Baking for Imps

Paloma traveled a lot with her job. She cared for anyone she could get her paws on, tending their wounds and illnesses. It was only natural that when mischief was in the air, others got hurt more often, and her bags of supplies ran low. Her sweetheart was an immense help, and between his crafting and her healing, most people got what they needed fixed or the care they needed.

He was out gathering supplies when the pale blue reosean found herself baking for a small village. Baking always went over well near the Yuletide, nice warm treats, that especially warmed the belly in Roenden She had traveled a lot and no one quite had the chill air and appreciation for hot food as the people here. She was picking up cooking herself pretty decently, but now with the imps on the rise, she found that it was becoming more than she could handle. When she chased yet another one of the buggers out of the kitchen with a wooden spoon, she noticed more than a few pairs of eyes on her. She was a sight to be seen for sure, her pale thick fur covered in flour and brown sugar.

Shaking off some of the mess, she proceeded to turn back into the kitchen, only to discover one of the creatures trying to abscond with a bag of sugar. How dare they!

Turning her attention to those beyond the kitchen, she called out. “Anyone want to lend me a paw? These blasted creatures are making a mess of the sugar!”

***

Saffron looked intimidating to say the least. Her dark masked face that somewhat resembled a skull had scared many human children and Reosean pups alike in her time, her dark fleabitten and spotted hide easy to conceal among alleyways and unlit streets. Most would say the air she gave around herself was dignified, almost superior with the way she held her head high and kept her ears clocked back. Moody, in simpler terms. It didn’t help that her girlfriend was a rambunctious, loudmouth punk. 

But in reality Saffron was very soft spoken, her words precise and clipped but soft nonetheless. She enjoyed playing with the children who saw her face so easily in the dark, and enjoyed small talk with any who would share a tale. The biggest thing that one would not guess about Saffron was her sweet tooth.

Easily swayed and bribed by sweet treats and hard candy, Saffron had often found herself in her travels walking down streets lined with bakeries and pastry shops, looking for the next big sweet thing to indulge in. Her girlfriend, who was one to sometimes start meaningless fights, had often showered Saffron in delicate dainty treats until her golden eyes had softened and she had accepted the others' apology. 

So as yuletide approached, Saffron found herself like any other day, walking among the warm bakeries that always smelled so divine; sampling treats and offering a paw when needed. 

With a soft giggle, the dark runner watched as a glittering blue reosean was suddenly enveloped in a cloud of flour, their light coat seeming even more covered with snow. Coming up alongside the table, Saffron dipped a dark claw in the mess of powdered sugar and flour before bringing it up to her muzzle and licking it off, offering the baker a smile before she grabbed a towel and proceeded to turn and bear her fangs at the imps 

“If you want your treats so bad you have to let the damn bakers finish them before devouring everything in sight!” She barked threateningly at the many imps who all seemed to freeze and widen their eyes before dashing off to their next victim. 

Satisfied, Saffron turned to the snowflaked reo “A paw has been lended. Need anything more?” she finished, her smile full of mirth. 

***

Paloma wasn’t entirely sure what to think of the pissy sounding reo. The rosette gal had an air of spook to her, and she scared away the imps like it was nothing. But the voice she turned to the pale blue female was a lot sweeter.

Paloma smiled back at her after a moment’s hesitation. She looked capable and helpful underneath her exterior, and perhaps it would make things easier. She saw a glimpse of an imp just poking its head in the window, letting in the cold winter air and a few flurries of snow. She sighed and let a flour covered paw close the window, shooing it back out into the cold; it would be fine, the mischievous creature would find a way inside in no time at all.

Looking over her ingredients, Paloma realized she should probably cook for the critters as well like the other reo suggested. It might keep them out of her fur for a little while. 

“I’d love more assistance if you are willing.” The diamond marked reo smiled sweetly, and drew inspiration from the time of year when she spotted a jar of molasses at the corner of the kitchen she had occupied. “Want to make them their own little house of gingerbread?”

She grabbed another bowl out, tossing yet another imp out of the cupboard, (she was amazed she could even still find a bowl in this mess), and grabbed some ingredients. “I’ll walk you through it if you’d like. Or you can keep standing guard.” Paloma giggled at the thought, and as the persistent imp she pushed out the window let in a few more flurries of snow, either would be a great help.

