Jack woke up and sneezed loudly. He sneezed again, waking up Bunny. Jack's head hurt and so did his stomach. He sneezed again.
"Frostbite! Ya okay?" Bunny asked, picking Jack up and examining him.
"Achoo! I don't feel good." Jack said. He sneezed again, this time accompanied by a cough. Bunny pressed his nose against Jack's temple and drew back.
"Ya have a fevah." Bunny declared.
"What!" Jack said. "But I do-"
"Yeah yeah, ya don't get sick. Should have known this would happen. Ya probably have been sick since gettin' back from the Winter Warren." Bunny said, carrying Jack to the kitchen. He set Jack on the counter and began looking for something in the cabinets.
"What are you lookin' for?" Jack asked.
"Medicine." Bunny said bluntly. He finally found it and set it on the counter next to Jack, then went looking for a large spoon, watching Jack out of the corner of his eye. Jack sneeze and inched away from Bunny. He slowly hopped down from the counter just as Bunny grabbed a large spoon and turned around. Jack took one hop before he was placed back on the counter.
"No! I don't wanna take medicine!" Jack said, squirming. His ears were back in distress and Bunny rolled his eyes at his kit's theatrics.
"Well, that's too bad, isn't it? Because ya have ta take it or ya will just get sicker." Bunny said, pouring some medicine in the spoon. Jack took one look at it and froze it, as well as the rest of the bottle. He also froze Bunny's arm a little bit, coating it in ice and giving Jack time to dart out of the room. "Jack! Get back here!" Bunny called after him, shaking the ice off his arm and chasing after him. The kit should not be running around with his injuries. Bunny saw him exit the Burrow to the outside, stumbling slightly as he did. Bunny darted over and snatched him up, nosing Jack's injuries. They were bleeding again, a few of them were going to need stitches now as well.
"Kit, ya shouldn't have done that! Ya re-opened yer wounds and now ya ARE getting stitches." Bunny growled scoldingly. Jacks ears folded back in fear as he heard the tone Bunny had used. He was in BIG trouble. Bunny sat him back on the counter and held up the spoon. Jack turned his muzzle away from it.
"Come on, Jack. How is it that ya can willingly take a potion that basically ends yer life, but ya can't take a tiny spoonful of medicine?" Bunny snapped.
"I was doin' my job, Bunny." Jack answered.
"Well, this is doin' yer job, too. Can't protect anyone if yer sick." Bunny said. Jack glared at him, but finally took the medicine. He was surprised that it actually didn't taste too bad. But Jack still didn't want to take anymore. Bunny pulled out a first aid kit and undid Jack's bandages. He cleaned away the blood and realized that Jack could use a bath. After he got the stitches, though.
"Jack, stay still. If ya move when I'm stitchin' ya up, ya might mess it up." Bunny warned. Jack went perfectly still, barely breathing as Bunny set to work. The only movement that was made during the entire process were Jack's ears slowly lowering as he relaxed. Bunny had numbed the wounds so Jack couldn't feel the needle.
"Okay, Jack, all done. But don't be jumping around too much, it could tear the stitches." Bunny said. Jack jumped off the table and landed on his feet. He almost lost his balance, but he stayed upright.
"I think the most annoying thing about all of this is the fact that I've lost the balance that me three hundred years to get!" Jack complained. He just couldn't seem to find the center of his balance.
"Ya might want ta try standing fully straight. It's easier ta balance than that slouch thing yer doin'." Bunny said. Jack tried it and found that it was a very difficult position to maintain.
"I'd rather slouch." Bunny shook his head and ushered Jack into the bathroom. "Bunny, what are ya doin'?" Jack asked as Bunny turned on the facet for the bath.
"Ya need a bath." Bunny said simply. Jack stared in plain horror and fear at the water. He would rather take that potion again, get stitches and take medicine willingly and with no complaining then get in the water.
"Bunny, please, no!" Jack said. Bunny turned his head towards him in surprise.
"Snowball, are ya afraid of water?" He expected Jack to deny it, scoff at the notion, but the kit just nodded, eyes not leaving the water.
"I… I drowned." Jack said. Bunny nodded, already knowing this.
"Jack, ya know ya can't die, right?" Bunny said, inching closer to his kit.
