Arcadia, about 4pm in the afternoon. ((Taken from original post in Arcadia))

Lene finished filing a large stack of shipping invoices from today's cargo delivery. Normally she would hum to a song on the radio, but today she was quiet. Music was playing from the radio, but the songs were unusual. The words made no sense. A lot of people were singing about something called 'Christmas' and adoring a baby. Then there was songs about some jolly fat guy in a red suit and giving gifts to people. It was strange listening to the songs.

She returned to Hochi's desk, with all of the activity lately, she'd forgotten to get a desk ordered for herself. Maybe she should see about getting a drafting desk made so she could sketch and draw when the office was slow. Lene was getting a lot of ideas about designing things and when she asked mom about it, Ammy just laughed softly and told her that it was her Airii genes. Sitting at the desk, she looked through some more papers, Nicole was humming along silently translating more documents into Lupesh. Lene was still struggling to learn to read common. It seamed easier to speak common than read it.

A knock at the office door snatched her attention away from the requisition orders for a crate of Tennis Balls, 4 pallets of Lime Jello, and a crate of Loose Packed Ball Bearings. "Come in." Lene said. In walked one of the gate guards. He was a cute looking guy and she admired the way he stood guard day after day. She blinked and shook her head. That was all she needed was to fall in love with another guard.

"Miss Lene, your parents dropped off a package for you at the gate. Do you want me to bring it in for you?" he asked with a slightly bored tone to his voice.

"A package for me? Sure Gabriel. Bring it in." she answered in surprise. Gabriel retreated and in a few minutes returned with not one, but two packages.

"Thought you said I had only one package, Gabriel?" she looked at the packages he was setting on the desk.

"You did, Miss Lene. The second package is from me and Michael. We thought with you being away from home that maybe you didn't get a Christmas gift." Gabriel was smiling a little.

Lene stared at Gabriel for a long moment. There was that odd word again. She saw he was smiling and didn't want to make him feel mad by asking to explain this Christmas word. Lene just nodded to Gabriel and said thank you. She went back to looking at invoices and Gabriel made a slow measured retreat.

Soon another stack of invoices were ready to file and Lene was feeling a bit thirsty. She dug into her leather satchel and snagged a bottle of soda. She made a habit of grabbing soda's in town after work to keep in the office. Opening the soda with that wonderful snapping pop, she took a long sip. Carbonation tickled her wet nose and a few drops of soda collected on her whiskers. She sat and rubbed her neck for a moment and eyed the two packages. The one from mom and dad was plainly wrapped and she could smell wonderfully smoked trout and Soulstra bread. The other package from Gabriel and Michael was wrapped in vivid color paper and had ribbon and a bow on it.

Lene scratched her chin for a moment in thought then opened the package from mom and dad. She was right. A box of mom's home made smoked trout strips, and Soulstra bread that must be dads recipe after a little test nibble. A picture was in the package of Mom, Dad, Street, Sari, the pups, and Mog? Oh right, they were split now, but he was still family. She pulled out the empty silver frame that was gifted to her at the antique store and put the picture in. She sat it on the desk and just smiled. It was nice to the see whole family looking back at her. A glance back to the open package and she saw a note under the food. She removed it and read.

~To our precious Lene. Home is way too quiet and lonesome with you gone. We hope you're enjoying your job and the path that you are traveling. We sent you some Celebration of Life and Soul food so you could enjoy a bit of home. We finally corralled everyone together for a picture. Not easy when your Uncle Street and Aunt Sari have four pups running around. Mogriil even stuck around. He's been busy helping out a Cafe Lupe and has gotten along with his father quite well now. The rumor howls have it that he's eying a cute Erthrii who works at the mill. Those two look happy. Oh, dear, shouldn't have said that. I know it's been too soon since you guys left.

Your father has been grilling Fen and the staff at the clinic getting things in order. He has so much energy now. Oh, we have a Veterinarian who stops by regularly now at the Den. Says he's an old friend of your dads. The Philosophers Flask has been dead slow. I have been making potions and ointments to fill all the shelves, yet no one comes. I am hoping to get that ATV from Tru soon so I can sell some items in Rhydin without moving my shop. I should probably stop chewing your ear now and let you go. I did snag another picture for you. It's of Master Pallin, you, and me during the last training session we had together on his ship. It's tucked in under the bread. Happy Celebration of Life and Soul. We miss our baby girl.

Love, Ammy and Fleet.~

Lene sniffled a little. The letter reminded her of how much she was missing the Den. Setting the letter down, she lifted the box of bread and took the second picture and smiled a little. Those were the days then. Training in the Force, feeling invincible and special. She rubbed her stump of a left ear at that thought. Another sip of soda and she looked at the gift from the guys. Christmas gift is what Gabriel called it. Well it would be rude not to open it. She undid the bow, and gingerly unwrapped the gift. She folded the shiny paper neatly, planning on keeping it. The gift was actually two gifts neatly wrapped together. One was from Gabriel the other from Michael. Odd how she opened Gabriel's first. She liked the guy as a friend, that's all. A harmless, friendly liking.

