Here, Kitty, Kitty

The Lesser Evil

Warnings;

. Swearing
. Mentions of Violence

The Cheshire Cat's daughter remained near the hideout for at least two days after her discovery. Not only did the newfound treasure trove contain a rather temperamentally working fridge, but also a slightly fuzzy running TV that regularly brought news over from Auradon. She had no particular fascination for whatever was going on on the other side of the barrier, of course, but it helped keep her occupied when she got bored. Thankfully, the Core Four hadn't thought to have a clearout before leaving for Auradon, so Cassie had been snacking on little packets of roasted peanuts for the majority of her time in the hideout. Though she was sure it was nothing compared to the palaces she'd seen through the TV screen, she felt that it truly came close to such, especially considering the state of the Isle.

But the real highlight of the hideout was that, for the most part, no one on the Isle knew Cassie was there. The fragile 'truce' between herself and the pirates held no great weight, and Harry knowing she lived at Helena's had been extremely uncomfortable. Mad Maddy had also known about Cassie's whereabouts, and she fell right below Harry on Cassie's list of people she never wanted to talk to again. If the Fearsome Five or Sea Three had had even an inkling about the Core Four's hideout, Cassie wouldn't have even found it in the first place. It seemed no one else on the Isle knew about the wonderful place, and Cassie was determined to keep it that way. Now, it was hers.

Unfortunately, Cassie hadn't seen Helena since she left the salon two days before. She was aware enough to admit she'd been far too occupied by the hideout and rooting through every object available, along with relishing in the comfort of no one knowing where to find her. Still, the Queen of Hearts was her friend, probably the only true friend she had on the hellish Isle they called home, so it was only right for her to go and let Helena know where she'd gone and where she could find her if she wanted to.

Cassie travelled through the winding alleyways and streets of the Isle, heading towards the Heart Salon. It hadn't been more than an hour since the sun went down, so she was sure Helena was still awake and cleaning up the mess.

In a few minutes, Cassie eventually arrived at Helena's salon. She gently knocked four times, hoping Helena had heard the sound. It wasn't a secret knock, per se, though in some way it also was. Helena had told her about it during Cassie's stay in the salon, that it was the usual knock for any of her close friends to let her know it wasn't an intruder or someone who meant harm.

There was silence for a moment or two, then Cassie heard the locks being turned or undone behind the door. It swung open, but before the little cat could even open her mouth to greet her friend, her wrist was held in a tight grip and she was yanked into the salon.

"Gods, Helena," the little cat mumbled, thanking her reflexes for steadying her so she didn't land on her face. "I've only been gone for a day or two." She pushed her hair back over her shoulder as she stood upright, watching as Helena frantically shut the door and slid the locks back into place.

The Queen of Hearts pivoted to rest her back against the door. "Where the fuck have you been?" she demanded.

Cassie frowned. Sure, she'd been MIA for a little while, and she'd half expected to be scolded by her friend when she eventually decided to visit, but there was clearly something else going on. "I found a place," was all she managed to reply in her defence.

"Is it safe?" asked Helena, her brown eyes surveying the Cheshire Cat's daughter with great concern. It was as if she'd been expecting Cassie to be hurt. "No one else can find you there, right? No one else knows you're there?"

The little cat's eyes narrowed. Something had definitely happened while she was away. "Of course," she assured, worry turning her stomach when Helena let out a breath of relief. "What's going on?"