Chapter 20: In The Woods
Ragnar acted both foolishly and maybe what could be considered brave. Now Ragnar wasn't the kind of guy who would just give up when he was staring death in the face, he would risk all. Elsa often told him that it would get him killed one day and to be fair it kind of did. That's how he became a Vampire in the first place.
Ragnar was born in Aarhus, Denmark in 1423. He worked as a local fisherman who would go all over Scandinavia trading his fish. He made some money so lived in reasonable comfort but it was sometimes hard meeting the taxes he had to pay. He wasn't married but he was engaged to a young shop keeper's daughter who was five years his junior. Their marriage was set for the following year. Both sets of parents believed it was a good match. Ragnar didn't really care who he married just as long as the lady knew how to cook and could keep house for him.
During one November in 1446, Ragnar was twenty three at the time, Ragnar's life changed forever. Ragnar had heard tales of the woods that were located outside the city. They were said to hold a supernatural creature of the night that would take young children and they would never return alive. The corpses of four young children had been discovered over the last five years that all were a bloody mess and had the same identical two puncture wounds in the neck which led to the Vampire of Aarhus being named as the thing that was responsible. Ragnar had an idea who the Vampire of Aarhus was. He believed it to be a man called Dagmar Bakken who was a preacher in the town. He would preach that the end of the world was coming and that they all should prepare for it. Ragnar believed it was nonsense but some people bought into all of it.
The reason why Ragnar believed that Dagmar was the one killing all these children is that he was suspected in drowning his step-son six years ago. He could never be proven so he had been released. The real killer had never been caught and Dagmar always claimed that his step-son had drowned accidently. No one believed him. Dagmar always got the cold shoulder from people as they thought he was a child murderer. However, even Ragnar thought it was a bit odd for a killer to go from drowning victims to suddenly draining his victims of their blood.
Ragnar wanted to prove that Dagmar had something to do with these killings so he followed Dagmar out to the woods. That the first sign for him that Dagmar was guilty. Nobody went to those woods anymore. People were saying that they were curseds and that bad things happen. When the last child went missing, a girl called Dana, her father and brother had gone into those woods to try and find her. That was eight months ago and they still hadn't returned. Dana had showed up seven months ago. A local farmer had found her bloodied and mutilated body near the woods when he went searching for some rouge sheep of his.
Dagmar and Ragnar both entered the woods. Dagmar had spotted him and called him out in it. Ragnar had outright confronted him and Dagmar had denied it. They had yelled and yelled at each other until something dark had flew up towards them and knocked them out. Ragnar had awoken to find himself in a cage. A man, who Ragnar didn't recognise, was standing over the bloody body of Dagmar. The man had blood all over him and especially over his mouth. Ragnar quickly recoiled from this horror. The man had been drinking Dagmar's blood. The man turned around and had laughed a cold cruel laugh.
"Good, you're awake," he had said to Ragnar. The man disappeared for a few days and during this time, Ragnar had figured out that this man was the Vampire of Aarhus. Well, it looked like the preacher was in the clear. The man had left Dagmar lying, dead, on the table for the time he had disappeared. The smell of a rotting corpse was too much for Ragnar. The man had returned on the third day carrying another little girl who was unconscious in the man's arms.
"The children are just so much tastier," those were the words that came out of the man's mouth. Ragnar had been sick when he saw what the man was doing. After drinking a lot of blood, he took a knife and mutilated her body. Ragnar knew that this man must be possessed by the devil to do these crimes. Ragnar had also started to think that this man must be a real Vampire. Who else would want to drink blood?
The man disposed of both Dagmar and the little girl at the same time before coming back for Ragnar. However Ragnar was gone. He had managed to get the lock open. Ragnar knew how to pick locks and he had a few of his lock picks on him at all times. Ragnar had waited until he was sure that the man was gone before he let himself out. Ragnar knew that if he stayed, he would be killed. However, Ragnar didn't leave. He wanted to settle the score. Ragnar lay in wait for the man with a large heavy piece of wood he had found. When the man had discovered that Ragnar was gone, Ragnar smashed him over the head with the wood object. Ragnar got a surprise when the man had quickly got back to his feet. The man extended his fangs, which made Ragnar terrified, and then he struck Ragnar after making some kind of high pitch sound that made Ragnar shiver. Ragnar felt the man's fangs in his neck. Ragnar struggled with him and somehow managed to knee him in the stomach. The man hissed but let go. Ragnar quickly raced out the building he was kept in but he was dizzy from the lack of blood.
