Miles To Go Before I Sleep

Swallowing Pride

Swallowing Pride

...

It was rare for Jack to spend any time at all away from Antarctica during autumn, but now that it was less likely for him to get chewed out for being there, he figured it was the perfect opportunity to admire the many colours of the season before it all bleached to white when winter arrived. He just had to make sure he didn't accidentally freeze anything and get continuous updates from the woodland sprites of Ceres' location so he could continue to avoid her.

He was just about to sit down under one of the trees around his pond when a leaf riddled wind swept over him, mingling its contents with the snowflakes that danced in his own which sprang up to meet it.

"Wind?" he frowned. The chilly breeze ruffled his hair in response. "No, I meant the other wind. Ceres' wind. What are you doing here? Ceres isn't here is she?"

The less biting wind wrapped itself around him, beckoning him upwards. But it wasn't his wind; it couldn't carry him.

"What's wrong?" Jack tried again, despite knowing the air current couldn't communicate in words. The wind continued to tug at him relentlessly until he sighed and conceded to letting his colder wind carry him where its autumn counterpart wanted him to go.

There were many possible explanations that he had considered during the brief journey, but what he saw upon being deposited on the leaf-strewn ground was not one of them.

"Ceres?" he blinked owlishly, taking in the scene. He couldn't see her face from where he was standing, but he would recognise that orange and brown outfit anywhere.

"Jack," came the reply, and he could have sworn there was a groan mixed in with the word.

"Um..." honestly he had no idea what to say. If it had been anyone other than Ceres he probably would have laughed. As it was, he held his tongue and cautiously made his way over to where the autumn spirit was lying.

"I suppose I should be grateful that someone came, even if it is you," Ceres continued, ignorant of Jack's internal musing. "But considering you're just standing there..."

"Oh, right, sorry," Jack apologised, trying to figure out the best way to deal with the situation. "How did you end up under a tree branch, anyway?"

"It fell on me, how else?" she snapped. "Now are you going to help me or not?"

Jack stuck his hands under the branch half-crushing Ceres and heaved with all the strength he could muster. "It won't budge," he ground out, slackening his hold.

"Wonderful," Ceres drawled.

"I could go get help," Jack suggested, turning his gaze northwards; the yetis would no doubt be able to lift the offending limb with ease. "But it might take a while."

"...It's getting dark and there are wolves in this forest," she muttered. Which was the equivalent of saying she was anxious and didn't want to be left alone.

She wasn't wrong, though. The sun was starting to set and there was no way he'd be able to make it to the Pole and come back with the yetis before night fell completely. If he were in her position he would have been feeling the same thing. Besides, he knew all about how it felt to be alone.