Jack glanced back once more as he noticed Starina had finally laid down to rest. He did not mind watching after the little one but he often wondered if 'fun' was enough to sustain her. Slowly a golden wave of lustering sand trickled its way from the sky above and into the cave where the child resided. A smirk crossed the lips of the young boy as he knew the sandman had arrived. A joyous laugh came from him as he jumped up into the night sky. Twisting and twirling through the crisp air he couldn't help but become consumed with the desire to have his own dreams just like the children had every night. It was the sandman, Sanderson Mansnoozie, who was the Guardian of children's dreams. He was the one that the children would thank for the dreams about flying, defeating the great Blackbeard, or finding the last unicorn. Sandy protected the sleeping children from nightmares, specifically from the Nightmare King himself, Pitch Black. Jack had heard stories of the "Boogeyman" who would hide under the beds of children but he had never caught a glimpse of the fabled King of the Shadows.

The frozen prince lifted his hand into the tendrils of golden sand and watched as a group of small sand people grew from the wave. They all joined hands and began to dance in a circle around Jack as the sand created dreams from his deepest thoughts. Oh how Jack loved to dance around his frozen lake and how he longed for someone to join him. He glanced back down at the land below and got a marvelous idea, when Starina awoke he would teach her to skate with him. Laughing to himself he couldn't help but be amused by his wonderful idea. It would be great fun! Shooting through Sandy's dream sand, causing billows of dolphins and seals to flow from the golden waves, Jack sped through the winter night to Russia. He believed that they were long overdue for a snow day.

Minutes, then hours passed bye as Jack touched the world with beautiful snow. But not everyone was so cheerful this December night, below the starless sky was one boy who did not find the prince of snow to be so fun after all. "Laugh it up Frosty, your day will come. You will realize that not all of us are as lucky as you." From the darkness a rich and strong voice spoke. Deep crystal blue eyes peered from within the hole of a hollow tree as a dim fire flickered into view. Hands reached from inside the tree as a young boy, no older than fifteen, forced his way into the bitter moonlight. His blue eyes shined brightly against his black hair though they drew attention to a vibrant blue streak that was parted down the top of his head. He stood tall, as tall as one could think for a boy his age, and his clothes were as black and harsh as the night. Adorned with belts and metal armor, he looked as if he did not belong in the 1800's at all but from a time long ago. Around his neck was the gathering of his long and tattered cape which covered as most peculiar form upon his body; a tail. This boy, know as Darc by those from his past, had a long, sharp, tail which was ignited by a bright fire at the tip. The blue flame sparked and cracked with the wind but nothing it touched would burn. A hand reached up and tenderly moved over a strand of beads upon the horns atop his head. Fingers rolled over ancient symbols as he began to walk toward the place Jack had been hiding only hours before. Letting his hand fall from the beads, Darc reached out beside him as a wooden staff, with the same flame as his tail, appeared in thin air.

"So Jack, what is it that you have been hiding? You seem to spend far too much time here..which is very unusual." Darc forced his way past the snow-covered trees and toward the cave ahead. "The night you came from the lake I knew you would bring change to this place..and it is that change that I despise." Darc muttered as he let his staff trail over the edge of the frozen lake, slowly melting away Jack's icy cover. "You know Jack, the greatest weakness to ice is fire." Darc smirked to himself as he reached the mouth of the cave. Peering inside he noticed a thick wall of luminous ice prevented his entry. Shaking his head the draconian boy lifted his staff to the wall before him. The bright blue flame touched the frozen barrier and began to hiss and smoke. Swiftly removing the fire, Darc gritted his pointed teeth as he watched his fire struggle to return to it's former glory.

"Ah...you have spelled this wall haven't you? Clever, clever.. but this will not keep me out forever you know?" Darc raised his staff to the sky as it vanished from his hands. Clenching his fist he lowered his arm back to his side and let out a sign. "You think just because no one can see you...just because no one is after you...that you can do as you please? Well Frosty, you are mistaken. One day I'll make sure you know what it is like to be hated..to be hunted for doing the one thing the humans asked of you...those damn humans."

"Hello?" Darc's eyes narrowed as they flashed toward the source of the sound. Wandering toward him was a little girl. So this was what Jack was hiding.

"Heh, so Frosty is babysitting...well that is rich." Darc mused as he watched the tiny girl inch forward, her hands clutching a small stuffed doll.

