Sixth Year's Snow (Hijack/Frostcup)

Chapter Four

The ground was covered in a fresh layer of snow and the sun shined through large fluffy clouds. I snuck out of the house so that I wouldn't have to go to dragon training and so I could go to see Jack.

I was sure to put on a jacket today, instead of just my fur vest. It was extremely cold out, most likely the work of Jack. Allot had unfolded in the past few days, but they were all of good happenings.

I wandered into the forest to find Jack sitting in the middle of the path, drawing out things with the end of his staff.

I took a seat next to him. "What are you drawing?" I asked.

"Just swirls, it reminds me of the wind and frost."

"Do you enjoy the wind?" I looked over at him. His eyes were stuck to the ground. He looked so concentrated,  even though he was just doodling.

"It can take me wherever I want to go. It's the one who helps me fly. It helps me escape."

"Wow..." I looked at him still. His eyes twinkled and his cheeks were a bright pink. He must have noticed my staring because he turned to look at me. "Hm?"

My cheeks heated up and my stomach did a flip. I jerked my head away. "Nothing, nothing." I replied.

I could feel his eyes on me, which only made me more nervous.  I played with my fingers in hopes that he would stop gazing at me.

"So did you bring all this snow last night?" I said, trying to break the silence.

"Yeah, I guess so." Jack gazed around, "It was sort of an unintentional thing though, that happens sometimes."

"It's not a bad thing. I don't think Berk has ever gotten this much snow... its nice."

"Really?" Jack smiled, "Most of the time people find snow a burden."

"So is snow all you can make?" I asked.

"No. I can make blizzards, I can make ice, I can make snowballs, I can make little sculptures- I can make all kinds of things!"

"Sculptures?"

"Yeah, let me show you."

We turned towards eachother and he took a hold of my hands. His smile radiated with excitement. My hands were cupped together and placed on top of his. Small swirls of blue formed and for a while just circled around. A figure started to form and the swirls got thicker and thicker until they fell away in the form of snow revealing a dragon made of ice.

"Jack," I gasped, "that's amazing..."

I stared into his eyes, his big, blue eyes and laughed. He smiled, and giggled himself. That feeling in my stomach came back and my skin covered in goosebumps. My mind was racing, all with thoughts about Jack. What was this feeling? I couldn't describe it and I couldn't identify it. But I only noticed it around Jack.

"Do you like it?" He asked with a twinkle in his eye.

"It's wonderful."

He removed his hand and the ice started to melt in my palm. 

"Oh no!" I gasped.

"Its okay, I can always make more."

I nodded, but was still a little aghast.

"Hey! I have an idea! What about a snowball fight?"

I thought about it. I mean he is the winter spirit himself, he must be pretty good at snowball fights. But I took up the offer.

"You're on!"

I ran to the other side of the path and bent over to make a snowball. I had barely gotten one made when a ball came and hit me in the tail, nearly toppling me over.

"Hey!" I hollered.

I spun around to see Jack, leaning against his staff, tossing a snowball up and down.

"You'll have to be quicker than that." He taunted.

I threw my snowball at him, but it collapsed in mid-air. Jack laughed and snorted. I started to create another but he was quicker.

"At least give me a chance!" I whined.

The wind picked jack up circled him around me. He created snowballs as fast as he could throw them. I covered my head and tried to dodge but was never fast enough.

"Jack!" I wailed.

"Okay okay, I'm done" he lowered himself next to me.

I took what of my snowball I still had left and shoved it in his face. "Ha!"

Jack spit and whiped the snow off his face. "Fine, you win this round."

The afternoon went by fast, we layed in the snow, laughing and talking. We conversed more about his powers and what other spirits were out there. He told me about the guardians and the nightmare king, about how he would rather go unseen by everyone than have to work year-round. The night came quick and we stared up at the stars together. We pointed out different constellations to each other.

"See that one right there?" I pointed to the north star, one of the brightest in the sky, "If you connect it with those five, you can see the Brave Bear."

"It looks like a pot to me." Jack joked.

We both laughed and continued to star gaze.

"Hey Jack?"

"Yeah Hic?"

"That night we first met, at the pond..." I hesitated.

"What about?"

"You were talking to the moon. You asked why you were so alone. Did the moon ever answer?"

Jack sighed and looked back up at the sky. I could tell I pushed a sensitive spot, and I felt really bad about it.

"No. He never does. The man in the moon has only talked to me once, when he told me my name. I've asked him questions and talked to him, but it's never changed. The outcome is always the same."

I hesitated, a bit unsure about how to respond.

"I'm sorry."

He shrugged and watched the sky. The rest of the night was silent, but I never left. I stayed next to Jack, shoulder to shoulder.