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Chapter 1: Brother and Sister

Many years ago, there lived a boy named Johnny, who was 16, and Rachel, his 10-year-old sister. Johnny was handsomely muscular and had long, smooth blond hair that reached down to his shoulders, and his eyes were chocolate brown. Rachel was smaller than her older brother but she had longer hair than he did and she had brown eyes, just like Johnny. Johnny and Rachel loved each other and did everything together. They'd play together, swim together and even keep each other warm on cold winter nights. They even shared a bedroom together so that neither one of them would feel lonely. Their mother died when she gave birth to Rachel and their father took care of the children until he was taken by a terrible illness. Today, Johnny and Rachel live with their grandparents, whom they loved the children dearly. The family lived out in a small house, which stood in front of a huge forest that was completely dense with oak trees. It seemed that the two siblings were inseparable.

One night, their grandmother was tucking Rachel into bed, Rachel asked, "I can't sleep, Granny. Could you tell me a story, please?" Her grandmother chuckled. "Alright," she said, "What would you like to hear?" "Where does all the snow come from?" Rachel piped up. "Well," began her grandmother, "they say that every snow flake comes from the north and in the north where the snow never melts, residing in a castle made of the coldest ice, there rules the Snow King." "Who's he?" squeaked Rachel. "He is the winter itself," continued her grandmother, "and it is he who makes it always snow, but in the spring, his power becomes weak. And so, in the winter, he must expand his kingdom as far as possible, but the greatest threat to him of all, is warmth of a loving heart." Rachel gave a gasp. "Is he handsome?" she asked, her voice full of interest. "He is so beautiful that he makes you shiver with cold," answered her grandmother, "His eyes are as blue as sapphires and his skin and hair are as white as the snow all around him. He roams the halls of his palace admiring all that is his, but none are as more precious to him as his magic pearl. With his pearl, he can look out into the outside world and in doing so, he expands his icy winter snow." Rachel shivered and then she looked over at the mirror above the dresser and gasped. "What's wrong?" Johnny asked. "I... it's the Snow King! He's watching us!" Rachel squeaked before darting beneath the covers. Johnny chuckled and walked over to his timid little sister. "Don't be silly, Rachel," laughed Johnny, "He can't get in here. Besides, I'll protect you." Then, Johnny stood up beside Rachel's bed and expanded his chest and put his hands on his hips to make him look like one of the superheroes in the comics. Rachel giggled at her big brother. He always had a way of making her feel better. "Yeah," she said, feeling a little braver, "and if he does get in, we'd put him in the microwave, and he'd melt."

Johnny and Rachel laughed at this statement, but far away in the north, in a grand icy palace, a tall white figure was viewing two young children who were laughing about him in a round sphere the size of a bowling ball. "Arrogant child," he sneered at the girl, "Does she dare challenge me?" He was just about to send a blizzard to that very location, when he stopped and had another thought come to him. Then he chuckled to himself. "We'll see how well you stick together once I'm through with you," he said, still glaring at the two children in the sphere.

Chapter 2: The Snow King's Wrath

The next morning, Johnny was outside helping his grandfather chop firewood. It was around noon and the sky was gray with clouds, yet everything around the two men was bright. Then Johnny heard his grandmother calling out to his grandfather, asking him to come inside. "Don't worry, Grandpa. I'll finish from here," said Johnny. "All right, but be careful, son" the old man chuckled and hobbled back to the house. Johnny was outside chopping wood for around 30 minutes when without warning, a huge wind started to blow from the north. The cold was starting to penetrate Johnny's coat and he rubbed his hands together to keep them from freezing. What Johnny didn't realize was that while the wind was blowing, his skin under his winter clothing was starting to grow thick coats of gray fur. His ears started to shift to the top of his head and his face was starting to extend in front of him. Then, Johnny started to feel a pain in his legs. He figured that they were just cramps from standing out in the cold, but the truth was that they were changing from human legs into hindquarters. And to finish it off, a long gray furry tale extended from behind Johnny. Johnny had been unaware of this change and for a moment, he thought that he was getting hot in his jacket. He went back to the house in hopes that he would feel much better inside. But as soon as he stepped inside, Rachel looked up from a jigsaw puzzle she was doing and gave out a terrible scream. Her grandfather came rushing in and when he saw Johnny standing there, he quickly grabbed a poker from the fireplace and started to swing it in Johnny's face. "Get out you beast! Don't you dare hurt my granddaughter," her grandfather shouted. Johnny was so terrified that he ran out the door and bolted for the forest. After awhile, he stopped by a frozen stream to rest. There he bent down and when he looked down into the water, he thought he saw a wolf, which was somewhat humanly built with chocolate brown eyes, with long dark hair reaching the shoulders and it was wearing a jacket similar to his own. He looked up and no one was there. Then he looked down at the reflection again. It was really getting hot in that jacket of his. Johnny reached up to undo the zipper only to find the wolf in the reflection copying his same action. "This is getting creepy," Johnny thought to himself. He looked down at his hands, hoping it was just his imagination, but what he found were gray paws with sharp claws at the tip of the fingers. He then removed his jacket and shirt to reveal his limbs were covered in gray fur. His chest was covered with gray fur as well. Then the truth hit Johnny hard and fast: he had become a werewolf type of creature. Johnny fell to his knees and wept bitter tears of despair as he thought about the shock on his sisters' face and the rage of his grandfather.