Opening the gift she looked in concern and a little confused. It was a dog collar? Lene was wondering if this was a joke, but the collar was really nice. Black leather, silver and gold plated buckle. Little sparkly gems were lined on the collar to spell her name 'Lene' in white sparkles. A small note was in the box with the gift.

~To Miss Lene. I honestly don't know what to get a Lupinossi for Christmas. You're the first Lupinossai I have ever seen. I hope you don't take offense at the dog collar. I figured, well, since you look part dog, that maybe your culture wears them? If not, let me know please, and I'll take it back and find you something better. Merry Christmas from Gabriel.~

Lene of course had Nicole translate it into Lupesh. Well she couldn't be mad at Gabriel for the gift now. It was not meant as a rude gesture. Grinning, Lene picked up the collar and put it on around her neck. It felt nice and sparkled when she looked in the small mirror hanging on the wall. She turned to open Michael's gift just wondering what he would get her. Lene almost gasped. Inside was a pair of hand crafted, beautifully inscribed steel fighting bracers, complete with hand guards and articulated fingers! What a wide spectrum in the gifts. She slipped them on and they fit snugly. A note was with his gift as well. After translation she read it.

~To Miss Lene. I heard you like to duel in swords. I used to fight my brother James back home in Porley. We'd hit each other with wood swords and smack each others hands and knuckles something fierce. Figured you could use a sturdy set of bracers to keep your fine looking paws safe. Merry Christmas from Michael.

P.S. Your father was more than happy to give me the measurements for you paws.~

Lene sat back in awe wearing a sparkling collar with her name on it, and brand new bracers. What was this holiday that made people give away expensive gifts? She looked at her families picture and felt a pang of guilt. Celebration of Life and Soul was a time of being happy with what we have and how things could have been worse. To remember to live with what is left and to be happy. Was accepting these Christmas gifts bad? She looked to Nicole.

"Nicole, would you happen to have any cross references about accepting gifts during Celebration of Life and Soul?" She asked hesitantly. They were really nice gifts and would hate to see the boys find their gifts returned.

"No reference found Lene. Most logical deduction is that since you are away from home, celebration of ones customs is advised, but partaking in the customs of others that you live with is also advised. Keep the gifts." and with that Nicole shut off.

Lene just smiled and sipped the last of her soda. She picked up the silver frame and hugged her families picture. Feeling happy and content she slipped of into a unexpected nap still holding the picture tightly wearing her new gifts.

The next morning Lene stepped into the office and gave a small groan that one gives when they know they are alone. She felt horrible. Last nights fighting in the Outback really took it out of her. Her right cheek wasn't swollen anymore, but a close look at her fur would show nasty black bruising on the skin. Lene moved a little stiffly to Hochi's desk and sat down with a thankful sigh. A few orders were on the desk, and some files to be tended to as well.

With a small groan, she sat up and began to poke at the papers. Something hard was under one pile. Curious, she unearthed another gift on the desktop. It had a big card that read ~To Miss Lene~. Only two people called her Miss Lene. She gently cradled her abused head dreading opening the gift to find something to talk to the boys about. Yet, if she refuses the gift, she might irreversibly piss off the boys. Serious question about boys always arise when no one is around to ask advice from?

Gritting her teeth, she carefully opened the box. Paws clapped over her muzzle as she just stared in horror at what was inside. Emotions crashed around in her throwing her through aw, wonder, curiosity, shock, appalling, and finally ebbed with severe embarrassment. The box held something lacy, and red. It looked like clothes, but there was no way they could cover much. What type of human clothing was it? She grabbed a pencil and lifted up a frilly strap with the pencil. Lene blinked, embarrassment deepening. It was a red lace bra, or that's what she thought what the assorted strings were suppose to be. Dropping it on the desk and keeping away from it, she peeked at the other piece and was already guessing. She viewed a pair for frilly panties skewered on her pencil. Panties was being too generous. Thong maybe, and why was there a cute, plush, sheep face on the front of it? Oh Lupis, don't tell me those boys swiped the Scottish catalog from Tru.

Lene just shook her head. This was too much. What possessed them to do this? This was going too far! Lene shoved the gifts back in the box and a note fluttered out of the box. She grabbed it, bent on finding out who was her target for chewing out. It was from Gabriel. Now it was obvious he was after her. She read the note:

~Miss Lene. I am at a loss for words right now, but I thought I would get you something girlish. I realized that dog apparel may not be appropriate anymore. I do like the color of your hair and did some research on Lupinossai. Sadly I couldn't find much on them, but I did read that the local lycans like the feeling of freedom, and often wear clothing as decoration only. I must admit that these garments on a regular girl may be declared as illegal and downright shameful, but you have fur that covers those private things right?

Gabriel Malloy~

Shaking her head, Lene felt a little lost about what to do. After a moment of thought, reflecting on things Aja and Anya have told her about being modest and not slutty, she shoved the frilly, naughty things back in the box. She would send them back to Gabriel. The collar was fine, but this gift was over the line and she was going to let him know about it personally.