Secret of Frost and Moon

Earning Understanding

Alaia Skyhawk: Here's the next one, guys! :D

Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, the Guardians of Childhood, or any related characters etc. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes.

~(-)~

Chapter 26: Earning Understanding

The snows were starting to melt, the air warming even if only by a little. Throughout the woods around the village and Thaddeus' cabin, could be heard the wet thuds of white clumps slipping from branches and falling to the ground. Icicles everywhere were dripping with melt-water... and along the road that led to Kirktown, came a convoy of several loaded wagons.

Jack watched from his perch atop a tree, counting the people he could see on the road. They must be at least eight or nine families in this first group, and he knew it was the first. He'd eavesdropped around Kirktown several times during the harsh winter, listening for news of people who were waiting for the weather to break to they could head this way. A second group would be setting off a few days after the first, and if he'd put the snippets of news together correctly, there would be six families in that one.

It was a big change, one that made him smile in anticipation. The equivalent of the entire population of the village, would be settling here in his over the next few weeks, and with just this first group he could see about fifteen children under the age of twelve.

Jack's smile widened at the thought, so excited that he was literally bouncing on his perch in glee. He just wished he could stay and watch them build their homes, in person, but Ariko would be coming by in about a week and she was too much of a snob to let him.

Never mind that he'd practically set Northern Spring away for her, by pulling back winter from the places where it was no longer needed, and allowing spring to slip on its own into the gap left behind. Ariko probably wouldn't even notice that her season didn't yell at her, to get moving, as loudly this year.

Jack sighed, turning his head to glance at the village and the lone cabin, before gliding up into the sky. He could have stayed a few more days, but then it would have been harder to leave. Besides, he had an errand and social visit to make in the North of the World, and doing it before Ariko set off on her rounds, would mean avoiding a confrontation and argument with her.

No, Jack would just let her find the new settlers in his valley, and then simmer in frustration at him gaining more believers. All without him being there in front of her to be yelled at.

He flew westwards, over the Atlantic, then Europe, then Russian, and onwards to Siberia. The snow wasn't quite beginning to melt around Santoff Claussen yet, but it would be in a few more days. But until then, the current generation of children were making the most of it.

Jack smiled to himself at the sight of several snow-forts, and also a few contraptions that appeared to have the express purpose of making perfect-sized snowballs, and then either spitting them out to be thrown, or firing them at a distant target.

He landed in front of Big Root and knocked on the door, waiting there until Ombric answered it.

The wizard smiled in greeting, and ushered his guest inside.

"Jack, my boy, it's been a while. How has Northern Winter gone for you?"

There was already a table and chairs sprouting from the floor, and two cups of hot chocolate, one of which was actually only slightly warm, floating down to rest upon it.

Jack sat down and accepted the offered drink, answering the question.

"It was a harsh winter for Northern America, and a large part of Russia and Europe as well. Yuki has led dozens of people in her homeland, to safety during this winter. But there are many more that she could not help."