Secret of Frost and Moon

Thoughts and Tasks

Alaia Skyhawk: Here's the next one!

And to answer the question from "Hannah", which was in an anonymous review, the Selkies are not Jack's Lieutenants. They're a tribe of 'mythical creatures' that live under his protection. They help Jack out with stuff around the Sanctuary, when he needs it, a bit like how the yetis work for/help North :)

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.

And a shout-out to VanRah on Deviantart, for letting me use their awesome picture of Jack Frost as the new cover for this story! Seriously, go check out their page!

~(-)~

Chapter 34: Thoughts and Tasks

Northern Spring Threshold was close, Easter was in three weeks, and the thaw was well under way. The Winter Sprites had been herded home to the Winter Sanctuary, by Yuki who also had Zuě Hu with her for the errand. Cernunnos was still enjoying his well-earned rest after his manic December workload, and even Jack was beginning to wind-down his duties as Northern Winter began to retreat northwards ahead of the warm tide of Spring. In fact the only one of the main residents of the Winter Sanctuary, who did have a lot to do still, was Marzanna.

The Slavic Legend tracked the weather carefully, cross-referencing it with maps that Jack had gotten for her from Ombric. She'd since marked numerous regions upon them, based on the times in relation to Spring Threshold, when any ice in those areas would be becoming dangerous.

She could, of course, actually sense wherever there was thin ice, thanks to her new powers gained as a Lieutenant, but for some reason she still liked having a sort of schedule written down on paper. For no more reason than it allowed her to plan ahead.

Marzanna stood in front of one of her maps, in the room Jack had made for her on the side of the ground floor of the Ice Palace. She would have had them on the walls in her personal chamber within the Lieutenants' Residence, but he'd insisted that work space and relaxation space be kept separate.

Looking over that map now, she mentally noted down a handful of locations and headed out of the palace and onto the plaza.

"I'm off to do more Warning Duty. I'll be back in a few hours."

Yuki looked up from where she was brushing Zuě Hu's fur, surrounded by a horde of Winter Sprites, and smiled as she waved.

"Ok, we'll see you then."

Zuě Hu also waved, using his tail, although he didn't open his eyes. He was too busy purring contentedly from Yuki's attentions.

Marzanna chuckled to herself at that, as she passed through the tunnel and flew up the crevasse to the outside. Jack had certainly managed to create a rather odd 'family' out of their motley collection of immortals. But after centuries of almost total solitude, with few she would regularly cross paths with or talk to, it was nice to have comrades she knew she could count on.

As for Zuě Hu. If Yuki had her way, he was going to become an oversized house-cat whenever he wasn't out during his duties for his believers. It was an amusing thought, but he didn't seem to be complaining.

Marzanna flew to the North of the World, starting her day's work in Sweden and Norway, before she would later cross the sea to Scotland. There was plenty of thinning ice in all three counties, and with the clear weather she knew that many children would be tempted to go skating. It was simply a case of overflying each place with thin ice, and stopping by any children nearby to whisper to them, unseen.

And she didn't mind being invisible, she'd had so few true believers for so long, that she was used to it. And besides, it was easier to get close to the children if they couldn't see her.