As Peter rowed the boat down the river, he and the others looked around- hardly recognizing the Narnia they had called home for so long.

"They're so still." Lucy said, looking around at the trees.

"They're trees. What'd you expect?" Trumpkin replied.

"They used to dance."

Trumpkin looked between her and the trees, sighing. "Wasn't long after you left that the Telmarines invaded. Those who survived retreated into the woods and the trees, they retreated so deep into themselves that they haven't been heard from since."

"I don't understand," Lucy said. "How could Aslan have let this happen?"

Trumpkin looked at her. "Aslan? Thought he abandoned us when you lot did."

Kari and the others felt pangs of guilt as their hearts sank a bit.

"We didn't mean to leave, you know..." Peter said.

"Makes no difference now, does it?" Trumpkin remarked.

"Get us to the Narnians and it will." Peter replied.

They continued on in silence until they reached the shore nearest their destination. As they pulled the boat onto the rocky shore, Lucy spotted a bear and called out to it in greeting.

Kari and the others looked up as the bear grunted and stood on all fours for a moment. Lucy tried to tell it that they were friends, that there was no need to worry or be afraid.

"Something's wrong..." Kari said, feeling the energy of the bear.

Trumpkin called out to Lucy, telling her not to move, but the bear started charging at Lucy and she turned to run.

Susan drew her bow, warning the bear to stay away from Lucy but to no avail. Edmund called out to his sister, telling her to shoot, but Susan hesitated. Luckily, before the bear could hurt Lucy, Trumpkin drew his own bow and shot the bear in the heart.

"Why wouldn't he stop?" Susan asked, lowering her bow.

"I suspect he was hungry." Trumpkin replied, making his way over to Lucy and the bear.

As Peter helped Lucy to her feet, Trumpkin looked the bear over and Edmund noticed something different about the bear.

"He was wild."

"I don't think he could talk at all."

Kari understood then what she was feeling. "That must have been why his energy felt so different."

"Get treated like a dumb animal long enough, that's what you become." Trumpkin said. "You might find Narnia a more savage place than you remember."

Kari came to stand with Peter and Lucy, reaching up to rub Lucy's back as she cried into Peter's chest. She tried pouring some of her energy into her, hoping to offer some comfort.

Once everyone was calm again, Trumpkin led them into the woods. They made their way through the thick trees and rocky corridors, trying to find their way to their destination.

"I don't remember this way." Susan said, looking to where Peter and Kari were walking- leading the way.

"That's the problem with girls. You can't carry a map in your head." Peter teased. He looked to Kari as she playfully smacked him and chuckled. "What?"

"That's because our heads actually have something in them." Lucy teased back.

"I wish he'd just listen to the D.L.F. in the first place." Susan said.

Edmund looked at his sisters, confused. "'D.L.F.'?"

Lucy looked back at him. "Dear little friend."

Edmund chuckled and looked to Trumpkin as he said, "Oh, that's not at all patronizing, is it?"

Up ahead, Peter stopped a moment and looked around.

"Peter?" Kari looked at him.

"I'm not lost..."

"No. You're just going the wrong way." Trumpkin said, looking at Peter.

"You last saw Caspian at the Shuddering Woods, and the quickest way to get there is to cross at the river Rush."

"But unless I'm mistaken, there's no crossing in these parts." Trumpkin replied.

"That explains it then." Peter said, annoyed. "You're mistaken." He turned to continue on ahead, letting go of Kari's hand.

"Peter, wait." Kari hurried after him, quickly reaching his side. "It's been how long here since we left Narnia? We barely even recognize our home anymore. Things have changed, surely we could rely on Trumpkin's guidance more than our own memories."

Peter sighed, looking to Kari. He knew by the look she had that she could sense what he was feeling, what he was thinking, and grasped her hand again when he just nodded silently and she reached up to kiss his cheek.

They continued on their way, coming to the river Rush finally. But as Trumpkin said, there was no crossing.

"You see, over time, water erodes the earth's soil, carving deeper..." Susan started, looking from the ravine to her brother.

"Oh, shut up..." Peter retorted in defeat.

"Well, is there a way down?" Edmund asked, looking to Trumpkin.

"Yeah, falling."

Peter and the others turned back towards the dwarf. "Well, we weren't lost." Peter remarked.

"There's a ford near Beruna." Trumpkin said. "How do you feel about swimming?"

"I'd rather that than walking." Susan replied.

As Peter and the others started to turn back the way they came, Kari noticed that Lucy had turned back towards the ravine- a look of surprise on her face.

"Lucy?" Kari could feel her excitement rising as she looked across the ravine and into the trees.

"Aslan?" A smile grew on Lucy's face. "It's Aslan! It's Aslan over there!" She turned to look at her siblings. "Don't you see? He's right..." She stopped when she turned back and saw nothing, her smile fading. "...there."

"Do you see him now?" Trumpkin asked a bit snidely.

Lucy turned back towards the dwarf. "I'm not crazy. He was there. He wanted us to follow him."

Peter sighed. "I'm sure there are any number of lions in these woods. Just like that bear."

Lucy looked at him a bit annoyed. "I think I know Aslan when I see him."

"Look, I'm not about to jump off a cliff after someone who doesn't exist." Trumpkin said, looking at them.

Edmund looked around at his siblings and the dwarf. "The last time I didn't believe Lucy, I ended up looking pretty stupid."

"Lucy's right, Peter." Kari said, looking back to where Lucy thought she had seen Aslan. "It may have been for a moment, but I could feel his energy."

Peter sighed. "Why wouldn't I have seen him?"

"Maybe you weren't looking." Lucy said.

Peter looked down in defeat. "I'm sorry, Lu." He turned and started back the way they had came with Susan.

Kari reached up and put a hand on Lucy's shoulder, rubbing it gently. Lucy looked up at her, then turned to look at Edmund. Edmund gestured for them to follow after the others, staying close by his sister as they made their way back the way they came.

Kari looked back across the ravine. 'What are we supposed to do, Aslan? Please, we need your guidance.'