,” Nanook exclaimed. “Our children have been taken, and we must secure passage to the North Pole to get them back.”

“I’m sure if Santa took the kids, he had his reasons.” Charlie went to close the door, but Dancer inserted herself.

“Excuse me, sir, but you said you have a deal with Santa.”

“Yup. Going on twenty years now.”

“A long time,” she commented. “And such a shame it has to end.”

“What are you talking about, girly?” Charlie’s lips pursed.

“Santa’s been taken prisoner. The village is under Krampus’ control?—”

“Krampus don’t exist,” Charlie interrupted.

“Someone using that name has invaded Santa’s Village,” she stated. “Given Santa’s no longer in charge, that means no whiskey for you.”

Charlie stared at her then glanced at Nanook. “She telling the truth?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, then, that changes things. Guess my deal with the big guy is off. So, what were you saying about wanting to hire me for transport?”

“Hire?” Nanook blurted out.

“I don’t work for free.”

“But the children?—”

“Aren’t mine. And gas don’t come cheap.”

“We didn’t bring money,” Nanook admitted.

“What else you got?”

“Guns,” Arnie stated, holding up a rifle.

“I got plenty of those,” Charlie scoffed.

“I could bring you home-cooked meals once a week for the next year,” Kira offered next.

“Don’t need a chef. I got enough cans of beans to last me the next twenty years.” Which explained the farty smell that wafted from the open door.

Those gathered eyed each other and shrugged. They’d not brought anything else.

Except for Benedict. “Don’t worry. I came prepared.” He sauntered over, a knapsack in his hand. He reached in and pulled out a cloudy bottle. “What about some moonshine?”

It led to Kira hissing, “I thought you’d gone sober.”

Benedict glanced at her. “I am. Doesn’t mean I dumped out my stash. I kept it for trading and just in case reality sucked.”

“Moonshine, eh. I’d need more than a bottle,” Charlie stated.

“I’ve got another half-dozen you can have if you give us a ride.” Benedict tilted the bottle, making the liquid slosh.

Charlie licked his lips. “Is it potent?”

“Potent enough you’ll freeze your dick off banging a snowwoman.”

“Sold!” Charlie crowed.

Benedict handed over the bottle, but when Charlie would have guzzled some, Nanook growled. “You ain’t flying us drunk. You drink after the drop-off.”

“Spoilsport,” grumbled the man. “And it ain’t like we’re leaving tonight.”

“Why not?” Kira exclaimed. “My babies need their mama!”

“Because my equipment don’t like those lights. So, unless you want to go for a swim, we wait until morning when they’re gone.”

Nanook didn’t like the delay, no one did, but they wouldn’t be much good if they crashed into the sea.

Despite the setback, they loaded the chopper with their gear to not waste time in the morning. Then they found spots in the cluttered hangar to curl up for some rest. Since they’d not brought sleeping gear—aka blankets—most chose to shift, their animal shape less prone to the cold and discomfort of a hard floor.

Dancer debated sleeping outside, as the snow might have been more comfortable. She kept tucking her spindly legs, squirming, twisting, but her discomfort kept her awake. Her agitation led to Nanook, in his bear shape. to grumble and reach out with a big paw.

He tugged her until she nestled against him then lay his leg over her, cocooning her, sharing the warmth of his body.

She finally fell asleep and woke, in her naked woman shape, splayed across his furry frame.