The rich damp smell of earth and soil overwhelmed Jack's senses at first.

The winter sprite took a moment to wiggled his pale bare toes into the dirt beneath his feet before quickly following after the tall pooka who had continued to walk ahead.

The journey through the maze of tunnels took what seemed forever, and surely he'd have gotten lost on his own if he had tried to find his way by himself.

After a little while more they came to a stop at the entrance of the Warren.

Jack tilted his head in a mixture of confusion and curiosity, because now instead of an open cavern doorway as it had been once before; there now stood a large stone door with an array of oddly shaped runes and hieroglyphic like markings covering it from top to bottom.

All of which were carved deep and etched with such care into the stone's surface that it seemed to be so much more than that of an artist's steady hand that had carved them. There was just something much more meaningful and mystic about them that left the mind wondering.

Wide eyed the winter sprite looked it over in cautious appraisal and awe before blinking his eyes up toward the gray pooka hovering next to him.

Jack raised an eyebrow in question toward his companion.

Said pooka had been eying him out of the corner of his eye, his emerald gaze twinkling with badly concealed mirth and his muzzle twitching at the edges like he was laughing at a joke only he understood.

"So we gonna just stare at the pretty new door all day long ears? Or are we gonna go in?" Jack half grinned half smirked at the guardian of Spring who in turn snorted and placed a paw on the middle of the stone doorway.

Dead center was a circular panel with a paw shaped marking that fit the outline of Bunny's outstretched appendage perfectly.

The door lit up in a beautiful glowing array of glistening forest green magic.

Which in turn spread to the runes and markings like wild fire; the glow flowed up the walls and into the ceiling above them almost like a miniature Aurora Borealis.

The glowing light of the door gave off a thick blanket of warmth, in a mental hug of welcoming.

For a moment Jack stiffened as an unknown current of persistent magical energy that flowed and wove throughout his body from the door.

Dozens of goosebumps flooded his skin under his hoodie, he shivered at the feel of it all.

It hadn't been unpleasant, but startling very much so.

Nearly stumbling backward Jack held fast even tighter to his crook, "What in the name of moon was that?"

Stifling a laugh Bunny merely continued to smirk as the sound of a dozen locks clicking open at once filled the air.

Disappearing the door dissolved into faint magic particles hanging lazily about the air around them like dancing fireflies.

Jack could almost swear he still felt it all still buzzing away underneath his skin wildly.

"That frostbite, was the new security wards lockin' on tah yer unique magical signature and deeming ye not a threat tah me or me Warren." Explained the gray pooka as he grinned smugly before walking ahead into the lush green grass checking on several egglet plants on the way.

"Well you could warn a guy!" Jack rolled his eyes and snickered to himself as he followed, absently looking around with a fond smile tugging at his pale lips, "For a guy who doesn't really like surprises much, you sure like dishing them out!"

Huffing Bunnymund crossed his arms and stared down at Jack, "I guess yah just bring that part of me out then."

A few of the egg Sentinels moved toward the entrance of the Warren letting out a low droning humming chant of garbled lilting words Jack had never heard before.

What language was that he wondered, it didn't sound familiar in the very least and he'd been around the world quite a few times so he'd know.

Right before before his eyes the same glowing golden firefly looking magic then rose up out of the fields of the Warren rising up out of every budding flower and thriving plant; taking their energies seemingly before forming the new door locking the wards into place behind them.

"Whoa...you really amped up security huh? Guess you had no choice what with Pitch and all last Easter..." He trailed off and looked at the ground rubbing the back of his neck subconsciously.

Clearing his throat into his paw Bunny's ears twitched back against his head, he quickly tried to change the subject, "Well follow me then yah larrikin, if I leave you out here all by yer lonesome you'll end up fallin' in the color streams like that ruddy elf of North's."

"Oiiii I so would not! I'll have you know I'm very graceful and nimble on my feet Bun Bun! I kinda have to be with my job." The winter sprite spun in a circle on his tip toes to prove his point and stared at the pooka grinning from ear to ear, "But geez long ears you make me sound kinda hopeless, I'm not a kid you know."

Snorting in return Bunny just walked ahead, "I'm sure you'd find a way tah surprise me frostbite."

The undead teen sighed and simply trailed behind him for a moment trying to gather the courage inside of him to continue his train of thought, "Jack."

"Eh, wah?" Bunny blinked back at him.

Clinging more to his staff he looked up into the Easter bunny's surprised emerald eyes, "J-A-C-K, my name is Jack. I don't think I've ever heard you call me by my name. Being called frostbite is kinda depressing and hurtful seeing as it can kill people. I mean I know I'm a winter spirit and you're a spring one but...you know never mind..forget I said anything." He forced a smile that Bunny felt hurt to look at.

It made the pooka feel an odd sort of uncomfortable twinge in his chest as Jack's hope minimized right before his eyes.

Regaining himself he rolled his eyes before staring down at the undead teen, "An callin' me long ears, and a bloody Kangaroo ain't bad enough mate? I thought we both used to callin' each other nick names."

Heaving a sigh he began to rock back on his heels some and smiled that same sad smile that he always does that doesn't quite reach his sapphire blue eyes, "Gahh I guess you're right huh? Silly me."

