The wolf had been following her through the forest, though she didn't know it.

Elsa's POV

I froze, adrenaline coursing through my veins. I was a fool. Why hadn't I listened to Grandma? Now I was trapped, Olaf was probably dead, and I was about to suffer the same fate.

The growling stopped as a form emerged from the trees. I flinched back, but it wasn't a wolf. It was a guy.

I blinked, wondering if I was hallucinating. He had windswept white hair and glacier blue eyes, human eyes. He was holding a wiggling white form in his arms.

"Is this your dog?" he asked. I sighed in relief. Not a wolf. Just a guy. And he'd found Olaf.

"Yeah, thanks," I said, sitting back. The guy set down Olaf, who bounded forward to lick at my face.

"You ok?" the guy asked, tilting his head.

"I tripped while chasing Olaf," I explained, brushing myself off carefully and standing. My ankle still throbbed, but it wasn't broken.

"Sorry for scaring you," he told me.

"It's fine.  I just thought you were a wolf.  Silly, isn't it?"

He shrugged, glancing around.  He seemed really off-balance, confused even.  As if he had been looking for someone, but found something else instead.  Something he didn't know what to do with.

"Do you live around here?" I asked.

"Over that way," he replied, waving his hand vaguely.

"My name's Elsa. What's yours?"

"Jack."

"Well, Jack, it's been a pleasure meeting you. I've got to get back to my grandma's house, but I'll see you around?"

Jack just stared at me for a moment. He shrugged and glanced into the shrubbery.

"If you want to get yourself killed, up to you," he told me.  I rolled my eyes.

"You're just like my grandma," I sighed.  "Honestly, there's nothing bad in these woods.  Except maybe whatever killed that thing."

Jack followed my eyes to the heap of blood and white fur on the ground.  He nudged it with his foot.

"It's a rabbit," he announced.

"Shame on whatever killed it," I sniffed.  "Bunnies are adorable."

"Circle of life.  Someone out there's got to eat, which means something out there's got to die."

"Look, I'm leaving," I told him, gathering Olaf in my arms.  "Can I meet you here again or no?"

"No, not here," he responded.  "By the stream.  It's safer, and closer to town."

"Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow."

I turned and worked my way back through the bushes, towards home.  No way was I going to tell Grandma what happened.

Jack's POV

I lounged on the couch, staring up at the ceiling.  I couldn't stop thinking about her.

"How was the forest?" Pitch Black asked, entering the room.  He was my guardian, a tall thin man with hazel eyes.  He never went anywhere without his black coat, which bothered me.

"Fine," I told him.  "I met a girl."

"Met a girl?" he pressed, crossing to the window and peeking out.  The forest beyond was dark.  "How did you meet a girl if you were supposed to be searching the area?"

"Her dog found me, and she came looking for the dog.  She'd tripped."

"I'd rather if you didn't mess around with girls.  You know that.  What was her name?"

"It was Elsa."

Pitch stiffened before turning to face me.

"Elsa?" he asked.  "Are you certain?"

"Yeah, she had the blue velvet cape and everything," I replied.  Pitch grinned.

"This is perfect, Jack.  Perfect!  I want you to find her again tomorrow."

"Yeah, sure," I sighed, standing and heading for my room.  Pitch continued to talk as I left.

"When you get close enough, kill her.  And don't forget the cloak."

I shuddered as a chill came over me, but kept walking.  I understood my instructions.  What I didn't understand was why I didn't want to follow them for the first time in my life.