Ninjagaësia

The Stones in the Spine

((Hello! Those of you that are new and likely following tags, this fic is equally for fans of Ninjago and the Inheritance Cycle, but be warned, it's going to be a long journey with big chapters! Those who enjoy both fandoms are in for a real treat!
And those of you who are part of my usual followers, this is not one if my usual crossovers! That's probably obvious already, as this is my first time not writing for Undertale AU's!
Enjoy, all!))

She was crouched down low, eyeing the herd in the clearing with utter silence, nocking an arrow on the string. Slowly, creeping around the perimeter, two others snuck around the clearing.

One of them was a boy with messy dark hair, bangs swept to the side above his hazelnut eyes. Cole had to move carefully, so as not to alert the deer. He was well built, each footstep heavy and graceful despite his muscular build. He was, for all intents and purposes, her older brother. Even if he was taken in by her father when his own abandoned him.

The other hunter opposite of him was not quite so close, but beloved nonetheless. Jay didn't need to hunt as she and her pseudo brother did, simply joining them for the sake of learning and escaping his parents' workshop. Like his family, he was still crafty and intelligent, but still learning how to hunt. His somewhat curly auburn hair gleamed in the sunlight as he crept through the bushes, intending on hemming in the herd and giving them a better chance at getting more of them.

Lloyd, stop moving. You are attracting attention. A soft, yet firm voice spoke in their minds. It was directed at the member who was already across from her, on the other side of the small field. He was one of the strangest in their group, and the youngest.

Only ten years of age, Lloyd had strangely reflective green eyes, slightly slitted during the day. His whitish blonde hair glittered strangely in the light, his golden skin having an odd sheen. He was crouched in the bushes, eager to pounce on the deer, but went still at the warning.

The one who spoke, the one with the strange ability to enter and speak in their minds, was Zane. He was most certainly the strangest of them all, standing unnaturally tall and thin, cold blue eyes glowing faintly, standing out against his nearly paper-white skin. His hair, strange as it was, always stood straight up, so blonde it was nearly white. Whatever he was, it wasn't human, as he never ate, hardly even drank, didn't get hot or cold, and would not age.

Zane was the oldest of their group, though it hardly mattered. He had moved into their village many years ago, when their very parents were young children, and had remained ever since, helping others benignly. For many years, no one trusted him, thinking him an evil spirit from the Spine, yet he continued to help, remaining benevolent. And as they grew older, they befriended him as children- initially using him as a chaperone to feel safe around the woods, and then even closer as they got older, almost like equals.

And he opened up more to them himself, revealing more strange details, like his ability to enter minds, speak unknown wisdom, even things like unnatural strength and speed when the occasion called for it. With their friendship, the village had even begun to accept his presence, learning to appreciate his helping hand when needed, regardless of the inexplicable things that happened around him.

And thus, everything had led to this point, the gang traveling fearlessly into the feared mountains to hunt and enjoy each other's company. Hemming in the herd, focused on three good sized individuals, preparing to fire their weapons-

All of a sudden, before any signal could be given, a violent explosion rocked their world, sending everyone flying back from the clearing and the deer scrambling to their feet to escape. Nya cursed as she recovered, back and head bruised by the tree she had been thrown into, firing blindly at the fleeing deer before swearing and calling out to the others.
"I'm okay!" Jay called out. "Small cut, no worries!"