Turning with a graceful pivot of his foot he looked around more closely at everything.

The last time he'd been here had lead to disaster and he hadn't really appreciated the loveliness of it all before hand.

Walking past Bunny he walked over to a beautiful big willow like tree, except the leaves were a mixture of lavenders and pinks, the trunk was a light mint green.

It smelled fruity and tickled at his nose a bit, but it felt almost right you know?

Kinda like...

His thoughts screeched to a halt.

Kind of like what he thought home might smell or be like.

But he didn't really have one of those.

At least he hadn't for a very, very long time.

Jack splayed his left hand across the base of the gnarls of the tree trunk it's self, making sure not to frost the surface at all he smiled softly this time close to a real one.

"This'll do." The sprite spoke up loudly over his shoulder.

"Eh? It'll do fer what?" Was the confused response from Bunnymund who was now trekking forward toward him.

Jack blinked, "My bed of course, this tree will do nicely! It's got pretty thick branches too so I won't fall too!" He marveled at it appreciation tinging his tone of voice.

The pooka only stared at him oddly as if he's spoken another language completely, "What are you talkin' about frostbite...I mean..." He trailed off not being able to call Jack his real name, it seemed to get stuck at the tip of his tongue.

"Um...well, back at my lake I used to sleep in the trees you know? Not many fluffy beds or proper housing near it to rest in when I'm tired." He laughed nervously at Bunny's horrified expression.

"Wait...wait just a tic, you mean tah tell me yah ain't got a home? Like no where at all tah stay?" Bunny stumbled over his words his brow furred and his eyes suddenly sad and regretful.

"Well...I have my tree by the lake but I guess that's not really considered anything special compared to what you guys have huh?" He shuffled his feet and clung desperately to his crook trying to avoid Bunny's heated gaze.

"...That...that changes now, you ain't sleepin' in a bleedin' tree fer fucks sake!" The pooka rumbled out as his ran a paw down his ears and over his face.

Looking startled by the sudden raise of voice and usage of curse from the usually snarky yet calm fellow guardian he gave pause, "But...then where am I going to sleep while I stay here?" He looked puzzled and looked around as if he would find an answer.

Shaking his head as if it pained him to explain this, the pooka simply wrapped a paw around one of Jack's lanky arms and began pulling/leading him down an uneven pebbled path; one away not too far from the color streams and egglet plants.

He mentally filed away that Jack seemed too skinny for his liking and he would be sure to fatten him up a bit while he was here.

"H-Hey, oiii at least explain! Don't tug, geez Bun Bun I can walk just fine on my own you know." He bit out.

But before Bunny could reply a small cottage like home coming directly up from the ground as if it was molded from the dirt it's self and not built came into view.

Jack let out a hiccuping snort because all he could think of was the lord of the rings movies/books and hobbits.

"You live in a hobbit hole?" He cracked up holding his sides making sure not to drop his staff in the process of his convulsions of laughter.

The Pooka's eyes narrowed in annoyed confusion not liking when he didn't know a reference to something, "A hobbit what now?"

"Oh long ears, we so have to get you a dvd player, we have a tonnnn of movies to watch! Soooo many movies and pop culture references that you need to see and learn! Surely you've read the books at least?"

Frowning Bunnymund wrinkled his nose.

Sure the pooka had read a lot of Terran(Earthian) books in his time but it had mostly been for researching purposes so as not to fall into a culture shock.

He shook his head and finally let go of his tight grip on the sprite's arm.

Jack snickered again and his lips twitched at the edges slowly, "We'll have to get you some of the books then, oh and maybe even the Harry Potter series! Gotta love wizards and magic, not to mention chocolate frogs."

The words "chocolate frogs" made the pooka eye him with a mixture of disgust and curiosity.

After all chocolate was his specialty.

"Chocolate frogs? Who in their right minds would make 'em?"

Literally bouncing with barely suppressed energy Jack inspected his companion's home in awe.

The winter sprite then turned to look back toward the home before him.

The cottage it's self looked as if it were grown from the ground instead of put together like a human one would be.

It was shades of deep earthy browns, and hunter greens stippled with ware from the sun.

Lazy rows of vines sporting several colorful looking flower buds covered it in entirety, but it looked homey and well lived in.

Something he couldn't remember ever having in the slightest outside the shadows of his childhood memory tooth box that he still hadn't unlocked all the memories of yet.

The door was a dark green almost brown, painted and maintained properly with care.

With lighter lime colored hinges and handle to open it.

"So is this your home?" Jack asked as he tilted his head in question trying to beat down the jealousy in the pit of his stomach.

"It's called a burrow, it looks smaller out 'ere but it's got lotsa rooms underneath underground." He spoke as he moved forward to open the door.

A small but lovely kitchenette came into view the walls painted a lively robin's egg blue, dozens of cooking utensils were strewn about with the mark of a seasoned cook but also a bachelor living alone without the time to straighten up.

To the right were stairs that lead downward, ones Jack could only assume lead to the bedrooms and maybe a workshop of sorts perhaps?

