Squirrel count will be posted next episode!

"Streamy? What in the name of all things gloomy and smelly are you doing?" Mapleshade grumbles, walking through the grand glass doors of WCC.

"I'm making everything festive!" Silverstream purrs, balancing precariously along the top of the ladder as she strings thick garlands of holly and tinsel over the entryway. Mapleshade grins slyly and nudges the ladder, throwing her therapist off balance.

"Wha-!" Silverstream shrieks, wobbling dangerously, "What was that for, Mapleshade?" She squawks once she regained her stability, blue eyes narrowed.

"Nothing," Mapleshade mews sweetly, "So, who's the couple today?" She asks.

"No one!" Hawkfrost calls from the kitchen. The dark colored tom is wearing a candy cane striped apron and holding, between his big red oven mitts, a large tray of steaming fresh gingerbread cookies.

"Then why am I here?" Mapleshade snaps irritably.

"We knew there would be no way to get you here without saying there are clients waiting! You never come to holiday parties!" Graystripe exclaims from where he is hidden behind a wall, probably hanging wreaths and lighting scented candles. Mapleshade scowls.

"Really? You want to ruin my building with holiday cheer? What happened to good ol' bah humbug?" She grunts, tossing her bag into the corner of the lobby. Silverstream rolls her eyes, climbs down from the ladder, and hangs it up.

"There, that's better." She sighs happily, pinning a sprig of holly to the patched and torn denim knapsack.

"Hey there, Scrooge." Jayfeather grins, poking his head around the corner of the hallway leading to the tortie's office.

"I prefer Grinch." Mapleshade grins.

"I see the resemblance." Jayfeather mews sarcastically, given the fact that he can't see. Like, at all. Ever. Nothing.

"Yes, definitely." Mapleshade cackles.

"Come here a minute, pretty lady." Jayfeather laughs, pulling Mapleshade closer.

"What are you doing?" She teases.

"We're under some mistletoe," Jayfeather mews with a cheeky grin, pointing upwards with his tail. A small green and red leafy structure hangs above them, silver bells tinkling softly.

"Oh?" Mapleshade asks, "And what does that mean?"

"It means this!" Jayfeather exclaims, giving his soon to be mate an enormous lick on the muzzle. She grins and blushes wildly.

"Y'know…I might like the holiday spirit." She stammers happily.

"Thought so!" Jayfeather crows, "Now c'mon, babe, help me with the tinsel."

"Actually," Hawkfrost mews just as Mapleshade picks up pawfuls of tangled silver and gold strands, "Cinders could use some help decorating my cookies."

"I'm sure she's already got that covered," Jayfeather mumbles under his breath. Mapleshade snickers at the dirty joke.

"I heard that one!" Hawkfrost calls from the kitchen.

"When it comes to her, he has the hearing of a hawk, but when it comes to me needing tea, he's a deaf old badger1" Mapleshade growls.

"Oh, go decorate, love. Have some fun." Jayfeather laughs.

"Trust me, I will. There's always red food coloring in the cabinets!" Mapleshade reassures him. The tom gulps.

"Mapleshade, come on! Fresh gingerbread toms in need of candies!" Cinderpelt calls.

"Alright!" She meows in response, hurrying over to help the heavily pregnant she-cat.

"So, when are you due?" Mapleshade asks, washing her paws. Cinderpelt smiles, and brushes hers off on her apron that is twinning with Hawkfrost. The horizontal stripes make her belly seem even larger.

"Oh, very soon. They'll be my little presents!" Cinderpelt purrs, "In fact, the original due date was today! Silly little things are already making a habit of being late." She mews fondly.

"I remember those days," Mapleshade sighs, "Of course, I didn't have the fancy, new-fangled hospital things you young'uns have. I had to give birth in my nest, with just the medicine cat apprentice! But my three little babies were worth it."

"I hope we have three! Or maybe four, so we could have two of each." Cinderpelt smiles earnestly.

"Trust me, being a mother is one of the best things in the territories…" Mapleshade says, "Just make sure they don't drown and your mate doesn't kick you out of his life and take a new mate, only to have a daughter, who had a son, who had a son who was destined to rule the Clan. No, we can't have that." She frowns. Cinderpelt laughs.

