Twisted
Chapter Two
I made good time to lake and there was no sign of Cheshire anywhere. I hopped of my horse, tying her to the nearest tree to the lake so she could drink. The waters were as still as the glass of a mirror, reflecting everything so perfectly it was hard to imagine it was just water. Epona barely even made a ripple. I sat down on the grass beside her and glanced at my right palm, I traced the deep black ink of the sigil my father had placed there. It was a tattoo of a bow and arrows that took up nearly my whole palm. Sigils were a very special, very rare mark. It has the power to summon a weapon the owner has a spirit bond with. I'd only met one other a sigil, except my family. He had been a large, strong man who hailed from another land. He conjured a rapier with an edge so sharp it could cut a diamond in half with the slightest touch. My own weapon was greater than any other bow, it's accuracy and range could not compare. Gently gliding my finger over my palm I conjured an arrow. I spun the tip between my fingers, slicing my index finger slightly when I heard a voice from behind.
"Well, well. If it isn't the great Kynara, leader of the resistance!" A male voice with a little too much gusto sounded from a few feet behind. The arrow fell from my hands and into the calm water of the lake. I spun to see a boy not much older than myself, leaning against a tree. His hair was shaggy and gleamed purple and two large cat ears protruded from his head. He had vibrant green eyes that resembled a cat's, and the tail to match. He looked much more human than many of the inhabitants of Wonderland. He stood tall, and swayed over to me.
"And you must be Cheshire." I said sternly, stepping towards him. He grinned at me, showing of his catlike teeth. Despite the various feline features, he looked rather human. He was pale and thin, but he looked as though he'd seen battle. There were pale scars that blemished his arms and a few on his face. I couldn't help but wonder where they had come from, but many people had scars now, and no one liked to talk about them.
"Please to meet you," He bowed, "milady." Still hunched over, he peered up at me with his gleaming green eyes. Gently, he took my hand in his and kissed it. I wasn't sure if he was being a gentleman or simply just patronizing me. His hands were soft like kittens fur despite the obvious lack of hair. He glanced at Epona, who was still happily lapping up the water. Suddenly, his face changed and he strode over to the horse. He grabbed the hat from the saddle and turned it over in his hands a few times.
"You knew my father well, yes?" I asked, he didn't speak, only nodded. He looked to me, inching closer.
"He was a great man." He said with sorrow in his voice. Once he was close enough he placed the hat atop my head. "You do so remind me of him." He smiled. Other than my vivid red-orange hair and unnaturally white skin, I looked nothing like him. Most of my traits I had gotten from my mother, including my ice blue eyes, and I hated her for that. I removed the hat, twirling it in my fingers for a moment.
"He was. And he will not soon be forgotten. I need your help, Cheshire." I was being as sincere as possible. "My father wanted to free the people of Wonderland, destroy the Great Barrier. I need you to help me, Chess." He grinned his famous smile and stuck his hand out to me.
"Of course." He grinned his famous smile before I took his hand in mine.
"Well, well. If it isn't the great Kynara, leader of the resistance!" A male voice with a little too much gusto sounded from a few feet behind. The arrow fell from my hands and into the calm water of the lake. I spun to see a boy not much older than myself, leaning against a tree. His hair was shaggy and gleamed purple and two large cat ears protruded from his head. He had vibrant green eyes that resembled a cat's, and the tail to match. He looked much more human than many of the inhabitants of Wonderland. He stood tall, and swayed over to me.
"And you must be Cheshire." I said sternly, stepping towards him. He grinned at me, showing of his catlike teeth. Despite the various feline features, he looked rather human. He was pale and thin, but he looked as though he'd seen battle. There were pale scars that blemished his arms and a few on his face. I couldn't help but wonder where they had come from, but many people had scars now, and no one liked to talk about them.
"Please to meet you," He bowed, "milady." Still hunched over, he peered up at me with his gleaming green eyes. Gently, he took my hand in his and kissed it. I wasn't sure if he was being a gentleman or simply just patronizing me. His hands were soft like kittens fur despite the obvious lack of hair. He glanced at Epona, who was still happily lapping up the water. Suddenly, his face changed and he strode over to the horse. He grabbed the hat from the saddle and turned it over in his hands a few times.
"You knew my father well, yes?" I asked, he didn't speak, only nodded. He looked to me, inching closer.
"He was a great man." He said with sorrow in his voice. Once he was close enough he placed the hat atop my head. "You do so remind me of him." He smiled. Other than my vivid red-orange hair and unnaturally white skin, I looked nothing like him. Most of my traits I had gotten from my mother, including my ice blue eyes, and I hated her for that. I removed the hat, twirling it in my fingers for a moment.
"He was. And he will not soon be forgotten. I need your help, Cheshire." I was being as sincere as possible. "My father wanted to free the people of Wonderland, destroy the Great Barrier. I need you to help me, Chess." He grinned his famous smile and stuck his hand out to me.
"Of course." He grinned his famous smile before I took his hand in mine.