Disclaimer: See Prologue
A/N: Here is chapter two and a big THANKS to all who have reviewed. There are just a few changes in the few chapters here. Name changes and such so that's why it's being reposted. Thanks for reading!!! =]
Chapter Two: Narnia
Kate stared at the fox. There was no way that he was talking to her. Animals couldn't talk. It just wasn't possible. She continued to stare and the fox looked at her with wondering eyes.
"Are you a daughter of Eve?" He asked.
"What?" Kate replied.
"Are you human?" He asked.
"Yes." Kate replied.
"How many of you are there?"
"It's only me." She told him.
"Hm." The fox said and looked thoughtful for a moment. "Come with me. Hurry."
"I don't think so." Kate told him, stepping backward.
"I will not harm you. We must go somewhere safe." He told her.
"I just need to find a way home." She told him and turned away from the fox.
"Please, we can talk more when we're somewhere safe." He told her more urgently. "What other choice do you have?" He stated.
Kate looked at the fox and as much as she was convinced that he was a figment of her imagination she nodded and followed him through the woods. He was silent and snuck through the woods in a way that made Kate feel ridiculous. She wasn't being inconspicuous in any way while the fox did his best to be stealthy. She followed the fox into a small clearing that had a small door inside an embankment. The fox slipped into it. She stopped and stared at the door. A moment later the fox reappeared and looked at her.
"Quickly now." He said and went back in.
Kate sighed but did as she was told and stepped through the small door. She entered a den and inside was a pair of badgers that were standing next to the fox. She crossed her arms and looked at them. She was cold and this was the strangest experience she had ever had.
"Hello." The female badger said to her, a smile clearly on her face.
"Hello." Kate smiled and nodded her head at the animal.
"You're alone then?" The male badger asked.
"Yes." Kate told him. "It appears that this is wrong in some way. Why is that?" She asked.
"There is a prophecy that we hoped you were a part of. But if there is but one of you, than you can not fulfill that prophecy." He explained.
"I see." Kate said, only she was completely lost. "I am just having trouble wrapping my head around all this." She said rubbing her brow.
"Please, sit down." Mrs. Badger told her pulling out one of the small chairs.
Kate smiled and sat down. She put her head in her hands and tried to control her shivering.
"Here dear." Mrs. Badger said draping a blanket over her shoulders.
"Thank you." Kate smiled. "Where am I?" She asked.
"Why, you're in Narnia dear." Mrs. Badger told her.
"Narnia?" Kate said and frowned.
"Yes." Mr. Badger said looking at her with slight concern.
"Okay…" Kate said and thought a moment. "What do I do now? I'm not from here, obviously."
"We'll watch over you." Mrs. Badger told her.
"How do I get home?" She asked her.
"Aslan will know." Mr. Fox told her.
"Yes, Aslan…" Mr. Badger said and looked at her. "He will know what to do."
"Who's Aslan?" Kate asked them. They all looked at her as if she were crazy. "I'm not from here, remember? How am I supposed to know?" She asked them.
"He's the King of all Narnia." Mr. Badger told her.
"I see." Kate said and looked at her hands. "Thank you for what you've done, but I should be on my way." Kate said looking at them as she handed the blanket back to the badger.
"You can't leave." Mr. Fox told her.
"I can't stay here." Kate stated. "I need to get home and since I'm not the one you're looking for there is no reason to stay."
She didn't want to be rude but this was crazy and she needed to get home. Reid and her mother would be worried about her. Lilly was left alone and she didn't want anything to happen to her horse.
"How do you expect to do that?" The fox asked her.
She glared at him. He was right but he seemed to always have a way to shoot her down. "I'll go back to the cave. Do you have any rope?" She asked the male badger.
"Yes…I mean…" He sighed and looked at her. "You can't leave, my dear. They will get you before you can get there."
"Who?" Kate asked frowning as she sat back down.
"The White Witch." The fox told her sadly.
"Can you tell me about the prophecy? About this place?" She asked them.
They exchanged glances before pulling up a chair. Kate sat and listened as they explained about Narnia. The White Witch and the endless winter. They told her of Aslan and of the other inhabitants of this strange place. She was told of the secret police and all they knew of Narnia's past, present and their hopes of the future. Kate wasn't sure what to believe but they were so sincere. At one point during the story she had started to stroke the fox's smooth coat and by the time the story was done, hours later, he was resting in her lap. She held him against her as she went through it all in her head. She hadn't really realized the petting she was doing until he cleared his throat.
"Oh, sorry." Kate said releasing the fox.
"Quite all right." Mr. Fox smiled up at her.
"That is an amazing story." She told them. "It makes this place much less frightening to me now…or more I'm not sure."
"Have you here means that there is hope that others will come. Soon you will have nothing to fear." Mrs. Badger told her. "Here dear." She said handing Kate a cup of tea.
"Thank you." Kate smiled and took the cup, sipping it. "Although…I think I may need to find a way home. My family is more than likely worried about me. I think I can get back the way I came I just have no idea how to get up the embankment." She told them.
"It's not safe." Mr. Fox told her.
"Thank you for your concern but I don't want to be a burden." She replied.
"You wouldn't be." Mr. Badger told her. "All of Narnia has been ordered to hand over any human found. Orders given by the White Witch. It's safer if you just stay inside and away from any danger."
"But what if I'm found? What will she do to you?" She asked.