"Jack?" Starina asked as she halted just before the unseen wall of ice. Since the wall was not alive she was unable to see it, unable to see the one thing that kept her safe. Though it kept Darc out and her inside, Starina knew not that she could freely pass through the barrier and into the night. The young girl tightened her grip upon her doll as Darc laughed softly to himself. "You are not Jack.." Starina inched back in the cave as Darc knelt down at the entrance.

"How do you know I'm not Jack? Perhaps I'm playing a game." Darc laughed as he knew that if he could get this child then he would have one up on the prince of fun. It appeared this girl was blind, maybe he could use that to his advantage.

"Your aura, it is dark red..not like Jack's. You are not Jack." Rolling his eyes, the dragon boy stood back up. What in the world was she going on about? "Jack's aura is not that dark. You can't be Jack." She continued as she shook her head.

"Maybe you are just too far away. Why don't you come a little closer? This is a game after all right? I thought you loved games." Starina halted her pace for a moment as she tried to figure out what was going on. Jack did love to play games after all. Maybe this was something fun after all. Slowly she made her way back to the entrance. "That's right, come on, let's head outside and I'll show you a game I made for you." If Frosty was the embodiment of fun, then he was the king of deception. He waited for Starina to begin her way past the veil that protected her before reaching out to grab her arm. The sheer force of his grip startled the girl and caused her to try and pull back.

"You are hurting me! Stop!" She cried as Darc began to force her from the cave.

"You are coming with me."

"No! Let me go! Jack!" Starina let out a high-pitched scream as she dropped her doll and began to pull back again Darc's grasp.

Darc's eyes shot into the sky as he heard a crack of frozen wind through the trees. It seemed he had set of the panic button and Frosty was on his way home. Darc had seconds to decide what he was going to do before Jack would arrive. He was in no place to fight the boy and it would be best to run before he appeared. Fire may beat ice but his prince of darkness was not prepared to fight Jack one on one just yet. He still had to wait for the right moment to strike and he lost this chance. Darc let go of Starina's arm, causing her to fall backwards into the cave. As he turned to leave Jack hovered before him.

"Hey Darc, long time no see." Jack's gaze was fierce as he clutched his crook tight in his hands. "What do you think you were doing just now?" he asked as Darc bared a toothy grin.

"Oh nothing really. You know Jack...seeing you have so much fun all the time made me want to try." Darc began as he started to walk around Jack. "I was wondering what had you so..bright as of the past few years. So you know what I did? I came to find out."

"Darc, you know you have no place here. Why don't you go back to where you belong?" Jack motioned toward the forest. His eyes narrowed as his feet slowly touched back onto the ground, a burst of frosted wind erupted from where he stood. A smirk crossed his lips as he watched Darc's shoulders tense with irritation. Since Jack had come from the lack that day he had known of the dragonian boy who lurked in the forest. He did not know his story but he knew the guardians did not trust him and that was more than enough of a reason. The simple fact that he tried to harm Starina was enough to send Jack into a rage but he kept himself composed for the child's sake. There was no need to fight and he did not want to fight.

"You think I'm scared of you Jack? Certainly you are joking." Darc let out a laugh as he crossed his arms behind his back and moved past his elder. "You are joking me Frosty...Do not underestimate me." Sharp eyes peered through the back of Jack's head as the guardian of winter remained motionless. "You don't scare anyone Frost...I mean who is frightened of something they can't see?"

Without another second, Jack whipped around and shot a blast of icy shards where Darc stood. Without moving an inch Darc allowed his tail to raise and ignite the space around him in flames. Jack's shards of ice dissolved into vapor as they made contact with the vibrant flames. Jack's arm flew up in front of his face as the flames cast swiftly from the wall they created. Sparks flew past his face, singeing his hair and clothes before making contact with the forest behind him.

"Darc!" Jack called while lowering his arm. His eyes widened in shock when he noticed that all that remained of the dragon boy was a set of scorch marks on the ground.

"Until next time Frost." A rich laugh echoed through the forest as Starina rushed from the cave and wrapped her arms around Jack's leg. Placing a hand on Starina's back, Jack turned his attention to the sky as he noticed it seemed like the man in the moon was watching him before vanishing back behind his glowing veil of mystery. Glaring up at the sky before looking back down at Starina.

