Drabble Cascade #41 - Christmas: The small Joys of Christmas (G, Wizard World 'Verse)

[charisstoma]

FB3X Drabble Cascade #41 - Christmas

Title: The small Joys of Christmas (G, Wizard World 'Verse)
Author: charisstoma
Word count: 100
Prompt: Christmas
This is from the Wizard’s World ‘verse and is a prequel of Meridae’s Battle of the Christmas Tree
Ranel is one of these familiar-kittens.



There was shredded wrapping paper all over the living room giving it a festive look. A small heap moved with a rustle, poking out a whiskered nose before leaping out to chase something under the wrapping litter. Frenzied noisy activity erupted as more small furry lumps jumped out of hiding attacking paper and their siblings.

Brian sighed, looking first at the presents and then at the wrapping paper. Maybe they should just wrap empty boxes next year. The kittens didn’t seem to know the difference. Hopefully there was a helpful spell Balthazar knew to magically pick up all this mess.

Comments

[meridae.livejournal.com]

I was just thinking, what do you get kittens for christmas anyway? Especially when they cant change forms, rendering most toys useless. Empty boxes and screwed up papercwould indeed be the best present!
::suspects that nose may have been Ranels::

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

Shopping list for kitten familiars

Small stuffed toys for kicking the stuffing out of

Light weight balls, some with bells inside

Cat trees (multi-level perches,with enclosed areas that have holes to spy and pounce out of, built in scratching post a plus)

Scratching posts with optional mouse scent (spray dispenser for refreshing scent)

Cuddly fleece pad big enough for everyone

Pipecleaners- multicolors (you bend them into springy shapes) for chasing across floors perfect for carrying in mouths to drop for the next attack

Books with clear photos/pictures that have a story to read - they aren't going to be kittens forever and ABCs and picture books will help little minds develope

[meridae.livejournal.com]

But see, all of those have much better substitutes already at hand:

Small stuffed toys - siblings, parents, grandparents, uncles

Light weight balls - randomly screwed up pieces of paper.

Cat trees - furniture (especially Papa Warne's bookshelves), any adult close enough to pounce and/or climb up.

Scratching posts with optional mouse scent - furniture, adult legs, mousies what Papa Ranel and Grandpapa Duke bring in.

Cuddly fleece pad - okay, that might be useful, although Papas's bed is MUCH BETTER.

Pipecleaners- Milk bottle rings.

Books with clear photos/pictures - Papa Warne telling us stories and illustrating it with illusions!

::grins::

I must have dozens of cat toys around here - they don't play with any of them, not even the balls I got that you hide treats inside. The favoured toys around here are 1) the long length of cotton string attached to Mum's electric blanket that she's left sticking out through the gap in the door for us to play with 2) Birds or Mice/Rats that Jack brings in 3) Mum, specially the wriggly bits at the end of her paws.

For a scratching post (which they do have) substitute the cane set of draws in the bathroom which has been destroyed by Jimmy. If we are outside then any random stick, twig or flax flower is perfect if Mummy wants to play, if not then we will rustle tussle and fight with each other and/or any Interlopers Into Our Territory (except the Big Goggie, who we will run from).

About the only really successful toy was the lazer pointer I had when Jimmy was younger and before I got the other three - he was too energetic for my old lady to play with so I'd spend half an hour or so running him up and down the hall way at night before bedtime so he'd settle down and go to sleep!

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

Adds fishing rod and reel with a piece of something on the end of the line that catching the attention. You cast and then reel back in the line. My sister had to stop, she was getting rod and reel shoulder.

Had forgotten about milk bottle rings.
In a pinch a pet gerbil is fun. Doesn't last long, though makes a nice rug once suitably washed and laid out.

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

Yes well, it's the thought that counts.

Gourmet canned cat food/whatever's on Mom's plate or her glass.

[meridae.livejournal.com]

Well obviously, mone piece of meat on Papa's plate is worth more than the ten pieces on yours!

I think that at this age, time playing with family members is the best gift. Good thing they have a big family with two other litters close to their own age!

[thwax.livejournal.com]

aww - this made me smile from ear to ear :D

A small heap moved with a rustle, poking out a whiskered nose... - I bet there was a bum wiggling under that rustling heap right before the leap ;p

[meridae.livejournal.com]

And a tiny wee kitten stub of a tail wiggling with it! I WANT A KITTEN!

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

I think that this is a stage of kittenhood I like the best when they're mobile and into everything, short tail held rod straight up and springs for legs.

Not so much fun when not feeling good or trying to sleep. They will find you in bed and bat/bite at your nose to make you play. Wiggling toes under sheets are toes. And making the bed is playtime. Do Not Ask how many bottom sheets have triangular tears in them and been either mended or regulated to plant covers when it freezes duty.

[meridae.livejournal.com]

Oh, is the changing sheets = playtime thing supposed to stop when they get old? Cos I usually have at least two large, very undignified adult moggies 'helping' me when I change the sheets. Bunz is the worst - this big huge fluffy thing pouncing around putting holes in the sheets with his claws! I shut them out the bedroom now, which offends them greatly.

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

*sighs* No age doesn't seem to make a difference in helping make the bed and that is the real reason why they put doors on bedrooms to close cats out while bed making is taking place or activities similar to baby making for that matter.

Adds sheets to the Christmas list and making the bed on the living room floor with only the top sheet being floated like a tablecloth.

In which Ranel ponders the error of his ways.

