If you review and I don't mention you, I am sorry! It means I've already written this bit and not seen the new review.
Sea biscuit, wass up? Sorry didn't mean to bum you out! I am horrible to my character.
Coldnightmare, welcome back :D I thought the twist was obvious glad I've still got some tricks up my sleeve.
Soaringphoenix86, Sandy is awesome. Love that lil dude. Trust me the Guardians have got some grovelling to do XD
Noelletheunicorn, I don't think I've blushed so much in my life!
Blackvelvet97, I was worried that the scene was a little hard to understand. Thankyou for settling my worries.
Every one who reviewed, favorited, added to alerts, thank you for stroking my ego, apparently it's big enough!
Chapter 7 – Don't blame it on the moonlight.
'Damn him! Damn them all to hell,' Pitch roared slamming his fist on the arm of the chair as he re-awoke in his, for the lack of a better word, prison. He was growing stronger. He was slumped and his hair fell over his face. He looked at his clenched fist, his anger growing. He almost had her, he was so close. 'Damn you Frost!' He spat.
'What's the matter?' A sickly sweet voice echoed around the cavern, slender arms wrapped around his shoulders and a woman pressed her cheek against his. Pitch twisted his head away from hers and got up abruptly. 'I thought you might like my new look,' she said slipping into Pitch's now unoccupied chair. She draped her legs over the arm. He looked around at her. It was Cheryl. Or how an imperfect version of her would look. The eyes and smile weren't quite right.
'What are you doing Nathara?' Pitch sighed. She grinned, standing up, she was too tall to and too thin. 'Whatever you're doing it isn't working,' Pitch muttered. She was nothing compared to Cheryl. Nathara was the embodiment of jealously and envy. He only kept her around because she was useful. Anyone who knew what Cheryl really looked like wouldn't be fooled by her disguise. Nathara wanted Pitch, but he wanted nothing to do with her. But she was useful at the moment.
'Well, you've been so grumpy lately, I thought you might want a bit of company,' she purred. She made her way towards him but he pushed her away.
'No. Leave,' Pitch said venomously. He couldn't bear having her near him. To think he had Cheryl in his grasp and she was torn away. But without her wings she would find it hard to resist him. His sand would burrow deep into her skin, weakening her. He just had to wait.
…
Jack sighed as he left Zoe in the medical care of Tooth. She was cleaning off the blood and didn't need a man around. He went to rejoin Sandy, Bunny and North in the main warren. Sandy was giving Bunny and North a piece of his mind. Ever since he came back he tried to convey what happened but being a mute didn't really help. He resorted to writing it down. In capital letters. It wasn't really the Sandman's way of doing things but time needed to be used wisely. He shoved the newest note at Bunny who had just made a sarcastic comment.
Tooth sat with a stone bowl filled with warm water. Sandy had visited her earlier and put into a light sleep. This shouldn't hurt her. Tooth had to tear her dress away from her wings and she winced at the sight. The sand had morphed into feathers, that glittered in the weak light as Tooth gently brushed them out the way. Zoe's skin was covered in dried blood and the black grit. She took the cloth and tried to gently rub it from her back, the water thickened as it ran over her feathers. It was quite a while before Tooth was finished, she was amazed at the amount of damage that had happened to the woman's shoulder blades. The wings look like they had torn through her skin, Tooth followed her feathers. She sighed and picked up the bowl and rag, her ankles and feet looked in a bad way. She made do with cleaning off the blood. It looked like she was a fast healer, but that didn't stop her skin from looking sore. She was going to need new clothing, that dress was in shreds. Tooth flittered into the chamber.
'Is she going to be alright?' Jack asked as soon as he saw her. Tooth smiled weakly and nodded. Jack rubbed his eyes and brushed back his hair. Bunny let out a breath of relief.
'Where's Sandy and North?' Tooth replied. They weren't anywhere to be seen. Eggs scuttled around Jack's feet as he paced. Bunny leant against one of his giant stone statues and picked at a claw with a boomerang.
'We sent them to get food Sheila, don't think I could cope with another note from Sandy. They were getting longer and the font was getting larger. Strewth, this has been a bad day, how she doing?' Bunny said on an after thought.
'She should be fine, I don't know what that sand has done to her. It doesn't look like anything that bad, she simply has different wings. They now join her skin and muscles instead of just being a part of her being. Sandy did say something that, it's part of her spirit form. She will always have wings. Pitch simply replaced them.' Tooth didn't really understand it, but that was the best explanation there was. Jack chuckled to himself swinging his staff. 'She's going to need some clothing, that dress is ruined.'
Bunny almost dropped his boomerang, 'well don't look at me Sheila, I'm covered in fur! You've got feathers, the only person here with any time of clothing is-' They both looked at Jack who was already taking off his hoodie. Tooth squeaked and quickly turned around, as he pulled it over his his head. He was wearing a light coloured short sleeved t-shirt underneath, but it rolled up showing his stomach. She had accidentally caught a glimpse and she felt her cheeks go pink. It suddenly felt too hot in her feathers.
