A/N: I don't particularly like this chapter? I dunno. Pitch is an interesting character to write, and I'm not sure I captured his creepiness enough. Oh well.
May 29th
Hard-working
The murky olive green river started to get faster the higher up in the Warren the duo walked.
Though he wasn't tired, Jack found himself asking, "This is 'a bit further up?" Honestly, if Bunny would just let him fly there, he could have been done already.
"Yes. And no, ya' can't fly there. There's too many trees in this part o' the Warren. Plus I'm pretty sure that one elf that won't leave lives somewhere up here. He bites."
Jack grinned, "Aww, you do care."
"Shut it Frosty." Bunny replied.
"You didn't deny it!" Jack sung, nudging the Pooka's shoulder. Aster rolled his eyes again, but didn't say anything and watched as Jack's smile grew even wider.
Bunny paused as they neared the bend in the river, "Here we go. This is the spot I need frozen."
The winter spirit raised his eyebrows at the sight in front of him, "I can see why." As the liquid paint turned the corner of the river (staining the grass yellow with the spray), it started to turn into the evil looking color he'd seen further downstream.
"This bend is moving too fast for me to find out what's going on. Think ya' can do it?" Bunny questioned.
Jack sighed a bit, "Obviously."
"Okay, okay. Sheesh, don't bite my head off." Aster grinned to take the bite out of his words, but it soon disappeared when he noticed Jack frowning. He thought about asking why – he'd been fine just moments before – but decided not to for the moment.
The winter spirit moved closer to the bank of the river, curling his toes into the grass and watched as the paint rushed along. He muttered to himself, trying to figure out the best way to do it.
"Probably best to freeze from here up . . . then it'll slow everything down . . . Hey, Kangaroo?"
"Yeah mate?"
"How much further up is the spring or whatever?"
"Not too far, just beyond those trees up there," Aster gestured, "Comes up from underground. Got a natural hot pocket there, heats the pain just enough to melt it a bit. Makes it perfect for paintin' the googies."
Jack nodded distractedly, "'Kay, you may want to move back a bit. Gonna get a bit chilly in here."
Blue eyes closed in concentration as he reached his staff out and pulled on the winter magic inside him. The paint crackled and froze, sparkling magic racing along the river and toward the trees Bunny had pointed out earlier. A moment later the paint settled, creaking loudly.
Jack stepped back and blinked. Aster smiled and clapped a paw to his shoulder, "I think that'll do! Give me a mo."
The winter spirit nodded in agreement, sitting on the ground. It would probably take him a moment to recover from using that much magic in a place as springy as the Warren . . .
"Jack . . . mate? Ya' okay?" Green eyes looked on in worry as the boy spirit shifted in the grass, eyebrows scrunched up and mouth frowning. When he climbed out of the creek with the malfunctioning paint bomb that he swore he'd thrown away weeks ago, he hadn't expected his guest to be asleep, let alone having irritable dreams. Carefully, he put a paw on Jack's shoulder and tried to shake him awake. He didn't respond much, other than kicking a leg out.
"Jack? C'mon mate, wake up. I'm all finished. Ya' can head back now."
Nothing. He was starting to worry just a bit. Using that much magic shouldn't have knocked him out. Right?
Behind him, the ice started crackling, melting in the heat of the Warren.
"Jack?"
"You know, he's not going to wake up," a silky voice behind Bunny made his fur stand on end. He twisted around, boomerangs already in position. Pitch crept along the bank of the river, hands behind his back and an evil, Cheshire cat grin on his face.
"When I last checked, the two of you were rather opposing forces. Imagine my surprise when I observed you chasing and playing like children! Why, one might think you actually cared about Jack!"
"How did you get in here?" Bunny bared his teeth, snarling the question.
Pitch glanced toward him, "Oh, it was quite easy. Your newest Guardian is quite interesting. He likes to pretend he's unafraid, but he fails quite miserably." He paused in front of a tree, turning to face the furious Pooka. "I may not be at my full strength, but it's quite easy to follow someone that afraid of their own co-workers."
That made Bunny freeze, "What do ya' mean?"
Pitch chuckled, "Oh, isn't it obvious?" He paused and looked at Jack, who was clenching his staff with a death grip. "I would have thought you'd have figured it out by now."
Bunny was beyond furious at this point, "I don't care, but if ya' are not outta my Warren in two seconds, you are dead."
"Alright. Just keep that in mind, Pooka." Pitch held his hands up in a mockery of honesty before fading into shadow.
Jack stirred, sitting up and looking up at Bunny with a confused look on his face, "Hmm? You okay Cottontail?"
Green eyes met his and he was slightly worried at the look on his face.
"Yeah mate. You?"
"Fine. Why?"
Aster thought about it, "Nothing. Just worried for a moment there. Ya' wouldn't wake up."
"Oh . . . Sorry, I was tired. Guess I should've done that a bit more slowly. Did ya' get the river all figured out?" Jack questioned, climbing to his feet.
"Yeah. Just a paint grenade. Got in there somehow. Probably that stupid elf."
Jack grinned, trying to dismiss the tension in the air. He didn't know what happened when he'd dozed off, but it obviously wasn't good. He felt fine now – better than he had all day. Obviously Bunny didn't.