"Yeah, but…." Jack said. He was still afraid of water.
"Come on, Snowball. I won't let ya drown. Besides, it's not that deep." Bunny said as he was finally able to grab Jack and pick him up. Jack struggled as much as he could, but Bunny held him close and pinned his arms down so it didn't do much. Bunny growled slightly as Jack kicked his stomach, but just held him tighter. When they got to the tub, Jack changed tactics and refused to let Bunny go, until Bunny tickled his sides enough to weaken his grip.
Bunny plopped Jack down in the water, which was hot enough to melt any ice Jack tried to make before it even really formed. "Jack, stop splashin'! Yer fine." Bunny snapped as Jack did stop struggling, sneezing as he did so. The medicine was doing its work and Jack was sneezing less and his fever was going down.
"What the H-" Jack's swearing was cut off by Bunny's sharp nip to the ear. "OUCH!"
"Watch yer language, kit." Bunny said as he dumped water over Jack's head. He was shocked to see how skinny the kit actually was. Bunny could count each and every rib that was normally hidden under the soft, fuzzy, downy baby fur that Jack now had. Jack sputtered and sneezed, wiping water out of his eyes and Bunny dumped more of it over his head.
"Hey! Is that necessary?" Jack snapped as Bunny purposely splashed water on his muzzle. Bunny didn't answer him, just got out soap and began kneading it into Jack's soaked fur. Jack complained the entire time, especially whenever Bunny went over Jack's wounds. Then Bunny dumped water over Jack again, rinsing away the soap and blood that had been mixed in with the fur.
Bunny grabbed a large, fluffy towel and drained the water. Once the water was gone, Bunny began to dry Jack off, purposely wrapping the towel around his muzzle at one point to get the complaining to stop. By the time Bunny was done, Jack looked like a giant fluff ball.
"BUNNY!" Jack shouted as Bunny made a comment about it. Jack swiped at his guardian angrily, but Bunny simply caught his paw and used it to spin Jack around and make him lose his balance. "Oof! Hey! That wasn't fair!" Jack sneezed and yawned. The fever was now gone, but Jack's head still hurt and he was still sneezing. Jack struggled to his feet, ignoring Bunny's annoyed huff when Jack pushed him away. "I can walk on my own!" Jack stood as straight as he was able to without falling and walked unsteadily to the door, which he used as support to stay standing. Just walking hurt, but he was being stubborn and refused to let Bunny help him.
Bunny followed him as Jack left the Burrow and sat in a warm patch of sun and soft grass. He rubbed the tiredness from his eyes, or tried to. Bunny watched, amused, as the Winter Spirit tried to play with the egglets without falling asleep. The third time his head dropped, it didn't come snapping back up, and Bunny took that as the signal that Jack was asleep. He rolled his eyes and sighed in relief. The kit was annoying when he was sick!
Bunny hopped quietly over to Jack and smiled softly. He petted Jack's head as the kit leaned into the touch. He pulled away and blinked in shock as Jack gave a little growl and began using Bunny's paw as a pillow. Bunny sighed and pulled out a paintbrush, skillfully painting with one paw, something he had learned to do when he broke one of his arms by slipping into the dye river one Easter.
-_-_-_- Winter's War -_-_-_-
Jack woke up and he was feeling much better. He was tempted to jump away from Bunny's paw when he realized he was using it as a pillow, but found himself just too comfortable to do it. He thought of how Jamie and Sophie must be worried about what had happened, and that got him up.
"Da!" Jack said, not caring what he called his caretaker at the moment.
"Yeah, Snowball?" Bunny asked, not looking up. He had known the moment Jack woke up because his breathing sped up.
"I have to see Jamie and Sophie! I haven't seen them since…" Jack trailed off.
"Well, then let's get it over with. Ya will probably nag me about it if we don't." Bunny said with a sigh. Jack whooped and raced around Bunny happily. "Alright, I get it, now let's go!" Bunny said, stopping Jack. Jack took off and waited the few seconds for Bunny by the entrance to the tunnel that would lead them to Burgess.
Bunny realized that Jack couldn't leave the Warren still. "Looks like yer being carried." Bunny said. Jack glared and sat down on the ground childishly. "Unless ya DON'T want ta see Jamie." Bunny said, looking at Jack slyly. Jack sighed and hopped over to Bunny, allowing himself to be picked up. Bunny took off down the tunnel, exiting it in no time at all, it seemed.
