Ok this is the next chapter!
Thank you for all the reviews/follows/favorites
I'm so glad people like this! I don't own ROTG!
A part in this chapter was suggested back in Chapter 2 by a guest named Sparky. So shout out to you!
Now onto the chapter!
Jack sighed as he looked at himself in the reflection of the glass wall. It's been about two or three days since Jamie and Sophie's visit and it's been mostly uneventful. He grew a little closer to the others but there was still a small crevice of hesitance that separated him from the others causing them to keep information and himself to watch their moves still. But it was small enough to allow them close enough to help him and other things they felt the need to do for him. Though, they weren't around all the time. Sometimes, though rarely, would he see
Now, as he gazed at his reflection, he couldn't help but whimper at the sight of his once chocolate fur. It was pure white now with the exception of his ear tips. For his right eye, a blue snowflake had appeared around the pupil and was slowly over lapping the brown of his eye. According to the other's there was a small chill that radiated from him, but it wasn't so drastic that it was noticeable without focusing directly upon it. He shivered in fear. He didn't like what was happening to him and was afraid for this would lead.
"You alright mate?" Jack turned to see Bunny sitting next to him. He looked up at the other before looking away.
"I'm fine." He answered. "What about you? And the others?"
"I'm good." The large rabbit answered. "North is sleeping along with Sandy. Tooth and Manny are talking about something, not sure what though."
"And Pitch?" Jack asked, curious about the dark wolf.
Aster scowled. "Hiding in his shadows like usual." Jack frowned at the bitter answer. He had noticed that lately. Jack, growing to like the sarcastic and mellow wolf, would try to get Pitch to interact with them. However, whenever they thought he wasn't looking, Jack would catch them shooting the wolf dark looks. He didn't know the story behind it, and while curious, didn't want to ask in the fear of the other's growing angry at him.
The door suddenly opening broke Jack out of his thoughts and he turned to watch as a human dressed in white entered the artificial habitat with a familiar cage. Jack gasped in fear and tried to hide behind Aster. However, as the human came forwards, Aster moved out of the way and let him be grabbed by his fur and shoved into the cage. He yelped and cried in fear and stared back at Aster with terrified eyes. He knew why Aster did it, but it hurt so much to think those who promise to help you let you be taken by those who wish to harm you.
The cage was lifted and Jack curled up into a ball as he was carried from the room. His tail was curled around him and his ears pressed back in an attempt to hide himself within the small cage. Footsteps echoed within his large ears as they walked down the horrifying halls and towards the place Jack now dubbed as the torture chamber. They entered the room and Jack was once again chained to the metal table that seemed to be stained with the pain of the others before him. Memories of the last time he was hear echoed through his mind and his eyes flickered around him in a panic.
"Amazing." A familiar voice breathed very near to him. His eyes flashed forwards and fear froze him in place as he was met with the human from before, the one who had caused him such pain. "The solution had taken such a great effect within the span of four days. This is simply astounding!" He flinched at the shout. "But we must see how much this had grown."
Jack gave a shiver as the hand reached towards him and grasped the snowy fur coving his side. "Cold." The man spoke with awe. "It seems as though the serum had the planned efficacy but we must see how far this can be a taken." He turned towards the other men in the room and demanded. "Hand me the syringe." He was given it. The bottle was once again filled with the pale liquid that sent a shiver down the kit's spine. But he couldn't fight back. Fear gripped his soul so strongly that it immobilized him. By the time he was able to gain enough leverage over the feeling, the point and already buried itself within his neck.
Once more ice raced through his veins as it interacted and powered the older douse within him. A pain made itself known within his body, muscles tightening as he tried to force the stronger pain away from him. He dimly heard a cry from the man and the hand yanking itself away from his fur, but it was all numbed by the shards of ice that decided to reign free within his heart. And, just when he thought he could take no more, darkness took him.
