Chapter 2

Darkness that was all Jack could see. It was dark, cold and silent. He could remember the faces that helped him, save him from the agonising pain that he felt from the hands of the nightmares. But he could not remember what they had said to him, their voices lost in his time of hibernation.

Jack knew he was healed, different to some degree but yet still the same. The feeling was odd, he had felt heat and ice crawl up his form before the darkness fully took over and in its place left him feeling naked and soothed.

"Helene!" a voice, a new strange voice yells; piercing the silence.

A gasp reaches his ears causing them to twitch. "Oh no, the poor boy. We cannot leave him here, he is a mere child!" the voice of a woman exclaims in horror as she looked down at the prone form.

Thomas Overland took one look at his wife and sighs; he knew he couldn't leave the boy on his own in winter. He knew that his wife had instantly fallen in love with the boy who could be passed as their own son. Yes, taking and helping the boy would be the right thing to do.

With a small sigh he leant down and carefully shifted and lifted the boy into his arms. A frown pulling at his features as he noticed how thin, small and light the boy truly was.

"Shh my love, we will take care of him. Let us return home and let him rest." He murmurs softly; soothingly to his wife.

A whimper escaped Jack as he felt the familiar sensation of fire near his flesh, his body jerking away before his eyes jerked open. Hands were instantly on his face, a tone of a woman soothing him as he blearily looked around.

"Sh, Sh, you are safe. It is okay." The voice whispers soothingly causing Jack to relax at the voice of his mother.

"M-Mom?" he rasps before coughing, his brows pulling down in confusion at the language. He could he understand let along speak something he has never heard or uttered before?

"No sweetie, we – my husband and I – had found you in the snow. Where is your mother, your family?" The woman asks the voice of the one who had found him.

"Dead." Jack whimpers, "Long ago, all alone; only one left." He cries curling into the comforting arms of the woman.

Helene felt her chest clench in sadness as she stared down at the boy before her, his crystal blue eyes welling with tears. "Oh my poor boy, you- you can stay here with my husband and I. We will look after you." She whispers, brushing the hair from his eyes causing the boy to freeze.

Jack pulled his hands to his face and felt his body shaking and the panic begin to rise. Where are his paws? Fur? His hands shot to his head and a whimper escaped as he felt that he no longer had ears of his race.

Breaths came out short and fast as he felt the panic explode within, letting the darkness creep up on him once more. He could hear the woman try to sooth him but it wasn't working, what had they done to him?

Once you find that of who your heart belongs
The one to love and to hold
You will then find your true form once again
Be safe my child, our spell protects
Be safe little pooka till then.