It took two days for my arms to be in full working order.

During that time we didn't do much, not even talk. Penelope seemed to be one of those people who can sit in the same spot for days and not have to do anything. I, on the other hand, was twitchy, the more time we spent here was more time that HOG was in trouble, and yet there was little I could do except wait.

Finally I found something that had been bothering me.

"You know when you attacked my Branch last month?" I asked, a little bluntly.

Penelope winced slightly, "...yes."

"Why did you do that?" I asked, "Were you so worked up about what happened, or was it something else?"

Penelope shook her head, "I didn't have the kind of power to execute that sort of plan. Orders from even higher up than Samuel apparently, we had to stir up the Branches as much as possible, but without putting them on to the fact that we were up to something big. Samuel already had a thing against the Burgess Branch for the part they played in what is widely known as the 'Battle of Burgess'. Did they tell you about that?"

I shook my head, "no, although, were a group of kids involved?"

"They fought with the Guardians, yes. How do you know that and nothing else?"

"I know one of the kids who fought." I said simply, Jamie had told me about it not too long ago.

"Anyway, Samuel saw it as way of killing two birds with one stone. To get the Burgess Branch back for the Battle and freak out the Heads enough for us to pull off our plan."

"How did you even know when we were meeting? It was two weeks after your last... thing."

"Well, Descendants of Pitch who can manipulate shadows and not black Dream sand had hidden themselves in various known Branch locations, not including yours though.
We...they, tend to use them as scouts."

"That...explains a few things."

"Anything else you want to dig into?" She asked, trying to make her voice sound light, but even I could hear the slight bitterness in it.

"...None, thanks."

We barely talked for the rest of time I spent recovering, still a little too awkward to strike up a normal conversation.

Once I'd regained the use of my arms we were ready to go. I'd left my bag in the sleigh, so I hadn't had a change of clothes in two days, we melted some ice so I could at least feel a little clean, then we prepared for shadow travel.

I remembered what it felt like last time, and I was not looking forward to it.

"Just keep breathing, it gets easier that way." Said Penelope, even though I hadn't said anything, it was also the first thing she'd said since when she told me about the Descendant's plan.

I took her advice and thankfully it wasn't as bad as last time.

As soon as we were in the frozen north I pulled up a half domed barrier to keep the wind
out. The air seemed to have a bit of bite to it, but I dreaded to think what it was like for Penelope. She was hugging herself and shivering, even with protection from wind chill her lips had already begun to turn blue.

I took off my coat and gave it to her, without it I could feel a bit of the cold, but not enough for me to want the coat back. I could feel the cold almost stroking my arms and I shivered, which in itself was new, I'd never had to shiver before.

"T-this i-is a-as c-c-close as I-I-I c-c-could g-g-get." Penelope said, her teeth chattering.

Looking up I could see North's Workshop above us, and in front of us was a steep cliff.

"We're going to need to walk towards that cliff." I said, pointing.

"O-o-ok-k-kay."

We walked up to it and once we were there I made the ice below us form a platform and rise up. It took a few minutes to get up there, and looking at Penelope, it seemed to be minutes we couldn't afford. I didn't remember the exact signs for when someone's going to die of cold, but just this change was enough to make me scared for Penelope.

I ran my mantra through my head and tried to keep breathing calmly, now was not the time to panic, excess ice wouldn't help anyone.

As soon as we reached the top walked towards the workshop and found the door. By this time Penelope's hands had gone purple, we had to get in, now.

I moved the shield behind us and banged on the door. I tried not to wince as my hands left small swirls of frost on the door.

"Hello! Please, my friend isn't in good shape." I called, in case the knocks didn't do anything.

My knocks were answered by a huge wall of fur. Looking up I could see a pair of eyes and a nose poking out.

"Can we come in? Please."

In response the fur wall closed the door.

"No wait please! My name is Jackie Davies. Jack knows me! Please, my friend could die out here! We need your help!"

My fist pounded against the door, then slid off it. This place was huge, there's a chance the man himself couldn't even here us.

"Can you shadow travel from here?" I asked, turning to Penelope behind me.

Penelope shook her head, looking worse than I thought as she shivered violently.

I never felt more helpless in my life. Penelope was almost dying of cold and I could do nothing to help. North didn't seem to know that we were out here and any travel back would be enough time to make sure she died of cold.

"HELP!" I yelled. "PLEASE HELP!"

Tears began to build up in my eyes, "Please."

There was thudding noise and the door suddenly flew open. Standing in the doorway was the man himself. Big white beard and all, exactly look the ice sculpture I'd made a few months ago. His was missing his coat and hat though, I imagine he didn't wear them when he was at home.

"What's all this noise out here?" He asked with a Russian accent.

He looked down at us from his great height and quickly saw Penelope's issue, his face becoming serious.

"Inside, quickly."

