Hey everyone. Hope your Easter went well.

Disclaimer: I don't own any aspects to this story.

And now, let's begin today's chapter.

Chapter 14

A Daring Rescue and an Important Conversation

Perrito ran after the group through the trees. He still couldn't believe it. Not only had Peter proven himself fighting Maugrim, but an opportunity had presented itself to rescue Edmund. And he, Perrito, was on that mission. If someone had told him a year ago all the things he would be doing, he wouldn't have believed it. Yet here he was. Literally fresh off the boat of one adventure, and in the middle of another. He only hoped he could live up to his new assignment.

Perrito's thoughts were interrupted when the group halted. Perrito looked ahead. The wolf was nowhere in sight. The only sound present was the wind blowing through the trees.

Oreius turned to Perrito. "Time to get started, tracker."

Perrito took a breath. This was it. This was the moment he had been dreading. Perrito admired Aslan. He was a creature unlike any Perrito had seen before. However, he couldn't help but wonder if Aslan had been mistaken at selecting him as a tracker. He knew next to nothing about it. What if he botched the job and the rescue attempt failed as a result. It would be his fault. Maybe that was why Alsan had sent Humpty as well. Humpty could tell him what to do. After all, the egg knew a variety of subjects. Tracking was probably one of them.

Perrito turned to Humpty. But before he could say anything, Humpty leaned down. "I know what you're thinking," he whispered. "I can see it in your eyes. And it's ok. I've had doubts too. This is definitely a tricky situation. Still, I think this is something you need to do alone."

"How do you know?" Perrito asked.

"I just have a feeling," Humpty said.

Perrito shook his head. "What if I fail? The wolf's getting further and further away by the minute. I could cause the whole mission to collapse. And what if-"

Humpty put a hand on Perrito's shoulder, giving Perrito a genuine smile. "I don't think Aslan would have chosen you if you were likely to fail. Have faith in yourself and your abilities. Aslan chose you and said you would know what to do when the time came. Somehow, I have a feeling this is that time. Just go ahead and be yourself."

Humpty pushed Perrito gently forward. Perrito walked ahead, trying not to look up at the others. He soon made it to the front. Now, what was it tracking dogs usually did? Well, they usually stuck their noses in the ground and sniffed. Maybe he would get a good scent.

But as he sniffed around, Perrito found himself disappointed. He smelled leaves, branches, and mud. No trace of a wolf. Then again, he didn't know what a wolf smelled like. How was he going to figure this out?

Yet as thoughts of despair filled him, Perrito felt another feeling within himself. A feeling not of doubt and fear, but of hope and courage. A feeling that told him not to rely solely on himself, but on the One who chose him. Perrito smiled. Humpty was right. Aslan had chosen Perrito, saying the dog was made for this. Perrito needed to have faith to succeed.

As he dwelt on this feeling, Perrito noticed a new scent. It was different than the other scents. It smelled like dog, but wilder, in a way. It had to be the wolf. Perrito started moving. "This way," he shouted over his shoulder.

He didn't check if the others were following. What mattered was to follow the scent and hurry to find Edmund. He couldn't explain it, but he felt that time was of the essence. Something bad would happen if Edmund wasn't found soon.

Turning a corner, Perrito stopped in his tracks. Stretched out before him was a grim camp. All sorts of creatures were inside. Witches, goblins, orcs, giants, minotaur, tigers, and other creatures. All of them looked rough and unpleasant. They were all going about their business, fashioning weapons and going over plans. They were, Perrito realized, preparing for battle. And standing in the middle of it all was Edmund. He was tied uncomfortably to a tree. A dwarf was standing nearby, taunting him. A tall woman in a white robe was moving something over and over on a stone nearby, while looking pointedly at Edmund. Squinting, Perrito could just make out that the something was a knife. This wasn't good.

"You did it," Humpty's voice sounded behind him. Perrito turned to see the others had arrived. "I knew you had it in you."

"Good work," Oreius added. Looking ahead at the camp, he grimaced. "We don't have much time. Humpty, Perrito, and Gristle, get Edmund free. The rest of us will cover you. Any questions?"

Nobody raised their paws or hands. Oreius nodded. "Good. Let's get going, then."

With that, everyone ran forward. Perrito didn't pay attention to anything going on around him. He didn't see Oreius charge in with a faun and cheetah towards the Witch, only to stop in confusion when she disappeared. He didn't see a large tree pop up a few feet away whose bark seemed to look a little white and leaves seemed a little bare for the current season. Nor did he see the dwarf disappear, and a faun trip over a small stone that sprung out of nowhere. All Perrito focused on was himself, Humpty, and a rhino, obviously Gristle, rushing forward to Edmund. The ropes were too large to cut. "How do we untie them?" Gristle asked.

Humpty looked at the knot. "It kinda looks like the ring-around-the-rosy knot back home. If you pull this rope in a clockwise manner," he pulled one end of the knot in a circle, "while pulling that end there… sprinkle some ashes (or leaves, I guess) and pull both ends, then…" with a quick snap, the rope came undone, falling on the ground.

