A/N: Sorry for not updating this last week. I posted a one-shot on Saturday. Check it out if you want. Scream. By the way,this is another story that happens before the movie.

A chilling wind passed by Phil and he turned, expecting to see Jack floating behind him with his usual smirk in place. When he saw nothing but an empty hallway, he paused in his steps and stared.

Thinking maybe Jack was hiding from him, he called out, telling Jack to stop playing games. He got an uneasy feeling when another breeze hit him.

This wasn't Jack's wind... it wasn't him... So what could it be?

He began running down the halls, trying to find the source of this strange chill. Down a couple corridors and he was in the globe room. Ice was everywhere. It crept up the walls, and had covered the floors on many of the different levels. A couple of yetis were in the room, and were having a hard time balancing themselves on the slippery surface. A few, Phil noticed, had and easier time than others, maybe because they joined in Jack's fun when he came around, so they were use to treading on ice.

Phil called down to them, and asked what happened. None of them could give him a clear answer, but something had obviously gotten into the pole... and it was in no mood to play games.

He ran to the other side of the room, keeping balance easily on the ice. When he got into the hall, there was a trail of frost and ice crawling across the floor and walls. He noticed that it, like the other trail he had followed, was heading towards the workshop. If it wasn't for the sick feeling he got, Phil could have thought this was all a game by Jack, just trying to get into the workshop again...

No...

What ever was trying to get in there now was a real threat to the pole, and Phil needed to stop it right now.

He started running down the hallway, trying to reach... what ever it was that had broken in. He passed by a yeti, and, without slowing his run, told him to get North. Tell him they had an intruder.

The yeti was off in an instant, realizing from Phil's expression, that this was a serious situation.

When the yeti reached North's personal workshop, he didn't even get a chance to knock or go in. The door opened on its own.

There North stood, his twin blades held in his hands, ready to strike at the foe.

"What is going on?" He asked, his voice firm and strong. The Russian stepped out of the room, and started to follow the yeti as the creature lead him towards the main workshop. They could both tell that what ever had gotten in... they were going to the very heart of the workshop.

After the yeti explained what he knew of the situation, North nodded and began giving instructions. "I want all yetis on alert. We need to keep workshop safe. Have yetis at all entrances, and try to find out what it is."

The yeti gave a growl, and nodded. At the next turn, he left North and set off to get the other yetis ready.

North continued down the hall. When another one of the strange winds hit him, he stopped and shivered. It felt all wrong... almost dark.

A cry came from his left, almost sounding like the wind itself was in pain. North turned and brought his swords up, running towards the sound, but he missed it. All that remained was a wispy ribbon like tendril of snow and frost. It soon disappeared before North could reach it.

He looked down the hall where it had fled, and watched as a bit of frost formed where it had turned off. A feeling of dread filled him as he realized what they were dealing with. They were back... He hadn't seen them for over 200 years... and now they had come again.

North shook his head and ran off after it, intent on destroying it, and warning the others about them.

:::

The yetis were in position, each holding a weapon. Phil, after making sure the others were ready, headed out to look for North. They had handed out the comm units to everyone again. They needed a way to communicate with each other... this thing moved too fast. They needed to know where it was at all times. Phil jogged down the hall, holding an extra radio, ready to give it to North when he found him.

Another breeze hit him, and Phil knew instantly where the intruder would be. After all those times with Jack... he knew how the wind would feel depending on where the winter spirit was coming from. He turned and threw his own weapon, a mace, down one of the hallways on his left. When he threw it, there seemed to be nothing there, but right before it hit the wall at the end, a light blue blur of snow and frost ran across the way, getting hit by the weapon.

It let out a cry and slumped to the ground. As it did, it gained a form.

It's eyes flashed a bright white, while the rest of its body took on the shape of a wolf. Swirls of gray and light blue surrounded it. It's body never really having a solid look to it. Tendrils of frost and ice constantly moved around the creature, but when it saw what had attack it, three bolts shot out towards Phil.

The yeti roared out, and charged. He dodged two of the attacks, but one grazed his shoulder. It sent a chill through him, but he didn't slow. The cold didn't bother him too much... he had taken far worse hits from Jack during their games.

The creature growled out as well, and sent a larger tendril shooting out towards the yeti. When Phil dodged it yet again, it shimmered and began to flee, the winds carrying it away fast then Phil could keep up with it.

As he watched it fly off, Phil grew worried. He hadn't seen those creatures in over 200 years... and he hadn't fought them for even longer.

They were dangerous winter spirits... They had control over snow, ice, frost... anything. And worse... they were drawn to hope, light, and wonder. Any happy emotions connected with their season, and they sought out to destroy it.

