One of them hopped forward into the halo of light around the tree I was under. Holy snowballs. It worked. The bunny rabbit tipped its head and looked up at me like I was the most fascinating thing it had ever seen. But rabbits don't climb trees. They live in hutches under the ground.
The little animal shook itself and piles of fluffy snowflakes fluttered into the air. I hadn't expected to see a fluffy bunny come bouncing into the light, but I was gob smacked when it turned into a tiny pink pixie hidden under all that snow. This dream kept getting weirder and weirder.
I had no idea if a pixie could understand me, but there was certainly no one else to ask for help. "Hello, there. Can you help us?"
The pixie flew up in a loopty-loop and then dive bombed into the darkness where their friends or family were waiting. A whole rainbow of colors went crazy with activity flying this way and that gathering something and bringing it over to us.
"What in the world are you doing?" I watched them flit and flutter about and was about to lose any hope that they could either help or might be able to contact someone who could.
The same pink pixie flew right up to my face, bowed, and held out an arm as if presenting royalty. Into the circle of light came a whole multi-colored crew of their kind, carrying an intricately carved wooden tray above their heads. On the tray was two wooden mugs decorated just as beautiful as any fine china, filled with some kind of steaming hot drink.
They carefully guided the tray, setting it down in front of me. A blue pixie made some squeaking buzzing noises and pointed to the cups. Perhaps this was a curative potion for my poor injured Nutcracker.
"Thank you." The pixies who'd brought the tray over all went into a fit of excitement and handclapping at my words but stopped and stared when I picked up one of the mugs and brought it up to my nose to smell. They were waiting to see if I'd drink it.
This better not be like Alice in Wonderland where I shrink or grow from eating and drinking anything. I'd rather it didn't turn me into a mouse or fairy or a pixie either. I took a long whiff of the hot drink and was met with the most wonderful smelling chocolate scent.
The pink pixie flew up and looked inside the cup then at me and made a motion that I should drink it. I nodded at them. "Okay, I'll try it."
I blew on the steam and then took a tentative sip. An explosion of flavor like nothing I'd ever had before went through my mouth and down to my stomach warming me from the inside out. "Whoa. How did you do that?"
I smiled at the pixies and took a longer, deeper drink. This hot chocolate was amazing and definitely had something special in it besides milk. I wasn't even cold anymore and that just as much as anything revitalized me. My fears melted away along with the chill. If a simple drink from some pixies could do that, I couldn't wait to have something to eat.
"You are clever little things. I'm glad you're on my side." They buzzed around, and I found it cute and adorable how they responded with so much joy whenever I praised them. "Now let's see if we can help my friend, the Nutcracker."
If I was cold, he probably was too, even if he was unconscious and hopefully couldn't feel the effects. His face was ashen, even in the dim light. I lifted his head, doing my best to prop it into my lap. The other mug still steamed and even if I could get a little into him, it would help.
From this awkward position I wouldn't be able to put the cup to his lips without spilling it all down the front of him. Even if I could, I didn't know if he could swallow it. Perhaps if I just wet his lips with it.
The thought of even touching his mouth gave me that same tingling feeling in my belly. How shameful of me to be feeling turned on, even thinking about kissing those soft, sensual lips of his, when he was dying right in front of me.
ClaraMarie, pull yourself together and stop it.
My little self-chastisement didn't help my inappropriate thoughts, but it got me moving. I grabbed the second mug and brought it close to not spill any and dipped my fingers into the hot chocolate. As quickly as I could, I brought the drops to Nuss's mouth painting just his bottom lip.
The liquid glistened there, but he didn't move. Of course not, silly. He didn't get any in his mouth where it could do some good. I swallowed and tried again.
This time I pressed the very tips of my fingers into his mouth but going no farther than his teeth. The drips seeped in and instantly some of his color returned. Emboldened by his improvement, I did it again, this time a bit more brazenly, pushing two of my fingers, covered in hot chocolate onto his tongue.
His mouth moved and he swallowed, almost sucking on my fingers. It was so hard to breathe, and I had to deliberately pull the air into my lungs and push it back out.
The pink fairy buzzed about and as best as I could tell, she was urging me to give him more. She didn't have to twist my arm. I dipped my fingers again and repeated my actions. Nuss swirled his tongue over my fingers and swallowed again. When I went to withdraw them, his hand flew up, grabbing my wrist and holding me steady as he sucked off every last bit of flavor that could possibly be on my skin.
If I had ever been cold in my life, I couldn't even imagine it now. Heat radiated from him, into me, and all around us. I wouldn't be surprised if the snow beneath us melted.
His eyes fluttered open, and he stared up at me. He rolled his tongue beneath my fingers again but released the hold his mouth had on me. I forgot to pull them away. Until the little pink pixie landed on my hand. It looked up at me, back to the Nutcracker, and back again. Then it giggled and did a little pirouette.
Funny little thing. I shook my head and pulled my hand away to swirl the liquid in the cup. If he was awake, maybe I could get him to take a drink on his own. I certainly didn't pull away because I needed a minute to compose myself and stop thinking about what else Nuss could do with his tongue.
I took several deep breaths, to uh, blow on the cup of hot chocolate, not to keep myself from kissing him. I didn't want him to burn his mouth. Or his lips, or his tongue.
I bit my own lip and smiled at them both, and very carefully pressed the cup to Nuss's mouth. "Take a sip if you can. I don't really know what's in it, but I think it will help you feel better until I can find more help."
He did as I asked, but a little dribble escaped and ran down the side of his mouth. I should just lick that up.Ack. What in the world was wrong with me? Nuss's own tongue darted out to lick up the escaped drip and I just stared at him.
His eyes drifted shut again, but his breathing was easier, some of his color had returned and when I checked, his wound didn't appear to be seeping anymore blood into his clothes and onto the snow. Thank goodness for that.
I carefully laid his head back off my lap, but even before I could settle him onto the ground a dozen more pixies came over and created a makeshift pillow out of the soft new under-branches of the big pine tree. He would be much more comfortable that way that just in the snow.
