A/N:Holla Readers! Here's another chapter! One, I apologize. I had a lot happening. Two car accidents, starting my senior year of college, finding out my gall bladder needs to be removed, and I'm a published author. But it's still no excuse to leave you guys hanging so I'll get better about updating. I promise. But thank you guys for still reading. Thank you all for reviewing, following, favoriting, and reading. Also, I want to know if you guys want me to do something special with Baby Tooth. Like make her a season spirit or something? Let me know. Also, whose POV do you want for next chapter? I was thinking Sandy, but I want to know what you guys think. I apologize for any mistakes. So please: read, REVIEW, and ENJOY!
Disclaimer: I don't own ROTG or The Guardians of Childhood! But I would love to!
Baby Tooth-
I hate worry. For a fairy, it's an emotion that strangles us with thoughts of what if. I couldn't afford to be strangled during mid-flight. I focused on my route and how to be aerodynamic with each change of air. I decided to go to the Easter Bunny's, since he was closer, seeing the route in my mind. The image of Jack under Kimba's foot kept trying to creep into my mind, but I pushed it out. I can't freak out and worry now. Jack needed help. I finally saw an entrance to the Easter Bunny's home in sight. I pushed forward. Breathing burned and my wings hurt from fluttering so fast but I pushed myself more. Whatever pain I was in, it would never match the pain Jack must be in now. My speed caused me to zoom into the Easter Bunny's home. I didn't see the thing that was right in front of the small entrance. I slammed into something, hard. The slam made my body remember the burning pain I had suffered from Kimba's hand. I let out a shrill squeak of pain as I hit whatever I landed on.
"Oh my! Baby Tooth what's the matter?" I heard Mother call to me from a distance. I wanted to tell her but the pain was so strong. Everything was spinning. " Baby Tooth! Basanti!" Mother cried out. It was so hard to breathe. An image of Jack as he struggled to fight flashed in my mind.
"Jack." I whimpered. Tears flowed from my eyes. I didn't know if they were from pain or if I was crying for Jack.
"She's injured sheila." A gruff yet calm voice said. Bunnymund, it was Bunnymund the Easter Bunny. Thank you God, I made it. I tried to get up, but my trembling arms failed me. I fell back down with another pained squeak escaping my mouth.
"Just rest Baby Tooth. I'll take care of you." Mother cooed. She cradled me in her gentle hands and I felt her magic flow into me, willing me to heal. It felt comfortable and safe. Then the image of Jack, hurt and alone, entered my mind again. It gave me the strength I needed. I got up and pushed mother's hand away. "Baby Tooth?" Mother and the Easter Bunny were looking at me with concern.
"Jack, trouble, Fauna, Colorado." I panted. Mother and the Easter Bunny Eyes squinted at me.
"Baby Tooth I can't understand you." Mother gently stroked the top of my head. I pushed her hand away in frustration. We didn't have time to worry about me.
"Jack is in trouble. The other seasons are hurting him as we speak! They're in Colorado." I chirped loudly. Mother gasped in shock while the Easter Bunny looked between us in worry.
"They wouldn't do that. Emily would never allow it." Mother insisted. My wings began to flutter wildly, despite the pain. My wings tended to do that when I was anxious.
"It doesn't change the fact that I saw them step on him!" I cried. Mother's eyes widened in horror.
"What's going on?" Bunny asked impatiently. Mother glanced at the Easter Bunny than me a few times before she finally spoke.
"Jack, Jack's in trouble." Mother stammered. The Easter Bunny's eyebrows furrowed. "The other seasons are hurting him." Mother looked at the Easter Bunny with a grimace. "But the treaty-"
"Doesn't apply to him." the Easter Bunny said darkly. I looked between the two. How could the treaty not apply to Jack? He's an elemental spirit. The treaty states that any elemental spirit cannot hurt another elemental spirit or they would be punished by Mother Nature.
"How? Jack is an elemental spirit." Mother stated harshly. I could feel her feathers ruffle. My feathers ruffled in response. I looked to the Easter Bunny, but his dark look scared me.
