The Flight Before Christmas

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VOICES:
# We're reindeer,

we're not horses #

# We're Santa's Flying Forces!

Ho ho! #

Hut! Hut! Hut! Hut!

Hey!

MALE VOICE:
Guys! Guys!

We lost Santa!

That's better.

Julius, look!

It's Santa's Flying Forces!

- JULIUS:
Not again!

- NIKO:
Yahoo!

Oh, Niko! Be careful!

JULIUS:
Whoa, whoa!

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!

Whoa, whoa!

Niko, look out!

Darn kid!

I think I know which one

my dad is.

JULIUS:
Don't tell me...

the one who flies the fastest,

jumps the highest,

and has the most courage?

Did you see him too?

I'd do anything to be up there

flying with my dad.

I know, I know.

But these things don't happen overnight.

They take practice.

But I'm always practicing!

Sure, but you gotta

really believe in yourself.

Huh?

I believe you can fly.

Now show me that you believe it.

- (Niko sighs)

- That's my boy!

Don't think, believe!

Believe! Believe!

(short cry; thud)

I don't believe it.

I almost flew this time,

didn't I, Julius?

You sure did, Niko.

(dubiously)

You sure did.

- (kid laughing)

- Hey, Niko...

...was your daddy a chicken?

'Cause you fly like a chicken!

My dad's on the Flying Forces!

Yeah, and my dad's Santa Claus.

Just you wait, or I'll...!

(kids laughing)

Remember how we deal

with bullies?

Chin up...

(together)

...and just ignore them.

My dad's a three-legged moose.

Yeah! And my daddy's

a four-headed... ugh!

Ugh!

Now, that's ignoring.

(Niko chuckles)

(Niko mimics whooshing air)

I don't get it, Julius.

If Dad's really

on the Flying Forces,

why can't I fly like him?

No one knows exactly why

Santa's Flying Forces

have the gift of flight.

(Niko sighs)

Maybe those boys are right.

Maybe my dad isn't

one of the Flying Forces.

(Julius scoffs)

You're ten times as brave as those boys.

Just... pretend they're not there.

- You're right, Julius.

- Thank you.

I'll go practice flying at Antler's Hill,

where they can't see me.

Hey! That's not what I said!

Come back here.

If anyone heard you talking about

going to Antler's Hill for flying practice!

Are you going to Antler's Hill

for flying practice?

No! Definitely not!

No way!

- Can I come along?

- Would you?

No one is going anywhere

for flying practice, least of all to...

(whispering) Antler's Hill!

- Antler's Hill?!

- (both gasp)

How many times

have you been told, Niko?

Sneaking out of Home Valley

is strictly forbidden!

Yes, sir.

Niko wasn't sneaking anywhere.

I asked him to come and help me...

Huh?

...pick up my Aunt Sally.

She hasn't been well.

Aunt Sally!

Huh?

Everybody, this is my Aunt Sally.

(kids laughing)

I'd better be going now.

- I'll take you!

- Such a good boy!

Let me get that for you.

(onlookers laugh)

All right, all right.

But it won't be so funny

if the wolves see you.

We're only safe here in the valley

as long as the wolves don't know it exists.

That's why no one leaves Home Valley.

- Yes, sir.

- Yes, Dad.

(Leader grunts)

You heard our leader.

I don't want to hear any more talk

of going to Antler's Hill.

Is that clear?

Okay, Julius.

Finally, I'm getting through to you.

(both whispering)

See you tomorrow at Antler's Hill!

Now, let's see. I'm sure I was

supposed to take a right back there,

and then a left,

and then another left,

and then a right.

That means I should be back

at the tourist bus right about...

now?

(wind howling)

(Niko grunting)

Niko, stay still!

Mom, why does nobody believe

that Dad is one of the Flying Forces?

Well, no one ever met him,

apart from me.

Tell me about Dad again.

(sighs)

Okay.

JULIUS:
Ugh...

Your dad was the handsomest

reindeer in Santa's Flying Forces.

That must be where I get it.

(Oona chuckles)

It was the day after Christmas,

and I went out on my own

looking for moss.

Suddenly, the Flying Forces

landed right in front of me.

Santa's sleigh had broken down.

And what happened then?

That's when I met your dad.

He was a real daredevil,

and once he'd fixed the sleigh,

he took me for a spin.

It was magical!

Flying through the clouds

high above the valley...

... but then he had to leave.

(Niko gasps)

After that, I never saw him again.

If Daddy was so great,

how come he never came

to visit his son?

Well, he never knew Niko here

would be born that very next spring.

Who could know?

But why didn't you go and tell him?

Because he lives

with the Flying Forces in Santa's Fell,

and no one knows the way there.

Don't you miss him?

(scoffs) No. I have one man in my life,

and he's quite enough.

Now, go to sleep, Niko.

Mom, what's Dad's name?

Good night, Niko.

(wolves howling)

(sinister growling)

More bad luck, boss.

No reindeer anywhere.

We need reindeer.

We need food.

I've got an idea, boss.

One word:
moss.

Huh? Huh? Huh?

- (Black Wolf groans)

- Reindeer eat moss. We eat reindeer.

I'm simply cutting out the middleman.

(growls)

Please yourself.

Our luck must change.

Go out there, find food.

Find reindeer.

(panting)

Aah!

(thud)

(Saga laughs)

Crash-landing maneuver.

Never know

when you're gonna need it.

I thought I'd find you here.

What do you have to say

for yourself, young man?

You've got to help me.

I've been making

a fool of myself all morning.

None of that!

It's dangerous out here!

Straight back to Home Valley with you.

Please?

JULIUS:
(hesitates)

Oh, all right.

But only for one minute.

Maybe you don't have to fly.

Maybe you could glide.

It's really just falling,

but slower.

Hey, I'm great at falling.

Good! Now, climb to the top

of that tree and...

Are you crazy?

Reindeer don't climb trees.

That's just dumb.

Wow! Are you really going to do it?

Oh, yeah, and uh,

don't try and stop me.

(Saga laughing)

SPECS:
Not bad.

(grunting uncertainly)

- (timber creaking)

- Uh-huh!

Uhh!

Uhh... aaahhhh!

Now, that's a view.

Breathtaking.

No wonder reindeer

have been so hard to find.

What are you on about, Specs?

They've started living in trees.

Ugh.

What?

(Julius straining)

Don't worry, Niko.

I know you'll fly one day.

Really?

You think so?

Sure.

Wo...! Wo...!

Wolves!

(Smiley laughing)

Run, kids!

Aaahhh!

JULIUS:
Oh, whoa!

Aah aah aah!

Nah nah-nah nah-nah!

Look where you're going, boys.

Ow! Guhh...

They shouldn't be able

to find our tracks now.

(wolves howling)

Come on, Saga.

We've got to warn the herd.

(snarling)

Wolves!

- Hey?

- Wolves! Wolves!

- What's going on?

- Wolves! We saw them!

Niko, I thought I told you to...

Are you sure they didn't follow you?

Yes, Grandpa, we lost 'em.

- Are you absolutely certain?

- (Smiley laughs)

Black Wolf will be pleased.

Come on, Specs, let's eat!

You go ahead. I'm stuffed.

Just had some moss.

Woohoooooo!

Ohhh!

Defensive formation.

Men on the outside, women

and children on the inside. Hurry!

OONA:

Children! Stay together, children.

LEADER:

Kids, stay close to your mothers.

OONA:
Children, together.

LEADER:
Keep it moving!

Come on! Keep it moving!

Keep in! Keep in!

Emergency evacuation!

Run!

(growling)

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