h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

*climbs down, does a couple of roll downs to ease her back*

Its nice to stretch the old legs for a minute or two, but that hay was quite cosy.

Oh dear, what have I done with the Twiglets?

Hoooouuu, hooouuuuu... *hoping it's the right sound to make the slow down*

*takes off on the FLYbot and heads towards the tinsel trees*

*Climbs down and wanders off on his own. When no one is looking, changes to wolf form and bounds through the drifts like he saw the little pug doing.*

AwwwooooOOOOooooooOOOOooooo!!!

*After a little while, changes back to human form, brushes the snow from his parka and calmly rejoins the group near the tinsel trees.*

Hey! Look at THIS tree - it's got the most exquisite ornaments hidden among the branches. They look like Faberge eggs.

/* Grimaces as Zeppo and Ludwig speed up in response to Titania. Throws two in front of the dogs, who pounce on them then turn around to bring them back. The sled comes to a stop. */

Something tells me retrievers were not bred as sled dogs. So what is it wedged under your haywain?

Monk appears plucking bits of hay from cassock and tries desperately to herd the fluffy creatures of teh genus Warmus Extremis Digitalis which are keeping his feet warm to head in a vaguely tinsel tree direction, but they are too busy being interested in pug, and nervous of GL, and end up tipping their wearer into a snow drift, from where a gentle cloud of steam and rather unholy imprecations wafts

*lands in the tree that GL is looking at* starts to airlift Fabergé ornaments down to the wolf using the remainder of the lime green thread previously used in the linen closet and a string bag*

Tinsel trees look nice out here in their natural habitat but I'm not sure I would want one in the house.

*Examines the jewel-encrusted eggs*

Shades of Chateau Blanc, GL! Some of these look like the one in my private trophy case!

*A glint of Adventurer's Greed(TM) flashes in Affy's eye*

Any trek that involves discovering something like this is worth taking. I wonder who put the eggs here. Or if they were put here at all.

*The sword dimly glows, indicating danger, but it is so far away that it should not concern any one*

Probably a Yeti out for a morning stroll,....

*Amos gets down on hands and knees and looks under the haywain*

Amos: Mother of Murphy, what is THAT?

Lil: Mindspring!

*hearing Affi, looks around* Affi, maybe they ~grow~ on the tree like pine cones.

*reaches under the wain and extracts her unau who is still complaining about the cold experience* You better go up into the hay and stay there, little darlin. *Cuddles Springie and hands her to Amos who gingerly carries the creature up the steps and puts her in the wagon near Sporky. Mindspring stares in happy disbelief at all the fodder, and settles herself, chewing on a tuft of hay*

Sporky, I'm glad you noticed that noise -- I hate to think what condition she might have been in after another few miles!

Springie! You poor thing!

*wades through snow to haywain, climbs up and feels unau's paws and nose*

*joins in the examination of the eggs* Those really are quite lovely! It almost seems a shame to harvest them, they look so right on the tree...

G7

What on earth were you doing under there anyways, Mindspring??. And don't give me that look either. And stop flexing your paws like that - I don't care if you have claws the size of machetes! That was a very very dangerous thing.

*loses a bit of his temper and hands Mindspring an alfalfa sandwich, with mustard*

Oh they are so pretty, wouldn't these tiny ones make lovely earrings?

*holds two blue and yellow enamelled globes to her ears*

But you are right, they do look far better on the trees.

*Climbs down from the haywain and approaches the sled.*

Speaking of eggs, you've got a nice one developing on your head, d'E. Sorry about that.

*Witty scoops up a bit of snow, forms it into a snowball and applies to the lump on d'Elephants head.*

I hope this helps. Does it hurt much? And, more importantly, is the thermos intact?

*throws a snowball at Garius*

*The periscope continues to schuff through the snow and a small voice echos up it* Oh look, a run of some small creature through the snow. And the remains of a camp fire. And, oh! A sign saying Trespassers W.

*flies down from the tree and lands on the top of the periscope*

// In vain, the tries to make a snowball, but his hands keep going right through it.

Yes, Witty the thermos is OK, apart from the small dent here in the corner. And what with all the irish coffee and glögg, I can't feel a thing.

I think that "W" stands for "Welcome!" Isn't that nice?

/* Unharnesses Zeppo and heads off in the direction of the sign */