Disclaimer: Please see the Prologue
A/N: Chapter number three! I hope you're liking the story thus far. Reviews are always welcome!
Chapter Three: New Friends
When she woke up her arm was around Mr. Fox, who was sleeping contentedly. Kate smiled and pulled the fox closer into her. His ear twitched but he still slept. She smiled wider and closed her eyes. She fell asleep again until the fox moved in her arms. She woke up as he made his way to the door. She sat up and yawned, wiping the sleep from her eyes.
"Did I wake you?" Mr. Fox asked.
Kate shook her head. "No, I was awake a while ago." She replied.
There was a knock on the door and Mrs. Badger came in. "Breakfast is almost ready." She smiled.
"Thank you." Kate smiled and followed the animals from the room.
She felt groggy but she was still comfortable in this little house with these strange new friends of hers. They had been nothing but kind to her and she felt an excitement start to creep into her as she started to wake up more. She cleaned herself up as much as she could before enjoying a breakfast of fish and chips. Midway through, the door opened and a pair of beavers came walking in. Mr. Badger greeted his friend as the two female animals did the same. Kate sat and watched the animals talk. Mr. Fox sat next to her doing the same. It took a matter of minutes before the talk stopped long enough for her to be noticed.
"Hello there." Mr. Beaver said greeting her.
"Hello." She replied.
"This is Kate." Mr. Fox told him.
"It's very nice to meet you dear." Mrs. Beaver told her kindly, a large smile on her face.
"It's just me." Kate blurted out. The beavers glanced at each other and then at the badgers. "I would assume that you would think the same as the badgers. I'm alone so the prophecy has yet to be fulfilled." She explained.
"I see." Mr. Beaver said somewhat sadly.
"I'm sorry." Kate told them. She was sorry, even though it wasn't her fault.
"You have nothing to be sorry for." Mr. Fox told her. "You may not be what we expected but we're grateful for your presence all the same."
"Thank you." Kate smiled at him. He nodded back with a smile. There was little talk before Kate spoke again. "I know you've said that it's not safe but is there any chance I could go explore a little? I'm really curious and I can't stay inside all day." She explained.
Everyone looked at each other and it looked as if they were going to say 'no' but Mr. Fox spoke up before the rest. "I'll take you out if you promise to stay quiet and listen to me." He told her.
Even though he was treating her as if she were a child, if she wanted to get out of the house she would have to listen to him. She gave him a look but nodded. Mr. Fox agreed and soon she was bundled up and ready to explore. She couldn't help but jump up and down as she waited for the fox outside of the home. She didn't want to be rude and it seemed as if some serious conversation had come up when she left the room. She couldn't help but wonder what they said when she was out of earshot. She knew that the prophecy was a big subject. They had told her what would happen if the prophecy was fulfilled.
When Adam's flesh and Adam's bone
Sits at Cair Paravel in throne,
The evil time will be over and done.
The words ran thorough her head and she wondered if it were true. If the snow would melt and Aslan would return to Narnia. It wasn't just the prophecy that took up her thoughts. Aslan was a big part of these people. He was the King of all Narnia. He hadn't been seen for a long time but these creatures kept hope that he was going to return. He would return with the coming of the four children that would become the kings' and queens' of Narnia. While she waited she tried to remember the old rhyme that they had told her of Aslan. She had part of it but the end of it was escaping her. She paced in front of the door until she finally thought of it.
Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in site,
At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,
When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,
And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.
She couldn't help but wonder what this lion was like. She came to the conclusion that he must be wonderful. He may not be tame but from what she understood he was a magnificent beast that was very wise and noble. She tried to imagine what it would be like to meet him. She hoped that she might get the chance. She didn't know how long she would be here or what would happen as time went on. The uncertainty of what was to come made her sad as she stood waiting. She turned away before glancing back as she headed back the way she had come. She walked quietly as she tried to remember exactly the way she had come. She hadn't gone far when there was a sound of wings and a bird landed on her shoulder.
"Where are you going?" The bird asked.
"Home I guess." She replied, unconcerned about the talking bird.
"I'll have to go tell Mr. Fox and the Badgers." The bird told her.
"No, you don't. They have done enough for me. I feel that me being here is doing more harm than good. If they're caught, they'll be in grave danger and I refuse to put them in that position." She told her.
"You owe them more than this." She replied. "They have already risked their lives for you. It's unfair to them to disappear. They will come after you."
"I'm sorry." Kate told the bird. "I need to get home. I'll try the way I came."
"Did you hear that?" The bird asked.
"Hear what?" Kate asked stopping.