"Come on Jack! We are going to be late!" Starina giggled as she rushed through the forest and toward the town of Burgess. It had been another two years since she met her savior Jack Frost. Starina was about eight years old now but had hardly grown an inch in her past few years with him. She did not notice anything wrong but Jack certainly did. He noticed that she never got any taller, any stronger, and she remained the same year after year. This life was one he could not continue giving her. But he had few options now. He enjoyed the fun they shared and he would make sure he did what he could for her.

"Haha wait up!" Jack flew through the thicket of trees and their falling leaves as he chased after his blind companion. It was finally Fall again and he and Starina returned to Burgess. Since Jack was unable to stand the warm spring and summer months he and Starina had been forced to travel away to escape the heat. Now that they were back he couldn't contain his excitement and neither could Starina. Since she was finally old enough she could request to study under the local seamstress. She had been looking forward to this moment for years and it had finally come. She ducked and darted through the forest, which she had memorized like the back of her hand, as she neared the town. She smiled brightly as she could hear the sounds of the armory, the test shots of guns, the laughter of children, and the sweet motherly voices calling after them. As he feet hit the cobblestones she could no longer contain herself, only another block.

"Oh Jack it is so exciting!" Turning around her eyes searched for his familiar pale glow but could not find it. Her smile faded slowly as she started to listen for the sounds of moving air. Suddenly she felt her feet leave the ground and arms around her waist. "Jack put me down!" She laughed as she punched his chest softly.

"Don't you think we will get there faster this way?"

"Well then I bet you can't get there by the time I count to ten!" Starina dared as she stuck her tongue out at him and giggled.

"Sounds like fun!" Jack rushed forward as the wind carried him through the forest, atop the trees, and past the deer that roamed below. Maybe life with Starina was not as hard as he once thought.

Once they reached the town he set her down softly and watched as she hesitantly walked past the gateway and toward the town square. How many nights had she wandered down here to practice walking through the streets? How much time had she spent memorizing where every stall was, where every building stood, and how each path connected in the square? She longed so much to appear normal, as normal as she could as to not attract anyone do her gaze. But there was something she did not take into account. The people. As Starina headed toward the tailor she found the sounds of the town overwhelming to her senses. So many people, so many auras, all blurring together into one giant color, caused her to become constricted and frightened.

"Stellie?" Jack floated over beside her as he avoided a group of boys who almost passed right through him. He hated that feeling and would avoid it at all costs. "Why did you stop?" He peered across at her and noticed her eyes were darting around trying to locate something. Grunting he looked around for something, anything, that he could use to help her. All these colors and sounds must have been too much. "Wait here, I'll be back." Jack flew through the town on the hunt as Starina remained frozen in the square. Closing her eyes tightly she tried to block out the hazes of color and focus only on the sounds. She knew this place, she just needed to concentrate. As she began to walk forward, in her world of darkness and sound, she felt herself losing control. She needed to 'see'. Opening her eyes she was shocked at the sudden bright yellow aura in front of herself and couldn't stop. Before she knew it she had run into an older woman, causing her drop several loaves of bread.

"My word child why don't you watch wher- Oh my dear you cannot see at all can you? Richard! Richard come here." Starina sat silently on the ground as she could see the yellow aura mixing with a deep green one.

"Mary-Ann what in the world do you- Oh I see..."

"Poor thing must be lost. Just look at her Richard. Look at the poor dear."

"Mary...you cannot possibly be thinking of taking this child home with us."

"Certainly! You know the church would tell us to help this poor soul. You do not think I will just leave her? Honestly Richard just look at her clothes, her hair, she looks so tiny." Starina felt a hand on her arm and reflexively pulled it back. "Oh Richard..she must have been through so much. You know she would get along with the boys and you know we have never had a girl of our own."

"Mary-Ann are you out of your mind? You do not just take children from the streets and bring them into our home."

"At least let us clean her up, it is the least we can do for the poor dear."

"I suppose." there was a sign of defeat in the man's voice as Starina felt the soft touch of a gloved hand on her arm once more.

"Come with me child, we are going to get you out of those rags." The woman took hold of Starina's arm and helped her to her feet. Starina's head looked forward as she wondered where Jack was.

"Jack? Jack Frost where are you?" She asked as she tried to figure out where her guardian was.

"Poor thing is delusional Richard...she thinks Jack Frost is real."