The next day, Rachel went outside with her sled and skipped merrily toward a nearby hill where she and Johnny would race each other down the slope and see who would reach the bottom first. But today, Rachel was by herself and wondered why Johnny hadn't come back into the house after the wolf came in yesterday. A few yards away, a wolf was hiding behind a bunch of trees, longingly watching the little girl from a distance. Rachel was about to slide down the hill when she spotted a sleigh being pulled by two white horses coming in her direction. Rachel was so entranced by the shining beauty of the horses that she didn't notice the driver in the sleigh until it stopped in front of her. The stranger had a blanket made of white fur draped across his legs, and his coat and hat appeared to be made of the same material as the blanket. The driver had an expressionless face and his eyes were surprisingly deep blue. "How fast would you like to go?" the driver asked, snapping Rachel back into reality. "W-what?" she stammered. The driver chuckled softly. "Would you like to go for a ride?" the stranger asked alluringly. Rachel nodded automatically and quickly attached her sled to the back of the sleigh. Once she was on, the sleigh started off in a hurried pace. The wolf stepped out as he watched his sister ride off with the sleigh. "Rachel!" he called, but to no avail.

A sparrow saw the whole scene and landed on a branch next to the wolf. "Well, what are you waiting for?" the sparrow chirped. "What are you talking about? She's better off without me," the wolf said, fighting back the tears. "Don't you get it?" exclaimed the sparrow frantically, "That driver was the Snow King!" The wolf's eyes opened wide and he turned back towards the direction the sleigh headed off in but it was gone, and so was Rachel! "I have to go after her", the wolf cried out as he rushed after the sleigh. "But why should you go after that human? What do you find so fascinating about her, anyway?" declared the sparrow. "That 'human' is my sister!" the wolf growled, "And I'll do whatever it takes to get her back."

The sleigh was going faster than Rachel had intended. She tried to call to the driver and ask him to stop, but she found that her throat was dry and she only managed a whisper. The sleigh kept going on through the snow, never stopping and never slowing down. At last, when Rachel thought she couldn't hold on much longer, the sleigh stopped, and Rachel couldn't stop herself from shaking. The driver slowly turned around and smiled. "Do you still think you can melt me in a microwave, Rachel?" The driver stepped out of the sleigh and smiled as he walked over to the trembling, whimpering creature behind it. "My dear child, you look so cold. Come, sit with me on the sleigh." The driver offered his hand to Rachel and helped her up. His touch felt as cold as ice in her hand. The driver then led the girl to the seat in the sleigh and sat her right next to him, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders. "You look frozen, my dear," soothed the driver. He then kissed her forehead, which made Rachel shudder at the touch of his lips. "Y-your kiss f-feels c-c-cold," she whimpered, "S-s-so c-cold, i-it burns." The driver laughed as he held the young girl close to him with the blanket still wrapped around her. " I shall not kiss you anymore," he soothed, stroking her hair. "Soon, you won't even feel the cold. You must trust me, my brave princess. My love is peaceful and safe. You won't be troubled by anything. I will take you to a grand kingdom where no eyes shall see or will ever see again. You will be the princess of my domain and the life that you once knew will become nothing more than a dream. Feelings only lead to self-destruction, and it is best to be above all of that, my brave Rachel. Soon your heart will soon be as hard as diamonds. You will not know happiness, but you will also not know sorrow. You will be like me: neither sad nor joyful. You will forget all the people you have ever known and loved." While the Snow King was saying all this, the sleigh started to take off into the sky and inclined ever so slightly, flying over the treetops and houses below. Then, the Snow King turned to the girl who had stopped shivering and was looking up at him in admiration. "In this life," he continued, "you will find satisfaction."

