Disclaimers: See Prologue for more info.
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Sorry for the delay. I'm slow updating this story. Anyway, here's hoping I'm faster at getting this story updated.
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Frodo opened his eyes. His vision adjusted to the torchlight, but something was very different. He was inside a cave, a chasm, or rather… the smell of tree bark was in the air. He must have been inside a tree, hollowed out and used as a home. How odd. Where was he? He was lying on top of a warm bed with a thick blanket over him. It was so comforting; he could sleep there as often as he wanted… no! No. He needed to get up and explore.
There was a door sitting next to him. Should he open it? It felt safe for him to use. And he did open it, coming across a cave next door. Where was he? This was not home nor was it the Shire. He must have been in an entirely different place. And there was the beast with the face of a bull, chatting with a few bears. Big brown bears. No way. How was this possible?
"We can't just take care of him," one of the older bears spoke up in a deep voice. "He's not from here." He turned to the ox, telling him, "How did you find him Mantok? Where?"
"He was in Lantern Waste," Mantok said, cautiously. "The Telmarines won't know what to do with him. I was lucky to leave with him as quickly as possible. The world is shifting and it's been days since anyone's seen me. I'm fast you know."
"So you slipped through here using secret passages," the older bear told him.
"No. I simply ran through the night into Beruna. I made it here, didn't I?" Mantok spoke in turn. His gaze met Frodo's in an instant. "Oh, look whose awake." He asked further, "Come to see us in our miserable state?"
"Where am I?" Frodo asked. He shook his head. This was unbelievable. "You can talk? You all can talk? What are you?"
"We're Narnians," the older bear said, standing upright. "You're in Narnia."
"Narnia?" the hobbit lad asked further, gazing around him. This had to be home, but he wasn't anywhere near home. It did look familiar in some ways. "I should be home in Middle-earth."
"Eh?" the older bear asked, confused.
"Middle-earth. The Shire, it's where home is for me," Frodo spoke up, surprised at them.
"That isn't here," the older bear said, shaking his head. He turned to Mantok, telling him, "I'll meet you inside." He rushed inside the cave, talking to himself, "Of all the things that could happen here. Of all things…."
Mantok faced the hobbit. "Don't mind him. It's you that doesn't understand."
"What?" Frodo asked, confused. "I don't even know what you are."
"Heh. You haven't seen a minotaur before," Mantok asked, his mind engaged in a small rock.
"A what?" the hobbit asked, even more confused.
"A mino – you know what, never mind." The minotaur threw the rock into the air. He grabbed an apple and munched on it. "Probably can't tell the difference between a minotaur and an ox."
"Or an auroch," Frodo added, looking away for a second. He met Mantok's gaze once again. "They're like… what's an ox?"
"What's an auroch?" Mantok asked, just as confused.
"They're cattle," Frodo admitted with ease. "What are ox? Minotaurs?"
"Cattle, but minotaurs are much fiercer," Mantok added, gruffly.
"You don't seem so tough," Frodo said, tensely. He gulped with regret a second later.
"You'd be surprised, little one," Mantok said, grunting. He shook his head. "Whereabouts are you going? Then again, you must have come from the Spare 'Oom, am I right?"
"Spare 'Oom?" Frodo asked, confused. "I did find the wardrobe in a room, but…"
"Very well." Mantok said, annoyed. "Well, I am heading to Aslan's How, if you would accompany me, then…."
"He hasn't eaten yet, has he?" the older bear said, curious. "Let him eat first and then we can discuss traveling."
"Yes, that sounds good." Mantok said, turning to Frodo. "We won't bite you, at least not fully."
"Oh, come now, Mantok. We don't bite. We're talking animals and it shouldn't be too bad," the older bear said, shaking his head. Frodo nodded. He could see that he wasn't getting out this. He was also very hungry.
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Frodo eventually moved out of the tree and into the cave. The cave was massive, and had a wooden door on the outside. Inside, it appeared to be a family's home, with large furniture and beds. There was even a table set up with food and drink, that included everything the bears liked. Mostly, honey, milk, bread and a variety of meats. He sat down immediately and chomped down on the food. It was delicious and pure, purer than what he was used to.
He was relieved he didn't have a jacket or a vest on. He hadn't worn any when he got to this world… Narnia it was called, but he appreciated the change in clothing he received from the bears. It was made up of a brown tunic and brown knee breeches, with a belt that held up the breeches. One thing was for sure: he wasn't home, but then tunics were something even he had at home.
Once he finished eating and drinking his fill, he changed into the set of clothes and re-entered the dining room, where Mantok waited for him. "Ah. There he is. You ready to go. We'll meet up with the others soon enough."
"I'd like that," Frodo said, following the minotaur outside. "So, where are we heading?"
Mantok smiled at him, warm but wicked. "We're heading to Aslan's How. Come now. We don't want to be late. We move out today."
Frodo didn't know what else to say. The bears followed him and Mantok outside. Their destination: Aslan's How, wherever that was.
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Thanks for reading. :)