Jack looked up at the sky and was glad to see that it wasn't yet curfew, so there was a good chance Jamie would be at the park. He went there first, saddened to see he wasn't there, but brightened when he saw Jamie at his lake. Jack hopped over to stand behind Jamie, far enough not to startle the boy. "Jamie!"
Jamie turned in suprise, looking confusedly at Jack for a moment before understanding crossed his face. "Jack?" Jamie said, getting closer. Jack nodded happily. "Is that you? Me and Soph have been worried!"
"Yup! See, I'm okay!" Jack said, spinning around, making Jamie laugh.
"Yeah, you look it, looking like a half mummy and having stitches all over." Jamie said. He reached out his hand then softly pulled it back. "Sorry, you're just so adorable." Jamie said.
"Am NOT!" Jack said. Jamie reached out and scratched just below Jack's ear, making his foot stomp on the ground.
"Are too!" Jamie said.
"Oh… Hey, stop that!" Jack said, pushing his hand away. "How'd ya explain it ta yer mom?"
"Um, I told her that we got taken, but some strange kid with white hair and blue eyes traded places with us and got us back safely. Mom's dying to meet you, by the way." Jamie said. Bunny hopped over to them, having let them say their hellos in private.
"Hey Bunny! Jack's adorable like this!" Jamie said, instantly taking the chance to tease his best friend. Bunny chuckled and Jack groaned. "Can we go see Sophie? I think she'll be happy to see you, Jack."
"Sure." Jack said, hopping towards Jamie's house.
"Uh, Jack, she's over that way." Jamie said, pointing to the direction of the playground.
"Oh." Jack said, one ear flopping to the side. Jack darted over to the playground, getting tackled by a very happy Sophie before he could get the chance to find her first.
"Jack Jack Jack!" She yelled, making his ears press down on his head in shock and to block out the high pitch squeals.
"Ow, hi Soph. Can ya get off of me?" Jack asked, Sophie looked him over and started crying when she saw all the bandages.
"Jackie has an owie?" Sophie said, her lip trembling.
"Yeah, but I'm just fine, Soph! Honest!" Jack said, soothing her. He was a little miffed to find that he was only barely taller than her. Sophie childishly kissed the bandage on his head and stopped crying.
"All better?" Sophie asked.
"Yup, all better." Jack laughed.
Bunny and Jamie came over, laughing over the ordeal they had just seen. Sophie squealed when she saw Bunny there, making Jack's ears fold back, but Bunny's stayed tall, despite the fact that it was just as painful to him. "Bunny! Jackie's a bunny! Hop hop hop!" Sophie said, bonking Jack on the head on accident, right where the wound was.
Bunny gently lifted Jack away from his accidental tormentor and examined the wound. "Yeah, ya have ta be careful with Jackie. He took a tumble. Won't tell me exactly what, but he took a tumble." Bunny said with a pointed glare.
"Hardy har har, Kangaroo." Jack snapped, scrambling away from the older pooka. "I'm not fragile." Jack said.
"No, but ya ARE still extra fluffy." Bunny said. Jack looked at his fur and realized that it was still fluffed up. Jack groaned and facepalmed himself as Jamie and Sophie laughed.
"Jackie fluffy!" Sophie said as she petted his head. Jack unconsciously leaned into the touch, purring slightly. Jamie joined in, petting his best friend under the ear.
"Stooooop!" Jack said, unable to pull away. Sophie was wearing a bracelet on her wrist and slipped it over Jack's ear by accident, getting it caught. She tugged on it, making Jack yelp as his ear was tugged.
"Whoopsie!" Sophie said as she finally got it off. Jack looked at the sun, seeing it set.
"You guys need to go home." Jack said. They groaned but did as they were told, racing each other back home.
"Come on, Frostbite. Maybe ya can tell me how ya got all those cuts and bruises instead of beating around the bush or giving vague answers." Bunny said as they hopped into a tunnel.