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.

Chapter 5: "You must forget"

Far up in the north, Rachel was walking with the Snow King down a long hallway, which looked like it was made entirely out of glass and diamonds, but in truth it was carefully sculpted ice. The entire palace was beyond anything that Rachel had ever seen. "This place is amazing," chirped Rachel. The Snow King glanced at her and grinned. "Thank you Rachel." Now that the Snow King had brought Rachel back to his palace, she noticed that his fur coat had transformed into what seemed to be a long, flowing white robe that trailed two or three feet behind him. On his head the fur cap was transfigured into what Rachel mistook it for a frosted glass crown, with triangular spikes symmetrically sloping from the center front. Along the ridges of the crown, triangular crystals were placed within each point on the crown. His hair was glossy white and his eyes were deep, sapphire blue, but his face was expressionless. "Do you find my appearance interesting?" the Snow King inquired. Rachel blinked and then responded, "What? Oh, yes. I do." The Snow King smiled and motioned Rachel to follow him. They walked side by side until they reached two large doors guarded by two polar bears in full armor, with a spear in one paw and a shield with a snowflake crest in the other. The two guards bowed low as their master and young guest entered the throne room.

Rachel nearly forgot to breath when she stepped inside the enormous chamber that served as the throne room. The walls enclosing the area formed a hexagonal shape, with the door in which they entered was directly across from the throne. The ceiling arched up to create a dome and in the center was the carving of a snowflake, and hanging from the center of the dome was a snowflake-shaped chandelier. The each wall had an individual window that was symmetrically level with each other. The throne looked somewhat geometric, with a solid block, which served as the seat, two arms on each side and the back of the throne had five spikes protruding from the top and below these spikes was the same snowflake emblem. What caught Rachel's eye the moment she stepped in was a round orb, sitting in a six-sided bowl, which stood on a pillar in the middle of the room. Once the Snow King seated himself on his throne, he beckoned Rachel to come forward. Rachel came forward at a slow pace, rubbing her hands over her arms and she started to shiver slightly. Once she reached the throne, the Snow King clapped his hands twice. At once, a penguin holding a silver tray above his head waddled over to the throne. On the tray sat a silver chalice incrusted with rubies and in it was a milky white substance. The penguin bowed low before Rachel offering her the chalice. "Drink," the Snow King told Rachel, "You'll feel better if you do." Rachel took the chalice and drank every last drop of its contents. It tasted of lukewarm water, but it was better than nothing. After Rachel finished and offered the chalice back to the penguin, she noticed that she had stopped shaking. "That will keep you from feeling the cold," explained the Snow King. With a wave of his master's hand, the penguin bowed and quickly left.

Once the penguin was gone, Rachel turned to the icy ruler in the throne. "Excuse me, your majesty," said she, "but what is that ball in the middle of the throne room?" The King looked up and his features looking majestic in Rachel's eyes. "That, dear child, is my source of knowledge. With it, I can see through out my kingdom and acknowledge those who have yet to feel my power." "But don't you ever feel lonely? Your kingdom doesn't have any live parties or..." "Rachel," the Snow King interrupted, "I have told you this before. There are no events, no joy and no sorrow. You must forget all of what you have come to know. Forget." "Oh, I'm sorry, your majesty. I forgot," Rachel stated drearily as if she was in a trance. Suddenly her skin began to turn a pale shade of blue and her blond hair turned glossy white, but Rachel didn't even notice this change for she was under the Snow King's power now. The King rested his chin on the back of his hand and looked at Rachel. He had to see if the potion she was given had taken full effect. "Do you know what happiness is, Rachel?" the King inquired. Rachel looked up. "No," she responded shaking her head. "And beauty?" the ruler asked. Rachel thought for a moment, "Well... no, I don't." She lowered her head in disappointment and the Snow King smiled and asked, "Do you remember the meaning of love?" Rachel picked her head up. "Love? It's... I don't... wait...home...Johnny!" Rachel smiled at the mention of her brother's name, but the Snow King stood up. "Johnny?" he bellowed, almost with a hint of anger in his tone, "You remember Johnny?" Rachel shrank back timidly. "Y-yes...y-your majesty," she squeaked. Then the King looked calm again, and started to chuckle as he sat back down on his throne. "It's alright, dear. I understand," he soothed, stroking the young girl's hair. Rachel felt her eyes getting heavy and she fell asleep at the feet of the Snow King. "Very soon, your heart will become frozen solid, and these memories will trouble you no more," the King said, still stroking Rachel. "You shall see what powers I possess."

