"Slow down, buddy!" Kristoff couldn't help but laugh as his son clenched harder onto his hand, leading him out the gates and through the maze of passing townspeople. For a small child, Joseff was surprising strong and fast. They came to a screeching halt once they arrived at the stone pavilion by the shipping docks, where Sven stood happily awaiting them. Anna wasn't too far behind. In her arms she carried a pile of clothes, and as she struggled to keep up with her boys, one-by-one they fell onto the ground.

"Would you slow down for a second, please!" she grunted. "Stay beside me, Heidi." She nodded down at the little girl with golden eyes and light strawberry hair. She trudged behind her mother with chubby little legs, making short stops along the way to joyously pick up fallen articles of clothing as though it were a game. By the time they had reached the boys, Anna was panting like a dog and was sure she had broken a sweat.

"I swear I'm getting too old for this. I can barely keep up with you guys anymore."

"Please, you can never get too old." Kristoff placed his arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. "Not too old for me anyway."

Anna smiled. "I brought you these." She pushed her half of the pile of clothes into her husband's arms. Heidi did the same; with all her might she threw them up above her head, hoping that the rest of the clothes would magically end up in the same place. Instead, the clothes came straight down, covering the little girl in socks, pants, and oversized shirts.

"Anna, we will only be gone for about a day, two days at the most. I think we have enough clothes and supplies to last."

"Oh pssh, you can never have enough." She nudged him. "Besides what kind of mother would I be if I let my little boy freeze to death?"

She snatched a handful off the pile so quickly that Kristoff was slightly taken aback. Joseff had made himself comfortable on the seat of the sled, and Kristoff couldn't help but grin as he watched him play with the reins, swaying dramatically from side to side as though he were in a race. Even Sven played along a bit: swaying sideways and jumping up and down in perfect rhythm with the boy. He suddenly felt a small tug on his pants. He glanced down to find a very small hand protruding from the heap of clothes.

"Daddy it's smelly in here."

"Oh! Sorry about that girly." He quickly removed the garments, and was met with a smiling face.

"Ow! Momma! Come on!" Joseff whined. Kristoff knew what was happening but was too mortified to look. It happened almost every day whenever he and Anna took the kids outside in cold weather. Heidi hid behind her father's leg, peering at the scene from behind.

"If you would just stop squirming, Joseff!"

After a minute, Anna stood back in awe at the fat wooly mammoth that was her son. Layers upon layers of crooked sweaters and pants were stretched from his wrists to the heels of his boots and up to his chin. He was stiffened and stood with his arms outstretched in both directions, unable to move them.

Elsa had been the one to show Anna how to knit when she and Kristoff were first expecting. It was hardly a talent for Anna, but she found so much happiness in making clothes for her own children that no one complained- except her children. Often the clothes came out slightly or completely crooked, too tight or too loose, or had very indirect designs.

"There we go! All snug. You wouldn't imagine how long it took to make them all!"

"Anna, I really think that…"

"Oh, I almost forgot!"

She looked around and picked up what looked like a fuzzy cap from Heidi's pile. Though when she put it on Joseff, it proved to be more than just that. The grey and fuzzy headpiece covered his neck, his ears, and his head; to add some "style" to it, Anna had made two bear-cub ears at the top of the head.

"Isn't it cute?" she sniffled, getting slightly teary-eyed. "So precious."

"That's…um…really…impressive, honey." Kristoff stuttered. "B-But don't you think he looks too…" He watched in literal horror as his son attempted to waddle over them. "That he looks too…bloated?"

"Bloated?"

"Yeah what I mean is that we're gonna be pretty high up in the mountains, a-and in order for us to get up there, and to harvest ice, you kind of need to be able to move. A lot."

"Well I don't know what you're implying. He can move just fine." She gestured down toward his feet, where Heidi was playfully poking at the bulge that had formed around Joseff's stomach.

"Heidi, cut it out!" he running from her, but she followed after him, laughing.

"Besides," Anna continued. "It's not like you will be climbing mountains or doing anything life-threatening besides harvesting, right?"

"Nothing else."

"And you're sure you'll keep an eye on him every second? Every minute?"

"Of course!"

"Make sure he doesn't stick his tongue to an icicle like that time we went ice-skating?"