"I didn't tell you guys before, but Fauna hurt Jack shortly after the ordeal with Pitch. It's where some of the bruising came from." The Easter Bunny avoided our eyes. I wish he didn't. I wanted him to see the hurt and anger burning in my eyes. Mother felt the same.
"You kept that from us!" I never heard Mother yell. She could squeal, shout in excitement, and talk loudly, but I never heard her yell. It was like a warrior's cry mixed with a mother's cry of worry. It was scary and exhilarating at the same time. "How can we protect Jack if we don't know what and who all is after him?"
"At the time I was worried about earning Jack's trust!" The Easter Bunny yelled back. He was just as angry and worried as Mother. His emerald eyes were watery with tears. My anger for him quickly diminished. "I could barely get him to tell me that. After that I looked into the treaty." The Easter Bunny began pacing in irritation. His irritation began to make me fidget. "The treaty says that a spirit that is deemed an elemental spirit cannot hurt another deemed elemental spirit." I raised an eyebrow at the Easter Bunny. I'm guessing that Mother did the same thing by the Easter Bunny's sigh of frustration. "Jack wasn't claimed an elemental spirit. He has elemental powers, but Mother Nature didn't give him a title. He ain't the spirit of Winter."
"What? That's his-"
"Tooth," The Easter Bunny began pinching the bridge of his nose, stopping whatever Mother was going to say. He only pinched his nose when he was really stressed. "I would love to explain all of this to ya, but that leaves Jack alone. So we better hurry."
"Right. Baby Tooth went to Colorado Springs with him." Mother told the Easter Bunny. He nodded.
"We'll go by the tunnels." The Easter Bunny tapped his foot twice and the hole appeared. He jumped in quickly. Mother covered me as she flew after him. I was glad that she was carrying me. I was able to rest. The slight breeze that slipped through Mother's fingers blew through my feathers, cooling me down. All of my feelings, worry, anger, and Mother's feelings, were making me heat up. My body and mind felt so worn down. I just wanted to close my eyes for a second. Then I hit Mother's hand, hard.
"Jack!" Mother cried. Mother's hand uncovered me to cover her mouth. I wish I didn't look over. Down on the ground was a battlefield. Burnt leaves covered the ground, but it only served to highlight the glistening blood on the ground. Burnt and frozen tree stumps jutted out of the ground like ruins. Worst of all, next to a dome of ice was a broken staff.
"Jack!" This time all three of us cried out his name. I flew from Mother's hand and towards the dome. I had to see Jack. I flew around the dome of ice frantically. There had to be a hole or something, but I knew Jack. He was too strong to let anyone come in like that. I saw a root go under the dome. There was no way to describe the terror and worry I felt.
"Jack! Jack!" I began banging my fists on the dome. It hurt and it was the type cold that burned but I banged the dome harder. "Jack! Jack, please answer!" There was no answer. I heard Mother and the Easter Bunny try the same thing but it was to no avail. I searched frantically for an idea. His staff! I saw his broken staff lying a few feet away from me. It was broken in half but I could see the light blue glow of Jack's power on it. "Mother! Easter Bunny!" I chirped loudly. They didn't hear me. I tried again, but they were too frantic. Even Mother's mind was too hectic to hear my mental call. Stupid small voice! Next time, I'm telling Mother to make us have a louder voice. My body was still stiff and sore but I got to the staff as fast as I could. I figured I could push the staff together, like Jack did. I don't know what he thought to make it stick but it had to feel the distress of its owner. Luckily, the staff wasn't that heavy. I'm totally lying. Pushing the staff was like a human pushing a cow. But Jack needed this.
"You better get together for your owner you stupid stick!" I yelled. Then I felt it, the Wind. The Wind began pushing the staff with me. It became ten times easier. I squealed in excitement. "Don't worry Jack. We'll get you your, oof!" The end of the staff bumped and I felt the Wind stop. This is where Jack thought of something. His sister, Jamie, how he really was a Guardian. "I'm not a Guardian, but I want, no I need to help Jack. The Guardians will do anything for him. Mother and my sisters will do anything for him. I will do anything for him. So please, stick together, for Jack." I gave a mighty push. Then I felt power swirl in the air. A blue light blinded me and I let go of the staff. When I was able to open my eyes a gain, a light breeze was blowing through the frigid air, and the dome was down.
