Chapter Text
Darling was the first to wake up. Everyone had fallen asleep around the table, the four others were drained from arguing so damn much. Raven should be back now. I’ll go check on her. I get up and stretch, walking over to Raven’s room and knocking on the door. Weirdly, the door creaks open right after I do.
”Raven?”
No response.
I creep into her room, and tiptoe over to her bed. When I pull the sheets and covers back, there’s nothing. No Raven. That means not one thing: She was captured. I run back into the room where everyone else is, and start waking them all up.
”Guys! Get up! Raven isn’t here!” I say frantically, as they all yawn and process what I just said.
”Wait, what?” I can hear the terror in Dexter’s voice. I worry for him, I know how strong he feels about her.
”We need to do do something!” Hunter exclaims, getting up and grabbing his axe. “There’s no time for planning, our leader needs us!”
”I’m with Hunter,” Holly agrees, getting up as well. “We need to find her now.”
”But guys, we need backup.” Ashlynn says, as Hunter and Holly groan.
”Ashlynn is right, guys,” I respond before everyone starts arguing yet again. “I think we need to look for some scavengers that might be able to help us. Without Raven’s power, we’re much weaker. We need backup.”
Everyone looks around and nods at me, respecting that Raven put me in charge while she’s gone. Dexter and I grab our swords, and Holly throws Ashlynn her pistol and revolver as she grabs her rope and rifle. After we load up on our extra weaponry, we all climb out the hole and sneakily run to the newly-named disenchanted forest. I lead the crew with caution.
”Alright, I hate to say it, but after we get a few scavengers, if we get any, we still need to go see Poppy, maybe the O’Hair Outlaws will help us.”
”Are you kidding? After that failure?” Dexter says, looking at me. “It would be a miracle if Poppy was being that generous.”
”Maybe I can try persuading her,” Holly says, standing forward. “My sister has a good heart, she’s just…scared. Rightfully so, after that…battle.”
We can all cringe in pain remembering that. We thought we had them good. In those times, the Rebellion was huge. Poppy, Briar, Madeline, and so much more were willing to fight. But so many good people died that battle. They knew we were coming. And Apple made it count.
”But I can still do it. I can face her,” Holly says, looking at me. “Just tell me when we start heading to their hideout.”
“Alright. Let’s search for others right now,” I say, turning around to them. “We’ll split up in pairs: Hunter and Ashlynn, Holly and Dexter. I’ll go alone. Hunter, you go left. Holly, you go right. We’ll all meet up here again.”
Everyone nods, and the two groups go their separate ways. I walk forward to a mainly deserted grocery store, and I go inside silently and hear some rummaging in there when I do. There’s someone here.
”Hello?”
I suddenly regret doing that, because the person scatters away when I do. I run to the direction the sound came from, and I see a leg running at the end of the aisle. I keep running after them, grasping my sword in the case they attack.
When I peek around the corner, I see a girl a bit shorter than me with white hair covering her head and shuddering. I lower my sword.
“I didn’t mean to spook you,” I say in a calm tone, and as she looks up, I recognize her. “Bunny?”
”Darling? I thought you were…I don’t know. A soldier of darkness or something.”
”No, but can I ask you something?” I say, as she stands up.
“Just wait, I can take you to the others. I’m sure they’d like to see you again.”
Bunny leads me to a storage area, and pulls out a key, unlocking it. When it opens, I’m greeted with three familiar faces: Maddie, Lizzie, and Kitty.
“Darling!!” Maddie squeals in joy, jumping up and running towards me as Bunny shuts the door behind us. “It sure is a pleasure to see you again!”
”Hi Maddie,” I say, smiling for a second then remembering why I’m here. “Unfortunately, I’ve come here because of a huge problem.”
”Well, let’s talk about it over tea!” she says just as bubbly, sitting down and pouring tea on a small table.
“Raven is in trouble.”
I can immediately see how her face shifts from happy and bubbly to a fearful frown as she looks back up at me.
”What kind of trouble?”
”She went out scavenging for food yesterday, but hasn’t come back. Knowing how the area is swarmed with the Evil Queen’s army, there’s no doubt she’s been captured,” I explain to them while sipping tea. “The others and I wanted to look for scavengers who might be willing to help us get her back.”
”How do you know she’s alive?” Kitty says, cuddling close with Lizzie. “For all we know, the Evil Queen’s already had her killed for treason. What if we go there for nothing?”
”Kitty makes a good point. I wish no ill will on Raven, but I don’t want to lose my Wonderlandian friends. Especially since Alistair’s disappearance.”
”Have you seen him anywhere?” Bunny asks, a prevalent fear in her eyes when I look at her and shake my head. “Oh dear…”
”I get how everyone’s feeling, but we’d really appreciate any help we can get,” I respond looking at all of them. “We can help look for Alistair when we get back.”
”If we get back.” Bunny says, shuddering in fear.
”I’m coming,” Maddie says, getting up. “She’s my best friend after all.”
Bunny, Lizzie, and Kitty all exchange glances, and Kitty and Lizzie stand up.
“If Maddie’s going, Kitty and I are with her all the way.” Lizzie says looking at me, as I beam at them all.
”And I’m really worried about Alistair…” Bunny replies.
”Thank you, thank you so much,” I say to the four girls willing to come. “This means a lot to the rebellion.”