Crimson Rose: The Crooked Man and the Crooked Cat

Chapter 7: Journey to the Crooked Woods

Annette chased after the cat though the streets of Paris. She yelled at him to stop, but the cat had no intention of stopping. If he was going to help this young mortal lady, he had no intention of doing so in an ordinary suburban city.

No, the place he had in mind was a little more....special.

Ducking through broken fences and under cluttered garbage, he ran from her, only stopping for a short time to allow her to catch up to him, keeping her interested in chasing him.

Soon the background started to change as the sun sank into the horizon. The concrete and steel structures around them faded and morphed into trees and brambles.

Hopping over an iron gate at the very edge of the woods, he paused to watch her pry the iron bars open after a millennium of being closed.

"She's very strong." the black cat thought as he ran, still carrying Annette's black leather sketchbook in his mouth.

Though the trees were thick, he could feel the sun disappear and he watched with smug eyes as Annette gasped in shock when the woods transformed past their fake façade.

Annette watched in amazement as everything around her became more crookedly enchanted.

Even with her book in his mouth, he still smiled. It was time to show her how true her thoughts were.

"Whoa! What's happening?" Annette asked at the scenery changed before her eyes. She was in a big forest, a forest she has never been to before.

"What's going on? Where am I? Where's that cat?" Annette's thoughts raced as the scenery changed around her.

Racing after the rapidly disappearing cat, she suddenly felt like Alice chasing the white rabbit, only in this case she was pretty sure the rabbit could have been easily caught compared to the cat.

"Give me back my book, you crazy cat!" yelled Annette but the black cat didn't stop. Instead the feline ducked under a patch of bushes and vanished from her sight.

Annette stood alone in the big forest. "Kitty?" she called. But she received no answer. A sudden wave of fear washed over her, greater than anything she felt since coming to the forest.

"Oh, no! I'm alone!" she thought, "Alone and lost in this weird forest."

Annette walked around the forest, trying to retrace her steps and head back the way she came. But no matter which direction she walked, she kept ending up in the same spot where she started.

She groaned in frustration. "This forest looks all the same. How do I get back home?" Annette sighed and buried her face in her hands.

Suddenly, she heard a strange sound. Annette looked around in fear. Backing from the direction she recently came from, she was suddenly stopped by something cool and hard.

Turning her head ever so slightly, she saw something that made her heart leapt into her throat.

She had backed into a tree, but not just any tree. No, this one had gnarled branches shaped like skeleton hands, ready to grab her.

Hollowed holes were twisted into a face that forever looked angry.

"Please tell me I'm dreaming!" Annette groaned as she shut her eyes, hoping that she'll wake up and all of this will disappear into thin air.

Suddenly, she heard a voice so smooth; it could've been made of velvet.

"I'm afraid it's not a dream, my dear."

Annette's eyes snapped open and gazed at a man standing in the shadows of the glen. He had smooth, black hair and fair skin. His aura radiated darkness so strong Annette backed away in fear.

The darkness he stood in was very concealing.

But even in its darkest depths, it couldn't hide the sharp feline ears atop his head or the waving crooked tail that playfully swayed behind him.

But what really made Annette scared were his piercing golden cat-like eyes that glowed in the darkness.

Then he emerged from the dark glen. He was tall and slender, with a sleeveless white tunic and a single black vest with a red hem.

He wore a pair of black trousers with a thick black leather belt. On his feet were long black leather boots. His golden eyes, although human, still have cat slits for pupils.

"Who are you?" whispered Annette.

"Try to guess." the cat-man said. As he smiled, he revealed his pearly-white crooked, sharp fangs.

Annette looked closely at the man. Then, realization struck. "Wait a minute. You...you're...him. You're the cat, aren't you?" Annette paused in midsentence in shock.

A twitch of his ear and a low chuckle confirmed that he heard her statement, despite how strangled her voice was.

She had never, never in her life, thought she would say such a thing, never in a million years! The man let out a startling laugh. "Yes, I am. And you're a very smart, but slow girl to figure it out just now."

Annette glared at him, her fear forgotten. "How dare he insult me like that!" she thought. An ounce of courage ran through her blood.

"Well, sorry about that. I mean, it's not every day I get dragged into a magical land by a talking, shape-shifting cat that insults me." she said boldly.

The cat man smiled at her anger. "Well honestly, I think your life would be more fun if you had been." he said, toying with her.

Then, his smile disappeared for a moment. "What's your name, human?" he asked in such a serious tone, Annette wasn't sure if he was the same creature she was talking to a minute ago.

"A-Annette." she squeaked out, fearful that he might pounce on her as if she were a tasty little mouse.

"Annette. A very odd name you have, I think I'll just call you Robin." he said with a smirk. Annette was about to open her mouth in protest but he shushed her by putting a furry, clawed finger on her lips.

"Well, Annette, let me be the first to welcome you to the Twisted Woods. My name is Noir. At your service." he said, bowing like a theatrical performer.

Annette noticed her legs were shaking. She forced them to stop. "I don't know where I am or who he is, but I won't let him scare me!" she thought.

"I'm going to find my way out of this place and this 'cat' creature is going to help me, one way or another!"

Gathering another ounce of courage, she spoke, "Why did you bring me here?" She wanted answers and this 'cat' is gonna give them to her, whether he likes it or not!

"I'm glad you finally asked. You see, I'm here to help you." the humanoid cat said.

"Help me?" asked Annette, confused. Noir rolled his eyes. "Yes, you silly girl. You need some truth, I need a playmate. So here's how things are going to go: Magic prevents the gates to your realm from being opened until sunrise which here is in 36 hours. Till then, if you want your book back, you'll have to follow me."

"36 hours?! I'm stuck here for 36 hours?" Annette asked. "I'm afraid so." said the cat. "No way! I can't be stuck here for 36 hours! My mom would be worried sick about me. In fact, I think she's already worrying about me."

"Have no fear. The time in your world passes much more slowly than the time in this world, so you have absolutely nothing to worry about." Noir said calmly. 

"What am I supposed to do now?" asked Annette.