Nina awoke the next morning to the sound of laughter. Rubbing her eyes, she went to the throne room, where she found Tingler telling Snow Miser a story. "...and then, I realized she couldn't understand because I had been speaking the language of lions the entire time!"

Snow let out a big, hearty laugh. "Oh, wow! She must have been really confused!"

"Yes! I had to tell her the announcement from the beginning in her language."

Nina approached them. "Good morning," she greeted, sleepily. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

"Hey, angel." Snow Miser got up and kissed her. "You're not interrupting at all. Your presence lights up any room."

Nina blushed, smiling.

Tingler told her, "We're glad you've joined us. I was just chatting with Snow Miser."

"This guy has some great stories," Snow said. "I didn't realize the Forest of Burzee was such a fascinating place!"

"It is a very beautiful place." He whinnied like a horse. "Mwiza. Falleg. Güzel. But I am looking forward to seeing other sites again."

"Have you traveled often?" Nina asked.

Tingler nodded. "Yes. I've been all over the world. Not lately, though, but I have seen many things."

Nina sat down, highly interested. "Could you tell us about the Forest of Burzee? I only faintly remember a little bit about it, and I didn't see much of it."

"Certainly. It is far away, hidden from the rest of the world. It is always springtime there; it never snows nor gets too hot. All kinds of flowers and trees and berries grow, and everyone and everything always have what they need."

"And what do you do there?" Snow asked.

"I am a teacher of languages. Everyone comes to me when they need an interpreter. I can speak nearly everything."

"That's incredible!" Nina exclaimed, impressed.

Clearly not used to the attention, Tingler told them, "It is what I am good at, and if I can provide my services to someone who needs my help, then that is what I must do."

"We hope you're enjoying your stay here," Snow told their guest.

"Oh, I am! I like the snow! This spot reminds me of the land of Hohaho."

"Hohaho?"

"It is not too far from here; I believe it is where Santa Claus lives."

"The North Pole?"

Tingler nodded. "Yes. That is the other name for it. We in the Forest call it by what it has been known as for thousands and thousands of years, perhaps longer."

"Your home must be very old."

"It is. The Forest of Burzee is one of the oldest places on Earth, and many of the residents are just as old."

"That is fascinating." Then, Nina yawned. "Excuse me. I'm a little tired. How did you guys sleep?"

"I slept very well, thank you," Tingler replied. "Your shed is very cozy."

"Snow Miser and his brother built it for me," Nina proudly stated.

"It is very warm and magical. You have beautiful roses, and the spot where the shed sets has green grass, though there is nothing else here but snow and ice."

"Yeah. I'm pretty lucky to have it, and to have people here who care about me."

Snow Miser, who had been watching Nina, carefully, ever since she yawned, couldn't hide his concern. "Can you excuse us?"

When their guest nodded, Snow then took Nina aside to another room. "Nina, what's the matter? You're usually an early bird, but you've been sleeping in a lot more, lately. I'm worried about you."

"I haven't been sleeping well," she admitted. "I have a lot on my mind."

Snow Miser held her hands. "Honey, whatever it is, you can tell me. We'll work through it together."

Nina paused, then sighed. "I'm worried about this whole thing with the Shapeshifter. So far, he hasn't been dangerous, but what if he tries to hurt the people I care about? What if I can't find him, and he ends up causing a lot of harm? It would be all my fault."

Snow Miser hugged her. "No, it wouldn't. He's making the choice to cause trouble; the blame is all on him. Besides, you're not alone. If you want me to, I can go with you when you make deliveries until this whole thing blows over, just in case you do run into him."

"You'd do that?"

"Absolutely! You're important to me, and I want to keep you safe." He kissed her forehead. "Now, what else is bugging you?"

"I'm nervous about the wedding. There's a lot to plan, and it's overwhelming."

"I understand, sugarplum. We don't have to do everything at once. We already have the spot and date picked out; that's a start, isn't it?"

When Nina nodded, he said, "See? We're on the right track. We'll take care of it. Things will work out."

Nina sighed in relief. "Thank you so much," she told her lover, more relaxed.

"Anytime, angel."

Tingler walked in and made whale noises. Snow Miser and Nina both looked at him, confused. "Oh, apologies. I said sorry for intruding, but you have a visitor."

Snow Miser and Nina went back into the throne room with Tingler following behind. Snow looked outside to see who the visitor was. Seeing it was Heat Miser, he let him in. "Well, this is an unexpected surprise. Nina, get me your camera so I can take a picture. This is truly a rare sight. Why, you hardly ever come over here."

"Oh, will you can it?" Heat said, grumbling. "I just wanted to ask Nina something."

"What is it?" Nina asked, kindly.

Heat fidgeted with his hands, avoiding eye contact. "I was wondering if I could still go with you to Southtown."

"Of course," she told him.

"What made you change your mind?" Snow asked.

Heat narrowed his eyes. "Well, you two can't just go traipsing around down there. You know how humans are. You're going to need someone else with you in case something goes wrong."

"We'd love to have you go with us," Nina stated.

"By the way, who's your boyfriend?" Heat Miser asked. At this, Tingler looked surprised, and he blushed.

"He's not our boyfriend," Snow informed him. "This is Tingler; he's a friend of ours who's staying here for a bit."

"It's nice to meet you, one who controls warm weather," Tingler said. "I have heard a lot about your brother and Lady Nina, but I have also heard of you, as well."

Heat raised an eyebrow. "They call me Heat Miser, thank you very much. I better be going."

"Leaving so soon? You just got here," Snow told him.

"I'm very busy and have a lot to do."

"Make sure you make time to pack a bag. We're leaving in 2 days," mentioned Snow.

"Fine. Whatever. It's not like I have much to take with me, as it is. See you around. I'll let myself out."

After Heat Miser left, Nina said, "I'm worried about him."

"Ah, he's always been that way. Don't worry so much," Snow told her. "Come on; we should start packing."