I do not own Rise of the Guardians, or its characters

There stood Bunny.

Jack gasped and jumped to is feet, eyes glancing around for North. In all this green, you'd think you'd be able to see a giant blob of red. His eyes snapped back to Bunny as the Pooka advanced on him, the cold wind shifting again. But this time, Jack took a good look. Yes, it was Bunny- but it wasn't Bunny.

Aster's brilliant blue eyes were wide and unseeing, any and all indications of conciousness gone from sight. Eyes, usually so bright with ideas and the purest form of hope, are dark and deserted. Bunny shuffled, hardly picking his feet up, yet not making a single sound. Not for the first time, Jack feels a curl of fear settle in his stomach. Aster was just so big, especially when compared to his own thin frame. Jack takes a step back, hands instinctively positioning his staff in its defensive position, diagonally in front of his body, only to realize it's on the ground - a lot closer to Bunny, than it is to him.

And then Bunny was winding up for another swing, face a complete mask of blank numbness. His heart began ramming against his ribs, demanding to be let out so it could run, because his body was frozen to the spot. Aster's fist came within inches of his face, before the winter spirit could react.

"N-North!" Jack cried in alarm, ducking the blow and rolling. He grabbed his staff and jumped to his feet, swinging around to face Bunny-

only to see that he was no where in sight.

What? Confusion swirled in his head, making him almost dizzy. Heaving giant breaths, but not quite breathing, Jack twisted around and around, desperately hoping to find Aster. He couldn't have lost him so easily! He was just there a moment ago! The area began blurring together, before something red blotted his vision and stopped him from spinning.

"Jack! Why the scream?" North's hands held his shoulder firmly, almost tight enough to hurt, but it grounded him.

"I-I...I saw him, North. H-He w-was here," He said shakily, his hand looking like it was dribbling an imaginary basketball. His voice had barely warmed over horror coating his words, and his hands shot into the air, "But it-it wasn't him! His eyes...North, something's wrong. His eyes! They were...empty. Lifeless. North, what do we do?"

Jack realized this had more than made him frightened. He was petrified. The vast emptiness in his friend's eyes had shocked him, had put lead into his stomach and glass into his veins. If they couldn't fix that...

Was this what Sandy had meant?

While he had spoken, North's eyes had searched the immediate area. North waited until he had finished. "Jack? Tell me what happened as we follow him, da? Which way?"

Jack pointed behind himself, just over his own shoulder, and North dragged him along. "I-I was standing by the path, and heard a noise and saw a shadow. So, I watched it move because I didn't know what it was, or if it was dangerous...Anyway, I turned back and I got punched in the face! By Bunny. It hurt. A lot. Have you ever tasted pain before? Only, it wasn't Bunny. His eyes, North. I'm telling you-"

North pulled up short and cupped Jack's face in his hands, eyes searching intently. He heaved a heavy sigh. "Jack, you have concussion. That is why this is so difficult. We will find place to rest, and then go look for Bunny."

"No! North, his eyes! I'm telling you, something is wrong." Jack's hands grabbed onto Santa's coat. "We need to find him!"

.X.

The Pole...

"Do you think they're okay in there?" Tooth asked quietly as her mini-me's were buzzing around with reports. Sandy sent his sand on in his place, weaving it through the course from where he stood, at the center of three occupied cots.

For a moment, he didn't answer. Then, "They will be fine. Bunny is strong. North is smart. Jack is brave."

Phil was busy making sure they each had their own, fresh IV to help prevent dehydration. He was also telling the other three yetis what to do downstairs, to keep the Pole on schedule - or, at least, that's what Tooth thought she was hearing. Yetish was a harsh language, and even harder to understand on the better days. How North did it was beyond her. Though, he probably thought the same about her fairies.

She looked at the sand dancing above their heads, the way it was connected and its unusual glow and color.

"Sandy? Can you tell what's going on?"

Sandy shook his head. "This sand is not meant to be read."

"Are there any dangers in there?" Concern etched on her face and thick in her trembling voice. This was the first time their team had been seperated in years, and she was suddenly regreting the decision she had made to not go along. But...the children needed her there and so did her fairies. Baby Tooth wasn't equipped to handle all of it on her own for more than an hour or so - and who knew how long this would take.

With slumping shoulders and his back still to her, he replied, "It's Bunny's mind, Tooth. Dangers lurk everywhere."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "What does that mean?"

.X.

Somewhere dark...and cold...and forgotten...

"Alright." Pitch sighed. petting his horse, "Turns out, they've already met up with that rabbit reject. I'm going to have to start a little earlier than expected. Oh, well. Who said breaking a Pooka was easy? Just look at all I did to him, and he's still standing! Can you believe how arrogant he is?"

The Nightmare Sand snorted, tapping the ground with glowing eyes.

"Perfect," a smile stretched across Pitch's face with a sick sort of delight. "We'll start with the Pookian War of Ages."

.X.

"War?" Tooth whisper hoarsly, sounding like a gasp. "What do you mean a war wiped out most of the Pookian population before they relocated to the Warren permanantly? How doe you know this, Sandy? Did Aster tell you?"

The room around her seemed to tilt, a low buzz at the very edge of her hearing. But Sandy still didn't look at her.

.X.

Pitch's smile twisted into something nasty, as he seacrhed through the cloest memories of the War through his victim's eyes.

"Oh, poor little Elizian Aster Bunnymund." He snickered. "Only fifteen, and sent off to the battlefronts in place of your crippled father. And then, the blood on your hands becuase you were on the front lines...Ah, such memories!"

But then his horse stamped its hooves on the cobblestone, shaking its inky black mane.

Pitch's eyes narrowed. "You're right. Sandy isn't stupid enough to let them wonder around unprotected." He dropped into a near-by chair, all liquid grace and a hand cupping his chin. "But Old Magic can be unpredictable at best. If he's using most of his concentration on keeping them linked, and the rest for those annoying brats' dreams, he won't notice my presence. Still, I don't want to take unnesseary chances." A grin found its way back to his lips. "Go and spread a little more fear through the cities so he has to lead a little more of himself twoards the children. Being the noble Guardian he is, he won't allow himself to let children suffer - even if its for his friends."

He watched as his little creation shot out of his lair, eyes glowing in the darkness.

"I wonder if Sandy lnows how one's memories operate. Afte rall, its nothing but patch-work. If you trip, you could fall into another place and time in their sub-concious. If you stop moving for too long, the area around you changes."

.X.

In Bunny's Head...

North had managed to calm the by down - and that's what he was, a boy. No matter what Jack tried, he was but a boy. He was young and kind and caring - good, honest qualities that he saw in most every Gaurdian within their ranks. They reached a compromise. They would keep walking in the direction of Bunny's retreat, but if Jack got tired, he'd tell North.

Jack had been spooked by Bunny, North knew. But he was also focused on how to shock their friend awake. He wasn't sure there was much that could quip Bunny's interest, let alone shock him very badly. Memories weren't a shock, nor was fear - they were there for a reason. They had to think of something, and quickly. They had no idea when they would meet up with Bunny again. As they walked, the forest around them quieted as night settled. They would have to stop soon, because they had no light to use once the darkness would settle for the night.

Up ahead, North could make out a cave. They would have to bunk there for the night. He looked over his shoulder to see Jack shuffling along, eyes drooping. North felt a real smile, though tired and tried, grace his lips. He knew how Jack felt. Today had been long and trying. Tomorrow would be just as bad, in its own way.