WELCOME TO WONDERLAND!

They must be arriving soon because Sir Wilhelm decided it was time to orientate Dan to Moon Bell as their limo made the next turn around the bend. Dan didn't quite understand the map of the place, the roads turned in easy wide bends, they did pass what looked like a bus stop, and Dan noticed houses behind the winter tree line, but other than that, all Dan could see were trees. Dan wasn't an expert in botany and it was winter, so Dan couldn't tell what kind of trees he was looking at, but it was all bare winter trees, and roads lined with street lamps. Now that was surprising too - the well-lit ploughed roads running through the snowy landscape in the middle of the forest.

Winter looked whiter in the Green Packlands.

"The Lorent Town is just around the corner." Sir Wilhelm informed Dan, "But we'll be staying at Night Leaf Town for the next three days. The Friendly Tournament will be held there."

Dan nodded, "How many towns are there in Moon Bell?"

"Hm… Officially, it's Night Leaf, Morning Light, Lorent, and Princess Town." Sir Wilhelm counted them off on his hand. Dan nodded again, that was what he read too.

"But I think they have a fifth one out and about." Sir Wilhelm smiled wryly.

Out and about? Dan wasn't sure if he should pursue it. Was it a hidden town? He didn't want to know what he shouldn't.

"I'm not sure if you could exactly call it a town though." Sir Wilhelm admitted, "But it's parked next to Night Leaf right now. I heard it broke down again."

Lord Wolfgang only sighed, "I told her it would end up as a junk pile. I don't know what possessed her."

"If you feel up to it, I'll take you to look at it later." Sir Wilhelm promised Dan, "It's quite a sight - a magic fortress town built on giant mechanical legs. It's the craziest thing."

"I beg your pardon?" Dan blinked and sat upright, he was sure he heard the words, but he could scarcely believe it, "A moving city? Did Alpha Sam really build it?"

Sir Wilhelm nodded, "So you've heard about it! It usually travels on the Colored Mountains though, so its rare for it to stop here."

"It's nothing but a heap of metal junk." Lord Wolfgang shook his head.

"How did you hear about it?" Sir Wilhelm asked.

"On the LNC… just a mention a very long time ago on an interview with Alpha Sam…" Dan tried to remember.

"Trouble begets trouble." Lord Wolfgang muttered, "All her pet projects, even her puppies… they single one of them are troublemakers."

Wolfgang was probably the only person in the world who would call the Blue Alpha Sam "Trouble."

"Surely you exaggerate, Lord Wolfgang." Dan tried to coax the Elder Fire Wolf.

"Not at all. From the Princess Town to this ridiculous mechanical monstrosity she drives around the Mountain…" Wolfgang insisted, "Don't let me get started with the pups! If she had another, I would retire from tutoring young alphas."

And then Lord Wolfgang relented, "Unless it's a pup like Henri."

Alpha Henri? Even though Lord Wolfgang called him a pup, Dan was sure Alpha Henri had to be at least around his age. According to the internet, they were born the same year.

Sir Wilhelm laughed at that, "In Wolfgang's eyes, Alpha Henri can do no wrong."

"Till now! Henri's running Moon Bell while the Alpha Troublemakers continue to cause trouble everywhere!" Lord Wolfgang was seriously peeved, "If I catch any one of them, I will be sure to take them to account."

"I'm sure you won't find the opportunity." Sir Wilhelm smiled calmly, "They would know you were coming."

To Dan, Sir Wilhelm said, "The other Alpha Wolves are seldom in town when Wolfgang is, so the only one you're likely to meet would be Alpha Henri."

Dan hoped to be so lucky!

"Right, and Alpha Sam might be around too, since the Walking Fortress is stuck here." Sir Wilhelm remembered, "How would they fix it from here?"

"Who knows?" Lord Wolfgang shrugged, and he adverted his gaze and turned away to the window again.

Dan's head was feeling better. He could do with a toilet break (did wolves not need to go?), but it wasn't urgent. Also, the forests were thinning out and they passed another bus stop. Sir Wilhelm had explained that it was for a shuttle bus from Gate City Train Station. They were nearing Night Leaf.