He wondered what the bedrooms would look like, would they be proper ones like Jamie and Sophie had?

Or would they be so different entirely that he wouldn't be able to recognize anything?

I mean rabbits lived in nests underground didn't they?

This was sorta kinda like that.

"Follow me, I'll getcha' situated in yer own room." Turning toward the stairs the pooka started to descend downward.

He blinked backward when he didn't hear Jack following, "Whats wrong-" but he trailed off when he saw that the usually happy and cheery face looked pale and shocked.

Bunny turned his head and squinted his keen emerald eyes downward at the sprite, and was that a the hint of tears at the edges of his blue eyes?

Fear and confusion surged through his chest as he turned around completely, "Frostbite, you okay?"

Blinking he shook his head like like a dear caught in the on coming head lights of a car in the middle of the night.

Before Bunnymund could figure out if the tears had been real or just a trick of the lighting Jack spoke, "I...um this is gonna sound real stupid."

His voice shook slightly wavering as he swallowed and his adams apple bobbed up and down in the middle of his throat with the weight of the thickness of his words, "But...are you really offering me...a...home?"

Emerald eyes soften slightly before hes snorted, "Geez is that what this is about? Yah bloody well scared me yah dill! Course I'm offerin' yah a place tah stay! Somebody's gotta keep an eye on yah that's fer damn sure."

Jack's lip wobbled slightly and he dipped his head down making his white bangs fall into his eyes, "I thought...wasn't this supposed to be...you know temporary for the warmer months?"

A stabbing feeling found it's way into his heart again as Jack's hope once again flip flopped but this time instead of growing smaller it steadily grew.

Daring to believe that the pooka's words were true.

"Come here yah cobber." Bunnymund rumbled deep in his throat.

Blushing some, or in his case turning a bit of dark blue while frost coated his cheeks Jack looked up his eyes glassy, "Eh? I don't speak Aussie slang kangaroo!"

His lips quirked up into an all too familiar smile of teasing playful banter.

Jack's walls were slowly erecting back up in his eyes masking how he really feels in an instant.

Snorting Bunny rolls his eyes, "It means friend, Jackie."

Startled again both by being called friend and the new nicer nickname Jack's mouth dropped open.

"Yah'll catch flies in yer gob that way."

The winter sprite glared back in kind, "Don't try and distract me Bun Bun! It wont' work!"

Smirking Bunnymund leaned against the wall and crossed his arms against his chest, "Mmmhmm, what ever yah say. Are we gonna just stay in me kitchen the whole day?"

Sputtering in embarrassment Jack shook his head and motioned for Bunny to continue to lead the way.

Snorting again Bunnymund turned and made his decent down the stairs.

The stairs creaked some but seemed strong despite the sound, a long hall forked at the end of the stairwell showing two pathways.

"Bedrooms are tah the right, left is me workshop/study. If you need anything and can't find me in the Warren, that's probably where I'd be."

Nodding Jack looked around curiously, as they angled left down toward the row of bedrooms.

"The green door at the end of the hall is mine, yah can pick any other room yah want." Bunny rubbed the back of his neck almost nervously.

Jack blinked, "I get to pick?"

He didn't know where to begin, so he decided on the room with the sky blue door nearest to Bunny's own room.

Hesitantly his hand grasped the knob, and the door creaked open with a small gust of dust making him and the pooka cough.

Bunnymund walked forward and waved his paw about him looking a bit embarrassed, "Ah...I haven't dusted in a few centuries...sorry 'bout that."

Moving past the undead teen, he walked into the room and wrinkled his nose, "Tad dusty...I'll go get yah some new beddin'"

Jack was silence he was absorbing the room's layout before him.

In the very center of the room was a full sized, or perhaps a queen sized bed. It was far bigger and longer in width that normal human beds, which led him to believe perhaps at one point in time it had been meant to accommodate someone of Bunny's height.

Smiling finally Jack pulled off the dusty sheets, he sneezed a bit as more dust hit the air.

"Tell me about it, dang Bun Bun seems like more than a few centuries of dust!"

Bunnymund's ears pulled back in more embarrassment, "Yeah well I 'avent 'ad much need fer guest rooms before..."

After a bit of cleaning up the room was less dusty and more breathable. A new downy blue bedding was on the bed, as well as a knitted navy blanket.

Running his fingers across the bed, Jack's eyes hooded momentarily, "Thank you."

The pooka's ears twitched some at the soft thanks, "It's jus' a bed Jackie...nothin' special..." He trailed off rubbing the back of his neck again, "Then again...seeing as yah got no experience wit 'em maybe it is a bit special."

"Well I'll let yah get settled. Come out if yah get hungry, should 'ave supper done soon." With that Bunny left the room leaving him to his thoughts.

Jack placed his crook beside the bedside table, before gently sitting down on the bed.

This would take some getting used to.

Everything seemed lovely and pretty darn awesome, but for some reason he had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. As if this was the calm before a storm of some sort.

Hopefully his instincts were wrong, and he was just disoriented at being in a new place.

Before he knew it he'd curled up clinging to the knitted navy blanket, the scent of honeysuckle, and other wild flowers filling his nose before he drifted off.