Biggie and Itchy didn't celebrate Christmas. Or any winter holiday, really. They didn't feel the need to. It's not like they could afford it. Itchy, however, tried to keep the spirit alive.

Bongo Congo usually disagreed with him.

For two years in a row, Itchy had tried to craft a fire to roast chestnuts on. The first year, the rain stopped him before he could really start. The second, Itchy had built the fire, but a pair of birds had stolen the chestnuts. Then the rain came.

But Itchy did not give up hope.

"Building another fire, Itchy?" asked Biggie from the doorway to their back porch.

It sure looked like it. Itchy had a bundle of sticks, a handful or two of ferns and a stolen roll of tape all on top of the only table in their home. All of them were soaking wet, though, so Itchy shook his head.

"I'm, like, building a tree," he replied.

"Alright, Charlie Brown," chuckled Biggie before leaving Itchy alone on the porch.

Itchy got to work. He taped the sticks to eachother and the ferns haphazardly to the sticks sides. It did not stand up, and the tape did not stick. The ferns wilted right down. But Itchy liked it well enough.

It was sunset when Itchy had started; and now it was night, with swirling, dark clouds. Another storm was coming.

Just as Itchy stood up to appreciate the tree, a lone starling landed on the table. The bird admired Itchy's work a moment, then grabbed the top stick in its beak. Without much resistance, it carelessly flew away with half of Itchy's project.

Completely defeated after that, Itchy sighed and padded back into his and Biggie's hideout. Biggie sat on their half-torn couch reading a half-torn book. Without a word, Itchy slunk into his lap and covered his face in his arms.

Biggie closed his book and rubbed the lion's back. "Didn't work, did it?"

Itchy shook his head and remained silent. Biggie frowned, disheartened to see his partner so upset. Then the rat brightened and snapped. He shook Itchy.

"I've got an idea!" he exclaimed. Itchy looked up at Biggie, his eyes watery. "Let's break into the castle garden. We can steal a proper tree there."

"In this weather?" Itchy replied, voice downcast. "And, like, where would we put it anyway?"

"We could get a sapling," Biggie answered.

Itchy leaned up, his eyes sparkling the slightest bit, but his voice was still downcast. "...we can try."

And so, the two headed off in the direction of King Leonardo's castle. Stealing some axes and rope from a local store along the way, the two were soon hopping over the high castle wall.

The sky grew darker, and thunder rolled distantly. Quickly, their mission became a race against the clock. Biggie and Itchy split up, searching the King's garden for any sign of saplings. Or, really, any tree whatever.

Just a few minutes later, Biggie and Itchy met up with eachother once more in the center of the garden. They shook their heads at eachother before Itchy hung his own disappointedly. Suddenly, lightning split the sky and rain started to pelt down. Biggie shook and Itchy shivered, but it did neither of them any good. Upset and saddened, the twosome headed for the castle wall once more.

Soon after that, a bright light covered both of their backs and stopped the two in their tracks. Biggie grabbed onto his axe tighter as Itchy quickly whirled around.

"Biggie and Itchy!" came a very recognizable, half-English voice. Odie Cologne's, of course, though his figure was merely a black blob in the nightly rain. "I should've known!"

"Oh, you're shivering!" commented the King. He and Odie stood under an umbrella, with Leonardo managing to pull Odie closer to the villains by tugging on its stem. Biggie turned himself around as the royal nuisances neared.

Neither the King nor Odie tried to grab Biggie or Itchy, though. Instead, Leonardo offered an extra umbrella to Biggie. He glanced up to the golden lion's face, just a bit more visible now.

King Leonardo looked genuine. Odie looked pissed. As expected. His hand shaking, Biggie unlocked one hand's grip from his axe handle and grabbed the umbrella. He unfurled it quickly and covered himself and his partner.

Itchy shook himself properly as soon as he had cover from the storm. Biggie a scrunched his nose in disgust, and smacked his partner's forearm in reply.

"Why don't you come inside?" King Leonardo invited. "The Royal Chefs are preparing a Christmas dinner. I'm sure there will be enough for you two to take part."

"What?" asked Odie, "Are you… sure, sire?"

"Yes," Leonardo answered curtly. "They're family, Odie. Itchy is my brother."

The lion then took the umbrella from Odie's hand. He quickly turned on his heel and headed back toward the castle. Odie, not wanting to be left in the rain, rushed after. Biggie and Itchy stood out a moment more. Then Itchy's muzzle cracked with a smile. He tugged the shaft of their umbrella and hauled himself and his partner into the castle.

King Leonardo had sent Odie away swiftly so he could speak to Biggie and Itchy alone. "I have some gifts for you, too!" he chirped.

"You do?" Biggie replied, shocked.

Itchy perked up and leaned forward. "Like, what is it, bro?"

Leonardo tensed up and took a small step back. "A flea bath," he replied tensely and quickly. "And I'd like for you to go ahead and take that now."

Both Biggie and Itchy beamed.

"...yes," Leonardo commented, awkwardly smiling himself. He started to pad away from the twosome, but soon stopped glanced over his shoulder. "Oh," he exclaimed, "And, uh, merry Christmas."

Itchy chiperly replied, "Merry Christmas, bro!" Then, he nudged Biggie's side with his elbow, still smiling stupidly.

Biggie cleared his throat and laughed awkwardly, trying his hardest to not let the happiness he felt overwhelm him.

"Uh, yeah. Merry Christmas to you too, Kingsy."