Happy Holidays everyone! Just a short bit for this time of year. Thank you all for your kind words and support, and I hope this time of year is cozy for you all.

Christmas Tree Hunting


It was officially the first day of December on Corneria. As Fox sat in the loveseat in his home, dressed in a warm sweater and sweats, he drank his coffee and smiled. There was plenty of snow on the ground from a blizzard two days ago, and the clear skies today would make for lovely weather for a McCloud family tradition. With the first day of the Christmas season came the annual search for the perfect Christmas tree in the woods. He could hardly wait. He was more excited this year because of the new face living under his roof.

His ears twitched. Speaking of which…

Pawsteps came from the doorway. Fox turned and saw Krystal walk into the living room. She was wearing her plush blue robe, and she still looked a little sleepy. It was all very adorable for Fox.

"Mornin'", she said, yawning. She smiled at him after a stretch. "Up early as usual on a day off, hm?"

"Habits," said Fox. "Today is a big day, anyhow."

"Oh?" said Krystal, walking to the kitchen to pour her own cup of coffee. "What's today?"

"A tradition," said Fox. "Remember what I told you about Christmas? Well, today is the day I go and chop down a tree in the woods. I want you to come if that's alright."

When Krystal came back into the living room her tail was wagging. His own tail was twitching as she sat down beside him in the loveseat.

"Well, someone's insistent," she said playfully. "A Christmas tree is what the presents go under, right?"

"Yup."

"Which come from a magical fox named Santa, right?"

"You got it."

"A tree and a magical fox. It's all so whimsical. Cozy, too," she said. She looked out the windows. "The weather makes it more so. And I'm even getting used to snow."

Fox laughed. Krystal told him there had been snow on Cerinia, but only in the polar regions, which she had never been to. The first time she saw a blizzard on Corneria she flatly asked Fox if this is what the endtimes looked like.

"No," he had said. "Just a Cornerian November, really."

Now she regarded the snow fondly. That made Fox happy. Anytime Fox saw Krystal look comfortable in her now home made him feel good, and doubly so now as they were dating.

"I'd love to go with you," she said, turning to him. "A little date, then."

Fox smiled. "A little present before Christmas, really."

"Oh?" she said, winking at him and looking coy. "Did you get me anything, Foxy-Woxy?"

He blushed at the nickname. It never failed to make him melt. "Maybe," he said.

"So secretive," she said. "Are we heading out after breakfast?"

"Yup," said Fox. "The earlier the better."


After breakfast the two foxes left the house, dressed in winter coats, and ventured into the forest. With him Fox took an axe and a backpack filled with supplies. The scenery was lovely with the undisturbed snow on the ground, sparkling in the sunlight. Fox always felt peaceful venturing through snow like this. When he glanced at Krystal she was looking around intently, likely taking in the beauty of the winter morning. Good, thought Fox. He was happy she was having fun so far.

They were both staying quiet at first. Krystal was content to follow alongside him and look around. The only sounds were the crunching of the snow beneath their boots.

"You said this was a family tradition?" said Krystal.

"Yeah," said Fox. "Back when we lived on Papetoon, we would go to tree farms to buy a tree, but when we moved here dad realized we could just as easily find our own tree in these woods. So he bought an axe one day, and on the first of December that year he went out to find one. I pestered him to take me along next year and he did, holding my paw the whole time. That's how it started."

"Did your mother ever go?"

"She went the time after that, and every time afterword. First time I went she wouldn't let me leave the door until she tied my scarf, and she decided to see to my safety personally the following year. So it became a whole family tradition," said Fox, grinning at the memory.

"That's so sweet," said Krystal. "It must've marked the beginning of the season for all of you."

"It did, which was part of why I liked it so much. It made it really feel like Christmas was here," said Fox. "I do love this time of year."

"It is quite darling, you know."

"Hm?"

"To see you so bubbly," said Krystal. "You're cute when you're excited, Foxy."

Shucks, thought Fox, blushing a little. They smiled at each other.

