We're All Mad Here

Spade the Joker

"Gah! Allow me down Father!" Cheshire roared in protest. He had no chance at all and after he refused his father forced him along.

His father dug his long fangs into him and tugged him along, but unlike how his mother did it his father was quite rough. His father evaporated both of them and arrived at the battlefield. When his father let the small Cheshire go his neck was damp with saliva. Looking up, Cheshire saw his father's mouth twitch upwards.

Unable to take in the numerous Cheshires surrounding him, Cheshire ducked his head. His heart was beating a million times a second. His tail flicked back and forth several times and his ears were flattened against his head, he was indeed unready for the fight to come, even if he was not to participate.

The flat field was filled with frantic Cheshire Cats. Each had varying colors, though most were a surprising deep brown. Cheshire had noticed that brown fur on a cat meant it was outgoing, close to mad, but not completely. Tents also scattered their part of the field. Each one was a different station.

He stood behind as he watched his dad go through the different stations. His father was groomed at the first tent, his nails sharpened and hair neatly brushed and out of the way. The nurses helping the cats were all humans, using their opposable thumbs to help out where the cats couldn't.

At the second tent he was given a helmet. They placed the simple metal helmet carefully to shape his head, his ears poking through holes at the top of it. In the next tent were sets of armor, but a long line forced him to wait. When Cheshire witnessed his father walk out of the tent he was surprised and amazed. Though the helmet was simple the armor was complex. Light brown and gray, the armor twist around his chest, leaving his hind and tail exposed.

The next few tents were just used to hydrate and feed the soldiers. After the rounds, he returned to his son, his mouth almost twitching upward.

"Are you ready, my boy?" he chuckled. Cheshire hesitated before bobbing his head up and down.

Suddenly the crowd of furry soldiers trembled in excitement when, in the distance, a white flag flitted towards them. The messenger was part of the card army and as he approached boos and jeers spout toward him.

One of the cats shushed the crowd to allow the card to speak. The card was an eight of spades, Cheshire noticed as it got closer. It held a smile along with a small white note. He handed it to the closest cat and stepped backwards.

"Yes," the cat murmured to the card messenger. He clutched the card and tore it in half with his claws.

The card soldier laughed as the pieces of paper touched the grass beneath their feet.

"You, my enemy, have made a horrible mistake. For we, the card army, will flatten you!" The spade immediately jumped into the air as a few cats attempted to attack him. The air carried the card as it floated away and over a hill where the army they were to fight was.

In one war cry the whole army surged forth. And before Cheshire knew it, he was alone with the nurses, his father caught in the throng of soldiers, not even allowed any parting words.