Hatter and Alice Journey into the Netherworlds
By Ldynwaitin
Chapter Ten – Enemies at the gate
Hatter stared at the walls that surrounded the village. He could hear strange sounds from unseen animals on the other side. It sounded like a cross between growling and hissing. Pitney told him about the creatures that roamed the darkness. Even though he was chained to a stake, he was thankful that the stake was inside of the walls and not outside. Hearing the sound of a door slamming behind him, he turned around. Tynan was walking to him carrying a glass of water and a plate that seemed to be full of some kind of meat and vegetables. Staring at the plate he realized he wasn't as hungry as he was thirsty. His mouth was bone dry, he hadn't had a drop to drink since the waterfall.
Tynan suddenly stopped. "How far can your chain go?" she asked him. Standing up Hatter walked to her until he reached the end of the chain. Smiling brightly she walked up to him, but stopped just short of the end of the chain. Her nose wiggled as she stretched her hand out that held the plate of food. Hatter eagerly reached for it. Tynan quickly pulled it back.
Her mouth frowned, "You haven't told me how pretty I am. I've told you several times how cute you are." Raising the plate, she jiggled it towards him. "Come on, say it, tell me how pretty you think I am."
Tynell had warned him about her cold heart. Now he could see what he was talking about. He also told him not to play her game. Giving her a blank look, he began to back away. This made her furious. "That's the thanks I get for bringing you supper?"
"You didn't come out here to bring me supper." Hatter took another step back. Tynan saw him lick his lips as he stared at the glass of water. Smiling evilly, she placed the glass to her lips and took a loud sip. She let the water slowly drip down her throat.
"Oh, that is the sweetest water I've ever tasted." She smacked her lips. "One thing they say about Crow's Landing is that they have the best tasting water in Netherworld."
Taking another sip she held the glass forward. "Are you thirsty? Do Overworlders need water as bad as we do?" As her ears twitched she sighed, "Let's find out." Grasping the glass of water she turned it over, spilling its contents on the ground. Hatter tightly gripped the chain on the handcuffs. This ferret was playing with him, like a cat with a mouse. He moved further back until he reached the stake. He turned so that his back was facing her. Hearing her snarl he ducked as she threw the plate at him. It crashed against the gate.
"You still hungry? Well just scrape it off the gate, because that's all you're getting tonight." Flipping her tail in the air, she sashayed into the house.
Hatter kicked at the dirt in front of him. "That was great, nice gettin' your kidnappers angry with you. Really going to help you in the long run."
Smelling the food she threw on the gate Hatter slowly walked up to the broken plate. He could see a few potatoes sitting on top of a shard of broken plate. He tried to reach for it, but his cuffed hands were to far away. Laying down, he stretched his body out, moving his feet back, he could just feel the tip of the plate. Slowly, he tried to drag the shard closer to him. He just about had it when a pile of dirt suddenly covered the food. Looking up he saw Tynan had returned. The grin on her face was so malevolent looking, she looked like a different creature.
"That's what you get for turning your back on me." Tynan pounded her chest, "No one treats me that way, no creature and especially no Overworlder. I don't care if you are descended from The Hatter. You're no different than those Bazards trying to get in." Twisting around, she kicked at the gate, it moved back and forth from the blow. Going down on all fours she was off in a flash. Her movements were so quiet Hatter understood why he didn't hear her coming.
He sat up, and stared at the pile of dirt. The food was inedible. Realizing that he was not getting anything to eat this night, he slowly went back to the shelter. Looking up he saw the shadow of someone in the doorway. Sitting down it was twenty minutes later that the door opened. Madoc walked out with two other badgers in tow. One was half his size, the other was almost as tall as Madoc. The smallest badger held a plate while the other held a glass of water.
Hatter tried to hold back his enthusiasm. He already knew how lowly Madoc thought of him. He learned long ago how to read a man. Even though this was a badger, he still acted like a man, and this one was someone he knew he had to step softly around.
Madoc pulled out a gun. "Step Back, he warned him.
Standing up, Hatter took a few steps back. Madoc then ordered the smaller badgers to place the food and water close to the stake. They quickly walked up to the stake. The shorter one placed the plate down and rushed back to Madoc. The other cub lingered, he slowly placed the glass of water down. His wide eyes stared in wonder at him. Hatter could tell that this boy was older, he was nearly the same height as his father.
