Sorry this post took so long. It's been a busy…month? Year? I've lost track.

Either way, I would like to humbly welcome my avid readers to another chapter.

Please don't forget to review with any thoughts, comments, or concerns as I'm always excited to hear from you!

After a short trip back to the clearing, the two disgruntled creatures collapsed back to the ground where, in moments, they curled up and drifted back to sleep. During their continued nap, the others made preparations for the night as well as a meal. It surprised them slightly that their companions would so easily sleep through food despite not eating all day, but one only had to recall how much Toothless ate during lunch and how little Jack was accustomed to eating regularly.

Once the camp was set and the food finished, they tried yet again to rouse them to no avail.

"Must've kept em up pas' nap time," Merida joked after having shaken the boy's arm in an attempt to wake him.

"As long as he's not having nightmares," Rapunzel added softly. "Still, though, it can't be healthy for him to sleep so much."

Hiccup, just returning from collecting more firewood and piling it up near the pit they created, offered reason. "Toothless always sleeps; he's like a cat. Jack, though, has had a long and trying few days. It's no wonder he's so exhausted."

"You've got a point, ah can't remember im 'aving slept a whol' night since we've been travlin'."

Rapunzel reluctantly nodded. "I guess." She didn't look any less worried.

"Let's just let them sleep a while longer. Hopefully they'll wake before the food gets cold, but if not, we'll just try again once we've finished. As long as they eat something, I'm alright with letting them rest." With Hiccups decision made, Merida jumped to her feet and rushed the boiling pot of stew to separate it into their newly-acquired dishes. Rapunzel took a moment longer to silently will the young sprite awake, but soon turned to the bowl she was being handed.

The air was quite as a breeze blew through the leaves and a true peace fell upon them with the last light of the sun. Shadows danced around them with the fire's flickering, but they were content to let it go as long as those dark figures remained lifeless. It wasn't long before they finished their meals and, once again, turned to wake the sleeping pair. Unlike the first few tries, however, they succeeded almost instantly as Jack shot into a sitting position; his eyes wide with an elusive hint of fear in that black-blue gaze. Toothless sensed his distress and popped his eyes open with an immediate alertness in his expression, but seeing no danger, warbled in annoyance and laid his head back down as if ready for another nap.

"Hey, bud, you gotta stay conscious for another second so you can get some food in you. Fish don't last as long as you want them to and you know it." Said dragon huffed at his rider's words, but complied nonetheless when a large basket of fish was drug before him. It only took a second for the beast to begin devouring his meal.

Jack took a bit longer to respond when Merida held his food out to him. If they weren't mistaken, there was a hint of hesitance in him as he reached out for the bowl. As if he expected her to pull it away just as he grabbed for it. When he finally had it in his thin hands, he smile widely and blew cold air into it before inhaling every drop. He'd finished a bowl and a half before his eyes began to pull closed.

Hiccup, having cleaned up after Toothless' massacre, gently took the dinnerware from the drowsing boy before he managed to face-plant into the food. Rapunzel took his shoulders and carefully maneuvered him back to lean against the dragon who, after having eaten so much in one sitting, was barely able to open one eye enough to see what was rubbing against his side. When seeing it was his new little cub, he purred softly and closed his eyes fully; breaths evening out to signify his passing into the dream world. Responding to the Night Fury's rumbling purr, winter's child curled into the black scales and unconsciously burrowed into his wings until only his pale feet shown from under the make-shift blanket and white hair poked overtop.

It was not easy to keep from crooning at the adorable sight, but the teens managed it before wrapping themselves into the nests they created for themselves. Hiccup, however, gave his best friend a quick pat on the head as he settled on the dragon's unoccupied side.

Of course, their rest was rudely interrupted by a frightening gust of freezing cold wind.

Having fewer blankets, Hiccup shivered uncomfortably before blearily opening his cemented eyes. He trailed his gaze towards the only possible source of this weather, but did not find the same sight he had seen before falling asleep himself.

