Chapter 14-Change
Canisp gave a whimper of delight as she waded down the stone steps and into the blessedly, mercifully cool river. The current eddied around her forelegs, lapping temptingly at her underbelly, and she bounded happily into deeper water, dunking her head under and using her huge wings to swirl up miniature whirlpools that snatched minnows up and spun them around helplessly. Orion took off from Ilona's shoulder and dove into the center of the river like an osprey. Canisp almost called to him to catch some fish for dinner, before remembering that they no longer needed to catch their own prey.
That realization disturbed her on a very deep level. She was a Wolf who didn't hunt. Not couldn't—didn't.
Ilona's cheerful voice brought Canisp back from her troubling thoughts. "May I join you, my lady?" she called.
Canisp paddled back toward her. "Of course!" she said. "Plenty of water, isn't there?"
Ilona brightened and pulled a scarlet ribbon out of her pocket. "One moment," she said, pulling her dark hair into a hasty ponytail. She paused to remove the necklace she wore, and Canisp's ears pricked. In the stuffy library, Ilona's new accessory had seemed of little importance, but now that the water had leeched off some of the mind-numbing heat, Canisp was curious.
Seeing her interest, Ilona motioned the dripping wolf closer and held out the necklace. It was as Canisp had seen; a plain piece made of tightly-braided tan twine. However, she saw now that the unassuming band was merely intended to support the flat black stone hanging at the end. She hadn't noticed it before; it had been tucked inside Ilona's tunic. A hole was bored rather crudely through the top, and etched into the surface of the stone was the painstakingly intricate image of a winged wolf. Wordlessly, Ilona flipped the pendant to reveal the carved image of Orion, impressively accurate.
"My family," Ilona said softly. "He gave it to me for my birthday." There was no need to clarify who he was; Hosni's touch was clear in every score mark. Ilona turned and smiled at the boy in question, their guide, who was standing unobtrusively beside the door. He acknowledged her with a nod and a bashful smile before refocusing his gaze politely over the river.
"It's your birthday?" Orion asked, fluttering from the shallows onto a dry stone step.
Ilona looked puzzled. "No," she said, "My birthday was yesterday. Why?"
"You didn't tell us!" Canisp exclaimed.
"I didn't think to," answered Ilona, looking quite taken aback.
"Well, happy birthday then," Canisp said. A toothy grin spread along her muzzle. "And since we can't have you forgetting to tell us things like that in future…"
"Oh, no," muttered Orion.
Ilona looked at him. "What's wro-"
Canisp pounced. With a low bark of laughter, she crouched and flung herself at Ilona's legs. Ilona toppled over, falling heavily across Canisp's back and sending both of them into the river with a mighty splash.
Picking herself back up, Canisp let her pink tongue loll out the side of her mouth, tipping Orion a playful wink. The Eagle's always-ready laughter was ringing easily over the water. Even Hosni, normally so grave, was fighting a losing battle to maintain the formal demeanor of a slave on duty. Ilona pulled herself out of the water, squeezing the water from her ponytail, and looked him over. Smirking, she darted forward and snatched the stone-colored cap from his head. Giving up, Hosni finally let himself lose his innate formality, clutching his stomach and shaking with silent laughter. Ilona gave a short "Ha!" of triumph, scooping water into Hosni's cap and tossing it at him. He gasped in over-exaggerated offense and jumped at her. She leaped back, tripped over an uneven patch of riverbed, and tumbled into the water. Hosni took the opportunity to grab at his cap, but Ilona was too quick for him and pushed off from the bank, sparkling eyes daring him to follow her.
It was shaping up into another all-out water war. Canisp had just stretched out a wing to splash Hosni as he swam after Ilona when Orion, perched on top of the palace wall, gave a sharp warning cry.
"Kee! Kee!"
Canisp froze, instinctively raising a wing to guard her head. Talking Beasts often use their mute cousins' vernacular in situations of danger or extreme emotion; for Orion, easily the most eloquent of the group, to revert to his instinctive call was not something to be dismissed lightly.
