Alice heard the distant roar as the wall crumpled, the faded cry of the opposing army rushing against her 'father's'. Sighing, she sat glumly in a chair, tense and curious. What was happening out there? Minutes passed and Alice's heart grew heavy.

Suddenly, the door slammed open, and the Bandersnatch leapt in, face contorted in a hungry smile. Behind him stood Sal. Seeing Alice, Bander paused before sneering, "Hello, niece." He grabbed her up and dragged her to the door.

Struggling against his hold, Alice felt his claws tighten, "Let me go!"

Bander caught her legs and, hefting them up, carried her out of the room, smiling grimly, "You're bait, Alice. We need you to convince him to come with us." His grin grew mocking, "If he doesn't… I get a nice, new slave."

Alice struck out at his face, trying to escape, "Let me go!"

Growling, Bander quickened his step, "Or I'll just give you to my son as a present. That'd be better, really."

Alice froze, "Hatter?"

"I don't like that name… Sal!"

The Shadowlander boy came to his side as Bander set Alice down, keeping a tight grip on the girl's arm. Rapidly speaking in Shadowlander, he ordered, "If it comes to be, you are to change, understood?" Satisfied at Sal's nod, he drew his dagger and set it to Alice's throat, "Now come."

They hurried down the halls and erupted into the battling courtyard. The courtyard was in chaos, the Shadowlanders ruthless as they cut down the defending black cards, howling like animals. The black cards fought back valiantly, but their foes kept pouring in through the decimated wall. Across the courtyard, March and Hatter covered each other as they taunted Jabberwocky.

Skipping away as Jabberwocky slashed at him, March sneered, "Oh, no, no, no! This is how you treat your generals?"

Jabberwock roared angrily, "You are not my generals!" He lunged at Hatter.

Dodging certain death, Hatter leered, "Oh, really? Last time I looked, we were bowing low to you. Look how it's changed!" He kicked Jabberwocky full in the face.

Bander dragged Alice quickly up to the stairwell to the top of the southern wall, Sal fighting off any enemy that came close expertly. Taking her up the stairs, Bander nodded to the group that waited there silently and glanced at a rope tied to the battlements that led down to the ground where a white lean horse snorted with its keeper. One of the Shadowlanders stepped forward and saluted, "All ready, sir. The obstacles along the way are set up, and the regiments in case of capture."
Nodding grimly, Bandersnatch turned his gaze over to the fighting below, caught sight of Jabberwock, smiled, pressed his sword against Alice's throat, and yelled, "Brother Jabberwock! Look what I've found!"

To the Wonderlanders, it was just another Shadowlander's yell, but Jabberwock snapped towards the familiar mocking voice, furious. He saw Alice and froze, horrified.

"You no-good git!" Hatter yelled, driving his dagger deep into Jabberwock's stomach, piercing the chain mail harshly.

Choking, Jabberwock stepped forward, reaching up as his lips moved without a sound. He passed through the battle like a ghost, receiving blows that made him stumble and fall, but continuing, eyes locked on his daughter. The climb up the stairs tortured his hurt body, his wound spilling blood as it healed. Finally, he staggered up onto the battlement.

Bander pressed the blade harder against Alice's pulsing jugular and warned, "Not a step closer!"

Jabberwock stopped and croaked, "Let her go."

"You swear to come with us first!"
"I will not go back. Let her go."

Sighing, Bander motioned with a hand. Immediately, the group of Shadowlanders to the side charged forward, spears outstretched, and vaulted the Jabberwock off the edge. He fell and crashed through the roof of a barracks. Bandersnatch stayed still, waiting silently.

Suddenly, the barrack's roof burst upward and a large shape landed in the center of the courtyard, crushing some men. Alice stared in horror as Bander smiled faintly, "Finally…"
A large black dragon panted and snarled in the middle of the battle, midnight black scales glinting dully in the noon light. Long and lithe, his long neck reared up to latch a burning red and gold eye on Alice and the Bandersnatch. His head was narrow and angular, sharp steak-knives of teeth jutting out from his great mouth. A crown of spines ringed where his head turned to neck, accented by two long hooked horns.

His claws, on thin, slender paws, scraped against the ground as his long tail lashed angrily, and Jabberwock bared his gums and black tongue, snarling.

Bander snapped his fingers, "Sal!"

Bounding forward, Sal blurred at the edges. Seconds later, he leapt from the battlements as a smaller shadow dragon. Unlike Jabberwocky, a man of gray ran down to tuft at the end of his tail. He did not possess a ring of spines, but instead owned four long spines. He landed on the ground and growled threateningly at the Jabberwock, his hackles raising.

Eyeing the other dragon, Jabberwock hissed a warning. The two began to circle each other.

Both armies drew back quickly, the fighting momentarily subsiding to watch the two terrifying beasts battle.

