Chapter 32: Second Chance

Jack's laughter echoed along with the Winds' excitement as he dropped feathers and vines on the fruit drenched sprites that Blaze blasted seconds ago. It was exhilarating how fast the Winds were as Blaze flew along the trees. Jack wished he and Wind could be like that. Wind tried but she couldn't keep him in the air for very long; they hadn't figured out their coordination or balance just yet. Because of this Night had taken the job of carrying him around while he and Wind covered the sprites with feathers and vines as Blaze instructed.

Jack couldn't help the laugh that left him as the sprites yelled at Blaze while he blasted them with a strange purple fruit, followed by the South Wind whooshing around the angry sprites violent before he grabbed Blaze in a swift embrace and heaved him away from the sprites before the sprites could chase him. They never saw him thanks to Night, who had been galloping above the trees and near the trees shadows to avoid detection. Jack found it funny as Blaze outright laughed at the sprites as they chased him. Blaze must do this a lot.

Jack looked down towards the flowerbed (right next to the open door of the castle that they exited from) to see Flora sighing at their obviously fun and hilarious scene he and Blaze were causing. Jack couldn't help the smile that crossed his face; however, it soon fell when his sister began glancing behind her nervously. Jack looked at her curiously, silently wondering what Flora was so worried about. Well, that was until the island began shaking violently. Jack only had a second to wonder what was going on before an angry (and somewhat scary voice) echoed around them.

"BLAZE!"

Jack was slightly startled by the voice and by the violent shaking. Was Mother Nature causing this?

"Mother Nature is angry," Wind said with a soft laugh as she swirled around him. Well, that answered his question. But it amazed him how powerful Mother Nature was. He assumed she would be mad but he wasn't expecting this. Then again, he barely knew her.

"BLAZE HEAT! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU TO STOP PRANKING MY SPRITES? THEY ARE VERY BUSY AND HAVE NO TIME FOR YOUR MEDDLING! THE SPRING EQUINOX IS JUST TWO MONTHS AWAY AND WE ARE ALREADY BEHIND SCHEDULE BECAUSE OF THOSE MORONS AND THIER GOOD FORSAKEN WAR!"

Jack placed a hand over his mouth to stifle a laugh as the sprites that were chasing Blaze retreated to the safety of the castle when an enraged Mother Nature graced them with her presence. Jack had only had one word to Mother Nature and that was downright frightening.

Jack could sense the immense power coming from Mother Nature. It was overwhelming. It was empowering. And the very power could easily be seen by the older spirit's current appearance. Mother Nature was still wearing the blue gown that she was wearing when she found him. However, her kind and compassionate face were twisted in rage and were fierce. Her black hair seemed to be engulfed in a red fiery flame that only grew as she yelled and her gray-greenish eyes were glowing fiercely.

Mother Nature was furious and clearly not happy with their prank. Jack wondered nervously what the female spirit would do to him when she caught him. Although, that thought was tossed aside as the South Wind dramatically dropped Blaze on a tree branch just as Mother Nature glared in Blaze's direction.

She should have known Blaze would not be able to resist his god for shaken pranks once the shock and depression wore off. Blaze was never known to be still and unproductive for very long. In fact, Blaze was a lot like Jack personality and prank-wise (with the exception of him being for more mature with his less than innocent pranks). In a way, Blaze and Jack were the perfect opposites to each other in season and personality wise.

She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Jack and Blaze were no April Fools, but the pranks the two could pull would give her gray hairs before the next major blizzard would be set to schedule in the coming decades. Mother Nature exhaled heavily as she glared at her Head of Summer. Mother Nature ignored the fact that the South Wind dramatically dropped Blaze on one of the farthest branches he could find before retreating.

Mother Nature didn't find that suspicious at all. The Four Winds were as old as this planet. They were free spirits of nature (even if they no longer have a physical body) and did what they pleased. Each of the Winds had their own personality of course. Out of the four, North Wind and South Wind had the harshest personality and temper. The North Wind was just as cheerful as Jack, but she had her moments of being violent and overprotective of her charge when she wanted to be. The South Wind was always harsh (towards others anyway) and despised those that he felt were a threat to his charge. All the Winds respected her and knew not to get involved when it came to her and her children. However, North Wind was the only one to fight against her if she felt the need to.

Like now for instance. The South Wind had left his charge on a branch that was the farthest from her, leaving Blaze to her wrath. However, the North Wind continued to force her back when she attempted to grab Blaze with some of her vines. Her vines barely made it to the first branch of the old oak before the vines froze solid from the cold. Mother Nature gritted her teeth in frustration. What on earth is she doing? She wondered silently to herself as the North Wind froze her vines more quickly than before.

The North Wind was clearly having fun, considering how much she was laughing. Mother Nature narrowed her eyes at Blaze as he began laughing along with the North Wind. Why the little brat? Just wait 'til I get my vines on him! He's going to be cleaning the castle for five decades!

Mother Nature growled in irritation as she summoned stronger vines to grab her little troublemaker. Several vines managed to avoid the North Wind as they emerged from the ground and either wrapped around the old tree or climbed straight up towards the Spirit of Summer. She smiled smugly upon seeing Blaze beginning to laugh nervously as the vines managed to continue their pursuit after avoiding the Wind's attempts to freeze them.

I got you now, she thought right before she heard a familiar laugh that made her anger dissipate slowly.

"BLAZE, GET ON!"

Mother Nature could only watch as Night exited from behind a tree's shadow and galloped towards Blaze. Night had two bags attached to her side, which she could clearly see was filled with feathers and vines and sitting on her back was a very cheerful, very happy Jack Frost. Mother Nature felt her heart tug a bit as Jack grabbed Blaze's hand, allowing Blaze to sit behind him. He seems so happy.

"CATCH US IF YOU CAN!" Jack yelled back before Night galloped further into the darkness of the forest.

Mother Nature blinked as her mind slowly processed the laugh and words of her uncle. It had hurt so much when he died. She had believed that she would never hear his laugh again or see his sweet smile. But here he was; laughing and pranking along with his seasonal brother.

A soft smile graced her features as she wiped away a tear that formed on her black eyelash. Her sweet uncle was alive again. Alive and healthy and laughing like a child should be.

"Mother? Are you okay?" Mother Nature looked at Flora with a small smile.

"Yes, I'm fine, dear." Jackson, you were given a second chance and this time I will make sure you have the childhood you deserve. "Let's go get your brothers."

Flora nodded as the East Wind picked both of them up to chase the troublesome duo on a fun filled merry chase through the various gardens of rare plants and bright forest and laughing all the while.