"We're almost here." Sir Wilhelm informed Dan, "I'll have to take care of the young snow wolf warriors, make sure they settle in their bunks without getting into trouble. You know how young warriors can get."

Sir Wilhelm smiled wryly, "Moon Bell betas are very efficient - so I'm sure someone would properly take care of your men. I'll check with your Captain if they need anything so you don't have to worry about anything."

Dan nodded a quick bow, "Thank you. I appreciate it."

"Be sure to follow me closely until after you've been introduced to the Alpha." Lord Wolfgang instructed, "It shouldn't be dangerous for you to move around freely then, but if anyone ask, just say you're my guest."

Dan nodded another quick bow, "Thank you very much for this opportunity."

So he was going to meet Alpha Henri for sure, and it sounded like it would be very soon after arriving at Night Leaf. Dan didn't think Wolfgang would want a human tagging along behind him all day!

9:30AM Their convoy entered Night Leaf and Dan forgot to close his mouth at the sight of what must be Night Leaf's Packhouse. It was an amazing and crazy sprawling glass and black walled building. Dan didn't know what to make of it. On one side, it looked like a large house designed to the aesthetics of modern farm homes about half a century ago. This was joined to an extended wing built with glass and black bricks and topped with a glass dome right at the top. The extension was joined to a 7 or 8 floored building - it might be 9, was that a penthouse on top of it? This building was much older - made of part natural grey stone. There was a white tower behind the modern farm home, but Dan could not tell if that was attached or just somewhere behind the property.

The other side of the road was even crazier. Dan hadn't seen it at first because it wasn't on his side of the window, but when the car turned up the driveway, Dan's gaping mouth dropped to the floor. How did he not see that?

A largish traditional white and grey slate home with a very wide field surrounding it, and behind it, the huge bronze city, crouching like a giant mechanical cicada over the rest of the town.

Dan squinted into the misty horizon, and then tried to see further up the road. First impression? Night Leaf looked like a very nice peaceful suburban town, black roads, wide clean pavements, snow covered lawns, pretty houses, quaint private apartment blocks, surrounded by beautiful woods… as long as you ignore the bronze city crouched like a steam-punk-meets-trojan-horse fortress looming in the distance… wait, was the fortress hovering ABOVE the trees? Curiouser and curiouser.

Dan got out of the car and nearly stumbled while looking out from the Pack House porch. Lord Wolfgang caught his arm, "You are still unwell."

No, it was really just the shock. Even Dan's headache had stopped.

"Is that the Walking Fortress?" Dan asked.

Wolfgang tsked at the giant metal city skyline in the distance, "Just ignore it."

How was that possible? Dan didn't say this aloud of course, but he had the feeling that the Walking Fortress wasn't only capable of defending itself. From where they stood, Dan was sure the Walking Fortress was also equipped to destroy whatever obstacles in its path - including other towns and cities.

But it seemed like that was exactly what Lord Wolfgang and pretty much how every other wolf in Night Leaf was going to deal with it - go about their business totally ignoring the giant cannons pointing at them.

Dan looked worriedly over at his men. Someone had met them and explained how photography was strictly prohibited. He wasn't close enough to hear out all the confidentiality conditions being spelled out to his men. With any luck, if any of the informants his King planted near him was in this group, the Moon Bell wolves would help him get rid of them.

Sigh. This was an unfortunate start. It didn't look like any of them would be able to leave Moon Bell alive. They've only just stepped out of the car and it seems they've already accidentally seen too much.

Just as Dan was grappling with the thought, a large grey cat appeared. It was the color of the smoke from the factory chimneys in the Three Kingdoms, and Dan believed it might be a Persian cat (although he couldn't be sure since Dan wasn't a cat person).

Although it looked like a house cat, it moved and was the size of a small mountain cat. Dan watched as it catwalked across the porch railing and then dropped down to the wooden porch with a heavy padded thud. The cat walked over and purred around Dan's legs. It was very large and nearly tripped Dan over as it twined itself between Dan's feet. But that wasn't the worst of it - to Dan's utter horror, he heard the cat speak, "Who are you?"

It was certain to Dan from this moment that he must have some how become completely unhinged. Who knew he would turn out to be the Mad Hatter?