"Oh, Hawky-love wouldn't do that to me! Would you, darling?" She asks, glancing over at her mate who was struggling to peel up the gingerbread around the edges of his freshly cut cookies.

"Of course not, Cinders." He grunts, carefully lifting the tiniest corner of a star-shaped piece of dough, "No! It ripped!" He shrieks. Cinderpelt rolls her eyes and reaches for the bowl of fluffy white frosting.

"Mapleshade! What did you do?!" She gasps when the frosting on her knife isn't snow colored, but crimson.

"Some minor adjustments," Mapleshade mews, carefully inspecting her gingerbread tom, "I think this one would look better without a head, don't you?"

"Uh…" Cinderpelt mews, trying not to stare as the old tortie beheads her gingerbread tom and spreads red frosting all over his mutilated body.

"Oh, this is lovely! Looks just like Snowtuft!" She purrs gleefully.

"Umm…rather…uh….graphic Mapleshade, sweetheart." Jayfeather mews.

"How do you know? You're-" Mapleshade snaps.

"Blind. Telepathy!" Jayfeather reminds her exasperatedly.

"Whatever." Mapleshade grumbles. She turns to Silverstream, and the silver tabby is moving her ladder along the lobby floor to continue her decorating. "So, Streamy, who else is coming to this holiday party?" She asks.

"Oh, Jayfeather's siblings and their families, and I would say my parents, but my father is still undergoing melon surgery-"

"That still sounds so wrong!" Graystripe snickers. Silverstream glares at him and continues,

"So my kits are coming, and their families, along with Hawkfrost's sister and brother and his mother, Cinderpelt's entire family, Graystripe's family, and I think that's it. Am I forgetting anyone, baby?" Silverstream asks her mate. The gray tom shakes his shaggy head.

"No, I think that's it, love." He replies, talking through the tangle of Christmas lights in his jaws.

"I'm just going to remind you all, my parents are most likely bringing the menorah. And mama and Brightheart will be in the kitchen for hours because of the latkes…" She mews, talking on and on about her traditional Jewish family. The others nod.

"I love latkes!" Jayfeather grins.

"Fried food is always welcome," Mapleshade nods, "Even when Hanukkah is over."

"Well, if they're coming, we should hurry up and get decorated!" Hawkfrost mews insistently.

"Remember, my dad's delivering the Christmas tree when they come over! They'll be here in ten minutes." Graystripe meows.

"Who wants to get the ornaments from the attic?" Silverstream asks. Mapleshade's paw shoots into the air automatically.

"It's so dark and moldy up there already, I love it! I'll go!" She grins. The others shrug.

"Alright, knock yourself out." Graystripe mews.

"But not literally. We need those ornaments!" Jayfeather adds.

"Okay, okay, I'll be careful." Mapleshade says, rolling her eyes. The tortie leaves the kitchen, wiping her paws off on her ragged pelt as she pads away. She walks down the long hallways towards the offices, and takes a sharp left to open a small white door. The stairway is dark, and Mapleshade doesn't mind. She doesn't bother to flick a switch and turn on the attic lights, merely walks up, snatches the largest, pine-smelling boxes she can find, and hurries back down the stairwell as she hears the doorbell ring. To her surprise, 'Flaws' by Bastille isn't playing, but instead, the telltale notes of 'Baby It's Cold outside' chime through the building. The tortie thinks about curling up in front of a cheery fire with Jayfeather and smiles.

"I've got the ornaments!" She shouts over the music.

"That's great!" Cinderpelt purrs, "Set them down right there in the lobby. Graystripe and Hawkfrost are helping Whitestorm and Patchpelt with the tree, and Jayfeather is mending the tree skirt. Oh, and Silverstream just lit the cinnamon scented candles! It's so festive in here!"

"I never thought I'd enjoy the holiday spirit," Mapleshade muses, "But I guess it's all in the mistletoe."

"I guess so!" Cinderpelt giggles.

"Coming through!" Whitestorm's deep voice shouts into the void that is the lobby. Silverstream hurries over to guide the toms in.

"A little to the left, oh! Watch that table! Make sure not to scratch the walls, all right dear? A little more to the left…wait, that's too much, go to the right! Okay, that's good! Stand it up!" The silver tabby mews excitedly. Mapleshade and Cinderpelt peer out of the kitchen to find an enormous evergreen in the lobby, the top of it almost scraping the ceiling, leaving just enough space for a glittering silver star topper.