There was the sound of movement somewhere nearby. Both froze and listened. The bird took off and flew overhead. A moment later it dove toward her.
"Run!" She yelled.
Kate's eyes grew wide but she did as the bird said. She ran, following the bird. She was flying ahead of her. She didn't take her eyes off of her feathered friend as she weaved through the trees, trying not to fall. Whatever was behind them was closing in. The sound was getting closer and she was afraid to look behind her. The bird kept glancing back to make sure she was still there. Kate's legs were getting tired from trying to run in the snow and soon they started to feel like Jell-O. She tried to keep moving but she stumbled. Soon the sound was closer than ever and her dress was grabbed and she was pulled backward. She turned onto her back to see who it was and came face to face with a snarling wolf. Before either of them could say anything there was frantic chirping and the bird was flying into the wolf's face, pecking at him. Kate tried to move out from under the wolf but he had her pinned. The bird tried to distract him but it wasn't working. Fear was rushing through her. She was about to give in when there was a growl and a flash of red. She knew at once that Mr. Fox had come to her aid. She scrambled backward as the fox and wolf fought. She stood and watched before looking for a way to help her friend. The bird was still doing her best to help. Kate was shaking with fear but she searched for something to use. Her eyes spotted a fallen tree. She rushed to it and broke as large a branch as she could and ran back to the fighting animals. She aimed well as she swung the branch at the wolf. She made impact on the animal's side, sending him rolling. He came at her and she swung again hitting him across the jaw. He stumbled and fell in the snow. Kate took a deep breath as she looked at the motionless wolf.
"We must go." Mr. Fox panted.
Kate nodded and together they started running back to the Badgers home. Mr. Fox was clearly injured and he stumbled momentarily, falling behind. Kate stopped and turned back to him. She scooped him up in her arms before running on. The she bird was still flying above them, swooping around them, watching for any signs of danger. When they finally made it back the Badgers and the Beavers were waiting for her outside.
"What is it?" Mr. Badger asked urgently.
"A wolf." Kate panted.
They all looked at each other before ushering her back into the home. Only the she animals' were in with her. The males remained outside. Kate wasn't sure what they were doing but she was more concerned for her friend.
"I'm sorry." She told Mr. Fox.
"What were you thinking?" He asked.
"I just thought it would be easier if I left." She replied. "I'm sorry."
"She's been seen." Mr. Fox told the others. "We're in more trouble than we thought."
They all looked at each other before looking at Kate. What have I done? She thought as she looked at the sad look in their eyes. Soon the males' returned telling them that they had done their best to cover their tracts. Kate slunk away into another room and sat in a corner. She couldn't help but let the tears that filled her eyes fall. She had been terrified when the wolf attacked and the fact that she had put Mr. Fox in danger hurt her more than she wanted to say. She wasn't sure what this all meant but the fear that the others were showing told her that nothing good was going to happen.
"Are you all right dear?" Mrs. Badger asked, coming into the dark room.
"Is he going to be all right?" Kate asked, wiping her eyes.
"Yes. He's hardly injured." She replied sitting next to her.
"Good, that's good."
"It wasn't your fault." She said comfortingly.
"Thank you, but it was." Kate replied. "I shouldn't have wandered off."
"You have only been here a day. We can't expect you to stay hidden. It was only natural for you to want to see Narnia." She smiled at her.
"Thank you for trying, but my guilt is still there." Kate said giving her a small smile.
Mrs. Badger heaved a heavy sigh. "I know that this is hard but I need you to stay inside until we know if your presence here has been told to the White Witch."
"Okay." Kate nodded.
"Alright." She said taking Kate's hand in hers.
They sat there only a few minutes longer. Enough time for Kate to calm down. They then went out and sat with the others. Kate listened as further conversation went on about what to do. In the end Mr. Fox decided to leave. He was going to seek out Aslan. Kate asked to accompany him but he told her to stay with the Badgers. She would be safe with them. There was little she could say to change his mind and by morning he was gone.
Over the next few days things were looking a little brighter. There had been no trouble since her encounter with the wolf. The Beavers hadn't been over since the incident but Kate was enjoying her time with the Badgers. They played odd games and Mr. Badger read from books on Narnia and stories that they knew. Kate talked of her own home and about the war and her life. It was the typical get-to-know-you talk that one makes with people you just meet. Though since she was confined to the house it took less time for them to get to know each other than if it were under normal circumstances. Kate was starting to feel restless but that was to be expected. It was such a small home to her and to have to stay indoors constantly was driving her insane. But she understood that she needed to and wasn't going to argue with them in any way. The one time she had wandered off she ran into a wolf who would have loved to tear her to pieces. She was lucky to escape. Not only that, but the fact that the Witch hadn't come looking for her yet meant that there was hope. Mr. Badger and Mr. Beaver had done a good job at hiding her tracks. She was nothing but grateful to these new friends of hers.
