Frosty nudged the cat flap with her wet nose. Pip scrambled out into the snowy yard.
Her ears perked up. A trail of shimmering snow glowed on the path ahead, calling them forward.
A sudden gust of wind blew snow into her face. Frosty sneezed and stumbled backward.
Pip caught her tail and pulled her upright. His whiskers brushed hers — quick and reassuring.
Frosty shook off the snow and led the way. They reached a frozen pond at last.
Frosty tested the ice with one paw. It cracked with a loud pop!
Pip leaped onto a low branch and swung across the pond. He landed with a soft thud and pointed his tail toward a log half-buried in snow.
They crossed the pond on the log. Then they heard it — a mournful clang from under a starlit tree.
A reindeer stood beside the sleigh. Its bell was cracked, and its eyes welled with tears. Frosty nudged the bell with her nose. Pip batted a pinecone into the crack.
The pinecone fit. The bell rang clear and bright. The reindeer's ears twitched with joy. Frosty purred so loudly it vibrated through the snow. They tumbled back into their glowing house as dawn painted the sky pink.