Hey everyone! New chapter, woohoo!
As always, thank you to everyone who's faved, followed and reviewed! Please continue to share ideas for future chapters! Also, if anyone ever wants to try and draw something based on a scene in this story, feel free to! Just make sure to give a little note of credit to this story (so people who like the art can read it) and leave me a link so I can see it!
Disclaimer's on my prof.!
Sorry for any spelling errors!
Enjoy and review with ideas!
When Jack joined Bunny in a visit to the Glade, he was surprised to see the whole village was bustling with activity. The air was filled with a palpable joy that Jack could feel down to his very center.
Jack could see a group of hunters returning with more caught prey than usual, while others were carrying baskets full of crops from the fields towards the village square. Decorations were being set up, colorful paper lanterns being hung and posts of wood carved into figures being planted into the ground here and there. Pooka kits were running around excitedly, giggling and chattering happily.
Jack sent Aster a questioning look.
"Uh...What's with all of this?" He asked, following Bunny as the older Guardian headed into the village. Bunny smiled slightly.
"Looks like everyone's gettin' ready for th' Festival of Ancestors."
Jack looked confused. Feet lifting from the ground, Jack drifted forward until he was beside his friend.
"The what?"
"The Festival of Ancestors. Its a festival Pooka hold t' celebrate our past an' what makes us, well, us. Our instincts, our heritage, its all celebrated in the Festival of Ancestors. Its held on th' first day of Fall, an' lasts all through th' day an' night. There's food, everyone gets all painted in warpaint, an' there's plenty of fun t' be had. Some enjoy th' traditional dances of our ancestors, or take part in a contest of skill, whether its racin' or strength."
"Wow..." Jack mumbled under his breath, sapphire eyes turning to the busy village. "That sounds...Pretty awesome, actually. You said its on the first day of Fall?" Bunny nodded, and Jack hummed. "That's in three days..." Jack looked at Aster. "So does that mean I should stay away that day?"
Bunnymund sent the younger immortal a bewildered look.
"Eh? Why would you?"
Jack dropped from the air, settling for walking and slinging his staff over his shoulders.
"Well, I mean, I'm not a Pooka. I figure having a human around would kinda ruin the point of it, since its a festival to, y'know, honor your ancestors. I don't know if your ancestors would really appreciate it if I human took part in the celebration..."
Jack yelped as he was yanked into a headlock.
"H-hey-!"
"Don't be ridiculous. Ya act more like a Pooka than a human half th' time, there ain't a reason fer ya t' not come an' join in on th' festivities." A smirk as the Pooka released his hold on his friend. "Yer not gettin' out of this, Frostbite. Yer expected t' come join in on the festival, and so ya are."
"But-"
"Nope. Not gettin' outta it, not on yer nelly."
"A little early to be arguing, isn't it?"
Both Bunny and Jack looked up, finding the speaker to be Ash. The chieftain smiled warmly, clasping arms first with Aster, then with Jack. Once having shared the friendly gesture, the chief crossed his arms.
"What has you both up in arms so early, hm?"
"Help me out here." Aster implored. "Jackie thinks he shouldn't join in on th' festival, since he technically ain' a Pooka. I keep tellin' him he's expected t' come, but he ain't listenin'."
Ash raised a brow, eyes turning to Jack, who shrugged.
"What? I'm the Guardian of Fun, I wouldn't want to be the one to ruin your guys' festival."
Ash shook his head.
"Jack, you wouldn't ruin the festival. You are expected to come, many of the kits are even excited that you will be allowed to participate."
"There, ya see?" Bunny said triumphantly. "If ya don' come, yer gonna let the kits down, an' ya can't do that, now can ya?"
Jack huffed.
"Yeahyeahyeah, don't act so smug about it..."
Bunny simply smirked.
"Bunny, I really don't see why I- Phht! Hahaha! Dang it, Bunny! Quit it!"
