Antler Tale

     The veterinarian untacked him and checked his vitals. After a few minutes of palpation and examination she smiled and nodded. Sighing, Vixen stretched his achy muscles. He’d just pulled a three-hundred and twenty-five pound sleigh for ten miles and kept his heart rate under seventy beats per minute. That met the requirements of not exceeding regular resting heart rate. Smiling, he strutted out of the barn proudly, tail erect. Eska followed closely dictating notes to a scribe.

     “The crowd was twice as big as last week.” Eska said. “You’re gaining support.” 

     “They like me. You females have been in the spotlight long enough. It’s time for a strong, confident, good-looking….”

     “Ok, ok, I get the point.” Eska rolled her eyes. 

     “…Male reindeer to step up. I give everyone something to root for.”

     “Don’t you mean someone to root for?” Eska shoulder bumped him. 

     “No. Something.” He corrected. “Equal opportunity for anyone to pull Santa’s sleigh. That’s what I represent. That’s what I’m….what we are fighting for.” 

     A smile tugged on her lips. He loved it when she smiled. They’d been best friends since they were calves. She had a hard time fitting in with the other females. She was pretty but didn’t groom herself to her fullest potential. Not many males looked her way, and the females turned their noses up at her. None of that mattered to Vixen. He could be himself around her and she was easy to talk to. She always indulged his crazy ideas and he clobbered anyone who tried to bully her. It had been that way since forever. If only he could convince her to doll herself up a little everyone would see how beautiful she really was, but she wasn’t interested in that sort of thing. 

     “Take an hour to rest, get some food, and we’ll get started with flight training.” 

     He moaned. “Can’t I just have one day off? I just kicked buck with the endurance training.” 

     She leveled a stare at him. 

     “Yes coach,” He grunted. 

     An hour later he sailed through the sky with ease. Males may not be as fast as females, but their endurance was superior. When he landed six hours and fifty-three minutes later, he sprinted across the snow, holding nothing back for the last sixty seconds. Another requirement to make the team was running at fifty miles per hour for sixty seconds. 

     “Ten seconds left!” Eska shouted. “FIVE! FOUR!” She counted down. “ONE!” 

     He slowed to a walk and paced around her in a circle panting. “What was my speed?”

     She looked at the clipboard in the scribe’s hand. They chatted quietly. He couldn’t hear them. 

     “Hello! What was my speed?” 

     She looked at him and sighed. His heart dropped. He didn’t reach adequate speed. This was one of his biggest challenges so far. They’d been practicing for months, and he still struggled to get up to fifty miles per hour. He thought for sure he had it this time though. Dipping his head he walked to his friend. 

     “Was I closer this time at least?” 

     “Your speed was fifty-two miles per hour!” She smiled deviously.

     “What!?!? That’s awesome!” He bucked around barely able to contain his joy. “And during my flight? What was my average?” 

     “Twenty-three. Your lowest was eighteen, which lasted two minutes. What happened there?” 

     “Geese.”

     “What?”

     “I flew into a flock of geese. One of them got tangled in my antlers and it took me a bit to get it out. It pooped on me too.” He turned so she could see the back of his head. 

     “You have goose poop on your head.” She laughed so hard she farted. When that happened her eyes buldged and her ears shot forward. 

     “I heard that.”

     “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She walked off stiffly. 

     “Uh huh,” he teased. 

     Making their way back to the stables Eska changed the subject. “Tomorrow is flight take off training.” 

He groaned. 

     “I know. But that’s your weakest area. We have a lot of ground to cover and only two months left until the test.” 

     “You think I can do it?” 

     “I know you can. You’ve got me for a coach so anything’s possible,” she smiled. The stars behind her head made it look like she had twinkling lights in her antlers. His heart flipped. 

     “What?” She asked. 

     “Nothing.” Shaking it off, he headed to his stall. Laying down for the night he sprawled out in the hay, but sleep didn’t find him. He was worried about his antlers. He’d lose them in about another month at the end of autumn. They’d have to find a way to keep his antlers soon or this would all be for nothing. Eska said she had a promising lead on a potion that would allow reindeer to retain their antlers longer. He hoped she found it soon. 

     The next day they practiced take-off. Vixen’s hairy hooves clopped silently on the rocky ground. Running as fast as he could, his hooves barely touched the ground. He was nearly floating. He was going to make it this time. He just knew it. 

     “FASTER!” Eska yelled. “You’re almost there!”

Ignoring the cramps in his legs he pushed harder. The ground fell away. There was at least six inches between his hooves and the ground. 