"Wow!" Mapleshade breathes.

"Lovely!" Cinderpelt exclaims.

"Whew!" Patchpelt mews, "That's one heavy tree!"

"Dad!" Graystripe purrs, nuzzling the black and white tom, "It's good to see you! And you too, Whitestorm," Graystripe meows to his stepfather.

"Silverstream, so good to see you sweetie!" Willowpelt smiles, embracing her daughter-in-law, "So sorry to hear about your parents. I sent a care package to the hospital today and-"

"Oh, they're tough. I'm sure they'll be fine." Silverstream smiles, a little too widely.

"I do hope so! Are we the first ones here?" Willowpelt asks.

"Hey, Graystripe!" Longtail purrs from the doorway.

"Hey!" Graystripe laughs, high-pawing his half brother, "Where's Sootfur? And Rainwhisker?"

"Oh, they're in charge of bringing the gifts in. Sorreltail is coming later with Brackenfur and the kits. Oh, it'll be so wonderful having the whole family in one place!" Willowpelt smiles, "And Mapleshade! You'll be part of the family now, too! Extended, of course, but family is family. Congratulations on the engagement!"

"Thanks," Mapleshade mews, pounding out a lump in Hawkfrost's gingerbread dough.

"Sootfur! Rainwhisker! Let me help you with those!" Silverstream laughs, seeing the two young toms weighed down with wrapped gifts. Then, the doorbell rings again.

"I'll get it!" Hawkfrost calls excitedly, flinging open the glass doors. A familiar snowy white face and dark blue eyes so much like her daughter's appears at the entrance.

"Mama!" Cinderpelt purrs gleefully.

"Cinderpelt darling!" Frostfur laughs, embracing her daughter.

"Cinders!" Thornclaw grins from behind his mother, "Hey there, sissy!"

"Hey little miss preggers!" Brightheart giggles, nuzzling her sister, pushing away her brother, who smoothes his pale blue polo as his scarred sister rumples it.

"Hello you two!" Cinderpelt purrs to her siblings.

"You're looking close to your due date!" Frostfur notices, patting her daughter's bloated belly.

"Hello, Frostfur!" Hawkfrost grins.

"Hello there, cutie pie!" Frostfur smiles, licking her son-in-law on the cheek.

The doorbell rings once again, and Hawkfrost ushers everyone away from the door so Cinderpelt could welcome the guests.

"Hello there little ones," the pregnant she-cat says pleasantly as Lark and Pine scurry in ahead of their parents and tackle Graystripe.

"Grandpa!" They cheer.

"Hello, mother, father." Stormfur smiles as he and Brook enter WCC.

"Lovely place you have here, Silverstream." Brook mews, straightening her tailored suit and adjusting her earpiece, "It could make quite the area for events and I could easily make a profit of-"

"Sweetheart, I thought we said you'd leave the business alone for a day so we could be with my family?" Stormfur mews gently. Brook sighs.

"Fine. Lark, pine, don't kill your grandfather." She reprimanded as her children scrambled all over Graystripe with their needle like claws. "Lovely to see you, Mapleshade I do hope you book our mountain resort for your wedding." Brook purrs sweetly to the ragged tortie before earning a glare from her mate.

"Feathertail!" Silverstream smiles to her daughter as the silver, long furred she-cat strides through the entrance.

"Hello, mama!" She purrs.

"Where's Tom? I wanted to meet him." Silverstream mews.

"Oh, Tom and I aren't seeing each other anymore. I came here single so I could pay more attention to all of you!" the she-cat beams.

"There's the freaking doorbell. Again." Mapleshade grumbles, quickly becoming sick of the opening notes of 'Baby It's Cold Outside'. "Welcome. Come in. Cookies in the kitchen." She sighs.

"Hey there Mapleshade!" Lionblaze laughs.

"Lionblaze," She greets him cordially, "How's the marriage?"

"Doin' great! Fernpaw, Sorrelpaw, and Hollypaw are growing up so fast!" He purrs.

"Hey, Mapleshade!" Cinderheart laughs.

"Auntie Mapleshade!" Fernpaw and her siblings giggle, hugging the tortie.

"Since when am I auntie?" She grumbles.

