[imgleft]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/images/phoenix/comedy_uncert.png[/imgleft] Comedy was in a rollicking mood. He was well-prepared for the winter, with a thick coat and a thicker middle, and in the encroaching snow and dark and with rations going under reserve, stories and distractions and fun were more important than ever.

And he knew who loved his stories best.

Comedy went to find his just as fluffy brother and see what he was up to.

Instead of finding his brother, Comedy ran into a stranger in the fairy tribe lands. The thin, long legged acha looked out of place and unfamiliar with a strange oily sheen to his silvery fur and splashes of rainbowy colour here and there. He didn't look too put out to run into the much stockier acha and raised a brow at him.

"I didn't know there were other kin here." he said, with a calm, smooth sort of voice. The way he moved his head side to side as he examined Comedy was oddly reminicent of a snake.

"Though perhaps I should have assumed, it is very lovely."

[imgleft]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/images/phoenix/comedy_uncert.png[/imgleft]
Comedy was just as happy to meet a new victim friend.

His swished his very long, very fluffy,  and very decorated tail, dancing on his hooves before giving the rainbow stranger a bow.

"Oh, many! And we always welcome wanderers. Welcome to the Fairy Court!" He said. "I'm just on the way to find my brother. Have you had a long journey? It is winter, but if you're hungry, we should be able to go wheedle old Owl into relinquishing a little bite from his stores."

"The Fairy Court?" he asked thoughtfully, seeming to assess the situation. "I'm sure I've heard of you all, a very welcoming tribe, if I'm correct. Given to revelty and stories."

He looked bright. "I am very hungry, it was a long way. If you are going to see your brother though, I should come with you, I wouldn't want to distract you from your task, my gut can certainly wait."

"We'll all go," Comedy said cheerily. "I've never known Bear to turn down a nibble. But I'm not sure where he is."

He started with Bear's usual haunts, starting with his den and then moving outward. There was the frozen river, where many of their number liked to play (or for the more industrious, fish) on the ice. There was the stage, where members of the players rehearsed stories and built costumes. His and Bear's father was often there, and he and Bear both liked to be in the plays, although of course they often ended up in different roles.

"I do hope they don't have him out hunting," Comedy pouted, "Or on patrol. If he's somewhere in the woods, we'll never find him!" He felt all those jobs were a misuse of Bear's bulk and fluff, which were clearly both made to maximize cuddling.

Shell nodded. "Sounds good to me." he said.

Bear was nowhere to be found in his usual haunts, but finally they ran into Rough who smiled winsomely at both of them, winked at Shell and informed them that Bear was down by the river.

When they got there he was impossible to miss, sprawled out on the river bank on his back, looking up at the wintery sky overhead, propped up by his big curved horns. Shell hesitated, having never actually run into a totoma before.

"He's... big." he said. "Is he dangerous?"

Comedy scoffed. "No!" And then as if it explained everything, "We're actors!"

He trotted over playfully towards his much bigger brother, saying, "Ho, Bear." He plopped himself down immediately over Bear's stomach, tail swishing in a pleased way. "Look who I've come across in the woods. Aren't they pretty? They look like light shining on the ice of our river."

How Comedy expected Bear to see over him was anyone's guess.

Bear made a happy sort of sound at Comedy as he made himself comfortable on top of him, chuckling in a way that shook the other kin in time with his laugher. Bear's voice was a deep bass rumble as he spoke. "You found a new friend?" he asked eagerly, relaxing immediately at the other kin's assurance. "I love new friends." Everyone was his friend who meant well.

With a grunt of effort, Bear turned his head to give Shell an upside down look.

"Oh he's so pretty!" he said. "Come over so I can see you stranger!"

Shell made his way over daintily, all shimmering long legs and elegant curiosity. He liked Bear already and had never seen anyone like him at all.

"My name is Shell." he said. "Pleasure to meet you Bear."

"Oh! And I'm Comedy!" Comedy smiled brightly as Bear laughed. He thought Bear's laugh was his best quality. "He is very pretty and very hungry from his walk over," Comedy pouted. "I don't suppose you've got anything good stashed away?"

Bear laughed again. "Oh no!" he said. "We can't have someone being hungry, especially not someone as shiny as our new friend." His stumpy fluff of a tail wagged like a dog's

"Maybe I have some honey from the springtime to share with our new friend." Bear was quite notorious for his sweet tooth and tended to accrue honey from unfortunate wild bee hives at an astounding pace.

"I have it in my cave." And he was fortunate enough to have been afforded a cave for his size and services, after all Totoma fur did not dry as quickly as that of an Acha or a Kio. "Both of you should come with me and we can share it."

Shell smiled gratefully. "Honey! I haven't had it since I was very young! I'd be honoured to go with you all." he flicked his tail eagerly.

"I do hope you stay." Bear said, still giving him an upside down look. "You seem like a good sort of kin."

The other kin who hadn't considered it, added. "I hadn't even thought of it, perhaps if you'll have me."

Bear gave Comedy an affectionate nuzzle and rolled over to stand. "Lets go see."

Comedy rolled over amenably, licking his lips in anticipation and finding the ground with his hooves with surprising nimbleness.

"Oh, some honey! Yes, that's just the thing. I told you, Bear's wonderful."

He rubbed against his brother like a big cat, and then in his enthusiasm, rubbed against Shell too.

"You can hardly find bees in all the snow. And you saved it, all this time. It's his nose! He's always had a good nose."

"When it comes to food, there's no better." Bear said in his booming voice, sticking out his chest proudly. "I could find honey, I can find good earthy mushrooms. I'm a great hunter and forager. Got to see that my favourite family does well." And it was certainly undeniable that Bear and his siblings were some of the roundest in the entire tribe. Winter wasn't really their time of year, preferring the seasons of great feast and fertility, but they certainly made do with their careful stores.

"It'll be all the more fun with someone else to enjoy it all with us."

He headed up in the direction of his cave at a slow lazy pace. Shell found himself mesmerised by the big effortlessly lumbering and generous totoma and toddling along behind him.

"Where I come from we almost starved every winter." He'd never even seen a fat kin before.

Bear boomed with cheery laughter again at that. "We'll have to sort that out for you in future then."