AN: Hey! I'm back! You guys are amazing! That was a super-fast response! Thank you! Fun chapter. A lot of deleted scenes!

About an hour later, the four of them came out, grinning and laughing. Becca had joined me, and together we had finished off the bacon. "Is he the Fourth?" she asked when she saw Edmund.

"Yep."

Peter came up, saw my grinning face, looked at the table, and noticed the absence of the bacon. "Wha-? You- Aw, man, Alex. Really? You're evil."

"Thank you. It's part payment for making me step in rabbit crap." He laughed.

"I should never have doubted you, but I don't trust you enough to sit by you. You'll probably hurt me," he said, leaning against a rock after snagging a cup of water.

"Got that right."

"I wonder why you'd hurt him, Alex, especially considering what the nymphs say you two were doing up on Paravel Hill," Becca said, a mischievous smile on her face.

"What were they doing?" Lucy asked.

"They were MMPH!"

"Oh, no you don't, you little traitor," Peter said, from where he was kneeling with his hand over her mouth, pulling her daggers out of their sheaths with his other hand.

"You forgot the ones in her boots," I advised.

"Thank you, Alex," he replied. "Dang, Becca! How many knives do you have on you?"

"Mmph."

"That was a hypothetical question, I believe," I said drily.

"Ow! Stop biting me, Lionschild!" Peter yelped again.

"Can't take it, Wolfsbane?" I asked.

"Only because she's got fangs, Lioness."

"You have nick-names for each other?" the girls asked.

"Only us knights."

"Wait, you're a knight?" Edmund asked.

"Yep." Peter looked at Becca. "Are you gonna be good an' not say it, or am I gonna have ta gag you?"

"Mmph."

"Okay." He let go of her and winked at me.

He stood up again, and went back to his rock. "That comfortable?" I asked.

"It's not bad."

Edmund was attacking the toast. Lucy looked at him and grinned. "Narnia isn't going to run out of toast, Ed."

"I'm sure they'll pack you some for the journey back." I looked at Peter. His face had gone serious.

"We're going home?" Susan asked.

"You are. I promised I'd keep you three safe, but that doesn't mean that I can't stay and help." Peter looked like he'd been thinking about it for awhile.

"But they need us, all four of us," Lucy said.

"We do," I added.

"Lucy, it's too dangerous. You almost drowned, Edmund was almost killed!" Peter said.

"Which is why we have to stay," Edmund said quietly. We all looked at him. "I've seen what the White Witch can do, and I've helped her do it, and we can't leave these people behind to suffer for it." He looked pointedly from Peter to me. Peter looked down.

"Well, I guess that's it then," Susan said, and got up. She went over to her bow and quiver.

Peter looked at her. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"To get in some practice."

Becca and I looked at each other, grinned, got up, and started dragging the two Kings down to the fencing courts.

Drawing my sword, I motioned for Peter to do the same. He looked confused for a second, and then yelped as I slapped him with the flat of my blade. "Hey! Aren't you gonna teach me anything first?" he asked, incredulous.

"I believe in learning on the job," I replied.

"You're insane."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

The nymphs had come down to watch us practice. Delah was there as well. She called out "Come on, boy! Prove you're a king and a man! Fight!"

Peter was going mainly on reflexes, which was what he did best. We fought, faster and faster, learning the other's strategies, and adjusting ours as we went. Becca and Edmund had stopped to watch us. No one in the camp would have thought that Peter would train with me, the loner. Then again, no one had thought that I would be his friend, either. He swung, incredibly fast. I flipped over backward, and then whirled in with a series of rapid strokes that ended with him kneeling, and me standing over him, poised to kill. He was laughing. I was exhilarated.

"Wow, Lioness. I didn't know anyone could fight like that," he said, his breath coming in gasps.

I hadn't fought like that in months. I'd loved every bit of it. "Who would have thought you'd be that good on your first try, Wolfsbane? You sure you never used a sword in Finchley?" I asked.

Becca and Edmund were clapping. "That was amazing, Alex!" Becca always did have faith in me. Several Fauns stepped forward. One asked, tentatively "Would you train with us, Lioness?"

