Submission (#1651) Approved

Sorry, I was a bit nervous and mixed everything about the process of submission up. Here's the actual submission in the box where it belongs xd sryyy

It was an ordinary, even boring winter evening. Chompy sat in his room, slowly waving his tail and looking through a window in an attempt to entertain himself. Rime has already painted the glass with intricate patterns, leaving marks that resembled swirls of the wind or furious ocean waves. Terra slowly touched cold drawings with his sight, all while looking completely uninterested in any of them, and sighed. The outside world wasn't any better. Just an endless white void with some trees sticking out... And the wind rocking these few colourful spots, whistling like some annoying pet calling device. Something was bugging Chompy, and there was absolutely nothing that could make this lonely and dull night better. Not even shiny rocks and gemstones that decorated his apartment. Nothing... Right?

When the terralien laid his head on his hands and mumbled something, the room submerged into complete silence. It lasted for quite a while... Until Chompy's sensors caught strange sounds coming from behind the tightly shut window. When he listened closely, it occured to him — these sounds were nothing else than a cheerful singing. Terra raised his head back up, wondering why would anyone go out in the streets and yell carols at the top of their lungs at this time of day. It was cold, freezing winds blew non-stop, and all the roads and passes were covered in snow. But those voices sounded so happy, so joyful... Like all these things were nothing to them. Like all they knew was their little merry festive songs. Something weird sparkled inside of the lonely terra's chest, pulling him from behind a desk.

Chompy stood up and put on his warm clothes. He hesitated for a bit, but then finally left the house, locking it up and covering part of his visor with a thick scarf. He listened again, and set out to find the source of the noise. After a few minutes, melody guided him to the small group of terras. Marines, reptilians, bugs and beasts — all came together just to share their holiday spirit and gladden the critters all around them. One of them drew a cheer at the sight of Chompy, thinking that he might have come to enjoy the festive trills from up close. However... It was not the case.

— May I join you? — Chompy asked, and the group went silent for a few seconds. The guest tensed: «I must look so silly right now, huh?..»
— ...Of course you may! — answered the tall winged terralien, raising their hands up in the friendly gesture. They stepped back, allowing Chompy to come closer and join the choir. — It would be great! In fact, at first there were just the two of us... — they looked at the reptilian terralien. — Others turned up just as suddenly as you did. So, now our quartet finally becomes a quintet? — other members giggled and approvingly nodded their heads. — So be it!

The group looked at the newest singer with a thinly veiled interest. His appearance was a bit unusual, but so were the looks of the other songsters.

— Do you know "Winter's Embrace"? — inquired the winged one, kindly touching Chompy with one of their long feathers.
— Yes! I've known it ever since I was little! — sprout replied, getting another round of cheers from the surrounding terraliens.
— Great! Alright, folks — one, two...

On "three" five voices fused into a merry melody, each singing its part as diligently as possible. The long-familiar words flew out of their sensors like birds, reaching for the sky, filling it up with gentle flapping of their invisible wings. Chompy sang out, and the sticky anxiety inside his chest begun to disappear. Instead of it settled music, and warmth, and confidence. Festive mood finally enveloped him in its gentle magic, and the melody of festivities glided through the trees, drawing attention of many more terraliens with its shimmering sound.

It was a beautiful, almost magical winter evening. Was there anything that could make it better?... Well, just the voices of other terras that joined the quintet, lauding winter's grace to the very skies. The old year was coming to a close, and with the chanting the new one brought countless hopes and dreams, filling everyone's hearts with gentle delight.