Rise of Mother Nature

Discovery

600 years later...

The breeze blew bright green leaves across my path. I felt my jade eyes sparkle with excitement as I ran along the forest floor. My fingers touched every frost nipped tree in the forest and soon curls of brown bark were peering through the cold. Spring was here and every year, I kept it, Summer and Fall alive and well until Winter. The forest was finished. The sun shone brightly today but in the middle of the forest, a dark shadow blocked the sun for a moment then disappeared. I squinted and listened but there was nothing. Twirling myself in a circle, a giant tree sprouted and launched me into the air. From that starting jump I bounded from tree top to tree top, running on my two legs then to arms and legs all at once. I was headed for town to bring Spring to all. I finally entered the small city and leaped across rooftops bringing warm breezes with me. With each touch of my hands and feet, warmth of the Springtime followed with bird songs and green plants. I laughed, and with that laughter blew flower petals of trees blossoming anew.

“Woheet woheet!” I sang and whistled with the birds.

They called back to me in rhythmic chirps of song. I giggled as I leaped from house to house. Finally my work was done. Then I felt a chill in the air. My ears twitched on top of my head and my eyes searched the air. My tail wove in the now cold wind and my leafy green hair pearled with small bits of frost.

I rolled my eyes, “Jack.”

Every spring he came and ruined my new work. He brought small flurries of snowflakes with him and created snow days for children who loved his snow more than my warm life. Of course we are complete opposites and I have been around longer I still feel that we have something in common. Though I have yet to find what that is.

“WOO HOO!” Jack Frost flew through the air and onto the sidewalk spreading ice and snow. “Snow day!”

My wolf ears flattened against my hair and I huffed in aggravation. I had managed to keep myself away from the so called “Guardians” and I was aware that he was the new chosen one. Even the present Guardians were young compared to me. I was the first. The man in the moon told me that. I had denied that I was responsible for the children of the world but I did keep my promise that I would bring the after-Winter seasons. Licking my lips I arched my back and jumped from all fours onto the ground and under the shady protection of a maple tree. I created the invisible cloak that protected me from mortal eyes and walked onto the sidewalk. My green tank top and brown jean shorts looked pretty conspicuous when there was snow falling from the clouds. I used the invisible cloak to create sweatpants and a jacket around me. I also thought about shoes so I created a pair of sneakers. They weren’t really there, just an image to fool the mortal people. I saw Jack fly next to me I turned to watch him.

“He’s kinda cute,” I said to myself.

My bare feet touched the street as I ran across. There was an alley in front of me and I ran into it. No one was there so I took the cloak off and was my normal self again. My tail kept me balanced as I crawled up the side of a building to watch Jack. He seemed so happy and I wondered why. He wasn’t free anymore. He was chosen to be a Guardian. Maybe he didn’t know yet. I followed him at a distance running on all fours across the roofs of buildings. It was so much faster than running on two legs. That’s when I saw the rabbit. E. Aster Bunnymund aka the Easter Bunny was watching Jack like he was his next meal. I stayed low and my ears twitched to hear Bunny create a tunnel and jump inside. It was only seconds before it would close so I jumped in as soon as I could. Bunny bounded through the tunnel and I followed close behind. My ears brushed the top of the tunnel and it tickled. I tried to hold back a giggle but it let loose just enough for Bunny to hear. He stopped and turned around. My hair frizzed at the tips with nerves of being spotted but it was to late.

“CRIKEY!” he yelled jumping up and hitting his head.

“Oh my gosh...” I said backing up slowly, “What have I done?! I’ve been spotted...”

Bunny grabbed his boomerangs and pointed them at me, “Who are you?” He looked at my long, green curls, my ears and my wolf tail, “What are you?”

I widened my eyes and my heart pounded, “I was so stupid to follow him in here. My freedom is over...”

“Woah, woah, woah. Slow down. Who are you?”

I looked into the green eyes that resembled mine, “There’s no use hiding the truth from you. My name is Autumn. I am the keeper of the seasons, well, three of them anyway.” I sighed hesitating, “I’m a... a...”

Bunny lowered his weapons, his long feet stepping closer to me, “A what?”

I looked down at my tail which was now between my legs with fear and sadness, “A Guardian...”