(Untitled)

[pere_noel]

If this was a vacation, and despite the fact that Nick had been keeping himself busy with his old occupations it really seemed to be, then Nick was going to do some of the things he always wished he had more time for. He'd already read a book, toasted his feet by the fire and been introduced to a remarkable device known as a television set, but not

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[nevergrowsup]

After a long afternoon of making snow forts and preparing snowballs for the next great snow battle, Peter was trudging back to the Compound. When boys play that hard they require lots of cocoa, after all. He waves a gloved hand to the old man going down the opposite way with a pair of skis.

"Hullo. Where're you going with those?"

[pere_noel]

"Well, I thought I'd go up the mountain," said Nick, pointing up at the ski lift, and to parts unseeen beyond that. "Skiing's much more fun when you start at the top."

[nevergrowsup]

"I went sledding," Peter informed him matter-of-factly. The time with Lucy had just been the first time, but he hadn't quite worked out the mechanics of skiing just yet. "I've gone on the chairs a bunch though. What'll you do if you fall off it?"

[pere_noel]

"Well, I suppose I'll ski down to the bottom and start again," said Nick thoughtfully. The lift didn't run too high off the ground, though he still wouldn't want to fall from it. "I don't expect I'll have any other choice."

[nevergrowsup]

"You could lie there helpless in the snow," Peter said seriously. "Then I would have to go out in a blizzard to save you. Me and a SainBernard, who wears whiskey around his neck...so if we get thirsty we can have a drink."

A boy who gets used to sunshine and jungle trees doesn't have the best understanding of winter tales. But the more dramatic the better.

[pere_noel]

"Do you have a St. Bernard?" Nick asked him with a friendly chortle. "My, that's a fine sort of a dog, isn't it? Good in a pinch. But luckily, I think that I won't need any perilous winter rescue today."

[nevergrowsup]

"I've got Walt." Which was not the same as having a Saint Bernard. In fact, there are few dogs in the world less suited for tromping through the snow to rescue people. "He was really Jeroen's, but then...well now he's ours."

[pere_noel]

"I look forward to meeting this Walt one of these days," said Nick. "I'm sure he's lucky to have someone like you to look out for him."

[nevergrowsup]

"That's what I think too," Peter said in agreement but added a moment later. "But Eostre takes care of him a lot too, so it's not just me. And Wendy too."

[pere_noel]

"Many hands lighten the load," said Nick wisely. "I'm sure Walt appreciates all the attention from everyone. Dogs like to make friends."

[nevergrowsup]

He nodded and tugged on his hat so it covered his ears up all the way. Though he had one with earflaps, today he had decided to wear this one because of the puff ball on top.

"Have you got a dog?"

[pere_noel]

"Admittedly, no, I haven't," said Nick. "I'm not sure how well a dog would fare up where I live. But I do like to spend time with them when I can."

[nevergrowsup]

"You can play with Walt sometime, if you want," Peter offered. "Except sometimes when the snow gets too high he falls down in it and gets lost 'cause he's little. But Wednesday hops on top. That's Eostre's rabbit."

[pere_noel]

"And a rabbit too!" said Nick. "It sounds like you have a whole menagerie. I think I would very much like to come visit some time. Are you Eostre's boy?" He knew about the twins now, but this boy was a bit of a surprise.

[nevergrowsup]

"It is! It's a whole menagerie," Peter agreed enthusiastically, though he didn't know what a menagerie was.

At the mention of Eostre's boy, he faltered but after a moment he nodded. "Yeah, I am. I'm Eostre's boy. My name's Peter Pan."