They remained quiet and she could only imagine what they were thinking. She lowered her eyes and tried to think of what to do. Nothing was coming to mind other than the fact that she couldn't stay here for too long. She didn't want to be rude but she was in a strange place and after what she was told about the happenings in this land she wasn't sure if it was a good idea to prolong her stay.
"I really must be going." She told them after a short while.
"Please, Kate." Mr. Fox said to her. "It's safer for you to stay."
"You keep saying that but this home is a little small and I have nothing of my own and what am I going to do while I'm here? Just sit and wait till it's safe? When will that be?" She asked them.
"We don't have the answers you seek. All we can tell you is that we are friends and are here to help." Mr. Fox replied.
Kate looked at them all and nodded, heaving a heavy sigh. "All right." She said and there was silence again. "Do you have a rag and water? I've realized I'm kind of a mess. I hope I haven't made one on your floor." She said looking over herself.
"Of course dear." Mrs. Badger said gathering what she needed. "Come with me. I'll help clean you up." She said softly.
Kate was led to another room where they were out of site of the male animals. There was a bed and she sat down as Mrs. Badger rung out a rag and helped clean out the cut on her side as well as the dirt and blood from her fall into Narnia. The badger was gentle as she helped her. They talked while they worked and soon Kate was clean and her clothes were mended. Mrs. Badger was a godsend and Kate couldn't have been more grateful. Not only that but the longer she was there the happier and more fascinated she became. The fact that she was in the home of talking animals made a smile cross her face. Not only that but she managed to convince Mr. Fox to let her out into this new world. She wandered only a few yards away but it was enough to get a taste of this world. She grinned and stared at this strange wintry wonderland. She sat against a tree and looked around. She smiled and looked at the fox that was sitting nearby. He had a clear smile written on his face.
"What?" Kate grinned at the fox.
"I'm just watching you look at this land." He replied.
"It's amazing." She told him. "I can't imagine that this witch could make a beautiful place like this, such an unsafe place to be."
"If only you knew." Mr. Fox told her.
"I wish I did." She told him.
"You would love Narnia in the spring. When the flowers are blossoming and the grass turns green. The sound of the waterfall from the river. The sound of life beginning again."
"Sounds beautiful." Kate grinned at him.
"It is."
"Winter for one-hundred years. I can't even imagine." She said, her smile faltering.
"Yes, well…I hope it will be over soon." He replied. "Having even one human in Narnia gives us all hope that four more may come and fulfill the prophecy. I hope you are here to see it."
"Me too." She said putting her hand out toward the fox.
He walked up to her and she pulled him into her lap. She hugged him before letting him go. He stayed in her lap and gently rubbed against her arm. She stroked him and took in a deep breath of the cool air and the smell of the fox in her arms. As they sat there Kate couldn't help but smile.
"I feel like I'm treating you as a pet. It's just that I'm used to non-talking animals and being able to hold them." She told him.
"I don't mind." Mr. Fox said looking up at her.
"Come on." She said carrying the fox back to the badger's home.
"Thank goodness you're back." Mrs. Badger said fussing over both Kate and Mr. Fox.
"What's wrong?" Kate asked.
"You never know who'll be lurking in those woods." She said worriedly.
"We're fine Mrs. Badger." Mr. Fox told her.
"I have a right to worry." She told the two of them before practically pushing Kate into a chair. "I'll get you some tea." She said and started messing around in the kitchen.
Kate couldn't help but smile. The badger was rushing about all concerned and handed her a cup of tea. She nearly dumped it in Kate's lap when she warned her that it was hot. Kate laughed and grinned at the animal. This badger, this wonderful creature in front of her, was being more motherly to her than her own had been over the past months. She couldn't help but reach out to the animal. When Mrs. Badger came over with a plate of fish she couldn't help but pull the badger into her arms.
"Thank you so much for helping me." Kate told her.
"You're more than welcome." Mrs. Badger said gently.
The rest of the evening was spent talking. They were curious about her and she was just as curious about them. There were so many things that everyone wanted to know. For it only being a day it was so easy to grow attached. It was strange that once it started getting late, Mrs. Badger ushered her off to bed. Mr. Badger said a sweet goodnight to her and Mr. Fox walked her as far as the door before leaving Mrs. Badger and Kate alone. Kate grinned at him before going into the room. She realized that she had nothing with her but the badger made her very comfortable on the small bed that she was supposed to sleep on. She curled up on the bed and the badger covered her up. Kate smiled and thanked her again before she left, closing the door. Kate took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She was about asleep when voices drifted through the door.
"She's not a part of the prophecy." Mr. Badger's voice said.
"She still needs our protection." Mr. Fox replied. "We can't let the witch get her hands on Kate. She may not be part of the prophecy but she is still a Daughter of Eve and we're going to protect her."
Kate smiled as she heard her friend defending her. She closed her eyes again, listening.
"She's a sweet girl." Mrs. Badger told the males.
"Yes she is." Mr. Badger replied. "But what are we going to do with her? Have her live with us?" He asked.
There was a moment of silence. "She can stay as long as she likes." Mrs. Badger told him. "If she wants help finding her way home than we'll help her. But she may be able to help change Narnia. Any help is worth it."
Kate smiled wider and drifted off to sleep. She dreamt of the Badgers and of Mr. Fox. She dreamt of her parents and the way things were and how they could be. They were all twisted and strange yet none of them were frightening. If anything they were just a realization about how things were or a memory she needed to remember. Soon the dreams ended and there was only peaceful sleep. She slept deeply and comfortably. It was nice and even though she was far from home, she couldn't help but feel grateful that she fell into this land known as Narnia.