Chapter 13: A Narnian Bambi
A few moments later, Lucy and Edmund left the cottage. A befuddled Daleen was trotting along behind them.
They were silent as they made their way through the streets, towards the centre of town. As she passed in between the stooping wooden battlements, Lucy couldn't help but notice how every one of them seemed to have their shutters firmly shut. No light could be seen shining out the cracks in the walls.
The streets were ringing in a cold, still silence.
"Where are we going exactly?" Breaking the silence, she asked her brother. He had found more time to speak to the elderly Faun.
"Just up that hill over there, see?" Edmund said, pointing to a bump in the center of town.
Lucy nodded, seeing a small tent sitting on its highest point. A fire was crackling inside of it-a bright contrast to the deafening darkness.
They made their way up the small hill, and stood outside the tent for a moment.
"Do we trust this?" she breathed.
He nodded curtly, clutching the belt at his side. "Let's go."
He slipped a hand through the slit of the tent, and peeked his head in.
"Who're you, lad?"
Jumping slightly, Edmund saw a Red Dwarf lounging on a log, smoking a pipe. "Are you comin' in, or staying out?" It snapped again. "We don't wan'cha kiddos out there by yerselves, now do we?"
Taking Edmund's free hand in hers, Lucy entered first. The Dwarf rose from his spot, to get a better look at them. When he did so, another voice cried from the corner.
"Wait a tick-you're humans!"
Both turning, the siblings caught the eyes of a Buck, its triangular nose pointing towards them. "Since when did we have humans-and by Aslan!-human children- in Hogwood?"
"We're from Archenland, sir." Lucy lied. "New in town."
"New in town is right, my dear child! But what are you doing out here so late?"
The Buck advanced towards the siblings, circling them curiously.
"We're friends of the Faun, Flintisk." Edmund said, eying the protective Buck. "He cannot come tonight-his grandchildren are sick. So he asked us to take his place."
From the corner, the Red Dwarf smirked, throwing some sticks into the burning flames. "Don't sound much like ol' Flintfist, that don't. Why would he send you? And blimey! Why're yer even 'ere?"
Lucy pulled her hand out of her brother's grasp and faced the Dwarf. "Like my brother said, we're friends of the Faun, sir. Now if we're his friends, why can't we be yours too? I'm Louise." She stuck out her hand, inviting him to be her friend.
The Red Dwarf made a sour face, then cracked a smile. "S'alrigh', fine."
"I'm Dover, Lady Louisa," the Buck said gentler than before. He gave up his search of the pair. Instead, he came near her and rubbed his nose against her sleeve. "Pleasure to meet you."
"You too, Dover." Lucy smiled. Looking up at her brother, she continued. "That is my brother, Ed."
"And that old grump over there, my Lady, is Stumpkin." The Buck said, nudging his head in the Dwarf's direction.
"Can 'ere ya, Bambi."
The Humans snorted. Narnians have knowledge of Bambi?
"How do you Bambi?" Edmund asked, stepping up beside his sister.
"That one there is a tragic tale, lad. No good for yer young ears."
Shaking his head, the boy-king asked flatly. "So can we stay with you?"
The two adults looked at one another. They knew they couldn't send two children out on their own in the dark, so they both nodded grimly.
Smiling, Lucy stuck her head back out the tent flap. "Come in now, boy!" she cooed.
He's so going to hate me later, she thought bitterly, heading back to where her brother stood. Keep it up, keep the act up...
Daleen came trotting in, plopping himself down between the two monarchs. He barked stupidly, keeping his head low. Lucy felt bad for making him do this, so she bent down and stroked her small fingers through his coarse fur.
"This is our dog, Daleen." Edmund stated. "He came down with us."
Stumpkin grunted, heading back to his log and pipe. On the other hand, Dover looked at him curiously.
"Why, he looks rather intelligent to be a Dumb Beast! You sure he doesn't talk?"
Although it pained him to say it, because he knew he was lying through his teeth, Edmund muttered a 'yes.'
The Buck whistled, then ushered the trio over to the fire.
"What do you want us to do now?" asked Lucy.
"Now, little lass," the Dwarf grumbled. "We wait."
Lucy leaned into her brother's shoulder, whispering into his ear. "That's not very good sentry work, don't you think?"
"Yeah," he muttered back. "But let's see what they can do."
So they sat in silence, only being broken a few times when Dover made a comment, Stumpkin grunted, or Lucy and Edmund tried to ask a question. All was still.
Until, they heard it.
I'm sorry, so so so sorry! I don't know where the Bambi thing came from, and I know the movie wasn't out until after they came back out of the wardrobe (but there was the book before), but it just popped into my head, and I really just...gah. Okay. I probably just introduced to very odd, plain characters then. Or maybe I'm just being to self-critical.
Anywho, yes, I deleted The Time Travellers' Chronicles. It took alot of thinking, but I decided, as much fun as I was having while writing them, it's not a good idea at the moment. The actual characters (names, histories, everything), country, and species are all something put together and created by me, for my own works. I don't want them spread across the Internet before I'm done that. And anyways, I only had two reviewers (as much as you two are both amazing, and I thank thee oh so very much). I need to focus on other things.
Reviews, please? Thank yous all around!
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