by Katie Penryn
Looking back at the others, I pointed to the way the top stone overhung the sides. “We’re lucky. We can squeeze through under the overhang at the side. So, are we good to go?”
Everyone nodded. I passed Martin to Santa who stowed the little fellow away in the voluminous folds of his coat and wrapped his spare arm round Jimbo’s shoulders. Felix warmed the sides of the silver cup with his lighter before tipping it over to light the surface of the whisky. The blue flame flickered and danced.
“Quick before it dies down,” he said, grabbing my hand and pulling me along after him under and around the first corner, round the back and under the second overhang to the front again. Three times we performed the circuit. As we finished the third, a loud crack sounded through the cold night air and a flash of eye-dazzling brightness illuminated the scene. Santa jumped back and in the silence following the commotion I heard little Martin mew with fright. We all blinked to recover our sight and stared at the space in front of us.
But… it was still empty. There was no one there. Our summons had not been answered.
“Oh Felix. It’s too late,” I said. “They won’t come. It’s half past one in the morning. What are we going to do now?”
The anti-climax overwhelmed me. Seconds earlier I had anticipated a quick solution to Santa’s problem. Now we had nothing left to try.
Santa put his arms around me and gave me a bear hug, almost squashing poor little Martin who meowed in protest.
“It’s not your fault, Penzi. You did your best.”
“But all those children are going to be so disappointed. And what’s more,” I said stamping my foot. “That nasty Snarl and its master have won. I hate that. I hate to see evil win over good.” A sob of anger broke free. “And we wasted a diamond. Makes me furious.”
Felix paused as he collected the silver cup to stow it away again.
“Boss, have you considered asking your mother for advice?”
“Yes,” said Jimbo. “You could ask Mum. She’s wiser than you think.”
Oh, not again. My relationship with my mother had not been an easy one since she reappeared in our lives after an absence of seven years during which it was left to me to bring up my two younger brothers. I bore a grudge against her for robbing me of my youth even though I knew she was desperate for us to be friends again. Nowadays, we coasted along living in the same house but without any depth of affection.
“Penzi,” said Felix again, pulling me out of Santa’s reassuring embrace. “Phone Gwinny… now! You have to put your childish hurt aside if you want the children of the world to have the Christmas they’re expecting tomorrow.”
“How’s she going to help?”
“She’s been a witch for longer than you. She may know something you don’t. After all, it was Gwinny who first put you in touch with the High Council.”
I wasted another half a minute thinking over what Felix had suggested. “What if she minds being woken up at this time of night?”
Felix’s reply was a snort of exasperation. “Boss, don’t disappoint me.”
Santa joined in saying, “It’s the season of goodwill to all men. That includes wayward mothers, Penzi.”
I had to try. I took out my phone, swiped it open and called my mother. Of course, I woke her up. It took me some time to explain the situation to her. It’s not every night a mother gets woken up by a daughter who’s trying to save Santa’s reindeer from an invisible monster.
“I get the picture, Penzi,” she said. “It’s an emergency of the utmost urgency. You have to call the High Council’s hotline.”
“What? They have a hotline?”
“Of course. This is the twenty-first century. If you call 000-000-HECATE, you’ll get through to their emergency answering service. There’s always someone on duty to ensure the fight goes on against the evil in the world.” She paused. “And Penzi?”
“Yes,” I said.
“You are looking after Jimbo, aren’t you?”
“Of course, I am.”
I nearly said I’d done it well enough for seven years, but I bit my tongue. As Santa had said, it was the season of good will.
Chapter 7
The answering service put me straight through to the secretary of the High Council. It took me a few precious minutes to persuade her to report my call for help to the other members of the High Council.
“It’s Christmas night,” she said with a whine in her voice.
“You’ve hit the nail on the head,” I replied. “It’s now or never. We can’t have a Christmas Day with no presents for the children.”
“Very well,” she said. “We’ll be with you as soon as I can arrange it.”
“Don’t you want to know where I am?”
“No. I have your GPS co-ordinates.”
And with that she closed off the call.
“Well?” asked Santa, Felix and Jimbo together.
Before I had time to answer, a great whoosh of colored light closed in on us, blinding us for the second time that night. When our eyes settled down, we saw before us floating above the dolmen the seven witches of the High Council of the Guild of White Witches seated around their conference table.
“Who dares to call us out on this cold Christmas Eve?” asked the Head Witch in a disgruntled tone. “It had better be serious.”
Jimbo flinched against Santa’s side.
I took a step forward and looked up, making eye contact. “It’s Mpenzi Munro, your Ladyship.”
“What is it this time? Not more trouble with that meddlesome witch doctor?”
“No. This time the problem has worldwide implications, your Ladyship.”
I waved Santa forwards to stand beside me. The Head Witch did a double take as she gazed down at him.
“Is that Santa Claus?”
Santa bowed his head just a tad, enough to show respect but no more. “It is, your Ladyship.”
“From one supernatural to another, I bid you welcome, sir,” she said. “But I’m puzzled as to why you’re not circling the globe with your team of magic reindeer on this Christmas night.”
“Perhaps I could explain,” I began.
