Regal

The stark-white boreal forest is practically untouched after the previous night's snowfall. Mounds of snow decorate the pines. The gray sky allows just enough illumination to see clearly, without the sun's warmth. There is a stillness in the air, perhaps due in part to the blanket of snow. Even bird calls sound faint out here in the wilds. It's quiet, deadly quiet.

"Hey! No magic, we already agreed!" calls a voice with a delightful, child-like ring. "There's no way you made another snowball that fast!"

"You can keep talking or you can start running," another sounds off, ringing with laughter.

Grumbling, the heavily bundled princess of Arendelle slogs through a fresh snowdrift to take shelter behind a tree. Anna bends down to roll a wad of snow in between her mittens, packing it tight enough to stay in one piece, but not so solid that its impact would hurt. She learned that lesson after their last snowball fight left Elsa with large, circular bruises all over her upper body.

"Hey, you give up yet?" Anna calls.

"You wish! I'm just getting warmed up!"

Anna can't help but laugh at the irony of Elsa's statement. She stockpiles a few more snowballs in anticipation of her sister's attempt at an ambush. For the regal queen of ice and snow, Elsa is less than stealthy, even when she's trying to be. Anna had learned to pick up her sister's breathing from a good distance away, born from the desire to help her come down from her occasional panics.

While her sister appears distracted, Anna zeroes in, leaps out from behind her tree, and lobs a snowball with unusual grace for the klutzy princess. The snowball hits its target. However, instead of an outbreak of giggles and 'stop that''s, the queen appears motionless.

"That's another point for me!" Anna pumps her fist in the air. "C'mon Elsa, it's like you're not even trying!"

Elsa doesn't acknowledge her loss.

"Elsa? Hey, what's going on?"

The elder sister starts walking backwards. Something doesn't add up. Anna leaves her ammunition behind and paces up to Elsa, only to be stopped by a hand and a harsh 'shh!'

"What?" the princess whispers.

"There's...something over there," Elsa whispers back.

Ignoring her sister's outstretched hand, Anna jogs up to Elsa and gently guides her toward a snow-covered bush to hide behind.

"What is it?"

"It's like a cat, but bigger," the queen marvels. "It's all white with black spots."

Anna ventures a peek at the cat-like creature in question. She is instantly struck with just how regal the animal is, even with its low-slung legs and long, fluffy tail that looks like a separate animal pasted on. The head of the 'cat' is box-like and stocky, with a heavy jaw and large teeth. Two huge blue eyes offset the stark white. It looks as though it could melt into the scenery.

As imposing and majestic as the beast is, right now, it's just sniffing at the ground, growling softly as though in thought.

"Hey, it kinda looks like you," Anna notes, receiving a half questioning, half pouting look from Elsa. "It's the eyes, Elsa. I mean, if you were hairier and...a cat, it'd look more like you, I guess. What is it?"

"I don't know, I've never seen anything like it," Elsa's fingers gently separate the foliage to help get a better look. "The only wild cats I know of around here are lynxes, and that's not a lynx."

"Hey, what was that cat that lives in jungles called? The spotted one. Starts with an 'l' I think."

"Leopard?" Elsa guesses.

"Yeah! But, it's like…a snow leopard," Anna ventures a closer look at the newly monikered 'snow leopard'.

Elsa's mild unease of the creature vanishes.

"It's beautiful," she declares, edging farther from her safe place.

"Ah! It's also a wild animal," Anna pulls her back. "I don't want to pick you out of its teeth."

"Who are you kidding? You'd knock it senseless before it even touched me," Elsa declares with more than a hint of pride.

"Not with that attitude, I wouldn't," Anna crosses her arms.

The snow leopard pauses its snuffling of the ground, having heard the sisters' banter. It locks eyes with the queen. Even if it would be wise to retreat, something prevents her from doing so. Anna glances up at Elsa, expression apprehensive.

"Hey, get down!" she hisses.

Elsa doesn't budge, even with Anna tugging hard at her arm. The white cat sits down, its snake-like tail curled delicately around its feet. It blinks with a small head tilt. Elsa tilts back.

"Elsa!"

The snow leopard stands up, does a complete circular turn, then turns its back and trots off into the snow.

"Oh...it's leaving," the queen can't help a disappointed sigh. "Guess I'm not interesting enough."

"That's for the best," there's a disciplinary edge to Anna's voice. "Seriously, Elsa, you've gotta be more careful."

"Oh, relax," the elder sister waves a hand. "Nothing happened."

"It could have," Anna stresses. "I know you've got powers and all, but you're not invincible. You know, sometimes, I really worry about you."

Elsa's lips form a small frown. She already knows that her younger sister is worrisome to a fault, but the fact that she is her subject of worry gnaws at her conscience.

"Anna, you shouldn't worry," the queen's reproach carries her signature gentleness as she reaches for Anna's gloved hands. "I'm not gonna do something stupid and get myself hurt. For one thing, I'd never hear the end of it."

The princess scoffs with an eye roll.

"Obviously."

"This might sound strange, but I didn't sense any hostility from it," Elsa offers. "I think my magic is...evolving. It's getting stronger. And the best part is, I can control it now, thanks to you."

"Don't distract me with flattery," Anna can't help her grin. "My point stills stands."

"Duly noted. So, we finishing this snowball fight or what?"

A competitive fire blazes in Anna's eyes.

"You're going down."

"Not likely," Elsa kneels to form a snowball. "I'm in my element."


Closing notes: Snow leopards are not endemic to Norway. They can be found in high altitudes on the continent of Asia. This is a 'special' snow leopard, I guess, like a spirit or something. I imagine Elsa would be quite taken with one.