"Jack!" We all cried. He lay on the ground and I could see his feet and ankles were scratched up. One of his feet was at an odd angle. His upper body must be worse, if Mother's gasp and the Easter Bunny's wide eyes were anything to go by. I was going to fly to him when I saw the fully fixed staff. I watched Mother and the Easter Bunny approach Jack gently. They had him, he needed his staff. I began to push, that's when my body decided to scream at me again.
"Um, Wind, please help me take this to Jack." I pleaded. I never talked to the Wind, but I hope it heard me. The Wind responded by blowing a gust of wind, carrying me and the staff to the Easter Bunny's side. Wow, that was, exhilarating! No wonder Jack loved to fly like that.
"He's not moving Bunny." Mother's frantic cry drew me back to reality. She was frantically carding her fingers through Jack's hair. A part of me wished I could do that. I shook my head. This is no time for your wild fantasies Basanti! Focus!
"I know, Shelia." The Easter Bunny said as he carefully felt for a pulse. I couldn't help but hold my breath. It's ironic, other spirits think we are just an extension of Mother, and we are, but we also feel things for ourselves. An emotion is proof of free will and life, but they can also lead to our death. I have felt Mother's worry about not seeing a fairy, it's crushing, and sometimes I wondered why. But as I look at Jack, his bruised face, his torn clothes, and the blood covering the bottom of his feet and dusting his knuckles, I understand. The chance that you may never see someone's smile, their beautiful sparkling eyes, their shiny teeth, has become a reality. That worry isn't just crushing, I'm drowning in it. "He's alive." I let out a sigh at the Easter Bunny's breathless voice. "But barely. There's a lot of blood and he's, warm. I don't think," the Easter Bunny gripped Jack's sweatshirt tightly, and bent his head in defeat. Mother gasped. She bent over, touching his forehead with hers.
"Come on Jack. Come back to us. Fight just a little longer, please." Mother's whisper echoed in my mind. Her whisper gave me the determination to pull on the Easter Bunny's fur. He glanced at me as I pointed to Jack's staff. The Easter Bunny's eyes widened as he grabbed the staff and put it in Jack's hand.
"Come on Frostbite. Wake up." We all waited with bated breath. Nothing happened. Tears poured out of my eyes, Mother's sobs became cries of anguish, and the Easter Bunny became tense, his head was still downward. Suddenly, the Wind swirled around Jack and he sat up gasping for breath.
"Jack!" Mother and I flew to Jack wrapped our arms around him. Well, I wrapped my arms around his cheek the best I could. I heard his gasp of surprise and pain. We quickly let go of him. "Oh my! I am so sorry Jack! Are you alright? Are you still in Pain? What happened? How did-"
"Tooth." Jack's voice was rough and his movement to grasp Mother's shoulder was slow but there was an amused smile on his face. I felt a warm fire consume my body. "I'm alright." My eye roll was automatic. He has a black eye, bruised knuckles, and other injuries, and he wants to say he's alright. Not on my watch.
"No you are not!" I flew in front of Jack's face, poking his nose. "They stepped on you with a burning foot! You have a black eye, a split lip, bruised knuckles, scraped up feet and ankles. I can't even imagine how your ribs look right about now. You are hurt, not alright." I huffed. I expected an eye roll or hopefully a look of shame. Instead I got a laugh. Jack was laughing at me.
"I know, but you guys are here, so I'm alright." Jack smiled at me. He understood me! He heard me! He's smiling at me! How am I not melting. I think I am. I heard voices and someone moved me from in front of Jack's beautiful face.
"Good job Frost. You just broke a fairy." The Easter Bunny's gruff voice brought me back to reality.
"All in a good day's work." Jack smirked. It had to be illegal to be that handsome.
