A/N: I'm none too pleased with this chapter, or maybe I'm just very tired. It's probably the former. I need coffee. Enjoy!

Chapter 5 - The Red Stuff. Are you made of it?

Kitty cat, kitty cat what did you do?

There's blood on the floor, on the pot, in the stew,

Kitty cat, kitty cat what have you done?

I bit the queen's wrist right down to the bone

(that's okay then)

"Oh no bloody way!" Yelled Hare, when Mouse told him her plan. "No bloody way am I gonna let you just waltz in there and make him bite you. You have absolutely no idea what the consequences could be!"

She ignored him, kicked him AGAIN, dodged the retaliating blow, and barrelled her way into the room, where Cat was still lying motionless on the bed. She flopped down next to him, thought for minute, then started rummaging around in her pockets.

Hatter, Unicorn and Lion came up to see what hare had been yelling about.

"What's wrong?" Asked hatter, coming to stand behind hare. The anthro rolled his eyes, and jerked a thumb (he had hands more than paws) at mouse sitting on the edge of the bed.

"The stupid idiot human thinks she can help the Cheshire Cat by making him drink her blood."

"I'm not an idiot," said Mouse without looking up from emptying her pockets "And I'm not stupid. I'm only gonna give him a pint or so at most– s'not like I'm letting him drain me or anything."

Unicorn looked nervous at the mention of blood-drinking, but Lion tilted his head to one side, and rumbled, "Actually, she has a point. Human blood is pretty powerful, and it will probably help him regenerate. If it were up to me, I'd let her have a shot at it."

"Thank you," Mouse said heatedly, giving Hare a triumphant look. Her face scrunched in concentration for a moment, then she laughed happily. "Aha! Got it!"

She pulled her brother's pen knife out of her pocket. She had felt slightly guilty about stealing it at the time, but now she was almost pathetically grateful for the razor-sharp blade, swore to herself to get one of her own when all this was over.

Her mouth tightened at the corners as she cut the soft tissue on the ball of her hand, but other than that she made no sound. She waited a moment for the blood to well up, while gently pushing open CC's jaws, noticing how small he seemed all of a sudden. When there was enough blood collected on the surface of her skin, Mouse tilted her hand so that it started to drip down into the unconscious creature's mouth.

There was a tense moment, and then, to everyone's relief, Cat's throat instinctively began to swallow the liquid. Mouse lowered her hand to his mouth so more would go in, but when skin met fur

Flash

An image; the march hare, turned inside out, all his innards clockwork….

Flash

The mad hatter; ten feet tall, eyes bright red and horribly blank…

Flash

The Cheshire cat himself, now long- limbed, tall and emaciated and grey-green, with tattoos in the place of his stripes…

She thought: Is this what will be?

The Cat said: Yes. But only if we fail.

FLASH

A girl, not herself, dressed in late Victorian clothing, fighting a Queen-like monster…

The Cat said: Time is relative, and round here he likes to be a contortionist.

And, in the last moment before the vision faded, there was an image of herself, dressed in white, with scarring and expression of fierce joy on her face, astride a white winged horse and leading an airborne cavalry into battle.

Then darkness.

Mouse groaned and opened her eyes. There was a huge pair of orange cat's eyes blocking her vision. She smiled and said "Y'know, I have the strangest feeling of déjà vu."

The cat grinned back, and leapt from her chest onto the bed. "You're okay, then?" he gave a purring chuckle, every ounce of his strength and power apparently renewed.

Mouse sat up, discovering herself on the floor. "Yeah, and apparently you are too. What happened?"

Hare put a strong furred hand on her arm and helped her up. "I'm not entirely sure, but…"

Before he could say any more, the doorbell rang.

Cat bounded down the stairs, shifting his form slightly as he went. By the time mouse and the others got downstairs, he was at the front door, he stood on his back legs, and was about the same height as hare, that is, roughly a head taller than Mouse. He waited for her to stand next to him, then opened the door.

The Cheshire Cat sneered, his orange eyes narrowing.

It was the white rabbit.

A/N: you've heard the jingle, you should know what to do,

I've written, you've read, now read and review!

(Please)