“Let the old gentleman speak for himself, Mpenzi.”
Santa bridled at the epithet of old. I took hold of his hand quickly and tugged it to warn him to mind his P’s and Q’s.
The secretary took a sheaf of papers out of her briefcase and passed a page out to each of the other six witches.
“I’ve consulted the latest intelligence reports and summarized the problem here, your Ladyship,” she said.
The Head Witch held up a finger. “Just a second Santa Claus, while we read these notes.”
Santa turned to me and shrugged. I shrugged back. We couldn’t risk hurrying them if we wanted them to help in time.
The furrows on the Head Witch’s forehead deepened as she read down the page. The other witches tutted and fussed with their cloaks. At last the Head Witch raised her head and looked down at us.
“This is truly an unprecedented problem, not only for tonight but for the power of good in the long term. We shall have to get to the bottom of who or what has let this monster — the Snarl you call it? — free on the world. And tonight of all nights. The perpetrator has to be the most evil spoilsport the world has ever known.”
Santa nodded. “He wants to destroy the joy and happiness of children all over the world on Christmas morning.”
Martin who’d stayed snuggled against Santa’s chest chose that moment to pop his little head out of Santa’s coat. The Head Witch spotted him and pointed down at him. He shrank back for a moment, but then stuck his head out again and mewed.
“That’s your natural?” the Head Witch asked.
Santa tried to push Martin back into his coat and said, “Yes, your Ladyship. He’s only a kitten and doesn’t know how to behave on solemn occasions like this.”
“Pass him up here,” she said, giving the secretary a nudge.
That meant climbing up onto the do
lmen and handing the kitten up to the secretary of the High Council. Poor old Santa was much too portly to manage such an athletic feat, so it fell to Felix to take Martin from him and climb up onto the dolmen’s top stone. As the secretary accepted the little cat, the witches all began to ooh and coo.
“Cute little fella.”
“What a darling.”
“How I love black cats.”
And other remarks of the same ilk drifted down to us.
Martin lapped up the attention. He sashayed up and down their table purring his little head off.
That’s when Felix nearly upset the proceedings. He took a step towards the dolmen. “Ladies, please may I remind you how urgent this matter is? The clock is ticking away. Santa has only this one night to complete his task. We have to find a way to neutralize the Snarl so the reindeer will break their strike and return to work.”
The Head Witch jerked her head up and scowled down at Felix. “I’ve warned you before, young man, about speaking before you are spoken to. Don’t presume to tell me what to do. What you don’t know is that all the time my colleagues and I have been petting little Martin here, we’ve been consulting telepathically on the best way forward.”
Felix bowed low. “I beg your pardon, your Ladyship. Please take my temerity in speaking to you uninvited as a token of my deep commitment to helping Santa and his reindeer combat the evil of the Snarl.”
The Head Witch allowed the hint of a smile to reach her eyes. “Apology accepted.”
She looked round the table and each witch nodded in turn.
“We have made our decision,” she said. “Listen carefully for time is short. Come closer so I don’t have to shout and place your hands on the stone. Not the boy.”
So she had noticed Jimbo who was doing his best to hide behind Santa.
“Don’t be frightened, child,” the High Witch said to Jimbo. “We don’t bite. I’m sure your sister had a good reason for bringing you along with her. Stand there quietly while we get on with our magic business.”
“Shall we approach now, your Ladyship?” I asked.
“The quicker the better. You’re fighting the clock, aren’t you?”
I nodded and the three of us edged forwards. As we came up against the dolmen a surge of energy like pins and needles pulsed from the stone through my fingers and up my arms. Santa and Felix let out a small gasp at the same time, so I guessed the same thing had happened to them.
The Head Witch laughed. “Did you feel the magic power?”
We all said, “Yes, your Ladyship.”
“Good. Here’s what’s going to happen. You’ll return Santa to his reindeer,” and she smiled down at Santa. “We are not able to destroy the Snarl for you now. The fight against evil has to be fought if the fruits of the struggle are to be worth anything.”
Santa sagged against me. I gave him a sideways push, and he straightened up.
“Wait for it,” I whispered.
The Head Witch continued, “We have endowed Felix with magic powers to enable him to champion the safety of Santa and his team against this monster. Felix will have to fight, make no mistake about it, but it will now be an even fight. Felix is to shape shift into his leopard form and fly escort alongside the reindeer team. To keep him warm, when you pass over the colder countries, he will grow a snow leopard’s coat. You, Penzi, will ride the lead reindeer — Rudolf?”
Santa nodded.
“Penzi, your aura will keep you warm. Your part in all of this is to show the reindeers there is nothing to be afraid of. Do you understand all that?”
“Yes,” we three said in unison.
The Head Witch held out her hand to the secretary who passed her a box.
The Head Witch took out a jar of ointment and passed it down to Santa. “This is a magic unguent to smooth on the reindeers’ wounds.”
Santa thanked her. She drew out a bundle of ribbons and handed them down to me.
“Mpenzi Munro. Here is a medallion for you to tie round each reindeer’s neck. You must tell them it is magic and will ward off evil. That isn’t true, of course. If it was there would be no need to fight evil; everyone would simply wear a charm. However, you will find the placebo effect will take place, and they will become less fearful.”
