The four spartans gazed at the tree rooted in the clearing. A tad bit shorter than Jorge, its perfect green branches covered in a thin layer of sparkling snow. It seemed to glow in that moonlit clearing, making whole scene seem almost...magical. At that moment, Emile knew that this was the tree they were looking for.
"We found it, that's our Christmas tree," His voice broke the awed silence, " we'll cut it down, being it back. Everyone will be all drunk and happy, including Carter. Next thing you know I can have my room back!"
"One thing I don't get," Six called out to him as he strode towards the tree," is how your going to cut it down without an ax or any other sharp weapon. "
" Oh, I have something better then an ax." Emile lifted a hand and unzipped his dark green jacket, pulling out his kukri .
" Not to sound stupid, but that's not the best tool to cut down a tree." Jorge pointed out.
Emile ignored him, reaching up he grabbed a string on the hilt and pulled, causing his kukri to whirr and vibrate. "There, mini-chainsaw!" He bragged.
"Um..." Jorge just looked at him.
Emile approached the tree, holding up his chainsaw Kukri, when suddenly the snow amongst the roots shifted and a bunny hopped out right in front of the spartan.
"Awwwwww! It's a bunny!" Jorge, Six, and Jun cooed.
"Yeah, so? " Emile moved closer to the trunk of the tree.
"Wait!" Jorge yelled, "You can't do that!"
"Why not?"
"You saw where that bunny came out, that's its home. If we cut down this tree, that poor little bunny won't have anywhere to have shelter!"
"Really?" Emile looked down at the small bunny, with its cuddly brown fur and large black eyes, it seemed to stare imploringly at the imposing chain saw- wielding spartan, its cute little nose quivering. It made Emile pause for a second, as he and the bunny stared at each other, they seemed to reach an understanding...
"Oh well." Emile brought up a steel toed boot and kicked the bunny. With a squeak the animal soared over the trees and off into the night sky.
Jun, Six and Jorge stared, there jaws almost touching the snow around their feet. The shock over, Jorge immediately started crying.
"There, there, big guy." Six placed a hand on his arm, trying to comfort him, and was immediately pulled into a big bear hug as the large spartan sniffled and sobbed.
" Are you happy now? You just made Jorge cry!" Jun put his hands on his hips and glared at Emile.
" Don't give me any trouble, Badly, or after I'm done cutting down this tree I'll use this chainsaw kukri on YOU!"
"Um..okay...I won't bother you..then." Jun squeaked and went to hide behind Jorge and Six.
The forest was filled with the sound of t Emile's weapon as it was driven into the trunk of the tree. He worked fast, wielding his tool like a true master. Six watched him, realizing this was probably how he dealt with his enemies. It made her glad to be on his side.
A few minutes later, the tree cracked and toppled over, landing in the soft snow. Emile brushed off his hands. "Lets get this thing back to base!" He commanded.
'Who made you leader?" Six said, walking up to him.
"Its MY adventure, so Im the leader!" Emile whined.
"Fine, have it your way." Six backed off and knelt down to grab the tree.
"I still don't like what you did to that bunny..." Jorge grumbled as he went to help Six.
"I don't give a crap about what you think." Emile huffed.
"But Bunnies on Reach are far different from the ones on earth, who knows, it could of told its friends about what you did..." He warned.
Emile let out a gruff laugh. "Oh no, I kicked Thumper and now Bambi is going to come and beat me up! Oh, Im soooo scared, hahaha!"
No one else was laughing. Emile looked at Six, puzzled to see her looking off into the distance, eyes wide.
"No one move..." Jorge whispered as Jun gave a quiet squeak of terror and moved closer to his friends.
'What are you guys looking at?' Emile turned around, and almost crapped his pants.
The four were surrounded on all sides by wood land creatures. Deer, owls, wolves, rabbits, you name it, they were all there, and looking pissed.
" I told you..." Jorge said out of the corner of his mouth.
"Ha! What are you afraid of? They're just a bunch of dumb animals!" Emile continued to laugh until a familiar furry creature hopped out from between the legs of a bear, it's side bruised where Emile had kicked it. The bunny pointed to the spartans with a furry paw.
" Devour their souls!" It hissed in a deep and scratchy voice. At its command the animals charged, red eyed and rabid.
" Oooooh maaaaaaaaah gaaaaaaaaaaaaawd!" Jun squealed and took off at a dead sprint along with Six, Emile, and Jorge, who had the tree slung over his shoulder.
Low hanging branches scraped past Six's face, but she kept running, the blood curling cries of Reach's wildlife coming up behind her. Beside her Jun was sobbing like a school girl, his arms flailing like noodles in the wind. She could hear the animals coming closer by the second, they needed a place to hide.
"Up ahead." Jorge skidded to a halt and pointed with his free hand to a small crack in a pile of boulders, "I bet we could squeeze in there!"
" I don't know, I haven't been watching my weight recently..." Jun looked down at himself.
"Just come on!" Six grabbed his arm and ran towards the opening, behind them, shapes could be seen charging through the trees.
Emile got to the opening first and slipped through into a medium sized cave. " I think there will be enough roof for all of us, except Jun."
