Chapter 12 - 'Tis rude to talk with ones mouth full!
Alice had difficulty waking up the next morning. There was nothing wrong with her, it's just she didn't want to! The Eyrie was the most comfortable bed she had ever slept in and was not in any rush to leave it. But unfortunately she had work to do and she had to figure out why a town of friendly villagers who gave them every convenience had become a rampaging mob bent on their destruction. As she lie in the nest looking at the sky, she was observing other griffons from nearby nest swooping, diving somersaulting and generally having a good time. She remembered a time when the simple joy of playing, taking tea and talking to her parents was a joy to no end. How abruptly the fire came and took all of them from her. Losing her innocence had cost more than her sanity. It almost lost the simple joy of being alive.
Christopher gave a loud yawn and rolled over and, barely conscious, looked at Alice. He smiled and gave a huge stretch that made nearby birds scatter wildly. "Sorry" he cried out
"I should think so too!" replied an angry group of magpies, and flew off.
"Looks like I'm always upsetting someone." He regretted to himself
"You haven't disappointed me." Recovered Alice.
"I nearly got us killed in the village last night!" he yelled "If it wasn't for the griffon, we'd be history.!" He paused and looked around. "Speaking of which, where is he?"
"I hope he's getting us some breakfast, I'm a little hungry" replied Alice.
Almost on cue. The griffon soared in from below the nest carrying an assortment of fresh fruits in his front talons and a dead jub jub bird in his mouth, that made Christopher wince. He hovered for a moment flapping his wings, dropped the fruit and landed beside them.
"I brought you some fruits to eat" he began "and I got myself my breakfast as well!" pointing his beak towards the carcass. "I thought we'd discuss our plans over breakfast"
"A good idea!" said Christopher and immediately grabbed a large apple.
"Well I know for a fact we need to get into looking glass land," started Alice "but I'll assume we'd never get to there through normal means. Were going to need some help"
Out of nowhere, a chiming sound rang out and a smiling head became apparent in the nest. The body proceeded to join in as soon as his glowing eyes found the sight of griffons Jub Jub bird. A small growl was heard. Cat was obviously hungry.
"Very well cat, there enough bird for both of us." The griffon sighed.
Cat however did not wait for the invitation and began to pick at the carcass. Alice had never seen cat eat before. She had seen Dinah and her kittens capture birds in her in her old garden and later bring them to her an eat them, but this was no ordinary cat. He was quite ravenous with the meal. A curious look from the griffon reminded him of who's breakfast it was originally for and he stopped.
"What are you doing here cat?" Alice asked, halfway through eating a large berry.
"I have come here because the situation had degenerated quite badly for us." He looked serious, despite the smile. "The trolls in the village have rebelled and are searching the countryside for you. It began without warning last night and they seem to be under some form of telepathically induced hypnosis and my best efforts to release any of them have failed."
"That'll make things more difficult!" interjected Christopher. The cat displayed a look that he was seriously not amused.
"Has the Elder been affected" Alice asked. Hoping it wouldn't be true.
"No, he hasn't" came the response. Alice was relieved. "He can be quite stubborn and he didn't go to church. Either that or his filthy smoking habits have slowed the process."
Cat despised people who smoked, The smell lingered on his beautiful fur.
"Loos like were all in the same boat now cat so you can get off your high horse." Said griffin scornfully. Cat hated to admit it but he was right. He could appear anywhere. But that was of no us now when wherever you went, people wanted to kill you.
"An attack to gain access to the great mirror would seem advisable. I believe the chessmen are unaffected. Maybe we should seek their assistance?" Cat asked.
The Chessmen were strong and if anyone was to be the muscle of the plan, they would be it. An aerial assault would be advantageous too. She turned to Griffon.
"Could there be a chance of your assistance." Asked Alice. "You could drop jack bombs from the air and help our forces."
"I will do as you ask Alice. I can carry about eight jack bombs, two in each leg. I hope it's enough"
"It will have to do," replied Alice "The attack will have to be fast enough to get me and Christopher into the mirror"
"Me too!" Christopher early choked on a grape.
"yes you too!" insisted cat "Don't give in to your cowardice!"
Alice had finished her share of the fruit, smarted her dress up and spoke.
"I think we should return to the chess realm and muster an army to create a frontal assault to distract the villagers."
"I will go to the chess realm and convince our royal allies." Cat declared. He smiled at a passing thought. "The queen is quite fond of cats."
