Hard laughter echoed against stone walls, mocking laughter full of arrogance at the expense of others, a sound so lacking in consideration and scornful to any who they believed to be less than they were. That was all that was needed to kindle the hatred towards these spirits from the Guardians of Hope and Wonder.
His fur bristled at the raucous laughter and he could not hold back any longer to attempt to eavesdrop on the group despite the logical reasoning that it would be better to listen so that they weren't leaping in blind. The memory of Jack surged him on and riled up his anger even more. The look of fear and horror on the young boy's face from the sight of the ice encasing his hand- seeming so innocent yet so deadly- was still fresh in his mind, it was too much for Bunny to handle. Whenever they had seen the winter spirit- no, The Spirit of Winter, Bunny couldn't exactly get his head around the fact that the young teen was actually head of the unrestrained season- Jack had always been smiling and joking, not able to take anything seriously, even during most of the battle against Pitch over Easter, but now he was seeing that exterior slip, the real Jack, the more fragile broken Jack revealed through the cracks in his act, the part that the boy tried to keep hidden- for their benefit or his own was unknown- and Bunny began to consider if they had known Jack at all in the few months that they had spent together as Guardians.
As another bark of laughter split through the icy air, Bunny growled and leapt forwards into the open grotto that had been hollowed out of the mountain over thousands of years and was swathed in snow that sparkled like a thousand diamonds, giving the impression of the dust of icing upon the hard chiselled rock, making their presence known, sensing North just behind him. His boomerangs were clenched tightly in his fists, muscles tensed for a fight that didn't come.
The winter spirits froze at the sudden incurrence, laughter dying on the air with their voices, heads all turned towards the intruders. Despite the shock at the two warriors launching themselves unannounced into their little den, none of the winter spirits moved, jumped up to defend themselves or ran, they merely stared back blankly at them, almost unimpressed or unconcerned.
Taking their silence to at least mean compliance, Bunny scanned the numerous faces, searching for a spirit that matched the description that Jamie had told them, as he spoke coldly.
"We're here about Jack Frost," he announced, noticing the disgruntled mumbles that followed and the icy looks shot at the Guardians and each other. Again, none made any movement, besides the glances, or signs that they were going to reply so Bunny continued as North leered threateningly over the groups, not being too subtle in his search for the spirit.
"We heard a winter spirit fought him the other day," he continued, "We want to know if it was any of you."
He held his breath despite the already breathlessness from the higher altitude, hoping against his own centre that they would be honest enough or remorseful enough to confess. The idea that they would hold so much hatred and violence towards Jack was still implausible to him. Looking around at them all now, he couldn't picture them harming another of their own, such diversity existing among them, a range of ages, appearances, styles, gender, ethnicities, and personalities. If they could all get along despite differences then why would they torment a child like Jack Frost?
It was incomprehensible and he almost convinced himself that maybe it wasn't them, maybe Jack had been wrong or mistaken or…or something. How could a spirit ever attack one of their own? Sure, there was Pitch but he couldn't lucidly compare these spirits to the embodiment of darkness and fear. He wanted to call to North that they should leave, find another way to help Jack, anything to escape the piercing stares.
Then it hit him: these spirits may not be as innocent as he currently believed. They were making him uncomfortable, him, with little effort and without the victim even realising it, they were affecting him, picking him out and excluding him, skilfully, effortlessly. He opened his mouth to yell at them, convinced now and mind settled that Jack and Jamie had told the truth about the winter spirits and ashamed at ever having doubted Jack when he had been so insecure and reluctant to trust them in the first place. If he doubted Jack so easily then it was no wonder the boy had never been more open to them before, until now when it was slowly dawning to be too late.
"Yeah, I got Frost," a low voice spoke through the crowd and Bunny almost jumped in surprise. The eyes of the winter spirits flicked to the one who had spoken as North made his way back to Bunny's side.
The spirit, who stepped away from the rest to stand in the clear space in the centre to face the two Guardians, matched Jamie's description of their attacker. A young man stood before them, his pale skin nearly rivalling Jack's, dark eyes clearly visible as he surveyed the two intruders with the interest of a predator searching a flock for the easiest prey. The thought made Bunny shift uncomfortably and he saw North tighten his hold on the hilt of his sabres should they be needed. The winter spirit's steps were slow and purposeful, soundless against the soft quilt of snow that left no impression behind. His short hair was pale blonde, close to white but against the pureness of the snow it contrasted too much to be mistaken for the colour, tinted the faintest yellow like the stain of old teeth. His voice was calculated when he spoke, words placed in a way that made one feel inferior even if he was merely asking the time of day.