Edmund looked around him. He looked thinner than Perrito had remembered. Also much more fearful. The boy's time with the Witch had obviously been no picnic. He started leaning forward. Humpty grabbed him and gently supported him. "Are you ok?" Humpty asked.

"I think so," Edmund replied weakly. "Who are you all?"

"We're friends," Gristle replied. "Aslan sent us."

"Aslan?" Edmund asked. His eyes started to close. "I'm not feeling so good."

"If we're thinking of wrapping up, now's the time to do so," Oreius shouted. Perrito turned to see the enemy was recovering. If they didn't get moving soon, there would be no escape.

Humpty looked at Edmund. "He needs treatment," he said. "The sooner we get back, the better." He turned to Gristle. "Can you carry him?"

Gristle nodded. "Just say the word, and I'll get him out of here.

Humpty and Perrito moved Edmund onto Gristle. It wasn't easy positioning an unconscious boy into a spot where he wouldn't fall off. In the end, they found a spot that was secure and mostly comfortable.

Oreius came over, holding a small vial. "Drink this, it'll help," he said, gently pouring the contents down Edmund's throat. The color started to return to Edmund's cheeks. Humpty looked over. "What is that stuff?"

"Centaur medicine. It'll soothe the Son of Adam and give him strength until we can tend to him."

"I might want to take a look at that."

"I'll think about it." Oreius responded in a gruff tone that indicated he already had made his decision about that suggestion. He turned to the others. "Alright, let's get going."

Soon everyone ran out. Perrito and Humpty stayed close to Gristle, making sure that Edmund didn't fall off. Strangely, as the group was leaving, Perrito thought he heard a sound coming from the enemy's camp behind him. It sounded like laughter. But what was there to be happy about for the enemy? The Witch's key prisoner had been freed. It must have been his mind playing tricks on him. Perrito kept telling himself that, hoping he was right.

The next few hours were busy. The group had made it back to Aslan's camp. Surprisingly, no one tried to follow them or stop them. That fact did not help Perrito's unease ebb away. What did help, though, was the work done at camp. Humpty worked with some of the healers at Aslan's camp to tend to Edmund. Exhaustion seemed to be the main culprit. Perrito ran throughout the camp getting water and blankets for Edmund. After that, he just stayed in the tent where Edmund was sleeping. Perrito didn't know why he decided to stay, but he just did. Didn't want to leave Humpty without a friend and couldn't go to sleep not knowing if the boy they rescued was going to be alright.

It was a few hours after arrival that Edmund woke up. Perrito looked up as he heard a groan coming from the bed. Humpty sat up from where he was resting on the chair beside the bed. Edmund opened his eyes, gasped, and sat up.

"It's ok. It's ok," Humpty said. "You're with friends."

Edmund looked over at Humpty. "Friends?"

"Yeah. We rescued you from the Witch last night. Do you remember?"

Edmund closed his eyes, laying back down. "Yeah, I remember now." He looked at the two figures. "And I remember you all. Humpty Dumpty and Perrito.

"Good," Perrito said, coming up with a small tray of bread and water. "Glad that your memory is fine. You should probably eat something."

Edmund took the bread from the tray. A few small nibbles turned to larger and larger bites. In a few seconds, Edmund had eaten both slices of bread. "Got any more?" he asked, eagerly.

Humpty reached out a hand. "Let's wait a little bit. You've been through quite an ordeal. We need to make sure you can stomach the food."

"Trust me," Perrito said. "Eating a lot really fast after a period of not eating much food is very bad for your health."

Edmund nodded. "Ok." He looked around. "Where are we?"

"You're in Aslan's camp," Perrito replied.

Edmund nodded. But before he could say anything else, the tent flap swayed. Oreius came trotting in. "Good, you're awake," Oreius said, looking at Edmund. "Aslan just sent me to check on you. He said if you were awake, He would like to have a word with you." Seeing the question in Humpty's eyes, he added, "And no, it cannot wait. Grab a bite to eat, and I'll be waiting outside for you when you're ready."

With that, Oreius turned around and walked outside. Edmund gulped, face turning pale. Perrito looked at Edmund. "Are you alright? If your stomach isn't doing good, I can get a bucket."

But Humpty shook his head. "Based on my observations, Perrito," he whispered, "I would say that this is a case of nervousness." Turning to Edmund, he said, "Is everything alright, Edmund?"

Edmund turned to Perrito and Humpty. The boy did seem rather nervous. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it. Perrito's eyes widened. He understood what was going on here. It was coming to him plainly and clearly.

"If you want my advice, Edmund," he said, "I think you should go to Aslan as you are. I know that, given what you did, you're ashamed of yourself and are dreading talking with Aslan. But I think Aslan already knows that. When I met him, I found there was nothing I could hide from him. He already knew everything about me."

"How does that help me?" Edmund asked, looking imploringly at Perrito. "What I did was inexcusable. It was selfish and cruel. If Aslan already knows that, what is there to say or do?"