Jack was standing completely still in the center of the lake, staff clenched tightly in his hand, and his eyes drawn off towards a small shadow figure a short distance away from him. The young sprite was speaking to it, but the Viking couldn't hear a word. It was as if there was some kind of filter between the two seeing as the silence continued even though it became obvious that Jack wanted to shout towards the small shape. Distress lined his pale face as he raised his hand in an aborted reach toward the figure that appeared to disappear under the ice, though it remained whole. Jack tried turn away from whatever he was seeing, but his eyes were somehow glued to his spot.

As the moonlight danced between the writhing shadows, Hiccup caught a glimpse of the boy's gaze and gasped at the amount of black overpowering the blue. Jack wouldn't last much longer if this was truly the sign of mental warfare. Jagged spears of ice suddenly tore out around him as if vying for protection from the unseen enemy as a thin layer frost covered the trembling form.

Pulling himself to his feet with the help of the dragon's front paw, the Viking hurried his way passed the girls and towards his new friend, only hesitating when attempting to tread ice with his prosthetic. Taking it one step at a time, he managed to dodge the intimidating spikes and make it over to the boy without a single mishap.

"Not bad for a guy with one leg, huh?" He joked lightly, trying to pull the young sprite's attention to something more pleasant.

It did not work as planned, but the silence between them didn't last long. "I was here." The words were quite, almost a whisper in the waning darkness of night.

Hiccup nodded gently, "Yes, you told us that this is the place you first remember waking up."

"No," Jack said, a dark look of concentration aging his features, "no, this is where it happened. This is where I…I think I died." Blue/black eyes slowly fell to the ice below him and seemed to sink into their depths as if searching for something under the frosted surface.

The human had little understanding of what was being admitted, but he knew he didn't like the implications. Those dark words continued before he was able to speak.

"I tried to save her…I think I did, but I…I can't remember…What if I didn't…What if I failed? I destroy everything I touch."

"Don't say that!" Hiccup demanded, uncharacteristically serious. "I don't know what Pitch has been telling you, but look at what you can do!"- he gestured to the shards surrounding them –"You create snow, you form ice, you can speak to the wind- can fly. That's not a curse, Jack, that's a gift and you've done wonders with it, I know it! You're not a mess-maker. They're not messes, they're fun. Freezing lakes, snowball fights, sledding, winter isn't just cold and dangerous; neither are you. You find the light in things, Jack, that's your gift and I won't stand aside while monsters like Pitch try to take that away from you. I don't know what's happened in your past, but I know that if there was someone here who needed saved you did everything you could to do so. Even if it all didn't go to plan; I know you were a hero either way."

Jack's gaze stayed locked with his for a few extended moments before it was broken by a soft smile from his thin lips. "Thank you."

Matching his smile with a wider one of his own Hiccup opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted with his own gasp of alarm as his prosthetic finally decided to give into the ice. His arms instantly caught onto the thin arms of the boy before him who now held an expression of mild amusement mixed with slight concern. Rather than cater to the worry, the Viking laughed at himself in his attempts to steady his footing and stand alone. Jack silently created a short pillar of ice beside the human for him to hold onto.

"I wondered how long this thing would last. Never really agrees with ice on the best of days." Hiccup finally managed to relax his stance with a light grip on the pillar, but his attention was snapped away from his posture when Jack spoke.

"Sorry about that."

Confusion lined the older boy's face. "What are you talking about?"

Jack glanced up at Hiccup's face before returning his stare to his own bare feet. "I tried to stop you from falling that day, but I couldn't catch you because you didn't believe in me. Wind would have taken the fire with her so I couldn't boost you back up towards Toothless and the fire was too hot to put out before you got hurt." Guilt was prevalent in his shoulders as if he fully expected his new friend to agree with the sentiment and hate him for his failure, but Hiccup didn't even consider it.

"Jack," he began softly, placing a gentle hand on the boy's upper arm, "I don't blame you for anything. It was my fault for putting myself in that situation and not planning out an escape route before it became a problem." Jack began to argue, but wasn't given a chance as Hiccup hurried his words along. "I know you did all you could and I can't thank you enough for that because I know, without a doubt, that I would not have survived if not for your interference. Plus, if we thought it was your fault, do you think Toothless would have taken to you the way he has? He knows just as well as I do that you saved our lives that day."

