Chapter Five

Brian and Pitch

Brian lay on the bed in Bunny's guestroom reading a copy of white fang. Normally Brian didn't get to read much due to the fact that nobody could see him so he had no way of buying books from shops. Luckily for the teen this book had been had been floating in a lake in Scotland and was clearly unwanted by anyone else. Brian was about to start on chapter then when Bunny entered the room with a towel over his shoulder.

"I'm going to hit the shower," he told Brian, "if you need anything to eat it's in the kitchen."

Brian nodded thanks. Bunnymund had been very hospitable to the young pooka, letting him have the guest room and bringing him something for dinner, and Brian had only been in the others house for a few hours. One thing that still bothered Brian was that Bunny wouldn't tell him how his people had died. Brian thought that maybe Bunny was ashamed that he hadn't been able to save them and so didn't want to talk about it. In truth it was because Bunny didn't want to worry and upset the other pooka by telling him about Pitch, but Brian didn't know this.
Suddenly a voice brought Brian out of his thoughts.

"Brian," it whispered.

"Hello?" the teen replied.

"Brian!" the voice hissed again. And now Brian saw a strange trickle of what looked like black sand.

As he sat there staring at it, the sand began to disappear around the corner of the door, the voice calling as it did so. Brian stood and followed, to see it leading down the stairs and out the front door. Strangely, he felt as if he should be afraid, yet no feeling of fear was present. Quickly, the Pooka teen ran to the bathroom door and put his ear to it. Inside could be heard the shower and Bunny singing a somewhat off-key version of 'To the Sky'. He wouldn't be out for a while yet, so Brian had a choice; stay here and tell Bunny about the strange sand or follow it. He chose to follow.

Brian followed the black sand downstairs, out of the house, through the warren and into one of Bunny's tunnels. 'Where is this thing talking me?' he wondered, as he walked down the tunnel. His question was answered as the tunnel opened up somewhere in the Australian outback.

Brian looked around and saw the black sand disappear into a large cave. The teen followed, but once inside he could find no trace of the black sand. It had simply vanished

"Well that was weird," Brian said to himself.

"Very," a voice said from behind the young pooka, making him spin round to see the figure of a man step out of the shadows. The man wore a long black robe, had gray skin and black hair.

"Who are you?" Brian demanded.

"My name is Pitch Black," the other replied, "I am the spirit of the night."

"Why did you call me?" Brian asked, "if it was you."

Pitch smiled, "I wanted to meet you," he said, "it's been so long since I've seen a pooka. I thought they were all gone."

Brian looked at the ground sadly.

"We are, there are only two of us left," he said then added with surprise, "wait you knew my kind?"

Pitch nodded, "I was a good friend of the pookas, that is until one of your own kind destroyed you."

Brian stared at him in disbelief, "What did you say," he gasped, "one...of...our own kind?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Who?" the teen demanded angrily.

"A monster," Pitch answered, "A monster called Aster Bunnymund."

Brian shook his head and retorted, "That's crazy. Bunnymund would, couldn't do that."

"Oh but he did, he killed them all, every one."

"You're a liar," the pooka teen snapped, "I don't believe you."

"You're right," the other said calmly, "you know the truth. Bunny told you everything didn't he? He told you how your people died, didn't he?"

Brian was silent for a second before he said in a small voice, "Bunny wouldn't talk about it."

"Oh?" replied Pitch, "and why wouldn't he tell you what happened, unless he didn't want you to know what he did."

Brian felt doubt began to take hold of him.

"You don't have any prove," the pooka teen said quietly.

"Oh but I do," Pitch told him, "You see being the spirit of the night I have a special power. I can give you dreams and my dreams can show you the past."

"Really?" Brian said in surprise, he thought only Sandy had power over dreams.

"Yes and who know I might be able to show you what happened to your people, that is if you're sure you're brave enough, it won't be pretty."
Brian thought for a long time before he replied, "I'm not afraid, show me."

"Then lie down and sleep."

Brian did as he was bid and Pitch swept his black sand over the youth and gave him the worst nightmare of his life.

Bunnymund was mad with rage. Six long years he had worked hard to become Manny's favourite, to be chosen as a guardian and now that chance was about to be taken by another.

"It's not fair," he roared up at the moon as he and one of his fellow pookas stood beneath it.

"This isn't about fair," the voice from the moon replied, "this is about what's best for the children."

"But I'm the best warrior," Bunny snarled, "I'm the strongest, smartest and quickest student you've ever had. I should..."

"Enough," Manny shouted, "I'm sorry Aster but Broocn here is the one I've chosen and not you."

The Man in the Moon then addressed Broocn and said, "Congratulations Broocn from this day forward you will be a guardian."

"Thank you sir," Broocn replied then looked over at Bunnymund and muttered, "sorry mate, no hard feeling right?"

Bunny just glared at the other pooka then stormed away.

Bunny threw a plate against the wall of his house, his anger overpowering.

"How dare he," the pooka roared, "how dare he chose that fool Broocn over me. Curse you Broocn, curse you. If you were dead then I'd be the Guardian."

Bunny stopped, a dark plan forming in his mind.

"Well suppose he was dead," Bunny muttered to himself, "what if there was a fire in that oaf's house and he was killed."

Bunny when straight to one of his cupboards and took out some wood and matches. He would kill Broocn, he would become a guardian and if the rest of the village had to burn as well then so be it.

Bunny stood atop a hill overlooking his village and smiled. He had done his work well. The village below him burned and soon Broocn and anyone else who could get in his way would be dead. It was time to make his way to the place where he could speak to The Man in the Moon.

Bunnymund stood beneath the moon as its light shone down on him and the large meadow where he waited.

"Bunny what are you doing here?" Manny asked.

"Something awful has happened," Bunny answered and pretended to sob, "my people are gone."

"This is indeed terrible news and I'm sorry for you," the other replied.

"What am I to do now?" Bunny asked.

Manny was silent for a while before he spoke, I know this may be unfair to ask you this at such a time but I must. Will you become a guardian Aster? The children must be protected.
Bunny looked down to hide his smirk and said with a sigh, "Yes I will."

Brian woke with a cry. He was back in the cave; Pitch was standing a little way off and watching him.

"You were right," the pooka said in a hoarse voice.

"I know," Pitch told him.

"He killed them. He killed them all." Brian screamed in fury, "my mother and father are gone because of that...that monster."

I'm so sorry," Pitch said and stepped forward.

Tears began to run down the pooka's face.

"How could he, how?" the teen sobbed.

Pitch just looked at him sadly and hugged him.

Brian placed his head on Pitch's shoulder and cried loudly.

Pitch smirked, he had this pooka brat now and soon he would also have Aster.

And so another chapter is up, sadly this might be the last one I can get up before Easter so you'll have to wait a while before you see anything else from me.

Enjoy and please review.