Twas hours before the holiday parade, final preparations still needed to be made. Hund strutted his way out in the snow, checking to see if they were ready to go.
“Is everything done yet?” Hund said, hands to the waist. “We’re running late already. We must go with haste!”

Tanu stared up from pushing the sled, her face suggesting she’d rather be sleeping in bed. “You are probably the strongest of us all, so why am I pushing us out of this stall?”

Hund folded his arms over his chest. “I’m not pushing because I need my rest.” Despite her elf costume being so merry, Tanu’s face at that reply was oh so scary.

“I’ll push the sleigh after when we’re closer to the crowd, sides. You made me wear this stupid costume to get people cheering loud.” Hund pouted.
Tanu’s look of disdain softened upon closer inspection; Hund’s holiday outfit was beyond expectation. With ugly sweater as noisy as his fur, topped with reindeer antlers bought by her.

“You got to admit you look very cute for someone who normally is quite a brute. I didn’t think this idea would stick in your head, but somehow you even got your nose red.”

Hund’s scowled return at that reply. Instead of answering, he turned his head to Ty.

“Hey Pan, what’s up with our old Saint Nick? Why the heck does he look sick?”

Seated atop the sled with glee, Ty’s dopey smile made Hund think he needed to pee.

“So remember when I gave away our Christmas sack? The lendee never returned it back! I tried to find replacements as the hour drew near but put in this country, there were no options, I fear.”

“So, where did you put all the Christmas treats since your plan was such a defeat?”

“Santa’s jelly belly is something kids fawn, yet Ty’s bodybuilding made him mostly brawn. I needed a way to get Ty round and fluffed, so with all the gifts, I decided to get him….”

“Stuffed?!” Hund shouted, clearly enraged by what he’s been told. “You mean Ty is now digesting our Christmas load.”

With cookies and toys bloating out his gut, the well-fed retriever was in a bit of a rut. Jammed between the seats with all that food, moving the dog was not in Hund’s mood.

“Merry Chrismaaauurp!” Ty belched out the words, and Hund looked over at Tanu to see if she heard.

“Before you going bursting a vessel, why don’t you just focus on building your hustle. If Pan needs to retrieve a toy drum, I’m sure he won’t mind slipping past Ty’s lips to his big tum.”

The red panda’s fur had whitened like snow. An iron grasp on Pan’s wrist kept him from being let go. Pan gulped but nodded. He knew what must be done. To keep up the cheer and Christmas fun. Ty’s dopey grin continued to bend as he drunkenly slurred one word.

“Friend”

Hund looked up at the pair clearly at his wit’s end. “Can we seriously continue with Ty brain dead?”

Tanu looked up at the husky from her pushing. “It’s hard to be coherent with a belly so smooshing. I’ll admit Ty may have overeaten, but the night’s still young, and we are not beaten. Just keep us steady on the ride, then this mess will be able to hide.”

Hund sighed, clearly wishing this night to be done, and with his harness attached, he began his run. Then, as the sled started to cross the frost, Pan had a question that left him lost.

“I know that this is a festive time, but why is everyone speaking in rhyme?”

Hund yelled his answer to the red panda behind. “I don’t know, but after we hit the main road, this Dr. Seuss nonsense is out of my mind.”

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Merry Christmas to everyone! This was an idea I've been hoping to make for a while. To me it accomplishes 2 major things: it's the first piece that features all my main characters together and fits into the holiday spirit.

As always, thanks again to  WhiteIronWolfBuck for making the amazing a reality!