Caged p.5

I'm back! I was going to take a break from this story but after reading all the reviews, I am going to carry on. Thank you to everyone that reviewed! I feel amazing! By the way, I don't own rotg and I'm still really sad about that...

Enjoy!

"We got 'im!" Bunny called through the hole.

"How is he?" North asked. Bunny sighed- he was hoping he wouldn't answer that. The answer was that they didn't know.

"Errrr- he's bad, North. I'm gonna come through first, then Sandy's gonna come with Jack." he said and climbed out the hole.

"What do you mean, 'bad'?" Tooth said urgently.

"We don't know everythin' yet, but he's got a busted leg." Bunny explained and at that moment, Sandy came through with Jack. North immediately kneeled by the boy and tried to pick him up. Jack cried out and his eyes flickered for a second but then they shut again.

"Try to keep him awake- I do not like his condition one bit." North said and looked at his hands. They were stained with blood. "it looks like he is injured on the back in some way." North gently picked up Jack in a different position. He winced but didn't scream, which was good. He was breathing in shaky gasps- North didn't like this at all. The winter spirit was too exhausted to breathe.

"The sleigh- quickly- Sandy lead us out!" he yelled. Sandy picked them all up on a cloud and made his way out of the place. Jack's breathing was getting shallower, Bunny noted.

"How is he?" he asked North. North shook his head.

"Not good." He said without looking up. "I do not know much yet, though." Bunny looked at the unconsciousness spirit. He studied him carefully.

"He has bruises round 'is neck." He said to him.

"I know...looks like he has been strangled..." North replied. Suddenly, they made it above ground, breaking into sunlight. They got off and into the sled. North gently lay Jack on one of Sandy's dream clouds and turned to Bunny.

" You need to try to keep Jack awake- I need to drive sled." Bunny nodded and kneeled by Jack. He shook him like he did earlier. Jack slowly opened his eyes and looked around.

"Jack- I know it's hard, but ya need to stay awake, 'kay?" Jack looked at Bunny and mouthed something. He kept repeating it over and over. It looked like 'you came' but Bunny couldn't be sure. He was now realizing how scared Jack looked.

"It's alrigh', 'kay- you're out of there now." Bunny said and noticed that Jack's eyes were starting to shut. He really was exhausted. Bunny had never seen Jack like this, and he never wanted to. He always seemed so happy and full of energy, but now Jack was scared. He was fighting for each breath. Body shaking. Out of hope. Jack needed to stay awake, and be himself again.

"Come on frostbite! Stay awake! Ya can do it" Bunny said. Jack's eyes kept flickering closed.

"Almost there!" North shouted.

"Look- we're almost there!" Bunny said, "ya just have to stay awake, 'kay?" It wasn't working. Jack's eyes closed and didn't open. Bunny shook him again, but he didn't wake.

"Here!" North cried and landed the sleigh in the stable. Tooth fluttered out, then Sandy. Bunny was still supporting Jack. North lifted him up carefully bridal style and rushed to the infirmary, the rest of the guardians following. He shouted something Russian to a yeti and it ran off in a hurry. North lay Jack in a bed and tried to take a look at his injuries. Jack groaned and opened his eyes.

"Are you alright Jack?" North said. He didn't want to panic the boy. Jack mouthed 'hurts' and coughed weakly. North could tell that the spirit was in pain just by the look on his face. He signalled Sandy over.

"Okay. Jack- we need to see what's wrong with you- Sandy is going to..." North said but trailed off because Sandy pushed in front of him and held a dream ball up. If they were looking carefully, they would've seen terror fill Jack's face. They would've noticed that he started to tremble slightly. They would've seen Jack's eyes fill with fear. But the moment passed, and Jack was asleep the seconds after.

"Right..." North muttered and moved to Jack's leg. He shifted it a little, and then moved in into an alright-ish position. The leg would have to wait. North was more concerned about his back. Bunny saw what he was trying to do.

"Ya need help, mate?" he asked. North nodded and they both eased Jack onto his front. Tooth gasped.

"He's been like that...for over a week?" she said. All over Jack's back were deep cuts which were infected and covered in dry blood. The yeti that North had shouted at earlier came into the room with medical tools and two extra yeti following him.

"About time! Stitches- quick!" North said and a yeti passed it to him.

Two hours later, North came out of the infirmary. The others thought it would be best if they waited outside and let him work. For two hours they never spoke to another.

"How is he?" Bunny said, leaping off his seat. North sighed. He suddenly looked really old.

"Not good- his leg is badly broken, he is dangerously dehydrated, the wounds on his back were infected and he..." North trailed off.

"Why can't he speak?" Tooth asked. North looked at her, surprised.

"What do you mean?" he said.

"When I was speakin' to him, he was mouthin' things- he was tryin' to talk, but he couldn't." Bunny explained.

"I do not know- we will just have to see; it could be anything..." North said and sat in a chair. Sandy came and sat next to him.

"I'll watch 'im, if ya like..." Bunny said.

"Yes- that is okay with you?" North asked. Bunny nodded and went into the infirmary. What did Jack mean, 'you came back'. Bunny sat at the end of the bed and looked at the spirit. He looked so small in the bed. He looked so young. Bunny sighed and waited anxiously for Jack to wake up.