Song: O Tannenbaum, by- Charlie Brown Christmas

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Avery's POV

"Stop it!"

"Stop running!"

"Hahaha!"

I hid my face within my thick wool scarf as I slid behind a tree only peaking out to see the three brothers all yelling at one another as they threw snow back and forth.

I giggled as Jakob landed a sneak attack from behind Rick and smothered him in an arm's full of snow. Rick spluttered and growled as he tried in vain to grab at his little brother.

"Jake!"

Rick's eyes searched frantically for his attacker and his eyes lashed over my hiding spot as I quickly dodged his sight and sunk down the tree trunk and onto the five foot deep snow.

The morning had started out so fair with white fluffy flakes falling softly down as the sun rose up over the mountains in the distance. Everyone had been roused at an early hour before the sun even thought of rising so everyone could quickly ate breakfast, bundle themselves up, and then venture out into the brisk morning forest to get a Christmas tree.

Contrary to what some might think we did not just go blindly bounding through the woods until we said , 'Eureka!', then cut down a tree. It was a bit more organized than that.

Rick had scouted out the area a few weeks prior and had found a grouping of younger ferns about a mile from the cabin. He had first inspected them of any injuries or sickness' and when finally he deemed the bunch fit had marked the spot for us to later find.

Now when we came out this morning we just had to follow Rick's trail to the grouping and choose the tree that was had no prior inhabitants, was healthy, and full. In the end we chose a younger fern that was a medium between bursting and slim. It was a rather handsome tree if I said so myself and was easy enough to cut down with an axe. We had left the stump behind for some smaller mammals to make residence within and had strung the tree up on a large sled to get it back to the cabin. We had been making pretty good time when someone decided to throw a snowball.

And now here we were.

The tree lay securely strapped to its sled with a small gathering of snow of its needles as the three grizzlies ran about from tree to tree trying to hit the others with fistfulls of snow. I had been smart enough to back down and hide before any of them got the idea to target me. But as I heard their growls and cries of both anger and laughter I could feel my ass getting really cold from sitting on the softly packed snow and felt I needed to shift positions soon or else the cold would soon become painful.

I scooted up onto my knees and patted off my backside before I heard a crunching of snow coming from behind me, sadly I turned too late to see Greg releasing a rather large ball of snow to fall on top of my head. I released a rough squeak as the snow landed on my head and the softly packed snow burst like a cold grenade getting some into my scarf and down my coat instantly sending a shiver down my spine as it quickly began to melt from my body heat.

I jumped up and tried my very best to shake it all out before I became soaked and turned an accusatory glare to Greg who was already sprinting away trying to collect another ball of snow in his hands.

"Now you are going to get it!"

Never bring a polar bear into a snowball fight.

A wicked smirk built onto my face as I quickly knelt down and made a few snowballs of my own and cupped them in the crook of my arm holding them like an infant as I snuck around my tree and spotted an unsuspecting Jakob as he ran away from Greg.

"Not gonna get me! Hahaha!"

I wound my arm back before letting it go sending it straight into Jakob's chest. He looked as if he had been shot instead of hit with snow as he quickly cried out in surprise tripping over a stump before toppling into the snow. Greg burst out laughing throwing his snowball at Greg's flailing ass before his eyes widened seeing me armed and ready.

Greg lifted his empty arms quickly with a nervous smile, "Truce!"

I laughed wickedly as I released the ball and it smacked him right in the nose. Greg scrunched up his face as he tried to wipe off the snow.

Greg walked clumsily forward with his eyes covered over in slushy snow only to have Jakob trip him as his younger brother was attempting to get back up. The two toppled down on top of each other crying out as they smacked back down into the snow as they tried to get back up they continued accusing the other of having done it. My chest began to hurt from laughter as I watched on in not so silent glee.

I tried to get my laughter under control as I scanned the surrounding trees to find the last brother. I had two snowballs left and only one bear left to hit.

"Looking for me?"

The warm puff of breath against my ear made me jump and I squeaked as I felt large arms circle around me causing me to crush my last two snowballs against my chest as they picked me up to swing me around like a rag doll.

"Rick!"

Rick's laughter echoed in my flailing body as he spun us around and around before jumping into a large fluffy pile of snow.

We landed with a soft crunch as we sunk into the small pile of snow practically burying ourselves in the cold mound. As we fought our way out we both fell into a fit of laughter as we spread out on top of the pile feeling the frozen water cling to our hair and clothes.

"N-now I'm go-oing to be-be s-s-soaked!" I laughed through chattering teeth as Rick hugged me close trying to brush off some of the snow he had plowed me into.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry..." He breathed past laughter as he brushed off snow from my cheeks and nose before he leaned down and brushed his warm lips against my shivering ones.

