Rise of the Guardians 2: Return of the Nightmare King

A Plan

                                                                                  Tooth's P.O.V.

As soon as Pitch closed the door behind him, I scrambled out of my fetal position. I gripped the bars of my cage with white knuckles. "Jack!" I reached my hand out through the bars and towards him, but I couldn't even touch his cage. He was still curled in on himself. I gasped when I saw drops of blood on the floor of his cage. He was softly whimpering, trying not to scream out in agony. I tried to pull myself closer to him, but my chains kept me back. I groaned and kicked the cage in anger, "Curse these stupid chains!"

I pulled my knees to my chest and cried. "Alright, this has gone on long enough," I heard a voice say out loud. I lifted my head to see a tiny bunny standing on his hind legs. His deep Aussie voice held a determination in it that I hadn't seen in many years. Bunny turned to me, "Guys, this whole thing with Pitch...It's our fault. If we hadn't taken that deal, then none of this would've happened. We've been stuck in these cages for 4 bloody years! It is past time that we do something about it."

We all nodded in agreement. "Bunny, how in the world are we gonna get out? We can't just make the bars magically disappear!" I tried to keep my voice down so that I wouldn't make Pitch suspicious. Bunny laughed dryly, "Jack is hurt, mate! Heck, he might even be dying! Are you saying that you're just gonna give up?!"

I didn't want to leave Jack alone to die! I shook my head, "No, I don't want to give up, but a chance of escaping is slim. What do you suppose we do?" Bunny sat back on his haunches and tapped his chin in thought. "Maybe I can slip through the bars."

"Nyet, you've tried that before." North sadly said with a shake of his head. His Russian accent still shone through, even though his voice was weak.

"Well, I've got to try something!" Bunny sucked in his breath and waddled his way to the bars. He got one arm through, which showed promise. I sighed sadly as I saw his ribs through his grey fur. He had gotten skinnier since that first attempt to squeeze through. He now had his head and neck out, so all he needed was his bottom half. He grunted with the effort, but he finally tumbled out into the open. We almost shouted in celebration, but we held it in. We didn't want Pitch to come running.

Bunny dusted himself off and hopped over to Jack's cage. He entered cautiously and surveyed the damage. I heard Jack groan his friend's name. "Yeah, the wound is pretty deep. We have to get him out of here."
"Bunny, I can't-" Jack yelled out in pain and curled up even more. He looked at his hands, which were covered in blood. He closed his eyes as tears fell. Bunny ran his paw over Jack's forehead and frowned. "I think he's coming down with a fever. This is not good." I tried to reach for Jack again, but I couldn't reach. I did not want him to feel any more pain. During our imprisonment, I had started to feel more than just friendship for the young winter spirit. I couldn't lose him after what we've been through!

"Bunny, take one of my feathers!" I plucked a blue feather off of my arm. "Try to unlock the cage with the pointy part. I can't promise you that it'll work, but you have to try!" Bunny took the feather and looked at it suspiciously. "Tooth, what are you gonna do if you get out? You can't possibly get past Pitch and his Nightmares?!"

"I'm going to sneak past them and get up to the surface. I need to get help, or else Jack is going to die!" I gripped the bars again and furrowed my brow.

"Tooth, why not let one of us go? You can't fly, you'll be captured in less than a minute!" North frowned at me and begged me not to leave.

"Sandy can't go because he could be killed. He's the opposite of Nightmares, remember? North, you can't walk or run straight so that's not an option. And you'll be spotted because, well, you're bigger than any of us. Bunny, even though you can fit in small spaces, the Nightmares will pick up your scent. Remember, they are stronger than they used to be. I can not only fit through small places, but I can run and walk straight. Also, the Nightmares won't be able to kill me as easily." I stood up and put my hands on my hips.

My friends looked at one another, deciding if I should go or not. Bunny sighed and started to pick the lock. He stuck his tongue out and listened for that familiar click. I turned my head to glance at Jack. He wasn't moving and his breath came in ragged breaths. I silently prayed to the moon he wouldn't die. After what seemed like hours, the lock finally opened. I had to restrain myself from jumping up and down for joy. I scrambled out and immediately crawled over to Jack. I kneeled before him and ran my hand through his silvery-white locks. He cracked his eyes open and groaned.

"Jack, we're gonna get you some help I promise. I'm leaving to go find someone who can help you. You have to stay strong, don't let Pitch win." He looked up at me with tears in his eyes. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. I put a finger to his lips, "Shh, rest, you need to conserve your energy." He flinched in pain and squeezed his eyes shut. I let out a tiny sob. I bent down and kissed him lightly on the forehead," I won't give up on you."

I dragged myself out of the open cage and wiped my eyes. "Don't worry, Tooth. He won't die on my watch." He puffed out his small chest, which made me laugh. I picked him up and hugged him close. "I'm gonna miss you." He chuckled lightly and snuggled closer to my feathered chest. "Tooth, you're not leaving forever. Just don't get captured, and be extra careful. You understand me?"

"I understand." I nodded my head and put him down. I then proceeded to open the door to Pitch's main room. This is gonna be an adventure.