Winter's Eve

    “What.  Is.  THIS?!”  Tisias demanded, staring at the table in horror.  His cream fur was fluffed out to the max, a sure sign of his vexation.

    “It’s a nice dinner to celebrate the season with our friends.  Now go get the steamed vegetables from the kitchen and put them on the table.”  Babb told him, not even batting an eye at his angry question.

    “There’s MEAT on the table!”  Tisias complained, whirling around to face the black mothcat.  “You know I don’t eat meat!”

    “I know.”  Babb agreed calmly.  “But others do and in order to be inclusive to everyone, I made a nice roast.  You don’t have to eat anything.  Now, vegetables.”  She ordered, pointing to the kitchen.

    Tisias sulked and went to get the vegetables but never stopped complaining.  “Do you know how inhumane it is to have meat like that?  You’re just encouraging everyone to eat it!  If you didn’t serve it, people would barely even notice!  There’s plenty of other meat alternatives!”  He said as he set the steaming bowl on the table. 

    “Oh I assure you Tisias, plenty of people would miss the meat.  Go grab the buns too, would you please?”  Babb asked him absently as she set the dishes on the table.

    “But Babb, it’s MEAT!  It’s cruel to kill something just for food when there are so many other options!”  Tisias never stopped complaining even as he worked to help set the table.

    “Are you complaining about meat again?  Seriously, it’s just a little meat.  If you don’t like it, don’t eat it.”  Samphire said cheerfully, brushing past her half brother to grin at Babb.  “Smells delicious in here.”

    “Thank you Samphire.  Why don’t you go get the drinks?  Company should be arriving soon.”  Babb smiled warmly at her daughter. 

    Tisias growled and gave Samphire a dirty look.  “It’s not just that I don’t like it.  It’s that the very idea of having a roast on the table is offensive!”  He argued with her, or rather, tried to.  Samphire was in too good of a mood and refused to sink to his level today.

    “Yeah yeah.  Just don’t eat it, problem solved.”  Samphire said dismissively as she retrieved the drinks.

    “THE PROBLEM ISN’T SOLVED!!”  Tisias yelled, frustrated that neither mothcat was really listening to him.

    Just then the doorbell rang, interrupting anything more he might have wanted to say.  Babb waddled over to open the door, letting in the first of their guests.  “Sounds like quite th’ problem, ta be bellowin’ so loud.  What’s got the lad’s knickers in a knot?”  Seamus asked with a laugh, sauntering in. 

    “Tisias telling me what he thinks of the meal.”  Babb said with a chuckle, moving aside and letting the trio of mothcats in.  Blue Seamus was grinning, looking amused by the yelling that they’d been able to hear even from outside.  Katherine twitched her thick fluffy tail, feeling the need to comfort someone who was clearly so upset.  Vivianos bounded in behind her parents, quickly racing past them to greet the other children.

    “Well I happen ta think it smells delicious!”  Seamus said, taking a deep breath to savor the scents filling the house. 

    “Thank you.”  Babb purred, pleased by the compliment.  “Don’t worry about Tisias, he’ll settle down eventually.  He always does.”

    “I wouldn’t have to ‘settle down’ as you put it if you just wouldn’t serve meat!”  The cream mothcat grumbled angrily.

    Haru chose that moment to enter the room, sighing as he heard Tisias.  “You argue with poor Babb regarding this at every big gathering.  You have not won yet and I do not believe you are going to.  Losing battles are only wasted efforts when waging war.”  He said poetically.

    “Great.  Thanks.  You’re supposed to be on my side.”  Tisias frowned at his friend.

    “Most of the time, I am.  But this is one battle I fear you may never win and so I feel it would not be a good idea to encourage this particular fight.”  Haru gave a small shrug.

    Tisias sighed and looked around the room.  Everyone seemed to be chatting happily, no one paying any attention to his meat rant anymore.  Babb had pulled Katherine and Seamus into a conversation while Samphire had stolen Vivianos away to show the small mothcat something.  Grumbling, he had to concede that maybe Haru was right.  Or maybe it was just the wrong time to fight, he thought.  Maybe he’d bring more attention to the plight of meat animals if he waited until everyone was there.  With that in mind, Tisias settled down, content to wait and put his plan into action.

