Twas the night before Winter Veil...

What have your characters been doing tonight? >.>
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Alanon gave Arien a hand up onto the crenelation overlooking Stormwind's harbor. "I like the view from up here," he explained as they sat down, making themselves comfortable. Arien snuggled close, leaning her head on his shoulder, and he put an arm around her. "Mhmm," she answered. "It's quieter up here, too." They sat and watched the boat for a while, as it ferried people to and from Northrend. There were a fair number of people, even for the late hour and the fact that Winter Veil was the next day.

They had been sitting for several minutes when Alanon broke the silence. "They say it will be months still before we face Arthas," he said thoughtfully. "I wonder what he could get up to in that time." Arien looked at him, eyebrow quirked. "Would, uh, it be bad of me to say I'm glad?" she asked, and he chuckled, then admitted, "I think Barraccus is more eager than I am." She frowned slightly; she had heard the death knight's story, or enough of it. "He would be, he has enough reasons." "Yes, he does," Alanon replied. "Although I think he is waiting until Quae is strong enough to join him. She's pushing herself hard." Arien nodded. "Good, she'll watch his back and keep him from getting in over his head." He gave a half-grin. "Usually seems to be the other way around, but we can hope." She snickered, cuddling closer as he gently squeezed her.

After a moment he continued. "It's both encouraging and sad to see everyone rushing to get on the boats, ready to get to Northrend. I think we'll have the numbers when it's time to assault Icecrown, but at the same time I wonder how many of them will be coming back." Arien said nothing. Alanon idly pulled something from his pocket and began playing with it in his hand. Arien tried to see what it was, but he kept it from view, so casually that she knew he did it on purpose.

"How about some happier thoughts?" he said suddenly. "Anything in particular you're hoping to get for Winter's Veil?" "Hmm...," Arien thought out loud. "Honestly, I'll just be happy to get some free time. I haven't gotten to do much with Kal for a while." Alanon nodded. "Funny thing, my family has never put much thought into the holiday," he told her. "It's, no offense, too much of a human thing." Arien shrugged slightly. "It's the truth." He glanced at her sidelong and went on, "But there are a few parts that I'm growing to like." She looked at him from the corner of her eye. "Like what?" He gave her a small, mischievous grin. "Like this." He held up what he had in his hand. It was a sprig of mistletoe, which he proceeded to hold up above her head. Arien barely had time to recognize what it was before she was quite thoroughly distracted by a kiss.

She finally pulled back, grinning, and flicked his nose gently with a finger. "That was cheating," she said, not sounding convincing at all. He grinned back. "I checked the rules. Surprise is fair play." "Hmmph," was her only response, and he chuckled as he pulled her closer. They went back to cuddling, while the boat below sounded it's horn as it pulled away from the docks.
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Shaurria sat on the Ironforge bank steps with one arm around Pitch's neck, trying to avoid getting stepped on as people crowded by. "So that's the tree that everyone's so excited about?" she asked him, and he nodded. "In the morning that fellow there will allow us to pick out presents, and we'll get to open them," he explained, nodding toward the odd-looking dwarf sitting next to the tree. "People usually give gifts to each other as well. It's a very... active holiday." Shaur just stared at the gaily-decorated tree. "I don't get it," she finally said, and he chuckled. "Neither do I," he admitted. "I don't always come to town during the holiday because it's so crowded. People are too busy rushing around to notice a cat underfoot, even one as big as me. Easy to get stepped on." "Hmmph." She eyed him, then started scratching through his ruff, grinning when he started purring. After a bit a rather large dwarf almost tripped over them, cursing as he caught himself and moved on. Shaur frowned. "Can we go someplace else now?" she asked. "Yeah," he said. "Let's head back to Stormwind."

They were soon back in the Park, where Pitch sat next to the moonwell and watched as Shaur poked among the trees. "What are you doing?" he called to her, but she just waved a hand at him. She suddenly bent, picking up a fallen branch, and made her way back to him. He eyed it, then her. "What's that for?" Shaur frowned a little as she studied the branch. "M'gonna make somethin' for Arvoss," she said, then fumbled her little knife out of her belt pouch and started carving at it. Pitch watched in fascination for awhile, but soon grew bored and curled up at her feet, falling asleep to the sound of her whittling.
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Was going to do bits for more characters, but it's abominably late and I need sleep. Merry Christmas everyone!