Disclaimer: The Chronicles of Narnia, all characters, places, and related terms belong to C.S. Lewis.
Author's Note: This takes place when Fledge, Digory, and Polly stop for the night while journeying to The Place. A tiny bit AU. Please let me know what you think.
Shadowed but Secured
After peering about and moving his ears back and forth in the dark a final time, Fledge settled himself back on the ground, though he still remained alert. Digory looked behind a last rock before he began to walk back to Fledge. He stopped when Polly came up to him and touched his arm.
"Digory," she whispered in a trembling voice, "I am certain I saw someone creeping off into the woods."
"Where?" he asked just as softly, taking one of her willing hands in his.
Silently she pointed in a westerly direction. Squinting his eyes, Digory searched the area she pointed toward, but he saw nothing. He gently tugged on her hand, and she reluctantly followed him on tiptoe. The bushes and trees blended together in a sea of strange shadows.
"You are sure you saw someone?" he asked.
"Yes, a tall, dark figure glided away. I think he may have seen me," Polly replied, lowering her voice even more, looking about uneasily and stepping closer to Digory. "You do not think someone may have been spying on us, following us?" she wondered.
Digory frowned as he peered cautiously about again. If the person was not spying on them, why remain hidden? So as not want to be seen and identified? What was this figure up to, all alone? "Perhaps," he said slowly, "but they are probably long gone by now," he reasoned.
Polly was unable to be reassured by this reasonable assumption. She was unnerved by the thought that whoever it was had remained in shadows, not making one's presence known. Slowly she freed her hand from Digory's grasp and walked back toward Fledge, who had watched the two children's investigation.
Sensing Polly's lingering unease and suddenly not desiring to let her go too far from his reach, Digory followed her and settled himself down next to her under Fledge's wing. She was surprised but welcomed his company. With Fledge's soft wing covering her and Digory by her side, she felt at peace and protected.
"I am not squishing you, am I?" Digory asked.
"No, I am fine. Are you uncomfortable? You do not want to go to Fledge's other side? You will have more room," Polly offered politely.
"No. I would rather we stay together the rest of the night," he answered, a little uncertain.
The firm squeeze she gave his hand was all the assurance he needed to know that she heartily agreed and was thankful for his offer.
"You are not afraid of sleeping by yourself, are you?" she could not resist teasing him.
"I do not want anything to happen to you," Digory said in a serious tone, gazing at her with an intensity that was unusual for one as young as he.
His words caused Polly's heart to race for an unexplainable reason, and she was caught between embarrassment and…something else she could not describe. She gave her friend a small shy smile. "How could anything happen to me? I have you and Fledge as my wall of protection."
Digory did not reply, basking in the pleasure her trusting words brought to him. Wanting to shift her wonderings from the strange figure, he probed Polly into a discussion of what tomorrow would be like and when they would return home. Talking of such lighter matters, Polly snuggled closer to Digory and leaned her head on his shoulder, becoming sleepy. Soon their conversation died away as the two friends fell asleep, their hands still clasped.
THE END