"But not really." He softly cackled as I scoffed and pushed at his chest only to have him flop on to his back in the snow.

I pulled myself up to sit only to see two grinning grizzlies offering me a hand up.

"Got a bit of snow on you did you Avery?"

I grunted as I took hold of Jakob's hand and allowed Greg to help Rick up.

"A bit..."

Jakob helped to pat most of the snow off of my clothes before a chorus of growls echoed through the quiet forest, and it wasn't from our mouths. We all chuckled as it seemed the want to throw snow at each other dissipated and the need for food overpowered it.

"Let's get back before we really begin to feel the chill."

We all chorused our agreement and set out once again to make it back to the cabin for lunch. We weren't that far from the cabin and made it pretty quickly with hunger driving us forward through the thick snow.

Rick's POV

We left the tree standing on the deck so it could knock of some of the snow that still clung to its branches before taking it inside. Mom already had lunch ready, pulled pork sandwiches and chips.

We all dug in with hunger roiling in our bellies. Avery and I sat next to each other at the table and the poor guy was actually pretty soaked from our roll in the snow. His hair hung in loose, wet clumps and he had to brush it back so it wouldn't hang in his eyes. His clothes clung to him in wet heaps as he softly shivered next to me.

Not that anyone else was much better.

Greg had to change his pants because they had started icing over on the walk back. Jakob's cheeks were still rosy red from face-planting into the snow. I sat in my damp clothes trying to keep my damp, curling hair out of my eyes as Avery and I elbowed each other playfully every time one of us tried to reach for something.

When Mom asked what had happened to the lot of us my brothers and I chuckled as Avery gave us all a playfully dirty look and we all sort of just mumbled, "Trouble with some snow..."

"Oh really?"

Mom snickered and I knew she had some idea of what had actually happened, "Well if you all aren't too afraid to wrestle with a bit more snow I brought The Kit with me."

Jakob rolled his eyes, "We aren't kids anymore Ma."

Mom hit him upside the head and Greg and I both snickered behind our bursting pulled pork sandwiches. As Jakob whined for being hit I wiped my mouth and looked to my left to see Avery looking a bit confused.

I leaned over, "It's something Mom put together when we were kids so we would always have all the supplies we needed."

Avery lifted an eyebrow, "Supplies for what?"

Jakob answered this time obviously overhearing us as he tenderly rubbed the back of his head which probably didn't even hurt he was just being overdramatic.

"For building a Snowman."

I nodded and was about to go back to eating when I caught a glance of Avery. His eyes were big for but a moment and in that moment I saw the little kid who hadn't spent a Christmas with a real family in years. The innocence and wonder in his eyes but the hesitation not to voice it caused me to drop my delicious pulled pork sandwich to be left, forgotten, as I gave my wonderful mate a big grin as he looked at me in question.

"You know, I haven't made a Snowman in years." I pushed back my chair and stood turning my warm smile to Avery, "What do you say?"

At first he looked like he was going to say no, but then a smile worked onto his handsome face and he chuckled, "Why not."

We offered for Greg and Jakob to join us but they had already planned a game of checkers for themselves to see who would sleep on the couch tonight and Mom said she still had some last minute wrapping to do.

So Avery and I cleaned our plates and changed into some dry clothes and dressed back up into our warm coats, hats, gloves, boots, and snow pants. Mom got out The Kit and we made our way outside and debated for a few minutes where the best place was for our soon to be Snowman.

"What about here?"

I looked to where Avery had pointed and went to stand beside him to look at his choice. It was a small snow drift beside the stairs that led onto the front porch. It was a pretty decent area that would accommodate a pretty decent sized Snowman.

"Yeah. I think it's perfect."

Avery smiled as he moved back to start gathering snow in his gloved hands before starting to roll it along the snow packed ground to accumulate a growing ball. When it started to get pretty round and heavy I moved in to help him keep rolling it until it almost reached our waists.

And then we went to the torso.

Making a Snowman might have been a rather simplistic and childish thing to pass the time with but in all honesty it was quickly becoming one of my favorite things. It became something Avery and I did together that didn't require a lot of thought or argument. We worked together to pick up the hefty torso and counted to three as we pushed it up on top of the bottom.

Avery worked some snow into the bottom crease so there was some stability to keeping the two large balls of frozen water together. I went on and rolled the head as Avery dug through The Kit and got out an old knitted red scarf. It was frayed and worn from years of being wrapped around Snowmen but Avery carried it like it was a prized possession.

I lifted the head on top of the torso and patted some extra snow about the neck. In all the Snowman was about as tall as me, maybe just an inch or so shorter. Avery came over and delicately wrapped the scarp around its neck and tied it.