Lunging at each other with roars, the dragons began their fight.

Jabberwock was bigger, stronger, all the more furious, but his actions moved awkwardly. He was unused to this form, out of practice, while the other, more agile, dragon swatted out with trained finesse.

Jabberwocky swatted at the smaller dragon, annoyed and furious, but Sal leapt out of the way and onto Jabberwock's back. He latched his teeth deep into his neck. Howling, Jabberwock reared, trying to throw his attacker, but Sal kept on, chewing his teeth deep into the other dragon's spine. Jabberwock twisted his neck back and snapped out at the offender. Sal released his hold to dodge the sharp teeth and, running across the courtyard, leapt up onto the western wall, claws scrabbling at the stone. Turning, he voice a challenge.

Jabberwocky roared in agreement and lunged up after him.

Bounding down the length of the wall, Sal lured Jabberwocky from the Bandersnatch and Alice.

"Sir! You must leave!"
Bander's eyes appraised his brother and his bodyguard, "No, not yet."

Taking long strides as he grew accustomed to his new form, Jabberwock jumped with great claws outstretched. Sal slipped under him and Jabberwocky crashed down onto the courtyard's dirt floor again, all four legs bunching to bound forward, eyes latched on the Bandersnatch and Alice. Sal bit down harshly on his tail. Hissing in pain, Jabberwocky spun around and slammed Sal against the wall. Before the bodyguard could stumble up, Jabberwock pinned him down, his mouth opening to release an enraged hiss. Sal scratched at his enemy's leg, roaring indignantly. Opening his mouth, the Jabberwock snapped his teeth down around the smaller dragon's head and started pulling Sal into his mouth.

Bander tensed angrily, "Glutton!" Spinning, he grabbed the rope and, holding Alice tightly, jumped from the battlement. He propelled himself down and landed by the fidgeting horse. Plopping the frozen scared girl into the saddle, he hefted himself up behind her and kicked the horse into a trot, "We start slowly till he comes. Don't be afraid, Alice. I know what I am doing."

Meanwhile, inside the walls, Sal had passed out due to oxygen deprivation, making Jabberwock's ingesting of him easier. Working his mouth past the bodyguard's hind legs, he shifted hi glare at where Bander stood. Or where he had stood. Eyes blazing, Jabberwocky quickly and furiously continued swallowing down his prey, unhinged jaw pulling the rest of the unconscious dragon in. The tufted tail disappearing down his gullet, he cracked his jaw back into place and roared angrily.

The Shadowlanders rushed forward with a battle cry, starting the fight once more.

At the end of the main street, the Bandersnatch reined his horse to a stop, glancing back at the castle. Alice shuddered in front of him, "W-w-w-what was t-t-that?"

"Oh, Jabberwocky just changed into his dragon form. Some of us can do it. And- Ah! There he is!"

The silhouetted of Jabberwock perched atop the castle walls, neck stretched to its full length as he scouted anxiously. Sighting them, he loosed a howl of anger and leapt off the wall to hit the ground running.

Bandersnatch wheeled his horse around and pressed hard into a gallop. The horse under him was a quarry horse, specially bred for quickness. Back in the Shadowlands, they used these type of horses for royalty and their hunts. Release the quarry and the King, Prince, or Baron would go after it.

Jabberwock's pounding footsteps rang out behind the horse, urging it on.

Jabberwock, meanwhile, felt his stomach clench around his just-eaten meal, telling him to stop running so he could digest properly and not feel bloated and cramped. Acid leaked upwards into his throat, threatening to make him vomit. Jabberwock set hi jaw determinedly and suck in his stomach, crushing whatever bones Sal had. The pressure lessened. The acid retreated. With the lessened discomfort, he sped up into great sprinting lopes, snarling.

Bandersnatch held Alice close to him, whispering, "Don't look behind." Their steed raced for the main army camp.

A group of Shadowlanders stood ready with their graaff. As Bander neared them, the captain shouted hoarsely, "Lower seven degrees." The graaff lowered.

Jabberwock burst from the town, eyes blazing furiously. Galloping past the graaff, Bander shouted, "Launch!"

The graaff hurled the rock fast and hard, and the stone slammed straight into the dragon's torso. Falling, Jabberwock yowled for a second before his esophagus became choked with blood. His lungs crushed, he struggled to take breaths. Staggering up, he gagged then vomited coarse black blood out onto the grass, somehow managing to keep most of his meal settled in his stomach. Where the acidic mess landed, the grass began to rot away. Gasping deep breaths, he felt his chest constrict before expanding as his lungs mended. A great anger seized him and he leapt upon the siege weapon and began rending it piece by piece, mind momentarily distracted from his brother and dear Alice. The center piece coming off in his mouth, he spat it out and reared his head back, his serpentine eyes locked on a staring Shadowlander. An arrow thudded into the back of his head, and, forgetting his prey, he snapped around to see another Shadowlander with his bow trained on him. His eyes, however, focused on the distant figures behind the man. Instantly, his mind froze back onto the matter of his daughter. Issuing a loud roar, he charged past the soldier and started the pursuit once more. As he bounded faster and faster, he felt the last of his meal digest within his stomach, disappearing into energy. The new huger only made him angrier. Only in this form did he achieve physical hunger and did it annoy him!

