Disclaimer: The setting and some dialogue belongs in Heidi and she belongs to Johanna Spyri. I just took it for a walk and added a little more romance. I brought Jack and Rapunzel to the party because Dreamworks and Disney seemed to have grounded them. I didn't keep them, they're all back home now.
Fire on the Alm
A shrill whistle sounded. With a squeal of joy Rapunzel rushed out of the small house on the Alm, to meet the jumping herd of goats. Jack was in the midst of them, his staff directing the horned animals. There was almost no need to, for as soon as they spotted Rapunzel they rushed to greet her. Rapunzel stroked as many of them as she could reach.
"You coming up today, Punzie?" the goat herder asked Rapunzel.
"Yes!" Rapunzel rushed to finish her long golden braid.
"General of the goats look after her," her Grandfather North charged her care into Jack's hands.
"Yes sir," Jack mocked saluted with a cheeky grin.
With a halfhearted swat at Jack and a hug from Rapunzel, North watched the herd head up to pasture.
She climbed merrily up the Alm in the midst of the goat army. Leaping and skipping she reacquainted herself with her furry friends; she had not seen them during the cold winter months.
Once at the pasture the goats settled into eat. Jack had stretched himself out on the ground in the sunny pasture to rest from the labor of climbing. Rapunzel ran to the meadow to check and see if the rainbow of flowers were yet in bloom. She let out a sound of delight before kneeling in the thick of them. Sometime later Rapunzel jumped up and ran back to Jack with her apron full of flowers. She sat down beside the dozing Jack and looked around her. Grabbing her haversack she pulled out her sketchbook and began to draw.
She drew the goats: Big Maximus with his big horns and the brave Pascal who was the only one who did not avoid him. Even the little Baby-Tooth trustingly pressed close to her side. She captured the image of the circling Robber-bird screaming overhead and the rocks and flowers that made up the Falknis. She even outlined the village below in the valley. But most of all Rapunzel tried to capture the peaceful features of a resting goat herder.
Jack was day dreaming of the first time Rapunzel accompanied him to the pasture the previous year.
"Jack! It's on fire! All the mountains are burning! Everything, everything is on fire!"
"It's always so," said Jack good-naturedly, leaning on his staff.
"What makes it happen, Jack?" she had asked running back and forth trying to get a better angle to see what was happening on the Falknis.
"It comes from itself," Jack explained
It's so lovely! See the snow is all rosy red! So are the rocks above, so many roses! No, now they are turning gray! Oh! Now it is all gone!" Rapunzel sank to the ground in distress as it came to an end.
"It will be just the same tomorrow," Jack comforted, "Come on, it's time to go home now."
Whistling he gathered the goats, together they headed down towards home.
"Will it be like this every day- every day we go up to the pasture?" Rapunzel inquired as she walked next to Jack.
"Usually," came the honest reply.
Once they reached her grandfather's home they faced each other to wish a final farewell.
"Have a good night! Come again tomorrow!" He was pleased to have Rapunzel go with him.
She took his hand and assured him that she would accompany him again. Jack had a spring in his step as he led his army further down, anticipating the next day.
"Jack," the call startled him awake. Something was in his hair, reaching up he brushed his hand through his white locks. A giggle reached his ears just as he identified the colorful array of flowers fluttering down from his head. Turning towards the sound he had to block his eyes from the glare of the low sun. Once he was no longer being blinded he was able to make out Punzie laughing, competing with the sun as to who could shine brighter. Letting out a chuckle he grabbed a fistful of discarded flowers and smashed them into her face and hair. With a shriek she took off running, he jumped after her in hot pursuit; their bare feet springing off the fresh grass. He followed after her swinging braid until he finally caught her around the waist. After he spun her around to face him, he stared into her deep green eyes. She stared just as deeply into his pools of blue.
Staring passed him for a moment she whispered, "Everything is on fire."
Pulling her close he brought his lips down to hers kissing her sweetly, he whispered, "yes, especially my heart." Then he kissed her again in the burning sunset.