Bunny hadn't given Pitch another moment to spill anymore of his lethal words. Once Jack had been in place he took off though the closest opening in the stone. He regretted it almost immediately as both his head and body protested the movement. Not that he paid them any mind. His vision was blurred and tilting sickeningly all over the place causing him to bump into more then a few walls but he kept going. His ears were doing overtime to try and make up for his lack of vision, but with his more then assumed concussion it was taking a few too many minutes to process any new information at any given moment. Twice he'd had to curl around Jack as they were sent sprawling on the ground.

Jack. The poor kid had been out cold up until he had started running. He cried out in pain and then panic as his face was pressed against warm gray fur. He struggled for a moment before either realizing it was Bunny, or the more negative possibility, stopping because he didn't care either way. He didn't let him think about that though. Panting heavily the Pooka careened through the ravine with the grace of a drunk seagull. When he could manage he would try to give a word of encouragement to Jack. To keep fighting, that they were going to make it. He wasn't sure if the other could hear him, but he said them anyway.

V_V_V_V_V

Why, oh why was it so hot? His body was weak and so far beyond sore it was a joke to describe it as such. But the heat. It was all over. He could feel an arm around his waist and something else, something that bit into his sides and back. What ever it was it was holding him against whatever was moving, whatever was so hot. He tried pushing it away once but that only made the pain worse. He had to stop, he had to. Where was Bunny? Wasn't he here before? Oh Mim, did he fade out? Is that what happened? Did he fade out and this was his punishment? This heat?

Jack whimpered as he and the form around him jolted suddenly. Whatever it was had come to a hard and most unpleasant stop. Although the constant motion of the brushing, tickling, scratching, heated hair around him was at least one thing he could take comfort in. It had stopped which meant things weren't going to get any hotter right? He wasn't sure how much longer he could last. He was sure that any moment now he would melt and be done with.

V_V_V_V_V_V

For the third time the Pooka had to pick both himself and Jack off the ground to keep going, running haphazardly through the labyrinthine trenches. He had been startled when the rabbit had taken off before but had quickly recovered. He summoned a few Nightmares to follow them, though he doubted he would really need them. The warrior, although normally unmatched for speed, was hindered by the lack of space and his own inability to keep his feet. That bump to the head had done more damage then he had first thought. And how perfect that was.

After another few moments the furry warrior and his charge came to a halt, this time before hitting or falling to the ground. The larger Guardian looked around in confusion at the wall of stone that met his sight all around him. The idiot managed to corner himself without any help from the Nightmares at all. The smile on Pitch's face grew wider still.

V_V_V_V_V_V

A dead end? How did that happen? There was a breeze from this way wasn't there? Or, was that from the right? Did he really just make a wrong turn?! He didn't have time for this!

"Lost?"

The fur on the Pooka's back rose. Pitch had found them already. Had he even managed to lose him before? Shit, there wasn't anywhere to go now. Bunny turned to look behind him where he was sure the other spirit had sprouted up. He was correct. Pitch and two...or four Nightmares stood in his path; the only path. Bunny growled under his breath in frustration.

From beneath him Jack groaned into his fur. Instinctively Bunny lowered and curled over him more, which caused the boy to tense and shift weakly with a broken whimper. Looking down sharply at the sound Bunny's eyes widened. Jack's face was partially visible as he was trying to pull away from the others fur. It was red with irritation in places where the hair had been rubbing during the escape attempt, but what was more alarming was the teen's color. He was flushed like before, only now his skin was what in others would be considered a healthy peach color. It was in no way healthy on a winter spirit though.

"Poor thing. Not doing too well is he?" Pitch asked with mocking concern, his head tilting just slightly to the side.

The glare Bunny mustered up was impressive given his current condition. The Nightmares behind Pitch whinnied, clearly as amused as their master. At some unseen sign they started moving forward and Bunny stepped back wracking his brain for some kind of plan. He couldn't fight with Jack on him, and he was NOT going to be placing the boy down in order to do so. However, there wasn't anywhere to run either.

Wait.

