Hushed Willows all i want for christmas is you

set for tomorrow evening

Even the heavy cloud cover couldn't dim the moonlight. It had been full a few days ago, and was now waning, but still put out a tremendous glow. It shimmered off Lily's ebony coat, turning it a brilliant shade of blue; her eyes glowed like a hearth. She sat outside, near the dens, tail curled 'round her paws as she looked through a thin part of the willow canopy at the sky.

There was something about this time of year that spoke to her. It was cold and bleak, but undeniably romantic. The long nights, the need to huddle for warmth. . . Sure, she would always prefer the spring and its newness, but winter had its beauty, too--if one knew how and where to look.

She looked over her shoulder, wondering if @Khali was around. She wanted to share the magic of this December night with him. Yule had been so hectic, and she so involved, that she'd barely had time to spend a moment alone with him. Now their guests were gone and the solstice was past, and she could breathe once more.

Unfortunately, breathing meant that the misgivings that had been stewing within her for some time had come back to the surface. Lily hovered uneasily, a million different thoughts swirling in her head, some good, but some certainly bad.