"Nothing," Perrito replied. "There's nothing you can do, except ask for forgiveness. And if there's one thing I felt about Aslan, it was the love He has for us. I felt a deep and personal love from Him, and I knew that that love is for each and every creature. To those who are prideful and reliant on their own works as justification for righteousness, I have a feeling Aslan would be a terrible, powerful, and just lion. But to those who understand and humble themselves before him, I think that they would feel the love he has for them. So, I think if you come to him, knowing what you did was wrong and ask for forgiveness, you'll get it."

"Are you sure?" Edmund asked.

"Absolutely," Perrito said.

"I would vouch for that," Humpty said. "I felt the same things you're feeling, Edmund. So I know what Perrito says is true. Besides, it is literally your only option here. You can't stay in this tent forever. Going to Aslan and facing what you've done is the only way."

Edmund nodded. "Alright. Would you both mind coming with me?" he asked, looking at the two. "I might not know the way, and all," he added quickly.

Perrito smiled. "Sure. We'll come as far as we are able."

Oreius was waiting for them outside. He made no comment about Perrito and Humpty following Edmund, but instead walked away from the ten. The camp was pretty quiet in the early morning darkness. Only a few Narnians were out and about, patrolling the camp and the surrounding cliffs. Oreius led them past Aslan's main tent and up the cliffs behind it. After climbing a small ridge, they saw Aslan, shining in the moonlight. Edmund stopped moving, eyes wide. Perrito looked over at him. "It's going to be ok," he whispered.

Aslan came forward slowly. "Hello, Humpty and Perrito. I heard about your efforts tonight. Well done."

Perrito smiled. "We had good help, sir," he said, hoping Aslan got the subtle gratitude he was giving.

Aslan smiled, eyes twinkling. "I'm glad to hear it." He turned to Edmund. "Welcome, Edmund, Son of Adam."

Edmund smiled weakly. "Hello, sir."

"I hope that your rest was good?"

"It was, sir."

"And was the bread to your liking? "

Edmund nodded. "Yes, sir. It was delicious."

"I'm glad my simple meal has more warmth and substance to it than Turkish Delight." Aslan said, smiling. Edmund's eyes widened, surprised that Aslan knew that. "Though, given how the Witch's meal was made, I'm not surprised." Edmund smiled, though whether it was due to the conversation or nerves was unclear. Aslan's face turned serious. "Now, Edmund. I know you have been through a lot, but there are some things we must discuss. Would you please walk with me?"

Edmund nodded. Looking down at Perrito, he started following Aslan. Perrito sat down. This might have been a private conversation, but that didn't mean Perrito was going to leave Edmund alone completely. He would stay here until Aslan and Edmund returned, no matter how long it took. Hours, or days, Perrito would be wide-eyed and alert through it all.

A small butterfly tickled Perrito's nose, causing his eyes to open as he sneezed. He stood up. How long had he been asleep? Long enough, apparently. The sun was cresting the horizon. Aslan and Edmund were still talking in the distance. Perrito couldn't hear what they were saying, but whatever it was, it must have been important. Edmund had a chastened look on his face. At the same time, Perrito thought he saw relief pouring through. The same kind of relief Perrito had described to Edmund earlier. Looks like his hunch was right.

A rustle made Perrito turn. Humpty was leading the Pevensies, Puss in Boots, and Kitty Softpaws over to the ridge. Perrtio smiled at them, putting a paw to his lips. Everyone nodded and stopped moving. Perrito saw the concern and worry on their faces. He couldn't blame them. Edmund might have betrayed them, but he was also their brother. There was a lot to deal with.

Perrito turned back to see Aslan and Edmund looking at the group. After nodding to each other, they started walking towards the group. Aslan stopped between Edmund and the others. "Here is your brother," he said. Then, as the lion turned to leave, He added, "There is no need to discuss what has already happened."

Edmund looked at the others. "Hello," he said, sheepishly.

Lucy ran over, hugging him. "Glad you're back," she said. Edmund hesitated for a moment, then returned the hug warmly.

Puss and Kitty came up. "Welcome back, mi compadre. Now the four musketeers are whole," Puss said.

"Seems you finally found the right side," Kitty said, nodding back to the point she had made in the woods. Perrito felt like it was a lifetime ago.

Susan then came up for a hug. "Are you alright?"

"A little tired," Edmund replied.

"Go and get some sleep," Peter said, a grim expression on his face.

Edmund looked down, starting to walk away. Peter turned to him. "And Edmund?"

Edmund turned back, a concerned look on his face.

Peter broke into a smile. "Try not to wander off."

Edmund grinned back, happy to know that all was forgiven.

Aslan's reference to the ingredients of the Witch's Turkish Delightis a joking reference to how the Witch's food is made of nothing more than snow and whatever liquid was used in the films, whereas the bread and other food at Aslan's camp is made of real food and ingredients. Both a joke and a hidden truth in there when you think about it.

I know that Edmund's conversation with Aslan wasn't covered in this story. Some things are better left unsaid and guessed at. I like to think though, knowing who CS Lewis based Aslan on, that Aslan's conversation with Edmund was like the lion's conversation with Humpty in this story. Both characters understanding what they did was wrong, but receiving total forgiveness and grace. Much like the relationship one can have with Jesus if one accepts Him as Savior.

As always, please rate and review.