"Seriously though Jack, how are you feeling?" Mother's calm voice brought us all back to the matter at hand. Jack looked at her and sighed.
"In pain. But I'm alive. I thought, I thought," Jack's eyes became distant and he began breathing faster.
"Jack." The Easter Bunny called, but he didn't respond.
"Jack!" Mother cried. Jack's labored breathing increased. I flew to his face and began stroking his cheek.
"Jack?" I chirped. His eyes became less cloudy but he still wasn't all there.
"Hot." He gasped. Then I saw it, sweat running down his face. I realized that Jack Frost, wasn't cold. He was always cold.
"We need to take him to North's, now." Easter Bunny ordered. Mother nodded. I looked to her. Did she want me to go with her?
"Stay with him, Baby Tooth." She answered telepathically. I nodded back and turned my focus back to Jack. His eyes became cloudy again and he kept clenching his hands. His breathing was still labored. The Easter Bunny touched him and Jack flinched violently. I barely had time to back away as he swung his staff.
"Get away from me!" He growled, but his stance was unbalanced and he kept swaying. At the Easter Bunny. Mother was crying but the Easter Bunny was calm and had his hands up.
"Frostbite, calm down. I need to take you to North's. Remember North?" The Easter Bunny approached Jack slowly. Jack had looked away, and kept shaking his head. His sweaty hand wiped his sweaty forehead.
"North. Bunny." Jack looked back up at the Easter Bunny, but that was all he did before he fainted. The Easter Bunny caught him before he hit the floor. He looked back at us.
"Let's go."
Tooth
Baby Tooth flew before me, her eyes set and determined, but I could feel how worn out she was. She explained to me and showed me how her and Jack went to get my other fairies. They were in a cage. Baby Tooth had freaked out and tried to grab them herself but Fauna saw her. Fauna tried to grab Baby Tooth but Jack stopped her. I was glad he went, but he knew that he was going to get hurt. My heart broke as I watch Baby Tooth cry in sadness and rage. By the end of her story, she was emotionally and physically drained, but I was burning up.
"How dare they!" I yelled when Baby Tooth left to go lay with Jack. It had taken hours to get his fever under control. Sandy and I still had our jobs to do but we were able to check in on North and Bunny. The cause of the fever, and his almost death, was a burn on his back, in the shape of a foot. Then with a couple of his ribs broken and bruised, along with his black eye, his blood loss from the multiple cuts around his body, his healing factor was on overdrive. It was hard to focus, but I couldn't let the children down, not right now. I needed all my strength. "I'm going to beat those arrogant, cruel, black hearted demons back to hell!" I flew to the closest window.
"Slow down Tooth!" North's bulky frame came into view, stopping me in my tracks.
"Out of my way, North." I glared up at North. His eyes widen but he didn't move.
"Vhat happened?" North asked calmly. He was lost and just wanted to know what was going on. I backed away and looked at all of them. Sandy had a question mark above his head, and Bunnymund didn't look at me. His head was down but his ears were turned towards Jack's room.
"You!" Before Bunny could look up, I was already in front of him and I slapped him. The sound seemed to echo around the room but it didn't quell my rage. "Why didn't you tell us that the season spirits hurt him before?" I poked his chest with each word. Bunny was trying to lean away from me but I refused to back down. "If I knew that Fauna was one of the people to hurt him I would've have went for my fairies myself!"
"I was a little more worried about Jack at the time! I didn't think they would try to kill him!" Bunny stood up straighter and began to take back control. "And you know Jack wouldn't have let you go alone." He stepped forward.
"But I could have protect him!" I went into his personal space, but he didn't flinch.
"Then we would have two Guardians down!" Bunny gestured to Jack's room.
"At least he wouldn't be alone! He wouldn't be so hurt. I could have saved him." Bunny closed his eyes and began to rub his nose.
"Did you forget that he's not the only child we have to take care of?" I flinched away from Bunny. I was so willing to be there for Jack that I forgot that if I was down, it would've been hard for my fairies to continue on. "While I understand you rage, believe me I do understand that." His emerald eyes bore into mine. They were blazing with anger. I could feel it within my bones. "We also have a job to do. We can't let either slip."
