#brightwindsbarony

"Well, I'd probably be upset if you smashed the bed and broke the windows for no reason, but being locked up is a pretty good reason."

"I like the tree, but I don't think it will support my secret base"

"Oh, hey, maybe we could fx the hole with fancy rocks? Like a mosaic?"

Catir comes in "Who's hurt?" She has her little medical bag

"Nobody's hurt Caitir. Look! Yule tree!"

"Then why did Little Joe walk by saying he had to heather balm something?" Catir says

She admires the tree "I like it. It's HUGE"

"Ohhh. I think maybe Joe will fix the hole. If he does, make sure you thank him, Grete."

"I don't think I got enough ornaments." She picks up the shopping bags, looks inside, then at the tree. A huff.

An odd sensation from the bale of embarrasement,mild chastisement?

Inquisitive touch?

Something regarding the wall, little joe

Grete just looks a little lost. Baffled. How can Sparrow be so different?

"I bought ALL of them at the general store. The Walmart is over an hour away, Little Joe said.. and, honestly, walmart is awful."

"Well, we'll make do."

Catir says "its' a fine tree.. and we'll make our own ornaments"

"Guys, do you want to help decorate? We'll spread them out, and then figure something out to fill it in.... bows, maybe? Paper snowflakes?"

"I... I'm gonna go help little Joe." Grete disappears back down the passage way, looking for the (hard to miss) troll.

"Oh... okay.." Uncertain.

"I'll help" Catir says

"Thanks for reading her the riot act" Stew says and.. hugs Sparrow

A squeeze back. "Is she okay?"

"She's got Post Asshat Trauma, but she's getting better" Stew says

A deep breath. "Well, she can join in when she comes back." Sparrow starts unpacking bags - boxes of brand-new ornaments and lights and garland. "Oh, candy canes! We could hang those, too..."

"...and eat some..."

"Uhm.. Baroness?" Irene the Piskie cchimes in

"Hello! Do you want to help decorate the tree?"

"Actually, mom thought you, being new and all, might NEED some decorations so... is this what the Eshu call dramatic timing?" She's carrying a box. "I mean, mom's mortal, but she's nice"

"Oh, wow! That IS good timing..."

Tinsel! Stuff you spray on glass to make it look like frost, complete with snow flake and star patterns! And old lights!

And popcorn ready to be popped!

Stew nods "Great timing" then suspicious "Maybe.. TOO great"

Irene looks at him "Stop that"

"Okay guys, I'll get the lights up - they can be tricky. But otherwise, ya'll go wild."

"can.. can I help?" A voice nervous...coming from an ugly ugly face of an ugly ugly girl

"Hey Ashlee! Yes! Oh, you're tall, good, you can reach the high parts..."

She nods "Sure!" and cheers a bit "Mom wont' let me put up chrismas decorations in the trailer. I put up a snow man..well, a tireman but I painted him white"

"Oh, do you paint?"

"Oh, no art like mom wouldn't let me" Then a pause "But.. sometimes I doodle in the pages corners at school? And.. my art teacher says I'm pretty good at drawing"

"Great! We have paint for the windows, maybe you could make designs? And while you are here, nobody is going to tell you you can't make art."

And for a momet, the blighted face looks just a bit less ugly "Thanks! " And she moves to the windows to make stars

And snow

And reindeer!

"Hm. All the yule songs I know involve snow..."

"Well... we can make up something" Stew suggests "Rudolph the Red Nosed armadillo? I'm Dreaming of a Green Yellow Christmas? "

"We could!" She laughs. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Armadillo, had a very shiny snout. And if you ever saw it, you would surely holler and shout!"

"All of hte other Armodillo's loathed her.. usued to call her. .err him names... and to see his face in the mirror..always filled him with shame" A troll mumlbes

"Then one foggy Yuletide eve, the Holly King came to say - Rudolph with your nose so bright, won't you guard my flank tonight?"

"Then how the others loved her, as they all got to see - Rudolph the red-nosed Armadillo, helped the king of bright holly!"

"YIPEEE!"