Chloe Thornhill was an orphan. There was no getting around that. That is just the way it was. Her parents had died in a car crash when she was a small child. People had come for her then, and placed her in an orphanage. Chloe had hated it though, as the girls were mean to her, and the grownups were no better. So she had run away, and lived on the streets.
It was a lonely life for most, but not for Chloe. You see, she had a secret. Chloe loved animals, and had found that she could speak and understand animal language. So even from the time her parents were alive, Chloe had special animal friends. There was always a dog or cat or bird hanging around her. Her parents had not questioned this. When she was at the orphanage, she very quickly learned not to let anyone know about this secret. But when she was on the street, her animal friends came to her and took care of her. They warned her if the cops were coming, or the truant officer was around.
One fine sunny day, Chloe found herself walking on a road that led out to the country. She hadn't been this way before, although she had seen farming country before. She loved the open spaces, and always found the animals friendlier out here. Birds twittered, and sometimes lit on her shoulder. A bluebird now did so, and told her, "Cheep! Pretty day! Chirreep! Sunflowers in meadow by big red barn. Seeds! Yummy! Chirp!" Chloe laughed at the bird's chatter. Birds. They always talk about food! Now if he could tell me where I could find people food, I'd be quite happy. Unfortunately, the bird did not think the other people very friendly, and told her to be careful. As she passed a white farm house, a brown dog barked at end of his chain. "MY HOUSE! NO INTRUDERS!" She looked at the brown dog, and called out to him, "I'm not going to harm you, my friend." The dog immediately sat down, and wagged his big brown tail. He grinned a doggy smile, which made Chloe laugh back.
It was all very fine to wander at will in the country, but Chloe knew the probability of finding food without begging was very slim. She spent the night, hungry, in a haystack, and set out back to the city in the morning. She avoided people on the road whenever she could, having found from experience that people ask questions, and questions lead to trouble.
Finally, Chloe found herself behind her favourite bakery, hoping to snag a fresh steaming bun from an inattentive baker. She watched for her opportunity, but it was a tabby cat who managed to grab a bun for her. Thanking the tabby by giving him a portion of the bun, Chloe slipped away. Sometimes she could earn money by gathering abandoned copies of the paper and reselling them.
Chloe really loved her animal friends. They were always interesting and fun to be around, even if they didn't have a lot to say. Animals did not think like humans, and rarely in complete sentences. Most of the time she received ideas from them. So for example if a cop was around, the little brown and white dog would think to her: cage, blue man, danger! This would give Chloe time to find a good hiding spot away from the cop who was walking by. One day though, the little brown and white dog was away in another part of town, and Chloe was busy watching a prospective target. The grocery man had beautiful apples in front of his shop. They were so red and shiny that she must have one. Did she know stealing was wrong? Well, yes and no. She knew folks should pay for food with coins and paper money. But it was so rare that she came by these things, and the only way to survive was to take some food where she could. Which is why she now watched the apple stall. She started to dart out and grab one, when horrors! A uniformed man in blue came around the corner and saw her. "Hey!" he shouted. Chloe dashed away as quick as she could. But the policeman was on her tail sooner than she thought. She put on a burst of speed. Turning around the corner, a dog barked "This way!" She headed toward the sound and saw the tail of a big red hound disappear in the alley way. She ran across to it and found it opened to another street. She managed a glance behind and saw the cop still after her, though not quite as close as before. There was more noise as she charged through the street.
Chloe ran as fast as she could. It seemed to her that there was more than one police officer after her. She dashed down an alley, and stopped, panting. She heard shouts and running feet. Again Chloe sprinted to an adjoining alley and went as quickly and quietly as she could to get away. Suddenly, she heard in front of her what seemed like yet another cop coming! She was trapped! Looking about wildly, she saw a small door behind a trash can. Diving for it, she found it opened on the first try. Chloe glanced back behind her just in time to see a quick view of blue cloth before she hurtled herself into the small space and shut the door behind her. She also shut her eyes tight and waited for the door to open, and the officer to yank her out.
After a few moments, nothing happened. Chloe opened her eyes in puzzlement and relief. Suddenly she sat up. This was no small space anymore. The door wasn't there. She looked around. She seemed to be in a small cave, and Chloe could see an opening with a view of blue sky. How strange. The sky was dark and cloudy a few minutes ago. She got up and made her way to the opening, and stared at what she saw. She saw an open field with beautiful trees against a gorgeous sky, such as she had never seen before. There was no more city or streets or cops or any other person. There was only space, and Chloe suddenly felt so free. How this had happened, she didn't know, but the fact was it had happened. (Of course, you and I know that it was Magic, but Chloe had no idea there was such a thing as Magic. Hence her great confusion.) Chloe climbed out of the small cave and saw a little path ahead. The grass looked so green and clean that the first thing that Chloe did in this new world was to pull off her old worn shoes and stockings that had holes anyway. She stepped barefoot on the springy grass. How nice it felt on her tired feet! Immediately her feet were not tired after all, and she bounded down the path.
