Chapter six: The Cold Flower of blossoming hearts

In a Garden deep-down the surface a mythical creature cares for the flora that shines there. Carefully wrapping the flowers almost in bloom in delicate capes of magic, cheering them and encouraging them to glow with enough force to make every spirit be breathless, "in special the one in white" the creature thinks for itself.

Soon it will be time to show that spirit the powers that flowers and new beginnings truly mean.

From afar a silhouette watched silently how a queen and a Cossack shared a cup of tea after dinner.

Jack was more than happy to see Tooth and North together in peace, it made him feel happy for no apparent reason and he wondered how it could be if he sat right between them sharing the moment. But he sighed heavily and tried to concentrate on what was doing; it was just a dream he had in his insane part of his brain…yeah that was it.

Moving a little behind the window of the main room he fixed his eyes back at his ice sculpture, trying to define in a better way the details of North's beard and the small circlets that Tooth's eyelashes had. Wind threw away the small fragments of ice that were no longer needed and ruffled the boy's hair.

"Do you think that Bunny is up?" he asked softly and was answered by a small tug of his staff, Wind did think so, so laughing a little he flied over the clouds in search for the Easter Bunny and his marvelous sets of paints.

Softly, caring and happily the creature smiled at the beautiful bud that was growing just at the middle of the beautiful garden, it whispered at the flower to be that it had to be strong as her sisters, colorful as people's emotions and most important, that it may grow with the hope of a better world. "Oh, so much better".

Jack flied over some bushes trying to decode were Bunny's holes were located. Tapping the ground with his staff he heard carefully, one and two and three seconds, then proceed with the next part, until behind a small tree in a clear a small hole that carried the smell of flowers burst from inside his nostrils and Jack smiled.

Being as silent as he could, and whishing the Warren hadn't noticed him, he slid through de tunnels towards the nucleus of the place. Being guide by the wind and the smells he ran, jumped and finally landed in the middle of a beautiful clear, with a small river on a side and the paths that he and the Guardians had to follow when they were trying to paint the eggs on that fateful day. His eyes darkened and he shut his eyes, it still hurt remembering the faces, his emotions, the past that had never showed him kindness.

So long ago he had been a ghost that brought chills down the spines of people, a whisper that accompanied snow, he had been a death corpse riding the wind for first time. Without noticing the temperature of the Warren was dangerously dropping and small circles of ice started forming below Jack's feet.

Normally, these small iced circles would be only a gasp of Jack's power, but due to the increased of power that Jack received since so many kids started believing in him it started to went out of control. And slowly the circlets started to become solid and expand as the winter spirit thought about the past.

"Mate!"

Bunny's shout echoed through all the place and Jack snapped out of his thoughts as the angry Pooka run in an angry manner towards him.

"Bunny…" he whispered, as another image filled his mind, Bunny's face was the perfect copy of the one he had when he had been about to punch him. All his muscles tensed and he stepped back and closed his eyes, pressing tightly his staff against his chest.

"What do ya think ya are doing?" asked Bunny

"I-I was…"

"You were what? Trying to destroy the fricking place?" he asked giving him a scowl "What's wrong with you frostbite?" he said, pushing him backwards.

"I'm sorry…" he tried to make the Bunny relax but he was too frightened by the memory of the nearly punch in his face to think something to do.

"Oh, Now ya'r sorry, uh Well guess what, I don't care" he kept pushing him backwards "You can't show ya'r ugly face and make a mess just fer fun!"

"Hey!" snapped Jack; shoving away Bunny's paw "I didn't come here to be insulted by you, ok? the ice was an accident!"

"Oh sure it was an accident, of course it had to be, because YOU are an Accident that should had neva happened mate!"

Jack's widened in shock and his mouth fell open trying to answer, trying to come up with anything with little success

"Ya keep being a nuisance! ya just froze half path of my Warren! You were only useful when that bastard of Pitch attacked!" Bunny stomped into the floor "Just ge6t out of my sight! Give me a breath for fuck's sake!"

"I-I.."

"Ya what? Ya want to apologize? Well that's too bad because I don't want ta see ya anymore!" and once again he stomped the floor, opening a hole just under him and leaving the kid behind. "Shame yar a Guardian".

Even if the last part was a mere whisper Jack heard it and let himself fall through the tunnels. He felt more hurt than anything and he just wanted it to end.

North was greeted the next morning with a statue of Tooth and himself placed carefully over his desk.

Bunny was greeted with the most silent Warren for over a week.

And Jamie played with his friends and Jack all over the week, having snowballs and haring stories from the winter spirit.