Everything had to be perfect, everything and everyone had to be in place. This would be the only chance they had; if things didn't go right, they'd miss it.
Sven couldn't make it up into the mountains anymore, joints too achy and legs too weak to haul himself and everyone else up rocky paths and steep inclines. So, it was his turn to get a ride this time; they'd loaded him up into the back of a large wagon - which had made sure was heavily padded on the bottom, so the old reindeer wouldn't get sore from laying down or jostled around too much.
Two hulking draft horses pulled the wagon, everyone on board. Kristoff guided them up, but not without glancing back at his old friend every five minutes. Anna and Elsa were sat on either side of him - Anna with both her arms wrapped around Kristoff's right arm, and Elsa was sitting as close to her brother-in-law as they were both comfortable with. Olaf, of course, was sat in the back with Sven - the reindeer and the snowman were quite close after all, and Olaf was more than happy to entertain Sven during the trip up the mountain.
It took a bit of careful maneuvering to get Sven down from the wagon, once they'd reached the Valley of Living Rock. The trolls, as usual, were happy to greet them - even with the somber air that had traveled with the group.
Life was life, to the trolls, and death was just another stage in the great balancing of the world.
Kristoff just wished it wasn't happening right now. Anna and he had just had their first child - a boy, all bright blue eyes and pale blond hair. His son would never get to know Sven, and the reindeer wouldn't get to really meet Sten either - Sven had gotten to see the baby as soon as was allowed, but it wasn't the same.
Still, if this was to be Sven's last night, Kristoff wanted it to be the best night he could possibly give his friend.
So, they got Sven down to a nice, comfortable patch of moss, just for him. He had all the carrots and sugar cubs he could ever hope to eat, and a thick horse blanket draped over his large frame. The reindeer was surrounded by his family, human, rock troll and animated snowman alike.
Grand Pabbie waved his hands to the air, the trolls humming, sounding like the low rumble of an oncoming avalanche as lights appeared in the sky. It was bright and colorful, full of life and magic. The old troll even manipulated shapes into the lights, familiar scenes and even some that were purely fantastical.
"Sven, look, the sky's awake...Sven?"