I finally found the time to write again. After a thousand years it seems...
Anyway, enjoy the chapter!
~Soulkeeper
P.S.: Thanks for all reviews that really made me write again. I nearly gave up on the story after I lost all my notes for the plot line...
Chapter 6
Akira's dark wings shielded the shivering winter spirit in his arms from the harsh winds. That was not good. A winter spirit wasn't supposed to feel the cold, but he believed that the magical seals and spells of the edge drained him of all power and made him vulnerable against the elements. Still, not good at all. His red eyes took in the sight of Jack's wings. They looked like he had tried to care for them until he was too weak to do even such a simple task. His anger at them came back, but he kept it down. Now was not the time. First, he had to take care of Jack. He could unleash his anger later.
"Akira, wait!"
The teen turned his head around so he could see the tooth fairy flying after him. "What do you want now?" he asked annoyed. He had to take care of Jack, didn't she see the condition he was in?
She came to a stop and looked at the ground shyly. "We want you to come with us to the north pole. North… He can help Jack. You want to help Jack, right?" Akira looked at Jack, then at the tooth fairy. He thought for a moment, still not sure if he should trust the guardians. They didn't help Jack back then, but maybe they would help him now. They seemed to feel guilty for neglecting him all this time… His mind made up he agreed. "Great! Now, come on, let's go to the sleigh!" She was intelligent enough to notice he wouldn't leave Jack alone and had invited him to come along. Akira warmed up to her, but didn't give her any of his trust. It was too early to trust any of them more than he had to.
The other three guardians already waited with the sleigh, ready to take off to Santoff Clausen. Akira seated himself in the back with Jack in his arms. North and the others didn't comment on it and the sleigh soon was on its way to North's home.
Akira had to admit that North certainly knew what he was doing, once they arrived at the north pole. He ordered the yeti around and led them to the med wing. There he began to assess the extend of Jack's wounds. North washed his cuts and bruises and pulled him on an IV for he was obviously malnourished. Akira helped, the other guardians were left standing outside the room. North didn't object, but had looked a bit surprised. He was a child of death and not a spring spirit, after all. It made people a bit nervous when he was around.
After they did what they could, Toothiana and Akira stayed with the passed out winter spirit while North discussed with Sandy and Bunnymund what they should do about Pitch. Akira sighed and sat on a stool near the window. It was currently snowing outside. His eyes went back to staring at the pale form of his friend. Jack's clothes were torn in several places and his hair was dirty. He looked so vulnerable. Nothing like the winter spirit he had known before this disaster happened. Summer would pay for this one day, he swore to himself silently.
"How do you know each other?" Toothiana asked and brought him back out of his thoughts. "I asked him to be a reaper of souls. He fell out of a tree." The tooth fairy looked stunned. "You pushed him from a tree?" "No! I said hello and he was shocked someone spoke to him, so he lost his hold on the tree branch and fell down! I asked him to be a reaper of souls. You know, it can be lonely sometimes as a spirit." She nodded in understanding. "Anyway, we learned much about each other the following years and became best friends. Then, Summer came and broke him." The last words were said with such bitterness, Tooth could visibly feel the distain the death spirit held for the season spirit. She wanted to ask him about Summer, but she was afraid of the answers she would become. Akira noticed this. He wouldn't tell for it wasn't his right to do so. If Jack wanted to tell them once he was better, then he would do so. Until then, Akira would stand beside his friend and help him heal.
