1
Feather was watching as Pop-pop pulled out some boxes and started to tip things out, his breath catching in his throat as all the pretty shinnies started tumbling out.
What was this?
Rem heard his brother's confusion and wandered over, yawning and giving a huge stretch like he really didn't care but Feather's glee was shaking the bond like a tightrope.
The two boys watched with interest until Ianto noticed them watching.
"You need to sit on the bottom step of the stairs darlings" Ianto suggested, "Grampy and Uncle Owie are coming in with the tree. Your Taddy is already clearing the corner."
Two heads swivelled to see their Taddy was indeed pulling things out of the corner of the room like something new was going there.
"Tadda?"
"Busy darling" Valentine panted, "Christmas is coming, we are getting ready for the presents and stuff."
They frowned as they watched and Autumn flopped down the stairs, one at a time with her head hitting first, followed by the rest of her and she looked like an orange jelly fish slithering towards them.
"Wot U Doin?"
They pointed and she frowned, canting her head as the front door opened and then Owen and Jack struggled into the main room with a huge tree all trussed up with netting stuff.
"Shit, that one?" Jack whined, "It's so far."
"Suck it up old man" Valentine snorted as he positioned the bucket and motioned for them to put the tree in. Soon the tree was seated and rocks were holding it securely in place as Ianto poured lemonade into the bucket with a soft hum.
The kats looked around and Rem approached the most likely grown-up to explain.
"Uncle Owie? What's the tree for?"
"Santa Claus" Owen grinned, "It's Christmas time, when Santa Claus comes down the chimney and eats the biscuits, drinks the milk or beer and then sees to the gifts under the tree before disappearing again."
"Sainty Claws?" Rem said with a frown.
"Big, red jacket with white gloves, fat and jolly because he eats and drinks all the goodies" Owen said with his hands rubbing together.
Rem went back to the others and related the conversation as Bandit gasped with fear.
Claws?
"That's what he said. A Sainty Claws. Must be pretty big claws if it's part if it's name" Rem nodded.
"Maybe that's what the tree is for!" Autumn pointed out, "It's his scratching post?"
"Ooooooo!" Feather's eyes blew out as he stared at the tree and tried to imagine how big he must be.
"Uncle?" Feather called over to Owen, "If he's big how does he get in the wee chimney?"
"He sort of …." Owen made his hands narrow and made a shlopping noise.
"A shape shifter" Rem said with a sniff of authority.
"That's not good!" Feather whispered, "They are bad. We need to check with Mainframe."
They all headed to the den where Minnie was playing in the sun patch and they all sat around the computer as Feather carefully typed in their request.
Nostrovites filled the screen and their little eyes popped as they read the danger they were in.
"But I don't understand" Autumn frowned, "If they are dangerous why are we letting one in?"
"Maybe it's a trap" Rem offered, "Grampy and Taddy are luring it in to kill it!"
"Don't be silly" Feather sighed, "Pop-pop would never let them do it here with Mama and the wee one."
"True" Rem's eyes narrowed as he considered another point.
"What if it is threatening to eat us and they have to let it in?" he asked, "What if they feed it the bickies and milk so it doesn't eat us instead."
"But …it's our bickies and milk" Feather spluttered with rare anger, "We need that stuff!"
"What can we do?" Autumn asked as she watched around the doorframe in time to see Pop-pop lift something ….GASP
Autumn took off, leaving the boys staring at the screen as Minnie squeaked and ran after her big sister with little demands for attention. Since Mama had sickly wee Katylyn she was too busy to amuse the kitten and she was clingy.
Rem looked at Feather as Bandit inspected a paw with interest.
"Paws are weird!" he declared.
"Yes! Paws! White ones, red fur and white whiskers too!" Rem was slapping at the keyboard as he put in the information uncle had given him "let's see what the Nostrovites like to look like!"
An image of a red panda filled the screen, little teeth and fox like features.
"But he's called Claws!" Feather frowned, "I can't see them."
"Can't see ours either ya twat!" Rem snorted, "Bet they are bigger than Janet's!"
"Cool" Bandit sighed, "I like claws. Claws are cool."
"Shut up Bandit! This if fucking serious. A killer alien thing is gonna come in here and eat all the bickies and drink all the milks and then do something with our pressies the mouse called Chrissy puts under the tree!" Rem spluttered, "Get your head out of your arse! We have to do something!"
"Yes" Feather sat straight and nodded at his wise brother, "We have to save Chrissy the Mouse who brings the pressies!"