AN- I'm not putting off homework by writing.
Disclaimer- I don't own Rise of the Guardians
Chapter 1
Present
Sandy looked over the town that he had sensed a problem with, and watched the unnatural wind blow his dream sand away. He knew exactly who was doing this but instead of being angry, he felt a mix of emotions. Sadness, disappointment, and especially confusion.
A light snow began to fall as he dropped down and opened a child's window. Snowflakes swirled around him as Sandy drifted into the child's room. He frown when he didn't find any of the Nightmares that he was expecting.
Then the window slammed shut with a howl of wind.
Sandy jumped and whirled around, but found nothing. His frown deepened when the child shifted uneasily in their sleep at the howling wind, and the creaking shutters. The snowfall outside picked up as the snowfall outside turned into a blizzard. The child shifted again, and Sandy ran gentle hand through their hair, trailing dreamsand.
The child settled down, falling into the good dreams, and Sandy sigh turning back to the window. But when he tried to open it, it only creaked in protest. He tugged more insistently, but it was frozen shut.
Worried, Sandy tried the windows and doors around the rest of the house. Nothing worked.
Outside the wind howled mournfully.
On the frosted window in the child's room, one word had been written. Sorry.
Past
The forest was covered in snow, and was cold enough that even with his shadows wrapped tightly around him, Pitch could barely feel his fingers. He heard a child's laughter to his left, and felt his shadows hiss in his ears. He turned and stalked towards the sound, drawn partially by the thought of a child to scare, and partially by curiosity. Pitch wanted to know what child would laugh in the cold and dark of night.
As he walked toward the sound, shadows lengthened and sharpened. He stumbled into the clearing, weak from his unconscious show of power.
"Are you happy now?" he said at the moon. He meant for it to come out a snarl, but it came out as more of a plea. The moon just shone down silently.
Pitch broke out of the one sided staring contest as laughter rose again. He looked over and watched as a white-haired sprite like boy rose and flipped through the air with a laugh.
"Wind!" the boy protested with a laugh, unaware of the scheming eyes watching him.
Present
Bunny bound through the snow, struggling to keep his pace as it piled ever higher. The wind made it hard to see but Bunny knew that Tooth was above him, struggling to fly through the wind. North was on the other side of town, starting his search there with a couple of yetis.
Sandy had disappeared a couple of hours ago to investigate this town. When he didn't return, and the town was surrounded by a freak blizzard, the rest of the Guardians went in after him. The entire town was knee deep in snow, and the couldn't find Sandy or any ankle biters.
A cackling filled the air that made Bunny's fur stand on end.
Tooth dropped down to his level and whispered, "I guess that proves it's not Pitch."
Bunny rolled his eyes, "Like the snow didn't give it away."
Tooth almost replied but was blasted back by a sheet of wind and ice. The blizzard dropped away around him, and Bunny stood on two legs, his ear twitching.
"Look what the wolves dragged in," a voice above him said.
Bunny reacted on instinct, diving out of the way and throwing his boomerangs. The winter sprite above him laughed, and Bunny eyed the other spirit warily.
"I think ya got it wrong mate," he said, "The cats do the dragging."
"Nah," Jack said his smile sharpening, "I meant wolves."
A howl filled the air that had nothing to do with the wind, and Bunny tensed. Lean figures loped out of the blizzard and Bunny found himself surrounded by a pack of Ice Wolves.
Meanwhile, Sandy used a small chisel to patiently chip away at the ice on the window. Anything larger would wake the child. He had to hurry.
Past
"Why you useless-" Pitch hissed, almost unaware of how tight Jack's grip on his staff was. He loomed closer to the child, and said, "This is why no one cares-"
He was cut off as the wind howled, and then roared. It picked him up and slammed him against a nearby tree painfully. Tree branches snapped from the force of the wind, and hurtled towards him. He struggled to doge with the wind shoving forcefully against him.
"Pitch!" Jack yelled, and tried to help, but every time he tried to move, the wind gently pushed him back. Finally the wind died down, picking Jack up and flying away. Pitch managed to catch a glimpse of the child's disillusioned, disappointed eyes on his pale face before he was gone.
He groaned softly in pain and told himself that it was all physical, and had nothing to do with loneliness.
