Too Far Back - Nieala version

Chapter 7: Fractured

Cole wandered into the snowy countryside that surrounded the tea farm. He looked around for Kai, but he couldn't see anything.

"Wut wu dowing?" a curious Lloyd asked Cole. "Aah!" Cole screamed, unaware that Lloyd had followed him.

"It ok, I fwiend!" Lloyd smiled. "I look for Kai." Cole explained. "Oh." Lloyd realised. "Ok, we find Kai."

Zane's dragon swooped over Steep Wisdom and landed where Nya was comforting a hurt Jay. "Jay?" Zane said, concerned.

"Bad bubba hurt Jay." Nya explained. "Okay then. Lets get you two inside." Zane suggested. Nya groaned as Jay rubbed his eye.

"I'll make you hot chocolate." Zane stated to the delight of Nya and Jay. Zane took the babies inside and sat them down on the sofa. A few moments later, Zane brought them hot chocolate.

Jay too a sip of it and coughed it out onto Zane, causing Nya to giggle. "Hot!" Jay whimpered. Zane sighed and sat opposite the two.

"What happened?" "Bad bubba hurt Jay! Bad bubba ran off!" Nya huffed. "WHAT?!" Zane choked. "Stay here, kids!"

Kai didn't stop running until he slipped across the frozen-over river stream which circled the tea farm. Kai yelped and frantically crawled to the river bed.

He covered his face with his hands and started crying. From not so far away, Lloyd and Cole heard this noise and crawled towards it.

From another location which was slightly closer, Kruncha and Nuckal heard the scream and ran towards it.

They saw a baby with spiked hair, a notch in his eyebrow and was dressed in red. "Hey, Nuckal, doesn't that kid look familiar to you?" Kruncha said. "Aww! A baby! Can we keep it? Please?" Nuckal requested.

Kruncha smacked Nuckal on the head. "You idiot! Its the ninja, you know the red one. It's a striking resemblance!" Kruncha chuckled. "What's so funny?" Nuckal asked.

"He he. That's the ninja which annihilated you in the slither pit." Kruncha reminded him. "That's it! I'm gonna teach him a lesson!" Nuckal told Kruncha.

'By taking him and raising him as my own kid.' he thought. Nuckal began marching towards Kai. Cole and Lloyd saw this from the bushes.

"Kai!" Lloyd screamed, trying to alert Kai of Nuckal, attracting Kruncha's attention. Kruncha ran after Cole and Lloyd whilst Nuckal ran after Kai.

Kai noticed and tried to run away, but was picked up by Nuckal. "NO!" Kai, Cole and Lloyd screamed. Kruncha was just an arm's reach from grabbing Cole and Lloyd, but he was broken into pieces by a rapid shuriken.

"DANGIT!" Kruncha snarled. "Why were you here?" Zane asked as he stood in front of Kruncha's head. "Nuckal and I just wanted tea." Kruncha mumbled.

"Once I get back together, I'm posting a review on your sight claiming aggressive customer service." Zane picked up a scared Cole and Lloyd.

"Sensei, I've got Cole and Lloyd. What should I do?" "Get back home, Zane. I'll handle the other skeleton." Wu ordered as he landed in front of Nuckal, who stopped dead in his tracks. Zane took Cole and Lloyd back home.

"I thought he was my kid, silly mistake!" Nuckal lied, completely terrified, but no where near to the extent that Kai was. "Give him to me." Wu demanded.

"Never!" Nuckal snapped as he carried Kai over onto the frozen river. Wu raised his staff. "Okay!" Nuckal yelped.

Before he could give Kai back, he slipped on the ice. Nuckal dropped Kai and fell through the lake, fracturing into many bones.

Kai fell as Wu dived to catch him, however Wu didn't reach him. Kai headed straight downwards towards the frozen river, arms first.

His right arm bent upon contact with the ice and broke through into the river. The sound of the ice breaking was loud and sharp, but it was no contest for the noise of Kai's howls.

Wu instantly picked Kai up and cradled him in his arms. Kai did not stop shrieking. His right arm was not normal. It was bent in a which suggested it was broken.

"Kai, I'm going to get you home." Wu said cradling him in his arms. "Don't worry, it will all be over soon."