    Haru eyed his friend warily, recognizing the look in his eyes.  That look meant trouble, he knew, trouble that Haru wasn’t going to be able to stop.  It was like seeing a mid-air collision seconds before it happened - Too late to do anything but unable to look away.

    Before long, the living room was filled with mothcats and bumblebuns of all ages as more guests arrived.  Tib and Trout had arrived together, quickly joining Samphire and Vivianos in examining the newest finds from them all.  Noor wandered over to join the growing group, greeting everyone with a gentle smile.  Laila on the other hand, had made a beeline for Haru sitting next to Tisias and began happily chatting with them.  Rashid shook his head and smiled at Laila’s quick departure. 

    Among the older mothcats, Babb, Seamus, and Katherine were joined by Saturn and Aquarius, with Rashid eventually wandering over to them.  Babb chatted happily with them all though she kept glancing at the door, as if expecting someone else.  Still, when no one else arrived for some time, she finally had to decide it wasn’t happening and made the announcement that dinner would be served as soon as everyone was seated.

    The group made their way into the dining room, some faster than others.  It took a few minutes for everyone to sort out where they were sitting, Babb and Katherine working to soothe ruffled feathers whenever anyone argued over placement.  Eventually though, everyone was seated but two places were still empty.  Before anyone could ask about them, the doorbell rang once more, making Babb perk up and head for the door.  Tisias and Samphire glanced at each other then suddenly grinned as they realized who the other places were most likely for.  There was only one mothcat Babb would seem so cheerful about getting there so late.

    True to their suspicions, a lanky mothcat sauntered into the room followed by a green bumblebun.  He flashed them all a grin.  “Don’tcha know?  Heroes always arrive at the last minute.”  He said with a chuckle, taking his seat at the table.  Tomcat glanced at the empty seat beside him then at Babb.  “Ya didn’t need ta make a placement for this lil’ bug.  I keep tellin’ ya, he’s just a tagalong.  Th’ more ya feed him, th’ more yer just encouraging him ta stay.”  He tried to sound like he was scolding Babb but it was hard to take him seriously when he was pulling out the chair and settling Bean in the seat. 

    “Oh shush.  I know you love that bumblebun as much as you love your own children.”  Babb said with a chuckle.

    “Dad!  I didn’t know you were going to be here!”  Tisias said with a purr, looking pleased that – through Babb’s maneuvering – Tomcat Bobcat was seated right beside him.  He shot Samphire a smug grin, that he got to sit RIGHT beside their father while she had to sit with green Bean between her and Tomcat.

    Samphire glared at Tisias for his smug look but she was too pleased to see her father to care for long.  “Did you know about mom’s dinner or was this just coincidence?”  She asked eagerly.

    Tomcat chuckled and flashed the pair of them a grin.  “Oh, nothin’ like that.  I just smelled that delicious dinner cooking miles away and had ta stop in for some food.”  He said playfully, making Tisias groan though Samphire and several of the others at the table giggled. 

    Babb shook her head, smiling as the trio began chatting happily, other conversations around the table striking up at the same time.  She began serving, signalling others to do the same.  Bowls of food began moving around the table as everyone filled their plates, the aroma making more than one mouth water eagerly. 

    When everyone had food on their plate, Babb called for silence and rose to her feet.  She looked around the table, smiling softly at everyone.  “I just wanted to say thank you all for being here, for coming together to celebrate the season.  There is nothing better than a good meal with friends and family gathered around.  I’d like to give a minute to anyone who would like to say a piece of their own.”  She said kindly, sitting back down. 

    The table was quiet for a moment before Noor stood up, their quiet voice filling the silence around the room.  “I would like to take a moment and thank Falena for our bountiful dinner.  They have blessed us with food a plenty and friends to enjoy it with.  By their good grace, we gather here tonight to share in a meal and remember that even on the darkest winter night, there can still be laughter, joy, and light.  Thank you Falena.”  They finished and sat down.  Several others at the table echoed their final words in thanks to the goddess. 