"Bunny is right." We looked to North. For the first time in a long time, he looked like the old warrior he was. "Jack does not need to be saved but to be picked up. Ve've have done that. Now we need to get to bottom of tacks of brass." I nodded in agreement, ignoring North's grammar. His weird grammar was something someone got use to, after knowing him for over 430 years. A frantic ringing brought me to reality. I noticed Sandy gripping an elf, a deep frown on his face. A question mark appeared above his head. It made me realize that I had yet to explain what happened to Jack.
"Oh right. Sorry Sandy." I shrugged and giggled nervously. Sandy stood there, tapping his foot. I took a deep breath. "Well, Fauna had some of my fairies. So I sent Baby Tooth to go get them and Jack went with her. Well, I didn't know this, but Bunny did." I said sending him a withering glare, he wasn't looking at me though. His focus was still drawn to Jack's room. I tried to stifle the guilty feeling I had for blaming him. "Jack and the seasonal spirits have had a few skirmishes in the past. This one was escalated because Jack fought back to get my fairies, and, and they found out that he was chosen as a Guardian." I bit my lip. I didn't think that being a Guardian would get anyone hurt. We were very well respected, but I guess that isn't true. Maybe they were always like this.
"Tooth." North called my name, dragging me from my racing thoughts. He motioned for me to continue.
"Oh, yes! So Jack and the seasons had a fight. They were calling him dog, and, and killer." I whispered the last one, but I knew by North and Sandy's confused looks, they heard me. I glanced at Bunny wondering if he heard me. The sadness and pure fury in his eyes matched my own.
"They know?" I noticed that his voice was quieter, gruffer. Most people would think he was trying to be quiet, but I knew, his quiet voice was never a good sign. That was the voice he made the harshest and sassiest comments with, his fighting voice. I nodded, and his hands clenched. I turned back to face North and Sandy but I kept my head down. I wanted to tell them, before but I respected Jack's privacy. Now was not the time, but I still felt guilty.
"Jack, he tried, but there was an accident in Australia. A car slipped on some ice and rolled over. The parents were hurt badly, but the child, the child," I gulped the sob back down and pushed Jack's memory from my mind. "The child didn't make it." I choked out. Both North and Sandy's face fell, their usual cheery facades gone. "Jack was, he hated it, but he stayed with the child. And somehow those, those cruel spirits found out. They taunted him and said that he needed to be punished." The fury from before was consuming me once again. "They stepped on him! Burned him and branded him like he was some sort of animal! Then they dare use my fairy as a hostage to keep Jack in line!" I closed my eyes, trying to push away the cruel memories from my captivity with the Monkey King. I let the sound of my grounding teeth echo in my head, overriding the pleas and screams of pain from Jack and myself. He was a prisoner like me, but while I was in a cage involuntarily, he had to make a cage for himself for sanctuary. I tried to push the darkness down, but at that moment, I hated those spirits as much as I hated that vicious, disrespectful, sadistic, brutal, disgusting, down-right evil, sorry excuse of a human Monkey King.
"Tooth!" North's boisterous yell and harsh shaking brought me back to reality again. After the world stop spinning, I blinked away the horrible memories. I could feel how tight and sharp my muscles and wings had become. I loosened my wings and myself by shaking North away.
"Thank you, North." I pushed the feathers on my head back. "As I was saying, the seasonal spirits have a problem with Jack and ganged up on him. That's the long story short." North began to rub his chin, Sandy was doing the same, and Bunny was like me. He was trying not to drown in the misery of his own thoughts, but he also wanted to beat the seasonal spirits into non-existence.