Ragnar kept running and running. The man didn't try chasing him. It may have had something to do with the rise of the sun. Ragnar staggered his way through the forest and managed to somehow make it to a local farmhouse where he collapsed. Later he found himself at his house the next day. Then the transformation into a Vampire took place.
Now it looked like Ragnar's head on approach may get him into trouble again. Ragnar was now wrestling with some enemy. Ragnar's left hand was gripping the hand that had the gun on it and his other hand was gripping the shoulder of his attacker. The gun went off and the bullet grazed the nearest tree. Ragnar pushed his attacker against the tree and that was when Ragnar recognised his attacker.
It was Bunnymund.
Tooth had been running for several minutes. She started to slow down when she thought that she had run far enough. She placed her hand on the tree next to her so that she could steady herself. Tooth then realised that there was no one around. She started to feel quite alone in this massive wood. What had happened to Bunnymund and to Ragnar? They must have gotten separated when they were running through the woods. Tooth now had to focus on the obvious; she was separated from her group in a dark forest that she had never been in before which meant that she was completely lost.
What should she do? Tooth wondered as she looked around the trees. Should she stay where she was and hope that someone will find her – and she hoped that someone was either Bunnymund or Ragnar and not a Vampire – or should she move around and see if she could find the others? Tooth paused and thought hard. Staying where she was, was always the thing that people get told if they get lost which is good advice. However, if she stayed where she was, she could run the risk of being caught by those evil Vampires. Tooth decided she should go around and see if she could find Bunnymund or Ragnar. Hopefully, they had already found each other and are looking for her.
"Bunny!" she yelled. "Ragnar!"
Tooth then stopped as she heard her voice echo all around her. That may have been a mistake in Tooth's opinion. Yelling out like that may be able to get a response from Ragnar or Bunnymund but it could very well give away her position to the Vampires that are running about. Tooth could stay where she was and risk Vampires discovering her or run the chance of being reunited with Bunnymund and Ragnar. Tooth didn't know what she should do. She was running a risk no matter what she was going to do.
Tooth decided that she should go looking for Ragnar and Bunnymund. If worse comes to the worst, she could always go back to Anton's cousin's house or see if she could find that French town that North had been yapping on about. So at least she had options. She looked up to the sky. It would be getting light soon so maybe she should go to Anton's cousin's house. Ragnar was a Vampire and so being out in the light was unfavourable to him. This could probably mean that Ragnar would take shelter in the nearest safe place which, to Tooth, was Anton's cousin's house.
Tooth moved through the forest, searching for Bunnymund and Ragnar.
"Lost dearie?" came a voice through the trees.
Tooth froze. It wasn't a voice that she recognised. That could only mean one thing. She turned around and saw a Vampire that she vaguely recognised as the Vampire Alexi, waiting for her. Tooth got a little nervous. She was in hot water now.
Ragnar released Bunnymund when he saw who it was straight away. Ragnar smiled but the look that Bunnymund was giving him, unnerved him slightly. Why was Bunnymund looking at him like that?
"You okay Bunny?" Ragnar asked him.
"Did you do all of this?" Bunnymund asked him. "Did you purposely abandon us too?"
Ragnar looked slightly taken aback at this. Did Bunnymund seriously ask him if he had been involved in what had happened to all of this and that the separation back there was all part of it?
"Yeah," Ragnar answered highly sarcastically, "because I love to put a friend that I care about very much in mortal danger. Seriously man, why the hell would I organise all of this? I am one of the good guys."
"You are a Vampire," Bunnymund answered.
Ragnar couldn't believe what Bunnymund had just said.
"Look, I'm not happy about working with Werewolves," Ragnar said. "I do it because Elsa trusts Jack who trusts you guys. Just accept the fact that we have to work together and we are on the same side."
During this exchange, Ragnar was highly aware that Bunnymund still had his gun in his hand. Ragnar was mindful that the bullets in that gun weren't your ordinary bullets. They had a special make which allowed them to store UV radiation (or sunlight if you will). If a Vampire got hit with one of these bullets, it would be like getting burned by the sun. Ragnar wasn't too thrilled about getting hit with one of those bullets.
"But you could be in league with Black," Bunnymund said as he waved his gun around.