Alice glanced behind and her eyes widened when she saw the Jabberwock racing after them, eyes their fearful fire of fury. Shadowlanders lay ahead, glaives at ready, ready to obstruct Jabberwock even more. Every second they gave their general raised the chance that the Jabberwocky would be their King, something they craved, and they would fight for it, even if it meant spearing their future King and dying.

Bander galloped through them, yelling, "Hold the line!"

Minutes later, but gaining, Jabberwock attack the guards in ferocity. Diving in amongst them, he snapped one down and roared as the other slammed their spears deep into his side. He swatted them away, bounding after the two riders. He had no time for soldiers! The horse, even a quarry horse, couldn't compete with the quick speeds of the dragon. Jabberwock's long legs gave him distance, and the way that he ran, body bunching up before uncoiling, just added speed. He was gaining.

Under Bandersnatch and Alice, the quarry horse began to tire but Bander urged it on. They were almost to the river… and there it was, the cold dark waters. Spanning across the water lay a thin hastily constructed bridge. It would hold up the horse, but definitely not Jabberwocky. The horse's hooves hit the wood, and they started across for the other side, where a Shadowlander waited with a fresh quarry horse. Passing to solid ground, the horse-fly halted, and Bandersnatch quickly transferred Alice and himself over to the new one. They started off just as a great –CRACK!- sounded, along with a surprised yowl and an enormous splash.

Jabberwocky had fallen into the river.

The Bandersnatch just kept galloping on, soon losing the river and the great black dragon from sight. They passed into a forest, and Bander finally slowed, cautions. Alice ventured, "Is he still following us?"

To answer her question, an enraged dull cry of rage sounded in the distance. Bander pressed their horse faster, shuddering, "Yes. He's just picked up our scent. He's coming, and angry by the sound of it!"

A few minutes later, they came to a large cave in the side of a rocky hill. Trotting inside, Bander called softly, "Craw?"

The Shadowlander came forward, followed by a new horse, "Yes, sir. I am here. The other end of the tunnel, sir, and then it's just a short ride to the border."
Bander and Alice switched horses without a word. Bander urged the horse forward, ignoring his soldier. Minutes passed and two continued in the saturated darkness, heading for the small light circle that signaled the exit to sunshine. Bander whispered, "Do not worry. We will return you to Wonderland as soon as Jabberwocky is captured."
"What if he isn't?"

"Let's not talk about that. Here we are!" Bander urged the horse forward out into the open.

Jabberwock slammed into them, knocking Bandersnatch and Alice off their steed. The horse reared, tried to leap away, but Jabberwocky chomped down his teeth on it and lifted it up in the air. Working his mouth around it, he gulped it down.

Alice looked up from where she fell, staring at the great midnight underbelly over her. At such close ranger, she saw each individual scale, each possessing its own dull glimmer.

Bander groaned from where he fell against a tree. His esophagus clearing, Jabberwock snarled at the Bandersnatch, stepping forward. Alice yelped as one of his hind legs nearly pinned her to the ground. Pausing, Jabberwock craned his neck down to peer at her, tongue flickering out as he surveyed his daughter. Forgetting his brother, he shifted his head next to her and let a low satisfied rumble come deep from within him. He nuzzled her.

Alice nearly shied away from his head, his horribly sharp teeth, but the faint feeling of a child's duty remained in her, so she let him rub against her happily.

Next moment, something crushed into Jabberwock's side, sending him flying over into the undergrowth, squawking in enraged surprise. Bandersnatch stood threateningly over Alice, chest heaving angrily. He could have been the exact twin of Jabberwocky if it had not been for the absence of the crown of spines. Bending down, he scooped her up in his mouth and bounded away from Jabberwock, who struggled up from the trees to give chase. Alice lay frozen, staring at the large, jagged teeth that dug gently into her ribs as the Bandersnatch raced for the border. Growling angrily, Jabberwock snapped out. Bander tripped, and, instantly, Jabberwock pinned him down. Clamping his teeth around his brother's neck, he pushed head to lay on the side, Alice shivering in Bander's mouth.

