Jabberwocky… Again

Alice got off Hatter and placed the hat on his head. The second it was on he blotted.

"Where are you going Hatter?" she called back to him. He stopped and turned to look at her, his face hard. "If you go back to the Queen without me she'll have your head for sure. Even if you are her favourite assassin," she spat out the word.

"Then, I'll just have to bring you back with me," he said simply, walking back to her.

"I'm a black belt, good luck with that."

Hatter looked at her in confusion again. She rolled her eyes; she was not going to explain it to him.

"In other words she can kick you ass," Duchess said for her. "So you come with us."

At that moment a screeching roar sounded through the forest.

"What was that?" Duchess and Hatter said in unison.

"Shit!" Alice hissed. With one of the knives she cut the ropes around Hatters wrists. "Quick, climb a tree." Duchess immediately bent down and took of her heals. Hatter just stared at her doubtfully.

"Why?"

"It's your advice, just do it!" she yelled turning to a tree. Then she froze, there in front of her was the Jabberwocky. "Scratch the tree, just run!"

She grabbed the two of them by the arm and dragged them with her. Hatter was able to keep up but Duchess lagged behind a little. She kept shouting encouragements at her.

When the Jabberwocky missed her by mere centimetres she screamed and put on the burst of speed they needed.

They ran, just out of its reach for what seemed to them like a long time.

Then this time, knowing what to look for, she saw it. She yanked the others off to the side just before they ran into the pit. She didn't know if she would be lucky enough to survive a second fall into that thing.

Behind them the Jabberwock skidded and with a screech, collapsed into the whole and was silent. They turned to face the dead beast, its head sticking out of the hole, its neck and chest skewered with large wooden spikes.

"Yeah!" someone cried joyously from behind them. She laughed as Charlie shot past them and stood dancing at the edge of the pit. "Ha! It worked! My trap worked. Take that Hatter!"

"Take what?" Hatter asked. Charlie tuned finally seeming to notice them.

"Hatter! Alice!" he cried and waddled over to them. "You're back! Oh it's so good to see you!" he gave her a hug.

"How the hell does the old guy know me?" Hatter demanded. Charlie looked at him, confused and hurt.

"Don't worry Charlie, he doesn't even remember me," she told him.

"What! That's preposterous! Hatter can't not remember you. He saved you a dozen times. You were everything thing to him, the only thing he cared about. He loved you!"

Alice hung her head and stared at the ground.

"Yeah, thanks for that Charlie," she mumbled.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Hatter said.

Alice wasn't sure how she felt at that. On one side she was ecstatic knowing that Hatter actually had loved her. But on the other, Hatter still didn't remember her and quite frankly hated her.

"Well that sucks," Duchess commented.

"Charlie we need a place to hide," she said.

"Worry not, Alice of Legend. My Sacred Kingdom is always welcome to you and your harbinger… and friend," he added looking at Duchess.

"This guy's mad as a box of frogs," Hatter told her harshly. All Alice could do was stare at him in wonder.

That was exactly what he had said when they first met Charlie! Maybe there was hope!

"What?" he said, sounding worried. "Why are you looking at me like that?"