"Look," Ragnar said. "I don't care what you think but for the last time, I am not working with Pitch Black. I am working with Elsa who is working with you guys thus making us working together. Now, I am going to look for Tooth. You can come along if you want or you can stay here believing that I am to blame for everything."
Ragnar then moved on. To be frank, he didn't care if Bunnymund came with him or not. Bunnymund can believe whatever he wanted to. All that Ragnar cared about was if Elsa believed if they were on the same side. So far, it looked like she did and he planned to keep it that way.
Ragnar started to move through the trees. He was using his sense of smell to see if he could locate Tooth. Since she was a Werewolf, she had the Werewolf scent attached to her so finding her shouldn't be too difficult. Ragnar looked behind him and saw that Bunnymund was following him. Ragnar let out a small chuckle. Of course he was following him. Bunnymund wanted to find Tooth as quickly as possible even if it was with a Vampire. Bunnymund may not trust him but Tooth seemed too. She may be able to talk some sense into Bunnymund once they found her.
"I can see you," Ragnar said into the darkness.
"Well, who cares?" Bunnymund moved up closer to Ragnar. "I just happen to be going in this direction.
"You're coming with me to find Tooth," Ragnar smirked. "Don't deny it."
"Hmph," Bunnymund said as he folded his arms.
Ragnar just laughed at Bunnymund's reaction. They continued to look for Tooth. Ragnar kept his eyes peeled but he couldn't find Tooth at all. She could be anywhere in these trees. She could even have left them and gone to regroup with North and the others in that French town or gone back to Anton's cousin's house. The possibilities were endless and Ragnar didn't like that one bit.
Whenever Ragnar would look in Bunnymund's direction, he would huff and turn away from Ragnar. Ragnar would only roll his eyes. Perhaps Bunnymund's distrust of him was as high as Ragnar's distrust for Bunnymund. Ragnar trusted people like Jack because Elsa trusted him and North and Tooth both had the quality that allowed people to trust them instantly and they knew that it was a good idea too. However Ragnar didn't blame Bunnymund for not trusting him instantly. He was stranger to him. Ragnar had fought his kind and often won. Ragnar had killed some Werewolves and he had a strange feeling that Bunnymund knew this and may be holding it against him. The war caused so much distrust between Werewolves and Vampires that it was hard to know who should be the person you ally yourself with and the person you stay away from. Normally, Ragnar would choose the latter when dealing with Bunnymund because, like how Ragnar had attacked and killed Werewolves, Bunnymund had done his fair share in the war and Ragnar knew that it was Bunnymund who had been harassing Elsa in the past.
However Ragnar worked with Bunnymund because he trusted the Werewolves he was with. Ragnar actually liked North, Tooth and Sandy as they seemed to take him into their little rebellion group. Ragnar didn't know what to expect from Jack as he was a fully transformed Werewolf at the moment. Ragnar had a feeling he was going to take on the role of Elsa's protective older brother. Well, Elsa seemed happy with Jack and Jack seemed happy with Elsa. It didn't take a genius to see the way that Jack, even in his transformed state, was highly protective and caring about Elsa.
"Just for your information," Bunnymund said, "as soon as we get this whole mess of the war over with, I'm staying away from you."
"And here I was thinking that we could make daisy chains and talk about our feelings," Ragnar said, laughing as he did.
Bunnymund scowled. "I don't have to like you to work with you."
"Ditto," Ragnar said. "We just have to agree not to rip each other to shreds in the process though. I know we have this stupid little thing where we both think that each other is the enemy but we got to stop it. The war is stupid and needs to end. Pitch Black is the real menace here. He's the one we got to stop."
"You would turn against your own leader?"
"He put my best friend to death!" Ragnar said. "For simply falling in love. I don't know about you, but I consider that an abuse of power, don't you?"
"Maybe," Bunnymund said but he didn't look too happy about agreeing with a Vampire.
"Well if North or Tsar Lunar put Tooth to death for loving you, wouldn't turn you against them?" Ragnar asked in a very reasonable manner.
"How do you –" sputtered Bunnymund.
"Oh please," Ragnar said as if the matter was of no importance. "I saw the way you to are looking at each other. Judging by things, she's mad at you and you're trying to make it up to her."
Bunnymund looked a little shocked. "Okay, we may be in a bit of a lover's quall here."
"May I ask what you did?"
"No," Bunnymund said firmly.
"Okay," Ragnar was startled for a moment before he continued. "But you see my point right?"
