❄ first snow

[snowstorms]

[Despite waking up in a weird room, Jack isn't one to spend a lot of time indoors. He explores the outside of the castle instead, one hand on the journal, the other wrapped firmly around his staff. He is easy enough to see: a pale, lanky boy sliding along banisters, drawing frost ferns on the windowpanes, and even surfing down the roof on a ramp of ice.]

Pretty interesting read, I gotta say. [A cold wind ruffles the pages of the journal as he goes.] And magical too, if the transcription means anything.

Hey, magic book! Can you answer a couple questions? Like, ah, which way is home? I think I got turned around somewhere, even though that... doesn't usually happen.

Another thing. Didn't we already have Easter? [The cheer in his voice starts to fade.] Whoever wrote down the date in here is... more than a month off.

That's... weird.

[ooc: Feel free to catch him flying around like a lunatic or over the journal, just specify which!]

Comments

[snowstorms]

[Jack brings himself to a sudden stop and stumbles, but he catches himself with his staff. He leans against it casually as if he's used to this.]

Oh, uh. Hi there. Enjoying the snow?

[wolfchild]

[ Nope. Answer her question first. ]

How did you do that?

[snowstorms]

Ah, that? [He shrugs it off like it's no big deal.] Comes with the territory. [He flexes his toes in the snow, and does not look at all cold.]

I didn't mean to interrupt you and your giant wolf buddy. [He dredges up a snowball somehow.] Still. What's the fun of throwing snow at someone who can't throw it back?

[wolfchild]

Direwolf. And she can't throw, but she can do other things. [ Don't even, dude, her big puppy is the greatest toy/playmate ever. B( ]

[snowstorms]

She's beautiful. I bet she's strong, too. [He's not dissing the dog at all! He'd try to make friends but he's about as interesting to them as a walking icicle, and he's not a fan of yellow snow either.

Jack drops down to a crouch, laying his staff across his knees.]

I'm Jack Frost. Nice to meet you both.

[wolfchild]

[ That stops any rising annoyance. The way to this kid's heart is her wolf. Or revenge. ]

Arya. That's Nymeria.

[ Nymeria walks over to examine him. Arya keeps a careful eye on things in case she needs to intervene. ]

Are you a winter spirit?

[snowstorms]

[How about both?]

He holds out a hand for the wolf to sniff, not showing fear so much as respect. He does carry a giant stick though. He doesn't want to lose that.] Hi there, Nymeria. You protect Arya, don't you? You're a good friend.

[He looks up as he's addressed again, his blue eyes widening a bit-- but then he grins boyishly.]

You're pretty sharp.

[wolfchild]

[ Jack would be her new biffle.

Nymeria smells it then licks his hand. Arya starts a little before relaxing. If Nymeria likes him, he must be all right.

She smiles back. ]

I pay attention to what's there. How long have you been here?

sorry about that awful html fail, that's what i get for not proofreading

[snowstorms]

[Wow, this kid is /really/ cute when she smiles. He gets the feeling that she doesn't smile often. Nym's tongue tickles, and he gets a good chuckle out of it while scritching her behind the ears.

When he looks up at Arya again, his expression has sobered somewhat.]

Not long. I'm still trying to figure out how I got here in the first place.

[He draws in the snow with a finger, making the outline of a bone.]

rofl s'okay <3

[wolfchild]

Magic is everyone's guess.

[ She cants her head, watching him draw. ]

[snowstorms]

Probably. At least I didn't wake up in a sack.

[When he's done, he makes a yanking motion with his fingers. The bone pops up out of the ground, made of hollow ice but otherwise looking like a dog toy.

He offers it to Arya.]

Does Nymeria play fetch?

[wolfchild]

[ She takes it, turning it over to see it from all angles. It's really ice. ]

She used to. [ But Nymeria didn't get to stay a pup and play and neither did Arya. ] But she's too old for that now.

[snowstorms]

No one's too old for games. [He remains in a crouch, watching.] Just throw it. See what happens.

[wolfchild]

[ Pursing her lips, Arya throws the bone. ]

Fetch!

[ Nymeria whuffs. Arya motions at the bone. ]

Go get it!

[ The direwolf looks in that direction—and plops into the snow to groom herself. ]

[snowstorms]

[Jack makes a face. Okay, so that didn't work. Maybe his 'let's play!' magic can work on animals? He's never actually tried.

He sprinkles an enchanted snowflake on Nymeria's nose, experimentally.]

C'mon, pup, you're not that old.

[wolfchild]

[ Arya falls on her butt when Nymeria charges past her, looking like a (very, very, very large) puppy on Ritalin. She crouches a short distance away, tail wagging, before she races back to Arya. They both end up rolling on the snow, Nymeria wanting to play-fight and Arya trying to shove her off.

It ends with a half-amazed, half-annoyed Arya sitting in the snow while Nymeria lies in her lap, gnawing playfully on Arya's arm. The direwolf at least takes care never to break skin or throw her entire weight at the much smaller child. When Arya tries to pull away, Nymeria makes a sound of complaint and paws at the air. ]

[snowstorms]

[Jack laughs as Nymeria goes into play-overdrive. While she's looking for something to gnaw on, Jack casually flies over, grabs the little ice bone, and waves it in the air.]

Hey! [He whistles to get her attention, then tosses it a respectful distance away.

Hopefully that'll let Arya breathe.]

[wolfchild]

[ Nymeria looks up at the whistle. Kicking up snow, she abandons Arya to run after the bone. Arya throws a snowball after her. ]

Stupid wolf! I've got slobber all over... [ She rubs her arm on the snow. ]

[snowstorms]

[Jack's laughter is innocent in a way-- not mocking, and it comes easy. At least someone's having fun.

He offers the girl a hand up.]

[wolfchild]

[ She takes it and lets go as soon as she's on her feet. Nymeria returns with the bone. The wolf leaves it in her hands. ]

Thank you, Nymeria.

[snowstorms]

[He's not entirely surprised that she let go so quick-- he's /cold/, after all.]

She looks like she's enjoying herself.

[wolfchild]

It's queer. She's not usually like this.

[ If Nymeria is to be this excitable, she cannot go inside. Cat will worry and Henry will be scared. Arya sighs. ]

[snowstorms]

She'll calm down. Why don't you go play with her until she gets it all out?

[He smiles at her like he totally wasn't at fault.]

[wolfchild]

Because I'm not a child. [ Sharper than usual, but she's sick of it. ]

[snowstorms]

[Jack is unfazed.]

Did I say you were?

[He leans forward.]

I'll let you in on a secret: even adults need to have fun once in a while. You don't just magically lose your sense of humor when you turn eighteen. The only thing that changes, as far as I can tell... is that you have more to worry about.

That's it.