    Babb looked around the table but no one else seemed interested in saying anything else.  They all seemed to accept Noor’s words as grace for the meal.  She took a breath and was about to announce that everyone could eat when Tisias took the opportunity to launch his plan of attack.

    “I have something to say!!”  He said sharply, rising to his paws.  Babb and Tomcat Bobcat groaned, knowing what was coming.  Samphire glared at her brother, wishing she was close enough to pull his tail and make him sit down.  Tisias just ignored them all though and barrelled ahead.  “I have something very important to say!  I am offended by this!”  His voice grew angrier and angrier as he gestured to the food on the table.  “We sit here, prepared to eat the MEAT of another LIVING creature!  It’s practically cannibalism!  How can we sit here and eat knowing that some other creature has suffered for us, when there are plenty of other good choices to eat?!”  He demanded, glaring around the table.

    There were a few stunned looks at his outburst, mostly from those who hadn’t known Tisias for as long as some of the others.  Some though, were simply shocked that he honestly and truly would choose that time for another of his meat rants.  It was the shocked silence of the table that allowed him to continue, growing more dramatic with each sentence, waving his arms around to accentuate his points. 

    Suddenly, when Tisias paused to take a breath, Seamus decided to throw a wrench in his argument.  “So if’n I’m hearin’ ya right, ya want us all to eat veggies an’ stuff.  Which would…..oh I dunno, take away food from th’ animals, wouldn’t it?”  He was fighting not to laugh as he saw the look of surprise on Tisias’s face. 

    Seamus barely managed to contain his laughter but several others at the table weren’t so successful and small giggles escaped here and there.  Samphire didn’t even try to hold back her laughter.  She burst out into full blown belly laughs.  “Oh man!  He’s got you there!!”  She said when she could finally breathe again.  “What are you gonna say to that, huh?  Where’s your big come back now?”  She taunted him.

    Babb frowned at her daughter.  “Samphire, that’s not nice.  Stop taunting him like that.” 

    “Oh come on!  Tisias finally gets told off for one of his stupid rants and I can’t even laugh?”  The younger mothcat complained about the unfairness of it all.

    Tisias glared around the table, looking furious as more and more of the company stopped trying to hold in their laughter.  He sat down, sulking.  His grand plan to make a dramatic statement had backfired so badly he didn’t have any way to recover it.

    Haru sighed and patted the cream mothcat on the shoulder.  “I hate to say I told you so Tisias but I did warn you that this battle is one you will never win.”  He said softly.

    Babb finally managed to hush Samphire then looked around the table with an apologetic smile.  “I’m sorry for their behavior.”

    “Well I’m not!!”  Tisias burst out but fell silent when Babb turned a glare on him that promised he would be doing all the dishes by himself if he didn’t be quiet right now.

    Returning her attention to the table, Babb gestured at all the food on everyone’s plates.  “Please, help yourself to anything you want.  There’s plenty of everything so don’t feel shy.  Tuck in and enjoy!”  She said, sitting down. 

    With that permission given, everyone around the table dug into their food, even Tisias eventually.  The rest of the meal passed uneventfully with the exception of Samphire attempting to start a food fight.  Tomcat Bobcat managed to quickly stop that by starting up a story of his latest adventures, a tale that had all the young mothcats – and more than a few of the older ones – hanging on to his every word. 

    When the meal had finished, many were reluctant to leave just yet, enjoying the company of everyone.  Looking back, no one could be sure who made the first move but soon enough everyone was lending a helping hand to clean up.  Dishes were gathered up and taken to the kitchen, food was put away, the table wiped down and the floor swept, though the few crumbs that had fallen already had vanished courtesy of the two bugs Legs and Crisis. 

    Babb and Katherine shooed everyone else out of the kitchen eventually, saying they were all just getting in the way.  The motherly pair settled at the sink, Babb washing dishes while Katherine dried.  They chatted happily, swapping stories of raising children and the insanity that came with the territory. 

