A Trapped Winter Spirit - completed

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ꜰᴏᴜʀ: ᴅᴀʀᴋɴᴇꜱꜱ ᴠꜱ ɪᴄᴇ

Jack's POV:

In the end, I chose to tell them. Maybe they would protect me from Pitch, as they were much more powerful then me. Of course, I was probably making Pitch much angrier at me, but I couldn't live my life with Pitch's threats hanging over my head.

From the corner of my eye, I saw an open window. A chance to escape! No, I need to tell them. Maybe they could help me. Its alright to ask for help sometimes, right?

"Believe it or not," I said, "Pitch Black has been talking to me."

"What?" Three of the guardians answered in union (except Sandy, of course). North looked at Bunny in the eyes and patted his belly. Secret code maybe? But the way Bunny scowled back at him made me thing that Bunny was wrong, and North was right.

I told them the story from where I was lying on the roof and my staff was taken away by the shadows to the actual part where Pitch talked to me, warning me. I couldn't help it, but my voice shook as I recalled it.

"Dark tendrils?" North asked when I finished. "That certainly sounds like Pitch. But we haven't seen him in centuries. Why all of sudden he come after you?"

"I don't know!" I said. "He warned me to stay away from you, but I guess I'm probably in more danger now since I'm here."

"Listen, mate. Its better that you're here now. That way, we can protect you from whatever Pitch wants with you." Bunny said gently.

I was not used to this. The Guardians were actually being nice to me. I bet they saw me as a weak little boy begging for their help. I don't need their protection! I've been fine for three hundred years and I didn't need their help. Or did I? Who knows how long Pitch has been watching me for. Perhaps it was good timing that they came along.

And the fact that they wanted me to be a Guardian was stupid! They know what I care about, and responsibility and rules was not the answer. Me? A Guardian? What a joke. They must understand that making me one of them was a joke too. I'd never get anything done, particularly in their headquarters. Can you imagine the amount of trouble I could cause here in the pole? Or in Bunny's warren? I think I'm saving them a heap of effort by turning down their 'huge-honour' offer.

I shook my head. "I don't think it's better, Bunny. What if Pitch caught me? I'd be in bigger trouble with him then I already was."

Tooth dashed over to me, her face a bit too close to mine. "That's the thing, Jack. He won't catch you if you stay here with us."

"Can you promise that?" I asked, twirling my staff in my hand.

Sandy nodded enthusiastically, a pair of hands in a thumbs up gesture appearing above his head in golden sand.

"No, I think I'll leave. I don't want you guys to suffer Pitch's threat," I said. The Guardians looked appreciative of me. 

North gave a hearty laugh, then said with his thick Russian accent, "it nice that you care about us much, Jack, but we can guarantee your safety. As long as you with us, we shall keep you safe."

Wow, they actually think I care about them. I just want to leave this stupid place before Pitch realises where I am. I don't know Pitch very well, but I know he's the Nightmare King. That means he can reach me in my nightmares! I'm not safe from him unless I do what he says. Stay away from the Guardians.

Suddenly black sand appeared around us, swirling like a storm. The Guardians backed together, me included, and prepared to fight. Bunny with his boomerangs, Tooth with her fairies, North with two swords, Sandy with a golden whip and me with my staff.