Clare had just begun to watch the sun rise while the snow melted of of the dewed plants before someone tackled her. She was swept off her feet and landed face first in the chilly snow. When she could finally see who the face of her attacker was, she laughed. "Jack! What are you doing? It isn't football season yet!" She chuckled, but as soon as she saw his stricken expression, her smile faded. "What's wrong?" She asked. Jack made no reply as he got up. "Come with me." He muddered while grabbing her wrist and walking briskly away. "Why?" She questioned. "Don't ask. It's complicated." He replied. Her green eyes grew wide. "What do you mean?...You always tell me things-" "Look." Jack said while turning around. "I know we are brother and sister of the seasons, and we tell each other everything, but this is one thing I can't tell you. I am sorry, but I don't think any good will come if you know." He sighed, as if he was frustrated. "What's wrong with her knowing?" Pitch's voice called out. Clare gasped as she felt his shadow rise above the frozen pond. She hated the fact that he was in her pond. This was the place Jack had found her buried in the snow. This was the place that she started spring, where the small flowers she loved to see bloom grew around her pond. Her pond was like Jack's lake he visited every winter. "Come on." Jack hissed in her ear between his grinding teeth. "What's the rush Frost? Afraid of something?" Pitch questioned in a sinister manner. Jack shot him such a angry glance that even the Nightmare King himself had a chill run down his spine. "Fine. If you won't tell me, I'll find out on my own!" Pitch hissed as Fearlings came out of the protection of the trees. It was still dark, so they were able to be present. Clare froze in fear as they looked at her with hunger. Jack kept the anger boiling inside of him as he tried to fight them off, but they kept multiplying. He couldn't fight them all. Instead of trying to destroy him, they just pinned him down. Jacks icy eyes grew wide with anger as he realized what was going. "Don't you dare Pitch!" He roared while thrashing around furiously, desperate to get the Fearlings off him. Clare stood there helpless as the fearlings pushed her onto the frozen pond. Pitch knew she could melt right through the ice. Pitch's cackle echoed through the forest. "YES! Fear me!' He roared. Clare looked down at the icy water below and sighed. "What? The Mother Nature isn't going to fight back? Oh silly me, I forgot! Plants can't harm me now can they?" Pitch taunted. The sight of her small figure shaking made him smile. Suddenly, plants from around the pond began growing and wrapping around his legs. At first he chuckled and shook them off, but they kept at it until it was almost a death grip. When Pitch looked up, he saw Clare's tear stained face and her green eyes, only...they were glowing. Instead of her normal plant green eyes, they were a lighter green, and when they were glowing, it looked to be a neon. She didn't look scared or frail, she looked determined and angry. Her head had come up from its scared position and glared at Pitch. Before she could take a step, the ice caved and collapsed underneath her. The glowing faded and terror shined in it's place. She had glanced at him with this terror and fear, but this time he didn't bask in its glory. He didn't feel the victory of her fear, instead he felt as if he were being shot right through the heart. As she fell into the icy water, he could hear Jack's cry of anger ring in his ears. Pitch walked slowly to the broken ice and looked down below. He saw her body slowly floating down, but something caught his eye. In the small shades of light coming from the rising sun, he saw the crown of flowers in her hair had fallen off, Which it never did, not even when she was upside down! He also noticed the braids in her hair had unraveled free. Her hair looked to be raven black...raven black... Why did that strike a dejavu moment in him? Was it? Or was it something else? He scoured his mind for a memory, a vision, anything! The only thing that showed some resemblance was Clare's dream from not long ago. The deep and murky thoughts clouded Pitch's thoughts, completely blinding him to Jack's escape and his attack. Pitch was thrown down to the ice and was frozen in place. He could only move his head to the direction of Jack diving in to save Clare. When he came back to the surface, he was carrying Clare bridal style up. Once they were back on the ice, Jack set her down in the grass and waited for her wake. Pitch could instantly see a difference in her. Her crown of flowers were gone and her dress grew a shade lighter. When she woke, she stood up and he could tell her hair color turned darker, and grew longer. It reached down to her back. Jack seemed puzzled at her appearance but shook it off as they both left. Pitch laid there trapped in ice, pondering in his thoughts. He could get out easily, but he didn't want to...

He just searched his mind for the image he was longing to find...

only he never found it...