The Search for Shiny Things: Part 19

With all the animals helping, the tent came up quite quickly. It was then torn down and reconstructed, since it had originally been designed for a water buffalo and a heron, and not the entire League of Extraordinary Animals, and while it might have done for the League, it didn't do for the elephant.

The teddy wanted to get on its way, but first it helped with the first tent, then half the League rested while plans for the new tent was drawn up and an antelope with sleek brown fur started skipping around doing tricks for them. It could jump so high the teddy bear felt dizzy just looking at it, and when it was done, a jaguar that walked so quietly the teddy kept jumping with surprise every time it showed up, and spoke so quietly the teddy had to strain to hear, had cooked food for them all. And when the teddy was done eating, the improved tent was set up, and everyone convinced a not-so-difficult-to-convince teddy bear to stick around and listen to the first story.

A section had been devoted to the elephant, who admitted to being a bit stiff and needed some special arrangements, but in return the teddy and a few other smaller animals got to ride its back. A very commanding hamster in a suit almost pushed the teddy off in an effort to get comfortable, before the elephant declared the right to decide who sat where since they were on its back.

Then the heron and the water buffalo started arguing about which story to tell, until a plush peacock decorated with colorful plastic gems stepped in to mediate. “We will love any story. The League has been walking around on these plains forever waiting for someone to blow the horn, so it'll be the best story we've heard in years, quite literally.”

“That sounds terrible,” the teddy whispered while the heron and water buffalo finally decided on a story and started debating where to start.

“It's not so terrible,” the peacock said. “We had each other this whole time. If you're going to be wandering around pointlessly for years, at least do it with a big bunch of friends, that's my suggestion.”

“Aye,” said the elephant. “Then when you need to be alone you know no one will be lonely because of it, and when you want company there's always someone who wants some too.”

“Ah,” sighed the teddy bear with a certain undeniable amount of jealousy, although it always tried to be a bear of the positive variety. “I wish I had more friends.”

“How so?” asked the peacock.

“I went into the world looking for a tree and many shiny decorations,” the teddy admitted, “and friends to come to our white and drab house for Christmas.”

The peacock's pearl eyes lit up. “Friends!” it declared, and everyone turned to look. “We have all been invited to celebrate Christmas at the teddy bear's house!”

“Now wait a second,” the teddy tried to say. But the cheers and thankful exclamations stopped it in its tracks.

“You must excuse our friend, who must return home to prepare the house and tree and many shiny decorations!”

“Now wait a minute,” the teddy said, but was promptly shooed out the door and left on his own outside the tent.

Not quite sure what to do with this situation, the teddy bear resolved to return home. Perhaps the moth would have made the house more colorful, at least, so that the guests wouldn't be too disappointed with the lack of tree and shiny decorations.