Aster smirked slightly, moving the paint brush away from Jack's skin. He settled back on his haunches, careful to not disturb the markings painted on his fur. He was decorated in green and brown paint with touches of yellow, the colorful strokes twisting along the clan marking at Bunny's brow, his arms, his chest and his upper legs. Before him, Jack stood clad in only his pants, his bare chest only partially painted in the same earthy green and brown tones as Bunny, along with blue and white marks. The symbols on his arms already were already painted on and were drying. The young immortal was frowning at Bunny in an offended manner.
"This'd go a lot faster if ya'd sit still, Frostbite. If we're gonna get t' the Glade any time soon, I need to finish these markin's." Aster informed, reaching with his free paw to grab a small clay pot, in which he dipped the brush, collecting more white pigment on the brush's tip. He shook his head to himself, chuckling. "I know yer ticklish an' all, but this' ridiculous."
A small yelp left Jack as Bunny swiped the brush across his side, a snort of laughter leaving the teen unbidden. Clapping a hand over his mouth, Jack skittered away a couple of steps.
"Its not my fault!" Jack retorted. "Its that stupid paint brush!"
"Oi! Get back over here!" Bunny scolded lightly, leaning forward and snagging Jack by the wrist, tugging him back over. "We're gonna be late as it is. Now, stand still, would'ja? I'm almos' done anyway."
Slumping with a huff, Jack did as told, trying his best to not laugh or squirm as Aster returned to painting markings on his chest. Silence fell for a few long minutes, neither Guardian speaking. It was finally Jack who broke the quiet.
"How come you're not going to paint my face?"
The question caught Bunny offguard, the Pooka's emerald eyes flickering to Jack's face. Truth be told, Aster had thought Jack wouldn't notice this detail. The Pooka grimaced, finishing the symbols on Jack's chest.
"Well...Ya see, one's family markin's go on th' face, they're called lineage markin's. Since yer family as a mortal was human, ya don't have a lineage markin'."
Something akin to sorrow flickered across Jack's face, but the boy quickly forced a smile.
"I guess that makes sense."
Biting the inside of his cheek, Aster quickly made a decision. He reached up and tilted the immortal teen's head down so that his pale face was turned towards him.
"Closer yer eyes for a tic."
Jack raised a brow, going to ask why, but Bunny simply sent him a stern look that had the boy doing as told quickly. Aster cleaned his paint brush, then dipped it into a pot of green pigment before moving to Jack's brow, gently running it over the boy's pale skin. In practiced motions, Bunny painted his family's mark on Jack.
The marking itself was simple, all things considered. Two diagonal lines met between Jack's eyebrows like a bottomless, upsidown triangle, with two small lines over his brows, one a finger-width's length above the other. Another, slightly longer line was painted over the upsidown, partial triangle, about an inch below his hairline. In brown, Bunny painted along the inside of the triangle and under each line.
"There ya go. Now ya look like yer ready t' go to a Pookan festival."
Bright blue eyes opened, lifting upwards as if to look at the newly painted mark.
"What is it?"
"My family's lineage mark. Ain't nothin' fancy, mind you, but its somethin'."
"Your family's mark?" Jack echoed, looking confused. Bunny shrugged casually, setting aside his paintbrush.
"Well yeah. I mean, yer as good as family anyway, so it ain' weird or anythin'."
Jack blinked, taken aback by the statement. His face then lit up with joy, and the expression made Aster's heart feel warm.
"That's so cool!" Jack hopped up, looping an arm around Bunny's neck in a haphazard hug before grabbing his staff and rushing away. "C'mon! Let's go!"
Aster sighed, shaking his had good-naturedly as he glanced at the pots of paint. Well...He supposed he could clean these up later.
Decision made, Bunny was quick to follow Jack. He didn't want to miss his nest brother's first festival, after all.
Bunny had to admit that seeing the expressions of the Pooka in the Glade when they saw Jack painted up like a kit was hilarious. One young hunter had even done a double-take (which resulted in him tripping over his own two feet).
