As you fly (more than a little unsteadily) through the air, you watch Prancer and Dancer shift into their feral forms for the flight to the North Pole with you. It's a bit of a pity to see Jenny/Prancer's huge tits and womanly figure fade away as she leaves anthro form, but you suddenly find that you're just as attracted to her feral shape. Must be a reindeer instinct.
"Like what you see?" Prancer laughs flirtily, wiggling her reindeer butt at you in a playful bit of seduction as she leaps into the air with you, her hooves treading the wind as if it were solid ground.
"I still can't believe you're Prancer!" I gasp. "I'm so used to thinking of you as Jenny! Say, what's gonna be my reindeer name? Or do I keep my human name? Wouldn't that change the song, or...?"
"Just great," Dancer interrupts, shaking her antlered head sarcastically as she flies. "A reindeer who doesn't know what is own name is. He'll go far, this one!"
"Leave him alone, sis," Prancer says before turning to you. "You can call yourself whatever you want. We've got names ranging from things like 'Dasher' to names like 'Rudolph'. Just go with what feels right to you."
"What would be a good name?" you ask. "Should it be one from the poem, like Comet or Cupid?"
"I certainly HOPE you don't start calling yourself Comet!" Prancer exclaims with a musical giggle. "That's my ex-boyfriend's name."
Oops.
"You can't just steal one of our names, dumbass," Dancer sniffs. "Those names are in the poem because they're TAKEN! There's already a Dasher, a Dancer, a Prancer, a Vixen, a Comet, a Cupid, a Donner, a Blitzen, and a Rudolph. Do try to be original, 'dearest' brother-in-law."
"I think you mean, deerest, sis!" Prancer jokes. She sobers up and continues answering your questions. "As for changing the poem..."
"You're not on the sleigh team, newbie," Dancer interrupts bluntly.
"Could've put that a little nicer, you know," Prancer says, rolling her eyes at Dancer's hostility. "She IS right, though," she says to you. "Santa needs to keep the sleigh team down to a manageable size, but there's a lot of extra reindeer who aren't on it at the North Pole. Our families, for instance. Just wait until you meet my cousin Holly. That little scamp's still in her teens, so she's a restless little handful."
"Not that you're much different, sis," Dancer laughs.
"Touché," Prancer laughs back.
"What are the other members of the sleigh team like?" you ask.
"Well, Dasher is Dancer's boyfriend," Prancer says. "They're getting married this year. Dasher's a huge jock. He's a reckless guy who looks before he leaps. He's good with speed, not long-term planning. I honestly think he NEEDS someone like Dancer to keep him alive."
"Why is it my grim fate to love idiots?" Dancer asks, smiling and shaking her head.
"You know us, of course," Prancer goes on. "We're Prancer and Dancer, a zesty bundle of sunshine and a sour dose of common sense who somehow ended up as sisters. But we love it... somehow. Then there's Vixen. She's the horniest reindeer I've ever met. It sorta goes against the Christmas Spirit to call her a slut, buuuuut... Yeah, a lot of reindeer have slept with her. She's a passionate lover, but one feisty doe to end up in a lover's spat with. Her main boyfriend's Cupid, and I think that one might actually last. Cupid loves sex and romance even more than Vixen does, if that's possible. He's also really easygoing and always lets her win their occasional quarrels. Then there's... Comet."
"Your ex?" you ask.
"Yeah, my ex," Prancer sighs. "He's not the worst guy ever, of course. He's really upbeat and optimistic, super confident. Unfortunately, he's got this cocky streak that get under my skin so BAD! But hey, water under the bridge... or snow under the sleigh. Now we're getting into the big leagues: Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph. Donner and Blitzen are married to each other. They're the strongest and fastest of us all, and they serve as co-captains of our little team. They've got the unstoppable resolve of the storm itself. Donner can be a little gruff and stoic, but he's got a really good heart, but I think you'll like him. Blitzen shows a lot of passion. She's very welcoming to the team and very enthusiastic about the job. Don't even suggest cancelling Christmas around her. She had the hugest fight with Santa Claus when she toyed with cancelling the annual flight back in 1939. That was the year we recruited Rudolph."
"Rudolph's the new blood," Dancer cuts in. "He's the famous one with the red nose who guides Santa through bad weather." The acerbic reindeer chuckles embarrassedly. "Comet, Dasher, and I used to tease him for being a freak. Joke's on us. He's an A-lister on the team now, He's a gentle and sensitive soul. Wouldn't hurt a fly."
