Well, hello everyone, I've a present for ya! Chapter 3! Sorry, I get way too excited about uploading new chapters. By the way, this chapter may hit you right in the feels 0.0 I'm sorry XD It may be confusing at first but this one is indeed set before the movie. Anyway, shout-outs!
sparklehannah: Aw, thanks! I'm glad you like each little bit. I definitely think Bunny has a soft side, whether he wants to admit it or not, haha!
GoddessOfTechnology: I'm glad you like it! Sorry, I do read through each chapter several times but errors just worm their way past my notice, thanks for telling me though! Why of course! I shall write it down and have a go! :D
Guest: I shall record it and see what I can come up with, thanks for the review!
Summary: An unexpected visitor joins Jack at his lake after a particularly lonely day of spreading winter for children that don't see him.
Chapter 3: The Unexpected Visitor
After a long night of spreading winter over Burgess's neighbouring towns, Jack Frost had nothing on his mind other than heading straight to his lake and relaxing in his favourite tree overlooking all his hard work.
Jack's bare feet sank into the thick snow blanketing the ground; his staff dragging lazily not far behind, leaving an icy trail in its wake. The young spirit gazed around his surroundings to admire all the sparkling icicles dangling from the tree branches as he wandered through the forest towards his lake. Of course, he could get there quicker if he flew, but then he'd miss the beauty of the frozen landscape if he did.
As the iced lake came into view, Jack smiled as the thought of having a nap in his favourite place. However, that plan was soon forgotten as Jack stopped dead in his tracks as he spotted a small figure hunched by the edge of the lake with their back to him.
What was a child doing out at this time in the morning? Especially on their own. Maybe they're lost? Jack frowned as he contemplated the answer.
Jack Frost was not one to simply walk away from nagging curiosity, so he slowly floated up so he was a few centimetres off the ground then flew around the figure until he was hovering over the middle of the lake, about 10 metres in front of the child.
The little girl's long brown hair fell in front of her face, hiding her features but her small hands seemed occupied drawing little pictures in the thin layer of snow that had covered the ice of the lake. The hem of her simple brown dress was darkened where the snow had soaked into the fabric.
Jack looked around the clearing, expecting to see the girl's parents or at least an older sibling, but the child seemed alone. His confused gaze turned back at the child as he floated just a bit closer. The winter spirit landed gently on the ice only a few metres in front of her and he sank down so he was sitting on the ice with his legs crossed, his staff laid across his knees and his brown cloak spread around him.
Of course, Jack didn't expect the girl to acknowledge his presence but that didn't matter. If the child was on her own in the middle of a forest then she needed a protector, Jack decided, and he wasn't just going to leave her on her own when all sorts of wildlife prowled through the undergrowth.
The young spirit was in such deep thought that he nearly had a heart attack when a small voice announced, "Isn't snow just so pretty? I love the way it sparkles."
Jack took a deep breathe to recover from the shock and smiled at the little girl's comment, thinking she was just talking to herself to fill the silence. However, he was surprised when the girl lifted her head and stared directly towards him. His eyes widened before he glanced around him to make sure no one had turned up behind him without him knowing.
Satisfied that no one else was present, Jack turned to face the girl again, "Y-you can see me?" To emphasise, the winter spirit leant far to the left. The little girl's eyes followed him. He leant the other way. The pair of brown eyes followed him. She must have found his actions comical as a smile broke out on her face and she giggled.
"Of course I can see you. You're sat right in front of me!"
"B-but how? How can you see me? No one can see me!" Jack said, shocked.
"Well, they mustn't be looking very hard then!" She concluded.
Suddenly, Jack's face lit up and he laughed, "You can see me! Yes! This is amazing!"
The girl joined in with his joyous laughter as the mystery boy in front of her stood up then flew off in a loop around the lake before coming to kneel back in front of her.
"You can fly! I thought I saw you floating before but I wasn't sure." The little girl mused.
"That's not the only thing I can do! Watch this!" Jack proceeded to form a snow ball in his hand before throwing up in the air where it exploded and showered the pair in softly falling snow.
"Woah! That's amazing!" The little girl threw her arms up and tried to catch as many snowflakes as possible. A sprinkling landed in her hair, where the white of the snow contrasted against the dark strands of her hair. "Can we play a game? Do you want to build a snowman?" She asked to her new friend.
The winter spirit grinned, "Of course we can!"
The pair started out by building a simple snowman but as the girl's imagination grew more creative, as only a child's can, sculptures of all shapes and sizes were invented. Creatures from dogs to bears and make-believe animals occupied the space around the lake's edge.
Hours passed by as Jack and the girl built snow sculptures then used them as cover during the many snow ball fights that followed. Laughter, cheers and yells rang through the forest but no danger prowled out from within the trees to ruin the day. However, neither did any family or friend come to collect their child from their playground. These thoughts never crossed Jack's mind as he interacted with someone from the mortal world for the first time in hundreds of years. The young child in Jack was able to play and forget about the responsibility of spreading winter, even if it was just for a few hours.
Before either of them knew it, the sun was just beginning to set. Shadows danced across the snowy ground as the trees seemed to set on fire in the orange light of the fading sun. Jack stood for a moment, admiring the scene around him. He glanced at his new friend and smiled, finally, truly, happy for the first time in years.
The little girl stood up from where she'd been building a small snow castle to face Jack.
"It's time to wake up, Jack."
Jack frowned in confusion, "What?"
"Wake up."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Jack blinked his eyes open. The rough bark of the tree dug into his back as he overlooked the empty lake. Light from the moon filtered through the trees to shine down and sparkle on the sheet of untouched snow on the ground below. He pulled his legs in closer to his chest and laid his head on his knees. A look of sadness crossed the young spirit's face before a small smile graced his lips. One day, Jack hoped that he would have memories to dream of and not just his mind creating scenarios to keep the loneliness at bay.
*Cough* Yes, 'do you want to build a snowman?' was completely on purpose. Ahh, let's see how many people I can annoy with one sentence XD (However, I am also a massive Disney fan sooo) Anywho, thanks for reading!
Until next time!