Journey to Wintermas

(STORY STARTER) •••They tracked her for nine hours by following the blood in the snow•••

(CONTINUATION IN OWN WORDS) •••Mrs. Vile wanted more than just Juli-Belle's fur, she wanted to stare into eyes of her prey. To gaze into her soul and watch the terror consume a weak little nothing.

···Meanwhile···

Juli-Belle staggered away as fast as she could from the secret fur-makers lair. Quietly stumbling in the cold darkness without the guards noticing of her escape. She made it outside, but the land was pure snow and ice. Very slowly she paced herself across a sharp, cold mountain for almost half a day. Her fur had been stripped off her body and her blood from the exposed flesh stained the Arctic floor. "This isn't how I'm supposed to go!" Juli-Belle muttered to herself. She wasn't going to give up, she had to find medical help and fast. Without her fur she wouldn't last much longer.

Juli-Belle could hear in the far distance the echoing of Mrs. Vile and her henchmen practicing with their weapons. She knew that they were coming to finish the job. The pain was so unbearable to continue moving on, and with every step she took, her blood would pour onto the thick ice, leaving a trail for her inevitable fate to find her. "I got to keep going. Got to find help!"

She gasped in great agony. Julia finally fell down to the iced-covered ground, her whole body was almost completely frost bitten. She regretted the ugly words she said to her father before she left the castle. She wished she could apologize to the whole clan and hug them all one last time. In Juli-Belle's two hearts ached pain and worry. She feared that this would be her last Wintermas forever.

As she curled up into a ball and slightly closed her eyes ready to accept her death, a tall, masculine and shadowed man appeared in front of her. It was snowing so hard Juli-Belle couldn't make out who it was. She guessed it was one of two beings; Mr. Blowhole or her reaper. However, he wasn't wearing white, nor did he have a hooked knife for a hand. Instead, he was wearing a heavy dark green suit that smelled of fresh baked goodies and the slight hint of cranberry bourbon.

Juli-Belle finally passed out, all she heard was the sounds of bells jingling and the cold wind against her face. Then someones hand gently stroked her hair and told her to hang on. The sound of this voice reminded her of her grandfather Hogarth. Another voice rang out, it was like a child. It asked the older man if there was a chance she would survive.

Juli-Belle couldn't think of anyone who would rescue her in the dead of nowhere. Deep down she knew who her rescuers were. The stories that her grandparents told her were all true. These magical beings were the Spirits of Wintermas. Even incapacitated Juli-Belle felt that she could trust these magical beings. The great book of ancient tales wrote that they would help any person in grave need, especially children. What she didn't know is that her holiday vacation to the North was about to take a glorious turn for the better.

Juli-Belle knew as well that Mrs. Vile and her cronies would be waiting for her when she would return. For in the land of Wintermas no evil shall pass through its gates. The book also mentioned there lived a giant frost dragon of ancient lore. A beast who guarded the spirits of this sacred location and all its treasures. When Juli-Belle awoke, she did not expect to gaze upon what was right in front her, much less who was helping Father Wintermas with her wounds.