The cool wind caressed his face as he walked through the field. The sun was barely up in the sky, not that he expected it to. The clouds were perfectly in line, suggesting that it could rain later, or bet yet - snow! And, of course, Jackson was watching the sheep eat and play with a fond smile.

Jack swung his staff loosely in his hand as he watched them. They were a curious bunch. Many were very young in terms of age (especially the black one!), but they were overall very well behaved. A smile crossed his features when one of them walked towards him. He smiled fondly at the little black sheep.

"Hey, Cece. Are you done eating?" Little black eyes blinked at him before she headbutted his leg playfully. He laughed softly. "Okay, okay! I guess it is time to get back!"

The black sheep stayed close to him as he went to herd the other sheep back home.

Night watched her master from a distance. She couldn't leave him alone, even if the enemies were still at the North Pole. She had to keep him safe. She watched with interest as a black mammal rammed its head on Master's leg. Master laughed and went to herd the other white mammals. The black one still walking next to him.

Night tilted her head to the side. What did Master call them again? Sheep? Yes, sheep! That was it.

She stomped her hooves at her discovery. The sheep were cute and fluffy. The black one was small, though, very small.

She blinked when she felt the tug. What did Creator want?

Night gave Master one more glance before walking into the shadows.

Night appeared in the lair seconds after she felt the tug. She tilted her head as she materialized in front of Creator. Night blinked. Creator looked frantic. His hair was messy as if he got caught in one of Mother Nature's hurricanes. His robe was untidy and uneven, and he had a scowl on his face.

"Morning Creator," she greeted. "Did something happen?"

Creator sigh. "No, not really." He attempted to fix his hair. "I was just trying to figure out what to get Jackson for his birthday."

Night tilted her head. "He doesn't want anything, though."

"I know!" Creator growled. "That's the problem! This is going to be the first time we will celebrate his birthday as a family! I have to give him something!"

Creator began pacing around the room, looking stressed out. Night watched him silently as he paced. Night blinked as Creator reached to grab a golden locket from around his neck. Night excitedly stomped her hooves, getting Creator's attention, as she got an idea.

"What is it?"

"Why don't you get him a locket, like the one you have around your neck?"

Creator blinked as he stared at the locket around his neck. After several second a smile, slowly, appeared on his face. "That is actually a good idea. Maybe a picture of me and Emily will do," he said more to himself than to her.

"And you might want to ask Mother Nature about making it snow." Creator's invisible brows furrowed as he gave her a questioning look.

"Why may I ask?"

"Master was hoping that it could snow on his birthday!"

Creator sighed, loudly. She wasn't sure if it was because of the snow or because Jackson wanted it to snow. "I'll ask Emily, but I can't promise anything." Creator then glared at her. "And no traveling to the South Pole or penguins in my lair."

Night flicked her tail. "Wouldn't think of it."

"Be very careful about what you tell your father, Mother Nature," Father Time spoke softly as they snuggled on the bed. He rubbed her back soothingly as she sobbed softly. "Young Jackson Overland's death can not be stopped."

She sniffled. "But father could-"

"It wouldn't matter," he said sadly. "His name is on Death's list."

Emily sighed sadly as she sat on her throne. Death's list? Tears began to well up in her eyes as she thought about her uncle. Her poor, young uncle will die? He was too young! He hadn't had the chance to live his life! He was still a child! A child! A child should not be growing up so fast and doing work that an adult should do. A child should be able to have fun...to be a happy, laughing child. A child shouldn't be worrying about helping the family, or herding the sheep, or getting some rabbits for dinner.

Emily pressed a hand to her mouth, stifling her sobs. He's just a child. Why? Why him?

Emily's mind was in turmoil as she thought and thought about Jackson and his life being cut short. Emily was barely aware of the raging storms formed by her conflicted emotions. She was barely aware of the dark clouds engulfing the white fluffy clouds above. She was barely aware of them spreading and pouring on the world. She was barely aware of the sea and ground, reacting to her emotions, creating minor quakes and violent waves as it collides with the land.

Emily wasn't aware of anything until she heard her father's voice. "EMILY!"

Emily blinked her blurry eyes and focused her vision on the person in front of her. Strong hands were gripping her shoulders firmly. The figure, who she assumed was her father, shook her shoulders as he yelled for her to calm down.

"EMILY! EMILY! CALM DOWN, SWEETHEART! YOU'RE CREATING NATURAL DISASTERS OUT THERE!"