Chapter 6: Being one of the Pack

It had been four days since Johnny saw the Snow King ride off with Rachel. His food rations were running low and he was growing weaker with every step he took. The only thing that kept him going was the hope of seeing Rachel again. Though he knew he had frightened Rachel in his new wolf form, he did not give up on her. He was going to keep his vow to the end. On the fifth night, he was dead tired and had to rest. Before he could go a step further, he collapsed into the snow. He tried to get back up, but every muscle in his entire body started to burn. Against his will, Johnny's eyes started to close. Before he blacked out, he thought he heard the sound of footsteps and voices.

In the darkness, he saw the house of his grandparents. He ran up the steps to the door. But when he opened it he heard a little girl scream and a man's voice calling out "Get out you beast!" The next thing Johnny knew was that he was being dragged out of the house and into the snow covered forest. He got up and all around him he heard the sound of laughter. It sounded so cold and cruel. Johnny covered his ears with his paws, trying to shut out the evil laughter. Suddenly his legs became paralyzed. He looked down at his legs and there was ice growing over his feet and reaching up to his knees. The ice was getting higher and higher. Before he was completely incased in ice, he saw a girl with pale blue skin and glossy white hair. "Why did you leave?" she asked. Johnny tried to ask the girl what she was talking about when she shattered like broken pieces of glass. "No! NO! NO!" cried out Johnny.

"NO! NO!" Johnny opened his eyes and gasped. He sat bolt upright and bumped his head against something hard. "Goodness, are you alright?" Johnny looked around to see where the voice was coming from. He was inside a cave, and he had bumped his head on a very low ledge. Out of the corner of his eye, Johnny saw a black wolf approach him. Johnny sniffed the air and figured that this wolf was a female and an alpha. She had jet-black fur from head to tail, except for her paws, which gave Johnny the impression that they looked like socks. "Were you having a nightmare?" the wolf asked once it reached him. "I... I think so... W-where am I? And how did I get here?" Johnny's head still hurt from the ledge that he blindly rammed into. "You're with the Mountain Pack," answered the black wolf. "My name is Validel. I'm the pack's female alpha and mate of Tundran. And you?" Johnny leaned forward and rubbed the back of his stiff neck. "Johnny. I'm looking for my sister. I think she may have... did you say 'Mountain' Pack?" "Well...yes," answered Validel. Johnny tried to stand up. The moment he was on his feet, his knees started to buckle and he nearly would have landed face first if Validel hadn't run forward and caught him. When Validel helped Johnny up, he realized that she was about 3 feet tall, almost level to his waist.

The two wolves walked over to a nearby circle of wolves, which might have been the elders. Validel bowed low to them and Johnny bowed to them as well. "So," asked a brown wolf, who was wearing an eye patch over his left eye, "how's are patient this fine evening?" "I'm doing well, I guess," Johnny answered, shyly. "Good evening, Validel." Someone from behind them padded up to them. Validel smiled as a red wolf with a white star on his forehead came up to them. "Hello, darling," replied Validel, as the two of them nuzzled each other lovingly. The red wolf took notice of Johnny. "Oh, glad to see you're up. I thought we were too late when my hunting party found you in the snow. I'm Tundran, leader of the Mountain Pack." Johnny bowed low. "I thank you for your kindness." "What brings you all the way up hear?" inquired the alpha. Just then, one of the wolves from the circle, a scrawny, wrinkled wolf with dull brown fur and white whiskers spoke up. "Yes," he replied, "tell us everything...in detail." Johnny poured out his story. He began with him and Rachel and how they came to live with their grandparents, then the day that he was transformed into a wolf and when the Snow King took Rachel away to his castle. "And I've been searching everywhere for her," said Johnny, coming to the end of his story, "If something happens to Rachel, I don't know how I could live with myself." After Johnny ended the story of his journey, some of the wolves in the circle were listening intently, while others were holding each other with tears in their eyes and saying "Oh what a sad and beautiful story." Finally, it was Tundran who spoke up first. "Well, son, you're quest is almost complete, because you already reached the mountains, and furthermore you have the heart of a true wolf." "My heart?" Johnny asked curiously. One wolf, the oldest of the others creakily spoke up. "The heart of a true wolf," he explained, "doesn't come from his physical strength, but from the love for his family, for his pack, and his willingness to protect them to the end of time. That's what being part of the pack is about: to love and care for the ones whom you care about the most." Johnny smiled but then it faded and his eyes began filling up with tears. "I just wish I could have been there to stop Rachel from climbing into that sleigh. I wish I was there to protect her..." Johnny buried his face in his paws, tears running down fiercely. Validel stepped over to Johnny and nuzzled his neck affectionately, as a mother does her young. Johnny looked up, eyes still over flowing with tears. "Thank you," he whimpered softly.