"Vell, Sandy," North addressed Sandy, who looked up at North but he was still in deep thought. "Vhat do you suppose ve do? Ve cannot act on anger and, talk with seasons, but ve cannot let this go. They have breaken treaty." Sandy looked down and shook his head sadly. "No! They hurt Jack. Jack vinter spirit and Guardian! Treaty says seasons are bound by word, must not hurt another season, nor can season, mess with Guardian vork! Plain and simple." I was glad North saw the treaty the same as I did. Jack was protected by the treaty. The seasonal spirits should pay for what they've done. Yet, Sandy looked down and shook his head, images flashing quickly above his head. "Sandy, I cannot understand you vhen you do that." North grumbled in frustration. Sandy sighed but Bunny held up his hand.
"I got this Sandy." He said solemnly. His voice scared me. He spoke with defeat, and Bunny never spoke like that. "The treaty states that a titled elemental spirit cannot be harmed and an official business of a Guardian cannot be interfered. Jack is titled under us as a Guardian, and getting lost tooth fairies are not his official business."
"Those are horrible loopholes!" I couldn't help but yell at Bunny. I know he was just stating facts but, that can't really count. "They tried to kill him! That has to go against some rule!" I looked to Sandy, but he only shook his head. "No! I refuse to accept this." I darted away from them all and went to North's office. I heard them come after me, but I didn't care. I am going to make them pay. I grabbed a snowglobe. "Mother-
"Tooth." Bunny grabbed my wrist roughly. I glared at him, not intimidated or impressed by his stature and speed.
"Let me go Bunnymund." I growled. "They have to pay." His emerald eyes bore into mine, looking for something. I guess he found it since he let me go.
"Mother Nature." He said for me. I pulled my wrist away from Bunny and threw the snow globe on the ground. The portal came up instantly, showing Mother Nature's cave behind the Niagara Falls through its swirl of light. I darted right through.
"Emily! Emily!" I yelled as I came into her cave. I saw her resting on her bed of moss in the corner. "EMILY!" I screamed. She jumped up and a gust of warm wind blew into the cave. I heard the guys tumbled out of the portal and onto the ground thanks to the wind.
"What? What happened?" Emily Jane, also known as Mother Nature, turned around gracefully. I have to admit, I am jealous by her ability to wake up perfectly and look absolutely amazing. "Toothiana, North, Bunnymund, Sandy," Emily nodded to each one of us. I knew the guys nodded back but I did not. "Is there a reason you have come into my domain unannounced?" Emily hinted at our apparent rudeness but I didn't care.
"Summon the seasons." I ordered. Her golden eye burned as they widen, but I didn't back down. "Summon the season spirits, Emily."
"Tooth." Bunny warned but I glared at him. He looked away in shame.
"How dare you?" I turned my attention back to Emily. Her long black hair seemed to expand out like tendrils of her anger. "You cannot come into my domain and order me around like some minor spirit!" She entered my personal space quickly, already in my face before I could blink. The force of the wind pushed me back, but I remained unfazed. I crossed my arms and leaned into her personal space.
"I want to see the season spirits, now." I didn't care that she was more powerful than me, or that she was Pitch's daughter. She had the power to summon the season spirits. "Bring them here and I will leave you alone." I stared Emily down. Most of the time I admired Emily and we got along well enough, but we were both stubborn and independent, free spirits. We did things at our own pace. Usual our paces didn't match. I felt Sandy grab my arm, but I waved him off.
"Tooth." North tried to get my attention this time.
"I am not leaving without seeing those idiotic spirits!" I growled back at him. I felt the boys back away from me. Emily on the other hand, dared to look aghast.
"Now look here Tooth, " She pointed a finger at me. "I do not go around calling your fairies, airhead copies, despite that being what they are." Emily taunted. I growled at Emily She just ignored me. "So I would appreciate that the same courtesy be shown to my friends, the season spirits."
"Well your friends hurt one of ours!" I yelled in defense. How dare she compare my fairies to those things! She rolled her eyes.
"Like Jack Frost is completely innocent." Emily mocked. I gaped trying to find a decent comeback.
"You know about Australia?" Bunny asked, for me. Emily grew a chair out of the earth, with flowers and moss covering it. She sunk into it.