I went back to The Kit and grabbed the ratty old hat that held a few patches in it and placed it on top of his head. I screwed it about a bit so it stuck as Avery came and placed two smooth river rocks for eyes and started to work on placing the smaller rocks about to from a smile.

I grabbed the carrot and a wooden pipe and carefully pushed the two a few inches into the Snowman's face. Avery finished off with three large stones for the buttons then brushed off a few spots and smoothed a few bumps before we stepped back and marveled at our two hours of work.

Avery had a smile on his face with rosy cheeks and a red nose that made my heart just melt in my chest. The pride and happiness that seemed to soak into his glowing skin was enough to have me bring my arm about him and pull him to me.

"He's a rather handsome Snowman isn't he?" Avery beamed.

I chuckled at Avery's words and nodded, "I'd say he could get any snow person he could possibly want this Christmas."

Avery hummed as he laid his head on my shoulder and we simply stood there marveling at our work.

"You know," Avery looked up at me as I thought aloud, "We have some time before we'll start decorating the tree..."

I looked down at those two crystal blue eyes that always seemed to trap me in their kind stare and smiled, "Want to go for a run?"

Avery smiled and pushed away from, "Do you even have to ask?"

I laughed as he started to strip and I followed suit folding my clothes and placing them on the porch so they were semi-protected but also easily retrievable. I watched with a warm fire in my chest as Avery skipped through the snow in bare feet and nothing covering his tanned skin.

But I soon watched in silent sadness as Avery began grunting softly grabbing at his scarred chest as he bent forward willing the transformation past the pain I knew he felt.

After last Christmas and after finally being told he could shift again after the accident it just wasn't the same smooth shift for him like it once was. His bones had to form around the scarred tissue and mended bones causing him slight pain everytime he shifted. At first I had offered comfort but he had bit back saying he was fine. So after a while I just stood back and let him be. In my own way I was always praying that this shift wouldn't hurt him as much as the last.

But soon enough with a last few grunts he was bounding away on four paws and chortling in his deep voice at me still standing next to the porch in a daze.

I growled playfully as I ran forward feeling the natural pulling of muscle and bone before I felt my legs thicken and my claws stretch forth before I too was bounding through the mounds of snow as a large hulking ball of brown fur chasing after Avery's translucent white form.

He was a quick little devil for sure. But he was built for the snow with snowshoe feet and curved claws to gain traction on the ice. He ran through the forest like he was born to do. His warm breath puffing up into the air as I chased him growling out playfully so he knew I was still there.

I caught up soon enough and we ran side by side as we bumped shoulders playfully seeing which on of us would trip first. Avery growled as he hopped up onto his back legs and plowed himself on top of me with a loud chortle of laughter.

I grunted as we went rolling down a small hill before we settled with Avery on top chortling in laughter as I chuffed nipping at his neck causing him to laugh harder.

"Got you! Payback!"

I chuffed wrapping my arms about his long neck, "Oh really?"

He squealed as I flipped us putting all of my weight on top of him as he flopped about crying out how I played 'dirty'.

As soon as I knew he had gotten the point I rolled off of him and onto my back staring up into the snow covered trees as I panted. I looked over to see Avery shaking his coat out of snow and I silently marveled at his unique form. For he was unlike many bears simply because Avery was built differently. His neck stretched out farther and his snout was slimmer and longer. His feet were webbed for swimming and his legs built long and strong to paddle through the icy waters. He was built for the ice and snow in a way that had taken thousands of years to create.

Many may not understand the subtle beauty that I saw in my mate when all they saw was a lumbering giant bear. But to me he was beautiful in a way no one else could compare to be. His long legs seemed graceful and his long sloping neck seemed elegant.

Compared to me who was just a large hulk of brown fur and muscle. Avery had repeatedly told me he loved my thick brown fur and that it was always warm and cozy and had quite often compared me to a large teddy bear. But I suppose I shouldn't complain about the nickname for it had helped me more than I could have ever known.

I paused in my inner ramblings as I caught Avery looking at me.

His expressive blue eyes gazed at me with love as he sidled up next to me pushing our bodies together in a show of affection as I nuzzled his long snout and licked his forehead.

He hummed in contentment and I followed feeling that if I had been born a cat I would have purred.

"I love you Rick."

I hummed and laid my head overtop his as we lay together letting him feel the vibrations of happiness running through me, "I love you too Avery."

I yawned and stretched before I looked up at the trees to see the sun had moved slightly, "We'd better start thinking about heading back."

I grumbled more than said because I truly did not want to leave this spot.

Thankfully Avery voiced my thoughts, "We have time."

I grinned the best a bear could grin and flopped back down cozying back up to Avery, "Yeah... I guess we do."