Wardrobe

Villager: Pepper

It's getting a bit chilly, you think as you pull your coat closer to you, Much colder than it was a few minutes ago, you shiver.

You could've sworn it was barely fall when you'd set off into the forest.

Just as you realize you can see your breath, you stumble upon a house that looks suspiciously like...gingerbread.

You look around, only to see yourself surrounded by pine trees, definitely not the kind of trees you saw when you first started hiking.

And the second you notice that you notice the smell.

Fresh pine.

Like a Christmas tree.

Suddenly the cold doesn't feel so biting, the fragrance awakening warm memories of holidays' past and making you forget the strange barren forest around you.

You're startled out of your reverie by a voice, making you shiver as you abruptly remember where you are in the present, and how very cold you are.

"Hello?" someone tentatively asks.

Then again, closer.

"Hey, you okay?"

You snap out of it just in time to find a young Carnotaurus peering worriedly at you.

"Hey," she grins, her many many teeth glinting in the...snow?!

When had it started snowing?!

The confusion must have shown on your face, as the dinosaur laughed.

"Don't worry, this happens a lot," she grinned again, and it was so contagious you couldn't help but smile back, though you were still confused.

"It's somethin' about this forest," she said simply as she led you to the uncannily gingerbread-like house, answering none of the many questions swirling in your mind and causing several more to spring up as she opened the door to her home.

It really was a gingerbread house, warm and inviting, a fire crackling in the fireplace as she led you inside. You could feel the chill in your bones immediately begin to melt away as you took in the cozy feel of the little cabin.

"I'm glad you found my house, I'm the only person around for miles she says, draping a blanket over your shoulders, "You would've frozen to death out there."

"And now I have someone to share these with," she grins that contagious toothy grin again as she pulls sugar cookies from the oven.

The carnotaurus began pulling things from cabinets at break-neck speed. Sprinkles, sugar, tubes of icing, tins of frosting tossed on the countertop so quickly your head began to spin.

"Wanna help?"

Of course you do, your eyes crossing as you try to figure out what to add first, the smell of the freshly baked cookies making your mouth water in anticipation. No matter what you add, they're going to be amazing.

With a flurry of sprinkles and sugars and frosting galore, the cookies are all decorated, the pair of you grinning as you bite into them. You almost feel bad for eating the pastries you worked so hard on.

Only after the tray is bare do you realize you never even introduced yourself to the carnotaurus who so kindly shared her holiday traditions with you- though it was hardly even autumn.

"Ah, I've never been good at introductions," she smiles self-deprecatingly, holding out a clawed hand, "I'm Pepper."

You hold out your paw, introducing yourself with a laugh and giving hers a shake.

You beg to differ.

She's great at introductions.