            “Eska! Look! I’m doing it!” 

            “Don’t lose focus!” 

Three strides left. He couldn’t believe it. He was going to make it, finally. Looking over at Eska he smiled wildly, two strides then he’d be in the air. He took his last stride, then jumped. 

            “Vixen WATCH….” 

            Lightning shot through his shoulder. The air and ground blurred into a jumble of pain and confusion. Sliding to a stop in a puddle he panted heavily. The sounds of the flowing water didn’t drown out the raucous laughter from the crowd. Many supportive cheers but equal amounts of boos. 

            “Are you ready to give up yet, reindeer balls?” someone from the crowd shouted. 

            Vixen sank lower into the frigid water, submerging his ears. Now they sounded like warped versions of laughing reindeer. 

Eska splashed up next to him. 

            “You nearly had it that time.” 

            Pushing himself sternal, he looked at her. “If only the rule allowed for thirty strides. I could get it no problem in thirty strides,” he groaned. 

            “Yeah, but most rooftops are only twenty strides maximum, hence the rule. You have to take off within twenty strides or you, the team, Santa and his sleigh will fall right off the roof. If it’s less than twenty strides on a roof you can land on the ground.” Eska reminded him.

            “Yeah. I remember. I’m just saying we could make it so that any roof less than thirty strides we can use the ground.”

            “That would eliminate eighty percent of houses in the world. We’re already campaigning the male ban. I don’t think we should campaign for a roofing measurement change at the same time.” Eska raised an eyebrow at him. “Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up. You’ll get it next time. Try to push off faster from the start so you have more hoovering time before take-off. Those last three hoovering strides should have happened five strides sooner.” 

Pulling himself out of the water, he shook off. Eska squealed as the water pelted her. He splashed more at her. She ran, tail in the air. There was no point chasing her. She was much faster than he was. Once she was out of range from his icy water attacks, she bucked around playfully, waving her tail in triumph. Laughing he tossed his head and trotted to catch up.  

            That afternoon they practiced stealth. That consisted of him walking across the steepest roof in the area without the jingle bells in his horns making a sound. Thankful for the hair between his cloven hooves Vixen carefully placed one hoof in front of the other. So far, no sound. He took in a deep breath, held it, another careful step, then let the breath out. Deep breath in, step, and out. He repeated the process moving down the roof silent as a mouse. His heart raced so fast he thought it may burst from his chest. 

            “Careful. You’re coming to the chimney now. Remember how we practiced,” Eska’s voice whispered in the com device in his ear. The chimney was offset slightly from the center of the roof’s pitch. He’d never been able to navigate successfully around yet, but he had hopes this was going to be the day. Placing his left front hoof around the chimney he tested the traction. Good. Back right hoof stepped up. Good. Front right. Good. Shifting his weight forward his front left slipped. NOT GOOD! His leg buckled and slid down. At the edge of the roof the string lights on the house tangled in his legs as he plummeted off the side. The jingle bells rang out loudly as he tumbled through the air and crashed into Eska who was directly below him. 

            “Are you ok?” he asked. 

            “Nothing’s broken. You?” 

            “Yeah. I’m ok.” 

            “Well, that’s good because I’m going to kick you.”

            A hoof jabbed him the ribs. “Ouch. That hurt.” 

            “Good. Idiot.” She tried to get up, but her legs were tangled in the string lights. She fell right on top of him the bells jingling like they were mocking him. 

            “We’re tangled,” he said. 

            “I can see that,” her voice had a bite to it. 

            “Hang on. Let me move my leg.” He tried to move his back legs to gain purchase on the ground, but he slipped in the dirt. 

            “Stop. You’re making it worse. Let me get my body off yours.” She moved to the right, but fell again and they ended nose to nose, just a breath apart. 

            “Ok. Well, um, this is awkward.” He cleared his throat. 

            She squirmed and their noses touched. Her eyes went wide. “Sorry. I….” 

            “No worries. It’s cool.” He wiggled a little and finally the strand broke, freeing them. Shaking the jingling mess of bells and lights off he stood and helped Eska up. 

            “Thanks.” She cleared her throat. 

            “You smell good.” 

            She raised an eyebrow at him. “Thank you. Um, let’s try it again. I’ll back up this time.” 

            “Good idea.” 

            It took three more tries before he was finally able to get around the chimney. The key was hoof placement and shifting his weight on the second step instead of the third. When he was successfully and silently on the other side of the chimney, he quickly made his way down the rest of the roof then somersaulted off the end landing in a perfect stick. 

