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 Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 2:25 pm
After another minute of this, he was able to reach the branch in question - grabbing it, he glanced over his shoulder.
"Watch your head. Wouldn't do to lose it...."
And down it came, crashing to the earth. He didn't trouble himself to climb down just yet, perching gracefully atop a tree limb.
His eyes shone, his grin broadened.
"I rather like it up here."
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 2:35 pm
Emerwyn stepped back once more just in time.
The branch landed diredtly in front of her.
But, the Cheshire Cat knew it wouldn't land on her. He had no intention of harming her... or not right now, as far as she knew.
She looked from the branch up to the Cat. She didn't take her eyes off him. What did he want?
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 2:42 pm
"Go on...make your little fire...."
He swung his arms back, hanging upside-down by his knees on the branch. Considerably high up, nonetheless. Some of his blood dribbled to the ground, splattering across dead leaves and dirt.
"Lot of good it's going to do you...."
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 2:49 pm
She cast him a frightened glance. Was he mocking her?
Emerwyn slowly leaned down, grabbing the branch as best she could. It was heavier than she had originally anticipated. She half carried- half dragged it through the trees, back to the camo site. She knew that he was probably laughing at her to himself, but maybe, if she continued with business as usual, he wouldn't do anything...
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 2:52 pm
"You know," he half-shouted, licking his lips as a dribble of blood ran down from his chin, "...Julian wouldn't BE quite so banged up if he would just listen. You don't listen either. Why IS that?"
He looked at the ground a good distance below him, arching his back and craning his neck to do so. His tail lashed.
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:01 pm
Emerwyn continued to move. She was not going to let him get to her.
Then, her feet slowed.
She lowered the branch.
She swallowed hard.
She wandered too far.
She was lost.
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:07 pm
High above her in the treetops, something was moving from branch to branch. Crack - somewhere off to the left.
"...'Twas brillig...and the slithy toves...did gyre and gimble in the wabe...."
Crack. To the right. Cheshire's voice drifted in an eerie, ethereal manner through the wind and the trees.
"...All mimsy...were the borogoves...and the mome raths...outgrabe...."
He was hidden in the branches - the most she would spot was the flick of a tail as he moved.
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:16 pm
The branch lay abandoned on the ground.
Emerwyn moved around frantically, searching for the Cat.
His haunting voice swirled all about her.
The familiar lines were twisted. There was a bizarre.... beauty about the way he recited them; taunting and seductive.
All of this only drove Emerwyn more mad, as her eyes darted about blindly in the darkness. Her breathing grew faster.
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:20 pm
CRACK. A small branch fell in front of Emerwyn, hitting the ground with a dull thud. There was a bit of blood on it.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my dear...." Altering words. CRACK CRACK CRACK - all around her.
"...The jaws that bite, the claws that catch...beware the Jubjub Bird, and shun...."
He laughed softly, and Emer might glimpse the glint of green eyes somewhere off to the front.
"...The frumious Bandersnatch...."
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:29 pm
Emerwyn almost screamed as the branch fell, but her voice was stolen from her.
The sounds surrounding her, almost from several different places all at once, were too much to bear.
Her hairs stood up on end. The eyes, for only a brief moment, pierced hers. It was too much. She backed away from where she'd seen him, moving quickly. Too quickly. She tripped and fell backward, landing hardly on the ground.
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:44 pm
But no mercy - the horrible onslaught of the Cat's voice kept on coming, the limbs of the trees rattling beneath his feet as if they were alive and reaching.
The words began to twist under his tone.
"...And with your Vorpal blade in hand...you hope that you shall not be caught...."
CRACK.
A dribble of blood fell, splattering on Emerwyn's arm. It was warm. Fresh. And more importantly, he had just moved directly above her.
"...Swept off your feet by the Tumtum tree...with terrifying thoughts...."
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:53 pm
The branches really did look like they were reaching out to her, to grab her. The Cat's delusion was reaching her now more than ever.
Emerwyn felt the blood spatter on her arm, a couple of droplets catching her face.
Her lip trembled.
Slowly, fearfully, her head turned upward, eyes widened, to face the horror that dwelled just above her.
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 4:07 pm
...There he was, silhouetted in the darkness against the branches. So thin...he looked wicked. A terrible creature of the dark Tulgey Wood.
"...And as in uffish thought you cry...the Jabberwock, with eyes of fire...shall find you here, right where you lie...and build your funeral pyre."
His eyes shone with madness. It didn't seem possible that the same eyes that could display such kindness, such serenity...could twist themselves into the insane, shining things Emerwyn was staring at.
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 4:16 pm
So, this is his Jabberwock.
The words were changed. Cheshire was about to seek revenge on all Emerwyn had done to Julian.
"your funeral pyre..." Emerwyn's eyes searched the ground, praying for some salvation. The branch. The firewood branch. The one that was too heavy to lift..... She had found her way back where she had started.
No sudden movements She looked back at her impending doom. A decision had to be made.
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 4:24 pm
He moved to a lower branch, that grin widening and distorting his face.
"...One, two! One, two! What will you do?"
Another lower branch. Closer to Emerwyn, still higher up.
"Your Vorpal Blade will miss its mark...and with you dead, the Jabberwock will join me in the dark...."
He ground his claws against a tree trunk, relishing the soft snap of the bark under them.
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