"Uh, since you got engaged to their uncle. Duh." Lionblaze smirks.

"Whatever. Hey, Sorreltail, Brackenfur. How are you?" Mapleshade asks, looking over the cocky golden tom's shoulder to see the pair.

"Hello, hello!" Sorreltail mews giddily.

"Hey, y'all!" Honeyfern says, walking in with her little brother, Molepaw.

"Poppyfrost and Berrynose would've come, but they opted for a quiet holiday at home with the kits." Brackenfur explains to Jayfeather.

"Hey! Sorry I'm late!" Cloudtail grins, bursting into WCC with Whitewing and Birchfall. Ivypool pokes her head over her grandfather's shoulder, Dewkit, Snowkit, and Amberkit by her side. Bumblestripe grins to his father.

"Hey, Pa! We came straight from the Nutcracker!" He meows.

"Hey, Daddy!" Briarlight calls from her wheelchair.

"Heya, Pops." Blossomfall giggles.

"I was wondering where you three went!" Graystripe laughs.

"By the way, Mom says she might drop by." Bumblestripe frowns.

"Millie?" Silverstream asks, turning to her mate, "Gray-baby, did you know this?"

"Nope. That's news to me!" Graystripe says honestly, shrugging his shoulders.

"What's with the door-clump?" A muffled voice calls.

"Mom!" Hawkfrost shouts happily.

"I'm here too, you big lump." Mothwing grunts.

"And me! Don't forget me!" Tadpole squeaks.

"Cloudtail, mind getting out of the way?" Brightheart chuckles, pulling her mate and kits aside. Birchfall ushers Ivypool in, who drags along Bumblestripe. Blossomfall wheel her sister in last. Finally, Sasha Mothwing, and Tadpole are visible.

"Hey, guys!" Tadpole squeals, looking at the other kits excitedly.

"Hawy!" Sasha shrieks, pulling her son into a tight embrace. Mothwing stands there awkwardly.

"Hey, uh, how y'all been?" she asks.

"Are we too late?" Leafpool calls, walking into WCC. By her side is the pregnant Squirrelflight, and Bramblestar. Firestar and Sandstorm walk in behind them, as do Jake and Nutmeg, carrying Timmy. Domino, Tammy, Bartleby, Jasmine, and Mitzi bounce along after them, cheering when they spy Tadpole and Hawkfrost, and Tammy squealing happily at the sight of Mapleshade.

"Whoa, this is more cats than expected!" Silverstream laughs.

"There's always room for more! The more the merrier!" Cinderpelt grins.

"I'm claustrophobic," Mapleshade mutters, Firestar's little siblings clinging to her like a second skin.

"How bout some tree decorating, yeah?" Patchpelt offers. The entire crowd of extended family, all somehow related, cheers enthusiastically.

"And see? This one's from when I was a kit1" Hawkfrost mews, showing the kittens a small wooden figurine of a little ginger kitten at the stomach of a pretty brown she-cat. Ancient starry leaders were crowded around them, along with a slender, ragged dark ginger tom. "My father gave it to us to practice battle skills on. Of course, he's still evil, but isn't it cute? It's a little Firestar, savior of the Clans!"

"Aw, I look pretty in that one!" Nutmeg purrs, "Of course, I'm no virgin, but-"

"Mom!" Bartleby squeaked, embarrassed.

"Well, it's perfectly natural to-" Nutmeg began, only to be interrupted by Jake.

"Come now, darling. Save the birds and the bees for when we're at home." The ginger tom mews softly.

"And this is from when my mother would have us light the candles as kittens!" Frostfur was explaining to Cinderheart's kits.

"Wow! That's one old Hanukkah candle!" Fernpaw mews, impressed.

"Would you three like to light some? And, I'll let you taste test the latkes!" Frostfur smiles.

"But Grammy, I wanted to taste test the donuts!" Sorrelpaw complains.

"You can try those too!" Frostfur exclaims happily.

"YAYYYY!" the 'paws cheer.

"Isn't this nice?" Jayfeather asks, sitting by the fireplace on one of the soft red lobby couches with Mapleshade. Sipping her hot chocolate, the she-cat agrees.

"It's great. I can't believe I was such a Grinch." She sighs, leaning into Jayfeather, "And Tammy really seems to like my take on gingerbread toms."