Bander's eyes widened as Jabberwock moved his paw to take Alice from his mouth, and he clamped his mouth shut, caging Alice in a dark cage that smelled of rotting meat. Jabberwock snarled and dug his claws into Bander's snout, trying to force his brother's mouth open. Choking, Bander relented and coughed her out onto the grass, dazed. Jabberwock jerked towards her, hold loosening on his brother.

Bander threw him off and, catching Alice up again in his jaws, he bounded on. The borderline wall came into view. Jabberwock howled in furious anger and leapt for Bander's back, determined to stop him, but Bander swatted him down with his tail. Leaping over the wall with one last bound, Bandersnatch crashed into Shadowland soil. Immediately, guards stood from the grass and hurried over to their prince as he spat Alice out.

Jabberwock staggered to the wall, hissing, cheated. The hiss died down to a low whine as he gazed at Alice, whom the Shadowlanders wiped clean of slime as Bander changed back into his normal form. Shivering, Bander grabbed Alice and turned to the wall triumphantly with her under his arm and a smile blazing on his face, "You've failed, Jabberwock!"

Jabberwocky transformed back and, falling to his knees, started to weep, "Give her back! She's my daughter!"

"Then come back to the Shadowlands and become the King!"

Jabberwock put his head in his hands, sobbing, "No! NO! Give me back Alice!"

Smile fading, Bander pulled a dagger from his belt and pressed it against Alice's throat, "You know what you have to do!"

"I-I-" Jabberwocky gazed at Alice, eyes pouring tears, "I'll- I'll be King… J-just give her back!" Howling in joy, Bander cried a few harsh sentences, and the guards leapt over the wall to pull Jabberwock over. Weak, the Shadowlander repeated quietly, " Alice… Let me see her…"

Bander ordered, "Get him new clothes! And feed him! He is going to be your new king!"

Jabberwock slumped, fainting. Stress had taken its toll of him. Bander leapt forward and supported Jabberwock's still form. Gazing at Alice, he said softly, "As promised, I'll take you back to Wonderland. I still need to tell the army that they have a new king!"

Chesapeake and Lyona stared at the roaring, cheering mass of Shadowlanders in amazement as the black army turned and congratulated themselves. March glanced at the Bandersnatch and asked, "What did you just say?"

Hatter answered for his father, "He said that Jabberwocky has accepted the crown." Nibbling at the tip of his fingers as he glanced longingly where Alice lay exhausted and sleeping on a sheet, he asked, "Do you think he'll be angry we took Alice back?"

"Yes." muttered Bander, "But he won't be able to come back to get her. I'm posting guards on him day and night."
"Good."
Lyona brought up her own hand to massage her aching forehead, "Thank goodness it's all over!"

Cheshire appeared by Alice, gazing at the sleeping child softly, "Yes… all thanks to Alice here. Without her, we would have all been lost."
Everybody agreed, except for Bander, who ignored Cheshire's comment as his thoughts took him elsewhere. At least, until Chesapeake sighed, "So… who wants to take Alice back to her home?"

Hatter squeaked, "What?" Growing pale, he regained his voice and whined, "We don't have to take her back, do we? I still need to ask-" He stopped abruptly and flushed a deep red.

March tweaked his comrade's nose, "If she comes back, we know why."

Sighing, Hatter glared sullenly at the floor, "She'll come back…"

Bander stared at the Wonderlanders, "She is not of Wonderland?"

"No." chorused the governors.

Stepping forward, Hatter smiled grimly, "I'll take her back."

Alice coughed awake as dust invaded her nostrils and light glared into her eyes. Sitting up, she glanced blearily around her grandma's attic. Everything still lay as it had been left, a dust covered antique. Alice rubbed her eyes, confused. Where was Wonderland? Where was Hatter and March, Chesapeake and Lyona, White and Cheshire, and… Jabberwocky?

The door opened, and Alice's mother peered in curiously, "Haven't you found the albums yet, Alice?"

Scrambling up, Alice threw herself at her mom and hugged her tightly, "Oh, mom!"

"What's the matter with you? You're all happy!" The mom smiled and flicked Alice on the nose, "Where's Bobby?"

Alice flinched. Apparently, her mom didn't know about Wonderland… "I- I don't know."

Her mom sighed, "Okay…" Turning, she exited the attic.

Alice stood bewildered. Had she dreamt it all? Was Wonderland not even real? Hands straying down, she stiffened. She wore a dress, not the clothes she had fallen asleep in! So… it couldn't be a dream!

Delving her hand into her pocket, she searched for some other clue vainly and pulled out a piece of paper, neatly folded and spattered. Opening it, she quickly scanned the brief message inside:

I'll be waiting. – Hatter

Alice blushed, feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. 'I'll be waiting?' Would he? Would he wait forever if she never returned? And what about all the others? Would they wait?

Alice smiled broadly and stuffed the letter back into her pocket.

They'd wait… She knew they would.