Tears formed in those big eyes as they registered what Hiccup has said. Gauging the honesty and finding no lies, Jack found that he could no longer hold in the crystals that were soon running down his cheeks.

Another hand found rest on the opposite arm until they managed to pull the young sprite into a hug. Despite the comforting position, the boy remained stiff in the Viking's hold causing him to let go after a quick moment. The sentiment, however, was not lost on the winter sprite and he appreciated the comfort. An honest smile was shared between the two boys and the world seemed to pause around them.

Their moment was interrupted before another word could be spoken by a harsh rustling of bushes just outside of their sanctuary. Hiccup didn't hesitate to pull Jack behind him as he placed himself in the way of the possible threat. Sensing the unease of his rider, Toothless was startled from his sleep, his low growling bring the girls back into reality. They took far longer than their reptilian friend to understand the danger lurking nearby, but once they felt the tense air, they pulled out their respective weapons and unsteadily stood at the ready.

Without care to the defensive group it was nearing, the rustling continued to edge closer until it stopped just before it passed the line of foliage blocking it from view. It only paused a moment, though, until it pounced out of its leafy camouflage and nimbly dodged the arrow Merida expertly shot towards it.

"Oi! Watch yer'self, ya gumby!" A loud and thickly accented voice called grumpily. Regaining balance enough to face the group of travelers, the figure rose to its full height and began running sharp, green eyes over each one of them as if looking into their soul.

No one was able to breath, let alone speak as they regarded the creature before them. Standing well over 6ft tall, it took the appearance of a rabbit that just forgot to stop growing. It was clearly a male going by his deep voice, covered in tribal tattoos and had enough weapons to take on an army, though, this only made the grips they had on their own means of protection all the tighter.

A scowl formed on his face as his gaze landed on their youngest. "You," he said sharply, "It's you."

Hiccup stepped completely in front of Jack until the boy had to peak around his much taller friend to even catch a glimpse of the strange sight.

"The Easter Bunny?" winter's child asked cautiously, as if afraid breaking the tense silence would begin a war.

Merida caught the words and widened her eyes dramatically. "Wha'? Tha's the Easter Bunny?"

Rapunzel gasped, almost dropping her trusty frying pan in surprise, but the Viking just lowered his brows in a show of confusion.

"Yes, ah'm the Easter Bunny. Now, lower yer weapons. Ah'm not here ta' hurtcha. Jus' wanna talk to tha' one." He pointed a stubbed finger towards Jack who held his staff in a white grip.

"Why do you want Jack?" Hiccup asked with just enough light in his voice to not sound threatening, but not too little as to sound friendly.

The rabbit didn't have a chance to answer before the boy in question began to chuckle quietly. When curious eyes turned to him, he could only give a quick explanation of 'kangaroo' as he was too busy bursting into gut wrenching laughter; only able to stand by leaning on his staff. Following suit, Merida crowed in amusement and it wasn't more than a moment later when Rapunzel couldn't hold back her own bought of giggles. Jack's laughter proved, once again, to be all-too contagious as even Toothless joined in on the joke. Hiccup, still holding onto his composure enough to stay on guard, found himself unable to help a smile.

Of course, the newcomer didn't find it as funny. "Enough!" he all but roared, forcing the clearing into silence and Jack closer behind the Viking. Delicate frost responded to the mood in the air and began to spiral around the two boys as the humans' weapons were back at the ready. The Easter Bunny rubbed his fingers between each eyes as if too stressed to continue. "Ah didn't come here ta be mocked, ya hear?"

"Then what did you come here for?" Rapunzel asked with a hint of steel in her normally jovial voice.

Regaining his stature, the rabbit narrowed his eyes on Jack. "Ah came because I felt a light go out." There was no answer past confusing glances shot at one another so the rabbit continued. "My name's E. Aster Bunnymund, or jus' Bunny, 'nd ah'm a Guardian of Childhood. It's my job ta' keep hope up in th' children of th' world, so ah can feel it whenever one loses tha' hope."

The implication lied heavily within the minds of the humans while Jack just scowled in slight understanding.

"I'm not a child."