"You know, I used to think all of Santa's reindeer were male," you remark, "but you seem to be mixed genders."
"That's right," Prancer smiles. "Dasher, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Rudolph are guys, and Vixen, Blitzen, Dancer, and I are girls. A fairly balanced team on the overall."
"Hey, am I immortal now?" you suddenly ask. "Or at least got longer than human and/or deer lifespans?"
"Santa and the elves are immortal," Prancer says. "The reindeer aren't, but we do live a very long time. I, for example, am 312 years old, which is quite young for us. Our average life expectancy is 1,000 years. We reach maturity at 18 like humans, though."
"Awesome!" you cheer, excited at the prospect of living over ten times longer than you'd assumed you would just a few hours ago. "So, what makes us fly? Magic feed corn like in the Christmas specials?"
"Ugh, did you see us feeding you magic corn, moron?" Dancer sneers. "We don't need outside help to fly! It's an inborn ability of ours."
"You see, we aren't normal reindeer," Prancer explains. "Like the elves, we come from the Land of Faerie originally. Our bodies are laughter and song made flesh. It's only natural that we can fly and talk."
You find yourself full of questions. "Is Santa Claus really Saint Nicholas?"
"Of course not, genius!" Dancer scoffs. "Newsflash! To qualify as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church, you have to be dead and in Heaven! Guess what? Santa's alive and lives at the North Pole."
"Santa Claus is actually the son of a human and an elf," Prancer elaborates. "He did travel with Saint Nicholas for a time and took up the saint's work when he died. That's where the association came from. Santa Claus even named himself after his old mentor. His birth name is Kris Kringle."
"And is there a Mrs. Claus?" you ask.
"There is," Prancer nods. "She's a full elf, so expect her to be a little on the short side. They have a daughter named Joy."
"So all the Hallmark movies were right about Santa having a kid?" you ask.
"Yup!" Prancer grins. "They were also right about her being single and ready to mingle. She sneaks off to the human world all the time to go on dates with humans."
"Does she prefer men or women?" you ask.
"Both!" Prancer laughs. "Joy Claus doesn't care what's in her partners' pants. All that matters to her is the size of their Christmas spirit."
"And can Santa Claus really fit down chimneys and fly around the entire world in a single night?" you ask.
"Of course he can!" Prancer grins. "Santa's half-elf, remember? His body doesn't entirely abide by the laws of physics and can do what it likes with chimneys. As for visiting every child in one night, our route skirts on the edge of the veil between Earth and the Land of Faerie. Time flows differently in the Land of Faerie, you know."
"Ah, makes sense," you say. "Do the elves still make toys by hand?"
"Where ever it's practical," Prancer responds. "Of course, there are some gifts that require machine use to make. Ever try building a PlayStation by hand?"
"I see what you mean," you say. "Oh, and can you please tell me that Zwarte Piet isn't real?"
"Of course we can!" Dancer scoffs. "As if Santa Claus would keep a black man as his slave! It's not Simon Legree who delivers the gifts!"
"Good to know," you say, feeling a bit bad for ever doubting Santa. "And what about Krampus? He a thing?"
Both Prancer and Dancer shudder violently in the air.
"Don't say that name!" Prancer says with a shiver. "Yes, You-Know-Who is VERY real. He's one of the most powerful goblins to ever live. Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus found him terrorizing a village in the Alps, but Saint Nicholas tamed him for a time. The three of them traveled the world, Santa helping Saint Nicholas reward good children and You-Know-Who helping him punish wicked and spiteful children. But Saint Nicholas eventually died, and his holy power was the only thing that could control the mighty goblin. Santa was able to drive him into the wilderness, but the monster is still out there feasting on children... and plotting to take his revenge on Christmas."
"There's actually a rumor among the elves that You-Know-Who actually conjured the storm that Rudolph helped Santa navigate in 1939," Dancer adds.
You quietly hope you never have to encounter Krampus.
"After driving off You-Know-Who, Santa gave his old job to an ogre named Belsnickel," Dancer continues. "He's a little rough around the edges, but he means well. You'll know him when you see a bearded giant bundled up in bulky fur cloaks and carrying a bundle of reeds for smacking rotten brats."
"Look, we're here!" Prancer cheers.
You look down. Beneath you is an oasis of twinkling lights in an endless sea of ice and snow. That has to be Santa's village! You follow Prancer and Dancer as they swoop down for a landing. You pray that you can land at least somewhat gracefully.