Giving Way to the Light

Chapter Ten

"I think she's telling the truth," Jack said. "There's no way she could have done all of that by herself in so little time, and made it believable. And with how upset she was? There's no way she wasn't telling the truth. Bunny misjudged, that girl is no Reaper."

"I agree," Tooth said. "I think she's scared, lonely, and bitter, but not evil. I don't think she'd ever hurt a child."

North nodded. "So you are both in favor of believing Vera?" He asked. They both nodded. "How about you Sandy? Vhat are your thoughts on this?"

The small golden man donned a thoughtful expression, then gave a thumbs up.

"Then it's settled, ve shall give Vera our full trust." North said, clapping his hands together. "Now, vhat do ve do about the monster?"

Silence.

"Come on, there has to be some way we can track this guy," Jack said. "What do we know about him?"

"Almost nothing," Tooth admitted. "We could maybe try getting a bunch of other spirits together to help us. lf there are more of us looking, we might be able to track him down. Kinda like a search party. Since Vera has the supernatural-sensing thing she was talking about, she can lead us to possible locations."

Sandy nodded excitedly and pointed at Tooth.

"Great idea, Toothy!" North agreed.

"So, who wants to tell Bunny that we're working with the Groundhog?" Jack snickered.

Sandy shook his head and created a sand image of a skeleton.

"Ve may not need Groundhog," North agreed wearily. "I believe Vera has many friends in Halloween Town who vould be more apt for hunting down our monster."

"I get to meet other immortal Jack?" Jack asked, eyes gleaming.

"It appears so," North sighed. "Jack, go tell Bunny and Vera. We are going to Halloween Town."

"Open. Close. Open. And close. Open. Extend them as far as you can... now flap them around a bit."

I did as Bunny told me and winced a bit. Bunny noticed at once.

"Did that hurt?" He asked.

I shrugged, and pulled my wings back in tight.

"Only a little," I admitted. It actually hurt quite a bit, but I didn't need to give him that grief.

"I don't know much about wings, so I'll have Tooth take a look at 'em, but as far as I can tell, you've got a bit of muscle damage in the left wing joint."

'Gee really?' I thought. 'I hadn't noticed.'

"What do you think they're talking about now?" I asked. I didn't need to clarify that I was talking about the Guardians.

"I dunno," he admitted. "They looked pretty spooked 'bout the thing that attacked Christopher. They're gonna want to talk about finding the quickest and most effective way to find it."

"Right you are kangaroo," Jack said from the door way, casually carrying his staff over his shoulder. "And we have found our solution, if you're willing to help that is," he directed at Vera.

"I am willing to do anything and everything it takes to stop this thing from ever hurting another child," I said without hesitation.

"Alright, so you wouldn't mind bringing us to meet your friends in Halloween Town and getting a hunting party together?"