I helped her in as North began to walk back shouting orders.

"I need blankets and hot chocolate. Now!"

His workshop was filled with tiny creatures in red pointy hats and bells, all about ankle height and trying to get out of our way. I barely noticed the commotion around us, with more walls of fur building toys around us, each based off ice sculptures.

Four of the tiny creatures, which I decided were elves, carried chair over and I helped
Penelope sit in it as blankets were handed to us. North tried to wrap one around me, but I handed it to Penelope.

"Come on now, you're just as cold."

"Doesn't affect me as much."

He raised a dark eyebrow and then tried passing me a mug of hot chocolate. Even from here I could feel the heat, and despite the conditions outside, I really didn't think I could handle it.

"Ah, no thanks."

"You were out there as well you know, it'll make you feel better."

"Sorry, I'm not good with hot stuff. It always feels like I'm burning."

Now that Penelope was all wrapped up, North and I moved her to the fire, so she could warm up more. I stood as close to her as I dared, not being able to take the fire.

Behind us was a gargantuan globe covered in small golden lights that blinked cheerily.
Just looking at it made me feel more relaxed, although I couldn't quite understand why.

"So," North stood in front of us with his arms folded. "What are the two of you doing all the way up here? You don't look like explorers."

"It's a long story, but first of, have you heard of the Human Order of Guardians?"

North scoffed, "Of course I have! Couldn't get away from them for a while, they can be
so, annoyingly polite."

"Well, times haven't changed it seems."

"Wait, you're from them? What do they want?"

"That's part of the story."

"Well then," North leaned against the panel in front of the globe, his arms still folded.
"You'd better start talking."

I quickly explained HOG meeting and its reason for it, once I got to the ice wall North stopped me.

"Hold on, you mean to say, that you, are Jack's Descendant?"

"Yes, I know him, actually. I live in the same place as his friend Jamie, he saw me having issues with my powers and, after some persuading from Nigel, agreed to help me gain some control."

"Hmmm, and you say there's only ten of you?"

"Ten known, it's likely there are others, just being very good at keeping themselves hidden. With a power like this I couldn't blame them."

North looked over Penelope, who was looking a lot better, but was still happy to remain wrapped up in the blankets.

"What about you, who are you Descended from?"

Penelope and I shared glances.

"Um, before we tell you, can I just say that I don't believe that powers or who you're related to define you." I said, trying to not let my nervousness show.

"Okay, I suppose." Replied North, a little confused from my answer.

I looked at Penelope, whose lips were pressed into a determined line. She forced her hand of the blankets and formed a small star out of black sand.

The effect on North was dramatic.

He backed up into the console, then drew his sword, pointing it at us.

"A Descendant of Pitch! Here!"

"Please, calm down, we can explain!" I cried, holding my hands out in a hopefully appeasing gesture, although my surprise and slight panic at North's sudden reaction had caused my fingers to frost slightly.

"You better, before I send her back into the cold."

I lowered my hands and tried to brush off the frost on my jeans as I explained.

"Look, she and I haven't always seen eye to eye, but she's the reason I'm here and not trapped with the rest of HOG, and what would be the point of letting me go free? I've already shown myself as a threat to the Descendants of Pitch, it would make more sense for her to have killed me or let me be captured, but she didn't. I know it might not change your mind, but I trust her."

North seemed to consider this for a moment, then relaxed and sheathed his sword.

"Alright, you are from HOG, so if you trust her, then I'll trust your judgement. But I'm still going be on guard, understood?"

Penelope nodded "that was the best I could have hoped for."

North turned back to me.

"I don't believe I've gotten your names."

"I'm Jacqueline Davies, most people call me Jackie, and this is Penelope..."

I paused when I realised that I didn't know Penelope's surname.

"Just Penelope." She answered, and suddenly it made sense in my head. She had run away from her parents, she probably didn't want anything that could tie her to them. I wonder if Penelope is the name her parents gave her?

"Jackie and Penelope, nice to meet you." Said North, shaking me from my thoughts. "You probably already know who I am, just please, don't call me Mr, it's annoying."

"Okay." I replied.

"So, the whole of HOG is in trouble?"

"Yes."

"Hmm, it'll take more than the three of us, I fear. You say you know Jack personally?"

"Yes, and I've also met Sandman."

"So you've almost met everyone. I should get everyone here! The more the merrier, huh?"

"Whatever you say, you're in charge around here."

"Excellent!"

He walked back to the console and grabbed a handle that was sticking out of it. He twisted the handle and pushed into the console.

The continents on the globe lit up in green and pink, the colours gathered together and shot into the sky, forming the northern lights.

"That's how you call them?" I asked, looking up into the sky.

"Yes, very efficient, and very pretty. Only for emergencies of course."

"I'm glad this counts as an emergency."

He turned back around and smiled.

"Well, better make yourselves comfortable, they might be a while."