These winter spirits were not like others... they were beasts... they were wild. They couldn't be controlled or tamed.

Long ago, during the dark ages, when winter was never filled with light, they had been made by the negative emotions from humans. They were made from the fear and hate that always came with winter. No one had liked it... it was the season for death, nothing grew, nothing lived... nothing, except these evil creatures. They fed on the hateful feelings of winter, and would only make the season worse. They would make horrid snow storms, bring in harsh cold winds, and keep the season going long after it should have stopped.

They had begun to die off when the Guardians came. When winter started to be a season for giving, and thanks, and family. When people began having fun instead.

These creatures lost their power and fled to the nether regions where they still had some control. The North and South poles were the only place that they could make their own...

When North had first made his workshop, they had constantly fought these beasts, who could tell that, with this new palace in place, more belief and hope and joy would fill the season of winter. They tried to keep the yetis and North out, but they were over powered. They could never get into the pole and destroy it.

As time passed, they tried less and less, their powers weakened as winter became more fun and happy for everyone. Soon, they just stopped.

For the first while, North kept a watch out for them, but the years kept going and still there was no sign of the beasts.

It seemed like they had died out for good.

Until today.

Phil followed the trail that was left behind by the winter spirit, and tried to figure out how they could have gotten in.

He passed by an open door, but seeing it made him pause. He looked inside the room, his eyes going towards the large window. It was locked and shut... but not all of them were...

He had left one open... for Jack.

The kid had said he was going to come today, and Phil had opened a window for him. He thought back to it, and remembered that when he had first unlocked it, something seemed to tell him to stop, to not do it, he just had this uneasy feeling in him.. but he had brushed it off, telling himself that it was nothing. Jack was coming and would love to find himself invited in.

Phil had left the room, and ignored the odd chilling breeze that had come in, thinking it was just the normal winter wind coming in.

The yeti groaned and slammed a fist into the wall. How could he have done that? Why hadn't he just waited for Jack to come on his own, and open the window then.

He shook his head, and decided to just take care of the problem... it did him no good to think about the past and what he should have done. He brought up his own comm. Unit and called to the rest of the yetis. Most of them had gone to their color positions, like how they had done with Jack before. Each one patrolling the halls, looking for any sign of them.

A yeti garbled out to Phil over the radio, saying one just fled from the North-West wing, heading to the South.

Phil stiffened, his eyes shooting towards one of the hallways leading to the North-West wing. It should be heading right towards him.

A bright flash of blue caught his eyes, and Phil instantly charged the beast. It's eyes widened in surprised as the yeti seemed to have come from nowhere. It howled as Phil crashed into it. Frost and snow were sent flying as it smashed against the wall.

The yeti felt it disperse and become just wisps of winter. The cold chilling breeze carried the wounded beast away. Before Phil could make another move though, North collided into him.

"Ah! Phil!" The Russian exclaimed, his breath came short as he stood himself up, and helped his head yeti to do the same.

"Do you know what we are dealing with?" He questioned the yeti.

When Phil nodded, North quickly began giving instructions to him.

"We need to get them outside again. Once that happens, the fight will be much easier. We have never fought them inside the pole before. It will be different. We'll have to watch our footing, since ice will be everywhere. Outside, we did not have to worry about that, the snow made it hard for such slick ice to form... but our floors? It will be hard, but I know we can do it... we must." He finished off, glancing in the direction that the workshop was in.

If the creatures got in there, they would wreck havoc and ruin everything. If they got in there, Christmas would be very hard to pull off this year... and that would only make the beast stronger.

Phil nodded. He could handle the ice and frost. He had been handling them for years now. This time, though... no games, no fun. He had to make sure no one got into that workshop. North turned to go, but Phil stopped him, giving him a radio.

North looked at it and nodded. "Good idea. We should draw them all together, then get rid of them at the same time.

Phil growled his agreement and started off, running to the closest workshop entrance. Another breeze hit him and he instantly turned around, smashed his fist into the creature that tried to attack him from behind. It was thrown back and whimpered as it hit the floor. Another creature pounced at Phil, biting at his arm. When icy fangs dug into Phil, he let out a howl of pain. When he noticed ice began forming around the wound, growing up his arm, he grew worried.

More ice formed on the floor, and Phil, with the winter beast still clawing him, was unable to find his footing and fell to the ground.

The one who had been hit by Phil jumped to it's feet and snarled, ready to attack the yeti as well.

A growl of rage from down the hallway made all three of them turn. Another yeti raced forwards, his feet sliding perfectly across the ice. When he got close enough, he brought his weapon around and slammed it into the winter beast that was on Phil.

