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Chapter 3: The Wolf and the Bear

Johnny told the sparrow the events that happened yesterday and the sparrow told Johnny that the Snow King was the one who cast the spell on the boy turning him into a wolf. After talking to the sparrow, Johnny followed the tracks that the sleigh had left. About few miles later, Johnny spotted something buried deep beneath two inches of snow. He started digging frantically, fearing the worst. Once the snow was cleared, Johnny was beheld a lonely sled that had belong to his sister Rachel. "I'm too late," sniffed Johnny. He brushed away a tear and then stood up. "Don't worry, Rachel. I will find you. I promise," whispered Johnny. Now that he was a wolf, he could pick up on her scent. Thanks to that new skill, he found it heading towards the north. "Might as well get started on my journey," Johnny thought as he started walking towards his destination. He travelled through an open field and through another forest, which he was unfamiliar with.

It was growing darker and Johnny needed to find shelter fast. After several hours of stumbling through thick bushes and getting entangled in vines, Johnny came across the open mouth of a cave. "Maybe I can stay here for the night," he thought to himself, "but it might be already taken and it might be rude to enter someone's home without being invited first." So, Johnny stood at the cave's entrance and cried out "Hello!" His voice echoed through out the entire cavern before it faded into silence. Everything was dark and quiet, but not for long. "Who's there," a voice growled from the darkness. Johnny was starting to have second thoughts about staying in this cave, but he had nowhere else to go. "I am traveling to the north to look for my sister and I was wondering if it was alright for me to spend the night here." Out of the dark came the huge brown head of a grizzly bear. It looked Johnny over and sniffed at him curiously. "What sort of creature are you?" the grizzly bellowed, his voice deepened with his growing size. "I-I'm a boy," Johnny stammered, as he took one step back outside of the cave. "You smell like one but you don't look like it," the grizzly stated, standing at his full height and eyeing the strange wolf suspiciously. Finally, Johnny lost his patience, and quite possibly, his nerve. To the grizzly's surprise, he found the wolf getting down on his knees with his ears pinned back against his head, crying out, "Look, I don't know where I am or how far I traveled, but I am looking for my sister. The Snow King took her away and...and..." Johnny's voice trailed off as he hung his head and tears rolled down his muzzle and dripped on the cold rocky floor. The grizzly bear, which had always detested wolves, was quite touched by this strange and pitiful creature. "Never in my life have I ever seen anyone with as much determination as you." Johnny looked up at the bear, which got back on all fours and started to saunter back into the cave. "You may spend the night here if you wish," the grizzly said, "and I know which way you need to go to find the Snow King." Johnny's fur covered ears perked up at the mention of the Snow King. But before he could say anything, the grizzly held up his paw and said, "But first, you must have food and rest. I just happen to have some freshly caught salmon." After being filled with salmon, the grizzly bear showed Johnny a soft bed of reeds where he could sleep.

Morning came and the grizzly bear served Johnny some more salmon before he could continue the journey. "You'll need to keep going north, over the mountains. But before you go," the grizzly went over to a small hole in the wall of his cave and got out a small compass. "This will help you find your sister." Johnny turned to his new friend and smiled. "Thank you so much. How can I repay you?" "There's no need kid. By the way, name's Red." "I'm Johnny. Thanks Red, I'll never forget you. Farewell." As Johnny walked off, he turned around to wave one last time at Red and then he was off. He looked at the compass in his paw. The needle was pointing north. "And north is where I will go," thought Johnny.

Chapter 4: Waters of Love

Johnny had been walking all day and when noon arrived, he had to sit down to rest. He may have fur covering every inch of his body, but the cold wind seemed to penetrate the thick coat somehow. After a few minutes had passed, Johnny got up and started off on his journey again. It was not long after when he came across a small pool that had steam rising out of it. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to warm up a bit," he thought. Carefully removing his clothing, though he left his boxers on, he set them in a place where the snow couldn't get to them and the steam could keep them warm. Johnny slipped into the waters of the hot spring; he closed his eyes and gave a sigh of content.

What he didn't realize was that someone else was in the pool with him. The mermaid had never seen a wolf quite like Johnny before, and she wanted him to stay and keep her company. Quietly, she swam up next to Johnny and sat next to him. When Johnny opened his eyes, he nearly jumped out of the seat he was in. "I'm sorry," said the mermaid, apologetically, "I didn't mean to startle you." When Johnny saw that she meant no harm, he readjusted himself. "I'm fine thanks," he responded gently. "Who are you and where are you going?" inquired the curious water nymph. "Well, my name is Johnny and I'm looking for my sister. She was taken by..." "Don't tell me about her. I want to hear about you," the mermaid replied, her voice changing to a seductive tone. "I'm sorry for barging in like this, and I was feeling cold," Johnny explained, "and I didn't know that there was anyone living here" The mermaid giggled with amusement and then began stroking Johnny's ears, and with ever stroke, his eyes became heavy. "Never mind about your sister, or whoever she is," she whispered softly, "You're my good boy, now." Johnny was doing his best not to fall asleep when the sun glinted off the compass that he had left with his clothes. The reflection of the sun made Johnny blink and then get up suddenly. "No, wait. Where are you going?" the mermaid pleaded. Johnny started to get dressed and he turned to the mistress of the pool. "I'm sorry miss, but I have no time for games. The Snow King is holding my sister, and I need to find her and bring her back home safely." "But..." the mermaid was about to argue, but she decided it was no use. "If you are set on finding your sister, then you must hurry before she becomes as cold as the Snow King. Farewell, Johnny. Stay strong." With that, the mermaid dove back into the pool. As soon as Johnny was fully dressed, he grabbed his compass and started off again. "I'm so glad this compass was here to help me," Johnny thought as he looked at the compass in his paw.