Hatter's Revenge (rewriting - read at own risk)

Ch. 9: One by Day, Two by Night

Mad was right. Tamsus kept them there, hugging the sand for the rest of the day. Any movement was discouraged immediately by a bullet screaming over their heads.

Both Cheshire and himself lay still, but the others couldn't help but fidget and mutter to each other about the unpleasantness of this situation. Eventually, Chesh had moved away from Dinah and faded into being next to Mad. 

Basking in the sun, he muttered, "All she does is complain!"

Mad stifled a laugh at this and let his eyes cast once more over the desert in front of them. 

Quietly, Chesh said, "Mad, I could just—"

"No," he said flatly, interrupting Chesh. He knew what Cheshire wanted to do and wouldn't allow it.

"Come on, Mad." Chesh flashed his teeth. "I could just fade in right behind him. Then it's done."

"Cheshire, I said no. This is between me and him and anyone who tries to get in the middle is just going to end up dead." As if to punctuate this statement, another bullet flew over them, sending up a puff of sand from a dune Mad was facing.

Chesh sighed heavily. "Seems to me, Mad, that the only one running toward the middle is you." He paused, ears flicking to and fro, listening. "I know you and the Ace have a history, but..."

"It's more than that, Chesh," he started, but Cheshire growled, cutting him off.

"I don't think it is. I don't know all that happened those first two years you spent in Wonderland, but I know you and Tamsus were friends."

Mad felt his eyes narrow. "We weren't friends." The last word hissed out harshly, and he knew it wasn't true. He just didn't like to admit it. He didn't even like to think about it.

Chesh rolled his eyes. "Whatever. You were at least friendly. It was the talk of Wonderland, this... Real Worlder who had seemingly tamed the Ace of Hearts. I don't know what happened, Mad, but now you've got this ugliness in your heart and you won't admit it but you've been dying as much as Tamsus has to finally have an excuse to go after him."

Mad started shaking his head but stopped when Cheshire fixed a piercing stare on him. "You can deny all you want, Madison, but you're not fooling anyone. This is a game to you as much as it is to him and you're thrilled that you can finally play."

Mouth twisting to the side, he didn't say anything. He couldn't. Cheshire was right and he knew it too. Mad shifted on the sand and watched as the sun started to sink toward the horizon.

Soon enough it was full dark. Mad took his hat off and waved it in the air. No shot rang out and he stood slowly, motioning for the others to stay down. When he wasn't immediately killed, he figured either Tamsus had gone or he just couldn't see them for the moment.

"Okay," he whispered, knowing that sound carried easily in the dry air. "We need to go. Now."

When he had rousted the others from their sun-baked dazes, Mad started leading them as quickly as he could across the shifting sands.

The moons had just started rising when they came to the first of the lava fields and he let out a sigh. The moons would be full now, at the beginning of the month, so at least they would have enough light to pick their way through the sharp rock.

He turned to see Alice watch one moon after another peek over the northern horizon to their backs. "There are two!" she said, sounding delighted and confused all at the same time.

Mad nodded. "That's why we needed to move so quickly. If the moons had risen when we were moving, Tamsus would have been able to see us."

"So why not just shoot blind and keep us there?" Maris asked, taking a tiny sip from his canteen. Mad, who had only allowed himself a few sips while lying in the sun, did the same before answering.

Or at least trying to answer. As he opened his mouth, Chesh said, "Because it's a game." He glared at Mad, laying heavy emphasis on the last word.

Mad tilted his head and said, "Yes. It is. One I intend to win."

The others all watched, eyes flicking between the two of them. Finally Chesh nodded, though his canines were now poking out, indenting his lower lip.

"Great. Can we get going now?" Mad asked. Chesh didn't answer. He just started moving over the lava, his feet light over the jagged rock, balancing on impossibly small pieces of flat ground.

Dinah and Maris followed, leaving Mad with Alice. Again. He looked down to see her wearing black shoes with small heels, neatly buckled at the ankle. "What are you wearing?" he asked, eyebrows pulling together.

Alice followed his gaze, then looked back up. "I believe they're called shoes, Mr. Hatter."

Mad's mouth press together, lips thinning in irritation. "I know what they are, Miss Alice. What I meant was why would you wear those kinds of shoes to go traipsing across the desert?"

Alice put her hands on her hips and said hotly, "Well if I'd known I was going to be pulled into Wonderland, I would have taken the time to put on proper shoes."

Raising his hands in surrender, he said sarcastically, "Well, try not to kill yourself crossing the lava." Eyeing her ankles, which were only protected by thin nylons, Mad added, "Step carefully. Some of this is sharp enough to cut."

Alice looked surprised at his concern but nodded. With that, he turned and started picking his way across the black rock, shiny like glass in some places.

They all walked in silence, concentrating too hard on not being cut up to talk to one another. Every now and then, Mad would hear a small gasp from Alice. Turning, he looked down to see her ankles already covered in small nicks. 

"Chesh," Mad said, stopping.

The Ikati turned and caught Mad's bag as it was tossed to him. "You know, I'm not a pack..." Chesh trailed off when he saw Alice. He grumbled a little but threw the bag over his shoulder and continued walking.

Mad turned and made his way back to Alice. She looked up and let out a startled little squeal when he picked her up and tossed her onto his back. 

Her arms and legs automatically locked around him and she said furiously in his ear, "What exactly do you think you're doing, Mr. Hatter?"

Mad tugged at her arms a little, loosening their hold around his throat. "Making sure you get across this field without becoming a cripple. If that's all right with you?" He rolled his eyes, then scowled when he realized that obviously she couldn't see it.

"Don't you think you should ask first? What gives you the right to—" She cut herself off sharply when he loosened his grip on her.

He moved as if to set her back down. "If you would rather walk and get all cut up..."

Alice fell quiet, but her grip tightened on him just a bit. Mad laughed to himself and started walking. She couldn't have weighed any more than what he had already been carrying, plus she wasn't dead weight, so Mad had no trouble carrying her. 

They traveled in silence until, grudgingly, Alice said, "Thank you, Mr. Hatter."

Mad shrugged, then paused when Alice had to re-adjust her grip on him. "What did you expect? That I'd just continue letting you get sliced to pieces back there?"

Alice was silent, then said quietly, almost to herself, "Curiouser and curiouser."

Mad raised an eyebrow at the strange phrase. "What is, Miss Alice?"

"You, Mr. Hatter. You are constantly surprising me." Alice shifted, resting her head on his shoulder. "Or infuriating me," she added, voice sleepy.

He smiled, amused by her blatant honesty. A soft night breeze blew some of her hair into his face, just to shift direction and blow it out again.

"Get some sleep if you can. We'll stop after getting across but not for very long," was Mad's only reply.

He glanced up at the moons traveling slowly across the night sky and sighed, wondering, not for the first time and not for the last, what exactly he had gotten himself into now.