            “The somersault isn’t required for the test, but the rest was perfect,” Eska said smiling. 

            “I know. I just thought it would look cool.” He cocked his head. “Did it look cool?” 

            She rolled her eyes. “Let’s rest up and we’ll meet at the edge of the woods after nightfall.” 

            That evening he made his way through the pitch-black forest looking for the hidden moss pile. He had five minutes left to find it and get back to the checkpoint. Frustration rippled through him. She’d hidden this one too well. As the days got shorter and his eyes changed to a deeper blue it should get easier, but she continually increased the level of difficulty. He simultaneously appreciated and hated her for that. He knew it was needed, but damn sometimes she really made it overly difficult. 

            “Four minutes, Vixen.” 

            “I know Eska,” he grumbled. 

            “Remember what I said. Let your eyes adjust by looking at one location for at least three seconds. The blue pigment will pull in the light for you if you give it enough time. Take a step, look, and count to three before looking away.”

            “I know. I’ve got it,” he scolded. 

            “If you have it then why don’t you have it?” 

            “Eska. Do you want to do this?” 

            “I could have found it ten minutes ago.” 

            He grunted but didn’t say another word because the frustrating thing was, she was right. She probably could have found it much quicker than him. She had a knack for this. While males and females were pretty equal in their night vision acuity, her vision surpassed most reindeer by a lot. She had the most strikingly beautiful blue winter eyes he’d ever seen on any female. He loved Eska’s winter eyes. Earlier that day, when they touched noses, it was the closest he’d ever been to her eyes. They were even more remarkable up close. So vibrant. The blue reminded him of the water under a glacier before it thawed in the spring. 

            “Pay attention! What are you doing?” she fussed in his ear. 

            “What?” Snapping back to reality he shook his head and looked around. There was the glowing moss pile. He’d almost walked right by it thinking about her eyes. What was wrong with him? “OK. Got it. I’m on my way back.”

            “You have three minutes. You better gallop.”

            He slid over the finish line with seven seconds to spare. “Did you have to hide it under a rock? All I saw was the rim of the glow.” 

            She shrugged, not looking up from her scribe’s pad. He dropped the moss pile at her feet. 

            “You want this one? It looks pretty yummy.” 

            “How about we split it. Bring it with you. We have to talk.” 

            “That doesn’t sound good.”

“It’s not bad. Come on.” Eska headed toward the stables. Once they were settled in next to the fire, he took a bite of the moss then nuzzled it over to Eska. She took a bite. 

            “So. What do we need to talk about?”

            “I think I found the solution to the antler problem.” 

            He smiled hugely. “No way. How?” 

            “There’s a potion made by a yeti who lives deep in the snow-covered mountains beyond our territory.” She took another bite of the moss and pushed it back to him. “Supposedly it will help retain your antlers for a few more months.” 

            “Why does he have an antler retention potion?” 

            “Apparently, he has teeth problems. He gets a lot of cavities and toothaches. The potion helps with the strength of his teeth.” 

            “Weird. Ok. Well, let’s go.” 

            The flames reflected off her brilliant blue eyes, making it look like rainbows danced inside them. The way white fur wrapped around her face making them appear even brighter was remarkably unique. Most females had darker hair around their eyes, but hers were different. While other reindeer made fun of her growing up because of the white fur around her eyes, he’d always thought it was beautiful. It made her different in a good way. As adults, it made her refined and elegant. When did she start looking so, so, how could he describe it?

            “Are you listening to me? Vixen?”

            “What?”

            “You were staring at me funny. Do I have moss stuck in my teeth?” Pulling her lips up, she revealed her teeth. They were perfect.

            “No. Sorry. I just…” He cleared his throat. “What were you saying?”

            “You’re acting weird.” She narrowed her eyes. 

            He shook his head.

            “Ok. Anyways. I was saying it’s a five-day journey down and five days back. Plus, we will have to hike up the mountain. We need to pack a few saddle bags with food and supplies. Why don’t you get some sleep and I’ll get everything organized. We’ll leave tomorrow afternoon.” 

            “Are you sure? I can help.” 

            “No. You’re the reason we’re here. This is bigger than you now. This is for all male reindeer who want this opportunity. We can’t risk you getting hurt because you’re tired. Get some rest.” 

            “You’re too good to me. You know that. No one else would put up with me.”