Kate sat back and took a deep breath after she and the Badgers had a good laugh. "I'm having fun. Thank you for that. I wasn't sure what was going to happen after the run in with the wolf." She told them.
"Yes, things are looking better." Mr. Badger smiled at her.
"It's getting late dear. You should get off to bed." Mrs. Badger told her.
"Do you think Mr. Badger could tell just one more story?" Kate asked. "Please?" She said looking at the male badger. She wasn't tired and she still wasn't quite used to Mrs. Badgers mothering.
"I don't think I have any left." He grinned at her.
"Tell me more about the prophecy." Kate told him, wanting to hear more about anything.
"I've told you all I know." Mr. Badger told her.
She looked at him, deciding whether she should push it any farther. "All right." Kate told him as she stood. "See you both in the morning."
Kate retired to the room she had been using. She was sleep in no time, dreaming of Badgers and Beavers, of wolves and birds. Before she knew it the sun was up and the smell of ham and biscuits wafted into the room. She sat up and stretched. She thought of Mr. Fox and realized that he was the first friend she made here. Even though she hadn't been here long she missed him. Then she thought of the Badgers and smiled. She got up and looked at herself. She had no change of clothes and she couldn't help but start to feel rather dirty. Cloths and hot water worked but she would love to change into something that wasn't dirt covered and torn. She took a deep breath and made her way to the kitchen. She was going to greet her friends but stopped short when she saw a new creature in their presence.
"Oh, hello." Kate said seeing the new visitor.
He appeared to be part man and part something else. His waist down was that of a hoofed animal with small horns protruding from his head. He had a beard and a strip of hair running down his back.
"You've met one too?" He said to Mr. Badger.
"Yes, this is Kate." Mr. Badger told him.
"One too?" Kate asked. "What do you mean? Who are you?" A sudden trepidation filled her. She felt defensive and instead of looking at him as a new friend but someone who could cause trouble for her and the Badgers. If she had learned anything it was that humans were important and cause for alarm in this land.
"This is Mr. Tumnus, the Faun." Mr. Badger told her.
"What did you mean by 'you've met one too'?" She asked.
"Do you know a Lucy Pevensie?" The Faun asked.
"No, should I?" Kate asked.
"I ran into her twice now but I fear that the Witch may know of her presence." He told her.
"So you came to the Badgers?" Kate frowned. "You'll put them in danger too?" She asked.
"Kate…" Mr. Badger told her sharply. Kate looked at him but quickly locked eyes with the faun again.
"I don't mean any harm." Mr. Tumnus told her.
"Is she still here?" Kate asked.
"No. She left a little while ago." He replied.
"How long?" Kate asked. "Is she still in Narnia?"
"I don't think so." The Faun told her.
He looked sad and if she didn't know better she could have sworn that he had been crying not too long ago. She didn't know the whole story but an anger filled her that she wasn't expecting. This creature had done the same thing as these Badgers but he wasn't keeping it hidden. The more he talked about it, the greater chance the White Witch would find out. If she knew of Lucy than it would be only a matter of time before she knew about Kate as well.
"Can you tell me what happened?" She asked him.
"I…kidnapped her during her first visit. We became friends and she came back to see me. But I have a horrible feeling that something is wrong." He told her.
"But she's all right?" Kate asked.
"Yes." Tumnus said eyeing her. "Did something happen?"
"I had an encounter with a wolf." She told him.
He gave her a sad expression and looked at the Badgers. "Does she know?" He asked them.
"We're not sure." Mrs. Badger told him. "We've been keeping her inside since it happened. We know it's unfair to her but it's for her own safety. We cannot risk the White Witch finding out. But if your human has been found it's only a matter of time."
Mr. Tumnus didn't stay long after that. Kate felt as if she made him uncomfortable. It was good and bad news all at once knowing this new information. Another human in the wood could only make hope grow but if the White Witch knew of her then she was in danger. More than she would know. Tumnus told her of the Witch but he said she had been young. Kate could only imagine what the young girl must think. She would assume that the girl would be thrilled. Kate herself was rather thrilled by being in this place but she also had had the dangers explained to her and therefore she knew that it wasn't as safe as it seemed. She could only hope that this girl was one of four and that she would return with her family. With them the Witch's spell could be broken and freedom and peace could come to this land. Then her new friends would be safe and she herself may find a way home.