"Crikey!" shivered Aster. "WHY?! Why does it always have to be snow and ice?!"
"Shut up Kangaroo." Huffed Jack. Aster flinched. He was not used to Jack like this, bitter and angry, ready to rip the heads of anything and anyone getting in his way. Which, for some reason was a bit of a turn on as well as scary.
"Aster is right." Shivered Mother Nature. "We Spring spirits don't do well in the cold. Even North can't take much more of this, and he's based up here."
"It's like Winter only wants Jack..." said Tooth.
"I'm sorry Jack, but we need to warm up." Said Mrs. Clause. Jack nodded, eyes turning dark.
"You huddle up." He said, making a big igloo out of snow and ice. "I'll look ahead. Old Man winter is tricky, maybe more so than me. I'll check for traps."
"Jack-" began Aster, only to be silenced by a cold finger to his mouth.
"Aster, he can't do as much damage to me as he can to you." Said Jack. "He trained me. I know enough about him to have a good guess at his reactions, and he can't freeze me. I could disable anything he throws at us, or take the hit. It might wind me to be hit with any of his magic, but that's about it. Trust me, I'll be back." Aster bit his lip, obviously not wanting to let him go.
"Frostbite, don't go alone." He said. "Sandy can take the cold better than us, even a yeti."
"He's less likely to notice me if I go alone." He said, looking Aster in the eye. "Sandy is too easy to see in the snow. I promise I won't go too far, and be back soon." He lightly pecked aster on the lips and lifted off, disappearing into the blizzard.
"Something feels wrong." Said Aster. "If Old Man Winter didn't want us to come after him, why just throw a blizzard? The Blizzard of '68 was worse than this. Not as cold, but you couldn't see a foot in front of your face!"
"As Jack said, Winter is sly." Said Mother Nature. "Not even Father Time can tell what he's thinking. He's just to unpredictable, like all winter spirits."
"You can say that again." Huffed Aster, paw thumping worriedly.
"Calm down." Said North. "Being away from Jack hard, but he right. Winter Spirit pretty safe against other winter spirit. Besides, he back soon. Just get warm and search resume." Mrs. Clause snorted.
"Something tells me Jack ditched us." Said Mrs. Clause. "Foolish boy doesn't want us hurt."
"What?!" yelped Aster, jumping up. "Then why didn't you stop him?! Winter could rip him apart!" Mother Nature touched Aster's shoulder, forcing him back down with a calm expression on her beautiful face.
"Because Winter will not harm a winter spirit." Said Mother Nature. "Jack is like his family in a way. Like I am considered the steward of spring and life, he is the same with winter. Jack is a winter spirit, so he will be safe from him. Jack knows this. He hopes to get Joy back safely, with no harm coming to anyone. He is quite sweet, and just as stubborn as you always were." Aster huffed, eyes narrowing at Mother Nature.
"I don't give a damn." Said Aster, getting up. "I'm not letting him walk into that rat bastard's traps alone." Before anyone could stop him, Aster darted off into the storm, ignoring the icy daggers of cold, snow and ice digging into his fur.
"Aster, no!" yelled Tooth.
"This cannot end well." Sighed Mrs. Clause.
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Jack touched down at the ice palace, his chest cold. He hated lying to Aster, but it was the only way. Old Man Winter might listen to him, and if he did, nobody had to get hurt. As he slipped through the halls, the sound of loud screeching slowly filled his ears, the hairs on the back of his neck bristling. He knew those cries, and slowly the pale white in front of him faded to red as he dashed through the halls, following the distressed sobs.
"Joy!" Jack saw the kit, sitting in a small ice crib, sobbing her eyes out, in the middle of a massive Ice hall. Hearing her Mother, Joy turned her head and cried out, arms up to Jack.
"Mama!" Jack quickly picked her up, holding her tiny little body close, feeling her hot tears on his neck and hoodie as her sobs faded to hiccups.
"As expected, you came alone." Said a shaky voice, ice walls closing off the doors as Jack's forgotten staff entered the old spirit's hands.
"Winter, give me back my staff so I can kick your ass." He hissed, still holding Joy.
"No." He said. "This is for your own good. Spring must not touch a winter spirit. The kit can adapt. You will not be leaving this palace again." Jack's eyes narrowed, arm shielding Joy.
"You can't hide me forever." Said Jack. "The guardians will come looking. Aster is probably already searching. Good thing about having an over-protective mate, is that he's probably not far behind."
"They will never find the entrance." Said Winter, hovering above Jack. "Not even Father time can find me."
"But the Man in the Moon can!" Jack pointed up at the hole in the ceiling, Manny's light shining through. "They will find us, and then you're icy ass will be handed to you on a silver platter, if Aster doesn't get to you first." Jack yelped as the ice shook, icy bars growing from the floor around them, morphing into a large, ornate bird cage.
"Don't get your hopes up." Snarled Old Man Winter, glaring at the frost spirit and kit, flying off through a raised entrance. Jack turned his attention to Joy, who was curled up happily in his arms, not a scratch on her. Sighing, he leaned against the cage bars, running his fingers through Joy's soft white fur.
"Daddy?" she squeaked, eyes a bit red from crying.
"Don't worry." Said Jack, kissing her nose. "Daddy is coming."
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"Crikey..." Aster looked up at the icy spires, North, Tooth, Sandy, Mother Nature and Mrs. Clause looking up in awe.
"That's one big ice cube..." said Mrs. Clause, whistling.
"Jack's inside." Said Aster, seeing the footprints in the powdery snow. Grabbing his boomerangs, he marched forward, eyes narrowed.
"If it isn't the rodent." Aster looked up to see an old man perched high above, glaring at them. In one hand, he had a thick cane. In the other, was Jack's slender staff.
"Let him go ya bloody-"
"Beat it, rat." Huffed Old Man Winter. "Spring has no place in my palace."
"Winter, let them go." Said Mrs. Clause. "Or you'll be my latest karate dummy." Mother Nature got a glint in her eye, eyeing Old Man Winter.
"Why don't we play a game?" she said slowly. Aster saw Winter stiffen, eyes on Mother Nature.
"What kind of game?" he said, interest evident though he tried not to show it.
"This no time for Parcheesi!" huffed North.
"He loves games." Said Mother nature quietly. "We might be able to get him to release Jack and Joy." Mrs. Clause grinned, catching on to her plan.
"A finding things game." Said Mrs. Clause.
"And what will you be finding?" asked Winter, chuckling.
"My mate and kit." Said Aster, glaring at the ancient spirit. "And they better not be hurt in any way or you'll be cut up and cooling my carrot juice."
"If we win, you let them go." Said Tooth, flying up. "And never bother them again."
"And if I win?" Aster let out a long breath.
"I'll break my Claim on Jack." North looked wide eyed at Aster.
"It's a start..." sighed Old Man Winter.
"And never see them again, outside of the business of a guardian." Winter chuckled.
"Deal." He said. "But you'll never find them."
"Hey icy!" yelled Mrs. Clause. "You owe us clues."
"I suppose I do." Sighed Winter. "Very well. In five spires, in five corners, a key is hidden. Only with all five will the fall open." With that he vanished, a puff of snow falling from his former perch.
"The fall will open?" wondered North.
"No time Mate." Said Aster. "Think and search! Jack and Joy are depending on us, and I'll be damned if I let them down!"