'Here, she's smaller than me, this will cover her,' Jack said brushing his hair back down. Bunny raised a brow, he took the garment from Jack and ran a nail down the back twice. The material slit easily.
'For her wings,' Bunny muttered. Jack smiled knowing that it was Bunny trying to apologise. He nodded, he wasn't too fussed about his hoodie, he had a couple more like it. He went to take it back but Tooth got there first.
'Maybe I should give it to her, seeing as well y'know, the reason she needs clothing in the first place,' she twittered. Jack chuckled and nodded, Bunny coughed into his hand. Both of them were clearly a little embarrassed. Tooth flittered off back to drop of the make do garment.
…
It wasn't the pain that woke me, it was the moon light. I could smell flowers in bloom and hear a stream. I roll over, my back screams at me, I slip on a feather and loose my balance falling off the edge of the rough stone table. 'Fucking hell,' I murmur. I feel out of sorts, not to mention y'know having just fallen off a table. My wings feel heavy, really heavy and it takes a lot of effort just to sit up. It's like having a couple of planks strapped to my shoulders. It takes me a few minutes but I figure out how to fold them up, tucking them close to my back. The loss I feel for my real wings is the heaviest weight that I carry. It sits deep in my chest, but I'm more angry than upset. Pitch thinks he has me. Well he's just made the biggest mistake of his life. Bastard. Taking my best friends away was not the way to go. I wipe away the tears that surface and rub my eyes. Shivering I look own at myself. I'm half naked. Great. I'm just wearing my black girl boxers. Suitable for every occasion. I cover my chest with my arm and use my other arm to hoist myself upright. I've got fuck all balance, it's gonna be a while until I get used to the tilting effect, like I'm constantly falling backwards.
My fingers touch some material. I look at the table, there's my horrid black dress, but on the other side of the table. Jack's hoodie. I can't help the smile that touches my lips. I pick it up, it smells of pine trees, the tang of fresh fallen snow and cinnamon, strangely enough. Not a smell that I would associate with him, but I like it all the same. I pull it over my head, already I'm stuck. It's big enough, for certain areas... I manage to get my boobs in, it's a tight fit but oh well. Someone's made a couple of slits in the back and after a bit of wrestling with the blasted feathers and a lot of pulling I get each wing through it's sleeve. The hoodie ends just about mid thigh. It covers my bum, it would do.
I feel restless, I have a bone to pick with a certain someone. But that would probably have to wait. I think I'm in the Warren, if the scuttling eggs are anything to go by. I think I remember Bunny grabbing me and Jack. My head tilts up to where the moon light is streaming in. I think, I think I want to look at the stars. I stagger while walking but I get there, I just have to climb now. I look at the state my feet and ankles are in, I look like I've been ravaged with barbed wire. Shaking my head I wince as I climb the mossy rock. As stupid and as clunky as my wings feel they help me climb with a light flutter here and there.
…
'Why don't we just ask her?' Bunny said.
'Because all of us charging in there might send the wrong idea,' Jack shook his head. 'Look what happened last time, this is how the whole thing started.'
'Jack's right,' Tooth agreed.
'We have wronged her greatly,' North added. Sandy stood by Jack and nodded. 'We will help her with Pitch. It is least we can do,' he picked at some of the food they had brought. Jack rolled his eyes. As if North and the other Guardians weren't going to help. He grabbed one of the brown bags and shoved some random food in.
'I'll talk to her,' he said. Bunny looked like he was going to interject but Sandy stood on his foot and shook his head. North nudged Tooth who was almost knocked over.
'Yes my friend, go speak to her, see if she will let us apologise,' North rumbled. His attitude on the young woman had changed greatly in the last hour. He would fine the time to talk to her, but for now she needed a friend and it looked like Jack was the perfect person for that. Jack nodded and waved a hand as he walked down the tunnel. He didn't take his staff, what would he need it for?
He got a little worried when he didn't see her in the room anywhere. He looked around and spotted a large shadow cross over the floor. He looked up, she was sitting on a rocky outcrop, her arms wrapped around her knees, her wings spread and slightly limp. He smiled to himself and quietly walked over, he could see where she would have climbed up. He followed in her footsteps. He heard her talking as he got close.
'- miss you guys. I can't actually believe he took you from me. Mark my words he will pay for it, I, oh. Jack,' she said as she heard him get close. She was twisting a feather in her fingers.
'Talking to yourself?' Jack laughed as he hopped up onto her ledge. She lifted a wing and he sat beside her, his legs dangling off the side. He showed her the bag and chuckled when she almost snatched it from him.
'He will pay, Jack. They were my best friends, my family,' she sighed. She took a packet of crisps from the bag and tore it open. 'Would you think bad of me if I said that I didn't want to talk about that?' Jack nudged her with his shoulder, making her turn towards him. He gave her a look, she giggled and nodded. 'Okay, I get it. Dumb question.' She muttered looking back at her food. Jack delved a hand into her crisps and popped one into his mouth.
