A storm crashed the waves against the barren rocks, the tiny Australian island looked desolate with the wrath of Mother Nature at its door. She watched on, twisting the winds within reach, and pelting the element hardened ground soft and malleable, as she ate the Earth was obvious she was in one of her moods tonight.
Pitch had been defeated by the Guardians, it was a great triumph for the world, the balance was restored, but the incident stood as a reminder of what she owed, of what her father owed but would never pay. She sighed and a breeze eased past a house's window. She only wished she knew what to do.
Then the whispering in the back of her mind started. She looked up Tzar luna was shinning down on her. She spoke, her smooth satin voice cutting through the night. "And to what do I owe the pleasure?"
She kept her eyes on the glowing orb above, trying to find where MIM stood. He whispered back to her. He had an idea, a way for her to give retribution to the one her father had layed woe and ruin to. As she listened a smile crawling across her face. Yes she rather liked that idea. It would set things a right, but who?Even to that the Tzar had an answer- Jack spirit that carried on the winds and ruled the Winters. He had been an upset to her balance for so long, but often unaware of what he reaped. So unlike her nymphs and sentinels he played but suffered as one of Manny's spirits suffered, invisible to the humans and barred by his own. Something she had seen time and time again, even feeling herself through the boy. Yes this plan would put things aright.
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Jack looked down in awe as his hand rose to rest on his belly. Could Manny be right? Did life truly reside there? But it wouldn't just be any life, Pooka resided in his belly. A horrible thought slithered its way into Jack's thoughts. Could he really keep them,or would these little things he was growing increasingly attached to be stolen away from him?And by one of his closest friends as well. Jack knew Bunny missed other Pooka, could he steal that hope away from his-did that mean they weren't even his? Jack clutched his hoodie in a tight grasp. His mind spinning in dizzying circles muddling his thoughts. Even if they weren't his in 'that' sense, they were 'his'. And he'd keep them safe no matter what happened when the time came that they were born.
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Months passed and Spring was fast approaching. Bunny was getting wound up for the Easter Egg Hunt, still completely unaware of the true surprise on that day. What the little Bunnies seemed to plan secretly even from there mother.
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Jack had been having stomach pains all day, though it was hard to tell how long that was because he'd been flying through so many different time zones since he woke that morning. Some buried instincts telling him to go this way. The wind seemed to understand as she carried him on her breeze.
A horrible pain crashed through him, and he felt himself slipping. The wind picked him up and carried him on her back. Trying to console Jack for his pain. He had to make it. His brain fogged up. H-he had to make it, 'Why?'
Bunny had saved Burgess for last, hoping Frostbite would be there. The Winter nymph had been oddly absent from his warren lately, but he didn't remember any monumental fights between the two before the Easter Rush. He popped up behind a covering of bushes. As he crouched on all fours he could make out a familiar mop of blonde hair, and sounds of a very familiar child. He lowered his front, raised his hind legs and wiggled his fluffy tailed little bum in the air. Then-he pounced!
"Ahhh!" Jamie and his friends ran to his sister as her shrieks dissolved into laughter. She was being tickled mercilessly by Bunny's whiskers and paws. Her little arms thrown around Bunny's muzzle.
Jamie smirked, getting an idea. "Attack!" Before Aster knew what was happening, he was being assaulted by tiny hands all tickling him, by his ears, nose and soft under belly. He gave in and flicked over on his back taking Sophie with him, as the others piled on. He captured them all in a bear hug. They shrieked in laughter, forgetting their plan of attack on Bunny. He sat them all down again, though keeping Sophie in his lap, as the young girl had attached herself to Bunny's face, hugging it tightly.
"So hafe ya gids seen Jacf?"
"huh?"Claude blinked, no clue what Bunny was trying to say the others looking just as confused.
Bunny pulled Sophie's hands down to his neck, which she clung to borrowing her face in his soft fur, mumbling something sounding terribly reminiscent of "Hop,Hop,Bunny!"
Bunny patted the shiela's head and repeated himself.
"Have ya ankle-biters seen Jack lately?"
Jamie looked sad now "We haven't seen him in months, then his face brightened, but he said he'd see us by Summer break!"
It was odd for the Ice block to stay away from his kids, they were his first believers, his friends, and something was definitely up if he was coming only after the snow days.
Bunny had to find him.
"If you see him,will you tell him,we miss him." "Yeah" the others added nodding. They all had hopeful expressions.