***

Encouraged by the smile of the snowflakes reo, Saffron stepped around the large table she was currently working at, her golden eyes tracing over the various bowls and liners filled with sweet smelling liquids. Nothing was baked yet but it all already had her sweet tooth singing and her mouth watering. A blast of cold had her rolling her eyes as another imp tried to budge open a window, only to be shooed away by the blue shaggy coat runner. 

Saffron didn’t expect the other reo to invite her to join in however, and her eyebrows shot up before she smiled and nodded, striding up to the side of the table she was at. Of course she’d had gingerbread before, it was a staple of any yuletide festival, but she had never actually baked it before. Saffron huffed out a laugh of the idea of making the little trickster creatures their own edible house to destroy and devour.

“I can do a bit of both, I suppose,” she smiled, quickly batting a paw at an imp that scurried under the table “maybe they’ll leave everyone else alone for a while if they have their own treats to enjoy!”

Soon enough trays were being lined with the respective gingerbread filling, placed into the ovens and left to bake as the two reo’s made quick work of their mess (and the added mess of the imps) and the remaining imps chased out with only a single sugar coated spoon being stolen. 

It was a little hard to finagle the now baked pieces into a uniformed ‘house-like-shape’ but Saffron followed Paloma’s, who’s name she had finally asked, instructions, all the while chasing imps and slamming windows shut before things in the kitchen got too cold. All in all it was fun, and Saffron couldn’t help but laugh and joke with the other runner as they worked. 

***

When asked her name, Paloma only laughed, wondering how she forgot basic introductions. She smiled at hearing Saffron’s, the name reminding her of the herbs and cooking that surrounded her and her mate.

They were doing great, until it came time to decorate the little house. As soon as candies were hauled out to decorate, the pair of runners kept finding things missing; gumdrops, candy coated chocolates, wafers - nothing went untouched by the imps. By the time Paloma was ready to give up, it seemed the creatures had nicked half the decorations, and the diamond marked runner found herself with frosting dropping from her longer fur. Oh it was going to be a mess to clean up later. She already knew her long coat would take forever to brush out.

Saffron though seemed to be enjoying every moment, and Paloma wasn’t going to stop her the few times she caught the other female swiping a bit of the sweets herself. The bit of frosting on her lips, the missing candy - it added up to be not just the imps at all. Not that Paloma would deny the rosette female her enjoyment. Clearly there was another sweet tooth here. It was the holidays and she wasn't going to ruin it for anyone.

Letting the other runner defend against the imps with the second wooden spoon, Paloma grabbed the plate with the little house and took it out to the main sitting area. The pair only got to appreciate their work for a few moments before the little creatures couldn’t hold any more patience, digging into their work like they would starve without it. There was a combination of both eating and play, and the females caught the imps climbing into the house and glancing out of sugar windows. A few more came in from outside, bringing more snow and cold with them, causing the girls to shut windows and doors yet again.

Paloma smiled at Saffron, a new friend with whom she bonded with over a gingerbread house. “You know, this was a lot of fun. If you ever want a companion to bake with again, maybe for personal sweets, come find me!”

-End-

Monthly Prompt for Saffron 13793 and Paloma 8233

Collaboration between PaganStars and xQueen0fHellx

December - January: Yuletide Gingerbread Housing Plan

During Yuletide, it seems that the Mischievous Imps have been more and more antsy with each passing day. No one seems to know why, but the little stinky menaces have been drawn by gingerbread and other sweets usually given out during this event. It seems that only sweetness keeps their temper at bay. Draw or Write about your Reosean making a little gingerbread house, complete with decorations, for the mischievous little imps.

Saffron 13793

WC 1603 +16

Personal +3

Collab +2

Corresponding Land +1

Monthly Prompt +1

Other Reo Paloma 8233 +2

Total = 25 CP

Paloma 8233

WC 1603 +16

Personal +3

Collab +2

Corresponding Land +1

Monthly Prompt +1

Other Reo Saffron 13793 +2

Total = 25 CP