Aster watched with sorrow and guilt as the fox was taken from the habitat. He hadn't wanted to give the poor kit to the man, but he also knew what would happen if he had fought back. Yes he was younger than the others but he still knew of these consequences. But that didn't mean it didn't pain him to see the young one taken away with fear shinning within wide eyes directed towards him. With a mournful sigh, he turned his back towards the door and hopped back to where the others were.
When he got there, he found them all just as he left them, but Manny and Tooth seemed to have left the grave subject they had been discussing before and moved to another, happy subject. North and Sandy and awoken at his return, his form seemingly radiating with the sadness he felt. From within the shadows he could see a familiar pair of golden eyes watching him and a sharp smirk stretching and shinning with them.
"Aster?" Manny asked seeing his facial features. "Where's Jack?"
He swallowed. "They came in and took him. Poor kit."
"When do you think they'll bring him back?" Tooth asked, tears shinning within her magenta eyes.
"No idea." Aster said with a shake of his head, ears falling with despair. "I hope he's back soon though. No kit that young should have to go through this."
"Yes, but we have no say in this matter, you know that." Manny whispered somberly, his silver ears tilting and tail laying limply behind him. A scoff came from the shadows at the silver wolf's comment and they each turned towards the wolf form in the shade. They each scowled at him.
"Do you have something to say Pitch?" Manny asked.
Pitch just shook his head. "Oh no, nothing. Just laughing at your submissiveness."
"Pitch, you know we cannot take them on!" North roared.
"Says the large bear with supper strength." He drawled in return.
Manny frowned. "Pitch-"
"If you don't mind," He said cutting the other off. "I've grown tired of this pitiful air and will now head somewhere else to relax. Something I haven't had the pleasure of doing in a while because of a certain fox running about." With that he slunk off, leaving a frowning group in his wake.
"Why that bloody-" Aster growled only to be cut off by Manny.
"Enough Aster, there's nothing we can do about him, you know this." He sighed and turned to look in the direction of the door. "Let us hope we don't have to wait long."
Hours passed by and they each grew anxious as the day above them slowly faded away towards the night of another day. When the door had opened once, they had raced to see if it was their young friend, only to find it was only food. They had eat quietly and when they finished, had gone back to waiting in silence for the return of their dear fox.
When the sun began to rise once more, they blinked open their tired eyes at the sound of the door opening once again. At first, they were confused. When did they all fall asleep? Why were they all lying here instead of near the cave? That's when they remembered and they raced forwards, making it seconds after the door had closed.
There, lying before them upon the ground, was the young kit, Jack. His snow white fur now covered every inch of him, no sign of chocolate to be seen. His fur was mysteriously covered in frost and chips of ice. Beneath the cold substances was fur that looked matted. He looked as though he had been thrown in a pool of freezing water, pulled out, and left to dry in the snow. The poor kit was unconscious they saw when they drew nearer. Bunny reach out a paw to shake the fox, only to pull away from the chill he felt.
"Oh my." Tooth gasped, tears falling from her eyes. "Wh-What did they do?!"
They all wept at the sight. No one could answer her question, the knowledge out of their reach.
"Ah, the tests of E.A.T.H." Pitch's voice sighed suddenly from their side. No one turned to look at him as he continued. "But, in this case EATH should really be called DEATH, no? Would seem more appropriate."
Sandy frowned at the comment, but he couldn't disagree. What lay before them was a sad sight, however he urged his small body forwards and listened as he stood next to the body. Breath. Very light and soft but it was there. He quickly caught the other's attention and it wasn't long until Aster's large ears caught what he heard.
"He's breathing. He's breathing!" He exclaimed. "Come one, let's getting him comfortable!" They moved quickly and soon the small body laid upon North's much larger back. Just as they were about to move, a groan came from the fox and they turned to see two pure blue eyes staring back through small slivers.
"Go back to sleep, Jack." Manny cooed softly. It didn't take much to comply and they watched as the eyes slid back shut and they moved as fast as they could to their cave.
So that was that. Sparky had been the one to suggest the EATH to DEATH thing! Thank you for that!
So feel free to comment, ask questions, etc.
Until next time! :D