"Gareth, stop staring and get back here, son," Madoc ordered him.
Gareth stood up straight. "I'm not afraid of him, father."
"I know, but it needs to eat and drink."
Hatter's eyes twisted in anger as he heard Madoc call him 'it' again. This did not go unnoticed by the Badger.
"Overworlders are not welcomed here," Madoc said in explanation. When Hatter's eyes pointed to the food Madoc shook if off, "Here we feel that even the most lowly creature deserves a meal." He gently placed his hand on the smaller badger. "I brought my cubs out here because I wanted them to get a good look at what exiled us down here. I wanted them to know that they should not fear the Overworlders."
"Believe me, I didn't come down here to cause trouble," Hatter tried to explain. This only angered Madoc.
"Being here within the compound is trouble enough. I've had to put out many fires since your arrival. To many of us has suffered thanks to the Overworlders. Come son, let's leave it alone. Just standing close to it I feel dirty." He waved Gareth to come. Gareth's lips pulled back, he showed his sharp canines to Hatter, "He doesn't scare me, Da" he told his father.
"Gareth, you come here now!" Madoc barked.
Gareth let out a low growl. "I'm not a cub anymore, Da. I can handle myself."
"I don't see you that way, I just don't trust it. Come along, you can see it again in the morning."
With a sharp growl Gareth ran back to the house. The smaller badger followed him. Madoc tucked his gun away, giving Hatter one last look of disgust, he walked back to his house. Once he was inside Hatter practically ran to the stake. The first thing he did was take a sip of the water. Tynan was right, it tasted sweet and cool. He wolfed down the meat and vegetables that was piled on the plate. It was a bit spicy, but it quieted down the rumblings in his stomach.
As he ate Hatter realized something, it seemed teenagers were teenagers in every species. Gareth wanted to prove to his father that he was going to stand up to the dangerous Overworlder. And of course his father wanted to protect him.
Finishing his meal, he braced his back against one of the poles and slowly finished off his water. His thoughts turned to the anger that was thrust towards him by Madoc. Before he came here, he really wouldn't have understood such hate. Now, after seeing more of the Netherworlds, after glimpsing just a sliver of its lost grandeur, he would have been surprised if the Badger wasn't angry with him.
Taking his hat off he placed it on a knee. Leaning his head against the wooden pole he closed his eyes. Tomorrow was going to be a long day. Exhausted he quickly fell asleep. He didn't know how long he slept, before he felt a sharp pain. Opening his eyes he was surprised to see Gareth standing before him, a stone in hand. His dark eyes glared at him.
"I'm not afraid of you," he barked.
Hatter stood up and faced the angry badger. He rolled his hat down his arm and caught it a split second as it reached his hand. Grinning widely he spun the hat and placed it on his head. "That's good, because I'm someone you really don't need to fear."
"My father said that Overworlders were the ones that exiled us here."
Hatter leaned on one of the shelters poles, "Actually he's half right…"
Offended Gareth immediately interrupted Hatter, "What do you know about my father?"
Hatter sadly smiled, "I have to admit, I hardly knew my father. But that scene that played out before, I've seen it a hundred times. And you know what, even though we never admit it, once we grow up we all realize that our father was right."
"Really? Well my father has always told me that we should never trust any Overworlder." He ran up to the gate. "That it's because of you that we live in fear every night of the Bazards." Through the bars Hatter could just make out several hideous creatures. The Bazards grissed at him as they ran back and forth. With Gareth standing close to the gates they began to jump on it, trying to get at him.
Hatter took a step closer to the juvenile Badger. "I'm really sorry for what happened down here, but believe me when I say if I was here when it happened, I would have tried to stop it."
"No," Gareth growled. He kicked at the gate. It moved back slamming into the vicious Bazards. "Lies, your kind is always telling us lies."
Hatter tried to think of something to say to let this enraged badger know that he was not a threat to anyone in his village. Staring at Gareth he noticed something, something that made his face flush cold. Behind Gareth, he could see the Bazards thin noses poking through the bars. He saw a trail of spit flow out of their mouth's. It trailed down to hit the bar that held the gate shut. It was then he realized that where the spit fell, the lock bar was nearly rusted through. With the abuse it's taken from Tynan and now Gareth, the rusted part was beginning to bend. Angered and hungry the Bazards were now frantically slamming themselves against the gate. The plate of food that Tynan threw on the gate drew them here. Now they could smell fresh meat behind the gate.