"Knock it off." Jorge growled as he tried to squeeze through. "UH-oh, Im stuck..."
Six frantically tried to push him through while Jun bit his nails. "Hurry up, they're getting closer!" He cried nervously.
Six, using all her strength, finally pushed Jorge through, but by that time the lead wolves had broken through the trees and were streaking like missiles straight towards them. The female spartan took one look at them and jumped into the cave.
"Come on, Jun!" She yelled.
Jun was the last to make it through, but right before he could step safely in his body jerked. He screamed as he began to get pulled back. " GaaaaaH! They got meeeeeeee!"
Six tried to kick the snarling animal jaws that were locked onto Jun's leg and while Jorge hit them with the tree, Emile sprang forwards, grabbing Jun's hand and tried to pull him back.
'I got you, spartan!" Emile said.
" But I thought you didn't like me!" Jun whined, snot pouring like a green waterfall from his nose.
"Well...spartans take care of their own...I guess..." Emile said gruffly.
" Never let me go!" jun sniffled.
"Don't worry, that will never happe- ooo look, a doughnut!" Emile looked down to see the most delicious looking doughnut sitting at his feet, without think he reached down to get it, letting go of Jun, who screamed like a stuck pig as he was dragged outside the cave.
There was no helping it. The only thing Jorge could do was barricade the entrance with their Christmas tree as they listened to the sniper's pain filled screeched coming from the other side.
" Poor Jun...' The large man sniffled and hung his head. Six glared at Emile.
'What?" He asked between bites of his doughnut.
"How are you eating that thing when you have your helmet on?" She asked.
' I...actually, I don't really know..." Emile said thoughtfully, then shrugged and took another bite.
" Um...aren't we going to go rescue him?"
"Why would we do that, Six? Jun made a noble sacrifice so we could get this perfect tree!"
" He's still alive. And didn't you say we take care of our own?" she raised a blonde eye brow at him.
The spartan was silent, listening to Jun's screaming.
"OW OW OW! NO, not my leg, I need that! Owie, do you ever brush your teeth? How uncle-OW! AAAAAAAAH! MY EYES! Now I need to sanitize them! GaaaAH NATURE!"
Jorge faced his two comrades, fire in his eyes. "I can't believe you two, standing around while a fellow spartan is in trouble."
'Um...I wasn't objecting to saving Jun..."
"Shut up, Six, I'm trying to make a speech! Anywho, how kind of soldiers are we, who hide at the thought of supporting one another? Yeah, our enemy may be vicious, bloodthirsty, cute critters, but we are spartans, and what do spartans never do? SPARTANS NEVER DIE!" He roared.
'YEAH!" Six and Emile cheered, pumped up.
"Now lets get out there and kick some ass!" Jorge yelled and removed the Christmas tree. The three spartans charged out, yelling blood curdling war cries.
Several hours later...
Six couldn't help but sigh with relief as the base came into view, it made her limp a little faster. No one had gotten out without at least broken limb or internal injury. Six was bleeding from various wounds, and there was a nasty gash in her leg given to her by a mean-looking shrew. Emile's coat was torn, and his left arm was hanging limp at his side from his fight with a bear. Jorge fared the best, with only a few scratches, but poor Jun, he had to be carried over the large spartan's shoulder as they reached their home.
"That was some night..." Six muttered, almost falling over from exhaustion.
"Yeah, Disney lied. Forest animals aren't cute and cuddly at all!" Jun said weakly.
"But hey," Emile said cheerily, "It may of taken us all night to fight out of those woods, but we got the perfect Christmas tree, so now Carter will be happy and give me my room back!"
The sun was just sneaking up over the horizon when they entered the base, tip-toeing to the rec room where they were going to put the Christmas tree. But to their surprise, when they rounded the corner, there already was one in the corner!
'THE HELL?" Emile shouted.
'Oh, up early?" A figure got up from a couch. It was Carter, holding a mug of steaming coffee.
"W-w-w-w-what's that?" Jorge stammered, pointing at the tree.
"Oh, that? Well, I realized I was in a bad mood last night, that I took out on you, Jorge. Im sorry, it was very childish of me. So, to make it up to you I went out last night and bought us a tree!" He smiled.
",,,and what about you and Kat?" Six asked numbly.
"Well...we made up last night, too. If you know what I mean...hehehehe..." He winked pervertedly.
The four spartans just stared at the tree, their jaws slack.
"So...we didn't have to get a tree, after all?" Emile asked, dazed.
"I was molested by animals for nothing?" Jun began to cry softly.
"Um...I guess so..." Carter answered, confused. He looked them over, nothing their beaten up appearance and the tree slung over Jorge's shoulder. " What happened to you guys, anyway?"
They just stared at them, their eyes dull, not being able to believe what they were hearing.
"Well..." Six finally said. " I guess that horrible adventure was completely worthless...Im gonna go back to bed." She turned and staggered off down the hall. The three other spartans mumbled sleepily in agreement and shambled after her.
'Wait, you can't go to sleep!" Carter called after them, "We're going Christmas shopping this morning!"
The agonizing sound of four spartans sobbing could be heard through the base on that fine winter morning.
TOBECONTINUED!