They traveled farther into the forest. Fox's family walked this same path in December's past, and it always made him nostalgic. When he was little he would often walk between his mother and father, each one holding onto a paw. Sometimes they all talked, sometimes not, but there was always the feeling of family. The sensation of being on those walks was one of Fox's earliest memories of having a deep understanding of what family felt like to him. Fox hoped that if he ever started one, it would feel like that. With Krystal in his life now, those thoughts felt more possible. He blushed thinking about it.

"Did Cerinian's have any gift-giving holidays?" said Fox as they climbed a small hill.

"We did, but at the opposite time of year," said Krystal. "During the summer, once the warm weather truly arrived in force, we would give gifts to celebrate the end of the cold season. It was to rejoice that we still had loved ones to give gifts to at the tail end of the cold times, and to remember bonds that got us through cold nights."

"That sounds wonderful," said Fox. "Christmas has a similar feeling. The joy of being close to people I care about is a big part of it for me."

"I count it as a blessing that I have you and the boys to care about and share a season with," said Krystal. She looked around when they reached the top of the hill and surveyed the landscape. "I'll even say the snow is as pretty sometimes as a clear summer's day."

"Not as pretty as you," said Fox.

Krystal just looked at Fox, smiling with her eyebrows raised.

"It's good because it's corny," said Fox, a proud look on his face.

"You are right, I will give you that," she said. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek.


They found Fox's hunting grounds, and indeed there were many trees around. These were Noble Firs, and Fox liked the breed for its color and fragrance. As they entered the grove Fox smelled the fragrant air and felt contentment wash over him. Krystal did the same, and it did him to see the smile on her face.

"There are few things cozier than the smell of a good Christmas tree," said Fox. "Now, let's pick one out."

Krystal followed him around as he inspected each Noble Fir. The process of picking the right tree was a careful one. The branches and height had to be just right, but the tree also had to feel right. This last quality was purely intuitive. Fox's father told him it was something he would learn on his own when he got to picking Christmas trees, and when he started to do so under his father's guidance, he got to understanding his meaning. It really did just have to feel right.

Eventually Fox came to a tree and stared at it for a moment. He envisioned it in the living room and liked what he saw. The height and branches looked right, and he had a good feeling about it.

"This one," said Fox.

Krystal looked at the tree closely. "It looks nice, but then again I think they all do," she said. She sniffed the air again. "My, that smell is so lovely."

Fox took up his axe. "Stand over here," he said, pointing to a spot. "I don't want the tree falling on you, and I want to spare you the other danger, funny as it is."

"What's that?"

"Oh, snow falling on top of you. One year my mom was standing too close to the tree, and my dad took a big wack, and poof! Pile of snow landed on her, coming from the tree. My dad fell over laughing and couldn't get control of himself for five minutes. My mom was giving him a look to melt all the snow around us."

"And what were you doing?" said Krystal.

"Laughing too, and hoping I wasn't grounded," said Fox.

Fox chopped the tree down without incident. Then he used some supplies in his backpack for a makeshift sled for the tree. He tugged it along behind them as they made their way home, careful not to damage the branches.

"Thank you for coming along," said Fox.

"It was my pleasure," said Krystal. "It's always a pleasure to see you doing peaceful things, Fox."

"Why's that?"

"Your mind is especially warm, then," said Krystal. "Like a blanket I want to wrap myself in."

Fox just blushed and smiled back. How he got this lucky, he couldn't figure out.


Back at the house, Fox set up the tree in the planter with water and took the Christmas decorations from the attic. With Krystal's help they began to decorate. All the while, the warm feeling of the holidays surged inside Fox. It was the smell of the tree, the snow outside, and Krystal's kind presence in helping him decorate. He was grateful he could be part of another holiday season.

When they finished, they sat together on the couch and admired their work. Fox pulled Krystal close and rested his head against hers.

"Aren't you cuddly," she said, nuzzling back.

"It's the holidays," he said. "Makes me warm and fuzzy."

"Well, I can be warm and fuzzy with you," she said.

The shared a kiss. Already his first December with Krystal was off to a great start.