Soon a bird swooped down. Chloe had never seen such a brilliantly blue creature. She laughed to see him, and turned when she heard, "I didn't think I looked funny?" Chloe looked all around, but saw no one. Who had spoken? The bird landed on her hand, which didn't surprise her at all. She was used to her feathered friends. "Well, who are you looking for?" Chloe was very puzzled. The voice had sounded close, but no one was in sight. Finally she looked at the small creature on her hand. With a start she realized that it was the bird who spoke, "What's the matter with you?" Careful not to drop him, she replied, "You spoke! I've never heard a bird like you speak aloud." The bird cocked his blue head, and chirped, "Of course I speak. I wouldn't be a Narnian bird if I didn't." Chloe asked, "Narnian?" at the same time the bird asked, "Aloud?"
The bird replied first, "Yes, Narnian. This whole land you see before you is the land of Narnia, See over there in the distance to your right? That is the Great Eastern Sea. And you see that shining at the edge of the sea? That is Cair Paravel of the Four Thrones." As the bluebird finished, he asked, "Now what did you mean aloud?" Chloe blushed. She had never liked to tell anyone of her great secret, but she never had reason to distrust an animal. "I, um, have always been able to talk to animals. I hear them in my head, and I can answer them. How are you able to speak in complete sentences?" The bird flew to her shoulder, "I always have. I am a Talking Bird. There are Not-Talking Animals out there, who are just wild Beasts. Not like us intelligent creatures."
Chloe was excited. Here was heaven, surely. She wanted to explore more and Tweelan the bird decided to join her and act as her guide. "This was Aslan's camp after He destroyed the Witch's Winter." He told her all about that but said, "Their Royal Hignesses, the Kings Peter and Edmund, and the Queens Susan and Lucy all disappeared out of Narnia last year. Aslan called them here in a time of great need, and He must have sent them back to their own world. Their time is now being called the Golden Age, for it was a time of great peace and prosperity."
She had only heard one part of that, "Who is Aslan?" A leopard leaped up from a hidden bush, startling Chloe. He had heard the last exchange, "Who is Aslan? Aslan is only the Great King of Narnia. Sometimes He is here, and sometimes He is not." Chloe felt a delicious thrill of excitement, not because a leopard spoke to her, but the name of Aslan sang silvery bells of music inside her. She didn't have the least clue who Aslan was, but whoever he was, he was important and wonderful. Teelax the leopard joined Chloe and Tweelan. He padded softly beside them and didn't mind when Chloe reached out to stroke his beautiful spotted hide. More and more animals followed her eventually as she walked. They were all interested in a new Daughter of Eve, who had apparently gotten into Narnia by Magic. They had all hoped the the Kings and Queens were come again, but as they were not, new Magic must be here. (And they all hoped beyond hope that Aslan would come.)
Chloe looked around at the animals. Tweelan chose to nestle on her shoulder and Teelax padded by her side. There was also a silvery she-wolf, a chattering squirrel, two Mice, a Stag, and even a Zebra. The party were happy and laughing when they came upon a bear. Everyone stopped laughing, and paused. Chloe wondered at the sudden change and called out to the bear. The she-bear growled and showed her teeth. Chloe was startled and automatically mind-thought to her, "We are friendly. Please don't harm us." The bear had a strange look on her face, and answered, "Grrr. Go 'way. No bother. Hungry...little girls...yummy." Chloe replied, "No, don't eat us. If you are hungry, go down to the sea where there are fish. I don't taste good, sorry. Neither do my friends." The she-bear stood up on her two hind feet and stared down at the group. Dropping down to her forepaws again, she lumbered away in the direction of the sea.
The Stag, Rannoch, was the first to find his voice, "Did you talk to her, Daughter of Eve?" Chloe looked up at the handsome animal with branching antlers, "Why, yes of course, could you not hear me?" Rannoch shook his head carefully, "No, child, we are Talking Animals. We cannot understand the Dumb Beasts. But how could you, O Daughter of Eve? I have heard of no humans who were able to do so. Even the Kings and Queens could not do that." One of the Mice squeaked, "If only they were here, or Aslan. They'd know what to do."
They soon arrived at a great slab of stone that was broken in two. The animals were quiet in great respect. "What is this?" she enquired. The she-wolf murmured, "The Stone Table, where once my people and the Witch killed Aslan in King Edmund the Just's stead.. But we knew not the Deeper Magic, and He rose up to save Narnia. My wolf brothers and sisters were forgiven, and we shall never forget His mercy." Her voice rose up to a song while the others listened in silence. Chloe looked again at the Stone Table and traced her hand on the runic designs. She had heard so much of Aslan already, and she longed to see him, even though she did not know what sort of creature Aslan was.