"It happened when Philippe nabbed me. I wouldn't go with him, so he forced me into a tunnel. I hit him and he dropped me, but I still wouldn't go with him, so he made the tunnel really steep and slick. I slid down the tunnel and kept hitting sharp rocks and the walls, until he made the tunnel split in different directions. I kind of hit the wall in between head first…" Jack said as they walked. It was slow work, but Jack prefered it to depending on Bunny to not drop him. He didn't care if it was faster, he didn't want to be carried!
"Maybe I SHOULD have hit the rat bag." Bunny said. Jack gave him a look and iced the space under his feet. "JACK!" Bunny yelled as he slid. Jack laughed, until the space under his feet steepened and he slid as well, amazingly enough not aggravating his wounds. Jack landed in a heap and glared at Bunny. Who seemed to have disappeared.
Jack could smell him nearby, but couldn't see him, which made him panic a little bit. The last time he had been left alone in the Warren, he had been kitnapped and injured, plus had probably led to him getting sick. Jack was feeling better, but still, not something he wanted a repeat of. "Bunny?" Jack called.
Silence. He didn't even hear an egglet running around. "Bunny?" Jack's voice rose a bit in panic. "Da?" He heard a thump nearby and looked up. He saw Bunny was tangled in a vine, one foot wrapped in the trap Jack had set up weeks ago.
"Jack… Please tell me that ya can still get me down." Bunny growled. Jack gulped and nodded. He set to work undoing the trap, getting Bunny to the ground. Bunny took one step towards him and disappeared in the back up trap Jack had made.
Jack looked down into the hole warily. "Forgot about that one…" Jack said.
"Jack, ya are SO grounded when I get out of here!" Bunny said as he made a tunnel out of the hole and hopped back up to Jack.
"Don't step there!" Jack said as Bunny almost fell victim to another trap. That one would send the other Pooka into the dye river. Bunny looked down and raised an eyebrow.
"How long has this been here?" Bunny said, a warning in his voice.
"A couple weeks…. If ya step there it will throw ya in the dye river…." Jack said, taking a small step back. He had forgotten about his failsafe, though, and suddenly it was JACK who was hanging upside down. The Wind swirled around him, laughing. Bunny was holding back his own.
"Yeah yeah yeah, enough laughing, please get me down, Wind." Jack snapped. The Wind stopped swirling around him for a moment, instead circling Bunny. She asked Bunny if it was okay for her to get Jack down.
"Yeah, get him down," Bunny said.
"Since when do you ask for permission?" Jack asked the Wind. She sent a hard blast at the vine, snapping it and gently caught Jack, though it was a bumpy ride back to the ground without his staff.
"Since you have a father." She told him and Jack scowled at his oldest friend. Of course she would use that as her reasoning.
"Okay. Well, thank you." Jack said. Wind curled around him in her version of a hug. Jack was the only person that could actually SEE her, the only one who believed in her with all his heart. Everyone else thought she was invisible. She was just spread out a lot!
"Hey, Snowball, ya don't get yer staff back for a week, got it?" Bunny said.
"But it was an accident!" Jack protested.
"Not when ya set it up!" Bunny countered, slamming his foot down and sealing the punishment. Jack glared and hopped into the Burrow childishly. Bunny shook his head and rolled his eyes before following.
-_-_-_- Winter's War -_-_-_-
Pitch Black blearily looked up at his captors defiantly. His lair had been attacked by Winter Pookas and his army destroyed, he himself being captured. One of the Pookas, a white one with a sun marking on his forehead, stepped forward, holding a bottle of the infamous potion.
"Hello, Pitch Black. We've been wanting revenge on ya for a while, and now we will get it," the Pooka said, stepping closer.
"What do you want, Philippe?" Pitch spat, recognizing the Pooka's mark now. It was the Leader of the Winter Tribe, the Summer Pooka who had been abandoned by his parents because he had ice powers.
"I want to control the Fear." Philippe said. Pitch's eyes widened as the potion was put into a syringe and injected into his arm.
"What! You can't control Fear!" Pitch said, knowing that better than anyone.
Phillipe ignored his outburst. "You know, it takes a terribly lot of potion to change a spirit. They have a strange defence against it, it will destroy it until the potion begins the change, then it can do nothing. Not like those weak humans who think that they can just destroy the world. They are scrambling around, trying to protect those precious children. So we take them and train them to go against who they once were!" Philippe cackled. Pitch shuddered in pain as the potion began to take hold of his body.