"Sure," I answered. "But first, I've got to get this kid working on his technique. It's dreadful."

"Water first. Then again," Peter said, panting.

"Deal."

We walked over to the water barrels. The nymphs came up, with Delah. Delah went to me. The rest went to Peter. Delah handed me a cloth, and a bowl to fill with water. She checked my arm as I drank and then soaked myself. "Dear, I haven't seen you fight like that since you last dueled with Oreius."

"There hasn't been anyone like Peter here before," I answered. I felt a splash of water on my right, and turned to see Peter looking innocent. Too innocent. "Was that you?"

"Nope. It was my invisible friend, Clive."

"Sure it was."

I felt a huge splash of water come my way, right after I heard him mutter "Tyra."

Turning, I called out "Avra!" Fire rose up, turning the water to steam. "Not bad Pevensie. But not good enough," I said, and then threw my hands out, yelling "Silra!" He flew backwards, slamming into a soft wall of earth that he'd called up while he was flying. He fell to the ground, clutching his shoulder. Something had gone wrong. I ran forward, the nymphs and Delah behind me.

"Oh, man," Peter hissed between gritted teeth.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I hit it too hard and there were rocks in it. Big ones. I think it's dislocated. Ah!" I had touched his shoulder. I felt around, gently, aware that it had to hurt like heck. Becca and Edmund came running over.

"What happened?" Edmund asked.

"His shoulder," I said simply. "Talk to him. You need to take his mind off it."

Becca understood. "That was so beast! I didn't know you had magic!"

I took his shoulder gently, and then yanked, feeling the bone go back to where it should be. Peter cried out, and then looked up at me. "Thanks," he said, through gritted teeth.

"Welcome."

The nymphs hurried forward, Lionel at the front. They knelt by Peter, trying to touch him. Delah batted them aside. "Out of my way, you! You can flirt with him later, but for now, leave!" Have I mentioned that I love Delah? She felt around the bone and nodded. "You'll be fine, dear."

"I know I will, if you're the one healing me."

"Flatterer."

"Not at all."

She took out some bandages, placed them around his arm, and turned to me. "How's your arm, Alex?"

"Good as new. Probably better." She smiled.

"Alright, you two. You're too much for an old woman. I think I'll go back to my tent. When I come out next, I want to see you two fighting like the pair of warriors you are! None of this feint and dodge crap. I want some real fighting!"

"Yes Delah," we chorused together.

She turned around and walked off.

Peter turned to me. "'Feint and dodge crap?'"

I nodded. "I was toying with you Pevensie. If you want, I'll fight you for real."

"I wouldn't mind that."

We stood up, brushed ourselves off, looked at each other, and burst out laughing.

"Toying with me? Oh, man!" Peter was rolling around on the ground, laughing.

"You do a lot of rolling around on the ground," I said, looking down at him. " C'mon, you."

Again, we drew our swords. I wanted to get this over with quickly. Immediately, I threw myself into another series of rapid blows. He blocked or parried every one of them, and then started to attack me. I found myself being pushed back. I gritted my teeth. I was The Lioness. I was not going to let this boy, who hadn't been fully trained in any way, beat me. I used my flexibility and my speed to my advantage. Now Peter was the one moving backwards. We fought, using what we knew of each other's strengths and weaknesses to whatever they were worth. I slid my sword over and somehow under his hilt, and twisted, making him drop his sword. My blade was at his throat before he knew what was happening. Again, he was laughing. "That was – That was – Wow, Alex. How do you do that?"

I showed him the move, and had him try it out. He got it on the third try. We looked over at Becca and Edmund. Becca was fighting him with her knives, and every time he managed to make her lose one, she had another one in her hand before the old one hit the ground. I turned to Peter. "Time to get you a horse." We walked towards the place where the horses were. I went up to Tanwe, the Unicorn, and asked him if he would like to be the steed of High King Peter for the battle.

"What's he like?"

"Why don't you come and meet him?"

We walked over to where Peter was sitting, watching me and the horses. He had an odd look on his face. There was intensity in his eyes. I dismissed it. Why would it have anything to do with me? I came in front of him. "Peter, this is Tanwe. Tanwe, High King Peter." Tanwe bowed his head gracefully. Peter bowed as well, not as low, but still, the bow you would give to a noble. He was getting the hang of this.

