"What are you cakesniffers doing outside our cave?!" Carmelita shouted, interrupting Quigley and Sabine's romantic moment. They quickly pulled their masks back on and stood up.
"We're the new Snow Scout recruits," Quigley said.
"Ah, yes. The new recruits! Sent by a very friendly, distinguished lady?" the man that Kit said was named Bruce asked.
"Yes sir. A very friendly, distinguished lady who trained volunteer feline detectives," Sabine said. They had practiced what to say to the Snow Scout leader so he would know who they were.
"Perfect! Well, come inside the cave, Snow Scouts. It's cold out here," Bruce said.
Sabine, shivering and missing the warmth of Quigley's lips, eagerly agreed and followed the scouts into the cave.
"I still think that they're cakesniffers," Carmelita mumbled.
"Takes one to know one, Spats," Sabine mumbled back.
Carmelita huffed in annoyance and stomped her foot, then sat down in the cave. Sabine and Quigley tried to contain their laughter as they sat down as well.
"Alright, Snow Scouts! Who's ready for a toasty fire to warm up?" Bruce said, piling up some sticks and logs, that were conveniently stashed in the cave, in the middle of the circle of children.
"I should get to light the match this time because I'm False Spring Queen!" Carmelita sang.
"Someone else could be queen this year," one of the scouts squeaked.
Carmelita's mask whipped around with her head as she scanned the other masked scouts. "Who said that?" she demanded. Several scouts pointed to the culprit, who had already attempted to hide in their jacket. "How dare you say I'm not the queen? You're just a jealous cakesniffer because I'm the most special girl in the whole world and you aren't!"
"Jeez, she's even worse than you said!" Quigley whispered.
"Yeah. I feel sorry for that kid," Sabine quietly replied.
"I feel sorry for us, baby doll," he said, playfully nudging her shoulder with his. Sabine blushed at the nickname and was suddenly very glad for the mask, since it hid the way she was smiling like an idiot at him.
"Well, then, let's get started with this fire," Bruce said. "Care to do the honors, Queen Carmelita?"
The sparkly ball of death spun on her heels, then snatched the box of matches from Bruce and lit the flame. She gazed at it for a moment, mesmerized by the flickering red and orange hues, then tossed the match into the pile of wood. It caught on fire immediately and Carmelita stepped back, watching the tiny spark that had caught on her pink dress turn into a small flame before putting it out with her gloved hand.
"Pyromaniac," someone whispered loudly.
Carmelita obviously heard them, but just giggled in response and then sat back down next to Bruce. Everyone thawed their frozen fingers and toes out for a while in silence, then Bruce started quietly mumbling something. Some joined in with his words and soon everyone was reciting an odd song.
"Snow Scouts are accommodating, basic, calm, darling, emblematic, frisky, grinning, human, innocent, jumping, kept, limited, meek, nap-loving, official, pretty, quarantined, recent, scheduled, tidy, understandable, victorious, wholesome, xylophone, young, and zippered – every morning, every afternoon, every night, and all day long!" the Snow Scouts and Bruce said in unison. Then, they stopped chanting and turned back to the fire in silence.
"That was creepy," Quigley whispered.
"Mega-creepy," Sabine agreed. Is this a Snow Scout troop or a cult? she wondered. Eh, I guess there's not much of a difference.
YOU ARE READING
𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕋𝕨𝕠 ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕠𝕘𝕣𝕒𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕤 (ASOUE)
Fanfiction"Shh, don't cry, Sabine," Quigley whispered in her ear. "It's okay, don't cry." His hand slid down her arm, then gently landed in her palm. He slowly spread his fingers out, then carefully entwined them with hers, as if he were savoring every sweet...
