Call of Home
What if the Pole was invaded?
"Where are you?" The little creme colored Pooka looked around nervously for her mate. Aster hadn't been home in days and she was starting to get a little worried. She knew that being a guardian was time-consuming and she wasn't angry at him, just concerned. Of course he couldn't help his job, and she couldn't help being a little worried. It was how they worked.
With him gone she was left alone which wouldn't have worried her, normally. This time though, she was pregnant and she really needed his help with everything from walking to making meals to even sitting. She was getting big, and if he didn't come back soon things could take a turn for the worse. She had been managing, but her brother was out and about with the Spring seasonals and Pookas were a rarity, there were no more in his Australian warren. She didn't know the others.
She managed to pad unsteadily into their burrow for a nap. He would come. He always did.
Aster was caught up, which was putting it lightly.
The very next chance I get, Pitch dies. He thought grimly as he slashed at the nightmares that had completely covered the pole, invading it to the point that even the Yeti were being knocked unconscious.
"Bunny! Where is Jack?" North roared over the near-defining sounds of hooves on metal and wood.
"Dunno mate, wasn't he with Sandy?" He called back as he ducked, nearly avoiding a nightmare's kick.
"I have not seen Sandy either...or Tooth..." The two were now back-to-back and there was no sign whatsoever of the other three guardians. North's thoughts suddenly snapped to Carol, his wife, and Lilly, Bunny's mate. The sudden fear in his oldest friend's eyes had Bunny's already jangled nerves shot through the roof.
"What is it, mate?" He asked quietly, Nightmares starting to circle the obviously terrified pair.
"Carol and Lilly." North whispered in horror. He hadn't seen his own wife since the nightmares busted in.
The soft grass was perfect for muffling the sounds of hooves. Lilly vaguely heard the sounds of sand but she figured it was either her imagination or Sandy had come to check on her. She snuggled into the huge warm nest and drifted closer and closer to sleep. The nightmares, sensing only mild fear, were a tad bit confused as to why they were here and not where all the terror was. They wouldn't leave unless ordered to, of course, but they were hesitant.
Sandy and Jack had seen the nightmares overwhelm Carol while still mostly asleep and darted off to help her. She had been cursing and slashing at them the whole way but through the fighting she had taken a fairly strong blow to the head and was now hanging limp from the back of one of the nightmares, the sand securing her as the dark beast flew.
"They're so fast this time!" Jack observed nervously as he and Sandy sped to keep up. At least they wouldn't lose them completely.
Sandy nodded, sharing the boy's concern. He wasn't trying to shoot them with his staff for fear of hitting Carol which Sandy found incredibly smart, but frustrating. They had to do something and Sandy needed to be in contact more than Jack! He couldn't use his whips effectively from this distance. From the scowl gracing his usually gleeful features Jack shared the golden man's frustration.
"Why on earth are they taking her to Australia?" Jack asked himself.
Sandy's eyes widened and he waited for Jack to figure it out. Son of a bitch, I'm gonna kill him. I swear if he hurts her he dies, no chances this time. No more warnings. If he lays a single finger on Lilly I'll kill him. Sandy raged internally while Jack worked through the utter horror and shock of the realization that they were headed for the Warren.
"We have to beat them there!" Jack called. Sandy nodded and they made for the nearest entrance to the warren that they knew how to find. It was impossible to enter if Bunny didn't want you to, and they knew that. Sandy still kept an eye out behind them.
They busted in and a few moments later a terrified shriek cut through the still air.
"You get Carol, I'll go to her!" He turned and ran, using the wind to shove him along until he found the door.
"LILLY!" She heard Jack's voice in response to her scream. She huddled back farther in her nest, holding her swollen belly fearfully.
"Jack?" She called, knowing it was him but not wanting to assume. They busted in through the nightmares, freezing them as fast as they could.
"We're here, Lilly." Jack assured her as he perched himself beside her, freezing anything that came close. He watched the pregnant Pooka's whole frame shake violently both in fear and from cold. "Don't worry, it's gonna be fine. Sandy'll getcha warm in sec." He assured her calmly. She watched the eternal teen fight for her, and even effectively sooth her, and she felt fierce pride for the boy. He may be a teenager forever, but he could be a man when he needed to be.
Sandy didn't have as much trouble getting Carol away from the nightmares as he had anticipated. They were now much more boxed in being away from the open sky and in the light of the warren's magic. They were much weaker here which made decimating them all the easier. Sandy quickly scooped up the unconscious spirit before turning to meet Jack.
Sandy put Carol down on a golden nest beside Lilly's and turned to the nightmares.
Once they were sure they were all gone and not re-forming Sandy traded places with Jack, the boy keeping a watch on the door so that nothing unexpected came through while Sandy wrapped Lilly in warm, soft golden sand.
She felt a few more shivers wrack her before she settled and found Sandy sitting with an open arm. She chuckled, smiling at him and accepting the invitation, leaning into his open arm. She nuzzled him once and curled around her belly, finding that Sandy knew exactly what to do.
After a few moments of petting she fell asleep and Jack merged his magic with Sandy's to make a little golden and blue bird that fluttered around for a moment before flying off to find the others and tell them where they were. She squirmed a little, cracking her eyes open in time to see the bird leave.
"I could've sent an egg, you know that, right mates?" She asked sleepily.
Sandy chuckled and nodded, a bunch of golden z's floating from a little gold bunny above his head.
"He's got a point, Lil." She snorted.
"Second syllable too much for ya, Frostbite?" She asked, her accent mirroring her mate's perfectly. Jack would never admit it, but it was precious.
"Yep. Plus you're preggers and it's cuter that way." Jack offered with a less cheeky smirk than usual. He really did find the whole thing precious.
"So's Jackie, but you never let me call you that." She defended playfully.
"Hey now, it's just the Easter Kangaroo that can't call me that. No one else's tried." He smirked.
"Alright then, Jackie." She smiled innocently at his semi-permission to call him Jackie. He chuckled, shaking his head.
"I've unleashed a monster." Jack picked.
"Right ya have mate. Speakin of which, where's Aster? I haven't seen him all week. What's keepin' 'im?" She asked, her groggy brain not connecting the nightmare's invasion of their home with the other guardians.
Jack and Sandy shared a worried look before the golden man nodded to Jack.
"Well, we've been investigating persistent nightmares all over the world this week, night-terrors. Bunny's been with us, and recently they attacked the Pole outright. They're probably cleaning the mess up as we speak." Jack assured lightly, having every faith in North and Bunny. That woke her up the rest of the way and she caught sight of Carol properly.
"Oh moon, is she alright?!" She fretted, sitting up unsteadily. Sandy nodded and held out his hands to her soothingly, taking a shaky paw.
"Easy there, Lilly. She's alright, she's alright. Go back to sleep, we won't leave ya." Jack cooed. Sandy's eyebrow shot up at the sight but he didn't comment. He was actually impressed. The boy knew how to handle panic, he would hand it to him.
When they were both asleep their thoughts traveled to the others, were they okay?
Alright, this is turning out to be an arc, let me know what you think! Sorry I haven't been on this story set as much, I've been focusing on Lessons To Learn. This'll be getting some more love until this arc fizzles out and I promise I'll try to do better at keeping this one going. Y'all are wonderful people!