Gods, Monsters, and a Fuzzy-Tail

1.6: The Blackwoods

By the time Eli and Alice approached the beginning of the Blackwoods, the clouds took on a fiery-gold glow from the setting sun. Eli was apprehensive, "Tell me again, why did we come this late?" He asked. Alice snickered.

"Well, the forest isn't as spooky in the middle of the day," She said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"That's a bad thing?"

"Well, what's the point of going out into the woods if not to get spooked." Eli's face twisted in worry and confusion. "Don't worry little guy, big-sister Alice'll protect you." She reached and rubbed his head and burst out in laughter at Eli's expected, yet unusual, cat-like reaction.

They walked calmly through the woods, chatting and joking. By the time they entered the glades, the sun had set. Eli stuck as close to the apparently unafraid Alice as possible. Though something in the way she moved made Eli think she was may have regretted her choice to come out late.

Eli shone his flashlight in all directions, "There's nothing here but grass," he stated.

"Well, I doubt whatever we're looking for would be easy to find. Let's keep searching. I'm sure we'll stumble on to something, eventually." Alice said. Just then, a snapping noise echoed in the darkness. Reflexively, Eli grabbed onto Alice's arm. "You're such a scared cat," Alice said, ignoring the fact that she was holding on to him just as tightly, "It was just an animal."

Eli opened his mouth to argue, but he couldn't speak on account of his heart leaping into his throat as his next step landed on air. The fall was brief, but that didn't stop the pair from screaming in horror, or the landing from being harsh. "We fell down a hole," Alice said with a pained chuckle.

"Thanks for the update," Eli said as he patted the base of his tail, "Now what's the news on us climbing out of here?"

"There is none," She said as she shone her flashlight down the cave, "My sources say we're going to go forward."

"Your sources are whack," despite this, he put up little fight against the idea. They started off and Alice handed Eli her flashlight. "What?" Eli asked as Alice pulled out her sketchpad and a red pen.

"I don't want to get lost," She answered as she manifested a scarlet red string.

"That's the best idea you've had all night." After a while of walking in what they hoped was a straight line, the pair came to a dead end.

"Looks like a cave in," Alice pointed out.

"Which means we should probably turn back before the rest of the cave falls apart."

"Which means," Alice retorted, "there's probably something on the other side. But how're we going to get there?"

"Through here?" Eli shone his light at a hole in the wall, "Maybe we can fit." He bit on to the flashlight and crawled through.

"Eli?" Alice called out as she stood alone for longer than she felt comfortable with.

"Holy! Alice! You gotta see this!"

"Hang-on!" she said as she tried to crawl through.

Eli was on his side and stared at the hole for longer than he thought was necessary. "Alice?" He called out.

"Yeah?" her voice echoed.

"What's taking so long?"

"Um, I can't fit."

"What are you talking about? We're the same size."

"I mean...I can't fit!" She said. Eli stared at the hole in confusion. "Hang on, I have an idea." Not long after that, Eli saw her blonde head struggle through. He also noticed why she couldn't fit. She had bound a bandage around her chest, which reduced the size of her bust. Eli chuckled.