Tales of a Cheshire Cat
I could see Alice from where I sat in my tree, I smiled wider and wider. I wondered if she could see me yet, I poofed out of view and reappeared behind her. Floating on my back I used my tail to propel me into her peripheral vision and then around to her other side. I turned onto my belly and laid my head on my hands and floated just above her head. Getting tired of her not noticing me I lazily slid forwards so that I was hovering upside down with my arms folded over my chest, I was still smiling though and my tail hit her in the face. She brushed it away and laughed at me.
"Good Morning Chess, you're not very good at looking upset you know, I could see you all of the time" Alice teased.
"So you just decided to ignore me, Alice I thought better of you. Have you been falling down any rabbit holes lately?" I smirked in reply.
"Not many, I'm trying to quit you see but old habits die hard, remember?"
"Yes, I remember, how did you manage to get here this time?" I asked yawning, it was the usual drill, I would ask her how she got here, she wouldn't tell me. I would take her to the mad hatter who would whisk her away on some new adventure and I still wouldn't get that hat!
"I couldn't possibly tell you now could I?"
"Why not, Alice? Don't you trust me?" I whined and rolled all the way around from my front, onto my back and then back onto my front.
"Of course I trust you Chess but you can't come into my world like I come into yours so it's safer if I just don't tell you, if it makes you feel any better I haven't told the Hatter either." I sighed and wrapped myself around her shoulders as she continued walking through the wild jungle lands of underland. The vibrant green leaves stared out at us as we carried on through the undergrowth. And the deep brown of the many tall trees spread over the roots that inked themselves across the ground and constantly had to be stepped over. The red, puce and pink of the flower heads pursed their lips and winked at us as we passed and I tipped my head to one of the prettier ones, still grinning.
Alice looked straight ahead as we walked and occasionally looked to check that I was still there following her. I never once stopped smiling.
"Alice, would you like to hear a story while we walk?" I asked,
"We always walk in silence Chess, it works, we always admire the scenery." Alice said simply.
"Yes but the scenery will be the same next week when you find a way down here and you haven't heard any of my stories, I know the Hatter tells you stories, he seems to think you quite like them. I have been to some amazing places." I goaded floating in front of her face so that she had to stop and listen to me. She joined me in smiling,
"You do seem to have some amazing adventures down here and the Hatter's stories are amazing." She reasoned.
"My stories are better than the Hatter's, much, much better and they will pass the time before your little adventure with the Hatter." I whispered.
"Alright them Chess, tell me your story" I poofed out of existence and back in, sat on top of her head.
"This is a story I like to call How many times do I have to tell you, cats do not like boats."