"Gareth, you need to get your father," Hatter told him.
"What to stop these?" he pointed behind him. "I can do that myself." Spinning around he rushed towards the gate. He growled and barked at the Bazards. This only angered them more. They leaped and threw themselves on the gate. Suddenly the lock bar snapped and the gate flew open. Immediately Gareth ran forward and shoved the gates shut. He struggled to keep the gate closed as the creatures on the other side slammed their bodies against the rusty steel. Gareth wanted to shout for his father, but he couldn't find the breath. He was frantically trying to keep the Bazards from entering his town and killing his family.
Hatter had to find a way to help Gareth, it could be seconds before the hungry creatures would be swarming inside the compound. Looking at the poles from the shelter an idea came to him. Falling on one knee, he drew back his cuffed hands. Making a tight fist with his right hand he slammed it into the bottom of the pole splintering it. As it fell to the ground, the top of the shelter covered Hatter. Shoving the thatch roof off, he struggled to pick up the broken pole. As he ran as fast as he could to the gate, he saw Gareth faltering.
Five of the creatures slammed themselves hard against the gate, Gareth was thrown back by the blow, landing hard on the ground. Hatter quickly threw the pole ahead of him, slamming it against the gate. He shoved the pole forward closing the gate. With the gate closed he dug the other end of the pole in the ground. He ran back and slammed his hand into another pole. This time it hurt, he could see blood on his hand but he ignored it. Picking up the log he again ran to the gate. He saw at least twenty of the hungry creatures swarming behind the gate. He threw the pole forward against three bars, and shoved the other end into the ground. He managed to brace the gate firmly shut with both poles. He wasn't sure how long it would last, but he knew it would give him enough time to get the young badger away from the gate.
"Hurry, get over here now," Hatter called to him. As Gareth stumbled towards Hatter he shouted, "Da, I need help!"
Once Gareth reached him, Hatter helped him to walk towards the house. Coming to the fallen shelter he gently sat Gareth down on the pieces of thatch roof. Seeing some of his blood on the badgers fur, he was about to clean it off when he heard a shout. Looking up he saw Madoc charging towards him. His face contorted in rage, he leaped in the air and landed hard on Hatter, Madoc angrily threw his claws at him.
"I'll kill you, I'll rip you to shreds," the badger howled.
Hatter brought his hands up, he tried to use the handcuffs as a shield from the sharp claws. Still some found their way through. The angered badger clawed viciously at Hatter's chest.
"You Overworlder scum," Madoc snarled. "I'll kill you for touching my son!"
Gareth jumped up and grabbed his father. "No father, he didn't hurt me, he was trying to save us."
But Madoc couldn't hear him, his anger was so great. Gareth was flung back. He immediately jumped up and tried to stop his father, when a giant black shadow ran past him. Madoc let out a cry of outrage as someone screamed, "Stop!" It picked him up and flung him away. He landed on the ground, rolling a few feet. Immediately he stood up on all fours, he ran back to Hatter only to be blocked by an enraged bear.
Culver stood in front of Hatter. His mouth opened and he let out a roar that stopped Madoc in his tracks.
"I said, stop!"
Madoc stood in front of Culver, his head low on the ground, his lips pulled back, he was so enraged he was ready to take on the large bear.
Hatter struggled to stand, looking back he saw the logs he placed on the gates loosening. "Culver," Hatter grunted. "The gate, it's about to be breached."
Culver looked behind, he saw two wooden poles braced against the old metal gate. He also saw at least twenty Bazards slamming against the gate, shoving it open a sliver. The large bear ran to the gate. He braced his back against the gate.
"Find a way to secure it, NOW!" Culver roared. The claws on his feet dug deep into the dirt as he worked on keeping the gate shut.
Madoc didn't hesitate. He raced towards a small shed next to the house. Seconds later he ran out dragging a long metal bar behind him. Gareth sprinted to his father, he lifted up the other end of the metal lock-bar and helped him carry it to the gate. As Culver held the gate shut Madoc and Gareth slid the bar in and locked it in place. Once the gate was safely secure Culver stepped back. Beyond the gate the Bazards grissed and howled, but they would be unable to break into Crow's Landing this night.
Madoc stood panting he could see the old metal rod had rusted through, two pieces lay on the ground. He also saw two wooden poles that was used to temporarily brace the gate shut. One end appeared to have been punched through. The badger looked to his son for an explanation.
