Alica was woken by someone shaking her shoulders.

"Alica, Alica!" Hawthorn called.

"What?" she said, batting him away. His little companion, Jingle Berries, who always followed him around, was there too.

"It's Dad, he's gone!"

"What!?"

"He's gone, Alica, what do we do?" Then it came to her.

"Hawthorn, it's Christmas Eve. He won't be gone forever."

"No, Alica. He is really gone."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean we got a message" he said. "Jingle Berries and I, we were watching the northern lights. Dad flew that way and Mum says she's having to put a stillness spell on everyone so they don't wake up like a small boy in Australia did and find no presents!"

"So what can we do?"

"She says your mum can help reach the northern lights." Alica nodded.

"Mum will be busy making snow right now."

"It's not snowing," said Hawthorn. "Look." He pulled aside her curtain and she saw slush, not powder perfect snow. No snowflakes fell out of the sky. Downstairs she could hear Snowball barking madly.

"Snowball!" she called. She got out of bed. "Hawthorn, I'll meet you at the front door. Let me just see what's frightened Snowball." She dashed downstairs to find the puppy alone. "Snow Flurry?" she called, concerned. Nothing. She dashed to the front door and found Hawthorn, Jingle Berries and the youngest reindeer, Holly all standing there. "Snow Flurry's gone too."

"All the reindeer that went with him are gone."

"Mum took me to the northern lights once before but we need to fly."

"Holly can fly" said Jingle Berries. Alica nodded.

"Holly, would you mind us travelling on your back?" she asked. The young reindeer nodded and Alica stepped up onto her back.

"Wait" said Hawthorn.

"What is it?"

"We need to get ready." Alica nodded. Hawthorn looked ready. He was in his jumper and boots but she was still wearing her night dress. She dashed back up to her room and put on her white jumpsuit, which had a cape like skirt at the back. She tied up her hair into a ponytail and then ran back out, vaulting onto Holly's back. Snow Flurry yipped and tried to follow. Hawthorn was sitting just behind the reindeer's head. Jingle Berries was in between her antlers (yes, female Christmas reindeer have antlers) and Alica helped Snow Flurry up onto Jingle Berries' lap. Holly stepped into the air and began to run. Snowball's fur was blown back and Jingle Berries' little green elf hat nearly blew off. Hawthorn's scarf flapped wildly in the wind while Alica's skirt flew out behind them, a silver cape on the silhouette of the group riding towards a tiny pinprick of coloured light in the sky where the northern lights rested.