Patch and the Santa Pups

chapter 3

After flying for a while, they soon arrived at Pineville.

"So, this must be Pineville." Patch commented.

"Welcome to it, Patch." Mrs. Claus smiled to him.

"We better find a place to land." Patch said.

"I think I see a barn not too far from here." Mrs. Claus suggested.

They soon landed and came to the barn as the reindeer stopped flying.

"Oh, this is a nice barn, Mrs. Claus." Patch smiled.

"It most certainly is." Mrs. Claus smiled back.

"A perfect landing, if I do say so myself, Mrs. Claus." Comet smiled.

"Show-off." Rudolph teased.

"Maybe the owner of the barn won't mind if we borrow his or her barn." Patch said.

Mrs. Claus smiled as she opened the barn doors. "Ah, this lovely old barn is empty, why don't we spend a few days here? Come on!"

"That sounds good to me," Patch added. "Come on, guys!"

The reindeer soon came into the barn with the sleigh. Once they were all inside, Mrs. Claus shut the doors before anyone could see them.

"This reminds me of a story that Cherry's mother told us," Patch said. "She said that her bubsha, which was her grandmother, said that there was a little calf named Annabelle who was born on Christmas Eve, and Santa Claus came to make all the animals talk like people with his magic, and the calf wished to become one of Santa's reindeer, but once she met a little boy who couldn't talk due to an accident, she sacrificed her own wish to hear him talk."

"Aw!" Mrs. Claus smiled.

Patch smiled back to Mrs. Claus.

"I remember that day." The jolly old woman sighed with a smile.

"You do?" Patch asked.

"Yes, she was the only farm animal that was able to become a reindeer." Mrs. Claus smiled.

"Whoa, rewind, that actually happened?" Patch replied. "No way!"

"No way!" Dot and Scruffy copied their father as they couldn't believe that old folk tale was also true.

"Way." Patch told his pups.

Scruffy and Dot looked to each other in amazement as Patch continued to tell them the story about the Santa Pups.

"Now, you fellas make yourselves comfortable," Mrs. Claus told her husband's reindeer as she grabbed a bag. "I'm not exactly sure how long I'll be."

"I have a feeling the ones we're looking for might be close." Patch said.

"Do you want to stay here with the reindeer or come with me?" Mrs. Claus asked Patch.

Patch was about to say that he would want to come with her until he smelled the familiar scent of the Santa Pups again. "Um, I'll catch up with you later." The Dalmatian then said.

"Are you sure?" Mrs. Claus asked.

"Yes, I'm sure," Patch replied. "You go out and have a good time, I'll keep the reindeer company."

"We'll be okay, Mrs. Claus." Rudolph added.

"Well, if you're sure." Mrs. Claus said.

Patch smiled and nodded. Mrs. Claus soon left them all alone in the barn.

Once the coast was clear, Patch turned his head. "All right, Santa Pups, come on out, I know you're in there!" he then called out.

The Santa Pups soon came out with sheepish smiles. Patch gave them a firm look at first as they came toward him.