The Mountain Pack offered Johnny a place to spend the night and he felt treated like he was one of them, though they now knew that he was a human. But human or wolf, he was treated with kindness. The next day, a blizzard had started to blow up the side of the mountain. Tundran told Johnny that he had never seen a storm as awful as this one. "It must be the Snow King," Johnny responded, "He knows I'm coming. I have to go!" All the other wolves looked at him in shock and they tried to convince him not to go. "Are you crazy?" "You can't go out there!" "You'll freeze!" But Tundran growled for silence. "It's Johnny's decision to save his sister, and we must honor his wish and remember him for his bravery and perseverance." He then turned to Johnny. "No matter what happens, you are always welcome here, human or wolf. You are one of the pack now, my son." Johnny bowed low to Tundran and Tundran bowed in return. Validel came up to them. "Be careful, my child" she said her voice full of concern. Johnny bent down and hugged the black wolf. "I will," he said, "and thank you." After one last glance at the Mountain Pack, the one family he had come to love, Johnny headed out into the blizzard to find the Snow King. And Rachel.

Chapter 7: The Blizzard

The Snow King walked over to the table in the middle of the throne room. As he looked into his pearl, an image appeared within the orb. The image beheld a young anthromorphic-looking wolf talking to a small pack of wolves and the packs voices rang out like small whispers "Are you crazy?" "You can't go out there!" "You'll freeze!" The King stood there looking at the wolf shown in the pearl. "You'll freeze," mocked the King, "Indeed, you will freeze. You shall not reach here before your sister forgets who you are and becomes nothing more than solid ice."

Johnny had never felt so cold in his life. The wind was stinging his eyes and he could barely see where he was going. He could only rely on the compass, his tracking skills, and his heart. The further he travelled the more difficult the journey became. "Don't worry, Rachel," he whispered, "I'm coming."

The Snow King was using all of his power to prevent the determined wolf from reaching his palace. "Winds! Blizzards! Blow your worst! Snow! Freeze your coldest! That boy must never reach me! You...must...stop...him!"

Johnny collapsed beneath the cold winter storm. Just when he was about to give up, everything was suddenly still. When Johnny looked up, he could see a high wall of glistening ice. Johnny weakly pulled himself up and slowly made his way towards the gates.

Chapter 8: The Quest Comes To An End

Johnny walked up the steps leading up to the palace. When he approached the giant doors that stood before him, they opened on their own accord. Johnny walked in and nearly stumbled over. He had nearly been frozen and the storm had drained most of his energy. But Johnny boldly continued down the corridor till he came across two doors, guarded by armed polar bears on each side. The moment they caught sight of him, they leveled their spears. "State your business," growled the guard on the left. Johnny was surprised at the guards' sudden reflexes. "I'm here to see my sister, Rachel." "No one, except the Snow King, is allowed in the throne room," replied the guard on the right, "unless they answer a riddle." "A riddle?" Johnny asked. "A riddle," answered the left guard. "Well, what's the riddle? And if I guess correctly, can I go in?" Johnny inquired. "If answered correctly, yes you get to go in," said the left guard. "But if you guess incorrectly," Sneered the right guard, "we get to 'wolf' down some lunch." Johnny took a deep breath, "All right, ask the riddle." The two polar bear snickered. "Alright," said the right guard, "When you look at the numbers on my face..." "...You won't find thirteen any place. What am I?" finished the left guard. Johnny thought about it carefully. "Numbers in on my face? Thirteen?" "Give up?" asked the right guard, smiling deviously. "No," Johnny replied. "Come on," groaned the left guard, "Time is running out and..." "Hush!" hissed the right guard. "That's it!" Johnny cried out, "The answer is a clock!" Both guards groaned. "You can go in," moaned the right guard. "Thank you," said Johnny. "You're welcome," groaned the guards, simultaneously.

