100 Tales 91

Present

Hollypaw's alarm went off. She glanced at the clock. 7:00 AM…. I can sleep for a little while longer, she thought, rolling over with a mutter. However, at that exact moment, her radio came on, and she listened, still half-asleep.

"Good morning. It is Christmas morning, and I'm betting that many kids will find presents under the tree!" the main announcer declared.

"I remember when I was a little girl…. I wrapped up a package of horse manure for my older brother and put it under the tree, in payback for a prank! I can't remember what it was, though," giggled the female announcer.

Both announcers laughed heartily, and that's when Hollypaw finally got it. She jerked off her covers, and sat up.

It was Christmas morning.

There were presents for her under the tree.

Hollypaw screamed with excitement, and got out of bed, night clothes and all. She ran down the hall to the slightly larger room, which Jaypaw and Lionpaw shared. She kicked open the door.

"Merry Christmas!" she sang.

Lionpaw was so surprised that he fell out of his bed. All the beds were really just nests on tree trunks, that the cats had found in various Twoleg junkyards.

Jaypaw, on the other hand, glared at her with his sightless blue eyes, which were looking rather annoyed, just now. "Will you shut up?" he hissed. "I was still sleeping."

"Sorry," Hollypaw apologized, still insanely excited.

"Oh, all right." Jaypaw sighed. "I can see that there's no stopping you. Go wake our parents, and we'll be in the living room in a bit. Okay?"

"All right!" Hollypaw agreed cheerfully, rushing out of the room.

****

A little while later, she was with her brothers and parents downstairs, next to the tree.

"Right," Squirrelflight mewed. "We've each gotten you three presents—a big one; and two smaller ones. Who wants to open his or her presents first?"

"I'll go," Jaypaw offered.

"All right, then; go ahead," Brambleclaw invited, gesturing with his tail even though Jaypaw couldn't see him.

Jaypaw walked slowly forwards, feeling his way for his presents, which were wrapped specially so that they smelled like herbs. He nosed his way forward, and nipped one of the three boxes that were his open.

First of all, he found a tail warmer. He felt its warmth, as he turned around to put it on his tail. He waved his tail around.

"Hey; thanks, Mom, and Dad!" Jaypaw laughed, carefree. He opened his next two presents. One was an herb shredder, and the other one was a blanket. He liked his presents; very much, in fact. But, he set aside, reluctantly, though, as Lionpaw stepped up.

Lionpaw decided to open his smallest presents, first. He opened one. It was a…. a sock. It was orange with darker orange stripes on it. He tried it on his right paw.

"Hey, this is absolutely wonderful!" he exclaimed.

"I know; isn't it." Squirrelflight's eyes were wide with excitement. "I got you two. They're different colours. They're your two smallest presents."

Lionpaw nodded, and, once he had opened the next sock, too, he reached over for the biggest one. It was really big. What was it….?

Pretty soon, his question was answered.

"Hey…. It's an orange soccer ball! Absolutely perfect!" he exclaimed.

He stepped back to let Hollypaw go, once he had said thank you to his parents, and such. Hollypaw opened the first smallest box.

"Hey, cool; it's a rock for my fish tank! Thanks, Dad!" It clearly said, From Brambleclaw, on the label; so that was how she knew. She kept fish. Only the smallest ones that were in the steam, but still. It was such a fun hobby!

She opened the next box. "Humm…. just a pair of socks, but they're very nice. Thanks, Mom!" She grinned, and turned to the last box. It was absolutely huge.

Hollypaw ripped it open, and a huge mouse cage unfolded in front of her. She gasped. "Great StarClan! Thanks, Mom! Thanks, Dad! This is absolutely great!" She had finally been allowed to get a pet white mouse, but the only cage that she could find that wasn't too expensive was teeny for even a pair of little ones, and she had to clean it out weekly, to prevent it from getting so filthy that the mice could die.

Now that all of the kids had opened their presents, Squirrelflight suggested, "How about pancakes?"

"Yeah!" all three young cats shouted, and Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight headed into the kitchen for their own presents.