"No, you're not, but somehow ah could still feel it when ya lost yer belief." He explained, expression as skeptical as the humans'. "Ah've come here ta see why tha' is. Because I shouldn' be called every time some random winter sprite, 'specially one tha's responsible for runnin' Easter, gets sad."

Jack didn't answer, but rather let his multi-colored eyes fall to his feet. To the others' surprise, his face betrayed the bitter resentment he was trying to hide. Before another word could be said, he took off into the sky with only a glance back down towards his companions as if to tell them he would return.

Once they moved, it was as if the light had caught the boy's eyes just enough for the rabbit to gasp. "Wha's goin' on with his eyes?"

Distrust was clear as day in every line of the group's face as they reguarded the overgrown rabbit. Jack had told the of his brief and violent interaction with Bunny in '68 (the second spirit to meet and inevitable wrong the boy), but the consideration that perhaps the newcomer could help seemed to trump their silence.

"We don't know," Hiccup admitted carefully, "We only noticed it a short while after meeting him for the first time. It's gotten worse, though."

"We think it may have something to do with Pitch," Rapunzel added.

Merida nodded, but left the explanation to those who noticed more than she had.

Bunny's ears went completely straight at the mention of the shade's name. "Wha' do ya know about Pitch?" It was more of a demand than a question, but it was answered all the same with a very brief overview of their few encounters.

There was far too much accusation in the creature's voice to bring out anymore trust in them, but they soon found that they didn't need to pine for an answer. A huge gust of wind cut off anything Bunny could say in response, almost knocking them over in its intensity. Wordlessly, it seemed to urge the group in the direction that Jack had flown off. Gasps erupted amongst the humans as the realization hit them.

"Jack's in trouble," Hiccup shouted over his shoulder as he swung atop Toothless as the dragon tore out of the clearing; the girls were hot on his heels. Bunny, however was left behind in complete confusion, deciding to report back to the Guardians before interfering. Surly these humans were mistaken anyway. No use wasting his time on some show pony.

Careless to the fact that the supposed 'guardian of childhood' was no longer with them, the four mortals followed the pull of the wind and soon found themselves face-to-face with a confrontation between their young friend and the shadowed enemy. The urge to interrupt whatever was happening, proved fruitless as a dark cloud of sand rushed towards them until they were all thrown into unconsciousness.

Waking up did little to ease Hiccup's worry. It took a moment for him to recall what exactly had happened, but he could only hope the memories were just of the nightmare he had been forced into.

Lifting his sand-crusted eyes, he regretfully found his hopes in vain as Jack's staff lay before him as its owner stood- one pale light facing an endless wall of darkness. Hiccup immediately found that he was unable to move a muscle in support.

Fighting the invisible hold for everything he was worth did nothing to shift him, but the Viking was able to discern that he was not the only one awake. It seemed as both girls were already struggling to free themselves as was Toothless who was also crooning in despair at the sight of the young cub facing the enemy alone.

They could only watch as Pitch stepped out of the darkness and began to circle Jack's now motionless form. Gaining flinches with whatever he was telling the boy made it clear that winter's child was not retaliating well. He needed help.

"Jack!" Rapunzel tried desperately, tears forming in his large, green eyes. "Please, Jack! Can't you hear me?"

Merida took up post as well, hoping beyond anything that they would be able to break through the barrier. "Common, Snowflake! Ya' gotta break outta this! Ah know ya' can do et!"

"Fight back, Jack." Hiccup didn't shout. He didn't even raise his voice higher than an urging whisper, but by some miracle, the boy seemed to have heard his plea.

Large, teary eyes that held more shadows than their normal blue, snapped towards them with too many emotions for them to decipher. He blinked for a moment, as if confused before sharp fingers pulled his chin back to face Pitch.

Something about even that simple interaction seemed to lessen the wall between them as they were now able to hear the conversation; however one-sided it was.

"I don't appreciate being ignored, Jackson. Not all of us are accustomed to such a reaction."

Pitch's words were chosen carefully, this made clear by the length of his pauses between them, but no one could say that they weren't doing their job as Jack's gaze fell to the ground despite the hand still forcing his head up. Black lines poured out of the shade's pointed fingers and ran up the sides of the frostling's face like veins only to disappear into his eyes.

