by Neishai
The land of Narnia, Aslan, and others within his realm created by C.S. Lewis. No infringement on his works is intended.
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"I can't guarantee this is going to be at all fun. We might as well go back home," the Marsh-wiggle muttered into her friend's ear. The wind blew her limp hair everywhere and in her face, and she was forced to keep a hand on the crown of her hat to keep it anchored to her head. "Drat this wind. I need to tie a string to my hat to keep it on my head," she grumbled.
"No worries, my friend. This promises to be a jolly good time," her companion said, raising his voice to be heard above the wind. Or perhaps more accurately, the air rushing past. They soared high above the countryside on the flying horse's raven-black wings. He whinnied exuberantly, the suddenness of his cry jolting the Marsh-wiggle off of her seat.
"Hawk, I wish you wouldn't do that. I nearly jumped right off your back!"
Hawkfeather chuckled. "Terribly sorry, but you know I'd never let you fall, Wiggs."
"Might have been a far pleasanter fate," she muttered.
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The dryads and fauns were already present by the time Hawk and Muddisye arrived at the Dancing Lawn. Despite her loud complaints, not even she could deny the excitement felt by any and all those in evidence. The festival had begun in the morning hours, and the night dwellers could hardly wait for night, and indeed many were already springing about before dusk.Owls fluttered nearly silent wings, kicking up eddies of wildflower perfume; the upbeat, beautiful, eerie trilling of pipes and birdsong filled the air, with an accompaniment of hand-held drums and the soft thud of trampling feet. The tantalizing fragrances of the varied foods set out drifted by one's nose like a ribbon fluttering in the breeze. Roasted meats; cheeses; various salads made with fruit, or vegetables and legumes, or leafy greens and shoots; sweet, sour, and nutty breads; and thick, savory stews were all available for the hungry traveler, served with a mug of cider or beer.
"I suppose you would say that this is downright dreary, eh Wiggs?" the winged Horse whickered, eyeing her slyly. "Perhaps we really should go home."
Muddisye shrugged, grumbling. "Well I can't say as I'd rather travel all the way back home. We might as well make the best of things."
"There's the spirit." They looked out over the festivities, the lively roar produced by all the noise interrupted often by laughter and screaming younglings as they chased one another between the legs of their parents.
"I say Dearie," came a nearsighted bear, who had wandered up in search of the banquet table, and now stood squinting at Muddisye, "you really ought to try a little harder to fatten y'r self up for the winter. I have a feeling it will be a bad one," she tsked, nodding her head slowly. She eyed Hawkfeather. "And you… you should know better, Mister Feathers."
"I do try, ma'am. I really do. You know my dam raised me right."
"I daresay it's all that traipsing about in the woods y'do, Lad. You should settle down and raise a family, mm?"
Muddisye glanced at him from the corner of her eye, the faintest crooked smile touching her mouth. He pranced about nervously. "Someday, I'm sure!" he agreed, hoping she would leave the subject be. By Aslan's mane, his mother had nagged him about it plenty of times. By Aslan's mane, his mother had nagged him about it plenty of times, but he was only three!
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Nantkins bustled about, tablet in his hand. Have to make sure all goes well, he thought to himself as he went, checking and double-checking that they did not run out of food, that everyone was having a good time (not that it would be a problem)…
Finally a friend stopped him bodily, reaching to grab a hold of his arm. "Stop worrying, Nantkins. Relax and enjoy yourself like everyone else."
The faun muttered to himself, but he was met with a firm stare. "Give it to me," his friend, a young centaur, said with an outstretched hand, "and I'll take care of things."
"All right," he said with a sigh. He knew that there was nothing to worry about, but this was the first festival he had actually helped orchestrate. Anyone would be nervous, he told himself. With a smile, he strode out, surveying the guests.
He saw someone he thought he recognized, standing apart from others. She was tall and willowy; his tiny horns probably came to her waist, he realized. She wore clothing that hung loosely about her thin limbs, falling short of her ankles and wrists. The thick, blanket-like poncho hanging over her shoulders would keep her warm this night, which, he wondered, she would need for all of her lack of participation. Had she been dancing with all of her fellows, she would be warm indeed.