"Yes," Bunnymund said through gritted teeth.
"Great!" Ragnar said. "So peace?"
"Peace," Bunnymund had trouble getting the word out. "But if you think that we are going to hug it out then your majorly mistaken."
"I was thinking more along the lines of a handshake," Ragnar said.
He extended his hand out to Bunnymund. Bunnymund hesitated for a few moments before he took in. They did one small shake before their hands were quickly whipped back to their sides. Suddenly a scream could be heard through the night.
"That's Tooth!" Bunnymund shouted.
Together they raced through the forest in the direction of the scream.
Tooth held her ground as Alexi stepped forward, coming closer and closer to her. Tooth stared straight into Alexi's cold, red eyes. The way he was looking at her made her feel uncomfortable. She felt like she was a mouse staring into the eyes of a snake that was about to strike.
"Can you imagine the reward that Lord Black will give me when he learns that I've dealt with one of The Guardians?" Alexi said in a low hiss.
"No I can't," Tooth replied. "Because that will never happen."
Alexi then raced at Tooth. Tooth just had time to put up some kind of defence. Her hands grabbed Alexi's fists. They were locked in this embrace for a few minutes. Each attempted to push the other over. Their faces adopted a growling expression that made them grit their teeth. Alexi then pulled his knee up and used that to kick Tooth. His foot landed a good clean hit on Tooth's stomach. She was pushed far back and her back slammed against a tree. Tooth felt her back ache due to the course of the blow. She collapsed at the base of the tree. Alexi raced forward at her. He picked her and wrapped his arms around her and squeezed – hard. Tooth let out a scream in pain as Alexi's strength was slowly crushing her to death. Alexi had a grin on his face. It told her that there was nothing that she could do and he knew it. That was seriously demoralising.
Tooth tried to escape but Alexi was too strong for her. The grip he had on her was stronger than iron – stronger than anything. Tooth tried to muster up some strength so that she could kick him in the knees. She was successful in managing that, Alexi just didn't care. She couldn't move her arms at all because of the grip that Alexi had on her.
What was she going to do?
Ragnar rushed in the direction of the scream with Bunnymund right behind him. They were going as fast as they could. They eventually stumbled across a scene that made their hearts sink. Ragnar saw Alexi crushing Tooth with his very arms. Bunnymund got so mad at this scene. Just the pained look on Tooth's face was enough to make anyone angry. Bunnymund clenched his fists. He then rushed at Alexi and tackled him side on. The force of the tackle was enough for Alexi to release Tooth.
Alexi fell to the ground. He slid backwards on his back. Alexi had a pained look on his face but he got back to his feet. He looked mad.
"That was a big mistake," Alexi snarled.
He raced at Bunnymund but Ragnar expected this. Ragnar tackled Alexi to the ground and they landed in a heap on the ground. Bunnymund drew out his pistol and aimed it at the pair of Vampires on the ground but he hesitated. Ragnar thought that this must be because Bunnymund had a chance of hitting him. Maybe that was because of their recent decision to work together. Alexi took advantage of Bunnymund's hesitation. In one swift move, he pushed Ragnar off him and ran at Bunnymund. Bunnymund was so overwhelmed by Alexi's sudden movements that he didn't even have time to react. Alexi managed to knock the gun to the ground by grabbing the wrist that held the gun and using that to throw Bunnymund over Alexi's shoulder. Bunnymund landed on the ground with a loud thump while the gun clattered to the ground.
Bunnymund grabbed Alexi's collar and thrusted him against the tree with a loud slamming noise. Alexi pushed Bunnymund off in one swift movement. However, it looked like Tooth had other plans. She had seen the gun on the ground – both she and Ragnar had but Ragnar had been like a deer in headlights as he stared at the battle. Tooth picked up the fallen gun in one swoop of her hands and aimed the gun in the direction of Alexi. The gun went off with a sort of mini explosion which caused everyone to be startled.
The bullet travelled in a straight line towards Alexi and Bunnymund. The bullet travelled over Bunnymund's shoulder and straight into Alexi's shoulder. Alex let out a gasp of pain as the bullet struck him. He staggered slightly due to the pain.
"You've won this round dogmen," Alexi managed to get out. "But the next time we meet, you won't be so lucky."