"The gruesome ones?" He asks.

"Yeah." Mapleshade purrs, "I swear, they all look better without heads."

"Only if they're named Appledusk." Jayfeather purrs, licking Mapleshade's ears lovingly.

"Look! It's the last ornament!" Amberkit squeals, holding up a shimmering fish-shaped glass decoration.

"And the last candle!" Hollypaw announces.

"Okay, on the count of three: Tadpole, you turn off the lights. Hollypaw, you light the candle, Amberkit, you put on the fish, and Bartleby can plug in the Christmas tree lights! Got it?" Silverstream asks.

"Yeah!" The kittens all meow.

"One, two, three!" All of the characters shout. The light go off, and all of a sudden there's only the lights of the nine Hanukkah candles and the glow of the Christmas tree to illuminate the lobby. The fire in the fireplace crackles merrily and sparks pop over the chestnuts roasting.

"It's lovely." Jayfeather sighs.

"You can't see, bruh." Lionblaze reminds him.

"STFU, idiot." Jayfeather snaps irritably. Mapleshade cackles.

"Boys!" Hollyleaf scolds.

The family basks in the glow of the holidays, until-

"Oh! Oh!" Cinderpelt gasps.

"Oh, come on!" Isn't there one family gathering where someone isn't giving birth?" Sandstorm complains.

"Now, now, darling. It just means our family is expanding!" Firestar purrs, "More moral cats!"

"Ew," Mapleshade mutters.

"Yay! My babies!" Hawkfrost yowls delightedly.

"Medicine cat? Medicine cat?" Snowkit squeaks as Cinderpelt collapses on the white carpet.

"Aw, no! Not on my rug! We just bought that!" Mapleshade groans.

"I'm coming, I'm coming, Snowkit, shut your trap." Jayfeather mumbles, Mothwing joining him.

"Push, honey, I love you, push!" Hawkfrost coaxes.

"Can't you see I'm trying?" Cinderpelt grunts.

"Well, no. The lights are off." Hawkfrost mews.

"The lights are always off." Jayfeather mutters bitterly.

"Aw, be quiet." Mothwing snaps.

"What happened to the joy of new life and new beginnings?" Sorreltail asks.

"I can't wait for that to be us someday, baby!" Bumblestripe purrs to Ivypool.

"Errrm…" The silver and black tabby mumbles, watching the gray queen struggle.

"I think Foxleap and I are going to adopt! This is beautiful!" Thornclaw gushes, talking about his partner (who had just recently come out and begun dating the golden warrior.)

"There's one!" Jayfeather announces.

"Two!" Mothwing adds.

"Three! Three! I see three!" Dewkit squeaks.

"Oh my Starclan! Four! We'll need more latkes!" Frostfur exclaims.

"That's it!" Jayfeather announces, "Two toms and two she-cats!"

"OMS I'm a daddy!" Hawkfrost squeals.

"Yep." Cinderpelt grins.

"They're beautiful…" Mothwing whispers. She raises her head to Hawkfrost and smiles. "I'm an auntie!"

Mapleshade leans over to glimpse the kittens. One tom is a slightly paler gray than it's mother, with a white chest and white paws.

"Stormkit." Cinderpelt murmurs. The other tom is white, with dark gray and brown tabby patches. "Cedarkit." The she-kits are lovely as well. One is identical to her mother, "Puddlekit," and the other is identical to her father, though her brown tabby markings are far more swirly and mystical. "and Frostkit…"

Mapleshade smiles.

"They're so small…" She sighs, remembering when her kittens were small. Well, they never really grew, but smaller.

"Happy holidays, everyone!" Hawkfrost grins, "Meet my Christmas kittens!

"And a happy New Year!" Whitestorm laughs, raising his glass.

"Cheers!" The cats shout, clinking their glasses full of rich holiday wine and, for the young'uns, specialized Hawkfrost-made smoothies.

"Well, who says we open presents?" Mapleshade asks eagerly, glancing at the mounds of packages.

"ME!" the kittens squeal.

"Happy holidays." Hawkfrost and Cinderpelt murmur to their kittens, "We'll love you forever."

Happy holdiays, y'all! My best present: Going to London next October for the rugby world cup! What's yours?

Lots of love,

~Bright~