Eager to perform his duties even though he had been relieved of them, he pranced up to her, placing a hand on her arm. "Er, pardon me madam, but I couldn't help but think that we've met before."
The Marsh-wiggle looked down at the speaker; she was used at looking downward to meet someone eye-to-eye. It was rather an annoyance, not that much could have been done. She studied him for a moment, not recognizing him for a moment, but the glasses perched pertly upon his little nose was a very distinguishing characteristic. "Yes, I believe you're right. But I run a ferry downstream, I shouldn't wonder if you've used my dock before."
Nantkins thought for a moment. That could very well be, but he had the feeling that they had "known" one another for a while. His thoughts were interrupted when she snapped her fingers.
"Ah, yes, now I remember. You've been to Cair Paravel haven't you? My friend Hawkfeather's sire visits quite often."
"Hmm…" Bells seemed to chime quietly in his inner ear, but there was no definitive "sound."
"Shadow frequents court often enough. He is such a vain creature," she muttered.
"Ahh, Shadow, a winged Horse is he?"
"That's right. I'm sure we traveled together to Cair Paravel or thereabouts."
"Yes, I remember now. You were escorting him, as I recall, for safety's sake."
"You never can be too careful, you know."
"Oh yes, I quite agree," the faun nodded, smiling. He noted that she had begun to smile finally as well. "You and Hawk were ever so fun to be around. Though I can't say as I've seen much a change in you. Still not very social, I see," he nodded toward the dancing that had long since begun.
"Still trying to solve everyone's problems," she retorted, raising an eyebrow, though her tone was not unkind. Now that familiarity had been established, neither she nor Nantkins had trouble falling into an easy tone of speech, relaxing their stance, turning to face one another. To any in the vicinity, they might have been old friends catching up on lost time.
In a way, that was probably true.
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The young winged Horse whinnied, a laugh borne of amusement and joy. "I see Wiggs found a friend to talk to. I was beginning to get worried. They must know each other, or she wouldn't be talking so avidly with him, I should think."
His centaur dance partner, a yellow-and-black female followed his gaze. "Oh, that's Nantkins."
"You know him too?"
"Well of course, he is a keeper of records. Everybody around here knows him. Oh," she said suddenly, glumly, "now I feel a little guilty."
"Whyever for, Uei?"
"He helped to coordinate the festivities tonight, and I told him to go have some fun."
"I'm afraid I don't see the problem. He should have fun at his own party."
"Er."
"You know what I mean."
Uuei smiled and nodded. "Of course. It's just that I told him I'd take care of things for him."
"And did you?"
"Yes, everything was fine. I suppose if I check back on things I should be able to do both."
"As Nantkins will be doing, no doubt. Probably doing more checking than having fun."
She grinned. "Yes. Perhaps we should keep an eye on him to make sure he has enough of it."
"Indubitably."
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And so continued the festivities, long into the night, and through the predawn hours. About this time, many had fallen asleep inside the cave or out on the Lawn, which, even after all of that merry trampling, was soft and springy.
Uei's herd of centaurs wanted to get back to their home in the mountains a long distance off, and decided to leave early. Several night creatures decided they were not yet ready to sleep for the day, and a few of the party goers were likewise not ready to bed down. They all decided to take a walk, to clear their heads, wind down, or just to get some "fresh air," and so followed the herd.
Nantkins had somehow found himself on the rump of a certain winged Horse with black wings, Muddisye sitting up at his withers, back against his neck. Her arms were crossed, her feet up on her friend's back. Nantkins sat at a precarious angle, rocking back and forth. He could not, for the life of him, stop laughing. He looked at Muddisye and laughed; poked a ticklish spot on Hawk's back with a finger and laughed as the winged Horse whickered; cocked his head like an owl at an Owl and… howled.
He was not the only one laughing, of course, he was just the closest and therefore the only one Muddisye noticed, except when a Red Dwarf staggered by, shaking hands and laughing heartily with the faun. She shook her head with vague disdain and rolled her eyes, then feeling dizzy and feverish, closed her eyes and shivered, but not before she had taken note of their surroundings.
