If one looked up bored in the dictionary, they would see my face. I lay on my back with my head hanging off the end of the bed, hugging a fuzzy pillow to my chest. Cheshire had left to go talk to Mad Hatter an hour ago. He told me to wait at home, but I was getting fed up with waiting.

After another hour had passed and I was sure all the blood had rushed to my cheeks, I sat up and glanced in the mirror on my dresser. My face was completely red and I was seeing stars spotting behind my eyes. Sighing, as even that was boring to me, I climbed out of bed and walked into the living room. I headed to the kitchen to make myself something to eat. However, when I checked the cupboards, I found they contained absolutely nothing. They were completely bare. They were so empty I almost expected to see cobwebs in them.

I closed the cupboard with a groan. "Now what?" I said, turning back to the empty house. Getting no response from the emptiness, I walked back to the living room and plopped down on the couch with a sigh. Part of me played with the idea of going out to find something to eat myself, but if Cheshire got back and I wasn't as home, he might freak out. I didn't want to worry him, but he should trust me to take care of myself. Plus, I was hungry enough to eat the couch and Cheshire probably wouldn't thank me for that.

With my mind made up, I stood and went to get my jacket. As I was stepping out of the house, I hesitate just slightly. Then I shook my head. "I can keep myself out of trouble," I said, and walked outside.

*******

I was an idiot, I told myself as I raced back the way I had come, loud footsteps shaking the ground behind me. I turned to my left, darting through a thicker grove of trees, before coming to a halt. There was a high cliff right in front of me, dropping down at least twenty-five feet. I couldn't down that way, I decided. I turned to go back, but as I did, the creature, I didn't even know what to call it, burst through the trees. It had huge teeth and was probably twice my height, snarling and snapping it's jaws at me. It kind of looked like a really, really big wolf that could stand on its back legs, but it's head resembled something more akin to a cat or fox, and it's tail was covering in silver scales like a snake.

Then again, maybe I could go down that way. I turned back around and grabbed onto one of the hanging vines near the cliff's edge. I held on while I slid down it trying not to hit myself on anything too sharp as I bumped and skidded towards the ground below. When I reached the bottom of the cliff, I landed with a thud on a rock.

Wincing, I rubbed my butt. I looked up and my eyes widened. "Oh, shit!" I scrambled out of the way just in time for the monster to slam down onto the rock I had just been sitting on, it's claws scraping over the rock with a screeching sound. With legs like Jell-O, I got to my feet and ran blindly away from it as it snarled at me, baring its long teeth and claws. I wasn't the only hungry one here in Wonderland.

*******

"Alice? I'm home," Cheshire said as he opened the door, expecting to see the really boy he had for a roommate. However, the house was quiet and he frowned when he didn't see nor hear him. "Alice?" Cheshire repeated.

He dropped the bag of new clothes Hatter had given him for Alice on the couch and went to Alice's room. It was empty, the bed unmade and pillows strewn about. Cheshire checked the remaining rooms quickly to find they were also empty. He began to panic and he raced to the door. "Alice? Where are you?" he called. The woods were silent around him and he made his way as fast as he could to Rab's house, calling Alice's name the whole way there. 

"Rab!" Cheshire said, flinging the door open without knocking.

Rab looked up from where he was sitting on the couch having tea, startled from Chehsire's outburst. "Chesh? What's wrong?" he asked.

"Alice is gone. I can't find him anywhere," Chesh said, trying to hold it together enough to get the words out.

Rab looked surprised and he set his tea down. "Tell me what happened from start to finish," he directed, pulling Chesh to the couch to sit.

Taking a deep breath, Cheshire tried to relax and explain as calmly as he could what had happened. "I went to see Hatter to talk about when we were going to take out the queen," he said. "When I got back, the house was empty."

Rab set down a cup of tea for Chesh, but he didn't want it. Noticing this, Rab didn't pressure him. He sat down next to Cheshire calmly. "Okay? Was the door shut when you arrived?" he asked.

"Yes," Chesh said.

"Then that means he left on his own," Rab said confidently. "He'll be back. He's a smart kid."

Cheshire shook his head. "But he doesn't know what kind of dangers there are or how to fight. He could get killed," he insisted. He put his face in his hands. "This is all my fault.."

Rab slapped his leg firmly. "Stop that," he said. "He has to fight the queen. How do you think he's going to do that without some experience? The queen will be harder to take out than anything in the woods. He needs this."

"He could get hurt," Cheshire said desperately. "I don't want to see that, I would rather..." 

Chehsire trailed off, and Rab frowned. "Rather what?"

Cheshire shook his head. "Nothing," he mumbled.

"Cheshire," Rab said, warning him that he couldn't keep whatever it was a secret. Cheshire ignored him, and Rab was quiet for a moment. Then his jaw dropped in realization. "You like him," he stated.

Chesh scowled. "As a friend-... housemate," he said.

Rab shook his head. "No. You like him more than that. You love him, don't you?" he accused.

This conversation was going downhill, and Cheshire wanted an out. "I don't love him," he said. "I'm just worried about him."

"Chesh, just tell me. I know I'm right so stop denying it," Rab urged persistently. When Cheshire didn't say anything, the room grew quiet. Then Rab sighed with a smile. "Well, I'm glad you've finally moved on."

Cheshire smirked, but there was less malice than normal. "What? Did you think I'd never get over it?" he asked.

Rab shrugged. "You did take it pretty hard," he said.

That last comment itched across Cheshire's skin and he stood up. "Yeah, well, it doesn't matter anymore," he said. "I better get going. I'll wait till dark, then I'm going to go out and look for him."

"Good luck," Rab said, walking him to the door.

With a snicker, Cheshire waved over his shoulder. "Who needs luck when you're a cat with a nose that can smell a mile away?" he asked, tail flicking out around his ankles confidently.

Rab smiled kindly. "Luck is always useful," he said.

*******

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