She turned to Santa again.
“I leave it to you, sir, to make sure that they all get home safely when all this is over.”
“I’ll take care of it,” said Santa with a beaming smile.
“Mpenzi Munro, I expect the full story of the night’s events from you along with your apprentice’s weekly email report.”
I curtsied and turned to leave, remembering Martin at the last moment.
The Head Witch smiled. “Here you are,” she said. “He’ll make a witch a good cat some day. Take care of him. Now, good luck with your venture. I expect our intelligence reports to mention happy smiles all round tomorrow.”
And with that the seven witches of the High Council vanished in a puff of smoke.
“Phew,” said Santa. “They’re scary ladies, but their hearts are in the right place. Do you think we can do everything they said, especially you, Felix?”
Felix held his hand across his heart. “I will do my best.”
“Forwards, everyone,” I said. “We have everything we need to make Christmas work.”
It wasn’t until we reached the car that I realized the headlights were no longer shining.
I halted mid stride as my stomach somersaulted.
“Oh no,” I cried as I opened my door and threw myself into the seat. I turned on the ignition. The engine didn’t respond. As I feared, the battery was flat.
I raised my hands in despair.
“Hey guys, it’s flat. What now?”
Poor old Santa who was half in and half out of the car, jumped all the way out again. “Nothing to it. Felix and I’ll push you.”
Felix handed Martin to Jimbo and joined Santa at the rear of the car. My car was a heavy old family station wagon. I glanced back as I put the car in gear. Santa’s face grew redder with every yard. I hoped the car would start before he had a heart attack. As soon as we picked up speed, I let in the clutch and the engine sputtered in the cold night air but held.
Felix and Santa piled into the car and we roared off back to the fish market hoping nothing untoward had happened while we’d been away.
Chapter 8
Once again I drove up to the warehouse, stopping just short of the doors.
We hurried up to the man way, Felix carrying little Martin and Jimbo holding my hand. We stopped at the sight of giant scratches in the wood. The Snarl had raked the doors in its attempt to gain access. Chunks of wood lay on the ground where it had spat them out as it ripped at the doors with its teeth.
Misgiving clutched at my heart. Apart from concern for the reindeer and the cats, Sam was my brother. Only one way to find out. I knocked on the door and called out. The door creaked open and Sam stood there. In one piece. Thank goodness. The cats broke their enclave and clowdered around us. Even the reindeer took a few paces away from their refuge behind the sleigh.
“Well?” they all chorused.
“Sorted,” I said, while Santa gave the thumbs up.
With Santa and Felix interrupting me from time to time, I explained the plan to the reindeer, leaving out the bit about the medallions being only placebos. Sam and I tied them round the reindeers’ necks while Santa anointed their wounds with the magic unguent. We had one item left to explain: Felix’s role for the rest of the night.
“My friend Felix is a shape shifter,” I told them as they gathered round me and stared at me with their round anxious eyes.
“So?” said Rudolf. “We’ve met them before?”
“Not like this. You mustn’t be afraid. You realize we have to have something strong and fierce to combat the Snarl?”
They nodded their heads and their bells jingled.
“What is the fiercest animal you can think of?” I asked them.
&nb
sp; “A lion… A polar bear… A tiger,” came the answers.
“Two big cats and a bear. He’s not one of those. What about a spotted big cat?”
“Oh no,” said Dancer shrinking back behind the others. “He isn’t a leopard, is he?”
Felix stepped forwards and bowed.
“I’m afraid so. But tonight I’m here to use the power of my claws and fangs in your defense against the Snarl. I’m going to thwart its every move and kill it if I can.”
The reindeer looked at Santa for reassurance. He nodded. They turned to Donner, the leader of their team.
Donner winked at me. “I trust Mpenzi Munro,” he said. “She wouldn’t have gone to all this trouble just to let her friend eat us up.”
“I see why you’re their leader, Donner,” I said and stroked him. “Is everyone agreed? We really don’t have time to waste.”
A full carillon of bells met my question.
“Good,” I said. “While Santa and I harness you to the sleigh, Felix will shift into his leopard form. The High Council of the White Witches have given him the magic power for tonight to fly alongside your sleigh as a defensive escort.”
“What about me?” asked Sam.
“Your job is to pick up the presents and put them back in the sleigh. Jimbo will help. Then drive the car to the mayor’s house and wait for us to join you for dinner there. If anything happens to delay us, you’ll still be able to have Christmas dinner with Emmanuelle. Jimbo’s coming with us.”
“I am?” Jimbo asked as if he couldn’t believe his good luck. “In Santa’s sleigh?”
Santa pulled him into a hug. “Couldn’t do without you, young man.”
*
In no time Felix, the reindeer, the presents and Santa were ready. We said goodbye to Neptune and his tribe. Sam and I opened the main doors to make way for the sleigh and the reindeer. Felix padded out into the snow to guard the front of the warehouse.
Santa called out, “We’ll have to fly the sleigh out. The runners won’t slide on the rough concrete floor. I need you to warn me about the height clearance, Penzi.”