It took a moment for her to feel the unbalance of nature's patterns. With a sigh, Emily closed her eyes and forced herself to calm down, calming the weather as she did so. When she opened her eyes, she stared into her father's concerned, searching ones. Her father was clearly searching for what was upsetting her.

"What are you doing here father?" she asked, noticing the corners of his mouth twitching down.

"I came to ask for a picture of us and for a favor," he told her with a frown still graced on his features, his eyes still searching. "What's wrong Emily? Why were you crying?"

Emily averted her eyes at her father's questions. She didn't want to see his crushed expression when he finds out about Jackson's death.

"Emily?"

"Father Time," she choked out.

"What about him?" her father asked, his voice took on an edge that suggested his dislike for the spirit.

"He saw...Jackson's death…"

She was met with silence. From the corner of her eye, Emily saw the shadows grow and quiver, showing her father's distress. Emily slowly looked up at her father and froze. There was only one word to describe his expression and that was pure horror.

"Koz! Oh, Koz!" Jackson frowned as he got no response. Where was he? "Koz, are you home?" he called again as he stared at the hole in the ground, the entrance to his brother's lair. Jackson tapped his staff on the ground nervously, wondering if his brother was even home. He continued to stare at, hoping his brother was home.

Jackson sighed in disappointment. He really wanted to spend some time with his older brother before going home. Flee was still in school for three more hours. Jackson pouted and stared at the hole in disappointment.

Honestly, he would go in himself, but he wasn't sure how far the hole was. Night usually shadowed him and Flee through a shadow. He hoped Kozmotis would put a ladder for them eventually.

"Where could he be?" Jackson asked to no one in particular. "I know he knows it's my birthday, so where could he be?" Jackson continued to stare at the hole as he thought about where his brother would go at this hour of the day.

Jackson's frown deepen as he remembered the conversation he had with his brother the week before.

"Koz? What's wrong?" Jackson asked his older brother as he finished telling them a bedtime story. Flee had fallen asleep through half of it.

Kozmotis sat at the edge of the bed with an annoyed expression on his face, suggesting that he was thinking hard about something. "What do you want for your birthday?"

Jackson blinked at the question. "Nothing."

Kozmotis looked at him, incredulously. "Nothing? There has to be something you want. Clothes? Money? Shoes, maybe?"

Jackson smiled tiredly at his brother. "Koz, I already have everything I want," Jackson said over a yawn. "I have my family, my friends, Emily and you. I don't need anything; I have everything I have ever wanted."

Jackson ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "I told him I don't want anything," he said with a sigh. Though, Jackson couldn't stop the small smile that crept on his face. "I wonder what he's getting me, though?"

Jackson's death? Those words repeated in Pitch's head like a curse. He collapsed onto a chair that the shadows created for him. Pitch stared at his daughter blankly as he tried to process everything she told him.

He will die...at the hands of the Guardians… The thought made the shadows grow in anticipation of an upcoming fight. They sensed his anger and hatred for the Guardians and his fear for his brother's life. The Guardians had taken much from him over the last several decades. But to learn that his own brother's name was already on Death's list, and there was no way he could stop it…

The very thought made Pitch want to cry. He wanted to destroy the Guardians before they could take his baby brother away from him. Pitch wanted to shadow Jackson to a safe place, but there was no place like that. Jackson and his family would not go for it. Jackson would rather fight and protect his home.

Pitch rubbed his face with his hand in frustration. What am I going to do? Jackson can't die. Not now, not so soon...

"Happy Birthday Jackson!" Jackson smiled at his friends. Tears filled his eyes as he inspected his surroundings after the blindfold was removed.

I can't believe they did this for me, Jackson thought as he eyed the decorations on the trees. They were currently in a clearing that bordered between their village and the Indian Tribe. He remembered finding this place two years ago with Ali. The area was spacious enough for them to play around and eat. It was also well hidden, thanks to the trees; so no one, who weren't his close friends, would be about to find them.

Jackson looked at the area in awe. His sister, Ali, Ellen, Lina, Jamie, Caroline, and Jonas all smiled at him with huge grins on their faces. Jackson wiped away a few tears from his eyes.

"You guys are the best! I don't know what to…" Jackson's voice trailed off and his eyes grew wide. His sister and the rest of his friends all gawked in surprise as cold, white fluff began falling from the sky.

"SNOW!"