The Twelve Days Of Kurai’s Mass

(Kurai)

Tomorrow is Christmas! Today is Christmas Eve! I will crush the challenge and prove once and for all that I am the top wolf! In my excitement, I rush to find Cheese.

“Cheeeeeeeese!” I exclaim.

She’s as snug as can be, tucked away inside a stocking. I walk up to her and nuzzle her awake. She yawns sleepily and emerges from the stocking. I’m ready! Nothing is gonna stop me!

“Good morning. Are you ready for the final challenge?” Cheese asks.

“Yes, yes, please!” I say.

“Okay, day 12 is twelve drummers drumming, eleven pipers piping, ten lords a-leaping, nine ladies dancing, eight maids a-milking, seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying, fiiiiiiiiveee gooolldeeeeen riiiiiiings! Four calling birds, three French hens, two turtledoves, and a paaaaartridge…in a…pear…treeeeeeeee!” Cheese sings.

“Whoa!” I exclaim.

“So, know where to get 12 drummers?” Cheese asks.

“I think I need a hint,” I say.

“Cockatoos,” Foxy offers as a solution. “I have seen them lift mallets and hit drums with them.”

“More birds! Of course!” I exclaim.

“They like to live in the silver arch houses a travel away from here. I’ve seen them, before,” Foxy says. “Real snobs. They think they are better than any other animal.”

“Hmmmm, I’ll show them,” I say with a smirk.

“Heading out again?” Arashi asks, padding over.

“Yes, dad!” I say.

“Don’t cause too much trouble!” Arashi says with a chuckle.

“Oh, I will…I’m going to find 12 cockatoos!” I say.

“They bite hard,” Arashi adds.

“Yes, but I already got beat up by a flock of geese. Surely this can’t be worse,” I say with a shrug.

“Okay, then. I warned you,” Arashi says, stalking away.

“Arashi, are you encouraging mischief again?!” I hear my mother call out.

“No, I told her NOT to cause too much trouble!” Arashi argues.

“Yeah, but you didn’t tell her to just sit back and enjoy family time since it’s Christmas Eve! You practically encouraged her to cause trouble!” my mom argues back.

I laugh and head out the door. One final challenge. One final day. I can do this! I can! Foxy leads the way as I do not know where the silver arch houses are located.

My heart is pounding and so are my little paws under my heavy body. Again, rather than leaving paw prints in the snow, I leave a trail as my belly drags the whole way. Foxy is doing tiny little hops through the snow like a dolphin hopping in the water. The worst day was most certainly the eight cows day.

As we approach the silver arch neighborhood, the sound of music fills my ears. The birds are singing and playing various instruments. Some swing from bells, some pluck strings with their beaks, and others…the cockatoos, are drumming away. I wag my tail excitedly as I step in tune to the music.

“Quite exciting here,” I say. “Don’t get much of this back home. Just howl singing.”

Some of the birds notice me. I can hear them scoff and squawk to each other. Of course, I am not a resident of this area, nor a bird, so I am considered below them. I grin a toothy grin up at them on their perches.

“Heya! I’m just looking for some drummers,” I announce.

“Oh yeah?! Why?! You have no business being here!” a macaw squawks at me.

“I hear the best drummers in all the world live here,” I say with a wink.

“Well…hard to argue with that,” the macaw says.

“Might I have the privilege to listen and watch them play?” I ask with a smirk.

“Why should I let you pass?” the macaw asks. “You are unworthy!”

“Okay, fine. Guess I’ll go find some subpar drummers to watch,” Kurai says with a sigh.

There is a pause in the music as the macaw appears to be deep in thought. At last, he waves me past. Foxy and I continue on and the macaw introduces us to the cockatoos. I lift a paw pointing to each one as I count them out.

“These are the top twelve drummers of all time. Maybe watching them perform can evolve you, even if ever so slightly, into a more perfect animal such as us birds,” the macaw says with a scoff.

“Thank you. I will leave promptly after I finish listening,” I promise.

“Good!” the macaw says and flies away.

The cockatoos, unaware of the danger, continue drumming away. The blissful tip tap of their drums will now come to an end… Checking again to make sure the other birds aren’t watching, I lower myself into a pouncing position. BOOM! I pounce and begin swallowing the birds and their cute little drums.

Foxy claps and cheers for me. The 12th cockatoo nearly escapes! Thinking quickly, I leap straight into the air and bite his tail with my sharp teeth. The cockatoo screeches angrily as I bring him back down to the ground and swallow him.

I did it! I beat the challenge! Whooooooooooooooo! I raise my head and howl victoriously. Now, I must return home and confirm my victory with Cheese!

Foxy and I cheerfully trot through the snow all the way home. Past me never could have imagined eating the twelve days of Christmas and succeeding. Sure, many lives were lost along the way, but I am the victor! The whole journey back home, the 12 cockatoos angrily bang on their drums.

We arrive back home and Cheese greets us. Yesterday, my mom and dad cooked bread rolls and hot buns. I wonder what they did today. I sniff, but I smell no hot bread.

“So, did you do it? Did you swallow twelve drumming drummers?” Cheese inquires.

“I sure did!” I say.

“Congratulations! You beat your challenge!” Cheese says, clapping her tiny hands. “Now let’s all agree to never do that again.”

“What?! But I want a turn! Foxy whines. “Why does Kurai get to eat the twelve days of Christmas and not me?!”

“Well, I suppose nobody aside from the police would stop you, if they caught you, that is, but I’ve had enough of this challenge for a life time,” Cheese says.

“I’m not swallowing eight cows again,” I say with a laugh.

Foxy and Cheese join me in laughter. Overall? A pretty tasty challenge. I also got what I wanted, my father is here with me even if just for Christmas. Even my mom seems happier than usual.

“Merry Christmas Eve!” I cry out, leaping up and licking my mom’s face as she enters the room.

“Oh, Kurai! Merry Christmas Eve to you, too!” my mom says, wagging her tail.

“Thanks for letting me stay over,” Arashi says, casually scratching behind his right ear.

“Ahhh, what could be better?” my mom asks. “All is at peace.”

“Alright, I gotta head out. My parents are probably expecting me home for Christmas,” Cheese says.

“Oh! I’m gonna miss you, Cheese! We should hang out again once the snow clears!” I say.

“I would say meet me at school, but, well, can’t do that when you’re expelled,” Cheese says and shrugs her shoulders.

“And you, Foxy? Are you leaving?” my mom asks her.

“Nah, I’m sticking around for a bit. No rush,” Foxy says.

“Yay!” I exclaim.

And so it was, we had a merry little Christmas. I hope you will, as well!

The End!