            “I know,” she said playfully, but her smile didn’t reach her eyes like it normally does. She held his gaze another moment before walking out, leaving him alone in his stall. He ate the last few bites of moss then laid his head down. Still thinking about her beautiful eyes, he fell asleep. 

            The journey to the mountain wasn’t bad. It went by with him and Eska trotting across the fields and meadows. None of the water was frozen over yet, so they flew over giant lakes and swam across flowing rivers. 

One night, the northern lights lit up the sky in a magnificent dance. The look on Eska’s face while she watched them was the most beautiful sight he’d ever beheld. It was a fun journey. Up until now. A blizzard made visibility really bad even for Eska and the path up the mountain side was treacherous. They couldn’t fly in those conditions, so they were forced to hike the mountain. 

            “Maybe we should go back down the mountain and wait it out,” Vixen told Eska. 

            “No. We’re almost there. If we turn back now, we won’t have time to get the potion and make it back before the test.” 

They kept climbing even though it got colder, the wind got stronger, and the footing became worse. Finally, when they reached the top, they stood before a giant cave mouth opening. Craning their necks upwards Vixen guessed the entrance had to be at least thirty feet tall. 

            “This is it. He lives in there.” Eska nodded her head toward the entrance. 

            “Let’s go.” Vixen led the way. Inside was still brutally cold, but at least without the wind, their fur flattened down and insulated them better. Thankful the hairy hooves silenced his steps, he walked with the stealth he’d learned from carrying the jingle bells in his antlers. At least that skill is useful for more than just flying the sleigh. 

            Getting deeper in the cave, Eska moved closer until they brushed up against each other. After a while they came to a fork in the cave. Two tunnels opened up before them. 

            “Which way should we go?” he asked. 

            “I don’t know.”

            “Maybe we should split up. You take the right tunnel and I’ll take the left.”

            “No. We don’t split up.” She looked at him desperately.

            “Ok. We’ll stick together.” 

            She nodded.

            “I won’t leave you. I promise.” He leaned into her for comfort. Her posture softened.

            “So. Which way then?”

            “That way.” She indicated to the right.

            “Why?”

            “I just have a feeling is all.”

            “Ok. Let’s go then.” They headed down the right tunnel. As it became narrower and the ceiling sloped down they had to maneuver around giant stalactites and stalagmites that dotted the pathway.  Eventually a faint light glowed ahead of them. As they got closer a room came into focus. There was a bed, small fire burning, a table and chair and other furniture. Everything was huge, like it was designed for a large individual. Looking around they saw that no one was home. 

            “Look,” Eska whispered. Following her gaze, Vixen saw about a dozen bottles all labeled “Tooth Potion” sitting on the tallest shelf in the furthest corner of the room.

            “That’s got to be it,” Vixen said. “He has so many. We only need one.” 

            “One of us will have to fly to get it.” 

            “You do it. You’re faster and better at the take off. I’ll stand guard.” 

            She nodded. Backing up, she looked around, calculating her take off and flight path. Without warning she bolted forward. She was an impressive sight. She had to be going at least fifty-three miles per hour within five strides and by the twelfth stride she took flight. His mouth fell open. In all the years they’d known each other he’d never seen her fly like that. Why hadn’t he ever gone to any of her reindeer games? She’d invited him to plenty of them, but, like a dufus, he was too busy chasing tail to bother. He’d turned her down to be with other deer who he didn’t even talk to anymore. She flew up effortlessly and grabbed a bottle with her teeth, then turned around and started her descent so gracefully she was like an angel flying down from heaven. Her eyes got huge, and the blue was remarkable. She stalled in the air and bellowed at him. His heart leapt. He wanted to be with her. How had he never seen it before? She bellowed again but her eyes changed.             What was she saying to him? 

            A pain seared through his hindquarters like a knife from a forge fire had been stabbed into him. The room spun around in a disorienting blur. When the scene finally stabilized, he looked up and his heart sank. The yeti was chasing Eska. Swinging his arms in every direction like a human swatting a gnat, Eska dodged frantically to avoid him. 

            “ESKA!”

            She looked at him and dove. Flying at break-neck speed she came toward him like a lightning bolt. When she got within landing distance she changed trajectory, pushing off the ground and launched back into the air. 

            Tossing the bottle to him she yelled, “CATCH!” The bottle flew through the air. He scrambled to his feet and leapt for the bottle. Catching it on the back of his head, it rolled down his neck, bounced off his withers, and slid into the saddle bags strapped onto his back. 

            “GOT IT! LET’S GET OUT OF HERE!”

