Chapter 47

**Cree**

*Four Years Ago…*

In my life, I have seen many things. As I am a unique creature here in Wonderland I see a lot more than most do. I can hide in plain sight and go places no one else can, but I could not find Alice when she didn’t return. Even traveling to the human lands I didn’t find her. It was as if she had disappeared. Now I’m standing in front of her and she’s a grown woman. A very beautiful woman at that, but there is a clear darkness inside her.

The eyes give it away, and the voice but there is more. I don’t see her under all that and it is unsettling. Alice had been so different, she had accepted Wonderland like none other. She didn’t look at it as an escape from her world but as a part of herself. This was her home.

I glance at the Caterpillar and see him glancing between me and Ali-Alicia (that’s going to take some getting used to) with slightly widening eyes. As if for the first time he realized that Alicia had claimed us long before now. She was young but was meant for so much more. I’d seen how different she was but she was young and humans are fickle. They change their minds in a flash, so I kept what I had predicted to myself. I had this feeling that one day she wouldn’t want to go to the human world and would decide to stay here, with us.

“How can I possess something and not know it?” Alicia asks.

She keeps tilting her head at an angel as if she’s confused…again. It’s cute but a little sad too.

“You knew us once and I knew you would always be a part of us…and Wonderland. But something changed. You disappeared. I went searching for you, but I couldn’t find you anywhere.” I tell her but glance at the Hatter and Caterpillar as well.

“I see. Who took my memories?” She asks.

She’s lowered her eyes to the floor but her body has tensed and I can see clouds of rage all around her. Being what I am I can see a lot that others can and hate and anger are radiating off her.

“I can’t be sure. As I said I hadn’t seen you…until now.” I tell her.

“We can figure all that out later. For now, Cat, can you get us out of here?” The Hatter asks.

I turn to look at him over my shoulder and smile. “Of course dear fellow but do you wish me to? If I do you lot will be hunted. There will be no peace until you are found and beheaded.”

“Nothing I haven’t experienced before.” The Hatter says looking at his nails in a nonchalant way.

He plays cool but I can see his anger just as clearly as Alicia’s.

“No doubt. However, think of the advantage we have here. We can work to find out the truth about where Alicia had been held all this time, and even more about what the Kingdom of Spades has planned. Then we can sell that information for protection. Easy!” I say with a shrug.

The Caterpillar lets out an unamused chuckle. “Easy is it? The only way the Walrus would release us is if we swear our allegiance to him, and that will never happen.”

“Why not? If we agree then whoever buys what we know will kill him and we will be free.” I offer in reply.

“And if your plan doesn’t work?” He asks.

“Then we figure out something else. I am a well of ideas!” I smile proudly and he rolls his eyes.

A childish reaction but I don’t say so.

“Or I could simply kill him,” Alicia says, her black eyes are back on me.

Although I adored her as the wide-eyed child she had once been, this dark side of her is…appealing. I let my eyes take her in and even though her clothes are nearly shredded and she looks as if she’s been nearly killed she is stunning. In all of my existence, I have never seen a creature quite like her, and I have known many beautiful women.

“Tsk tsk little Alicia, that will not do. As much as I would love to see you unleash that madness inside you we must be practical. Killing him would also make us a target. He is the tacklicle advisor to the King and the King will not take lightly to us killing his pet.” I tell her.

She scoffs. “It would be far easier just to kill them all.” She mutters.

I can’t help but smile at her slight pout as if not being able to kill anyone is upsetting her. Once again I have to admit I am besotted by her the longer I am in her presence.

“Indeed, but I’m afraid, not advisable. For now, let us make a better-“ My words die off when Alicia starts to blink rapidly. “What is going on?”

“Oh dear. She’s coming back. This was the longest she had stayed like that, but she always goes back to…” The Hatter’s words haunt when Alicia stares with wide eyes.

“No…no…you can’t…he will kill us all…all…kill…all…” She mutters before she begins pacing across the cell she’s in.

I watch her carefully and notice her eyes fluttering open and closed and her lips moving even though no sound leaves them. “Very peculiar,” I say.

“They have destroyed her mind. Unless that dark creature is brought to the surface she acts like this. They have broken her mind.” The Hatter says.

“No,” I say and step closer to her.

It may be a bad idea to break them out, but that doesn’t mean I can’t go to her. I tug on my magic and wrap myself in the clouds of my power. My body disappears but I can see just fine and with a blink I’m standing next to Alicia forcing myself to reappear. Now that I’m closer I can hear that she is in fact talking but it had been so soft that I was too far away to hear.

“I can’t get out…I’m stuck…no…how? How can I free you?…there are others. They need help, but I can’t help them…no…you must not…please don’t go…”

From what I’m hearing it sounds like she’s talking to someone.

“She’s speaking to someone,” I say aloud.

“She pushed into my mind somehow and was babbling just like this. So much so that I nearly went mad listening to her.” The Hatter says. “I think she’s talking to herself.”

I shake my head. “No that isn’t it. There is someone else here she’s communicating with…but where? Hold on gents I’m off to investigate.”

Before my oldest friends could say a word I disappeared again and remained in this form as I traveled from room to room in this circular prison. The others were only one room while this one consisted of many little cells. Two of the others were empty but then I felt it. A strong but old magic and I let it pull me to the source. When I appear in the cell I’m stunned by what I see. It is a creature standing erect like a man but is covered in fur making it look more ape-like. In my travels through the human world, I had only seen this picture in drawings.

It’s called a Satori. A creature with the ability to read minds. Being that he was a legend there was only speculation about its abilities. One thing was for sure was the mind reading but he could have possessed so much more humans did not know of. As I said he was just a legend to them.

“W-what…you…here?” He growls.

The words are choppy and barely understandable. He seems to have picked up some sort of English no doubt from his mind reading.

“The Cat of course,” I say with a smile and a bow.

“Alicia’s cat actually. She is my dear one, and she seems to be in a bit of a mess. She has been traveling through minds and it’s caused her to be a little mad. Except that isn’t it at all, is it? She’s talking to you.” I tell him.

His completely black eyes remind me of Alicia and I wonder…

“Is she like you now? Did they do something to make her like you?” I ask him.

He makes a grunting sound. “Hurt…girl…” He points to himself but I’m not sure what he means.

Did he hurt Alicia or was she hurt because of him?

“You hurt her?” I ask.

He nods. “Men take…give to girl…” With one of his very sharp claws, he cuts into his sin and black blood appears. “Give girl…” He says again pointing at the cut.

Well well…now that is something.

"They gave your blood to her," I say and he grunts again in the affirmative.

Yes, very interesting indeed.