The light shining through the trees was casting strange shadows on the forest floor. The ground in question was covered with dead leaves and the occasional yellow and pink striped flower that managed to punch its way out from under the leaves. The trees surrounding the 'path' had trunks of varying colours and patterns. For example, one had neon orange spots on a khaki green background.
The girl pondered over the appearance of the forest surrounding her as she walked in the direction the cat had pointed her in. The cat, also, had looked quite peculiar. He had pink and purple stripes and a rather big smile. Odd, she thought, cats didn't look like that where she came from
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Up ahead, the trees were thinning and there was more light coming through to the ground. Past the last trees, a shining spire rose over the hill. Underneath it stood a glistening golden castle. From where she stood on the hill, the girl could see small figures that looked like animated playing cards running around the flowerbeds in a panic. As she got closer, she noticed that the cards were painting white roses red. 'What an odd thing to do' she thought.
Deciding not to get caught up in that mess, the girl turned right and headed towards what looked like a small town over the next hill.
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What had looked like a town was really just a couple of burned out buildings whose timber framework was still standing. Not losing all of her optimism yet, the girl continued on through the ruins, and to the river just beyond the edge.
The river in question was an almost unnatural bright blue, which may have worried the girl, but considering all the other wacky things she had seen, it wasn't the strangest. Deciding to follow the river, the girl started to walk southward (or at least, that was the direction she assumed she was walking in).
As she got close to a lake, a flash of white caught her eye. It was the rabbit whom she had followed to this strange land in the first place. Calling out for it to stop, she ran after the rabbit, who wasn't slowing down.
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The rabbit sped up and the girl fell behind. Somehow, she had ended up at a windmill with a table set up near the door. Sitting around the table was a brown March Hare in a waistcoat, a small dormouse with what looked like a needle hanging from a belt, and an odd looking man with a top hat and overbite.
The three figures looked to be having fun making a mess of the beautifully laid out tea party, throwing cakes, plates and tea cups, and dancing on top of the table, kicking off anything left standing.
Deciding not to ruin their fun (and not wanting to get involved with it all), the girl walked past the mill and continued to where she could see another house on the horizon.
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When she was about halfway there, the peculiar cat appeared again with a smile on his face. "Now what are you doing here, little miss? I thought I put you in the direction of the Queen's castle." The girl responded that she saw some playing cards acting strangely and didn't think that it would be wise to go any further.
"Well aren't you sensible?" said the cat. "And what about the Hatter, the Hare, and the Dormouse?" The girl answered that she thought that they looked like they were having fun and didn't want to spoil it.
"The Rabbit is over there. If you follow him you can get home." The cat pushed her in the direction of the Rabbit. Waving goodbye, the girl did as he said, and soon she had left his sight.
The cat let out a sigh of relief, 'Thank Hearts that she doesn't have her mother's extreme recklessness. Alice would kill me if something happened to her.'