"He's not like you said," Gareth pointed to Hatter, who was now sitting up. "He wasn't mean to me, he was nice and all I was to him was mean."
"What about the blood?" Madoc pointed to the blood on Gareth's fur. Gareth wiped it off. "Its not mine, Da, but his. He injured himself saving me, saving Crow's Landing. If those Bazards got through they would have overtaken our town. We would have ended up like Scarlet's Shelter. All of us dead before we even realized what was happening."
"I don't know how it could have rusted through," Madoc mumbled.
"I know how," Hatter loudly declared. Standing up he pointed towards the gate. "I saw them spitting on it. It must have taken them a long time. I don't know how they knew that the metal would rust."
"How could they know, they're just ignorant creatures."
Hatter half grinned, "Didn't we all start out that way?"
"That must have been what happened to Scarlet's Shelter. We thought they neglected their gates and the lock bars rusted through." Madoc sadly shook his head. "We never imagined that it was caused by the Bazards."
Satisfied the gate was secure for the night, Culver stepped up to Hatter. He began to examine Hatter's chest. His huge eyes frowned as he was unable to find any blood on Hatter's torn shirt left from Madoc's attack.
Hatter pounded his chest, "Body armor, it's a tea shop owners best friend." He quickly grimaced as he was reminded of the wound on his hand. Picking his hand up he frowned, "Unfortunately they haven't made a good armor for the hand."
Madoc loped up to Hatter. Hatter immediately took a step back, he didn't want a round two with this creature. Madoc's head dipped down, "I think I should have Nola get a look at your hand. She'll patch you up."
Hatter was about to sit down to wait for her to be brought out when he saw Madoc brushing away the bits of shelter that had fallen. Clearing away the stake, he took out a key and unlocked Hatter's chain. Grasping it he nodded his head to the house.
"She'll be able to take care of it better in the house."
Hatter quietly followed the Badger towards the house, it was then that he realized that Madoc didn't call him 'it' anymore. He saw Gareth run up to walk by his father's side. Madoc lovingly stroked his sons head. Culver was just behind Hatter, he patted him on the shoulder.
"You're stupider than I thought," he told him. "You could have let them in, and escaped during the battle."
Hatter held his hands up, "Would have been hard, don't you think?"
Culver tilted his head, "I don't know, I think you would have come up with something."
Hatter slyly grinned in reply. Madoc led them into the house. After Nola treated and wrapped up the broken skin on Hatter's hand he was led to a back room. Culver squeezed his large frame through the door. After attaching Hatter's cuff chain to his belt he lay down on a bed of hay. Turning his back he immediately went to sleep. As Hatter sat down he could hear loud snoring in the house. Even after all that happened in the backyard, Lefty was still sound asleep.
Hatter saw a small cot in the room, he was about to lay down when he realized that Madoc was still standing in the doorway. His eyes practically glowed in the subdued light. He cleared his throat, it was obvious that he was about to say something that was going to be difficult.
"I just wanted to thank you for saving my cub," he briskly said. "He shouldn't have been out there, I don't know how many times I've told him. I know I can be hard on him sometimes, but I…" Hatter smiled as he saw him searching for what to say.
"He doesn't realized just how much he means to you." Hatter finished for him.
Madoc slowly nodded his head. He stared intently at Hatter. "You are not what my father said you would be."
Hatter's patented smile glowed. "The same goes for you."
Madoc liked the smile on this Overworlder, it was warm and genuine. "Once again I thank you, I just hope that the Red Knight can see in you what I saw today. Sleep well tonight, you deserve it." Giving him a final nod of thanks he closed the door.
Hatter felt good inside, tonight he changed the heart of an enemy and made a friend. Laying down he stretched out his lean frame. The cot sat next to a large glass window. Looking out he could see the stonewalls of the enclosed village. His thoughts turned to Alice. They should be in Haven by now. He knew she was alive, for his heart would tell him if she wasn't. Closing his eyes, he touched the glass, "Be safe, Alice. Wherever you are," he whispered. He chuckled as he could almost hear her telling him to stay out of trouble. "I'll try, Alice," he sighed. "I can only try." Taking his hat off he placed it on the windowsill. Rolling on his side, he tried to fall asleep. He had no idea what tomorrow would bring, but after what happened tonight, he was sure he'd be ready for anything!