"I'll do tha' " Bunny had to pry Sophie off of him, she didn't seem to mind too much, though he had to be quick to keep her from clinging on. "Take care,mates,I'll be see'n ya real soon." He tapped the ground for a hole and just before it was completely closed up Sophie shouted after him. "Take care of the Snow Bun-nees!"
But he was already too far gone to have heard it.
Bunny tried Alaska, Finland, Russia, even 'he shivered' even the dreaded Antarctic. No Jack, so he decided to check with North, he was already plum tired but-he felt a niggling of concern whenever Jack was concerned. For some strange,cosmic reason- [[he-had-to]] find Jack
"Bunny what you doing here?Needing some Christmas cheer after Easter is over?" North wiggled his eyebrows at Bunny.
"Nah mate, just look'n for the Snowflake, have ya seen 'em?"
"Jack?" His face scrounged up in thought."нет" [No] "I haven't seen Jack since he visit after Christmas."
Ok, now Bunny was officially worried. Jack loved playing tricks on the yetis and elves, and spending some alone time with North always seemed to cheer the kid up, the man was like a father to him.
"Why do you ask Bunny?" His expression was neutral but he knew a loaded question when he saw one. "No reason." He shrugged, time to pop off. Before North became any more suspicious and started getting ideas, which lead to not so nice time with the usually Jolly Cossack.
In a blink Bunny was gone,swallowed up by one of his tunnels.
He searched the world for hours more, but his exhausting,and fast impending, self-imposed, hibernation were weighing his legs down. He'd have to rest for the night, then start back up tomorrow. He'd go back to his Warren for a long nap, and be ready for tomorrow. Nodding in agreement to his own plan.
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'Oh Manny!' Jack thought, why did this have to hurt so much, he felt like he was being ripped in half!There was a pain shifting at his lower back and a horrible pressure making him want to cry. His spot under some heavy foliage in Bunny Warren was already covered in frost that had lashed out all on its own. He gripped the grass beneath his hands and pushed. It felt right and he'd begun doing it when the hours upon hours of pain had became too much. He was so scared, what if one of the kits were hurt because he was alone?And where-where was Bunny. God he needed the strong willed,bad mouthed Pooka right now!
He felt the need to push again "Buuunnnnyyy!" He screamed, echoing off the far off walls of the Warren.
"unnnnnnyyyyy!"Bunny heard his name being screamed out from inside his warren. His ears perked up. He knew that voice-It was Jack's!" He never felt so relieved to hear some one scream in his life. What was wrong? Had someone gone after Jack and followed him in here? Pride swelled up as he thought-Jack had came to him-not North. Then he thought 'Oh Manny why hadn't he been here sooner!' If he saw Jack in bad shape and knew it was due to him not being there, completely forgetting he had been searching for said snow spirit, he'd never forgive himself.
He sprinted in a mad rush,odd smells assaulting his finely tuned senses. It reminded him of when his ma had given birth to his little brothers and sisters back home, but instead of her warm hazelnut and earthy smell, there was a fresh wintery smell, accompanied by cookies and what could only be described as 'home'. Aster's heart melted as he finally arrived at his destination. In his hands was a perfect, little snow hare still covered in birthing fluids.
"Jack!"Jack?" He looked around for his Snowflake not seeing him immediately in his sights, setting his heart off in a chaotic rhythm. "Ahhh! Grrahh!" He heard followed by a loud yipping sound. He approached one of the heavily leafed plants, now noticing the frost that covered the ground around it. Beneath it was Jack, covered in sweat and his usually pale skin flushed pink.
Aster's eyes starred unable to pull away. "Bun-nee"Jack was taking heavy, sluggish, breaths. Aster didn't miss a heartbeat he crouched down and licked Jack face free of the cold sweat then, reached over and waited for Jack to lay the kit in his paw. When he did, Bunny began cleaning it of the gooey substance that patted it's fur down. The pat down left the new-borne with a terrible case of bed head as Jack would put it. He laid it to Jack's side where it curled up tightly to it's mother. "Ya alright Snowflake?"
Jack nodded looking tired."Get some sleep we ain't go'n nowhere." Aster raised an eyebrow in confusion.
Jack shook his head "more."
Aster blinked looking down at Jack's still extended stomach. "How many?" He sounded in awe.
"T-two" Jack's voice sounded hoarse from all the screaming. Bunny smoothed down Jack's hair."It's alright, I'm here now, it'll be ah piece of cake." He threw Jack a crooked grin.
Jack looked like he wanted to rib the rabbit for that comment but decided he was too tired to try. The contractions were getting closer and the next one would be coming soon.