            Eska pivoted mid-air and raced toward the exit. Vixen tried to keep pace with her along the ground, even though his wounded flank slowed him down. The yeti roared and tried to swipe Eska, but she put on one final burst of speed and shot into the tunnel ahead of the massive claws. 

            Throwing himself off balance the beast crashed to the floor. Vixen leapt over his arm and dashed into the tunnel. His flank burned but fear and adrenaline gave him the boost he needed to catch up to Eska who was now on the ground running beside him. The beast roared in frustration and slammed a fist down. The cave shook from the impact. A stalactite broke off from the ceiling and fell nearly right in front of them. Shards of rock and ice exploded. Tripping over his own feet he fell and slid into a wall. His antlers wedged between a crack in the stone. Tripping over his own feet he fell and slid into the wall his antlers wedging between a crack in the stone. 

            Flailing he tried to yank the antler free, but it was wedged in securely. The beast was almost on him when Eska appeared by his side and pushed against his shoulder. He pulled as hard as he could. Looking up the yeti would be on them in just a few seconds. Eska pushed and he pulled until finally the antler popped loose, but it was too late. 

            “ESKA! LOOK OUT!” A giant hand came down. She was knocked sideways. A hoof caught on his saddlebag slicing the strap, and it flew across the cavern sliding to a stop right at the edge a crevasse. His breath caught. The potion was in there. He looked at Eska to his left. She was scrambling backward, being herded deeper into the cave by the furious monster. 

            The beast stomped toward Eska. Vixen froze. To his right, the bag with the potion slid slowly toward the crevasse and its dark abyss. To his left, Eska was backed into a corner, no hope of escape. The yeti raised a massive paw as it prepared to strike her. He could grab the bag and race for the exit now that the Yeti was distracted and leave Eska to fend for herself. Or he could lose the potion and save her, but the hope of being on Santa’s team would be gone. There was no thought or debate in his mind. He knew what he had to do. 

             Vixen sprinted. Watching the yeti’s foot come down his heart dipped. Looking at the saddlebag, he saw that it was already tipping over. He looked at Eska. Her eyes locked on his. They were full of fear and resolve. She nodded toward the bag as if she wanted him to rescue the potion over her. Was she insane? He wouldn't do that. He couldn’t. Nothing else mattered. Santa’s team, the honor, the fame. He didn’t want any of it if he couldn't share it with her. He loved her. 

             He aimed his antlers and increased his pace for ramming speed. The beast roared in pain when Vixen wedged his antlers into its butt. The Yeti's attack went wide, missing Eska by inches and leaving an opening for her to escape. She ran. On her way by Vixen, she used her antlers to free him from the yeti, spinning him around in the process, and they both galloped toward the exit. 

             Vixen looked to the crevasse as they ran past. The bag was gone. The potion was gone. His hope of being on Santa’s team was gone with it. All the work they’d done protesting and collecting hoof prints for male rights was wasted. If he couldn’t keep his antlers, none of it mattered. He’d let everyone down. Looking at Eska running by his side he sighed in relief. It was all worth it to have her in his life. They ran the entire way out of the cave. When they finally reached the outside, the storm was gone. Panting, they stopped to catch their breath. Eska started laughing. 

            “Oh my god we nearly died,” she said. 

            “Yeah. That was crazy.” He started laughing too. They both laughed until their sides hurt. Looking at him her face dropped.

            “I’m sorry. We’ll figure out another way.” 

            He nodded but only half-heartedly. He knew there was no other way. 

            “We should get going before he comes back. Now that the storm’s gone we can fly down the mountain. Do you have enough room to take off?” Eska said. 

            “Yeah. I can do it, but I want you to go first so I can make sure you get down safely.” 

            “I’m the better flier. It makes more sense if you go first.” She argued. 

             “I don’t care. I don’t want to take my eyes off you. I can’t see you if you’re behind me.” 

             Eska opened her mouth to argue but then closed it again. 

             “I nearly lost you back there. Please just go first,” he lowered his voice. 

             She didn’t argue. She only nodded. Without hesitation, she dashed off. Her cute fluffy white tail straight in the air, her cute fluffy white tail straight in the air. Once again, she took off in twelve strides. She was remarkable. Now he felt like a complete fool for not being able to do it in twenty. 

            Once they were a safe enough distance away that they knew the yeti wouldn’t come after them, they set up camp for the night. His dreams were restless, worrying about how Eska had nearly died trying to help him win a competition. He saw her fall over the edge of the crevasse instead of the bag. He woke up panting and looked next to him. She wasn’t there. Panic rose. 