Bunny pulled his hand up to his holster, as if he were checking on Jack, and, yes, he still had them. His egg grenades. He had thought, with his nightmare, maybe he had gotten confused, but they were there. These he could use, close quarters or no, he believed he could get both himself and Jack out if the walls started to go. It was either this or-

Without another thought Bunny swiftly drew out his grenades, which seemed to surprise the Nightmares, and threw them. He didn't even wait for the air to clear before darting forward to get around the gritty enemies. He was about to start up yet another race through the maze of stone when something stopped him in his tracks.

"Forgetting something, rabbit?"

Before he could warn himself against it he looked back towards the Nightmare King. He hadn't moved an inch from where he stood before, his dark sand had been defense enough. Now though, in his hands was a long chiseled, ashen object. There were spots where it's original brown hue still shown through, but they were few and far between. Deep gouges and rough splinted edges lined its formerly smooth surface, much like Jack's own form. The sight filled Bunny with both a burning hate once more and a deep eating dread.

How were they ever going to fix that?

While Bunny had been distracted by the mere appearance of the object Pitch had taken to creating a blade of dark sand. His eyes snapped to attention though, when the other placed the blade before Jack's staff. Looking down at the damaged weapon with what could have been admiration Pitch ran the serrated surface of the blade over the relic once more. Bunny could feel Jack shiver against him, his breath catching in his throat in a choked gasp. With a quick reassuring squeeze Bunny sent a particularly dark glare at the other.

"You don't want to be doin' that, mate." Bunny's voice was threatening and low as he spoke.

V_V_V_V_V_V

"Oh? Don't I? I rather think I do." Pitch chuckled.

The Pooka's glare sharpened at the words and for a second Pitch thought the other might lunge at him and try to take the staff by savage force. Not that he needed fear such an attack, but the possibility of it happening was still...intriguing. The Guardian was about to say more, but was cut off as Pitch shrugged and made a show of tossing the blade behind him. It really wasn't necessary as it dissolved before it had even the chance of hitting the ground. It did make the action more dramatic though, and Pitch was going to milk this for all he could. His every move was being, or at least trying to be, analyzed by the other and even the smallest twitch set the older Guardian rigid where he stood.

"No need to worry. I won't cut anymore pieces off."

The Warrior watched the others motions, reading into his words for the hidden meaning. Even with a head injury the other was not dumb enough to think Pitch meant no further damage would come to the winter spirits' precious staff. He knew this simply meant something new would be it's tormentor next. He seemed to be in debate with himself with whether to question the other, to run again, or simply continue his heated glare.

Or, judging by his trailing hand, to fight.

"Using another one of your colorful grenades? Here?" Pitch asked, not in the least worried for his own safety, though curious as to the others lack of caution, "You are getting desperate aren't you?"

"Somethin' like that."

V_V_V_V_V_V

There was no way of getting out this unscathed. Pitch clearly had the board for this particular game in the palm of his hand. There was a single ace on the field and the most it could do was keep everything from tipping completely in Pitch's favor. It was better then the alternative, though that didn't mean this was going to hurt any less. He didn't know if Jack would ever forgive him, but he didn't have time to think about that, nor did he think he would have had the strength to consider it. There was no way to get the staff back now, even with it being so close. All the hope in the world could not change that bleak fact. It was with these thoughts that Bunny caved into their last feasible option.

North's dodgy snow globe.

Knowing that carrying two it wouldn't take him where he specified anyway he didn't bother whispering a destination. Pulling the sphere out completely the smirk on Pitch's face faltered momentarily as he realized what it was. Not wasting those small moments Bunny threw down the globe and prepared for the inevitable rolling and warping feeling that was sure to turn his stomach and cause his head to pound even more then it was now. The portal opened between the Guardians and the Nightmare King and with minimal hesitation Bunny went for it.

There was a sudden pull at his stomach, one he had been prepared for, but also one that he wasn't. Looking down Bunny's heart stopped as he realized Jack was slipping from his grasp. No, not slipping. He was being pulled away from him.

Too late.

He realized too late. He reached out to try and reclaim Jack, but it was too late. He was falling back, being pulled into the vortex that had been meant to save them both. But Jack wasn't with him. No, he was there, dangling painfully upside down from Pitch's outstretched hand. The dark King was grinning with a terrifying joy and all Bunny could do was scream out for Jack before the portal closed behind him.