"See you in a couple of hours." Philippe sneered and he led the other out of the bright, snowy room. Pitch collapsed to the ground, searching for a shadow. He finally found a tiny one in a corner that he used to slip away from. He had one of his nightmares send a message to the Guardians, the horse barely leaving before Pitch travelled back to the light room. If he wasn't there when Philippe came back, the Pookan Leader might go after the Guardians or intercept the messenger.
He groaned as light surrounded his body, bright pain surrounding him. It receded, revealing a black and grey Pooka with gold eyes. Philippe entered the room once more and sneered at the unconscious figure. "I need to get other spirits if my plan is to work," Phillipe said to his second in command.
"Which ones?" He asked.
Philippe paused for a moment then smiled cruelly. "All of them. This world will belong to the pookas. Humans aren't worthy to live here."
"What about the ones that are unclaimed but you let go?" Tabahan asked, that was the name of the second in command, but most knew him as Tab.
"Get them."
"What about Jack Frost?" Tab said.
"Leave him be. But get me the two children that were with him. Let's teach Jack Frost a lesson in what happens to those that defy the WInter Tribe," Philippe smiled. It wasn't a nice smile, it was predatory. The Hunter had been denied his prize of the Winter Prince, then the Hunter would go after the ones he cared about most. No laws barred him from that, and the tribe would lose their trust in him if they found out that he had crossed the last Spring Pooka and the Easter Bunny's kit again.
He took one last disdainful look at the defeated Pitch Black, destroyer of the Pookan Planet, lying on the ground and left. Tab sighed and set to do as he was told, rounding up the elite guard, the ones that were loyal to only him, not even Philippe had control of them, only him. Tab looked after his "father" with hatred. If it were up to him, Philippe would have been exposed long ago, but Tabahan had been claimed by him and he was voiceless against him.
He had once been a great assassin, fighting for no one, taking the hard jobs. His last job before being taken by Philippe was to kill a boy that he just couldn't kill, so he killed the father instead. He had lied to the boy when asked why, saying that he was doing the Queen's bidding, when in reality he was doing a much darker man's bidding, and now he payed the price. His family had been killed and he had been handed off to be the first successful victim of the Potion.
-_-_-_- Winter's War -_-_-_-
North looked in shock at the paper, re-reading it over and over again.
GUARDIANS,
PHILIPPE, OF THE WINTER TRIBE IS AFTER SPIRITS. HE ALREADY HAS GIVEN ME THE POTION. DON'T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN, I MAY NOT LIKE YOU, BUT YOU ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO STOP HIM. HE IS CRAZY FOR POWER.
-PITCH BLACK
The nightmare that had brought it looked saddened by the note. "Go, back to your master." North said. The nightmare didn't need to be told twice. North rubbed his beard, hoping to get an idea. If Philippe truly was after spirits, like they had thought, then it might be a good idea for all of the Guardians to see their memories. North nodded and used a snow globe to get to Tooth Palace, being greeted by little fairies. He told them to pass on the message and went to view his memories, being joined by Tooth and Sandy. They snapped out of their memory daze and gave each other grave looks.
"This is bad, North." Tooth said. Sandy nodded as well.
"I know, Toothy. I know. We must warn other spirits. Is there a way to get them to see their memories without coming here?" North said. Tooth nodded and sent out all of her fairies that she could spare to do just that. Every spirit in the world, even the changed ones, viewed all of their memories, remembering everything without understanding the reason. That night, five spirits were taken by the Winter Pookas.
The news spread quickly about what was going on, every spirit traveling in a group if they had to leave their realms, the wards around their homes raising and fear thick in the air. Even the humans began to notice, the lack of anything happening. The Wind stayed with Jack, so the air was still. No rain was coming, the spirits too afraid to spread it. The five spirits that had been taken were Tia Cupid, Anya Spring, Jeff Fools, Helix Rain, and Anthony Fall. Everyone already knew that Jack, Seraphina, and Celia had been changed, the news that the last of the Seasonals being changed was enough to send people into a panic. The world seemed to be at a standstill as they waited for bated breath for the news that another had been taken.
It was a constant state of fear until, finally, one day, the Wind blew through the air again, and rain fell. The spirit world was shocked to find Jack spreading the rain that the earth desperately need, making snow high above the world so that it would melt into water before it hit the ground. Slowly but surely, other spirits ventured out, not very far, to marvel at the sparkling drops, humans as well.
