Flash Fiction Friday

Santa's Last Gift

by Donna L Martin

Nip's ears twitched as he waited for Tuck to catch up with him. An elf could never run as fast as a wolf, especially one full of cookies and milk. Just as Nip was about to run back to where he had last seen Tuck, the elf came huffing and puffing up the path.

"You know I can't run that fast, Nip!" Tuck said with a scowl.

"But you told me Santa was lost. I was just trying to help," replied Nip.

Tuck shoved his hands deep into Nip's fur to warm them as he looked around the forest.

"Are you sure Red's house is this way?"

"Sure, I'm sure! I go by it every day on my way to the chicken coop. She's got it all prettied up like she thinks Santa's gonna remember her this year. I tell her she's crazy to still believe he'll show up!"

Tuck glared at Nip as he pulled his hands from the wolf's fur and planted them on his hips,"It's not Santa's fault! Last year's GPS wasn't working right and anybody could have gotten lost in that blizzard!"

"Yeah, yeah, tell that to Red!"

The two suddenly stopped arguing when a merry voice rang out, "Now Tuck, no need to go pointing the finger at anybody but me for dropping the ball last Christmas. I should have known not to trust that newfangled contraption over Rudolph's nose! What's done is done, so Nip my fine fellow, if you would be so kind as to show me the way to Red's house, I'll deliver this last package and be on my way back to the Missus!"

Nip glared one more time time at the elf before trotting over to where Santa stood looking at the map. Nudging his way closer, Nip pointed his nose northward and said, "Red lives just on the other side of these woods. Follow me"...

***Okay, it's your turn! Does Nip really know the way to Red's house or will Santa stay lost?  Put your creative cap on and add a sentence or add a paragraph. Continue my story or start one of your own. Join the fun and see where this picture prompt takes us!***