"But that was nothing! I mean, sure, he needed a few stiches but-"

"-And please be sure he doesn't eat the yellow snow again!"

"I was only joking when I said they were nature's snow cones! I didn't think he would actually eat it!"

"Come on, Heidi, stop it" Joseff exclaimed. Trying to outrun his little sister was like trying to tell his mother that she was horrible at knitting- it was impossible.

"You look like a troll." She giggled.

"No I don't." he looked down at his seemingly engorged belly. "Okay maybe a little."

"Do you wanna go build a snowman with me?" she asked. There were thin sheets of snow that still covered Arendelle, left behind by the passing winter.

"Not now, Heidi- maybe when I get back."

"Where are you going?"

"I already told you, Dad and me are going up to the mountains to harvest ice."

Heidi gasped. "But aren't there wolves in the mountains?"

"Yes there are." Joseff said, grinning devilishly. "Big ones with sharp teeth and big red eyes. They run faster than any reindeer or man, and they like to feast on little red riding hoods."

"Not the red ones!" Heidi grabbed her hair, her voice rising in panic. "Wait a second mister, that's not true!"

"Yes it is!"

"No it's not! Wolves don't eat red riding hoods! You're just telling stories!"

"Fine, don't believe me. Daddy said so himself."

….

"I just don't want you three to get hurt." Anna walked over and gently scratched behind Sven's ear. Sven, in return, nudged her lovingly.

"You don't have to worry, Anna. We'll be fine, I promise."

"Well maybe Heidi and I should tag along just in case."

"There's no need." Kristoff insisted kindly. "Heidi could care less about harvesting. And let's not forget the other…circumstances." He placed his hand on her flat stomach, and as she felt his nimble fingers glaze across, she giggled. Even after years of marriage, she still managed to feel so giddy and completely blissful whenever he was around. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and was immediately lost in his light brown eyes.

"Fine, I'll stay. But next time I'm coming with, no questions asked."

"Okay," Kristoff laughed. "Deal." He pulled her in for a passionate kiss, though unfortunately it was cut short when Kristoff felt a small tug on his pants. Without breaking the kiss, his eyes trailed down to see an impatient Joseff with a grumpy frown as he repeatedly tried to keep the ears on his hat out of his eyes. He quickly pulled away from his wife.

"Well I think it's time that we head out now."

"Oh yeah of course."

"Heidi," Kristoff kneeled in front of his daughter. "I will see you tomorrow okay?"

"Okay Daddy. I love you." Kristoff pulled her into a soft hug. "Are you sure you don't want to tag along?" he teased.

Heidi looked at him for a minute then glanced past his shoulder. Joseff stood behind them, his arms raised, hands flexed, and he let out a silent howl. Heidi gasped and ran back towards her mother. Kristoff took that as a no. He smiled, picked up the remainder of the clothes up off of the floor, and headed to the sleigh.

"Ready Sven?!" he exclaimed. Sven grunted in approval, about to take off when Anna interrupted.

"Wait, wait!" she said as she rushed over to Joseff's side. Holding back tears, she couldn't image that her son, her little boy, was already starting out in the ice harvesting business. The time's gone by too fast, she thought to herself. Such a precious boy.

"J-Joseff.." she began, though her words came out choppy. There were so many things she wanted to say to him, but the only words she managed to get out were, "Don't eat your boogers, okay?"

Joseff laughed. "I won't mommy." She swiftly pulled him in and nearly smothered him into her chest.

"Please be careful," she whispered into his ear. "Pretty please."

"I promise mommy." He said. "Um..I can't breathe."

"Oh sorry, sorry, so so sorry." She cleared her throat and helped put Joseff in the sleigh. She turned and whispered into Sven's ear, "Make sure they don't get into too much trouble." Sven snorted and nodded reassuringly.

"Yah!" Kristoff shook the reins and they were off. Anna and Heidi watched from the pavilion as they moved steadily past the townspeople then gained speed towards the bitter and frosty forest.


This chapter was a hard one to write, mainly because I had major writer's block when it came to the dialogue. Anyway's please review, the more reviews I get the more motivated it gives me to write more! And just so you all know, it will be about another week to a week and a half before I will be able to publish the third chapter because I have finals going on. But besides that, I hope you all enjoy!