Ceely Summers joined her brother, spreading heat to where it was meant to be, helping create the thunderstorms with Jack where they were needed. They were taking over the jobs of their absent siblings, making sure that the seasons carried on. The two got the world back in working order, made sure that everything was still alive and that the world didn't grow suspicious.
They even went around to every place they could think of and made sure that their water supply was full and that the animals were easily found.
But as soon as they went back into hiding, Ceely having been invited to stay at the Warren with Jack, Bunny, and Seraphina, the spirits disappeared. Rebel and Liberty were somewhere in the United States, and Hally Ween was spreading fear in the mysterious disappearance of Pitch Black. Human wars being fought were at a standstill because of loss of will to fight or rebel, everyone back to waiting for what happened next.
-_-_-_- Winter's War -_-_-_-
North scooted around one of his guests, many spirits had come to the Pole seeking a safe place to stay at the threat of the Winter Pookas. He had counted each guest, he had ten of them, when they came in to breakfast. The Leprechaun, Groundhog, New Years, Ginger, Andy, a summer sprite, Cassie, Andy's sister, Peter, a spring pixie, Auburn, a Autumn Fairy, Insane, the spirit of Imagination, and Tammy, a water nymph. He counted, and his blood ran cold. Andy and Cassie were missing.
"Hey! Anyone seen Andy and Cassie?" No one had seen them since the night before. North grabbed a snowglobe and portalled everyone to Tooth Palace, not a moment too soon. Winter Pookas entered the Workshop, knocking out the yetis and hunting for the Spirits, cursing when they found them gone.
Tooth was understanding in what happened and supplied all the spirits rooms, in the innermost part of the Palace. Then she closed Tooth Palace. No teeth were being collected, Tooth not wanting to risk any of her fairies being captured.
The only thing that kept the belief up was Jack Frost and Bunny as they diligently collected the teeth, the Wind helping gather most of them. They were gathering less and less teeth each day that they did so. They thought that the Wind was safe from the Pookas, only Jack being able to see her. But that was proved false as she became the newest victim to the Pookas. Jack had been flying with only a small part of the wind when she dropped him out of the sky, crying out in pain.
Jack now had to depend on his own unsteady, highly unpractised, highly unreliable flying powers. He could be seen falling at random moments through the sky, staff not in his grasp, his main reminder of the Wind too painful to have near him. The world still waited, more and more people disappearing each day, but not all of them coming back to the world as Pookas. It seemed Rebel and Liberty had finally come out of hiding, often seen with Jack as he flew with Ceely, spreading Rebellion and Liberty throughout the world. The humans were fighting back as a joined force against the Pookas, but were heavily outmatch.
Before, the Pookas were only out to capture the humans, but decided that if a few humans died on their quest to rid the world of them, so be it. But now the world was beginning to worry as well. There was little fear to keep them from fighting, and Death was being overworked, going from place to place, giving peace to those that were too severely injured to heal. Scores of people were being killed, but no child was touched. It seemed as though the orphanages were being over filled and the parents kept dying faster and faster.
Death finally was caught, his disappearance giving Jack one more thing to deal with. He could do Death's job, it was part of his season, but he hated it. So Jack zipped around, spreading rain while Ceely spread Death and then switching. Bunny helped when he could, telling them where to go.
-_-_-_- Winter's War -_-_-_-
Philippe slammed his paw against the wall in anger. The spirits had been warned by Pitch, who was still unclaimed, and were hiding against Wards. Not to mention the fact that his son hadn't managed to get him those two children! He had killed the mother, but they had a dog with them that had his soldiers running in fear and by the time they came again, they and all the other children had been taken to Bunny's Warren!
His plans were going much slower than expected and Jack Frost was holding back the Fear that the world felt by keeping it running. He turned to find his sorry excuse for a son standing hesitantly in the doorway. His people were now afraid of his anger, but they were forced to do as they were told because of their fear of the soldiers. This is NOT what he had planned!
"Well?" He snapped, making Tabahan flinch.
"We plan the attack on Tooth Palace to take place tonight. We finally got Pitch claimed. And we have a lock on where the Sandman is." Tabahan said, eyes and ears lowered.
