Another chapter guys! Enjoy and review ;D
Toothiana swiftly flew through the night, the winter air unable of pushing against her tiny form. She darted so fast she had to remember herself at times that the following Ice Prince might lose sight of her. But every time she looked back, just to check on him, he seemed to keep the pace.
A focused frown had settled itself on his features, eyes darting around, though he knew his best hopes were following Tooth herself.
The gelid Wind had returned, and as if attempting to give a hand, he blew a strong breeze from behind, propelling both Guardians faster towards their destination.
When the fairy first flew away, looking for help, she huffed at the still active violent blizzard. And thought her new form slid much better through the ever standing current, the difficulty of flight itself remained.
She had to get out of there, and find some help. Her best hopes were Bunny, as he was the only traceable Guardian right now, and the quickest to go get her body. However, he was in his Warren, on the other side of the globe.
Still, she had to try.
And the wind howled, the snow swirled and ice continued whipping aggressively against her face.
But then, everything suddenly stopped, and Tooth felt as if she was back in the Nothing place.
Warily looking around, she saw snowflakes quietly falling, and all the maddening noise of the screaming storm was immediately replace by pure silence.
She blinked, incredulous towards the miracle that suddenly happened before her eyes. The assistance given by this turn of events lightened the warmth of hope inside her.
Oh, thanks to the Moon!
And she dashes hurriedly, as she can't wait to get off this heavy mantle of clouds that covered the forest.
But her actions were quickly interrupted, as a calling echoes in the silent night, through the heavy snowfall.
- Tooth!
And she immediately recognizes the excited tone, her head turning to the origin of the sound, eyes looking for him in the dark.
Then, she sees him, flying towards her, and her heart seemed as if it was going to explode from relief.
He was there, it really was him, and there were no words to describe what she felt as she darted in his direction.
The timing is perfect, as usual!, she laughed more to herself, flying eagerly, her wings seeming unable to complete the distance between the pair fast enough.
He started speaking again, but the fairy couldn't care less. With her heart trying to keep up with the change of emotions, she jumped the remaining distance.
Immediately, the coolness of his nose impregnated her tiny form, passing through her plumage with such easiness that she wondered why didn't the wind itself was able of such effect.
However, this cold feeling wasn't bitter, like the snow and the icy winds. It was, in fact... soothing. Like a balm to all her worries.
And as a familiar warmth spread itself through her entire body, her relief came out of her lungs in the form off a relieved sight:
- Jack!
And the little Guardian couldn't be more surprised when, simultaneously with her exclamation, a high squeak was heard.
...
..
.
Communication proved to be difficult between the two, but the pair had quickly surpassed it. Thanks to Jack's wits and Tooth experience with Sandy, it was not that hard for her pass a message in a way of gestures and charades.
But what had surprised the chilly fairy the most was the boy's sudden accomplishment of the truth about her identity.
Toothiana thought it would be hard to explain it to him, and that to clarify that she was not just another fairy would certainly be a struggle. So, she would simply guide him and things ought to be explained later, when they were all safe.
But when her name suddenly was heard in his hoarse voice, the shrunken Guardian of Memories could only stare at him in disbelief, shocked and stunned, as his own blue irises came closer.
Her tiny heart couldn't help but thump madly, flustered and quizzical about how in the Moon had the boy recognized her.
Did he know her that well?
A smile unconsciously started tugging the corners of her mouth, brightening her features with a lovely smile.
Her heart took over, and before she could take notice soon her tiny form was hugging dearly the Winter Spirit. She felt like her tiny form was about to explode from the sudden wave of affection towards the boy, that had swiftly filled every particle of her being.
The joyful chuckle that shook his chest and body, made her let go of him, only to calmly sit down on his palm again, adoring smile still playing in her features.
But when the boy's brow scrunched suddenly, that delighted twinkle in his eyes changing to a look of confusion, Toothiana wearily prepared for the next few words.
- How did you end like this?
And it was like that beautiful moment in time was abruptly shattered, and the duo violently tossed back to the ugly reality.
She felt her eyes widening and in the next second, the fairy was eagerly hovering in the frigid air, hoping that the boy would quickly follow her.
Toothiana had forgot her present condition, had forgot that she didn't have time.
And the Guardian of Memories, as she had understood before, was never allowed to forget.
...
..
.
It was like everything operating inside him had suddenly stopped. As if the boy was left with nothing but cold, and his mind, too shaken to face the sight before him - that image that would be forever marked in his immortal soul - had silently retrieved to quieter places of his conscience.
But his eyes were left open, the order to close them long forgotten, doomed let the scenery ahead sink deeply in his memory.
There, laid in his own perfect creation, stood Tooth's lifeless body.
It almost passed unnoticed, the colorful feathers covered in ice and snow. Just the tiny arm of the mini fairy told Jack where the form was.
And only when he squinted his eyes, titling his head as he cautiously stepped closer, did the boy saw the misaligned plumage that fluttered slightly in the wind.
