A/N: Well, here's another request...sort of. This started out as an idea for a different request and kind of morphed from there. I thought about trying to add in the part with the other request, but it just didn't seem right, so that will have to wait for another time. But for now, I hope you enjoy this. I know it's short, but it just seemed like it wanted to be that way. I'm also getting used to writing these again, it has been awhile.
Enjoy!
This is for BooksAreMedicine and all the others who have requested some more Old Man Winter and Jack Frost bonding. Coincidentally, those are the two featured in this snippet. I'd rate this K, with a little bit of angst and comfort.
Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians.
~RiseOfTheGuardians~
"Hey Winter, what's north of here?" Jack asked curiously, following the old winter spirit through Norway and leaving a fine dusting of snow and frost in their wake.
Winter looked in the direction Jack had indicated, a frown forming on his face. "North of here lies the Meridian of Misery. It is a dangerous place. I send my powers that way but never go myself. I recommend you do not go either."
"Right," Jack said, feeling a shiver travel down his spine. He continued to follow Winter through Norway, watching his frost patterns grow as Wind whispered around him.
They eventually settled for the night outside a small village in Russia, near an old run down mansion. Jack laughed as he watched a few wolves run through the snow, but the joyful sound was quickly subdued by the sound of crying children.
Investigating the sound of the tears, Jack was shocked to see a group of children huddled in the ruins of the mansion, a wolf pup settled down with them. The older ones seemed to be planning something, and while the younger ones also seemed onboard with what was being discussed, it was difficult to deny the fact that all the children were freezing.
Jack frowned. The children shouldn't be out here to begin with, and with him and Winter nearby, the night was about to get bitingly cold.
Winter sighed as he placed a gnarled hand on the young winter spirit's shoulder. He had hoped to keep the more unpleasant aspects of their job away from the boy for a little bit longer. He was still learning and accepting the basics. He shouldn't have to deal with more, but that wasn't to be the case.
"We should try and get them somewhere warmer," Jack said, allowing Winter to pull him away. "Otherwise they're going to freeze and-"
"Jack," Winter cut the boy off. He had learned very quickly that the boy rambled.
"Winter," Jack said, his eyes full of worry for the children they had turned their backs on. "They can't stay there, if they do-"
"I know, Jack," Winter said. He heaved a sigh, settling against the rough bark of a tree and cushioned by several feet of soft snow. Slowly Jack sank to the ground in front of him, crossing his legs and laying his staff across his lap as he studied his mentor.
"Then why aren't we doing anything?" he asked.
"Because there is nothing we can do."
"But they're going to die!" Jack exclaimed, gesturing a hand back towards the run down mansion the children were camped in. "They can't survive the night in there. Not with as cold as it's getting."
"How do you feel about all I've taught you?" Winter asked the young spirit. "What do you think of our duties we fulfill, of the importance winter plays on the earth?"
Jack blinked at him. "This isn't time for a lesson, Winter. We need to-"
"Jack, please," Winter said.
Jack sighed. "How do I feel?"
Winter nodded.
"Well, I love it, honestly. It's a lot of fun and snow is great to play in. Plus, everything you've taught me, it makes sense. I finally understand where all these urges and feelings come from, why I'm drawn to certain places, why I send my power out."
"And what do you think of doing so?" Winter prompted.
Jack bit his lip, thinking. Winter was a great teacher, but that didn't mean he was an easy one, and he often asked Jack questions that he wanted Jack to actually think about and consider before answering.
"Well…It's important. I mean, you said that, of course. But winter is required for the earth to renew itself, right? To give the world a rest to be ready to bloom in spring. I mean, those feelings I get, letting me know where I must go, that's important. I can't ignore that knowledge in my head, the duties I have to fulfill. Winter is needed just as much as any other season."
"Yes," Winter nodded. "Winter is just as important as any other time in the year. Perhaps it is more important than the others, for the reasons you stated: it prepares the world to be renewed."
"Great," Jack said. "Glad we got that out of the way, but now we should-"
"Jack," Winter said, halting the boy before he could climb to his feet. "Winter is important, but like the other seasons, there are hazards to the season. Spring holds the risks of floods and mudslides, summer of heat strokes and fires, fall also holds the risk of fires and exhaustion as people work to bring in the harvest."
Jack sat for a moment, attempting to understand just what Winter was getting at. "Winter carries the risk of freezing," he muttered.
"Yes," Winter said, taking a deep breath as he turned his attention to the mansion. "It is something all seasonal and elemental spirits must come to accept about themselves. There is only so much we can do, the rest, we leave up to the humans."
"But they're just children," Jack protested.
Winter frowned. "Sometimes bad things happen. Sometimes they must happen to open the eyes of those in the world. I am not saying it is a good thing, but what happens, must happen. You cannot change who you are, Jack Frost. The cold is a part of you and you must bring it where it is needed. Even if that means bringing death with you."
"What! But no! I can't!" Jack jumped to his feet, his hand running through his hair as he paced wildly back and forth. "I mean, there has to be – why can't we-"
Winter watched the young spirit struggle with the knowledge of what he'd just been told. He remembered, those many, many years ago, when he had learned the fate of a seasonal spirit. You may bring joy, hope, beauty, good harvest, water, relief, but you could also bring death and destruction. He hadn't reacted nearly as calmly as Jack had.
He was grateful, however, that the times of people freezing to death were slowly coming to an end. The world was advancing; people were settling and creating more permanent housings and ways to keep warm. The times were not nearly as bad as when he became the Spirit of Winter. He was grateful that Jack did not have to suffer as many deaths as he had.
Jack stilled after several more minutes of rambling and pacing, collapsing once more into a cross legged position in front of Winter and met the old man's eyes.
"How many for you?" he asked softly.
Winter knew exactly what the young spirit was asking. "Too many," he said softly.
Jack watched him, his bright blue eyes shining with unshed tears. "You know the exact number, don't you?"
Old Man Winter heaved another sigh, his eyes flickering once more to the old mansion where the sounds of the children were quieting. "Yes."
Jack nodded, turning to look at the mansion as well.
"But," Winter said, a small smile curling his lips. "I do not think these children will be joining that number."
Jack's face broke into a relieved grin as a couple more people made their way towards the mansion with a sled of provisions. Perhaps the children would be warm enough to make it through the night, after all.