"Remember!" interrupted Alice. "We don't want people killed! Only a few minor casualties!"
The Cheshire cat seemed disappointed but nodded in acceptance and disappeared.
"Where do WE go now Alice!" asked Christopher sarcastically
"WE" she followed "will go to the troll village and see if we can get the elder and his balloon. If we succeed the air diversion will last a little longer."
The griffon nodded, agreeing with her idea. "I'll take you there." He stood up and fluttered his wings open. Alice always admired this sight. He was one of her closest friends and the sight of him brought an air of majesty and pride.
"When do we leave?" griffon asked
"Now." Alice replied simply
She began to approach him but was stopped by Christopher.
"Can we wait for a while?" He asked "You know how I take to flying and I don't want to lose breakfast!"
A short while later, Alice, Christopher and griffon were soaring over the fields and rivers of wonderland once more. Alice sat up, closed her eyes and felt the air currents blow past her. The whooshing sound in her ears, the feeling of elevation, the cool fresh air, all added to this wonderful sensation. She wondered if people in the real world would ever know the feeling of exhilaration while flying high above the skies at great speed. It was moments like this that gradually made her feel alive more and more. As there were no griffons In the real world, se found it unlikely and felt pity for them.
Christopher (as she knew) hated flying but seemed to fear it less and enjoy it more each time. Griffon noticed he held on less tightly each time and on one occasion, he thought he saw a smile creep across his face. It disappeared as soon as he realised what he was doing!
Below them, they could see trolls of all sizes and backgrounds searching the countryside for any traces of their objective target and her accomplices. They all had the white, shining eyes of the possessed villagers seen in the cathedral town.
Alice pondered. "How could they all be effected! Were quite far from the cathedral city." Alice suspected that it had something to do with the water of purity but she couldn't prove anything yet.
"Hold on!" shouted griffon. "We're going higher to try and stay unnoticed. You might go a little dizzy!" He instantly regretted it as he felt Christopher hold on tightly to his skin as Alice simply held a few feathers on his crest.
"There they are!" came a quiet cry from far below. They had been spotted.
"So much for that idea!" said Alice complacently. "We won't have much time, head for the elders garage hanger near his house."
Griffon sped up as they rushed towards their destination. Alice had no idea what she would encounter there.
Alice had difficulty waking up the next morning. There was nothing wrong with her, it's just she didn't want to! The Eyrie was the most comfortable bed she had ever slept in and was not in any rush to leave it. But unfortunately she had work to do and she had to figure out why a town of friendly villagers who gave them every convenience had become a rampaging mob bent on their destruction. As she lie in the nest looking at the sky, she was observing other griffons from nearby nest swooping, diving somersaulting and generally having a good time. She remembered a time when the simple joy of playing, taking tea and talking to her parents was a joy to no end. How abruptly the fire came and took all of them from her. Losing her innocence had cost more than her sanity. It almost lost the simple joy of being alive.
Christopher gave a loud yawn and rolled over and, barely conscious, looked at Alice. He smiled and gave a huge stretch that made nearby birds scatter wildly. "Sorry" he cried out
"I should think so too!" replied an angry group of magpies, and flew off.
"Looks like I'm always upsetting someone." He regretted to himself
"You haven't disappointed me." Recovered Alice.
"I nearly got us killed in the village last night!" he yelled "If it wasn't for the griffon, we'd be history.!" He paused and looked around. "Speaking of which, where is he?"
"I hope he's getting us some breakfast, I'm a little hungry" replied Alice.
Almost on cue. The griffon soared in from below the nest carrying an assortment of fresh fruits in his front talons and a dead jub jub bird in his mouth, that made Christopher wince. He hovered for a moment flapping his wings, dropped the fruit and landed beside them.
"I brought you some fruits to eat" he began "and I got myself my breakfast as well!" pointing his beak towards the carcass. "I thought we'd discuss our plans over breakfast"
"A good idea!" said Christopher and immediately grabbed a large apple.
"Well I know for a fact we need to get into looking glass land," started Alice "but I'll assume we'd never get to there through normal means. Were going to need some help"
Out of nowhere, a chiming sound rang out and a smiling head became apparent in the nest. The body proceeded to join in as soon as his glowing eyes found the sight of griffons Jub Jub bird. A small growl was heard. Cat was obviously hungry.
"Very well cat, there enough bird for both of us." The griffon sighed.
