Author's Note: Hello everyone and welcome back to "The Winter Child!" I don't have much to say this time around, so I hope you guys enjoy this new chapter. =D


~ LXXXVI ~

We Are Family, Part Two

The day had arrived faster than expected

The plan to stop Pitch once and for all

Was finally executed

...

Jack didn't sleep much, but he pulled himself out of bed early that morning after being summoned to the main corridors of the palace. The sun had barely snuck its way up the horizon when Jack found everyone at the palace entrance. The Guardians and Tsar weren't the only ones there, though — Mercury and a couple of his men were bringing in weapons and other items as if they were preparing for something.

The plan wasn't to be set in action until Pitch's next point of attack was found. So Jack was a little bemused to see everyone acting with such urgency.

He walked up to the Guardians, quickly wished good morning, and got straight to the point, "What's going on?"

"Sandy and the soldiers managed to pinpoint where Pitch has headed a few hours ago," Tooth explained. "He's heading to Windskald."

Jack's eyes widened. Windskald. Now this couldn't be a coincidence. Windskald was his birthplace, and it was where all of the snow sprites had come from and resided. Jack had always wondered what the place was like; he had only gotten a glimpse of it when he joined Sandy on a dreamland run when he was six. From what he had learned in school, it was mostly ice and snow. No one except the snow sprites could properly live in its harsh environments. Norsurberian winters were spring day when compared to Windskald's.

Jack had never been there himself, but it sounded like a snow sprite's paradise. Not only that but with its blinding snow and ice, it'd be almost impossible to fight a proper battle. None of them would be able to navigate through snow well enough.

"How are we going to get through?" asked Jack.

"We don't know," said Aster. "But if we have to ride in blind, we just might."

"That's too dangerous," Sandy said. "We'd never be able to see through the snow, and Pitch would easily overpower us then."

"But we can't sit around here and wait either," Aster retorted sharply. He crossed his arms and turned around. "For once when we think we're finally ahead of 'im, Pitch has to pull another one of his bloody tricks."

The sudden shift in Aster's attitude didn't go unnoticed by any of the Guardians. The snow sprites weren't the only race eradicated by Pitch and his army. Aster was the last Pooka just as Jack was the last snow sprite, so the boy's heart went out to the tall rabbit knowing how frustrating it was to be so close to defeating the thing that took everything away from you, only to have them outsmart you again.

"We'll find a way through the snow, Bunny," North reassured, patting his shoulder.

Aster let out a grunt, and Jack couldn't tell if it was out of annoyance for the nickname, or that he simply didn't believe North.

As much as he wanted to go in and fight Pitch too, Jack knew that Sandy was right. They couldn't run in pell-mell; they needed a plan. But how were they supposed to navigate through a place of endless ice and snow, without getting themselves lost within it?

The doors were open to what was the beginning of a lovely sunrise. The wind brushed in, swirling around Jack's feet before gently brushing through his hair. The snow sprite's eyes widened.

"Wind," he said out loud. The Guardians and Tsar stared at him confused. Jack ignored their stares and gestured to the open air. "Wind can guide us through Windskald!"

"And who is this Wind I may ask?" Tsar Lunar inquired.

The Wind wooshed through the room, waving tapestries, billowing cloaks, ruffling hair, and filling the room with snowflakes.

Jack smirked. "That's Wind."

With a hearty whistle, the Wind ruffled Jack's hair and flipped his cloak over his head.

"What the—hey! I'm standing in front of royalty!" Jack exclaimed. The Wind fluted—her way of laughter, and fixed the snow sprite up again. Jack brushed out his clothes at frowned.

"Pull a trick like that again and you can say goodbye to our nightly flights," Jack scolded. Wind only whistled, and curiously swept around the rest of the room.

The Guardians were smiling and Tsar Lunar looked amused. "I have heard that some snow sprites possessed the ability to control the wind.. though I've never witnessed it myself."

"I don't really control her," said Jack. He laughed as the Wind wired around his feet. "I just…let her do what she wants, and then she lets me do whatever I want.

"I don't really know how to explain it. We've just been friends for that long," Jack added. The Wind finally settled down and Jack felt her brush around his staff. "She's also the oldest element alive, so if anyone knows anything anywhere—it's Wind."