Recognition flickered across his pale face, "You're the Guardians." He grinned and Bunny found it more malicious than friendly. "I am a fan of your work. It is such an honour to finally meet your acquaintance but, forgive me, I don't quite understand what has brought you to us today."
"We have come about Jack," North boomed, Russian accent matching the threat in the spirit's voice and Bunny was glad his friend had chosen to answer. He wasn't sure if he could speak, too entranced by the spirit who only nodded calmly.
"Yes, so you told us," he raised his eyes to look at them and they seemed so bottomless and drained of light that Bunny braced himself to prevent backing away. "There really is no need to thank me."
"Th-thank you?" Bunny spluttered, infuriated at the spirits tone and at his own incompetence to get his words out.
"Yes, you are most welcome," he nodded his head in respect even if none lay behind the gesture.
"I don't think you understand, mate," Bunny growled, "Jack's a Guardian now, he's one of us and there's no way we can allow you to attack one of our own."
The spirit chuckled softly, no humour in his dead eyes, "I believe that you have been spending too much time with Frost, though I am afraid I fail to see the humour in this joke."
"Is no joke," North rumbled, stepping forwards menacingly.
"We mean it," Bunny agreed, "Jack is one of us now and none of you are to touch him ever again."
"Oh, don't worry," the spirit assured, whether it was to his friends or the two Guardians, Bunny found debatable. "We won't have to deal with Frost ever again. I eliminated the problem for you, for all of us."
Bunny seethed in anger, fists tightening around the smooth wood of his weapon, begging to strike, only held back by the thought that they were outnumbered and Jack needed this information. Beside him, North wasn't as restrained, drawing his sabres half way, almost daring any spirit to try something.
"What did you do to Jack?" North asked dangerously, glaring daggers at the spirit.
"He just seemed a little stressed is all," the spirit replied casually like commenting on the weather, not inflicting pain on another spirit, "I mean, who can blame him after all that happened with the nightmares and the boogieman." His eyes flashed scornfully at them, "nice work by the way." He smirked. "I just thought he may need to cool down."
There were a few open sniggers from the group of winter spirits around them who were listening intently to their conversation. So they all knew what had happened? All of them really hated Jack that much? Anger flared up in the Pooka that he could barely control as he focused back on the winter spirit who had harmed Jack, their Jack.
"Cool down?" he fumed which only made the spirit smirk once more, "You bloody iced him over!" He used Jack's word for it, the sentence odd in his mouth as though the taste was wrong as he chewed it over. "His hand is encased in ice and you're bloody pleased?"
"Just his hand, eh? The process is slower than last time," he commented, speaking to the winter spirits now. Bunny paused mid-rant. 'Last time'? This had happened before? When? How hadn't he or any of the other Guardians heard about it? Surely it was a big enough case to get some attention. A winter spirit had frozen another. This was an outrage, a scandal of the spirit world, seasons were meant to live in harmony to balance the world but here they were apparently fighting mercilessly and taking lives so heinously. How had it come to this?
The spirits seemed mildly interested in this fact, some impressed, some curious, some indifferent at the fact that Jack was suffering longer.
"How do we reverse it?" Bunny bit out. He hated that he was so reliant on these spirits for answers but right now he could throw his pride aside for once to save their youngest member.
"Reverse it?" the spirit chuckled again and Bunny found he really hated that sound now. "I am afraid, my dear Guardians, there is no way to 'reverse it.' No, you see we're much too efficient for that and this effect is too rare for any of us to have found a cure. I am afraid there is none- Frost will ice over."
The clattering of wood against stone rang out against the mountain walls as the boomerangs slipped from the Pooka warrior's grip.
No cure…no cure?
How could there be no cure? There had to be. They had come all this way, held onto so much hope, hope that Bunny endeavoured to protect. There couldn't be no hope. It was unacceptable…but the glee in the winter spirits' eyes were enough to confirm his fears.
They were on their own, in uncharted territory; they would have to find a cure for Jack by themselves, before it was too late for their young winter spirit. Another thought that was unfathomable to Bunny: loosing Jack. Even though they had only technically known each other for a few months, he- and he was sure the rest of the Guardians would agree- couldn't imagine life without their mischievous, fun-loving, laughing winter spirit. Time was steadily ticking further away, flowing on uselessly through their fingers, taking from them precious minutes that they did not have the luxury to waste as Jack continued to suffer.