Cat however did not wait for the invitation and began to pick at the carcass. Alice had never seen cat eat before. She had seen Dinah and her kittens capture birds in her in her old garden and later bring them to her an eat them, but this was no ordinary cat. He was quite ravenous with the meal. A curious look from the griffon reminded him of who's breakfast it was originally for and he stopped.
"What are you doing here cat?" Alice asked, halfway through eating a large berry.
"I have come here because the situation had degenerated quite badly for us." He looked serious, despite the smile. "The trolls in the village have rebelled and are searching the countryside for you. It began without warning last night and they seem to be under some form of telepathically induced hypnosis and my best efforts to release any of them have failed."
"That'll make things more difficult!" interjected Christopher. The cat displayed a look that he was seriously not amused.
"Has the Elder been affected" Alice asked. Hoping it wouldn't be true.
"No, he hasn't" came the response. Alice was relieved. "He can be quite stubborn and he didn't go to church. Either that or his filthy smoking habits have slowed the process."
Cat despised people who smoked, The smell lingered on his beautiful fur.
"Loos like were all in the same boat now cat so you can get off your high horse." Said griffin scornfully. Cat hated to admit it but he was right. He could appear anywhere. But that was of no us now when wherever you went, people wanted to kill you.
"An attack to gain access to the great mirror would seem advisable. I believe the chessmen are unaffected. Maybe we should seek their assistance?" Cat asked.
The Chessmen were strong and if anyone was to be the muscle of the plan, they would be it. An aerial assault would be advantageous too. She turned to Griffon.
"Could there be a chance of your assistance." Asked Alice. "You could drop jack bombs from the air and help our forces."
"I will do as you ask Alice. I can carry about eight jack bombs, two in each leg. I hope it's enough"
"It will have to do," replied Alice "The attack will have to be fast enough to get me and Christopher into the mirror"
"Me too!" Christopher early choked on a grape.
"yes you too!" insisted cat "Don't give in to your cowardice!"
Alice had finished her share of the fruit, smarted her dress up and spoke.
"I think we should return to the chess realm and muster an army to create a frontal assault to distract the villagers."
"I will go to the chess realm and convince our royal allies." Cat declared. He smiled at a passing thought. "The queen is quite fond of cats."
"Remember!" interrupted Alice. "We don't want people killed! Only a few minor casualties!"
The Cheshire cat seemed disappointed but nodded in acceptance and disappeared.
"Where do WE go now Alice!" asked Christopher sarcastically
"WE" she followed "will go to the troll village and see if we can get the elder and his balloon. If we succeed the air diversion will last a little longer."
The griffon nodded, agreeing with her idea. "I'll take you there." He stood up and fluttered his wings open. Alice always admired this sight. He was one of her closest friends and the sight of him brought an air of majesty and pride.
"When do we leave?" griffon asked
"Now." Alice replied simply
She began to approach him but was stopped by Christopher.
"Can we wait for a while?" He asked "You know how I take to flying and I don't want to lose breakfast!"
A short while later, Alice, Christopher and griffon were soaring over the fields and rivers of wonderland once more. Alice sat up, closed her eyes and felt the air currents blow past her. The whooshing sound in her ears, the feeling of elevation, the cool fresh air, all added to this wonderful sensation. She wondered if people in the real world would ever know the feeling of exhilaration while flying high above the skies at great speed. It was moments like this that gradually made her feel alive more and more. As there were no griffons In the real world, se found it unlikely and felt pity for them.
Christopher (as she knew) hated flying but seemed to fear it less and enjoy it more each time. Griffon noticed he held on less tightly each time and on one occasion, he thought he saw a smile creep across his face. It disappeared as soon as he realised what he was doing!
Below them, they could see trolls of all sizes and backgrounds searching the countryside for any traces of their objective target and her accomplices. They all had the white, shining eyes of the possessed villagers seen in the cathedral town.
Alice pondered. "How could they all be effected! Were quite far from the cathedral city." Alice suspected that it had something to do with the water of purity but she couldn't prove anything yet.
"Hold on!" shouted griffon. "We're going higher to try and stay unnoticed. You might go a little dizzy!" He instantly regretted it as he felt Christopher hold on tightly to his skin as Alice simply held a few feathers on his crest.
"There they are!" came a quiet cry from far below. They had been spotted.
"So much for that idea!" said Alice complacently. "We won't have much time, head for the elders garage hanger near his house."
Griffon sped up as they rushed towards their destination. Alice had no idea what she would encounter there.