The next poofy white haired kit came, this time with much less resistance then his brother. Finally the third and final kit was born much to the new parents joy, she was a lot feistier than her elder brothers as she tried to squirm around her mother's side, running blindly into her brother's in her rolls. Finally Aster had to lay a paw on her to quail her urge to move so much. She was quite happy to indulge in cuddling the paw and then her mother's side after that. Bunny had positioned himself behind his wondrous Snowflake chinning him as he purred deeply and contently. Things felt so right,so per-"I'm sorry" He looked down at his mate. "For wha'?" He asked perplexed, he'd just given birth to three beautiful kits, if anyone should be sorry it should be him, for not being there for him from the start. If only he'd noticed sooner-he should of noticed sooner-and he told Jack as much.
The snow sprite only shook his head more confused than Aster.
"No, I hid it, them; he motioned to the three sleeping kits by his side, on purpose from you. I was so scared I'd lose them to you, and, then tears started to weal up in his eyes, -that I could of lost them!" He began to cry in earnest, Aster pulling him to his chest. He nuzzled his precious mate, licking his tears away, hating the pungent taste the cold salt water gave, and what it meant. "Shh, Shh It's alright. You did it didn't you?All three are fine and healthy and with us. And look where you came? Ya, stopped hiding when it came time."
"Your not mad? I tried to hide your kids from you!"
"How can I be made Jackie? Yer here and now I have three beautiful kits-though I admit I'm a bit confused on how it happened considering we-ah never-well." He blushed from the back of his neck to the tips of his ears.
"Manny." Aster arched his eyebrow
Jack seemed to be the one blushing now. "He and Mother Nature decided tha-t. You should have a family, so that the Pookas wouldn't die out, Nature said this was her retribution... Whatever that means."
Bunny knew, and one day he would share that tale with Jack. But not today, today was a happy occasion and he wasn't ruining it with that nightmare. He tuned back in to what Jack was saying "and that they'd be yours.
"So they really, really ours."
"Yeah." Jack whispered, tears welling up in his eyes again. "Mate, what's wrong?" Aster said, hurriedly lick the tears away before they started leaking out.
-[yeah Bunny means the other kind of mate here] haha-
"They're not mine! But I wa-want them,he cried, I love them" he babbled, stroking his second born's back with a delicate finger.
"Jack what are ya babbling about?"They. Are. Yours! And mine. They're ours, and I'm not about to take there Ma from them!" He nuzzled Jack's snowy white locks desperately, wanting his mate to calm down.
"Wha-a?"Jack looked up into Aster Spring colored eyes, no sign of lies in the emerald orbs.
"Yer mine." It was a no-nonsense statement, made fact. When Aster realized what he just growled at his sweet little mate he got a sheepish look on his face. "If ya want ta be" He was starring anxiously at Jack with his peripheral view, unable to look him straight, after the confession.
Jack threw his arms around Aster's neck dragging the Pooka Warrior down for a kiss. He felt like his heart was going to burst through his chest. Bunny was lost on cloud nine. He'd had some rut induced dreams about this, but by the moon-this was so much better. When they finally pulled apart both were gasping for air.
"So no more secrets, or talk about running away?" Jack smiled "Never planned to." That was his mate, already completely attached to their precious kits.
Aster noticed Jack's eyes dropping. The adreniline finally wearing off, he was beginning to feel the ware and tare of the day himself ."Go ahead and sleep,We'll all be here when you wake up." He buried his nose in Jack's hair already half asleep. Jack nodded ,not finding the strength to give a vocal response.
"Aster" he mumbled.
"hhmm"
"Happy Easter"
Aster smiled, squeezing Jack to him, very aware of the three warm bundles between him and his mate
Yes,Happy Easter Indeed.
Later on
"So what should we name them?" Jack had the kits cradled to his chest, with Aster hugging him from behind.
"Well, we ah should know there genders first." Aster said bashfully. "How do we do that?" Jack blinked up innocently at his mate.
Aster wasn't completely sure-there were some things mothers kept to themselves, usually only parents would be with the kits for the first few months, so he knew nothing.
But he'd seen how humans did it up top with real rabbits, so he figured it was close enough.
"Ah well you take them and flip them upside down and ah look." Jack's eyes were wide, listening. He held there oldest up just a bit and looked under him-nope nothing. There's nothing there."
"Bunny's face heated up, showing his embarrassment. "Then it's a girl."
"No, Aster I mean nothing,like nata, just his little bum-hole. He patted his eldest's rump gently.
"What about another hole, further down from his anus."
"Yeah, what about it? I don't know my stuff too well but I remember bathing my sister and it wasn't like that, unless it's different for Pooka."
