Pretending not to eavesdrop is harder than you think.

I didn't really talk to any of the other guardians over the next week because I didn't trust my mouth to say anything. I was afraid that I may give something away(which wouldn't be a good thing).

So I just sat in my room for a long time, trying to avoid the other guardians.

They must have noticed, because every time that I would leave the room they would somehow find me and question me. I wouldn't answer, but instead just ask them about what happened the day that they left to fight Pitch, and they wouldn't answer me.

We were in a tough spot. I wouldn't answer until they answered, and they refused to answer.

That riddle would always replay in my head. All day, and before I would sleep. I knew exactly what it was talking about. Do you?

I'll give you a hint.

It's referring to a person.

That's all I'm telling you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was finally almost two weeks later that it happened.

"Jack, what's up with you?" North asked. All of the guardians had cornered me at breakfast that morning, and I was sure that they wouldn't let me leave until I answered.

I shrugged. "It depends. What happened that day that you went to fight Pitch?"

They exchanged glances and didn't answer. I frowned at them. "You know, I'm not answering until you tell me what happened."

They still didn't answer.

After a long time of waiting, I finally gave in. "Alright, alright! I eavesdropped on you guys."

"Thought so," North sighed. "So, the riddle?"

I nodded. "Yea, that's what's bothering me."

"Do you know what it's talking about?"

I hesitated. Should I lie and tell them that I didn't? I didn't want them to worry. "No," I said. "I don't."

I don't know if North noticed that I hesitated, and I was hoping not, but luckily for me North didn't say anything. He just nodded.

"Just let us know if you find out," He said, turning around. After that, I was left alone.

I knew what I had to do. I had to go.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hello?" I asked, walking down to the reindeer stables. I knocked on a stall.

"What do you want?" A sharp voice asked.

I peeked in the stall to see a reindeer. His eyes were wet, and looked as though they were full of tears.

"Oh," He said. "Hey, Jack."

"Hey, Rudolph." I said. I had gotten to know the red-nosed reindeer much more over the last two weeks. "What happened?"

"Uh," He raised his hoof and attempted to wipe away his tears. "N-nothing. It was Prancer again. Anyways, what are you doing here?"

I smiled. "Just to talk." I said, walking over to him. I had made good friends with him, sense I knew what it felt like to be excluded.

"Did you find out what the riddle you told me about means?" He asked.

"Yea," I sighed.

"And?"

"I-I shouldn't tell." I said. "Please understand."

Rudolph nodded his head. "Yep. Don't worry, secrets are fine."

I smiled to him. Rudolph was much easier to talk to then anyone else I knew. Well, maybe one other person, but more on them later.

"Rudolph, do you ever think about leaving here?" I asked.

"Admittedly, yes," He said. "A lot of times, actually. I'm not any use here."

"Yes, you are!" I argued.

"Oh, yea?" He asked. "Then give me one thing that I am for use here."

I opened my mouth, then closed it. I had nothing.

"That's what I thought," Rudolph said, looking away. "All that I'm good at is making a fool of myself and having others laughing at me."

I blinked. "Hey, cheer up! Why don't we go outside?"

"You know that 1) you're not allowed, and 2) that you'll freeze."

"Not if I bring a blanket!" I said, making Rudolph laugh.

"Maybe later," He said. "And if you give me a good reason."

I looked side to side, and out of the stall, before bringing my head back in. "Alright, I'll tell you." I got up and whispered in his ear the answer to the riddle. Rudolph's eyes got wide.

"Are you serious?!" He asked.

I nodded.

"That's the answer?!"

"Yep."

"It's that simple?!"

"Simple?" I asked. "No, I have to get to them, and then get them to agree."

"True," Rudolph nodded. "Alright, I'll take you there. Where are they?"

"Antarctica." I said.

He nodded. "Get your blanket. I'll take you." I smiled and ran off, grabbed my blanket, and ran back where Rudolph was all ready and waiting. He knelt down and I got on his back.

"You ready?" He asked.

I nodded. "As I'll ever be."

I wrapped my arms around Rudolph's neck, and he began to run down the tunnel, gaining speed until the jump. He jumped into the air and began to fly, looking as though he was running in the air.

"Next stop!" He shouted back to me. "Antarctica!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a very good thing that I had brought a blanket. And wore the boots that North had given to me.

And when I say gave, I mean I borrowed.

And when I say I borrowed, I mean I stole them off one of the toy conveyor belts.

So, I basically stole them. But I promised myself that I'd return them, so it's okay.

Right?

When we got to Antarctica, I wrapped the blanket more tightly around my shoulders, hoping to keep warm. I jumped off Rudolph's back and began to walk up the mountain. Luckily for me, there wasn't yet a storm, but there was no garontee how long that would last.

I walked up the icy steps, trying not to slip. I knew that this was the mountain. I could see just where I needed to get to. Rudolph followed right behind me the best he could, but hooves and ice don't match too well, so he ended up flying right beside me.

When I reached the top, I looked at what was before me. I took a deep breath and knocked on the icy door. There was a huge, BOOM BOOM BOOM as I knocked. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the door slowly opened and revealed the inside of the beautiful ice palace.

"Jack?"

I looked up to see the one person that I needed to see. I smiled.

"Hi, ---"

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Cliffhanger! I'm sure that many of you will kill me for that, but I'm sure that you can guess who it is. Submit who you think it is! The first person to get it correct will get a dedication!

Thanks!

-Dragons103