The object of Orion's alarm quickly became clear. A well-dressed herald, walking backward, appeared in the boat door. Canisp felt her hackles raise slightly. This human meant trouble.
If the herald noticed the tension in the group, he gave no indication of it. Bowing deeply, he recited, "Announcing the Most Noble And Ever-Living Tisroc, Rabadash the Peacemaker, whose reign must and shall be never-ending by favor of Tash, to Their Most High Angels of Tash, Canisp and Orion changelings of those names."
The herald hesitated for a split second, glancing at Ilona and Hosni. Both were soaked to the skin. Hosni looked petrified, but at the same time was trying to reign in his snickers. Ilona's arms were crossed tightly across her chest, as she seemed to have just remembered that she had been wearing Canisp's white tunic when she dove into the river. Hosni, whose expression suggested he was biting his tongue to try to regain control, shrugged off his light brown vest and pulled it around Ilona's shoulders, and she laughed.
"…And company," the herald finished hastily before bowing out of the doorway.
His place was filled by the Tisroc. Canisp felt another wave of disdain for Calormene fashion at the sight of him. Long-sleeved wine-red velvet in this weather? Rabadash the Ridiculous was aptly named.
She wasn't at all surprised to see the sheen of sweat on Rabadash's face, nor that he visibly swallowed to see the Narnians chest-deep in the deliciously cool river.
"Can we help you?" Orion asked politely. Canisp could hear the mocking amusement in his voice, but she suspected that was only because she knew him so well.
Seemingly remembering himself, Rabadash turned to Canisp. "I have come with a formal request from your humble servant, O noble servant of Tash and delight of my eyes," he said, bowing slightly from the waist. Canisp braced herself for an onslaught of meaningless honorifics.
She was not disappointed. Through the cloud of insincere flattery and flowery, pedantic phrases it was all but impossible to tell what he was saying. Canisp suppressed a snarl of frustration; Narnians are a clear-thinking, honest race, and Free Wolves share a dislike for mincing words. If Canisp had learned anything from Calormen, it was that nothing made her edgier than convoluted politics.
When Rabadash had finished his speech, he looked at Canisp with cool expectation. It was clear that whatever he called it, his "formal request" was a command. Canisp had no choice but to agree to it.
Now if only she knew what she was agreeing to…
Once again, Orion came to her rescue. Seeing Canisp's confusion, he said to Rabadash, "So… you'd like to join us for dinner?"
Canisp glanced at the Eagle incredulously, as if to say all that just to ask us to dinner? Orion caught the look and rolled his eyes ever so slightly, agreeing with the sentiment.
Rabadash looked mildly irritated at Orion's paraphrasing, but bowed again and said, "Wise was the poet who said 'Swords and spear can be kept off with shields, but the Eye of Wisdom pierces through every defense'. How truly you speak, my lord. The greatest Tarkaans of the land gather tonight. Should you condescend to dine with us, the darkest trenches of the Eastern Ocean would be as nothing to the depth of our gratitude and humility."
Canisp swallowed an exasperated sigh. She wanted nothing more than to decline, or else respond with a simple 'sure, what time?' All their lives, however, depended on her and Orion playing their parts. "It will be our pleasure, oh most long…Ah, well-spoken Tisroc," she corrected herself hastily. "When will we be expected?"
Rabadash looked satisfied. "If you and your exalted servant will accompany me now, our slaves will help you prepare."
Reluctantly, Canisp climbed the stone stairs out of the river. As she passed Rabadash, she paused, then shook herself vigorously, sending sheets of water scattering from her fur. Rabadash leaped away, a half-formed curse almost escaping his lips before it was bitten back. Orion snickered softly. From their respectful positions behind Canisp, the changeling heard Hosni choke and Ilona stifle a giggle, but she didn't share in their mirth.
There is an old Narnian saying that goes, "Just when you get comfortable, the forest starts to burn." Canisp thought of it now, and her fur prickled.
She couldn't help but feel her pack had gotten too comfortable.