Not a Creature Was Stirring...

#1

The night before Feastday, Feastday Eve. Snow covers the Encampment in a soft white, freezing blanket. Warm hearths are lit in houses, keeping the nonhuman population of The Encampment warm and toasty.

Decorations are put up, holly and ivy, various brightly coloured baubles, even trees with angels or stars sat atop them.

Stockings are put up,there's even a market set up with festive foods. The inhabitants let their spirits rise, despite all the troubles in the past years.

All but one. There's a human at the Inn, the Horn and Halo. He wears a sandy coloured cloak, and jingles as he walks-yet he is carrying no bells.

He sits by the fireside and sips at mulled wine, the spices and heat of fire or hearth do nothing to warm him. See, this is Russel, and he's been in Pax since mere weeks after the worlds formation. He's been through all the wars, seen all the destruction and the wonder that has transpired here side by side. So he knows, while he hopes beyond hope this year will be different, something will happen.

It always does. It's as though something were playing with them.

So he watches out of the window for the signs.

#2

"Holidays got you down?"

From behind him, a soft voice in the sandy cloak asked the question. With a smile, she sat beside the unhappy man, sipping a warm glass of hot apple cider. She looked like an angel... literally! With straight black hair, and friendly brown eyes she judged him. Everytime she moved, her wings seemed to produce a swirl of sparkling snowflakes, that lasted only for a moment and then were gone.

"Mmm." She took another sip of her toasty beverage. "I'm Holly, by the way!"

#3

"Something like that" Russel said after turning and sizing up the strange, new snow angel that called herself Holly

"I've been here for a long time" he said carefully as he took another sip of the mulled wine "This time of year means people put their guard down, and when people put their guard down, something usually takes advantage. Sometimes it's a festival, sometimes it's when we grew too trusting. Either way, some sort of disaster always happens at every festival. I am simply watching for the signs. Perhaps I can give an early warning-before people get killed again"

He took another longer draught of the drink "My name is Russel, by the way. Nice to meet you Holly"

#4

Tom came up and sat down beside Russel. He still had his gear on from his Patrol, but per the rules of the Horn and Halo, he had checked his rifle with Tala...reluctantly.

"Now that's now way to be during the holidays. Anyways, not all of us are putting our guard down. But even then, it's time to remember why we live instead of focusing on how we may die."

#5

"That's deep Tom. Why do you live then? I fear at times I have forgotten my reasons for such" The man in the sandy cloak said after he'd watched Tom come over and sit down next to him.

"Trouble is, what I say is true, isn't it?"

Thorn-Dancers Treehouse

A very odd creature stood at the bottom of Thorns sheep pen. It was odd for many reasons. For one, it seemed to have just appeared there, and for two, it was a somewhat docile zombie reindeer from one of the previous holidays, flesh and congealed gore dripping.

And for three, it had a bow and a gift tag wrapped around one of it's antlers. A red bow.

There was a knock on the door.

#6

"Wow. You two are extremely grim." Holly frowned, made uncomfortable by their tone. This was such a happy, merry time of miracles... and they were bringing her down.

"I don't see any tree ornaments getting up and walking around quite yet, guys. Maybe can the talk on death and destruction for one night?" She got up with a huff, spreading a swirl of glittering snow from her wings. "Enjoy your wine and war stories, alone."

She left, looking for someone happier to spend the holidays with.

Mage of Mist · #7

Thorn was decorating the inside of her treehouse, with a tiny little fir tree planted in a pot by the bed and her storage chests being decorated with tinsel, though she tilted her head when she heard the knock. "Hellossss?" She calls, walking over to investigate, opening the door and looking around and spotting the zombie reindeer and the cluster of her scared sheep staring at it on the other side of the pen.

"That... Isss odd" The puzzled Floran mumbles, walking over to investigate the odd creature and noticed the tag and ribbon. "Where you from, ssstrange deer?" She asks curiously, moving closer cautiously to look at the tag, ready to jump away at a moments notice if it decided that she'd be something good to graze on. It seemed rather docile so far though.

#8

Russel watchec her go, and sighed "Nothing would make me happier than for nothing to happen tonight" He downed the rest of the mulled wine. "I'm going for another, you want one Tom?" He asked as he got up to go to the bar.