'How are you feeling?' He asked. She shrugged.
'Sore, itchy. I ache all over. And before you insinuate or hint anything. No I can't feel Pitch, yes I can tell, and yes I will let you know if I do,' she said in one breath. Jack chuckled.
'I wasn't going to do that,' he laughed. She gave him a sidelong look.
'You weren't?'
'Nope. I was gonna come right out and ask you,' his blunt honesty made Zoe laugh. They sat eating the food from the brown bag. Jack was trying not to notice that her legs were bare and her chest was fitted very tightly into his hoodie. Her long hair fell over her face every time she looked down from staring at the moon, it took all his will power not to reach over and brush it back.
'He knows my name,' she said quietly. 'He tried to use it against me, then he tried to kiss me. There was once a time, but things change. I know you probably won't like the idea of Pitch and I being close. But time was different back then. It's strange, of all the things I remember, I can't remember my name.' She pulled her knees up to her chest. Jack bit his lip, he wanted to comfort her, but it was awkward. He decided to take the plunge. He lifted his arm and wrapped it over her shoulders. She stiffened. But after a couple of seconds she leant into his chest.
'You know for an old broad you're not doing to badly,' he quipped. Zoe gasped and punched him lightly on the stomach. 'I'm only joking, but seriously Zoe, I don't think you're what you say you are,' Jack said with a smile, he had been thinking about it for a while. Something didn't make sense. She pushed him away with a fake look of hurt on her face.
'Jack, don't go there. It's a nice thought, but don't even go down that street.' She said it firmly and Jack nodded. She laid back on the moss and stared at the moon and stars. 'Wanna know how I landed this great job?' Jack looked back at her, she patted the moss, 'it won't hurt my wing. Trust me I've been wrestling with them since I arrived.' Jack chuckled and laid next to her, the feathers were actually incredibly soft. She played with a bit of moss in her fingers.
'I died saving my sister,' Jack said simply. 'What about you?'
'I am very, very, old Jack. Let me put it this way, the winters you create are nothing to the day to day storms we had back then. I don't mind the cold, I don't really feel it. Not any more. Unless I'm tired. I was one of the first tribes, it was survival of the fittest. We lived in crude huts and caves. Forever travelling. Death was something that was normal. Not a day went past were we risked our lives doing something, getting water, food. By the time I became this age, half our tribe had died, not to mention all the children that never made it. My mother died with an illness, my brother was about ten. He was never a strong boy. My father hated him, told me that he was bringing the clan down. I knew that if my father had his way that my brother wouldn't survive long,' she breathed in deeply. Jack's hand found hers and he squeezed her fingers, she gently entwined her hand in his. She stared at the sky. 'I can't remember their faces, or names, or even the way they smelt. But I remember everything that happened. All their voices. Not that you would call it a language. It was mostly grunts and hand movements,' she giggled. 'I've come quite far huh.' Jack smiled at her. This was comfortable, he was trying not to think about how he was laying on the moss holding her hand. Normally he would feel really awkward, he did when Tooth or any of the other Guardians tried to show him physical attention. But with Zoe, it was, different.
'Well, to cut a long story short. I made sure that my brother got food, had the furs at night. I did all the hunting and kept him out my father's grip. But I became weaker and weaker as the year went on. One day I awoke to find my father carrying me into the snow. He kissed me on the forehead and left me. For a while I thought my brother would try to help, but no. Nothing happened. It was survival of the fittest and I was no longer fit.' She sighed and looked away from the sky, instead she looked at the gap in between them. At their clasped hands.
'You died?' Jack whispered. She nodded.
'Yeah, then to my surprise, I didn't, I was reborn as this. I didn't do the duty for almost a thousand years, there was no need, just existing was enough,' she explained. 'I didn't go back to the clan for over ten years. I couldn't do it. But when I finally found them, I saw my brother. Y'know I thought he had died. But I saw something else, I saw old people. Sick people being cared for. He had changed it all, he had a wife who held a babe on her hip. It was no longer survival of the fittest,' She shrugged. 'There, that' my depressing story.'
Jack pressed his forehead against hers. 'You're here with me, isn't that something?'
She looked at him for a second before she burst into laughter. She sat up as far as she could, 'Oh Jack! That was the best line you could come up with?'
He pulled her back down to the moss. 'Hey! It's not like you gave me a lot to work with!' They rolled on the ledge laughing. Zoe felt her heart lift a little, she missed her wings. But Jack had somehow managed to take her mind off them.
'I'm tired,' Zoe yawned.
'Yeah me too,' Jack replied. Zoe looked up at him, he smiled and winked at her. Yep, somehow he managed to make her heart skip with just a grin. Zoe bit her lip. She was going to be in serious trouble if this continued.
Well, that was that lol. I know plain and simple, thought a calm chapter would be best. Have a little bit of fluff. Plenty of reviews makes for quick writing. The next chapter may reveal her true name ^-^ (that's what I have planned, whether that happens or not is another thing, you know what my fingers are like)
