There are two new Lunargyros pages up today; you can read 'em here.

Man, I am glad it's the weekend tomorrow, I could use some breaktimes. Been working on a bunch of different things; just hoping they pay off. I keep having to make edits to the Okami boards, but I thiiiiink they should be done now. Just need one or two more checks. :P I still wish I could get the timing right.

HOWEVER, managed to finish another scene of the reindeer story! Apologies for the fact that it's so short; I'll admit I had trouble trying to figure out what to do at this point. At least it's something after that awful long wait. Short scene inside:


Donner found Santa, as usual, in his favorite spot...his private workshop. With all the duties Santa had, he had little time to make use of it, but he was first and foremost a toymaker. The toys he worked on here did not really go out on Christmas Eve...at least not often. But still, there was love in their crafting, as there was love in most everything he did. Most of those toys still crowded the room on all sides; stuffed, wooden and tin. A cozy fire burned in the fireplace behind Santa’s chair, where he now sat, examining the parts of what would become a stuffed bear.



Donner entered as his human self...this room was a little too cramped for a reindeer. He strode forward, but stopped with room between them. Santa Claus looked up from the bear with his usual soft smile. “I expect you are eager to go back to work tomorrow, Donner?”

Donner sighed, his hands in his large trenchcoat pockets. “Very much so. I was not expecting our hiatus to last this long.” Among many other things.

“So, is there something you wanted to ask me?” Santa questioned. He turned back to the toy, but with that bend in his shoulders that indicated he was still listening fully.



There was no sense in beating around the Christmas tree. “It’s about her.” Donner realized the callousness in his tone, and tried to correct it. “About Rudolph.”

“She understands all of the rules, doesn’t she?”

“Yes, but...” Here, Donner began to pace across the workshop. “...I still do not trust her.”

This didn’t break Santa’s concentration, although his brow furrowed in concern. “I think you’re being unfair, Donner.”



“No memory of her past life? No knowledge that she even is a reindeer? Suddenly wanting to join our team? This isn’t what happens with immortals. Don’t you think it’s suspicious? Where would she even have come from?”

Here, Santa looked up. “I’m sure you know the answer to that, Donner.”

Donner closed his eyes, inhaling slowly. “Of course. But that just makes it stranger. Myths have not worked like that.” His breaths remained deep and slow. “I am not the only one who thinks this way, you understand. Dancer, Prancer and Comet are equally disturbed. The others are also apprehensive.”

Santa kept that calm look in his eye. “I have thought about this too, Donner. She is unusual in many ways, but she is an innocent creature. I do not believe that she had ended up here to do us harm.”



Donner sighed, and walked closer to the work table. He picked up a stuffed toy already finished...a camel, all gold and white. It was beautiful work. Centuries of doing it had only made Santa’s craftmanship more beautiful, more precious. “I am just...worried for you. Your magic is one of the last great forces of true magic left in this world. And there are those who will take advantage of your kindness to take that magic.”

“And you think I shouldn’t extend that kindness to Rudolph to protect myself?”

Donner realized he could not respond to that. He bowed his head slightly in silent apology...Santa was not only his boss, but also his friend. And he knew, better than most people, that the character of Santa Claus came first. That’s what all that magic hinged on.



Santa stood, and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “I trust you to look out for my welfare, Donner. Just as you trust me to look out for all of yours.”

“Yes, Nicholas.”

Santa smiled...Doner didn’t use that name all that often. “Thank you. Now, I believe you’re eager to get back to work? You have a new employee to train, after all.”

“Dasher will be taking her along his route starting tomorrow,” Donner told him. Really, if they were going to do this after all, it seemed the best place to put her was with the lead reindeer. Dasher was young, but also very fast and very smart.



“And I’m sure you’ll let me know right away if something goes wrong,” Santa assured him.

“Of course.”

Santa nodded with satisfaction. “Then I’m eager to see what you, she and the rest of the team learn this year.”

Donner nodded back, his normally steely expression laced with the edges of long-standing affection. He still was worried about Rudolph, and he knew the other reindeer would not warm up to her easily, either. But Santa was right...in spite of his fears, compassion came first.

With that, Donner left the jolly old man to his craft, and exited the workshop.




Drawing: Practice, Okami boards, reindeer story stuff, waiting to hear back on other freelance bits

Writing: Reindeer story!