It was like someone had just punched him in the guts and a painful gasp left his throat, as his knees seemed to quiver and his irises remained wide in horror.
And never in his immortal life had his heart ached so much.
He surely had endured many difficult times, with a lot of rage, and sadness, and loneliness.
However, Jack Frost had never experienced such a primal pain in his core, as if his heart was about to succumb before such excruciating pressure.
And the terror of the vision, the mere thought of her being gone, was so irrationally powerful, that he seemed oblivious to her smaller self hovering right there besides him.
But slowly, as if wakening him up from a nightmare, high squeaks and tweets were heard. Then the boy's conscience, forced to return, gave life back to his shocked body, as much as it might hurt facing the truth.
There was a tugging, something that desperately pulled his sleeves and bangs, and the Guardian blinked the daze out of his eyes, shaking his head.
His crystal blue irises focused on the anxious fairy that restlessly hovered around him, trying to get a reaction from his frozen form.
Her eyes, colored in violet and worry, stared deeply at him, calling the stunned boy back to reality.
She needed him focused and with his head clear.
So, with her look of concern morphing into a concentrated frown, Toothiana pointed her arm to the lifeless body, and awaiting just the slightest for an answer, she earned from the Winter Spirit a serious nod.
Jack advanced towards the snow-covered form with most confident steps he could manage, after he recovered from the rush of emotions.
And though the focused frown didn't leave his face until he came near her, his knees couldn't help but succumb under the weight of so much stress. He had to get a grip on himself and control his hands, so they wouldn't shake madly or desperately held her fragile frozen form against his chest, risking breaking her in some way.
So, it was with almost steady hands, that he carefully brushed the soft snow out of her perfect face.
- I'm sorry Tooth... – he whispered weakly, and if it wasn't for the tiredness that overpowered him, the boy would have jolted at the sudden warm hand that comfortingly caressed his cheek.
His eyes focused on the hovering fairy who displayed a tender smile on her face, gently shaking her head, dismissing the boy of any guilt he might feel.
It wasn't, it could never be, his fault...
So with a sight, the boy's mouth corners turned up a bit, and he stated surely:
- I will make you good again, Toothiana.
And it was like the fairy shivered slightly when he used her full name.
– I promise.
The Guardian of Memories gasped softly, and then nodded, smiling at the Winter Spirit.
But then the pair focused again, turning their attention to the problem ahead.
...
..
.
- You are gelid! – the boy hissed, as his palm touched the fairy's partially buried form. She was cooler than he was, and that was certainly not a good sign.
Jack turned his head, staring at the smaller Tooth that rested on his shoulder. There wasn't much hand-work she could do to help them, so it was better for her to save her strengths for what might come, as the Guardian of Fun had earlier stated.
- Can your body endure such low temperatures? – he inquired with a worried tone. But the fairy simply bit her lower lip and shrugged her shoulders.
Probably...
- We need to warm you up... – he whispered, as he started digging up her body with his bare hands, pushing the piles of snow aside.
Toothiana left his shoulder, flying down to the snow-covered floor, with her tiny hands brushing carefully the snow and ice out of her face and out of her wings.
Then, having removed almost all the snow that laid over her form, Jack hesitantly stared at the smaller fairy. His mouth hung open as if he didn't know what to say.
Toothiana titled her head, wondering why wouldn't the boy take her body. They didn't have much time...
And, as if reading her thoughts, the Guardian muttered, not once his irises leaving puzzled fairy.
- I... I might break you...
The fairy's eyes on the other hand, widened in astonishment. But then she crossed her arms close to her chest and tweeted angrily.
She was not that fragile!
And the boy chuckled slightly at her reaction, before her features morphed into a tender smile. Toothiana quickly flew up to the Jack's face, and although with frozen hands from melting the ice and snow, she immediately hugged his cheek.
But then, she let go and her face became serious again, as she pointed her arm to her body and squeaked.
- Okay, okay... – he mumbled, and cautiously advanced, putting his arms under her lifeless form.
And as he lifted her up, soft snow showering around her, he couldn't help but remember how bad she felt, cold like this, comparing to when she was merely asleep, that other time he had held her in his arms.
- We need to warm you up. – Jack simply stated, and his eyes lifted to the hovering little Tooth before him.
Her eyes wandered, as she thought were could they go. The boy's mind travelled through the same paths, as he dismissed places: The Palace was too far, as well as for any other Guardian refuge. They couldn't just bother Jamie on Christmas day; it was too late to wake any child at all. Well, Pitch's lair was near. They might just knock on the door, he surely would be glad to see them, the Winter Spirit thought ironically.
No, he couldn't risk Tooth's safety like that, even in an emergency.
But then something struck him. How hadn't he remembered that before?
- Come on, Tooth! – he exclaimed excitedly, motioning for the freezing fairy to nestle herself in the crook of his neck. – I know where we can go.
And the Wind swooped them up, careful not to make it a bumpy ride, as he seemed to know the precious cargo his friend carried lovingly on his arms.