Prologue – The first day of winter
The first thing Jack saw was darkness, with each lazy blink did he realise it wasn't complete darkness – the glow of the moon shone though his cacoon, as if it was saying 'Time to get up, little one'
Jack tiredly kicked around, the crackle of frost was heard as he did – his motley, white and brown moth wings were curled and against his back; it felt wet and sticky.
Jack tugged and pulled at the spun bed of silk, tearing at it with teeth as well – desperately trying to get out, to see the moon again, and to see his queen again and most of all bring snow again.
The bits of cacoon that tore away were quickly eaten by the frost sprite – replenishing whatever magic store the small creature had used to spin the cacoon, though no bigger than a large moth himself.
He clawed and chewed his way out for a good five minutes till he was hanging from the remaining part of the cacoon, waiting for his wings to uncurl and dry.
Jack sighed in delight when the cold air caressed his wings as he held onto the bare branch, his hands had blackened, frostbitten looking fingers with deadly claws to climb trees and even defend himself if needed.
All around him was hundreds of cacoons writhing, little frosted hands and even legs with frostbitten toes wiggling in the winter breeze began popping out as the chattering grew louder and louder around him.
He made a clicking noise, and the other fairy that popped his head out and clicked back at him in greeting. The other fairy was smaller than Jack - the size of a those moth that flutter around lights, with white wings and spots on his wings not showing yet. His name was Jamie. The small winter sprite looked up to Jack and Jack was fond of the little one as well.
Fledging sprites were common prey of toads, birds and all manner of beasts – the snow queen couldn't keep track of all of the young ones so it was left to the older sprites to protect them.
Jamie clawed out mimicking Jack, trying to dry his wings too – an even smaller frost fairy poked her head out of her brother's cacoon; Sophie was the youngest of the group and still not ready to fly yet – Just a grub, Jamie said once with a smile.
'Good morning my little darlings…' The melody voice of the chilled wind rustled around the fairies – a dance of snowflakes in the wind twirled till it formed a beautiful pale woman, wearing a long white gown that seemed to be made from her own white hair, a ringlet of holy berries and thorns made her crown. She wore no shoes on her feet and left no tracks in the snow as she walked – as though she were as light as air.
Jack grinned excitedly at her presence, the moon glowing behind the queen making it as though she were the one glowing; the chattering of the other fairies grew louder in greeting to their Queen of snow and frost.
'It is time to send the flowers and the trees to sleep, my little snowflakes.' She cooed gently.
'Can I come this time?' Jamie called, standing up unsteadily on his branch – the Snow Queen turned her eyes to the young fairy. Only the size of her pinkie if the child stood.
'I don't see why not, have you been practicing flying and frosting with Jack?' She asked. Jack flapped his wings to dry them quicker.
'He's a natural.' Jack said, Jamie beamed at his mentor.
'I want to go!' Sophie whined.
'Give it a few more winters Sophie, you're still a grub' Jamie said
'I'm not a grub!' Sophie screamed going a little blue in the face.
'You'll be a yummy grub for a bird or toad to snatch.' Cupcake, a fairy two winters older than Jamie yawned rising from her cacoon.
'Nah it'll be the spiders that get her.' Caleb said cheerfully. He was trying to fling himself off the branch onto another as his wings were still wet. Sophie was going quite pale, and sinking back into her cacoon.
'I don't want to go anymore…' Sophie whimpered.
'Can we not talk about spiders?' Pippa shuddered, flapping her small wings.
'Creepy…' Claude echoed, trying to pull his leg free from his cacoon only ending up hanging upside down.
'I agree with Pippa, spiders are not…' The snow queen shuddered a little, 'a pleasant topic to talk of on the first day of winter, my dears.'
'Aw yeah, bring on the snow!' Jamie pumped his fist.
'And don't forget the snowballs' Jack said, launching himself into the air with a few pumps of his wings – the wind catching him by surprise and launching the fairy in the air with a delighted whoop.
The snow queen caught her laughing, small fairy with gentle cupped hands, placing him on her shoulder. She looked at the fairies, the ones old enough to fly and the ones not with the duty of holding the fort.
'We have a full day of winter ahead of us; let's blanket the world in white!'
The fairies cheered, the snow queen turning into a twirling mass of snowflakes with the fairies in tow – flying with the glow of the moon.
TBC?
If people are interested of course. Please read and review. Need to edit and such.