            “Eska. Where are you?” 

            “Hey. I’m here.” 

             Relief flooded him when he heard her voice. She walked up from the darkness. Her blue eyes glowing like the moon. 

            “It’s nearly dawn. You want to get an early start?” 

            Pushing himself up, he stretched. “Yeah. Why are you up so early?” 

            "I went hunting.” 

            “Hunting?”

            “Yeah. I got this.” She dropped a few piles of moss down. 

             “Breakfast in bed. You shouldn’t have,” he teased. 

             She rolled her eyes. “And I got this.” She pulled something from the bag on her back. When she turned back around, the potion bottle was in her teeth. His eyes widened. 

              “How did you?” He couldn’t believe it.

              She set down the bottle. “I saw where it fell and used my blue-eye vision to search for it once the sun went down and you were asleep.”

             “Why didn’t you tell me? That was dangerous. What if you’d gotten hurt and I didn’t know where you were?” 

             She shrugged. “You wouldn’t have let me go if I told you.” 

             “Damn right I wouldn’t have.” He moved closer and nuzzled her neck. “I almost lost you yesterday.” 

             “But you didn’t. I’m here.” She smiled at him. 

             “I want you here forever.” 

             “I will be.” She laughed and made to walk off.

             He stepped in front of her. “No. I want YOU forever.” He looked into her eyes. Her expression changed. He’d seen that look on her before many times in the past. He never recognized it until now. The reason she never dated anyone else despite having opportunities. When his dad died, she held him while he cried. When she started her cycle at school, he helped her cover it up before any other reindeer saw. When no one asked her to the graduation reindeer dance, he took her. He’d seen that look on her face so many times. She loved him. He’d just been too dense to see it. 

            He touched his nose to hers. She froze. Her eyes were huge. He didn’t take his eyes off her. Suddenly her nose crashed into his. They nuzzled so passionately their noses turned red. He breathed her in and explored every part of her as he never had before and got to know her in ways that no other reindeer ever had because she was his and he was hers. He never wanted to leave this moment.  

            “We should head back if we want to make it on time for the test,” she whispered. 

            He nodded and she pulled away from him. His nose felt cold with the absence of her. The entire journey home, they walked so close that their fur was always touching. An assurance she was still with him. He couldn’t bear the thought of being too far from her. When they slept at night, he nestled so close he could feel her every breath. Laying his head over her neck he rested so that their noses were right next to one another. This was how he wanted to spend the rest of his life. Whatever the test may bring, whether he made Santa’s team or not. She was everything to him.  

            Two days later Vixen stood on the platform in front of a roaring crowd. There were five reindeer on the stage next to him. The final contenders for the chance to pull Santa’s sleigh. The take-off eliminated the most reindeer. Thirty-four failed that section. The stealth test eliminated eighteen. The night vision narrowed it down by five. The rest cut out two or three at a time until all that remained were these five and himself. They waited while the veterinarian examined their vitals. The first one was eliminated. Heart rate of seventy-two. Dang. So close. The next two passed and the deer right before him failed. Now it was his turn. Breath in, hold it and let it out. Stay relaxed. 

             “Sixty-eight. Pass.” Relief poured through him. He looked in the crowd for her. There she was. He smiled and nodded. She bucked with glee. 

             When it was done three reindeer remained. Now it came down to the details. Santa, Mrs. Clause, and the head elf rifled through paperwork talking amongst themselves. 

             “Ok. The panel has made a decision.” Santa came to the front of the stage. “You all did very well. I’m impressed with the fine athletes that tried out, but there is only one spot available. Sadly, I can choose only one.” 

             The crowd became silent.

             “This is the first time in test history that the winner was determined by just fractions of seconds. It was that close. But.” He paused and looked at the crowd. “There is another first in our history.” He looked at Vixen who stood tall holding his head high. “Our first male reindeer to try out.” 

The crowd roared. 

             “Our first male to keep his horns.” 

             The crowd roared again. 

              Santa put his hands out motioning for them to quiet down. “There is one more first.” He held up his finger. “Our first male reindeer to join my team for Christmas.”

              Vixen’s knees buckled; he nearly fell. He’d won. Reindeer reared, pawed, and stamped. He’d won. The two-standing next to him antler bumped him. 

             “Congratulations,” one of them said. He was too shell-shocked to answer. All sound fell away. He looked for her. 

              She stood in the crowd looking at him with a gleam in her eye. It was all because of her that he made it. With her by his side he could do anything. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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