The Wolf and His Boy
Teaser: AU. A wolf defies the Witch and frees Edmund. As the two travel through Narnia, Edmund discovers humans are not the only denizens of Earth to find Narnia. Narnia/Balto crossover
Chapter Seven: Beruna
Balto gazed out at the golden field. It didn't seem real that there would be a battle here. It didn't even seem real that Aslan was dead even if Kaltag and Star had been crying and telling himself and Nikki about how awful it had been. The wolf-dog's eyes narrowed. One thing was for certain. He would look out for his team this day. A screech made all of them look skyward. A griffin was winging downward to King Peter's side. Balto laid back his ears. It was time.
"Ready?"
"No, but yous the Boss," Nikki replied
"Not today," Balto whispered.
They gaped in horror as the Witch's army appeared. Even with the descriptions from Kaltag and Star, it had seemed more fantasy than reality. The dogs glanced at each other, painfully aware of the sheer number of Fell Creatures in front of them. For a long moment the armies were still. Then Peter's sword rang clear of its sheath and the Narnians began to cheer their leader. Balto and his team lifted an impromptu howl. On the other side of the field, the minotaur general let out a bellow and the Witch's army let out a roar and surged forward. For several long beats Peter simply watched the enemy charge. His sword lifted and slashed forward. Screeches came from behind the Narnians and the sled dogs looked up. A flock of griffins winged toward the enemy, each one carrying a massive stone. Balto grinned. Dive bomb attack. Nice. The Narnian army watched as the griffins attacked, stones ripping into the Witch's forces. The enemy general bellowed and several massive bat-things, were-bats Balto realized, hissed and leapt skyward. A battle in the skies began to rage and the Witch's ground army continued to charge.
King Peter's war cry echoed. "For Narnia! And for Aslan!" His mount, a beautiful unicorn reared, screaming a battle challenge. The Narnians roared, cheering and lifting their weapons. All at once they charged, leaping toward the enemy. Balto let loose with another howl as he raced forward, Nikki, Kaltag, and Star by his side. The two armies surged, war cries rising. For several heartbeats they raced at one another. They collided.
Balto leapt upward, jaws closing on a minoboar's throat. The barks of his team rose and then they too were thrust into battle. Confusion reigned and the two armies writhed across the battlefield. The Narnians's charge had carried them deep into enemy ranks and all around the Alaskans battle raged. The dogs managed to stay together, teeth sinking into one enemy after another. Balto snarled and jumped again, twisting so that his full weight fell on his opponent. The ogre roared and the other sled dogs sprang, jaws finding their marks. A centaur attacked and the ogre came down, having never seen the soldier for the attacking dogs. Several more enemies fell and then Balto stumbled back in surprise as a wall of fire cut off the Witch's reinforcements. The Narnians cheered but, with a flash of blue light, the Witch used her wand to stop the wall of fire.
"Fall back. Draw them to the rocks." Balto howled, calling his team back as the Narnians turned and fled. Balto spied Peter close by and led his team to race beside the unicorn as the army headed toward the rocks. They ran into the covering rocks and Balto saw the archers loose. The Witch's army shrieked as they fell, drawn into a gauntlet. There was a cry and the unicorn fell, throwing Peter. Balto barked and the four dogs came to a halt and turned back. Not even Star trembled as they faced the Fell Creatures. Oreius and a Rhino galloped by, charging the enemy even as Peter yelled at them to stop.
The Rhino hit several enemies but fell and rolled into more. Oreius leapt over the Rhino and sent several more enemies tumbling. The minotaur general lunged at the centaur and the two fought for a few seconds. Oreius left both of his swords buried in the villian's back and drew a third sword. He leapt at the Witch and she leaned back, dodging his strike. The centaur twisted 'round and lunged again. He slashed, she parried and her wand flashed, leaving a stone statue. The Alaskans snarled and lunged, battle joined once again.
Star twisted 'round as the King yelled across the field, telling his brother to find the girls and get them home. He ducked under a wild swing and lunged, teeth biting into another throat. Out of the corner of his eye he saw King Edmund run along the cliff.
Nikki growled and swiped, bringing down another of those small, annoying creatures. He looked up and saw King Edmund running along a cliff, straight for the Witch. He let out a howl, calling the others to help the young King.
Kaltag's head snapped up as the howl echoed against the stone. He saw King Edmund jump, swiping at the Witch's wand. She dodged and stared at the King. Her wand whipped forward and he turned, bringing his sword down on the wand. Blue light flared as crystal shattered. Her eyes widened in fury and she stabbed King Edmund with the shards of the wand. The boy fell and Kaltag threw back his head, echoing Nikki's howl.
Balto raced towards the howls, worried for his team. He saw Edmund fall and snarled. The Witch picked up the boy's sword and strode toward King Peter. Balto ignored that contest and raced to Edmund's side.
"Balto, what do we do?" Star asked anxiously.
Balto looked at the boy, sick at heart. "Nothing we can do, except protect him. Queen Lucy has a cordial. We have to protect him until then."
The four took up position, guarding the fallen king. A Minoboar charged them and Kaltag leapt at it, ripping out its throat. Anklebiters tried to swarm Star but he and Nikki dealt with them. A dwarf lunged at Edmund and Balto snarled in its face, teeth bared and hackles up. The dwarf nearly fell trying to get away. A group of wolves tried to drive them away from the king and the four Alaskans stood shoulder to shoulder, barking and snarling at the wolves. Two helpful fauns appeared and the six allies drove the wolves away.
A roar made them turn and they saw Aslan leap at the Witch. Reinforcements raced around them and the dogs had a time of it staying put. The battle drew away but none of them abandoned their posts. One final dwarf aimed at Edmund with his bow. Star leapt across the distance and crushed the bow in his jaws. Nikki and Kaltag brought the dwarf down, snarling.
"Edmund!" Queen Susan. The four Alaskans stepped back, allowing the royal family through to their brother. Lucy administered her cordial and all of them watched anxiously until Edmund coughed and opened his eyes.
Peter grabbed him in a fierce hug and then asked, "When are you going to learn to do as you're told?" The Alaskans crowded in licking at all four children in joy. The White Witch was dead and Narnia was free.
A/N: Thought I'd end it on a high note. Will they get home? You ask. Patience, says I. Next Chapter: Knights of Narnia Please Read and Review