Holly would find a golden furred werewolf with emerald green eyes dancing on a table whilst she downed Dragonfire Whiskey.

"Whoo this stuff is great! Better than Black-Briar Mead!"

Thorn-Dancers Treehouse

The zombie reindeer stayed where it was, moving only to stand more comfortably. The tag said:

'Thorn-Dancer

I was so surprised to hear that you approved and enjoyed so much of my hard work when you first came to Ana, I thought I'd give you a token.

It will only spar with you, and I have removed the corrupting influence.

You might want to keep it contained when you aren't around however.

-K'

Around the outside of the town, in the forests. Animals began to gather. Watching The Encampment.

#9

Holly at a table, across from the Werewolf, happy that someone at least was having a good time.

"Cheers!" She smiled, holding up her own glass to the happy wolf.

Mage of Mist · #10

Thorn read the tag curiously, then smiles a big happy grin. "Floran love it!" She beams excitedly, hugging the poor zombie reindeer.
"Floran ssshall call you... Hmmm... Ssscooter! Ssscooter good name! And Floran will take good care of you! And we will have lotsss of fun sssparring matchesss!" Thorn giggles happily, very exited over the very unusual and to many, a very unsettling gift.

Vegoia · #11

Only a couple feet in height, a wiry goblin silently leaped across rooftops hauling a sack large for its size. Not the famous red of festive themes; a dark weightless bag which caused the weary eye of a passerby from noticing the Sableye. Such 'luck' aided in his determined stride throughout the Encampment.

The small figure checked around with several accomplices stationed elsewhere in town. Strange canines with rough fur gave a passing glance at the Pokemon, somehow aware of his presence, just to then continue walking around the snow-covered streets by themselves.

#12

Tom
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"Of course I'll have some.

I suppose I'll answer your question as to why do I live with another question. Do you know why I do what I do, day in and day out?"

Above the Encampment
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A sleigh can be seen descending towards town, with an odd assortment of creatures and things pulling it. Behind it, Au'Marui, in his male form, can be seen mushing them on.

#13

The Horn and Halo

Russel thought over it as he went up to the bar, eventually coming back with two glasses of the hot mulled wine which he proceeded to put down in front of Tom and then himself. "Well" he said, jingling a little as he sat down again "Because you want to protect people, right? That's why you take on all those dangerous quests"

The golden furred werewolf got off the table and walked over purely to knock glasses with Holly the snow angel when she raised hers, drinking a full half a pint of the stuff in one go afterwards "Cheers!"

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Thorns Treehouse

The zombie deer huffed, snorted and chewed on... something as Thorn talked. 'Scooter' though looked eagerly up when she mentioned sparring. Having a sparring partner who was already dead meant no matter what happened it would just keep going.

<hr />

Outside the edges of The Encampment, yet more animals gathered. Patiently they watched what was going on within. They weren't confined to land-based creatures either, things that stalked the dark like wolves, big cats and Anas indigenous and even more dangerous creatures aptly named 'Predators' stood side by side, their eyes reflecting the firelights. Above them were birds, large birds no smaller than a raven-in fact some of them were ravens, some of them were crows, some were owls. There were other smaller land based creatures as well such as foxes, badgers and raccoons. All of them watched silently side by side.

A few Snowy Owls broke off to fly through the town.

It wasn't just here either. A Snowy Owl flew by Thorn and her gift too as the wildlife watched from the edges of the woods there as well.

#14

The H&H would soon have another guest coming through, the odd Witch Phoebe. The woman ordered a bottle of rum today and went to find herself a spot to sit and rest in for a bit...as well as look at the people. She pulled her hat lower as she adjusted her fur coat, opening it up to reveal a nice dress in green and black.

#15

H&H
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Tom laughed as he picked up his mulled wine. "Russel, it's not solely about protecting people, it's about setting them free to relax, if only for a party. Where I'm from, we treasure freedom pretty highly. However, no matter where you are, there are those who would take your freedom. I was a part of an organization meant to defend the people and their freedom."

He chuckled again, then added "However, it seems more often then not we ended up defending some piece of sandy desert so someone rich could get to some more oil to sell."