Tsar Lunar thought for a few moments. Everyone waited tensely for his response.

"You can never go wrong with nature," the Tsar said at last. He looked up and smiled. "I believe we just found our ticket to Windskald."

The room erupted into cheers.

With Pitch's location found, everyone quickly dove into preparations. Packing was completed and then redone, and weapons sharpened and fixed. Bundles of warm clothing were layered, and the horses in the stables, who had not been out on such an adventure in a while, were being tended to and prepared for the upcoming journey.

The closest thing to a horse Jack had interacted with was North's reindeer. They were rough, rambunctious creatures that Jack wasn't allowed to get too close to when he was little since they could easily crush him. But once he was older, north taught him how to care for them, and even gave him a few lessons on how to use the sleigh.

Horses, Jack quickly found, were much different than the reindeer. Jack didn't have a preference, but he enjoyed getting close enough to them without nearly getting bucked in the face. Jack was tending a silver horse when North found him, all dressed and ready to go.

"You sure were fast," Jack remarked.

"I'm used to this sort of thing," North replied. "I was a thief back in the day, you know."

Jack hummed. "If I had been a thief, does that mean I'd be faster at getting ready for school in the morning?"

North laughed. "Perhaps, but it better to be slow than have a criminal past, hm?"

Jack nodded, his cool hand still running over the horse's nose. It was extremely calm under his touch—perhaps it was his natural aura that was keeping the horse so at ease. Or maybe it was the several carrots he had fed him. Either way, the horse was at peace…a contrast to what Jack was feeling right now.

North noticed the snow sprite's troubled expression and he asked, "What is on your mind, moy mal'chik?"

Jack paused petting the horse, to which the animal gave an upset grunt, so the snow sprite continued.

"Um…well…" Jack laughed, though it was a humorless one. "I can't believe I'm saying this but…I'm actually kind of scared to face Pitch again."

"That isn't a surprise at all," said North. "He has done more to you than to any of us."

"Yes…but I shouldn't—I can't be scared," said Jack. "If I want to know what happened to my parents, I'm going to have to face him anyway."

"And you won't be alone," North reassured. That made Jack feel a little better.

The two stood in silence for a little while, and there was one thing left on Jack's mind. He stopped petting the horse, and he turned to North. "Um…North? There's something else I need to tell you."

"What is it?" asked North.

Jack rubbed the back of his head. "Remember when Tsar Lunar asked me to stay behind yesterday?" North nodded. "Well…he offered me Guardianship again."

"What did you say?" asked North.

Jack shrugged. "I…I told him I'm not Guardian material. I don't have a center, and I can hardly keep up a fight. Besides, you guys don't seem to be struggling. Why would you all need me?"

North was silent for a few moments, then he said, "Do you remember what I told you about centers a long time ago?"

Jack smiled lightly. "How could I forget the tiny wooden baby?"

North smiled. "Da. You have a center, Jack. You just have not found it yet. But don't worry; it'll come in time. Just like it did for the rest of us."

Jack wasn't sure about that, but North was right about most things, so he nodded. A few seconds later, Tooth flustered in, also dressed in heavy winter wear.

"Moon, is it difficult to fly in these things!" she exclaimed. "Jack, North, it's almost time to leave!"

"Are you sure you'll be okay in just those?" asked North, looking Jack over. The snow sprite was wearing a blue cloak with silver trimming, a light brown vest, pants, and no shoes.

Jack smiled. "North, we've been over this…I'm a snow sprite. I'm immune to the cold. I'll be fine."

North smiled. "Sorry, I guess I forgot."

"Seriously? Have you not seen my ears?"

After some final preparations, the two left with Tooth and followed her outside, where the soldiers, Aster and Sandy, Tsar unar, and the rest of the entourage were waiting. Jack mounted his horse, and for a moment felt like a king about to charge into battle.

But he didn't want to call this a battle just yet. Or even worse—a war. Jack went to the front, and the Wind brushed before him, creating an imaginary path that would take them all to Windskald.

Everyone was ready. This was it.

With a quick nudge to his horse's side, Jack spurred forward, the rest of Lunar's army behind him.