"What of your old master?" Philippe sneared.
"Death is still unconscious." Tabahan said cautiously.
"No, not that one. The one that gave you to me." Philippe sneered.
Tabahan glared at Philippe and stayed silent. "I have been talking to you DEAR old master. He seems to agree. You know that boy you failed to kill? It appears that he is JACK FROST!" Philippe snapped. "You were supposed to kill that brat, but no, you killed your partner instead! This never would have happened had you just done as you were told! " Philippe snapped. He slammed his foot on the ground, making the bigger pooka flinch back, waiting for the blows that came hard and fast. Tabahan was unable to defend himself as his father beat him to the floor then stomped on him. But the entire time he was thinking that his decision to not kill the boy was the best he had ever made, even if he HAD killed his partner and friend. Even if it HAD led to this life, it was the right choice.
"Go capture your old master. Bring me Revenge!" Philippe spared one last kick before leaving Tabahan to pick himself up. He glared after Philippe, realising that he felt no urge to obey. Philippe hadn't put his foot down on it. Which meant that Tabahan didn't have to! But he had revenge on Revenge, and he planned to succeed in it.
-_-_-_- Winter's War -_-_-_-
Jack slumped as he landed, exhausted from the day. Bunny plucked him up as he fell asleep and set him in his nest. He had been worrying all day about Jack. He was still upset about Wind, and causing Death was wearing him down. Jamie entered with Sophie, fear in their eyes.
"Is he back?" Jamie asked. Bunny nodded and let them through. They rushed over to their friend, who woke up and placed a smile on his face that looked so real that you never could have seen the pain and tiredness in his face unless you were looking for it. He was carrying a lot of responsibility for a six year old kit, and it was showing.
"Hey guys! Did you have any fun today?" Jack asked. Jamie and Sophie shook their heads.
"Why?" Jack asked, though he could guess.
"The gang…. It's breaking up. They are all mad at me and Sophie because they think that we think we are above them!" Jamie said. Jack made to get up, but Bunny pushed him back down.
"I'll deal with it, you sleep." Bunny said. There were no more teeth to collect, Baby Tooth had flown in and told them, so that was one load off their plate. There was also many places where Death was no longer needed as they were wiped out. Africa was practically deserted, except for a few isolated villages in the middle of nowhere.
Bunny padded outside the Burrow and saw Mother Nature holding Ceely as she slept. Ceely had just gotten back. He went to the hammocks that held the Burgess kids.
"What's up with ya?" Bunny asked. They looked up at him and smiled.
"Hey Bunny! Have you seen Jamie or Sophie? They were supposed to help fix the hammocks, but they ran off." Pippa said sweetly.
"Yeah, they're always slacking off now! It's not like they don't have to do any less work than we do!" Claude snapped.
"Yeah! Plus, all they talk about is how they can't wait for school to start! It's not like there is going to BE a school year!" His twin added.
"Where are they now, anyways? Are they in in the Burrow?
"Yeah, they feel like yer mad at them and are trying ta push them out of the gang." Bunny said.
They were silent for a minute. "Guys! He's right, we HAVE been taking out our stress on them." Cupcake said sadly. The others were shocked to realize that she was right.
"Oh no! We need to apologize!" Monty said and the others nodded.
"Take out yer stress on playin', alright. Ya shouldn't be worried. That's our job." Bunny said.
"But, what about Jack? He's working himself too hard! He needs to take a rest or he'll get himself sick!" Pippa said. Bunny nodded.
"Good luck with that. He doesn't do it because it's his job, he does it because he's protecting ya! Yer his family and ta him, he's not worth his family's lives. Annoying little loyalty quirk he has." Bunny said, getting the kids to laugh. They stopped, though, as they saw a very battered Baby Tooth enter the Warren.
"Baby Tooth!" Jack said. He had just hopped out of the Burrow with Sophie and Jamie when he saw her. He hopped over to her and caught her as she fell. She chirped and Jack's eyes widened in horror.
"The Winter Pookas took Tooth Palace. She barely got out, but they got North, Tooth, and all the other spirits that were there. They got the mini fairies, too." Jack said. "She said that she saw Sandy knocked out."
"That means…." Bunny said.
"We're the last." They were silent with that last revelation.