Those dark orbs quickly filled with the shifting shadows as they completely took over the blue of the sprite's true nature. A long, sudden breath was forced into the boy's lungs as Pitch closed his free hand over Jack's open mouth and nose. Choking on whatever was being forced into him, the young sprite began to struggle in the enemy's grip; already too weak to break away. Cries from the audience of humans were blocked by the invisible barrier between them and the horrible sight of their friend being corrupted, but there was little more they could do than continue the fruitless fight against whatever was holding them back.

Finally, Pitch's face broke into a cheerless grin and he unceremoniously dropped the writhing child to the ground where he fell into a motionless heap at the Nightmare King's feet. Occasional tremors wracked his thin frame as the dark veins on his face spread completely through him, only to disappear once reaching the tips of his fingers and toes. Shadows lurked towards the hapless boy and swallowed him into a sea of darkness that began staining his pale skin a light ash, his hair the color of a raven, and his once-bright cloak an endless black only interrupted by the expanding edges of frost that was reacting to the boy's waring emotions.

No sound could be heard from the young sprite, though his mouth was open as if silently calling for help. Standing above the sorry sight, Pitch only chuckled darkly and began helping the darkness along.

"Give in, child. Soon you will be mine. No help will come from those useless guardians or your weak companions." At the mention of the humans, Jack seemed to get a surge of strength to fight back with, but it was all-too-easily snuffed out by those unceasing words. "You're immortal, dear Jackson. Do you know what that means? It means you will outlive them. You will watch as time takes them one-by-one. They will leave you alone; just as unseen and unheard as they found you."

At his command, Jack began to still. Slight shivering seemed to be his only sign of life as he breathed the writhing shadows around him. The air soon cleared of the wispy darkness and the young sprite blinked widely. Pitch's chuckle sounded far too confident to ease any of the spectators' worry, but it proved true as the next words were whispered menacingly through the tense clearing.

"Stand."

The command was simple, velvet in that deep voice, obeyed.

The boy stood slowly as if unsure. Confusion seemed prevalent in his pale features, but the obvious devotion almost broke the hearts of those watching.

"Master?" a small, lost sound escaped the changed frostling, but this only served to widen the shade's grin.

Holding out a dark hand towards the boy, Pitch didn't betray even a hint of surprise as Jack almost lunged to his side. Turning him to face his old companions, the Nightmare King reveled in the completed despair marring the spectator's faces.

"I would like to introduce you all to my little Prince of Nightmares," Pitch sneering proudly.

Almost clueless to what was happening, Jack simply smiled at the title and pressed the side of his head into the shade's chest.

Now able to see the boy completely, Hiccup fought the urge to cry out, to scream, to anything. Winter's child no longer resembled anything of the sort. His skin, though it held on to its unearthly pale, was now tinted a sickly gray meant only for the dead or dying. White hair had been completely taken by black save for small bits of light stubbornly shining through. Even his clothes had changed as his pants were a slightly darker shade and his cloak the color of the darkness holding him hostage. It was his eyes, however, that tore the strong Viking's heart into pieces. No more were the wide, curious, blue depths that spoke of child-like curiosity, optimism, and mischief; in their place were now orbs of black with a sliver of the poisonous gold of the enemy's just around the pupil.

The child now truly looked like the Nightmare Prince he had been forced to become.

Rapunzel and Merida were throwing insults and curses at Pitch, no doubt just as horrified as Hiccup was, but he managed to stay silent. Toothless settled for a deep throated growl that, while low enough not to be heard, was far more deadly than any other warning his prey would receive. Should the dragon not have been restrained, Hiccup hos no doubt the Nightmare King would be but a pile of ash within the blink of an eye.

Responding to the harsh words, Jack straightened his stance and tilted his head in confusion. Why were these humans insulting his master? Why was his master allowing it? Was he waiting for the right moment? Or did he expect Jack to silence them. That must be it! The boy's mind clouded with a fog as the thought came over him. Almost as if he wasn't in control of his own body, his legs shuffled forward closer to the now-sputtering humans. Once he was close enough, he distantly felt himself reach for his familiar staff and point it towards them.

Silence overcame them at the wordless threat.