In the Dark - A Rise of the Guardians FanFic

One Shot - Panpipes (Pan x Pied Piper)

"You do not need to-"

"Why are you shivering, Pan? You're wearing three different pelts."

"Go."

"Show me."

The breath left him as she swirled her spear, driving the butt of it into his sternum with so much force he was sent flying back into the snow, ice spilling down the back of his shirt and making him gasp. Her weight fell either side of him and she leaned forwards, fangs bared. "You do not give orders. The next time you do, I will use the other end."

"I'm sorry," Piper murmured after a pause when he saw her hesitate. Slowly, he let a tender hand cup her face as her eyes widened before sliding to slip through her pelts. She froze up, a hand dropping to the dagger at her thigh as she felt his touch. When he drew it back, it was warm and a dark, sticky red. "That will need cleaning out and stitching."

"I will be fine." She told him, but continued to hesitate before she got up, biting her lip in pain. She staggered back a few steps, like a wild animal ready to flee. He doubted she'd get very far with the injury he'd felt, the giant gash in her side. Slowly, he got to his knees and backed up.

"Pan. I know who you are. It's midwinter. If you try and go out now you're going to get hypothermia." He'd heard Jak talk in awe about this fierce, frightened creature before him now. If half the tales were true, she knew exactly what would happen. If half the tales were true then she could kill him in a heartbeat and use his corpse to keep warm. "You know that. Please, come back to my cabin . It's warm, there's a fire, food. I can heal your cut. Trust me... please."

"No."

The loss stung more than it should have, especially as he'd never had any promise to begin with. Just as he was about to object, however, she whirled on her feet lightly in a swirl of pelts, and leaped lithely off int the snow, footsteps so quick and light even Piper lost track of them as he stared dejectedly at the darkening forest.

*

Piper forced himself not to rush home, instead whistling a merry tune that seemed to have the whole world around him warm slightly, ice thawing under his boots as he returned to his small, homely cabin, like something out of a fairytale. The light of the fire could be seen through the distorted windows, and he smiled slightly as he played the tune that unlocked his door, wiping his shoes and kicking them off.

He left the door wide open, but threw another log on the fire, snatching some of the blankets from his bed and crossing to the other side of the room to spread them out on the sofa. His cabin was meagerly furnished, made more for comfort and survival than luxury, but Piper had become attached all the same. It was all one room, a kitchen in one corner, a bed in the other and fireplace at the far end. Hanging on the walls were musical instruments of every sort.

Piper rummaged around in his ice box before pulling out a thigh of venison and inspecting it. If what Jak had told him was true... It wasn't fresh, but it would do. Dusting snow off it, he placed the meat on a board by the fire and put the kettle onto boil. Finally, after rummaging around after first aid supplies, he pulled down an acoustic guitar and began to play before the fire.

Within the hour, the feeling within the room changed utterly. The cold draught from the open door seemed to blow stronger, and the very wood of the walls around him began to creak as though the whole room was suddenly on edge. Piper didn't stop playing, nor allow the smile to show as he stared into the flames. "You can come in. It's not a trap."

There was no response, and he turned to see her hovering, ghost-like, at the doorway, bright fire reflected in her eyes, but otherwise pale as a sheet. She held her furs tightly around her, staring longingly at the fire, yet at the same time mistrustful as any wild animal.