~Windflame~

CHAPTER 9: The Stags

Why did I do THAT?

Right now, as I hold my tufts of dark hair that fall on my forehead, I feel like screaming my lungs out with guilt.

It wasn't my fault that Kai was just doing his job to protect Ninjago City- I must admit, his suspicions are impressive.

But it was my fault for blaming him on getting us here. His suspicions were just thinking the best for his realm, his city and-

Who am I kidding? This whole mess must just be some elaborate parlour trick to buy the Ninja some time. Heck, he must already know how to get out of here and has started to dig a tunnel when I'm just lying in defeat.

I look up from my misery to see him smirking. "What's so funny?", I snarl.
"You don't realize how messed up you are when you seem angry...or do I sense GUILT? And maybe even REGRET?", Kai said putting his chin between his thumb and index finger.

"Go away", I groan, pulling my hair which had begun to annoyingly grow into a mullet- the result of Ghoultar not being here with his stupid scissors to cut it for me.

How I miss those guys and those days. I was boss- they were loyal to me. 

Kai smoothed my hair back.
"Back off, Kai", I growled at him like an angry predator.
"Sorry- you looked insanely ugly for my eyes to see you, just had to fix that lock of hair", Kai said.
"Listen here kid- I just had a hunch right now-", I began.
"I feel like your hunches are never correct, Morro", Kai said unaffected.
"Well...I uhh- STOP. Just listen!", I said, looking at him irritated.
"I'm listening", Kai said, crossing his legs.

"I feel like you already know a way out- spill it.", I said briefly.
Kai blinked and burst out laughing.
"You think I know the way out?! I am suffocating and dying of starvation in this cave", Kai said.

My mind started calculating.
Jay wouldn't be here, because he would die of boredom.
Cole wouldn't be here because he would die of starvation.
Zane wouldn't be here because he is too vulnerable (the amount of time dat guy split apart in the series like a roblox character when they die is uncountable).
Lloyd wouldn't be here because he is too- ugh, valuable.
Nya wouldn't be here because she is most likely to get us both killed.

That leaves Kai. His element is fire. Strong enough to keep us alive in this icy hell. Doesn't easily get starved, isn't that vulnerable or valuable. Doesn't need some stupid toy to keep him sane like a cat with a fiddle. Has the sense not to get us into grave danger.

"THEY DID SEND YOU!", I pointed at him, stumbling back.
"Who?", Kai asked, genuinely confused.
"The Ninja...Master Wu...that Borg guy!", I said between breaths.
"You are more messed up then Jay", Kai muttered.

"Whatever, maybe I'll find a way out myself", I said flinging a stick into the darkness around the icy walls.
"AAAAAARGHHH!", a howl split the two boys' ears apart.
"Wh-what was that?", Kai said gettting up.
"Let's go and see for ourselves, Kai", I said frowning at the brunette.

When they walked for a few minutes, Kai said:

"I swear we passed that rock a while ago- it's the same rock!", Kai said.
"The next day, you'll be saying- I swear I saw that air molecule a while ago- it's the same air molecule", I mocked Kai, irritated with his whining.
"Well- we aren't making any progress with locating the scream are we?", Kai said.
"...You're right", I said back, annoyed.

"Did someone say...scream?", a girl with white hair leaped from an ice ledge.
"AAAHH!", I hid behind Kai.
"Relax, it's only an elf-"
"I AM NOT AN ELF!", the girl pouted and crossed her arms, turning away from us and walking.
"See idiot- you labeled someone something they are not! That's just downright stereotyping!", I punched Kai.

The girl stopped for a second. My plan was working. The internal me felt like screaming, but the dork was here. I had to play along.
"Since when do you stand up for elves?", Kai raised his eyebrow.
The girl turned around and I felt her stare pierce  like a skewer through a turkey.
"...not just elves...I'm not full ghost either, you know, but people still call me a ghost. In my home, they treat me unfair just because I'm immune to water and I can't pass through stuff-".

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT BEFORE?!", Kai's eyes went as wide as tennis balls.
shoot. There goes my chance of befriending the twerpette to get out of here.
"Wait-", the twerpette stepped in.
I turned around and looked at her to continue.

"You guys don't look from around here...you aren't like the Caribous or the Hares- nope definitely not the Hares...or the Stags or the Panthors", the twerpette tapped her chin thoughtfully.
I blinked, "Say what now?", I smiled nervously.
"Come with me- my name's Eifa 2.0", the girl said, holding her hand out.
2.0?! What in the final destination?

Regardless of her strange appearance- her white, foxy braided hair and her coconut-white skin and honey yellow eyes were quite hard to take in at first- I shook her hand.
We had no choice left but to follow her.
Kai stayed glued to the ground.

"...Kai?", I asked him.
"I'm not coming", he said shaking his head which wasn't big enough for his ego by the sound of it.
I didn't know why I did it or what came over me but I put my arms around his  shoulders and patted his head assuringly- at least, I hope so.
"It's alright, idiot- I wasn't planning on you coming", I smirked.
Meanwhile Eifa 2.0: ...weren't those two fighting a few seconds ago?
"Well since things are different now, let's get a move on", Kai said, his face in a half smile and grimace.
"That's my Kai- I raised that Kai", I pattd myself on the chest, pretending to cry.
"Shut it", Kai groaned.
"This way, folks- down to where no earthling has never been...", Eifa 2.0 said imitating the classic "scaaaary" gesture that our elderly (our older siblings, friends, aunts, and uncles, and grandads) used to do when Halloween came. 

But this wasn't Halloween.
It was a tribe with icy glares and skin made of ice hidden in the darkest, coldest parts of Ninjago. The Stags.

"Remember Morro- never cross a Stag. They look welcoming at first...", a young Master Wu said to a 5-year old boy with black hair and a green streak died into it.
"But what Sensei?", the boy asked as he and his master were sitting down on the steps of the Monastery.

"But they're as cold as the ice that bounds their heart".

At that time, I didn't know what it meant, but looking at the way everyone stared at us like an eagle staring at its prey...

I finally realized Master Wu's words.

Hey guys! Storytime's over!

So, I've decided something- I haven't really thought about where this book's gonna go, so I'm just going to make it Skybound since this story takes place after Season 5...with a twist, of course.

I am just gonna get these two (Kai and Morro) out of this cave first (I regret putting them into this place *sighs*)- hopefully next chapter.

Have a great night/ afternoon/ day!

--Flaneur