"Calm down March, this isn’t helping..."

"It’s helping ME!" March sniffed indignantly.

"MEEEEERRRRROWWW!"

All of us looked up, my stomach turned. Why did that sound so far away? She’s in the kitchen right?

"Kitty?" Sheep turned to check. She walked into the kitchen. We all just stood there, listening, waiting. It seemed like forever. "Kitty??!" Sheeps voice had some alarm in it now.

Gryfon and I went into the kitchen. Sheep was standing beside a bottle of milk. Left there. Almost full. Very unlike our kitten.

"Sheep, where is she?" I asked, looking around anxiously. I couldn’t see her. Then it hit me. I can’t see her!

For a wonderful moment I knew, just knew, that the kitten had finally cheshired, gone invisible, vanished for the first time ever. I didn’t just smile, I beamed. I was so proud and happy. Everything’s going to be fine.

"No!" Gryfon was tense by the window. He literally removed the door from it’s hinges and ran outside. There was a tree, moving away from us rapidly. I don’t know how, but it had our kitten entangled in it’s branches. I could hear her mewing. Gryfon swooped down from the roof, and went after it. My eyes went wide, thoughts just flooding my head. Quit thinking Dora, I scolded myself, do something!!

Rabbit was beside me now, and Sheep.

"From Tulgey Woods no doubt...." whispered Rabbit. "Headed East. SouthEast..."

SouthEast...oh no...the Mirrorwall! They’re going to the Mirrorwall! I took off running, West. The Chess Board. I had to get there, and fast.

The Chess Board controlled the Mirrorwall. The way the pieces were setup, determined what dimension Mirrorwall was linked to. If I got there with time to spare, I could ask some of the pieces to move, I could decide where the kitten and tree went; if they tried to go through the Mirrorwall at all. If I didn’t get there with time to spare, I could at least look at the Chess Board and figure out where they went.

Breathless I arrived. I put my hands on my knees, looking at the pieces, trying to catch my breath. Okay...okay... My heart was pounding. Three Pawns - one Red, two White - remained on the board. All other pieces except the two Kings stood to the side of the board. I started to memorize their positions when to my horror a White Pawn stepped forward and became a White Queen.

The Red King stood in check.

March Hare - one of the fastest runners in WonderLand - skidded to a stop beside me. "Dora! They’re through..."

I muttered under my breath. "When?"

"Just now."

I stared at the board. The pieces had moved. They could have gone to either the dimension before there was a White Queen, or this one now… "How’s Gryfon?" I’d bet he’d know when they went...

"Uhm."

I look at March, suddenly I have a slight headache. "Gryfon..went..?"

March nods.

I sit on the ground, head in paws, overwhelmed and fighting tears. How did this happen? Some guardian I am. I let them down. It wasn’t even the katz it was supposed to be, I couldn’t even take care of a normal kitten. I don’t even know where they are...I don’t even know how long I’ll be able to look for them. Should I look for them? This power, it was not meant for me, it’s draining me. I have to find them, and get them back, they’re my friends. And I’m the only one who knows how. But how can I do that? And keep this place alive? If I waste my power looking for them, it’d be suicide. Homicide even. Everyone here, they’re my friends too. I’m so tired. I miss CC...he’d know what to do...he’d know…

March sits and puts an arm around my shoulder in a half-hug, sniffing. "Doomed..."

Tree branches whip around. I grab a handful of smaller branches and hold ‘em away from my eyes, while at the same time trying to keep my footing. Can’t use my wings much ‘ere, this tree’d rip ‘em up. Psycho tree. Guess there’s one in every bunch.

I scan the area for some sign of the kitten. I know that kittens here somewhere. Finally I spot the fuzzball, struggling with some branches, above and to my left. I sink my talons into the main tree trunk and get ready to climb.

"GRYFON!!!!!" Rabbits yelling at me. He’s a good mate ‘n all, but I know what I’m doing. I can handle the tree and it’s attitude.

Out of nowhere this thick branch slams down into my back. I grunt in pain and surprise. The bloody things attacking me! It hurts like heck, but if I let go, I’m as good as doomed. I let my talons sink deeper in. I hear the second branch coming, and hug the trunk, the branch just grazes me. I wince though, it scratched the same place as before. My back is tingling.

"Gryf!!!! Are you ok?" Rabbit sounded further away. Not likely mate… I tried to turn and see him.

"MEROW!!!"

That was just above me. I look up and see the little kitten. She’s all cut up too, but the brave lil furball is still trying to scratch the heck out of the tree. My back pains just fade away as I focus. I reach up, stretching to reach so high, then my talons wrap around something soft. Aha! Gotcha!

I just about dropped her though, my talons stung. Her claws may be small, but they’re sharp. And she’s scared, so of course she’s gonna use ‘em. It’s a horrible world where kittens ain’t safe from trees.

I pulled the kitten down to my eye level and was trying to see how bad damage was on her, when the third branch came. Didn’t even hear it. Sloppy to let my guard down. I was off balance anyway, this branch just swept me right out of the tree. I was upside-down for a moment, saw the grass below, closed my eyes and impacted the ground with a thud.

I couldn’t move I ached so much. I’d come down hard on my right wing and shoulder. And this was wrong. Grass should never be this solid. I opened my eyes, blinking in the brightness. The kitten was in a heap in front of me, where she’d landed. My talons were bleeding where she’d tried to keep her grip with those claws of hers. We were on some flat rock surface, drab and dark, with a streak of yellow in the middle and outlining each of it’s edges. Not far from where we were, the surface ended, and a worn path showed in the dirt. Blue sky hung above, and tall grasses stood nearby.

Where are we?

My whole back felt like it was on fire, but my legs, I couldn’t feel them at all. I knew better than to try and sit up, instead I rolled a little, until I could see my feet. My feet were grey. I blinked. Something’s wrong here. The pain in my back started to dull, but at the same time it was no easier to move. With much effort I hefted myself onto my elbows and from there managed a kneeling position. I tapped my now grey leg with a talon. Stone…

I watched in horror as the grey absorbed me. It didn’t hurt much, just sort of a cold stinging sensation, but mortal thoughts filled my head. I was dying. I just knew it. Why else would I turn to stone? And away from home, I knew that now. This couldn’t be WonderLand. And…I looked at the kitten…Sorry lass. You’re on your own.

The view I had of bright blue sky, tall grass and dark surface with yellow streaks faded into an impenetrable greyness.