Protector of Lost Children

| Chapter VI |

Hello, Readers! Sorry that it took so long to update today, but I just finished up the last bit of the chapter and my computer has dropped to 10%. Please enjoy!

~CSP2708~

| Chapter 6 || Taken |

Lupa was awake and alert with the sun. Like every morning, she rose as soon as dawn peeked over the horizon. She sat up, struggling only slightly with the sheets, and breathed in the fresh morning air. A yawn bubbled up from her chest and she mewled like a cat, stretching her arms towards the ceiling.

Light filtered in through the cracks in the curtains around her bed. Particles of dust floated in and out of visibility as they shifted between the rays of sunshine.

The bed squeaked slightly as Lupa rolled herself off. The blanket came off her feet. Gooseflesh rippled up her arms and legs as her toes touched the hardwood floor, sending a shiver down her spine. She ran a hand through her messy hair and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, making her way to the door. By the moon! she was tired and awake at the same time, how could that be? She brushed her hands down her outfit, smoothing the ruffled leaves and crumpled moss. Strings of the fluffy material came off on her hands, as it always did, and she knew that she'd soon need to refresh her attire.

"Have a pleasant night?" a voice asked as she re-entered the globe room. Her ears perked up at the sound, recognizing the voice to be Jack's before she even turned to look.

"Quite," she replied.

"Good! Very good! Then we begin searching for spirits!" North's loud voice boomed suddenly.

Lupa jumped slightly, startled by the unexpected volume. She spun around, seeing the rest of the Guardians all entering the room to join her and Jack. They stood around the couple in a wide arc.

Lupa nodded. "What do you know about them?" she asked.

"Manny showed us a vision. Pitch has a locket with a picture of the two girls. Well... he did. We don't know if he still has it, but that's a start," Tooth explained. "We'll have to get it off him somehow."

Lupa grinned, showing off her sharp teeth. Bunny shivered instinctually. "Good. We'll head out right away. First, we'll need to locate Pitch's lair, and then we'll need a distraction just long enough for me to snatch it off him."

"Okay. Jack, go to Pitch's old lair. Search there. Bunny and I will search north, Tooth and Sandy search south. Lupa, you search where you saw Pitch. If he has new lair, we find it. Sound like a plan?" North asked.

Everyone nodded and went their separate ways.

***

It was a windy morning. One that brought scents from all over, coupled with a slight northern chill. The tall pines rustled slightly, their needles holding strong, but their cones falling in clusters. Even the tall grass – which was mostly sheltered by the overhanging branches and thick underbrush – waved like fans at a concert.

As Lupa touched down on a high tree branch, she ruffled her feathers slightly, puffing her whole body to shelter her sensitive skin. Hopping down from branch to branch, she made sure to stay close to the trunk of the large maple she'd chosen as her perch. About midway down the tree, she shifted, losing her golden eagle skin and sliding effortlessly into the body of a grey squirrel.

She skittered around the tree, eyes and ears twitching as she observed the park, quiet except for an occasional burst of wind. Once her eyes landed on the park bench where she'd been sitting when she'd met him, she shivered. At one time, it had been her favourite bench, but now, it felt like he'd poisoned the fond memories she had with it. Every time she'd look at it after that day, she'd only think of Pitch, the evil man who hated children. The one person in the world that she could think of that hated all children, even without meeting them.

The wind changed, carrying with it a scent she recognized.

"Back again, I see?"

Lupa quickly turned, jumping down from the tree. She transformed mid-fall so that her human feet hit the ground. As the tall, shadowy figure chuckled from the darkness, she growled, her eyes narrowing.

"Come out of the shadows, you coward!" she yelled.

Pitch merely laughed. His voice carried on the wind, high pitched and ghoulish. "You are the one who is afraid." He cackled as he stepped into the dim light of the park's lanterns.

Lupa couldn't help but agree with him. She was afraid. She was afraid that he'd take her from the world, kill her, and there would be no one left to protect the children who found themselves lost in the forests and cities.

Pitch walked forwards slowly, his tall slim frame almost as sinister as the wide shadows that loomed around him.

"Get away from me!" Lupa screamed as he was almost upon her. She scrambled backward but was trapped by the bench.

"No. I shall do as I please," Pitch replied. He waved his hands, causing black sand to pour out and gather. Two horses formed from the sand, slowly approaching Lupa from either side, blocking any chance of escape.

"Have you made up your mind yet? To join me?" he asked.

"I would never!" Lupa yelled. Her eyes flickered back and forth between the two horses and Pitch himself. "Leave me alone!" She lunged at him in desperation, transforming into a large grizzly bear.

She swatted with her paws, letting out a loud roar as she got nothing but air between her claws. She paused, swinging around to see where Pitch fled to. His dark shadow stretched upon the grass, but otherwise, he and his horses had vanished.

Lupa returned to her human form, a scowl etched into her fair features. "Come out and fight, Pitch! Face me or remain the coward I now know you to be!" Her hands clenched, eyes searching the darkest corners of her clearing for the evil spirit.

Suddenly, black sand shot out of the darkness, wrapping around her body and binding her arms to her sides. Lupa growled for she knew that she could not shift forms while something had a hold of her. How could Pitch have known that? It was not possible.

"I don't think that you have a say in the matter, my dear." Pitch's voice echoed once again, and Lupa felt cold hands grip her body from behind. Long, bony fingers wrapped around her upper arms, shoving her forwards.

"You shall become mine. A faithful servant until the end of time."

Lupa felt the black sand slowly reach across her body, growling to cover a wider section of her waist and crawling higher to her collarbone and lower to her legs. It consumed her, like a disease spreading over her good health.

Fear filled her eyes as the sand bubbled up to her chin. It covered her legs down to her feet, just barely scraping over the spaces between her toes.

"Lupa!" Jack's voice called from afar. "Lupa, where are you?"

Lupa could hear it very clearly, but she could not reply, as the sand covered her mouth and if she opened her mouth the sand would pour in and would surely drown her. She grew weaker in Pitch's arms, his spindly limbs the only things keeping her upright. Her body fell limp against his chest.

She looked up, the only thing she could do as her entire body was numb. She saw Jack and Tooth flying closer. Behind them, North's sleigh soared, carrying North, Bunny, and Sandy. She struggled to smile, but as she did, a tear fell from her eye. She knew that they would not save her in time. Pitch was already vanishing into the shadows, bringing her with him.

Word Count: 1259

Posted: Saturday, February 25th, 2017

~CSP2708~