Human Order of Guardians: Howling Shadows Chptr 29

I slowly regained consciousness; the first thing I noticed was that I was no longer on the lake. The second thing was yelling and snarling.

My eyes flickered open and I saw that I was surrounded by black rock. There was a light source off to my left, coming from a hole in the cave ceiling. I raised my head to look over the black rock and saw Taboo, Pete and Samuel fighting.

Taboo danced between them, looking quite relaxed as she avoided attacks, I almost got the impression that she was enjoying this.

I struggled to my feet with an ice cane, my head aching and my legs feeling wobbly for some reason. My head shot towards the rest of the cave when I heard Samuel scream at an incredibly high pitch.

I saw that he was on the ground, with Taboo over him. I couldn’t see either of their heads, but it didn’t take much to work out what was happening.

“TABOO!”

She lifted up her head and looked at me, her jaws dripping with blood which was coagulating and freezing to her teeth quite quickly.

“You didn’t...”

“I did.”

There was snarl behind her and a wolf leapt onto her back. She tried to shake it off as it dug its claws and teeth in, breaking off chunks of ice which flew off in different directions.

I sent a blast towards it and it flew off her and behind some rocks with a yelp. Before I could say anything Taboo leapt after it. There was snarling and yelping, the latter of which quickly died down.

“Please don’t tell me you...” I felt numb. I didn’t want to believe this, I didn’t want to know that this had happened.

“Yes.” Came her unashamed reply.

“Why!? You didn’t need to do that!”

“THEY TRIED TO KILL YOU!”

“Doesn’t mean they have to die!”

“If they had lived they’d have tried again. I’ve done you a favour.”

I hobbled slowly over to the two bodies, trying not to throw up at the sight of their mutilated throats. I raised my arms up and their bodies rose on ice tables, becoming wrapped in ice. Once they were at eye level, I pulled up an oblong slab of ice in front of each table. On those slabs I used my power to carve their names and who they were Descended from.

The effort almost made me fall over and I leaned heavily on the cane, since I clearly hadn’t recovered from trying to control that snowstorm. I’d learnt my lesson with that, and I planned to never make and control a snow storm again.

“Do they really deserve that?”

I looked over at Taboo, whose head was tilted to the side and teeth was still stained red.

“Hard to say, but they were respected by those they led, they deserve something.”

I expected Taboo to scoff, but she seemed genuinely curious at the idea.

I was too tired for the situation to properly sink in, but I still thought to myself. Alfred’s going to kill me. If Jack doesn’t kill me first for the snowstorm.

With that done, we tried to find the way out. Trying to ignore the bodies so that I wouldn’t lose my last meal.

It was a hole leading upwards, which reminded me a little too much of Pitch’s lair. What I’d left behind in both instances also seemed similar and I shook my head to dislodge that thought. I climbed upwards on a pillar of ice, not sure I could skate up, and I noticed the air getting hotter and dryer the further we went.

I got to about half way when I could no longer take it. Taboo was also struggling, water dripping from her body.

We went back into the blissful relative coolness of the cavern and settled against the wall. Now we were back in the cool I no longer felt quite so tired.

“Looks like we’ll have to wait for a bit.”

“The alarm will be raised in the morning. You should sleep.”

I wasn't keen on the idea, given what was in the cave with us.

I glanced over at Taboo, who still had blood staining her pale blue/clear teeth.

I used my power to properly freeze the blood and had it break off her teeth, we didn’t need anyone seeing that.

“I’m a tiger, I’m supposed to kill.”

Doesn’t mean I have to like it.

“You’re the one who made me. Partially your fault, I could have been a little house cat.”

I chuckled, “Wouldn’t have considered it.” I said, filling in some of the gaps that got gouged out in the fight.

Taboo chuckled and I leaned my head against her neck and closed my eyes. I was so tired, both from the use of my powers, but partially from relief, which seemed out of place. I guess I was just glad that it was over.

I relaxed into Taboo and let myself drift off.



“Jackie, Jackie.”

I groaned and my eyes flickered open. I lifted my head from Taboo’s neck and looked up blearily at the person shaking my shoulder.

“...David, Billy?”

As my eyes were cleared off sleep I saw other familiar figures, Tina, Sally and Nigel.

