Both kitten & hatchling understood who their adversaries were.

Their enemy was the primordial gods themselves in addition to those who had sworn their loyalty or alliance to them.

In terms of both numbers as well as power they had… No chance. Most primordial gods were ancient monsters who existed for as long as existence itself had - coming into the world as soon as the concepts they governed did. This has led to them being mighty fighters with a great understanding of how to use their divinities to their advantage.

Among them there were those who were stronger still; specifically those who led the {Primordial Regicide} event that saw {Atlas Primordial God of Adjudication & Stars} becoming the first dead. Faced with his tyrannical rule they had no choice but to flay flesh mortals which birthed mortals while using his imprisoned bones to create the cycle reincarnation. Or at least that’s the story they tell. It was a very open secret that Atlas did nothing but advocate for the balance between the different races that existed, making the starting life called birth fair for all players, which gained ire from the other gods who believed themselves superior.

Those main traitorous instigators being the {Primordial Goddess of Fate & Fortune - Fortuna} who once was Atlas’ assistant and the {Primordial God of Fire & Sun - Helios} that was never subtle with his arrogance. Nobody was shocked at the betrayal of Helios yet many felt differently about Fortuna.Many believed her to have been just as close to the titan of adjudication as {Primordial God of Honour & The Deep - Leviathan}, {Primordial God of Life & Nature - Gaia} and {Primordial God of Covenants & Medicine}.

It was to the point that people often considered them (after the youngest of them were born) as the five pillars who held up the heavens. The pillars of judgement, fate, knighthood, faith and the scholar.

Yet she betrayed Atlas and thus the other four.

Some saying she saw something in the future that brought so much fear that her personality practically changed overnight. Leading to her becoming a shrew who was more of a god of misfortune to the mortals despite her supposed divinity. Fortunately the youngest was doing his best to try to keep the hope in people alive, being a genius in their own right, but they were inexperienced…

Anyone who glanced around the world could see that their beliefs corrupted when carried into the races they created & governed. Especially the dragons. Leading to them enslaving lower ranked races with the worst of these being the mortals who were apparently Atlas’ last gift to the world. An excuse that is often brought up to justify the abhorrent treatment of the lowly humans that they openly use like objects.

Worst among those was probably the {Azura Dragon} who - once upon a time - was actually created by Atlas to become the guardian of this world. Something akin to an enforcer who allowed the strongest god to cross the gap between mortal & immortal in order to maintain the law. Now that very enforcer had become one of the greatest abusers after betraying his master.

Alice, just like her uncle, saw the treatment of mortals as nothing but disgusting. A fact which should be obvious due to her learning (even before she hatched) that it was the strong’s responsibility to take care of the weak. Like how a parent must protect their child in order to ensure their bloodline continues on.

Her inherited title was quite literal with its meaning.

On the other hand; Cheshire had lived through and then seen more of the horrid abuse that those with power will commit for nothing but their own pleasure. It was foolish to call her talented nor was she gifted in anything but her intelligence. Her strength was clearly one gained through hard work, just a glance at her would make that clear, but that was a strength she didn’t always have and was also looked down on.

If the world worked in the way Atlas envisioned - Cheshire could have been coddled by the stronger members of her race until her amazing knack for invention was discovered. There would be little chance that the beast kingdom would then be able to enter a golden age where they would become a guardian for the mortal realm. All built on the “martial arts” and “cultivation” that the girl carefully formed around the needs of her race then their allies. She could even help bridge the gap between races, allowing a truly wonderful kingdom, where every child had the same opportunity to become something more…

That never happened though. Instead their inbuilt discrimination led to her instead becoming an enemy to even her own father let alone the rest of her arrogant species. Although Alice didn’t ask… It was not hard to link the disasters that occur in the kingdom and realm in general to the cheeky little kitty.

Still… Training with Alice only reinforced a certain fact; she was not talented.

However, Alice certainly was.

In the months they spent together it quickly went from “Cheshire bullying” to “Cheshire teasing” which was certainly a massive change to those who weren’t idiots trying to justify themselves. While before Alice couldn’t even get a single hit in, eventually, she was able to evolve enough to even exchange a few hits before being embarrassed by the cat. There were even a few moments where the dragoness would manage to draw some blood only to end up on the floor again.

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Some may believe that this would cut down the confidence & self-esteem of the dragons who, not even a year ago, had never struggled to learn anything.

Strangely that wasn’t the case.

Instead she found herself greatly intrigued with everything the little black cat did as well as the cat's more philosophical lessons that came from her professing her belief on certain topics. She didn’t just learn how to brawl from the cat. Having picked up some strategy from the kitten who taught her things she would never have thought about without her adhoc teacher.

One day - like any other - she found herself watching something she found particularly unusual. She was obviously aware of the development of an individual from child to adult so it was hardly a shock that the children of the orphanage would do the same. What was more shocking was Cheshire’s reaction.

No, she was not witnessing the cat kicking them out the door as soon as they grew too old, many of the children actually continued to stay on and help the cat out with her goals. Becoming the most loyal agent that she could ask for. But not everyone in the orphanage wanted to stay and instead (like the group in front of her) wished to adventurer around the world.

Seeing the group of young adults walk over the hill caused Alice to turn towards Cheshire.

“Why did you let them go?”

The cat just tilted her head toward the dragon; clearly confused at the question if those ears were anything to go by.

“They wanted to go so why would I not.”

It was Alice’s time to shake her head and let out a sigh. Turning toward the cat (even if her eyes were closed as they always were) as if to study her for any change in expression. Alice herself had changed a lot since she first came - first example of that being the fact she was actually wearing clothes now.

Her style was mostly inspired by that of her father - a long billowing robe that covered her entire body from the elements - while her long wavy hair found itself tied behind in a high-braided ponytail. The robe itself tied with a beautiful sash that had her unsharpened katana sheathed. Now also having some clothing for her sword as it got a sheath, guard and grip. Even adding a wrap on the newly created grip. Of course she also had her mother’s iconic tricorn hat firmly sat upon her hair.

“You should know as well as I that the world out there is filled with monsters; those children won’t even be able to survive a year. There is no doubt in my mind that they will die. So why would you not force them to stay so that you could continue to protect them from the cruelty of this unfair world?”

Surprisingly Cheshire just chuckled at that which caused Alice to frown.

Although, perhaps, neither of them realised it at the time. This question would highlight the major difference between both of the two despite their overall similar if fundamentally different goals and how they achieve them in the future.

“Because if I dictate how they live… How am I any better than those who decided that I should live with the sole purpose of dying out of their sight?”

The cat's gaze settled on the sun glaring down proudly in the sky, narrowing her eyes, as that all too familiar grin formed on her cracked lips. Her hands firmly wrapped around the top of her cane. Somehow standing firmly with an aura of reliability despite the use of a walking aide.

“Say, if you were forced to sacrifice one child in order to save one thousand hard working adults… What would your choice be?”

“Logically, although sad, if we assume all the adults are capable of siring another offspring then the choice would obviously be to let the child pass.”

“Hmm…”

That cat didn’t chastise her choice nor did she comment on what she would do. Simply nodding to the choice the goddess made - one which was based purely on the facts of the situation. Closing her eyes as she headed back towards the group of children who were seeing their older siblings off with tears in their eyes and snot down their nostrils.

“We have a lot of work to do before we talk about mortality chehehehihihi~.”