He then ran off and out of sight. Ragnar guessed that he couldn't fight due to his injury. Ragnar let a grin come over his face. Looks like they did indeed win this round. Ragnar hadn't seen any other Vampire, so they must have decided that they lost them and thus ran back to their Capital to report to Pitch. Tooth then suddenly rushed at Bunnymund, after dropping the gun, and gave him a big kiss. Bunnymund looks surprised at it but soon he embraced it fully. Tooth then let go, looking a little embarrassed.
"I'm still mad at you," Tooth said. She then blushed. "But I'm grateful that you saved my life."
"No problem," Bunnymund grinned at her.
Tooth then turned to Ragnar. "Thanks to you too."
"Anytime," Ragnar smiled at her.
"So where are the other Vampires?" Tooth asked them.
"No idea," Bunnymund shrugged.
"Guess they must have disappeared because it's nearly daylight," Ragnar said then look of sheer panic came over his face. If the sun came out, then Ragnar will burn to a crisp. "I think we need to get out of here and find some shelter," Ragnar added.
"Agreed," Tooth nodded. "If we stay out here any longer then you are in danger of being sunburnt a little too much."
Ragnar let out a little laugh. "We should go back to Anton's cousin's house then."
"Agreed," Tooth and Bunnymund said.
North was sorting out the luggage in his room with help from Sandy. All the luggage had made its way into North's room so that he could sort it.
"This is Jack's," North said as he opened up a bag. He could tell it was Jack's because he found Jack's blue signature hoodie that Jack loved to wear all the time. Bunnymund often asked if Jack was aware of a washing machine.
North threw the bag into a pile that also contained Elsa's bags. He was separating the luggage so that the right luggage could be in the right room. North then heard some scuffling on the door. North opened it and Jack, still in his transformed state, came in.
"Hello Jack," North said. "What are you doing here? I thought you would be with Elsa."
Jack let out some noises before it went in the direction of Elsa's bag. He picked it up in his mouth and trotted back to the door. North let out a little laugh. Guess Jack wanted to grab Elsa's things while she rested in the room next door.
Suddenly the sun's rays caught the window and shone through, illumining the room. The rays shone on Jack and North knew what that meant. A Werewolf will transform back into human the next day – or when the sun's light hit it. Jack's fur declined. His face moulded back into a human looking face. His yellow eyes turned back to blue. His paws turned into fingers and feet. His large wolf canines reclined back into human canines. Jack's wolfish body turned into a more human looking body.
A naked Jack sat, looking thoroughly confused, in the middle of the large circular mat that rested in the room. He was still clutching Elsa's bag in his mouth. When he realised this, he quickly took out and looked a little embarrassed.
"Welcome back Jack," North said, laughing.
A/N: So a little bit into Ragnar's background and Jack is now back! Anyway, I hope that everyone enjoyed this update. Please review =)
Reviews:
hannahforgetit: Thanks so much for enjoying the story! Adding another chapter as requested.
Kat-IllumintaedPurity: Looks like you could have been true about Ragnar but he managed to get out of that mess. Well you don't know that Ginny is not a Vampire and Rapunzel and Merida did die all those years ago. They could still be alive, dun, dun, dunnn. Nah, they did die a long time ago and Ginny is a human. I'm not surprised that you didn't guess it, I mentioned her like once. Feel free to look back and keep guessing (I will reveal the answer but it will take some time and may not in this story - wink, wink, nudge, nudge). Wow! What an honour! Super happy that this story made your top 3!
Guest: Haha, I try and update as fast as possible so maybe daily checks? I dunno. Anyway, glad to see that you've been making your way through Battle For Her Heart, you're about halfway and there's just so much more jammed pack action! Estimate of chapters, huh, well I did do an estimate of how much more I think the story will be, I think I got about six more chapters, maybe. But I always get carried away with my writing, so it could be more than that. Thanks so much, I shall keep writing!
Mickhe11: Well putting money on things in my stories may end up being a bad idea. You never know what could happen. Also Bunnymund knew that they got separated. He just thinks that Ragnar is behind everything - well until Ragnar convinced him otherwise.
heartfulyumi: Well every man for themselves may not work. Teamwork is important as you're more likely to win. Besides, look where every man got Ragnar - as evidenced by this chapter.
fireninjafox: Well maybe not everyone, Elsa seems to be fine.
Guest (MixyBell): Got it in one! It was kind of obvious though.
WhaleCum420: Sorry I worried you. It's just that University work has tired me out and so I don't have the energy and can't be bothered to write. Plus I've been procrastinating. But here's an update!