December 17

(Only at Wal-Mart, and for a limited time only. Hurry to Wal-Mart for holiday sales!) Ax said.

(You know, Christmas specials are coming on.) Marco said. (You do want to still have a TV to watch them.)

They were flying towards Ax's scoop. Between the three of them, they were carrying strings of light, tinsel, and baubles. Ax had decided to decorate his scoop after watching A Christmas Story, so Tobias and Marco were giving him a hand. They were going to do it yesterday, but Rachel had worn them out. (She had been grounded until Christmas Eve, by the way.)

(Let's fly a little lower, into the trees.) Tobias advised. (Anyone who saw us would think we were trying to decorate our nests or something.)

(Yeah, Then we might win best looking nest award.) Marco laughed.

They were about to drop into the forest, when they heard a voice calling.

"Tobias, Ax? Is that you?"

They looked down to see Cassie waving and jumping.

Tobias sighed. (Who else would it be?)

"Come look at this!" Cassie said. "It's really important!"

(No, thanks.) Marco said, flying faster.

"It has something to do with the, um, Jerks." Cassie said.

Marco reluctantly dropped the lights and swooped into the barn. Tobias and Ax followed him.

"See!" Cassie said. She pointed to a deer lying on its side on the floor. It was breathing heavily, and its eyes were glazed over.

(Aw, poor deer.) Marco said in a bored voice. (Can we go now?)

"No, look!" Cassie said. She gently turned the deer around, revealing a large semi-circle burn on its back.

(So the yeerks shot a deer.) Tobias said. (They probably just thought it was one of us in morph. I doubt they're up to anything.)

Cassie stomped her foot. "Would you let me finish!" She pointed to the white spots on its coat. "See the shape of those spots, the fur color, and the horn size? That means that it's a reindeer."

(Is this fact relevant?) Ax asked. (Are reindeer of some special importance to humans?)

(They're supposed to pull Santa's sleigh.) Tobias said. (It's just a big coincidence that some yeerk shot one around Christmas.)

"But earlier today, some carolers sang Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer." Cassie explained. "When they said 'Donner', the reindeer tried to get up. Don't you get it?"

Marco started laughing loudly and rudely. Cassie took a deep breath and continued.

"The Yeerks are trying to ruin Christmas!"