Believe in Me

Peace of Mind?

An hour later the girl was far from the hole in the ground that housed the nightmare king, dashing along the thin limbs of the trees overhanging a gravel pathway through a dense forest. The sunlight shone softly through to the ground, urging the multicolored wildflowers to peek awake, the buds of spring opening just enough to get their fill of the sun's radiance. She was conflicted inside. It had felt like she had been locked up in the darkness of that underground lair for forever, now she was back to where she belonged. She hadn't lost her speed or stealth, the thinner branches didnt so much as bend under her feet before she had lept to new ones. But now she was under the control of someone, she wasn't free. No matter how fast she ran, how good she hid, that tall lurking figure would always find her, just like it had before. The collar of black sand around her neck gave her a constant reminder of who's she was now. Out of all of the spirits in the world, why her..? There were pleanty of lost souls out there, whether saved by the Man in the Moon or pulled back into the real world by their own various reasons. There were tens, maybe even a hundred or more spirits out there, so why did he pick her..? She didn't know who she was, just her name and the minor ability she called a power to sooth herself. Why would Pitch Black, the ex-ruler of the dark ages, want to capture something as meager as an animal hybrid?

Her thought train was halted as she felt the air get colder. This must be where she was supposed to be. Snow littered the greying skies, piling and ganging on the flowers that were fighting to keep their strength. Snow and flowers.. two things so soft and weak.. but in numbers, snow would overcome. She felt the chill run through her paw-like feet, stopping at this and crouching to peek down through the few leaves below. A figure paced through the snow, only recognizeable from the blue hoodie contrasting with the white of his hair. Jack Frost, right below her. Many spirits were angry that he, something so lost and troublemaking, could become a guardian, but she never really cared to be one anyways. Sure, it would be nice to have a home, a family, but it didn't bother her so much that humans couldnt see her. She was rarely in public anyways, and if they could tell who she was, they would definatally not like what they saw. Jack Frost at least looked like a boy, maybe one that had bleached his hair, but along those lines. However normal girl children didn't have fox ears, they didnt have eyes so bright or clothes so uniquely nature-like. She wouldn't fit in with them.. who would want to? This was the only thing that drew her to jealousy of the boy below her, but still, he intregued her. Pretty much everything caught her eye, drew her in, but she was so curious. If the legends were true, he himself brought the army of snow, the chill in the air and the heavy winds that could and would literally blow her away at times. All in someone so small. 

Jack kept walking along the rocky road, not even feeling a sting on his bare feet from the various pebbles and pointed stones he would step on. His staff was slung over his shoulder, his other hand resting in his pocket as he glanced around the forest with a smile. It was relaxing to see the snow slowly filling the gaps between the trees, the clouds covering the blaring sun. Something rustled above him but he shrugged it off, a bird or squirrel of some sort probably. After he had met up with North, he had came back here. His pond was just a mile or so away, so the area was familiar and he was usually pacing around somewhere if he wasn't off bringing winter to some country or state, or up in North's safehouse with the other guardians. They had been a lot closer since Pitch had been defeated, but now Pitch was coming back... his thoughts were reverted back to his last coversation with North. How was Pitch getting energy like that. As North said, it would be from a spirit or item but what spirit in their right minds would help a man so evil? Maybe they're being forced into it. Fear IS the nightmare king, he could easily bribe and work with weak minds. "Yeah but.." He responded vocally to the thought. It saddened him slightly, to think that a lost, lonely spirit would have to go to darkness to find any trace at all of love. He remembered how badly it felt to be walked through, ignored for all of those years.. if Pitch had targetted him before the Guardians came for him, he probably would've accepted. Anything to be noticed, loved, feel important in a way. Maybe whatever spirit or spirits that were now with and supporting Pitch just wanted a feeling of belonging. Now you see why the Man in the Moon never answered you.. he never answers any of them. You kept faith. Others weren't so lucky. Jack shook his head, wanting it to quiet down. A lump of guilt found its way around the upper part of his chest and throat. Why was he the one so lucky to be found again and chosen as a guardian? He got everything the other spirits would have wanted, a home, a family, to be seen and loved. It wasn't fair.

Suddenly, he felt something move behind him, he turned and spun but there was nothing there. "Hello?" he called out. No response. "Hello!?" He yelled again, a little louder. Then he saw something out of the corner of his eye move, dashing away through the trees. Without a second thought, he chased after. 

With the wind on his side he was fast, usually faster than anything he wanted to keep up with, but this was a surprise. Whatever the figure in front of him was, it was quick enough to just barely stay in his line of view. Its movements were blurrs, he couldnt make out who or what it was. Maybe its Bunny keeping watch on me, Jack thought, it urging him on. You dont want to race a rabbit, he remembered the easter bunny saying with a smirk. So its a challenge... Jack sneered back playfully in his head, eyes narrowing and his smirk reforming as he commanded the wind to push him forward even more. "Woah!!" he shouted with a laugh as he barely dodged each tree in his way, zooming past at lightning speeds he never thought he could before. But that was before he realized.. he didnt know how to stop. His eyes widened as he saw the figure nearing, he reached down and grabbed onto its arm before the wind dropped him and he tumbled with the figure to the ground.