Little Sam and Little Savy were accompanying their Luna Mama to Gate City today. It was a lovely snowy day, and at first, Little Sam wanted to stay with Dad, but the rogues had been causing trouble lately, and Mama vetoed it.
"Who knows what would happen if you meet rogues while on patrol," Mama worried.
"It'll be fine," Dad was confident. "They're just rogues."
"Yah man, we'll just put her up in a tree if it gets bad," quipped Beta Lucas.
Mama gasped.
"I mean theoretically it would work," Beta Lucas added quickly.
Little Sam could tell Beta Lucas was bad at explaining, so she decided to help. "I'm really good. I only fell out once."
Mama's mouth dropped open soundlessly. But this often happened when Little Sam explained things, so there was no problem.
"Of course, she means that theoretically…" Beta Lucas muttered.
"Luc," Dad growled warningly.
"In reality, it wouldn't be the best idea since it might possibly be difficult to remember which tree I put her in… hooboy," Beta Lucas gulped.
Mama's eyes narrowed at Dad.
Little Sam tried to help again. "So you can leave me with Dad."
"I think…" Mama started, despite Little Sam's input, "it would be best if you came with me today."
"But I dun wanna!" Little Sam protested.
"Hoo boy," Beta Lucas shook his head, but he had underestimated the Luna's power. And that was why Little Sam was with Mama and Little Savy on a bustling shopping street in the middle of Gate City.
"It's snowing!" Little Sam exclaimed.
"Please stay close, Sam," Mama said. Mama usually held Little Sam's hands, but today she needed both for Little Savy's stroller.
The stroller had space for Little Sam to sit too, but Little Sam was a big girl now. Big girls didn't need strollers. They could walk, run, skip, hop, or ride on Beta Lucas' or Dad's broad backs. And sometimes Roy's too, but not too long—because, yes, the adults would repeat, Little Sam was a big girl now. (Dad and Beta Lucas were strong though, so Little Sam was promised she could ride on their backs forever.)
"That man! It's Santa Claus!" Little Sam noticed.
"Who?" Mama asked, busy looking at a shop window.
"Oh," she smiled when she recognized him. "Right, Santa."
Little Sam's eyes widened. "You know him?"
Mama knew a lot of people—the ladies in the packhouse kitchen, the regular warriors, their mates, and their children. But Little Sam had no idea Mama would know someone famous like Santa Claus—that guy was on TV every day!
"Can we go say hi?" Little Sam asked in a small voice, glancing at the busy road and the crowd. Mama might say no because of the stroller and the curb and the cars… but Little Sam hoped.
"Maybe, if you're good," Mama promised.
But Mama had a lot of shops to visit. Little Sam got candy at one shop (although it only sold shoes and bags, not candy) and received plenty of praise for being so cute and such a good girl.
By the time they reached where Santa had been, he was gone.
"Oh," Mama realized. "I'm so sorry, Sam."
Little Sam tried not to be too disappointed. "It's okay, Mama. Maybe he'll come again next year."
"How about we celebrate Christmas this year too?" Mama decided right then.
Huh? Little Sam blinked back the wet that had somehow accumulated in her eyes. She rubbed it off so she could see clearer. "What's Christmas?"
"It's a human tradition, I think," Mama said. "Let's have a Christmas Feast tonight!"
That night, they bought fried chicken—The Christmas Family Bucket—and Mama bought extra for the Beta family to join their dinner. The buckets even had Santa's picture on them.
That evening, the Beta family came over, and they all had fried chicken together.
"Best Christmas ever!" Little Sam declared over the table.
"Yah man," Beta Lucas agreed. "Best chicken ever."
From that day onwards, the Alpha house would get Christmas chicken every time the Luna went shopping at Gate City.