Martin Decides

Lucy fired more arrows, but she only managed to one hit a wolf in the shoulder.

Shard and Maugrim rolled around in the snow leaving blood and fur in their path, Fenris leapt for Peter and Peter hit him in the side of the head by accident.

"Pretty good Pete," Edmund gasped as he stabbed at a wolf, he missed and hit the snow instead; he pulled the sword back, heard and yip and found that he had cut off a wolf's tail.

"That was pretty good too," Peter called.

Mr. Beaver was the only one who really knew what he was doing, and he wielded his hatchet like a battleaxe. Mrs. Beaver dropped the bread plate on a wolf's head and Susan stabbed at them with one of Lucy's arrows.

They killed a few, but twenty well trained wolfs are a deadly adversary. It was a losing battle.

Fenris jumped at Peter, caught his arm and pulled him down. Edmund stabbed at Fenris; but the wolf was too cunning and slid sideways, still holding onto Peter.

Maugrim left Shard's body lying in the snow and jumped at Edmund and grabbed the front of his coat. As the huge black wolf dragged Edmund down a clear cool note of a horn blasted above him, then silence.

Then the world turned upside down.

A roar echoed towards them, it was so loud it shook the earth and reverberated like thunder in the distance. The roar increased until they were thrown to the ground, then it faded away.

Maugrim dropped Edmund and stood, forepaw cocked with a horrified look in his eyes, then, with mournful howls all the wolves leapt to their feet and dragged themselves into the woods.

"Pete," Edmund gasped, "Pete are you all right?"

Peter rolled over and sat up, his face was white, "I think I'm fine."

"Peter! Edmund?" Susan slid from the tree. "Are you all right?"

"I blew my horn," Lucy said dropping down from her branch, "I'd forgotten about it until now, I suppose we got help, it must have been that roar."

"Are you all right?" Susan cried.

"I'm fine," Edmund asked, "Where's Shard?"

"Over there," Peter said pointing to the bloody form in the snow, "Maugrim finished him off personally."

"Oh!" Lucy said, "How sad!"

She walked over to where Shard lay in the snow and knelt next to him, "Poor Shard," she reached out and touched his blood stained coat. It shuddered under her hand.

"Hullo!" Lucy called, "He's not dead!"

Susan ran over, "Are you sure?"

"Quite sure."

With shaking fingers, Susan unslung her cordial from over her shoulder and pulled out the stopper. She pried Shard's jaws open and let one drop of cordial fall into his mouth.

Then something very strange happened.

The gashes and cuts on his body started to melt together until only dried blood caked his coat. He opened his eyes and rolled to his feet.

"Where's Maugrim?" he said, "where are the Secret Police?"

"They ran away," Lucy said soothingly.

"They what?" Shard stared at her incredulously.

"I blew my horn and someone roared," Lucy said, "they got so scared they ran away."

~o*o~

"What a remarkable story!" King Lune said after Chibb had left the room, "What do you propose we do about it?"

"I for one am going to look for them," Martin said.

"I suppose I will too, you might get yourself into trouble." Flavis said.

"But how do you know the little robin is telling the truth?" King Lune asked.

"The time is ripe," the gray haired centaur spoke for the first time, "I have watched the stars for years, they foretell that the prophesy will be fulfilled soon."

"Yes I remember that," King Lune said quietly, "You think that Chibb is telling the truth, Equus?"

"I do," Equus said, "and furthermore, I will go with Martin and Flavis."

"Well," King Lune sat back in his chair, "I have no power over you, you are free Narnians, you may come and go as you please and I will aid these four children, if…" King Lune looked at them levelly, "…if there are four children and if it will rid us of this witch, it is a great 'if' gentlemen."

"So, do we go with your blessing?" Equus asked.

"I ought to have your blessing! You're the prophet," king Lune laughed, "but if I wasn't tied up with kingship I'd go too. When will you leave?"

"If we tarry any longer then they could be killed, all hope for Narnia would be lost, the time to leave is at hand," Martin said, he looked at Flavis and Equus, "are you with me?"

"Let's go!" Flavis said.

"I will have provisions prepared for your journey," King Lune said and pulled a bell rope behind his chair, "Go now, Aslan's blessings upon you."

The three centaurs bowed and left the chamber.

"We will need scouts," Martin said as he closed the door.

"Nothing better than a hawk for that," Equus said, "they are light and fast and quite able to take care of themselves."

"Will we find any that are trustworthy?" Flavis asked as they trotted down the stars.

"I propose Jafa and his two brothers," Martin said, "They have proven themselves."

They went through a small door opening out onto the courtyard and stood next to the fountain.

"How will we go about finding them?" Flavis said, "Now that's the question of the century."

"Where would you go if you were a hawk?" Equus asked seriously.

"Since I don't happen to be one then I can't answer that question," Martin said shortly, "Look, there is Goldwyn, perhaps he can enlighten us."

"Stop using big words Martin," Flavis said, "I'm too young to comprehend them."

Martin ignored him and turned to Goldwyn, who had landed on the edge of the fountain.

"Goldwyn!" he said, "have you seen Ergo? And his brothers, Jafa and Elah?"

"I saw them a moment ago," Goldwin replied, "They were on the kitchen windowsill."

"Thank you! You're assistance has been invaluable." Martin was already galloping across the courtyard towards the kitchen.

"More big words," Flavis muttered.

"He's off in a hurry!" Goldwyn looked after Martin, and then turned back to Equus, "Begging your pardon sir, but what's up?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that," Equus said, "goodbye."

And Equus galloped after Martin.

"Oh," Flavis said, "the little robin you brought in is doing well and he was able to see the king."

"Good!" Goldwyn exclaimed, "Capital! I was hoping he would be all right."

"Where did you find him anyway?" Flavis asked.

"About to be eaten by vultures, poor chap," Goldwyn said.

They heard the clatter of hoofs and Equus and Martin returned. Martin with three hawks perched on his arm; he didn't seem to mind their sharp talons.

"They have agreed," he said gravely to Flavis.

"Good," Flavis said and looked over his shoulder, "and here come our provisions."