    The rest of the mothcats spread out over the living room, settling in for an evening of companionship.  Tomcat Bobcat and Seamus began swapping jokes, laughing as the puns became worse and worse with each new one.  Tisias and Haru pulled out a game of Chinese Checkers and were deep in thought as they played slowly.  Vivianos sat between them, watching the board curiously.  She didn’t want to interrupt them, not when they had such looks of concentration on their faces, but she was intrigued by the strange game of marbles. 

    Sampire, Tib, Trout, and Noor were all studying a new stone that Trout had found at the bottom of his favorite swimming hole.  They argued and debated, trying to decide what kind of rock it might be.  Tib may not have had any actual words to use but they were just as much a part of the debate as anyone else. 

    Aquarius, Saturn, and Rashid chatted calmly, wandering through topic after topic with no particular direction in mind.  Laila had drifted over to sit roughly halfway between the two groups of younger mothcats.  She was content to sit there by herself, feeling close enough to be part of the overall group but far enough apart that she had her space. 

    Bean constantly tried to sneak into the kitchen, trying to steal more food despite already being full.  Babb and Katherine shooed him out time and time again, laughing to themselves each time they had to send him on his way.  It got to the point that they were able to shoo him out without even turning to look at him.  Though the one time, they went to send him off only to hear a buzz of protest from outside the kitchen.  Frowning, they glanced at each other then at Bean. 

    “I could have sworn I heard him in here.”  Katherine said, looking a little confused.

    “Not just you.  I heard it too.  But he’s not fast enough to get all the way over there without us noticing.”  Babb answered, tilting her head to the side. 

    Katherine glanced around the kitchen then paused as she noticed the window was open.  “That…. Wasn’t open earlier was it?”  She asked, her frown deepening. 

    “I didn’t think so?”  Babb said, sounding confused.  She went to the window and closed it.  “I wonder if it was Crisis maybe.  That bug has gotten good at opening windows.” 

    Satisfied that they’d found the most plausible answer, they went back to cleaning up the kitchen, not noticing the pawsteps in the snow outside the window.

    Eventually though, the evening drew to a close and everyone started saying their goodbyes.  In ones and twos they drifted out the door, heading home.  Finally everyone was gone except for Tomcat Bobcat and Bean. 

    “Will you stay the night?”  Babb asked, glancing at the lanky mothcat.  “It’s rather chilly tonight to start out on another trip.

    “Oh please say you’ll stay!”  Samphire pleaded with him.  “Please?  We can have a god breakfast tomorrow and then go play in the snow or something!” 

    “Please Dad?  It’d be really nice to have a little more time with you.”  Tisias asked softly, looking up at his father.  Though Tisias wasn’t as outwardly emotional as Samphire was, Tomcat knew his son and could tell how much he wanted this.

    Tomcat pretended to think about it, humming and hawing over the decision before finally grinning at the two young mothcats.  “Well alright.  Ya convinced me.  Bean ‘n’ me will stay tonight and head out tomorrow.”

    “YES!!”  Samphire danced around eagerly.

    “Thank you.”  Tisias said warmly, giving a small purr. 

    “Well now that that’s settled, everyone off to bed.  It’s been a long night, especially for you three.”  Babb said, including Haru in her statement, the small cat having been watching quietly. 

    Samphire sulked but under Babb’s stern insistence, all three young mothcats were soon in bed.  She came back out to the living room where Tomcat had found himself a blanket and was settling down on the couch.  “Goodnight Tom.  Thank you for coming.”  She said softly, smiling gratefully at him.  She knew it had meant a lot to Samphire and Tisias for him to be there.

    “Ah, ain’t nothing much.  I was comin’ up thisaway anyways.”  Tomcat brushed off her thanks, flashing her a grin.  “Night Babbs.” 

    Chuckling at his casual behavior though she knew he had changed his plans for this, Babb headed off to bed, leaving Tomcat to the couch.  As she stepped into her room, she heard him muttering to his bumblebun companion, “If I catch ya snorin’, yer out in th’ snow, got it?”