Days passed slowly for Avel, Emet, and Ha-or Tov. Hard days. Cold days. Hungry days. They barely survived.
One day Ha-or Tov came bursting into the cave, his face glowing. Avel and Emet were huddled together for warmth. Avel looked up. "Whatever are you so happy about?" he asked.
"I just heard that Aslan is coming to Narnia!" Ha-or Tov exclaimed.
"Aslan?!" Avel exclaimed. At the name a delighted thrill raced along his spine. "Who's that?"
"You mean you don't know?!" Ha-or Tov cried. "My mother talked often of him. He's the King. He's the Lord of the wood, but not often around, you understand. Neither my mother nor her parents ever saw him or heard of him being here. But I just heard that he's come back. He is in Narnia at this moment. Mama always said he would set things right. Get rid of the horrid witch who says she rules Narnia and makes it always winter."
"What kind of creature is he?" Avel asked, fascinated.
"Aslan is a lion," Ha-or Tov said proudly. "The Lion, the great Lion." Then he added wistfully, "Mama always said that if he came she would take me to see him. And I really mean see him. She said he could."
"Could he heal Emet, too, you think?" Avel asked. "Make it so he can hear and speak?"
"If he can make me see, he should be able to heal Emet, too," Ha-or Tov said.
But would he? Avel wondered. Would a king care for the likes of us? Orphans barely surviving on the outskirts of his kingdom?
"We could go to him," Ha-or Tov suggested. He went over to a corner and came back with a rope. It had a loop in it and a piece dangling off. "Whenever Mama and I would go somewhere," Ha-or Tov said, "she'd slide this around my neck and then lead me around by it. If you would do the same, I wouldn't have any trouble."
Avel carefully took the loop in his teeth and carefully slid it over Ha-or Tov's head. "Okay," he said, "Come on, let's go." Then he took the rope lead in his teeth and the three of them set out.
"Do you have any idea where in Narnia he'll be?" Avel asked around the rope clutched in his teeth.
"The creature I heard say he was here said he was at the Stone Table," Ha-or Tov answered. "Don't know where that is, though."
"We'll just have to ask, then," Avel said.
They wandered for several hours. Fortunately there were a lot of creatures to ask who seemed to know where the Stone Table was and gladly gave them directions.
Avel suddenly noticed it was getting warmer. He heard a dripping noise. Ha-or Tov suddenly leaped towards Avel. "Watch out!" he yelled. Avel leaped away from Ha-or Tov. Just in time, too. A pile of snow suddenly fell off one of the trees nearby. Emet hadn't known it was going to happen so he got buried in the snow. However, he wasn't hurt. He floundered his way out from under the drift, laughing, and they continued on their way.
It was amazing just to walk along. Spring was overtaking the land of Narnia. You could actually watch the snow banks melt. Avel could hear the sound of running water of a nearby stream. Leaves and flowers grew on the trees, new grass grew, and plants on the ground produced blossoms. Avel knew that the White Witch that ruled Narnia caused it always to be winter. He knew this meant her power was weakening. Aslan must be closer.
After a bit they came in sight of the Stone Table. Tents were set up all over the place, and creatures were seen hurrying hither and thither. "Wait!" Avel suddenly cried, stopping.
"What?" Ha-or Tov said.
"We can't go to see a king looking like this," Avel said. "We're dirty from the way we've had to live. We need to find a stream and wash ourselves off, first."
They searched and quickly found a stream. They bathed and came out again. Now, they were ready to see Aslan.