Jack, with the excitement of a child, rushed about like a snowflake on the wind. He would pause at every vendor stall to stare in awe for a split second before he was off again. When the Spirit headed past, Bunny managed to hook an arm around the boy's middle, bringing him to a jarring halt. Jack yelped at the abrupt interference, and then he sent Aster an offended look.
"Hey!"
"Ya need t' slow down, Frostbite, before ya bowl someone over."
Jack huffed, drifting back a couple feet before dropping to the ground.
"You're no fun." The teen immortal stated sourly. Bunny just chuckled, pulling the boy into his side and wrapping an arm around the boy's shoulders and starting for the village square.
"C'mon. Ash wanted us t' come see him when we got here."
Disappointment quickly forgotten, Jack nodded, never dislodging the arm from his shoulders.
Seeing Jack like this, painted up and acting like an excited kit, it made Bunny feel...Happy. Very, very happy. Here, he saw Jack far more in his element.
Of course he had seen Jack act happy or excited before, but he'd always been a bit wary at the same time. Yet here, in the Glade, as he took in every sight and sound with pure awe, Jack showed no wariness or reservation. Here, he seemed to feel completely safe.
It didn't take long to find Ash, as the chieftain was in the village square, overseeing the festival. When he saw Bunny and Jack, the chieftain's eyes flickered to the marking at Jack' brow for a brief moment, surprise flashing across his face. He didn't say anything, but Bunny could see the chieftain was wondering several questions like everyone else.
"Hey Ash!" Jack crowed in greeting, feet lifting from the ground as he allowed the Wind to pick him up and carry him over to the tall Pooka. He spiraled around Ash excitedly. "What do you think? Bunny painted me! I look really cool, right?"
Ash chuckled at the boy's enthusiasm, and he dipped his head in acknowledgement.
"You look very much like a Pooka." He complimented, earning a beaming smile from Jack.
Having gained a compliment, Jack left to examine one of the nearby food stalls. Ash moved over to stand beside Aster, crossing his arms. The two Pooka quietly stood, watching as Jack eagerly took a sugar-dusted bread roll that was offered to him. Finally, Ash broke the silence.
"You painted your lineage mark on him."
Bunny nodded one, tersely.
"I did. Is that a problem?"
There was an underlying note of challenge in Bunny's voice, as if he were daring the chieftain to try and argue against his choice. Ash simply smiled.
"No, there is not. I'm simply surprised. You were alone for so long, mourned the loss of our people, I wouldn't have thought you could bear to paint your lineage mark on another, as it would be a reminder of the past." Ash's expression softened. "Jack...He seems to make those deep wounds on your heart hurt you less."
Bunny was silent for a long moment, mulling this over. It was true: for some reason, things hurt less when Jack was around. For centuries he'd never spoken a word about his people to anyone in the world, and yet when Jack came along, Bunny often found words pouring from his mouth. He would tell Jack everything, everything about his clan, about Pooka in general, and...and it didn't hurt. When he talked to Jack, the deep, hollow ache in his chest would never come, instead replaced by something bitter-sweet. Jack made facing his memories about the massacre easier, somehow.
"...He's my nest brother." Aster finally replied. "Even if it ain' official, he's my nest brother. An' as my nest brother, he has as much right to have a lineage markin' as anyone."
Ash nodded in understanding.
"True." The chieftain added over his shoulder as he walked away, "You should consider making things official, if you are so adamant about him being a nest brother."
As the taller Pooka left, Bunny let Ash's words echo in his mind. Of course he'd thought of officially adopting Jack into his clan, he'd considered it many times, in fact. The real question, though, was if Jack was ready for that sort of thing. Three centuries alone had left Jack wary and mistrusting, and attempting to adopt the boy into his clan could very well scare the immortal youth away.
Still, it was something Bunny would really have to consider.