"Bunny," North hissed worriedly at his friend's reaction and the fact he had dropped his weapons; the warrior never relinquished his boomerangs. Bunny shook himself out of his stupor and scooped up his weapons dazedly from where they had fallen.
"I am sorry that you'll be one servant short," the spirit said with mock sympathy, taking Bunny's distress that their team would be one member short and therefore one fighter down, "But if it is any consolation, I can guarantee that any of us other winter spirits will be willing to step in and, not to mention, be more worthy of a title."
Rage flared in the Pooka and he was only held back from hitting the spirit by a large strong hand on his shoulder. He glanced at North who looked just as furious but still had enough sense to know that attacking would not be wise right now.
"Jack is more worthy than any of ya," Bunny growled, shaking North's hand from his shoulder and staring solidly at the winter spirit. "You have no idea and you never will. He has sacrificed so much and no one deserves to be a Guardian more than him. He saved all of us on Easter."
The winter spirit glared wrathfully at them at the mere implication that Jack Frost could ever deserve praise, stepping forward to match the Pooka's threat. "Frost's been telling you lies," he said dangerously low, "You've been taken in by him because that's all he does. He lies and deceives and somehow ends up with all the power and prestigious titles."
"If you think it's so prestigious then why are you so jealous," Bunny shot back.
"Jealous?" The spirit yelled angrily, displacing the snow that clung precariously on the side of their mountain before he lowered his voice once more, "Why on Earth would any of us be jealous of Frost? You're worse than that other kid." He glanced at the group of spirits who smirked at the mention of whoever the 'other kid' was. Bunny was tempted to ask but did not want to give them another opportunity to taunt Jack and the Guardians with his lack of knowledge.
The dark winter spirit turned his attention back to Bunny and offered a smirk of his own, smoothing out the fury that had momentarily broken his composed façade. "He's not worth your words or your time, I will give you that advice, and he is most definitely not worth your efforts to find a cure- not that there is one- so don't waste your precious time on something unimportant."
"Jack is not unimportant," Bunny spat.
"You're Guardians," The spirit pointed out calmly, seeming to grow tired of their conversation, "stick to your own jobs. Let us deal with seasonal business; it's not an area of your concern. Let us handle winter spirits and hopefully one of us hardworking spirits will obtain the title of head seasonal and be able to attempt to fix the problems that Frost has brought. You are overstepping your boundaries and I strongly suggest you remember your place."
Bunny fumed. How dare this insolent insulting little spirit tell them what to do, threatening them in terms that were not moral to be made. This was someone's life they were talking about here and the spirit seriously thought they would ever back off. They did not control everything and certainly not the Guardian of Hope.
"Bunny," North's rumbling whisper broke him from his thoughts and he turned to see the soft blue eyes of the large man full of understanding. "We do not have time. Jack needs us now." Somehow the overbearing man had found the exact words that would snap Bunny out of his anger and he sighed at the Russian before tapping his large foot once on the ground, opening a tunnel just behind them that would lead them back to the Pole and to Jack, to their Guardian, to their winter spirit, to their friend, who needed them so much right now.
Begrudgingly, Bunny turned his back on the group of winter spirits who were all still watching them with interest, piercing stares boring into them and judging eyes passive.
"Don't think this is over," he told them warningly over his shoulder.
"Oh but it is," the winter spirit replied evenly and it took all of Bunny's control to not turn around and hit that insolent spirit across the face for everything he had said. For what he had done, Bunny found himself wanting to do much worse than what fate he could even envisage on the Nightmare King himself.
He allowed North to jump into the tunnel first, taking a deep breath as he steeled himself to have to face the rest of the Guardians and Jack, would have to admit that they had been unsuccessful and, worst of all, not even taught the vile spirit who had done this a lesson.
"Oh, tell dear Jack," the winter spirit called out smugly as Bunny jumped, grinning wide at some unknown malicious joke, "to give our regards when he sees May."
Bunny frowned at the words. May? That was six months away. What did that mean? Did Jack have more time? Did he have months before this curse claimed him? Months for them to find a cure? Surely it could mean nothing good if it was a message to Jack and Bunny considered storming back and demanding why they still taunted Jack, and what they meant with all these riddles, but the thought was cut short as the Earth closed around him and the soil welcomed him into deep safety of his tunnels, leaving the winter spirits far away.
I'm back. I am so sorry for the extended delay but I have had no time these past few months to do anything but focus on exams and then the internet went down so this had to wait a few weeks longer but here it is. Chapter 11!
I hope you enjoyed it and thank you for sticking with this despite the terrible updates. Please leave a review, let me know what you think, I really appreciate them. Thanks.