Jeremiah had suggested a trap, once upon a time. That Rabbit was having trust issues these days didn't change the fact that it was a decent idea. His only concerns arose from the fact that he had never been able to discern exactly what had broken in all those weeks ago. Had it been some lost otherbaby just having a bit of innocent fun, or was it a spy for someone who had wanted his kids to die even then?

In the end, he decided he would handle this with something both magical and humane that he and the sirens could build together. It would be the perfect opportunity to tell them of the danger they were in, as well as assure them that he was on top of it.

"Nev? Sy?" Rabbit called as he passed their room, well aware that they were in there. Considering how much trouble he'd had getting them to stay put a few months ago, now they were champs at it, the faint worry in their eyes when they looked at him these days a clear indication that they knew something was up. At least they wouldn't be in the dark about what it was after today.

"Hey, Dad!" Nev chirped, hopping to his feet and crossing the room for a hug. Sy was slightly slower, though she was smiling when she reached him, twining her arms around Rabbit as well.

"Are we going to the other side?"

"How did you know?"

"You've got a bag full of stuff?" She didn't elaborate, but it seemed like as good a reason as any to guess they were taking a trip to the otherworld.

"Well, we are. Pack up anything you'd like to bring and we'll get going. Unless you want something from here, we'll probably eat at court."

The sirens nodded in unison, and exactly twenty-eight minutes later, they were all crossing over into other Ashdown. A short time after that, Oroh greeted them at court with hugs for the children and a nod for Rabbit.

"Lord Bennett. I have something I would like to discuss with you when you have a moment?" The weeks since their fight had been different, cooler, but he felt a little of the old Oroh in how she spoke to him now, and Rabbit's heart was a bit lighter as he nodded back, in spite of everything.

"Yes. I'll find you soon. We're making a magical trap for that thing in the house today, if you want to stay?"

She shook her head. "I'll leave you to it."

Rabbit nodded, leading Nev and Sy to the living room and opening up his bag as they chose spots to sit. Inside there were six thin sheets of wire fencing, several springs, and a heavy latch. Anything else they would need he could whip up himself.

"I thought we'd start with these," he said, holding up the fences. "But if you've got other ideas..."

It took no time at all for them to finish what they had come here to do, the cage they whipped up well suited to its task. And that only left his news, which he really didn't want to share. Rabbit stalled until they had packed up their trap and everything with it, and then he motioned the sirens closer, ruffling their feathery hair when they got close.

"I found something out that you guys need to know," he said, motioning for them to sit again. "It's kind of scary, but it's up to the grown-ups to be scared, not you. You just need to keep an eye out and let me know if you notice anything suspicious." He certainly had their attention now, even though it had been earned by intrigue rather than self-preservation. "Will you do that?"

The children nodded in unison, their odd eyes wide.

"I've told you that you were made to guard the otherworld, right? To prevent it from being destroyed."

They nodded, Sy right away and Nev a bit after that.

"Well, I... I just found out what that means. Your job is to guard the cage. Where I came from there's a kind of barricade on magic that makes the world restart over and over again. All the restarts are called cycles. Humans end up in different bodies and related to different people. They don't remember anything about who they used to be. And some people are trying to stop the cycles and break the cage. Since you're meant to keep that from happening, those people might want to break... you."

Now Nev looked frightened, though he was trying very hard not to be. Rabbit motioned him closer, circling an arm around his shoulders as the peacock balled up behind his feathers.

"Like I said, I'm not going to let that happen. First we're going to catch the thing that's been in the house, then we're going to put up some magical protection things, and then I'm going to teach you magic." Or at least he was going to try. Either way, they'd end up safer than they were now. "Everything's going to be all right, okay?"

They nodded again. Nev looked slightly less pale.

"Good. Now let's go catch a whooliwhatsit."