G/T YouTubers (One Shots and More)

Thunder (Mark and Jack) (TEASER)

He screamed as the sharp claws came in contact with his body again. The cat fell to the ground and landed on its feet, but Jack was paralyzed, yelling in agony. He felt blood stain the shirt beneath his suit as gravity worked against him, and he felt even worse than before. He licked his cold blue lips and tried to resist the urge to scream again. Instead, a pained groan escaped his tongue, and he saw the black cat coming up the tree again. He watched it desperately, praying that this wouldn't be how he died. Already his vision was starting to get blurry, and Jack was feeling very tired. The cold suddenly seemed nonexistent, and all Jack wanted to do was sleep.

But before the panther could attack again, the world suddenly shook violently. Jack gasped for breath as he was bounced in the wind, and the cat froze before lightning suddenly tore the sky and zapped one of the mushroom trees, and it burst into greedy white flames. 

Mark's eyes immediately snapped onto the forest as white flames erupted in the trees. "Issen fÿre!!!" He yelled, sounding the alarm. Issen fÿre, or Ice Fire, was a type of fire that burned so hot that not even the Frösting could smother its greedy flames. Its center burned with a tint of blue, but the outer edges licked white hot tongues that now devoured the forest and started to spread.

The camp quickly came to life as the warriors stumbled out of their tents. Children wailed as they were comforted by their mothers, and Mark could hear Kathryn already barking orders for the fÿre brigade. He felt Ethan swiftly come to his side.

"How bad is it?" Ethan squinted at the rolling cloud of white smoke.

"Bad." Tyler came up to them.

"We need to isolate the fÿre and stop it before it reaches our border," he said.

"Cha, of course." Ethan sprang away to help the others collect water buckets. Tyler turned to Mark.

"Is there anyone out of camp?" He asked solemnly. Mark shook his head.

"No." But he hesitated. Earlier, just before the storm had unleashed its hot fury, he could have sworn he had heard screaming. "But I'll check," he added, "Just in case. But if it's just a mimic, I'll come straight back." Tyler frowned.

"Are you sure we shouldn't just roll call?" He asked. "It would be much less dangerous than gallivanting into the heart of an issen fÿre." Mark shook his head quickly.

"No, no I'll be fine," he insisted, "Besides, I don't get burned, remember?" Tyler looked back at the fretting tribe, and then he nodded at Mark.

"Just remember," he advised, "You do not have full control of your powers yet. Do not risk temptation, and stay out of the flames as much as you can."

"I will!" Mark turned and ran toward the forest fire. It was already much worse by now. He could hear the crackling and popping as sap burned, and as he reached the borderline of the trees he unhooked his bow and quiver and tossed them into the grass. As soon as he entered the trees, Mark felt the temperature jump. Droplets evaporated in the presence of the furious fire, and Mark spied the edge of the issen fÿre just up ahead. With a deep breath, he charged through the white flames, and he was swallowed up by foggy smoke and hellish light.

Jack, meanwhile, groaned before coughing violently. The panther-like creature was long gone, fled, but he was stuck. Stuck in the heart of the forest fire. Fog filled his lungs and dried his insides; hot, grackling flames made his blood run harder; and he was still in agony.

I'm gonna die, aren't I? He asked himself groggily. Through his delirious vision, he could see the flames edging closer to his tree: Soon, they would engulf the wood and turn him to ashes. He didn't have much time left. How strange, for the weather to turn from ice cold and rainy to hot and burning in the passing of a second. Jack couldn't wrap his head around it, but then again his blood was steadily draining from his ripped flesh, and his weak pulse pounded in his ears.

Jack tried to wriggle his feet and yelled out in pain. If he fell, he would snap his neck. If he somehow survived the drop, he would have to combat mother nature. And he knew he was way too weak to even make it that far. He wanted to close his eyes and pass out before more pain could come to him, but he couldn't tear his gaze away from the flames. They were beautiful. They flickered in the dark moody sky and danced in the wind, blinding Jack with their insidious light. He felt his muscles unwillingly relaxing as he slumped into a paralyzed gaze, turning numb. But as he watched, the flames suddenly wavered and took the shape of a gargantuan man. Jack's breath hitched, and he watched with breathless awe as a giant figure emerged from the fire.

Mark coughed and waved at the smoke. It was hot in here, even for him. The fire licked at his body, but it didn't burn him; he couldn't be burned, it was a gift from his ancestors. He looked through the flames and caught a faint scent of salt. He frowned and tasted the air; through the heavy fog and tumultuous winds, he could smell blood. He followed the trailing scent and entered a small clearing that had not yet been incinerated. At first, his eyes passed over the snare tree, but then he turned and found himself meeting a strange creature's veiled gaze.

Mark froze. He felt a chill shoot down his spine. The ensnared animal looked so... strange. Blood stained its pelt, but a weird black bubble covered its head. Its skin was shiny and silver, and it was dangling pathetically from a snare the hunters had set the day before.

Jack wasn't conscious enough to feel frightened. He felt numb and dazed with awe. The native studied him with flabbergast as he in turn absorbed a few tidbits. He recalled wondering why this strange man was so big, why he was covered in tattoos, and why was he wearing animal skin? Why was he here? Was he a hallucination? Were the flames toying with him? There were so many questions that would later resurface, but now Jack was losing his grip on reality. The sight of a gargantuan man emerging from the holy fires, unharmed, perplexed him too greatly.

As Mark cautiously approached, he heard the small thing groan as its head hung. Worry sparked fear, and he snapped out of his apprehension and approached quicker. He hurried up to the snare and reached up, putting his hand under Jack and breaking the rope effortlessly. Jack collapse in his hand, fitting perfectly, and Mark winced as he heard the tiny man groan again and ever so weakly stir. This is what was screaming before, Mark suddenly realized. He carefully rolled the diminutive human over on his stomach, and his pupils constricted when he saw the scarring wounds that covered the backside.

He muttered a curse, and his head snapped up when he heard crackling. His eyes widened as a flaming branch fell, and he held Jack to his chest as he rolled out of the way. I've got to get out of here! Mark cradled the mangled body with both hands to shield him from the flames and charged through the white nightmare. He coughed and ducked his head, keeping as low under the throng of smoke as he could while running through the burning trees. The issen fÿre had gotten bigger, hungrier.

Jack felt so still in his large hands, Mark was worried that the poor creature, whatever it was, was already passing into the next world. He spied an open space up ahead and churned the ground harder. Hang on líten häna, almost there! He jumped through the flames and tumbled out of the forest fire. He coughed and lay on his back, breathing hard. They were out. He made it. They were alive. Mark closed his eyes and smiled as the rain poured over him, washing the soot off his face. But then he remembered his objective and sat up, looking down at the strange creature. It was barely breathing. Mark could feel Jack's heart faintly beating, and he quickly got up.

I need to get it to Amy. He spotted his bow and quiver where he left it and slung them over his shoulder. As he hurried away from the issen fÿre, he couldn't take his eyes off of the shiny creature limp in his hands. Should I tell Tyler? He suddenly wondered. It'd be easier if I didn't. Just say that I didn't find anyone, and not trouble him with my sympathies. Mark felt a small prickle of guilt, but he pushed it away. It was the truth. Tyler had other things to worry about anyway.