"Your Majesty," Tanwe said.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Tanwe. I would be honored to ride you into, and hopefully out of, battle," Peter said.

"It is the same with me, Lord King."

"Then we are at an agreement."

"Indeed."

Peter smiled. "Well, I'll leave you two to your fancy talk. I'm gonna go and talk to Shadowhunter. Call if you need me," I said. I walked over to Shadowhunter, his silvery-grey coat and black mane making him stand out as my Horse. "Wanna go for a ride?" I asked.

"What kind of a question is that? Get me out of the tiny space," he answered. I grinned and leaped onto his back. We trotted over to where Peter had mounted Tanwe. He looked confused.

"What do I hold onto?" he asked.

"Here," I said. "Aliros." A silvery rope appeared in his hand. "It's attached to him, where the reigns usually are, but he won't feel it. You'll have to tell him where you want to go or use your knees. The best riders don't need reigns. Come on!" I wheeled around, on Shadowhunter's back and I told him to go over to Phillip, a brown Horse who I thought would be good for Edmund. "Phillip!" I called. "I was wondering, would you like to be King Edmund's horse, when you go into battle?"

"Yes, I would!"

"Alright then. Oh, and by the way, when you meet him, don't let him know you can talk."

We galloped across the training grounds, towards Edmund and Becca, who were taking a break under a tree who had been kind enough to give them a bit of extra shade. I saw Becca say something, and saw Edmund laugh. I looked over at Peter, and slipped into his head. They like each other.

Yeah. They like each other a lot.

How do you know that?

I'm a mind-reader. How do you think?

I shook my head at him and he laughed.

No one gets any privacy when you're around.

Yep. Speaking of liking each other, you like me.

Well, duh. I haven't killed you yet.

He laughed. Whatever, sweetheart.

Flirt.

Only when it comes to you. I'm not fond of the nymphs I've met so far. Too needy for me.

Oh, so you've got standards?

We were near Becca and Edmund now, and I climbed off Shadowhunter. Peter got off Tanwe. "Edmund!" I called. "I've found a Horse for you!"

"Really? I get a Horse? That might be a bad idea, considering my sense of balance."

Becca laughed. "Definitely. He tripped over his own feet!"

"While I was trying to get away from you before you killed me!"

"I understand how you feel, Ed," Peter said. "Alex has made me make a fool of myself, oh, nine times since we started this morning."

"Only 'cause you deserved it."

"You really need to get over the rabbit poop."

"They were my best boots! That and I'm famous for holding grudges."

"Whatever."

Edmund came over to Phillip and looked him up and down. "He's a bit big for me, isn't he?"

"Eh, but you'll grow into him."

"Eh?"

"Yes in Narnian slang, Ed," Peter explained.

"Oh."

"C'mon. You guys are boring me." I ran and leaped onto Shadowhunter's back and we flew across the plains. I heard the thundering of hooves behind me, and turned to see Peter, on Tanwe, Edmund on Phillip, and Becca on her horse, a beautiful Palomino, with the name of Lightbringer.

Peter and Tanwe raced forward, coming at a level with us. I turned toward Peter, and found him watching me. His eyes burned into mine, showing love, affection, joy, and a hunger that I didn't think had to do with food. For a moment, I couldn't breathe. Then the look was gone, hidden in the depths of his eyes.

I drew my sword and grinned evilly at his resigned expression. Edmund looked back and forth between us, then shrugged and drew his sword. Becca had a knife out. We rode on, our swords flashing in the Sun as we fought. We came over a crest on the hill and saw Susan and Lucy learning how to use their weapons. Suddenly, I heard a yell. "Peter!" Mr. Beaver ran up to us.

Phillip reared up, making Edmund yell "Whoa, horsey!"

Peter and I looked at each other, then back at Edmund, as Phillip said "My name is Phillip."

"Oh, sorry," Edmund said. I snickered.

Mr. Beaver would not be perturbed. "You'd better come quick. The White Witch has requested a meeting with Aslan!"

Peter and I looked at each other, and then we leaped off our horses and ran.

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