The Frost Giant: A Tale of Hope and Adventure

By Jonathan Austen

The adventures of Hope, Ruff, and Buffasip continue as they're joined by a new friend, a druid named Celeste Spiritrunner, when a frost giant named Skarf and his minions turn the Wandering Oak Forest into a frozen nightmare. Join the friends on their journey to find a stolen magical item and save the forest and everyone who lives there.

The Frost Giant is the second book in the series, and it delivers a strong, positive message about asking for help to resolve issues rather than resorting to bullying.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hearthstone Fairytales
• Release date: Dec 21, 2016
• ISBN: 9780998497723

Book preview

A Tale of Hope

and Adventure

The FROST GIANT

by

Jonathan Austen

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Copyright

Other Titles Available

About the Author

Chapter 1

Hope raced over the ocean with the cold winter sky at her back.

She had been trying to catch lunch for an hour, but the fish were smarter and faster than those she was used to chasing at Fathead Lake.

Hiya, Hope, Ruff called out from the edge of the pier, his light blue fur pressed back from the wind.

Ruff was a wolf and Hope’s best friend; a natural enemy to her kind—Rahken, a breed of dragon. He had helped her scare away some hunters a couple months ago; the same hunters who had stolen her mother, father, and sister, and shipped them across the ocean. Hope had scared off the last ship to save the life of her other friend, Buffasip. And another ship wasn’t due to arrive until after winter, unfortunately.

Hope acted as if she hadn’t heard Ruff. She focused on the elusive Wahoo fish—one of only two fish Hope hadn’t been able to catch. The other was the Frigid Zebra, but nobody had ever caught one of those.

The Wahoo fish surfaced, its tail slicing through the choppy water. Hope pulled in her six-foot wings and dropped out of the sky like a missile, heading straight for it. Recently, Hope had started to hiccup when she dove. She hadn’t understood why or how to stop it, and today was no different. The Wahoo fish spotted her and submerged. Hope pressed on harder, her black scaly body tearing through the wind. Hope struck the water, the fish still in sight. She opened her mouth and stretched but the Wahoo fish was a smidgen out of her reach and it disappeared.

Hope resurfaced, gagging, then hiccupped out a mouthful of water. She flew back to the pier to see Ruff.

You didn’t catch a Spiny Lumpsucker again, did ya? Ruff laughed uproariously.

Once she had caught a Spiny Lumpsucker and severely regretted it, because it had stuck itself to her tongue. It had taken her three hours to get it off.

Hope glowered at Ruff. She no longer had to stare up at him. Other creatures used to call her ‘little one.’ Now she had grown to the same size as Ruff and would soon be bigger than his older brother Moose.

Still hiccupping when you dive? he asked.

She nodded. I don’t get why I do that.

You’re probably too excited trying to catch that stupid Wazoo fish.

"It’s a Wahoo fish, and maybe you’re right."

How far out did you fly today? he asked.

Each morning, since the night she rid the forest of the hunters, Hope had searched the ocean for signs of land or another ship. She pushed herself to go further each time. And each morning she returned with the same result.

Hope sighed. I went as far as I could, but then I started to feel tired and–

Still no sign of land or any other ships? he asked, discouraged.

Hope shook her head weakly.

Have patience, he said. You’re only going to get bigger and stronger. You’ll find something out there eventually.

I know you’re right, she said. "But it’s been months. You and your family have been wonderful but–"

"But you miss your family, he finished. I get it. But hey, everyone in the forest agreed to name the hunters’ path after you. HOPE TRAIL. That’s something, eh?"

The hunters had used the trail to transport the creatures they captured. Hope’s family had made that journey. Locked in cages. Put on a ship and sent to the other side of the world. Hope shuddered every time she thought about it.

She forced a laugh. She knew Ruff was only trying to cheer her up. That was what she loved about him the most. Normally it worked, but not today. Maybe it had been the cold air or losing the Wahoo fish again. She didn’t know, but something was bothering her.

I wonder where the hunters ran off to, she said, wanting to change the subject.

Last I heard, they were headed north, towards Cursed Mountain. Ruff shuddered and Hope knew it wasn’t from the cold air. She had heard the stories about a ghost that haunted the mountain. Not even wild Fenrirs could drag me up there. No way!

You know Buffasip doesn’t like the word Fenrir. Be nice to him, she said. If you asked any creature in the forest what they feared most, you would get one of two answers: a Rahken or a Fenrir. Buffasip was a Guardian of the Wandering Oak Forest, formerly referred to as a Fenrir, a ferocious, merciless creature. But like Hope, he had worked hard at changing what people thought of him.

But he’s not here, Ruff said, so I thought–

"And so you should be nice to him even when he’s not around."

Ruff nodded sheepishly. Sorry…have you seen him lately?

No, she said. Not since he got poisoned when the Agra Vation beetle stung him. I think he said he was going south to find something to make the numbness go away.

Ruff laughed. "You mean limped south. Not much use for a three-legged Guardian." Hope laughed along with Ruff, unable to resist.

Suddenly, the sky grew darker and the air became icy and bitter. The wind picked up speed and lashed against their faces. Waves crashed over the pier, soaking them.

What’s happening? Hope yelled over the howling winds.

I don’t know, Ruff shouted, shaking his body, water spattering everywhere. Let’s get out of here. I’ll race you back to your cave.

You go ahead, she said, smiling. I’ll give you a few minutes’ head start this time.

Ruff frowned but agreed and sped across the shore, disappearing into the woods.

Hope flew above the trees, and looked out over the forest. In the distance, she saw a cloud of fog and watched as it crept its way through the trees, freezing everything it touched.

Hope gasped. It’s headed for my cave! At the speed the fog moved, she was certain it would reach her cave within minutes, and Ruff was headed straight for it.

Hope descended and darted through the forest searching for Ruff along the way, but there was no sign of him. He couldn’t have gotten that far. She continued