Thread: A  l  i  c  e  (Candira and Shadows Beckon)

Pushing the branches aside, she caught sight of the stark white fur of the rabbit as it hopped along, a good deal further off than might be expected for such a short hedgerow. It turned to look at her, twitching it's nose somewhat anxiously, before scurrying off again, it's cotton tail waggling behind it as the cat continued to nudge insistently behind her, nuzzling it's whiskers against her fishnet clothed ankles as she made her way into the hedgerow. She was only a few feet inside when the branches behind her seemed to entwine together and the darkness coalesced all around her, making the vague white blur of the rabbit as it hurried off, still seaming rather distant was the only guide to where she was going, and the cat coiling and purring around her feet was the only indication that she was still moving. Slowly as she progressed there seemed to be a growing light along the ground, before suddenly, the white rabbit disappeared in a swirl of red and white that seemed to engulf it in a flurry that was even now, growing to consume her vision like a tunnel before her. As the checkered pattern continued to grow, the ground suddenly fell out from underneath her, as the checkered pattern reoriented itself from a tunnel to a chute through which she was now falling with growing speed, her feline friend left above her, looking down with a cocked head as she fell, down, down, down. Her skirt blew up from around her waist all around her the checkered red and white seemed to be coalescing and reshaping into new and different patterns and shapes, each time the direction of her fall seeming to change, till after what could only have been a minute or two, she seemed be rising up, up and up towards what could only be called some sort of ceiling, her ascent slowing until she her mass of blonde curls came into contact with a hard wooden ceiling. Instantly, the gravity around her reasserted itself, and she was standing on her head briefly before she collapsed in a heap. Once upright she was greeted by what seemed to be a very ornate entryway, with only one door. There were a number of green cushioned sofas, chairs and tables, the walls were paneled with ornately carved cherry wood, and there seemed to be a definite playing card theme to the room. The ceiling was a beautiful tableu of four figures, two men and two women, each one occupying a corner of the scene, all of them regally dressed and corresponding to a particular suit of cards. At the door, a figure seemed to busying itself observing every nook, cranny and detail of the large, ornate portal as if seeking some hidden detail, dressed in checkered slacks, a red shirt and white vest, with a large brass pocket watch and chain hanging from one of his many pockets . . . Her inspection of him was interrupted however, by the sudden sound of something landing behind her for the second time this night. Though now it felt a good deal larger than a house cat . . . Not the most graceful of entrances, especially given what we're looking for. Remarked the tall and striking figure behind her, dressed in a red tunic and white surcoat, bearing a large ornate heart insignia over it's left breast. An equally ornate rapier was strapped to the belt at his hip and his features, while handsome, were exotic in a distinctly feline manner, complete with navy bands like whiskers that he wore on his cheeks. I don't suppose we were to quick in our decision? He seemed to be making his remarks as if Alice were not their to the figure in white at the door who was muttering and ignoring him.