The Guardian Spirit (The Guardians of Nine Heavens #2)

Chapter 6: Motherly Squirrel

"Ah! Stop!" Sam began crying, "Let Sandy go!"

"Stop! Don't hurt her!" Lucy got worked up too.

The vile fox spirit puckered at Sandy and spoke in his deep, grim voice:

"It is true that only a spirit energy hit can break the Bond Item, but you missed one quite an important detail, squirrel lady - only if the user of the spirit energy hit is stronger than the wielder of the Bond Item, shall this latter break, and there is no way a mere little rodent can overpower me!" 

He swung his hand and threw Sandy off to the floor. This latter one coughed and gasped for air, breathing heavily as she was finally free from the evil fox's grip.

"Sandy!" tearful Sam ran up to her spirit and knelt near her. 

"Why did you do that? Leave them alone!" Lucy frowned at the fox lad, but just then she saw the two angrily sparkling eyes of the spirit meet her gaze. She gulped in dread and made a step back. The fox spirit jumped forward and appeared in front of her in an instant.

"What makes you think you can order me around, worthless mortal?" he grabbed her chin and made her look into his eyes, "Remember, I gave you my locket not only so that I could help you fulfill your last wish, but also to track you down and know you wouldn't get away from my grasp. If you ever dare try destroying my amulet again, I will straightly come and devour you on the place, and also, I shall slay anyone who dares help you get rid of me. You are already bound to me, worthless human, and you shall be my meal no matter what you do. You are still alive and breathing purely out of my benevolence. Don't you ever forget that!"

Lucy shuddered and tears ran down her cheeks - this monster was so terrifying!

"You... won't hurt her..."

"Huh?" the fox spirit glared back at Sandy, who was coughing, but nevertheless struggled and barely stood up, a frown covering her face. She embraced Sam and sneered at the fox: "I won't let you hurt my two girls, even if it costs me life, you monster..."

Seeing her struggle so much to stand on her feet, the fox mercilessly chuckled and crossed arms:

"You're pathetic... I know all about you, Sandra Nutts. You are that weakling woman who lost two brats to an owl spirit, Evilia Hoot..." he mercilessly grinned, once noticed tears appear in Sandy's eyes as she sadly looked down at the floor and quietly sniffed. Lucy gasped and immediately felt pity for the kind spirit woman, but the fox continued without any remorse: "Maybe now your motherly instincts have developed towards these two human brats since you've already lost your own, but don't you ever forget Sandra, that I am a fox and you are nothing but a little squirrel. If you irritate me too much, I shall devour both you and that slut Evilia Hoot all at once, and you two won't make up for the half of my breakfast," his eyes shimmered with inner anger and pride. Then he snorted one last time, rolled eyes, and vanished in a light orb, which itself fast disappeared.

Sandy burst into tears, as she couldn't hold herself anymore, remembering that awful tragedy which had indeed occurred to her.

"Sandy... I... I'm so sorry..." Lucy began crying too, for she felt it was all her fault.

"Sandy, please, do not cry... I'm with you... please..." Sam hugged her kind spirit tightly, "Don't listen to what that nasty fox said..."

"But it is true..." Sandy sobbed out, "I am pathetic. I could not protect them... my two babies, my Chip and Nelly... Now I even failed to protect Lucy. I am a disgrace to whole motherhood! My two dearest children..."

Sam's eyes filled with tears too as she watched her spirit friend cry. She cuddled with her tightly.

"It is not your fault, Sandy, please don't blame yourself..." Lucy gulped her tears, "Rather I am at fault for everything that has happened to me. I was stupid enough to step in that damn Skull Territory! If I didn't get so worked up over little things, nothing of this would've happened!"

"Don't cry, Lulu, dear..." Sandy grabbed her hand and made her cuddle with her too, and then she embraced the two children, "Even though what that fox said is true and I am merely a little squirrel, I will still do everything I can to protect you two... I shall not permit anyone to hurt you as long as I live! Back when I was still Sam's mother's guardian spirit, she entrusted me with the duty to protect her orphaned child, and I shall not break that promise. I will protect you both because after losing my Chip and Nelly, you two are my children now..."

Lucy and Sam watched her with pity and admiration. They both lovingly hugged the protective mother squirrel.

"Thank you, Sandy..." Lucy whispered.

"We both love you, mommy..." Sam kissed her on a cheek.

They all kindly smiled at each other. All of them had lost parts of their families, so now, the ties they had built together, were unbreakable...