It was thrown off the yeti and flew right into the other one. They both lay on the ice, and their forms seemed to unstabilize, becoming more frost and snow then wolf. The wind picked up and the beast tried to flee, to regain their strength again, but Phil stood up and brought out a snow globe.

It opened a swirling portal, and the winds immediately began to be pulled into it.

The beasts, whose forms had almost been completely lost, were easily pulled into the portal as well.

The was a silence as the snow globe closed, and Phil looked at the yeti who had saved him. He was about to give his thanks when a piercing howl was let out. It seemed there were still more winter spirits in the pole... the two of them looked at each other, and nodded. They then set out, easily sliding on the ice and went towards where the other creatures were.

North, on the other hand, was having less luck then Phil and the yetis. He had already told the yetis over the comm. unit to gather all the winter spirits they could find into the South-West wing. It seemed some were already gathered there... and they were ready for the Russian.

He tried to fend off the beasts, but they came at him to quickly. Ice had formed underneath his feet, and North couldn't keep himself balanced and fight off the creatures. When one sent a tendril of frost at his face, he tried to block it, but the blast got in his eyes.

He was blinded for the moment.

And that moment was all the creature needed.

It growled and leaped towards it's prey, but before it could reach him, another yeti struck it. The wolf shook off the attack, and moved swiftly around the hall, trying to catch the yeti off guard. It didn't work, though. The yeti could easily follow it's movement, even with the ice on the floor. The winter beast growled in annoyance, but looked back towards North, still struggling to keep himself standing. Seeing the easier target, it shot off, ready to attack the Russian.

Phil turned round the corner, and saw the attack. He growled out his own battle cry, and slid forwards, using the ice to increase his speed. When he realized the creature would still make it to North before he did, Phil dug his claw into the ice and got a secure hold of it. He used it to turned sharply, and sent himself towards the wall.

Before he ran into it though, he used his legs, and pushed himself off of it, making him go even faster. He slid across the ground, and grabbed North just moments before the winter beast reached him.

North, surprised at being grabbed, fell to the ground. Phil released him, and dug his claw into the ground again, turning sharply to face the creature.

North looked at his yetis in surprise. They were all doing extremely well, fighting on the ice. It's like they had done it before... which was silly. When would they have had the chance to practice running around and chasing winter spirits on frozen floors?

He shook his head, and got back into the battle. There were still three more, and they were heading towards here to help their comrade.

Using his swords, he stood up, and balanced himself.

Just in time, too, because another beast jumped at him. This time, North used the ice to his advantage. Taking a page out of Phil's book, He slammed one of his blades into the ice, making sure it was firmly in there, then used it to turn and face the on-coming creature. He used his other blade to slash at it. At first it dodged, and sent a blast of ice at North, but then the Russian ducked, and pulled himself around his blade. Using the momentum, he gave the beast a mighty kick and sent it flying to the ground. It shimmered, and North knew that it would soon be weak enough to send back out. He'd rather do them all at the same time, though.

Static was heard over the noise of the battle, and North pause a moment to listen as the yetis reported that there were no other signs of the winter beasts. How ever many were in the South-Wing now were all that there were total. North smirked, and turned to see how the others were doing. He saw that they only had one beast left, the others were in their wispy state, to weak to fight on. The last creature huffed and was breathing harshly. It was already weak, but it didn't want to give up yet, even though it was surrounded by enemies.

It's eyes flashed white, filled with hateful anger, and it let out a howl.

Ice was shot everywhere. Frost crept up the legs of everyone, and made it so they couldn't move.

Phil frantically thought of what he could do, but his legs were almost frozen, and the wound he had gotten on his shoulder was now aching more then ever.

He looked at North, and saw that one of his swords was still free of the ice. The other was completely useless... but all they needed was the one.

Phil growled out, and caught North's attention. When their eyes met, North seemed to understand what the yeti was going to do. He gave a small nod, signaling that he was ready. Phil brought his hands up and slammed them into the thickening ice. Pain shot through both arms, but his shoulder wound made it seem even worse. It didn't matter though, when he heard a cracking noise, he knew he did a good enough job.

The ice cracked and broke, but one of his legs was still caught. He didn't pay that any heed, though. He just watched as the crack traveled towards North. The Russian had been close enough that the ice surrounding his own legs had cracked as well, letting North get out of the ice.

He jumped up, and looked the creature in the eyes. It stared, glaring at him with an evil look. All it could do was growl as North came closer. It had expanded all it's energy with that last blast... it was supposed to make it so none of them could move, giving the creature and it's companions enough time to recover and continue the fight...

North swung his blade, and slashed down at the creature, easily cutting away the weak frost tendril that tried to strike back.

