Disclaimer: I don't own Rotg!
Time has passed since the guardians battle with Pitch and fall was now sweeping across the land, green leaves burst into the color of flames, the breeze carrying the fallen embers, the sun beginning to set creating the perfect silent and peaceful scene. The small clearing in the forest with perfect pond lay motionless, a swift breeze sends the leaves into a flurry of dancing color. Tiny spots of frost creeps its way over the branches of a tree as the leaves stiffen in awe, Jack Frost perched on the tree watching the sun set. "Isn't it a bit early to be out?" A cheery voice asked from the ground. "Isn't it a bit late to be out?" Jack asked with an amused smirk. "Eh it's still light out," Jamie shrugged brushing a leaf from his shoulder. "Well it's a little chilly out," Jack smiled and leap from the tree landing on the ground a small wave of leaves fluttering away leaving a perfect circle clear. "Too bad its to early for snow," Jamie sighed poking at the bit of frost over the tree bark. Jack simply chuckled and floated on his back looking at the bit of ice hanging from a few branches. "Jack, how come there isn't a guardian of fall?" Jamie asked staring at a leaf perfectly colored red with orange bordering the edges. Jack turned to the boy who was completely focused on the leaf with surprise. "Well?" Jamie asked ow turning from the leaf between his thumb and index finger. Jack was speechless he didn't ever think about that let alone know how to answer such a question. Finally swallowing Jack shrugged and said "I am sure Mim has his reasons." "Mim?" Jamie asked raising a brow. "Yeah, the Man in the Moon." Jack said looking back up at the sky.
"So things have really slowed down," Jamie said swinging his hands back and forth. "Yeah," Jack replied but his thoughts were on Jamie's question. Howling had filled the air causing Jack to sit up and look off into the distance. "Jack? What is it?" Jamie asked looking at the guardian. "You didn't hear that?" Jack asked now really concerned. "Hear what?" Jamie asked cupping his ear trying to force himself to hear what Jack did. Another pair of howls sounded but much closer, Jack now standing with his staff in hand ready for a fight. "Jamie… you should go." Jack said facing the sound of oncoming wolves. "Why? I don't hear anything… Doesn't that mean it can't hurt me?" Jamie asked but Jack pointed toward the town. "I don't know. I'd feel better knowing you were safe at home," Jack said and Jamie sighed but stopped when he heard his name being called. "Well looks like I have to go anyway. By Jack!" Jamie called as he ran off leaving the white haired teen by himself. Finally two wolves ran by but not toward Jack or the town but just through the forest, Jack did a double take as a large shaded figure ran with them. "Hey!" Jack called fearing it might be a kid in trouble he flew after the three. Finally stopping deep in the woods the three stood both wolves smelling the air and now still and closer what appeared to be a wolf standing on two legs stood between them. Before Jack could come any closer a bit of gold sand caught his attention, looking back the tall beast was staring at him, one eye shaded by a tree the other catching the gold glow in its yellow eye. Turning to call for Sandman and returning his eyes to where the creature stood to find it empty and the only conformation it had ever been there was the now distant howls.
Sandman now looking where Jack was simply created a question mark as to ask what was wrong but Jack simply shook his head. Both going their separate ways Jack returned to his clearing and sat atop a rock questioning what he'd seen. "You saw it didn't you?" He asked looking to the full moon only to be met with silence. "Seen what?" A chipper voice asked from behind his ear. Quickly turning in surprise to find Tooth Jack sighed in relief. "You shouldn't sneak up on people," Jack said with his hand on his chest pretending to have a heart attack. "Sorry it's a habit," She laughed. "Anyway what might have Mim seen?" Tooth asked trying to stay on track. "Oh… I don't know. It looked like a large wolf running on two legs with two regular wolves running through the forest. I was the only one to hear the howling… Jamie didn't hear it before he was called home…" Jack said looking back in the direction it had ran. "Wolves?" Tooth asked as Jack nodded. "I tried to show Sandman but when I looked back they were gone," Jack told her and she pursed her lips together. "Why not ask North? Or Bunny? I'm sure through their travels one of them might have seen something like that," She suggested before flying off. "North it is then," Jack smiled.
The North Pole was in full swing, toys being made and tested readying for winter. "Wolf creature? I have not heard of such things." North said pacing his office. "Nothing?" Jack asked and North finally pulled open a drawer full of papers. "Hm… Nope not a wolf creature… but there is something here for fall." He said trailing off. Eyes widening at the paper and finally looking up to Jack who simply asked "What?" "Tell Bunny I need to speak with him," North told a Yeti and returned to the paper. "Are you sure you had seen this creature?" North said holding up a charcoal sketch. It was a shadow figure standing in the clearing of a forest, it appeared to have a wolf head but stood on two legs, but it wasn't naked it seemed to have some sort of coat or cloak on yet it stood alone. "It looks like it… but what I saw had two wolves with it," He said taking the drawing. "He takes many forms, he isn't a wolf creature either. Jack what you have seen is a patron to fear, cloaking himself he takes many forms!" North said revealing other drawings some colored and others more detailed. "So he is like Pitch?" Jack asked looking over the papers and falling on one of a figure holding a flaming pumpkin. "Pitch? No this one is more stand alone… it is not nightmares this one causes. Dreams are not what he corrupts but in the night stalks young children and makes them scream. Screams of terror seem to power this… thing." North said and turned as his office door swung open. "Ey what in the blue blazes have you called me here for mate?" Bunny asked walking in and looked at the paper in Jack's hands. "Whats that?" He asked raising a brow. "Lantern," North said and as the name rolled from his tongue Bunny's eyes widened. "He's back?" Bunny asked clenching his fists. "Seems Jack here has seen him," North said motioning to the teen. "You've seen him? Are ya sure?"Bunny demanded stepping towards him. "It looks like the creature I've seen not far from…" Jack started but was cut off. "Are you sure?" Bunny demanded.
"Sure about what?" Tooth asked causing all three males to look back at the office door. "Sorry it was open," She said and stepped aside to let Sandman in. "Ooh what are these," She said looking over the drawings. "Jack thinks he saw Lantern," North informed them and Tooth looked up. "Lantern?" She asked. "Oh guardians… silly silly guardians. Surely Lantern isn't that large of a threat?" Pitch's voice laughed from the shadows. "Pitch? But how?" Tooth asked. "No way mate. You couldn't have just recovered your power so quickly," Bunny said drawing his boomerangs. "Don't act so surprised taming ones nightmares isn't so trivial anymore," Pitch laughed and demonstrated his returning power. "Hard to keep such power when you aren't believed in isn't it?" North smiled but it faltered when Pitch grew to a rather large shadow. "Who needs belief when there is fear and, well my little secret." Pitch boomed then chuckled at his last words. And as quickly as he was there Pitch had vanished and the moon's light returned to the work shop. "Pitch has returned… what are we going to do?" Tooth asked looking to the others. "We'll fight," North said but his eyes followed the beam of light as Manny was choosing a new guardian. "What is going on?" Jack asked as they all watched a new statue emerge. "Mim is choosing a new guardian," Tooth informed him. "Already?" Jack asked. "No way…" Bunny said as the statue came into view. "Who is that?" Jack asked. "Everyone meet Jack Lantern," North said.
Thanks for reading, please let me know what you think.