Johnny walked into the throne room. The area was completely empty, except for one solitary girl with glossy white hair and pale blue skin. Johnny slowly walked up to her and knelt down beside her. After careful examining her features, Johnny saw that her eyes were of a chocolate brown color. Then he immediately recognized who she was. "Rachel! Rachel! It's me, Johnny!" But she didn't move an inch. Then she lifted her head to look at him. Rachel seemed to have a blank expression on her face. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice filled with cold. Johnny looked her over hoping she would recognize him, but all she saw was a gray wolf with a human like body. "Go away," she replied blandly. "Rachel, please!" Johnny gripped Rachel's shoulders and turned her towards him. Her flesh felt ice cold in his paws. "Please, look at me," the wolf pleaded. The girl looked up at the teary eyed wolf. Then she caught a glimpse of his eyes. They were chocolate brown, just like hers. "J-J-Johnny?" she stammered. She felt slightly dizzy and nearly fainted. Johnny caught her in his arms. When Rachel lifted up her head, her hair was no longer glossy white, but golden blond. And the color returned to her skin. She leaned closer to take a better look at the wolf's eyes. "Johnny? Is that really you?" Johnny couldn't fight back the tears anymore. They came pouring out like tiny waterfalls. "Yes. Yes, it's me, Rachel. Your big brother, Johnny." A smile began to grow on the young girls' face. "It really is you!" she cried and quickly pulled Johnny in a big embrace and Johnny hugged her in return.

While they were holding each other, Rachel began to notice that all the fur on her brother started to fade away. The long snout shortened and the tail disappeared and the legs became normal human legs. Rachel let go of her brother and stared at him in amazement. It took Johnny a few minutes to notice what was making Rachel so surprised. He looked down to see his paws had become hands. "I can't believe it," laughed Johnny, "the spell is broken! I'm human again!" Together the two siblings laughed and danced for joy now that they were together again.

But their joyous reunion was short lived. For out of nowhere, an icy cold blast of wind burst into the room. "It's the Snow King!" cried Rachel. "Don't worry, Rachel," Johnny told her, "I'm here and I'm not going to let anything happen to you again." Johnny and Rachel held on tight to one another as the wind started to take form at the throne. Once the wind had stopped blowing, and the figure at the throne had finally materialized, there sitting in the throne was the Snow King. Johnny took two steps towards the throne. "It's over, your majesty. You lost!" The Snow King just sat there, expressionless. "Rachel is no longer yours and I am no longer the beast you turned me into." Then Rachel spoke up next, "Please, let us go. We love each other." "And we're not going to let anything else separate us again. So leave us alone," finished Johnny. Finally, the Snow King stood up and stated, "You are right, Johnny. You have won." Then all the walls around the two humans melted away. The palace itself seemed to be disappearing. Then the Snow King continued, "You are now free to go home. I have no power over such loving hearts." Then the pearl and the table started to ripple and fade away. The Snow King began to fade into a shadow and the shadow vanished.

Chapter 9: Together Again

Soon, Johnny and Rachel found themselves in an open area. A broad smile formed across Rachel's face. "We're free, Johnny, we're free!" She jumped up and hugged her brother around the neck, with Johnny returning the hug.

The journey home was much nicer now that Johnny was restored to his human form and he was reunited with his little sister. They stopped by the Mountain Pack, whom they greeted the two travellers with welcome licks and nuzzles. Rachel was a bit shy at first, but in the end she got along just fine. She even made friends with the wolf cubs of the pack. The two humans spent the night with the pack and they retold what happened at the Snow King's palace. The next morning, they waved good-bye to the pack and they all promised that they would visit each other soon. Johnny even introduced Rachel to Red the Grizzly. Johnny offered Red his compass back, but the bear simply put his paw up and said, "Nope, keep it. Your happiness is a blessing to me." After staying with Red for one night and having a wonderful dinner of salmon, though it was cooked this time, Johnny and Rachel set off home. When they got back, they were welcomed with open arms and teary eyes. Johnny and Rachel told their grandparents all that happened to them while they were out. Their grandparents thought they were just kidding around, but after a few times when they saw the children talking with a bear or a pack of wolves, there were two new believers in the family. But what happened to the Snow King? He had come to discover that love is a very powerful thing and had come to respect it and he never troubled the two siblings ever again.

Johnny and Rachel would always remember the wonderful adventures they both had and they would always be ready for the next one, for nothing is more powerful than the power of love and friendship.