It made one last leap at the man before North his it with his sword.

The creature fell, and become nothing more then frost and snow, swirling around, trying to escape.

North reached into his coat and brought out a snow globe, smashing against the ice, and opening the portal. When it opened, all the remaining creatures were pulled it.

He let out a deep breath of relief, and went about helping to release his yetis.

"Thank you, my friends." He said, as he got the last one out of the ice.

"I do not know how you fought so well against them... but it saved us. Without that, we would have lost this fight." He smiled at his workers, pleased with how they did.

The shared smiles between them, a few of them looking towards Phil.

North turned and started heading towards the kitchen, ready to relax a bit after that whole ordeal. Some of the other yetis joined him, but most returned to work, double checking that nothing had been ruined or damaged during the fight.

Phil was about to return to work when he felt a chilling breeze hit him.

He stiffened and immediately turned down the hall way, almost running towards the room he had felt it come from.

When he slammed open the door, he heard a startled yelp.

"Gah! Man! Don't scare me like that!" Jack breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that it was only Phil.

The yeti relaxed and realized that the 'chilling breeze' was just Jack's normal wind... It had had a friendlier feel to it... but Phil was still a bit jumpy from the attack that had happened just moments before.

Jack gasped and flew towards his friend. "Oh, man. Where'd that come from?" He pointed to Phil's shoulder, and the ice that surrounded it. Phil didn't say anything, but he noticed that Jack tensed up and was biting his lower lip.

"Reminds me of this one thing I saw. I-it was this weird creature that attacked me, giving me a nasty bite just like that. I think that was the first time I felt cold... like, actually cold. It was pretty freaky." Jack rambled a bit. His voice shook slightly, and he looked worriedly at Phil's shoulder. He reach out to touch the wound, and Phil wanted to pull away, not wanting the boy to touch it or make it feel worse, but Jack let his hand glaze over it, creating a light coating of frost between the wound and the sharp ice that surrounded it.

"There. Just don't put warm water on it. It makes it sting, really bad. You just have to wait for it to melt, shouldn't take too long. The frost should keep the ice from hitting the bite." He tried to smile at Phil, but the yeti could tell he was thinking about his own experience with those creatures.

He wasn't surprised that Jack had had an encounter with them. If they were still out there, then of course they would go after Jack. He was The Winter Spirit. The one who was making it light and happy for everyone. He was the one making it fun.

If Phil had known they were still out there, he could have prepared the boy... They obviously weren't a big problem for him, otherwise Jack would have told Phil about it awhile ago... but they had made some unpleasant memories for him.

The yeti growled out a question to Jack, asking if he knew what the creatures were.

Jack shook his head. "No... I just know I hate being around them... their powers seem..." He struggled to find the right word. "Dark." He settled with.

"Their snow, and frost... it's harsh and sad... angry... lonely" He mumbled the last word, and Phil understood what he was saying.

They reminded Jack of himself when he let all the negative emotions control his powers... when everything around him just becomes to much, and he can't hold it in anymore...

Phil brought Jack into a hug, trying to get him out of those thoughts. He shouldn't dwell on them.

He led the boy out of the room, and was going to bring him to one of the kitchens (not the one with North in it.) but when Jack saw all the ice on the floor, he laughed.

"Wow... this place is a mess, and for once, it wasn't me." He smirked up at Phil, then shot off down the hall, skating down it, and doing all these fancy tricks.

Phil watched him play. To think, just a few minutes ago, the winter beasts had been using this as their weapon to attacked the pole... and now Jack was using it for fun.

A thought came to the yeti, and he growled out to Jack, catching his attention.

'What?" Jack skated back, so he was closer to the yeti.

Phil asked the boy his question.

"How long have I been a spirit? Uh... 230, 240 years, I think..." He looked away from Phil, not meeting his eyes.

The yeti knew that Jack could have said the exact year... maybe even the exact day, but Phil didn't say anything about that now... no. He smiled when he heard that answer, because it explained so much.

It seems that Jack has been helping them more then he knew... just by being him, he has brought more light to winter then ever before.

He grabbed Jack before he could skate off again, and hugged him once more, giving him a 'thank you'.

Jack found it a bit weird, but hugged the big guy back. "Uh.. yeah... no problem."

Phil let him go, and watched as Jack hesitantly skated off. He kept looking back at the yeti, giving him this strange look, trying to figure out what he had done to get a 'thank you' from his friend... He was so focused on Phil that he didn't see a patch of normal ground. When his foot suddenly stopped sliding, he let out a startled cry and fell to the ground

Phil let out a bark of laughter.

"Not funny Phil!"