"Of course, Fauna was very distraught." Emily said calmly. I couldn't understand how calm she was about the situation. "To be honest, Jack's tendencies to get in trouble make me wish he wasn't a guardian so he could be in my ranks." That took me by shock.
"Jack isn't elemental spirit?" North asked. I was glad the boys were asking the questions, my mouth was still frozen. Emily rolled her eyes.
"Is it not obvious? I haven't even met the boy. I hear he is handsome though, and has a great knack for mischief." Emily smirked slightly. We were silent. Bunny and Sandy tried to tell us, well me, that Jack wasn't an elemental spirit but I couldn't believe it.
"Then why isn't he an elemental spirit?" Bunny asked. Again, someone else asked my question. My mouth has literally failed me. Emily sighed in frustration and began to rub her head.
"Jack Frost has elemental powers, but he was created to be a guardian. I could not give him the title of winter spirit. I heard of his power and he kept to the natural law of order and I let him be. But mainly, it was because he was created as a Guardian. Don't you all know why he was chosen?" I wanted to answer, but I realized that I couldn't. I didn't know. I looked to the others but I saw that they were all as clueless as I was. Sandy sanded a question mark above his head and shrugged. For a moment a flicker of sadness flashed in Emily's eyes but then they were back to their distant neutral gold. "Well, I will let him tell you on his own." She waved her hand in the air nonchalantly. That brought Jack's current condition to my mind.
"He can't. Your friends, tried to kill him." I spat. Emily's eyes widened.
"They would never do such thing." She stated. It grated on my nerves how she was sticking up for these killers.
"Is that so? Well I guess that means you just ordered them to burn and hurt Jack in revenge for your father?" I sneered. I knew bringing up her father was a low blow, but what they did to Jack was terrible. Again, before I could blink, Emily was before me.
"Do not dare accuse me of helping that man!" The temperature began to rise and my feathers bristled in the heat. "You know well where I stand." I heard the earth began to tremble lightly. I couldn't help the gulp that came in my throat. "I stayed out of that fight and I will always let those type of matters fall into your hands." Emily nodded towards us, but I could barely notice. The cave became sweltering hot. I was a cooking goose. "Do you understand me?" I nodded frantically, gasping for air. Quickly the air cooled down and the earth stopped its trembling. I fell to the ground, panting, Sandy was next to me, patting my back. I looked into his eyes. His eyes told me to back down, but I couldn't. I saw Emily back on her throne, calm and composed once again. I stood up slowly and bowed to Emily.
"I understand your point of view, Mother Nature." I said with respect. I could feel her stare on me. "But you must understand ours. Let me show you." I stood up and held out my hand for her to touch. Emily stared at my hand suspiciously, but she approached me slowly. I tried not to fidget in that spot, which was difficult, but I waited. Soon she grabbed my hand. Instantly, memories of Jack's accident and Baby Tooth's experience flashed through my mind. Jack's growing guilt as he watched the little boy, Brian, die. Baby Tooth's worry and anger as the seasons taunted Jack. The horror of seeing and hearing them burning Jack. Lastly, I showed her my own memory of finding Jack in a dome of ice next to a broken staff. With the broken and barely alive spirit that was inside. His lip was split, his right eye bruised and swollen shut, blood dripping down his face, bruised bloody knuckles, his sweatshirt burned and rip, his leg at an odd angle, his feet scratched and covered in blood. The image of the pink and bloody scar surrounded by blacken edges on Jack's back, accompanied by his screams of pain as we cleaned the wound, was the last thing I showed Emily. When I came back to reality I was surprised to see tears in Emily's eyes as she gasped for breath.
"They, did, that?" She panted her eyes closed. I nodded but soon realized that she couldn't see me.
"Yes, yes they did." I watched as she rubbed the bridge of her nose as she slunk into her chair. It was the most ungraceful thing I have seen her do. Whatever was going on in her head must be big.
"They are on their way." She said solemnly, but I could care less. I was finally going to make them pay for what they did. But Emily cleared her throat. I saw the plea in her eyes and knew what was coming next. "All I ask of you all, is please let me hear their side first. Without them knowing your presence."