Chapter 13:

Death decided he really needed to stop being surprised whenever Jack Frost latched onto him.

"Good evening, Jack," he said after Jack's exuberant "Hi, Death!"

"Are you riding with us, Jack?" Famine asked from where she was feeding her horse a sugar cube.

"Yup!" Jack said as he relinquished his hold on Death. "I can't let Mei down, can I?"

In response to that an indignant whinny sounded from somewhere amid the throng of Reapers and horses, much to the amusement of all present. An equally indignant mare, already saddled, came trotting over to the frost spirit, nosing his shoulder as though demanding if that had ever been a question.

Death laughed. The little filly that had "saved" Jack from Bunny all those years ago had grown into a fine deathsteed and had bonded with Jack beautifully.

"I know, girl, I know! I would never desert you, beautiful girl!" Jack laughed, stroking his horse's neck and moving in for an equine hug. Mollified, Mei settled for nosing the hood of Jack's sweater.

Death's horse whickered quietly as his master mounted, War trotting immediately over to his side. Noticing that Death had mounted, all the gathered Reapers and Horsemen (and frost spirit) proceeded to mount their own steeds. Jack immediately guided Mei between Death and Famine, practically jumping in his saddle. Mei was also prancing excitedly in place.

At least she was until a boomerang whistled barely an inch past Jack's head, causing the frost spirit to duck in alarm and all heads to simultaneously swivel back in the direction the boomerang had come from.

"Frost! Don't ya listen when somebody's talkin' to ya!"

Of course no one was really surprised when the returning boomerang was caught by a very irritated Bunnymund, who had been standing in the shadows of a nearby alleyway.

"Been a long time, Frost. Winter of '68, I believe. Easter Sunday, wasn't it?" Bunny said, completely oblivious to the deadly glares he was getting from the vast majority of the Reapers (not to mention the highly ticked off Red and Pale steeds).

"Bunny," Jack said, lifting his reins and turning Mei about with a tap of the heel to her side. He grinned at the way Bunny's eyes widened in alarm when he recognized the horse. "You're not still mad about that, are you?"

Bunny's eyes immediately narrowed again. "Yes." Then his posture relaxed, and he returned his attention to the boomerang in his paw. "But this is about something else. Fellas."

A pause.

Nothing happened.

Puzzled, Jack turned around.

And found himself staring at Death and his horse keeping an eye on a pair of yetis in the alley behind him, shuddering where they stood (if Death had had a face at the moment, Jack got the distinct impression he would have been smirking). Then Jack noticed that one of the creatures was holding a burlap sack and whipped Mei back around to face the Easter Bunny, who was staring at the yetis with his mouth hanging open in disbelief.

"Fellas, what is wrong with you! Grab 'im!" he said, gesturing at Jack.

"Bunny, what is this about?" Jack asked lowly, narrowing his eyes. Mei snorted and pawed furiously at the ground, pulling against her bit just slightly. Many of the Reapers steeds took up the cue and mirrored her agitation. The yetis, unable to see them but sensing the shift in the atmosphere, shrank further back into the alley, babbling quietly and worriedly between themselves and to Bunny.

"Fellas, he's just a frost spirit! I know the horse is a bit of a surprise, but you guys are tall enough to yank him off!"

At this War's steed raised his head, snorting furiously and champing at his bit, his rider having to hold him back as he moved to take a step toward the already frightened yetis.

Jack smiled grimly. "I don't think you'll want to do that," he said as War laid a hand on her horse's neck and cooed softly to him, calming him down just marginally. "Now what do you want, Bunny?"

Bunny glared up at Jack, but the frost sprite didn't miss the shudder that ran through his fur as a few of the Reapers guided their steeds to close about him just a step or two; Jack could also see Pestilence toying with the string of his bow.

"North wants to talk to ya. Up at the Pole," Bunny answered.

Jack could feel his eyebrows climbing his forehead. "North? What for?"

"Nothin' important."

"Oh, really? When North's never asked you up there before?" Famine mused idly, toying with her horse's mane.

"Oh. Then I guess I don't really have to go," Jack said, turning Mei and trotting forward so she stood beside Death's horse again. War and several Reapers snickered as Bunny's mouth dropped open in shock.

"Frost, wait! Ya barmy little sprite, the Moon's chosen you to be a Guardian, okay?" Bunny shouted after him.

Jack froze, as did his horse.

"I thought that might be the case," Death said, half to himself as he turned his horse to face Jack and his steed. Jack looked at him questioningly, biting his lip, eyes shining. Death moved his steed forward and laid a skeletal hand gently on Jack's shoulder, gaze meeting Jack's bright blue eyes.

"You need not go if you do not desire it, Jack," Death said gently. "If you choose to, however, I will understand."

Jack closed his eyes and shook his head. "How dare they? How dare he?" the frost sprite whispered.

Behind him, Bunny stiffened. "What did you say, Frost?"

"I said how dare you!" Jack spat, wheeling Mei about so quickly she half-reared to achieve the maneuver. "How dare you, all of you, after all this time, think that you can just waltz in, drag me over to your little hideout up at the Pole and dictate my life? After three hundred years of ignoring me? Of thinking me little more than an annoyance at best, without even bothering to talk to me once in a while? I don't think so!"

Bunny's eyes widened, then narrowed. "Listen here now, ya uppity little sprite…,"

"No, you listen! I am not, nor will I ever be, a Guardian! I don't like you, Bunny, and my relationship with everybody else on your team is lukewarm at best. I'm not interested in joining a bunch of spirits who couldn't really give less of a damn about me. Good night, Bunny!" Jack snapped.

Taking that as his cue, Death spurred his horse into the sky with a mighty whinny, the Wind whipping furiously about them. The Four Horsemen and Jack followed, the rest of the Reapers close on their heels, whooping and laughing with the joy of the ride.

Death's aspect expanded, flowing outwards until it enveloped all of them in its mighty cloak. Ride! Ride, Horsemen! It's the Wild Ride!

The Four Horsemen took the lead, Jack sticking close to Death's side as their surroundings and the stars above them blurred, as they galloped higher and higher into the sky, moving further and further away from Burgess. The frost spirit gasped, then laughed as their flight finally leveled off high above the Earth. The ground and the clouds whipped away beneath them in a blur, the beautiful light of the Aurora Borealis and the setting sun shining above them as they galloped on.

Jack laughed again, Mei whinnying in excitement as her rider leaned back to catch the wind on his face. Death's steed let out another whinny, the other steeds answering him in kind; War's steed almost seemed to roar in his exuberance.

Ride! It's the Wild Ride!

Jack laughed again, glancing over at Death as the Pale Horseman allowed more rein to slide through his hands and his steed lengthened his stride; Mei leaped forward to keep up. Death laughed, urging his horse onward. Mei whinnied in frustration as they continued to pull ahead, throwing her neck forward and lunging on. Jack leaned forward over his friend's neck, giving her her head.

This was probably the best moment of his immortal life.

Hi, everyone! Sorry I haven't updated in so long, I was on vacation for the past week and a half and wasn't able to type anything up. I apologize for worrying some of you (thanks for checking in on me, Rey!). Overall I believe I'm doing better than I have been in a while; I've had a few backslides, but overall I'm doing better. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing; I hope to have a new chapter posted soon!