“What on earth happened to you? We got a call from your parent’s hours ago. From the looks of your room you’d been attacked!” Cried Billy.

David stood a little ways back, looking solemn, I guessed that since Billy couldn’t control earth, he’d called someone who could to find me.

“Jackie, I am so sorry.” Said Nigel, standing about as far back as David, clearly unsure of himself.

“We thought Nigel had told you.” Said Tina, and it took a few seconds for me to register what she was on about.

“Oh, that.”

I got to my feet, using Taboo as support. My legs weren’t quite as wobbly as before, the rest having given me some of my energy back.

“You’re still angry about it, aren’t ya?” Asked Billy.

“I’m annoyed, since everyone thought it was a good idea to keep it from all of us. But you guys, you guys I forgive.”

Let’s not mention that fact that almost dying has put things into perspective. So what if they kept the reputation from me, it was better that I could forgive them rather than never seeing them again.

Sally, always the best in these kinds of situations, just walked over and pulled me into an awkward one armed hug.

“What about those guys that attacked you? Asked David.

I pulled myself out of the hug and nodded across the cavern.

“They’re over there.”

“What?”

“Don’t worry, they’re not doing anything. Taboo saw to that.”

“Your... tiger.” Said Billy uneasily, the Branch had met or at least heard about Taboo, but they were still getting used to her.

“Yeah.”

Billy’s curiosity got the better of him and he jumped over to the rocks. I heard him gasp and he backed up over the rocks.

“You do not want to see that.” He said warningly to Tina, who was going over. Tina opened her mouth to argue, then saw Billy’s pale face and decided against having a look.

“She’s a tiger, and no I didn’t know or agree to it.” I defended.

“You’ve gotta keep that thing on a leash.” Billy sounded like he was going to be sick.

“Those two tried to kill her.” Taboo growled, “My actions were completely justified.”

“And she says that her actions were justified.”

“Because they tried to KILL YOU!” She snarled, “Are you even going to mention that?”

“Something’s got her riled up.” Commented David, not looking all too surprised at Taboo.

“She’s annoyed because I didn’t mention the fact that they tried to kill me. Which I don’t remember.”

“They did what!?” All of them cried, the cave echoing the sudden shout.

“They were the leaders of the Descendants of Pitch and Lupine, I’ve pissed off both of them, but I never thought they’d attempt murder, apparently.” I explained as the echoes settled down, my ears ringing slightly.

“Not my fault you’re a heavy sleeper.”

“I did wake up! I got all the way to lake!”

“Then what? You fell asleep there?”

I scowled at Taboo. “That wasn’t what happened!”

“Please, I could smell the black sand. You got knocked out.”

“You know, your one sided conversations are weird as heck.”

I looked back over at David and my Branch, especially Billy who’d spoken. “Sorry.”

“Are you going to explain the conversation?”

“I’d have to explain the whole story for it to make sense.”

Billy sighed and ran his hands through his hair while Nigel shook his head.

“We’re just glad you’re alright. When we heard from your parents that you’d disappeared I thought you’d taken off after what happened earlier.”

“I didn’t, and I’m sorry for acting that way.”

“You had every right to. I was going to tell you, but... I couldn’t bring myself to.”

“It’s alright, I shouldn’t have stormed out. Or partially frozen the hall.”

“I don’t blame you for that.”

“Before you two start continuously apologising.” Said Tina, stepping in. “We had better get Jackie home, this can wait.”

Nigel and I nodded to each other, understanding each other.

I formed my cane to lean on and Taboo shrunk in size, leaping into my pyjama pocket.

We passed by the bodies and I flinched, since I was partially responsible for this.

“Are we just going to leave them there?” Asked David, raising his foot to form a Tunnel.

“We can’t exactly take them with us. We’ll tell their Descendant groups.” Decided Nigel, taking charge.

“You know they’ll blame us right?” Said Billy

“They should at least know. Besides, I think it’s obvious that I was involved.” I said, nodding to the ice tables.

“I suppose now the Heads can actually release the Descendants of Lupine? I mean their leader’s dead, they probably won’t be an issue.”

“Who knows what they’ll do.” Said Billy, still a little in shock.

We took one last at them and then disappeared down the Tunnel back to Burgess