[meridae.livejournal.com]

Ranel purred in satisfaction as he snuggled himself against the soft, hair sprinkled skin of Warne’s broad chest. Warne’s free hand slid down Ranel’s sweat damp flank to begin the ritual of the post-coital bottom-rub. Mmmm, Ranel purred some more. He did so enjoyed a good bottom rug, especially when Warne occasionally dipped his fingers down into Ranel’s crack to caress the slightly swollen hole proprietarily. A reminder, as it were, of the love they’d just shared.

Ranel allowed himself one wriggly squirm of appreciation against Warne’s stroking hand, then sighed and tilted his head to look up at his husbands face. Warne had his eyes closed, and his expression was one of complete satiation. Kind of a shame to spoil it really, but . . .

“So . . .” Ranel murmured, unsure of how to start, but knowing he had to. “We need to talk.”

Warne cracked one eye open and cast it towards Ranel’s uncertain face. “We do, huh?”

Ranel gave him a nudge in the ribs with his elbow. “You know we do . . . the kittens . . . the tree . . .Christmas . . .”

“Oh, that.”

“Yeah, that.”

Warne opened both eyes. “I hope you don’t think having sex with me makes up for anything . . .”

“What? No!” Ranel exclaimed in outrage. “We don’t use sex to solve our problems, right?”

“We don’t at that,” Warne replied agreeably, letting his lips curve into a slight smile. Ranel immediately realised his husband had been teasing him.

“You’re a bad man, Warne Le Mausierer.”

“Indeed.”

“So . . . the tree. I . . . well, I . . . how do I get it back?” Ranel finally blurted after a stuttering start.

“Depends.”

Another elbow to Warne’s ribs. Now his husband was just being infuriating. Ranel had been telling the truth when he said he hadn’t expected sex to solve the problem – another of Warne’s ‘rules’ by the by – but he’d hoped it would relax them both, and remind them of how much they loved each other, so they could have a reasonable conversation. But Warne seemed content to poke at him, however gently.

“On what?” Ranel asked, trying not to clench his teeth in exasperation.
“On why you think I took the tree away.”

“Ummm . . . because I was climbing it and wrecking it and stuff?”

It was Warne’s turn to sigh, and he pulled away from Ranel slightly – not to break their contact, Ranel didn’t get that sense, but so he could sit them both up, the better to look at Ranel’s face. “But why was it important, Ranel, that you not climb the tree. I mean think about it, we’re not so hard up we couldn’t replace any number of trees if you destroy them. Why is it important that you not destroy the tree in the first place?”

Ranel looked at his husband in astonishment. He didn’t know . . . . he really didn’t know.

Hairballs and knotted fur, this wasn’t going well.

Re: In which Ranel ponders the error of his ways.

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

Okay if this were the States and the program NCIS it would be Warne's Rule #something for the answer that Ranel should be remembering as in, because Warne said not to climb the tree. *sighs* But this is not a variant of NCIS, this is Warne and I'd hope he wasn't such an autocrat.

Ranel is being reasonable to ask as he did stutteringly here. It was cute.
Warne is being a big meanie. I HOPE he will tell Ranel because playing Rumplestiltskin trying to find the right answer when several are possible is Not Very Nice. Teasing is one thing. Tormenting is another. I am becoming very angry with Warne right now.
Bursting into tears isn't adult.
Saying fine, give the kittens back their tree and I'll go away for the holidays. We'll talk again when I get back, isn't good either.*sighs*

Gee, I wonder why I'm not still married and I DIDN't do either of those things but I did take long exercise walks.

Re: In which Ranel ponders the error of his ways.

[meridae.livejournal.com]

He's not really being mean, and he won't leave Ranel hanging too long. He just knows the knowledge will be more powerful if Ranel figures it out on his own. They teach us that in probation officer school.

Re: In which Ranel ponders the error of his ways.

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

I insist on a multiple choice list of answers. For me anyway, if not for Ranel.

1. It's a bad example for the kittens
2. Warne's asked/told him not to climb the tree in the past
3. It hurt the kittens to see him act that way destroying the decorations
4. The kittens might try it and get hurt
5. Ranel might get hurt.
6. It's disrespectful of Warne
Damn it.



I hope guidance is given to the people probation officers counsel. Some people may have no idea where to even find the correct answers.

Re: In which Ranel ponders the error of his ways.

[meridae.livejournal.com]

Most people already have the answers, or some idea of what the answer might be, my job is to help them figure that out. I could just tell them but the type of people I deal with are more likely to tell me to shove it up my arse than listen to me. Specially the young men Ranel's age.

Re: In which Ranel ponders the error of his ways.

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

*sighs* Yeah, I could see that and you're doing a worthy job helping. Am sure it's not easy to not shake them and say, "just do it. You know you should."

Re: In which Ranel ponders the error of his ways.

[frogs_of_war]

It's smart to make him come up with the answer on his own. He might even come with something better than Warne could. And thinking about it will be good for him. I've hear that it's good to ask kids this. They won't know why they did something until they are around ten, but even a small child will realize why they shouldn't have done it.

This episode will help Ranel grow up a bit more.

Re: In which Ranel ponders the error of his ways.

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

Speaking as a significantly older than Ranel aged individual, just the act of asking me to come up with what I did wrong past I shouldn't have done that will make all the other correct answers hide away until 3am as I will be trying to figure it out while staring at the shadows on the ceiling.

Hopefully Ranel is better at this discovering the correct answer.

I did love his offended response to the accusation of using sex to wheedle his way out of apologizing.

Re: In which Ranel ponders the error of his ways.

[frogs_of_war]

Not "what did you do wrong?, But "Why was what you did wrong?"

It's an entirely different question.

Re: In which Ranel ponders the error of his ways.

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

Semantics that are worth noting. *nods head*

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

*grins* We know kittens so well.