"No, No ah it's the same just more-contained." He was blushing scarlet under his fur. "Any more bright ideas, love?" Jack smiled mischiviously.
"Ah, well then what ya got ta do, then is lift them them up and look inside." Jack's gripped tightened on his kits. "Ok no peeking at the kiddies insides." Aster just nodded, not exactly eager to do it himself.
"So how do we figure it out?"
Jack just beamed at his mate. "It doesn't matter, who knows they could all be like there mom." Now Bunny was really glad his mate gave off a cool breeze, his face was on fire.
"I think I'll name this brave Pooka warrior-Mel. He showed there oldest to Aster, proudly. "Mel?"Bunny repeated sounding unsure.
"And here I was being nice and naming our first after you. "Ah mate, I think I've told ya my name before. And there's no Mel in it, hell you couldn't spell it with the letters."
Jack rolled his eyes at his mate's obliviousness "Mel is short for Melbourne as in the Aussie city above our cozy abode."
Not quite literally,but up and over and yeah there's Melbourne.
"Oh." he looked dumbstruck. Jack broke out in laughter. It was joyous and loud. Snapping Bunny out of his daze.
He smiled." What about this one?" He held up there littlest one
"Sydney"
Bunny raised a brow at the obvious theme going on in the naming.
"What? I like the cities' names here." He shrugged. Bunny nodded, looking down at the tiny Pooka in his arms "Sydney" he whispered, quietly, almost reverently.
"And the last?" he motioned his head to the last unnamed Pooka in Jack's arms.
"Brisbane?" Bunny looked horrified "Ok, Ok, no Brisbane." He handed Melbourne to Bunny as he picked the remaining Pooka up to his face. hmmm. Then a wicked smile crossed his face.
"Alice Springs"
"Alice I like that." "Yep, and she's already Springing, she'll be the hoppiest bunny around when she's all grown up, even kicking her dad's arse," he grinned.
"Language around kids Jack" he ruffled Jack's hair smiling; Jack's snowy fringe getting in his eyes.
"Yeah, yeah; now hand back my babies." Bunny didn't hesitate-knowing firsthand what a pissed mother could do when not appeased quickly enough.
Jack cradled there three children close. Life was beyond either ones dreams, they had a family, and each other.
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fun extra *family together*
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It had been almost two months sense the kits were had stayed in the Warren, though they moved to Bunny's burrow. It was great, but Jack was growing restless with the rest of his littler. Alice had been running circles through the burrow over and under her parents. Though she preferred his mother's company and spin-filled flights [though they never got very high] it still never stopped Aster from having a mild heart attack. Melbourne enjoyed playing with his siblings and digging holes, which Aster had to refill constantly so none of them fell into the freshly dug pot holes.
Aster was happy to continue on like this, they could go out to the Warren and he could show his family how he made the Spectacular Easters he did. And his kits how to race in the open ground.
His mate however didn't agree. Jack had always been a nomad, and while he liked having a permanent home to call his own, and a safe place for the kits, he wanted them to experience the world, included meeting those who were family. Besides they were going to have to see the kids in Burgess some time soon, and North wouldn't be too happy to be second to see his 'adoptive' grand kids. Bunny wasn't nervous of the old Cossack, nope, especially after leaving him with Manny knows what running through his mind about Bunny and Jack; and they were showing up with three kids-Oh Manny,he was going to die!
"Tell 'em their dad was a brave soul."
"Oh, stop that." Jack swatted his mate on the arm. So it was decided they were going to Santoff Clausen -three tiny kits who caused as much chaos as Jack, Phil was going to be thrilled. Jack grinned as he flew around grabbing things.
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It's mostly done though I might add a short about what happens when they get to Santoff Clusen -what do you guys think?
Hope you enjoyed, leave a comment if you feel the need
'Til next time
Ok as you lovely folks might have noticed, this is is my original chapter but redone, this is because TheAmericaPrussian contacted me about editing it and some of my other Rise of the Guardian stories. So for those who messaged me about it being difficult to read-thank her for this, because I was too swamped to do a thorough editing of my stuff myself. *applause ringing out for the beta TheAmericaPrussia* I think she did an awesome job, so does my other beta breXanime :)
I'll be taking down my old chapter 1 when I add the extra bit for a chapter 2 you my lovely readers have asked for. So for those who were hoping this was it sorry, but soon! so no worries XD
thanks,
elvesknight
read and review, tell my beta what yal think, cause working out my original story is worth as much of a review as writing it, trust me-it's crazy.