The forest was colorless and bleak, the boughs of the trees glowing like ghostly apparitions draped in gauzy mist. In the eerie predawn, even the birds were reluctant to sing. A feeling of foreboding began to creep into the hearts and minds of the travelers, all but the most oblivious.
And that was promptly amended with a pelting of nuts; walnuts, acorns, and every other nut you could possibly think of. The assailant was identified when a Squirrel peeped his head out of his nest and squealed, a sound that both reverberated in their ears and was muffled by the encroaching fog. "Well I say, what's all this racket? Have you no idea what time of day it is? Just where you get off making so much noise I haven't the foggiest. No pun intended mind you, I only meant," he chuckled, and as he did so, they continued on their way, more nervously all the time. "Well I never! Walking away without a word of apology. But at least they've quieted down, I daresay I'd be getting no more sleep if they hadn't…" The Squirrel trailed off, realizing the reasoning for their solemn quiet. There was not one sound in the wood, and soon the party had disappeared into the mists like a half-remembered dream. Hastily, he decided that the best course of action would be to retire, but would soon find that his efforts to sleep were in vain.
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The happy little jaunt was quickly becoming less enjoyable by the moment. People who were easily frightened told their friends that it was time to wander off home, and they left, out of fear, taking a partner or two along. Gradually, others began to disappear as well, without so much as a sound.
Hawkfeather snorted uneasily. The Marsh-wiggle was feeling a little ill, but made sure to mutter a few words predicting their doom. Of course, this did not help Nantkins at all, as he sat huddled and shaking with fright. Finally Muddisye scooped him up and onto her lap, where not only could he feel a little comfort, but where she could get a little more warmth. Even sitting on a great equine like Hawk was not enough to warm her chill. She knew it was the fear that made her teeth chatter, but she acknowledged it only with a tightening of her grip around the faun's shoulders.
Suddenly, Hawk tossed his head, and nearly reared before remembering that he had passengers on his back.
Muddisye rose upright rather stiffly, and asked, "What is it?"
"The Centaurs… they just vanished!"
"Just now?"
"Well, not exactly, but I just noticed it."
Curled up in a ball of skin and fur, Nantkins spoke: "I haven't seen them for a while. I thought they were just through the fog." He indicated with his horned head where the herd should have been.
"I suppose we should just get going," Hawk sighed, regaining control of himself.
"Far worse things could happen if we stay," Muddisye said. Then she added, "of course, any number of much worse things could happen if we wander off and get lost."
Hawk twisted his neck, to better see her. "Are you saying we should stay here?"
"We should look at all of our options."
"Wiggs! Feathers! Look!" Nantkins pointed ahead to what the pair had not noticed before: daylight.
Hawk tossed his head and began to trot forward. "It's about time the sun rose, and that we made it through the fog!"
The first thing they noticed when they left the fog and the trees behind was the sudden drop in humidity. The weather was warm, even hot, and very dry. The landscape was different from any they had seen, with strange plants and animals, a new climate, and…
"Say, I do believe I see something!" Hawk exclaimed. Their path wove over terrain, but in general, it only skirted what promised to be a large desert. But up ahead was an amazing structure, where Men and Dragons moved freely. Even a few showed open affection for one another. It was the most baffling sight they had ever seen.
"I suppose we should go over there and get it over with," Muddisye muttered. "I don't see any of our friends anywhere, and if they have gone anywhere, most likely it is in that strange place. It would be better to be eaten a dragon, I suppose, than to go hungry oneself. "
Nantkins eyed her. "If you say so."
Hawkfeather nickered. "Come now you two, let's have fun. This promises to be a great adventure!"
Muddisye cocked a crooked grin. "Full of peril and bodily harm, I'd say."
"Maybe, but we can make the best of it, as you often say."
"That I do."
"Then let's get going," Nantkins said. "I'm beginning to feel better all ready, and I think I might just run on ahead if you don't stop this right now."
Hawk and Wiggs grinned at one another before the winged Horse took to the air, gaining speed and altitude with each beat of his large, graceful wings.
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1 | 2 | 3
Casaiyt | Cheperyt | Hawkfeather | Jadyt | Muddisye | Nantkins
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