To Learn

Chapter 2: The Power of Fear

I heard distant sounds and my eyes snapped open. They're coming. "Edmund. Edmund, wake up." I raised my body and shook, when he barely reacted. "The Witch is coming." That woke him up, he was clumsy, disoriented in his movements and blinked rapidly to get rid of the sleep that clouded his mind. I wish I didn't have to wake him up like that...

Falling asleep like that was reckless. I stood up and quickly approached the still open gate. They owere getting closer, I must hurry. I bite the gate and quickly regressed until it closed, then used my claws to, this time, lock the gate. I released a relived sigh, however, my victory was short-lived, as soon as I sat to "watch" the prisoners, Jadis slammed the doors open with ease. She was accompanied by that... insufferable dwarf, whose name I've forgotten again.

She stopped, and looked at me with a cold scrutinizing gaze. She knew. She knew there was a reason for the brief flash of fear that overtook me. I was not afraid her, being already on thin ice with her for the last year as it is.

The dwarf made his way and, with a rather unsettling gleeful smile of his ugly, white-bearded face, pulled a chunk of my fur, tearing a couple of pieces. I yelp, and snapped my jaws angrily; Jadis wouldn't care if I tore him to pieces right then and there. The dwarf jumped back and ran to the other side of Jadis, laughing. The Witch only said "Move aside." And I in turn, only acknowledge her demand by doing so. She did not tore her gaze away until she stood before the gate. My lips curled up, no mirth was behind such gesture. Because I knew, I knew my time was up. As soon as she finds a chance she will get rid of me.

Then I found out why Edmund was here...

Oh, Edmund...
-~-~-~-~-~
I ran alongside the Witch's white speeding sleigh. Our destination was unknown knowledge to me, but as I mentioned before, I've wandered this land for a century. Unless we change our course, we will arrive at the river.-

Wait... I strained my ear to hear over the nosiest the sleight's bells produced. That sound... the river is no longer frozen!

...When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,

And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again...

He has a chance! Edmund has a chance to survive this! Aslan might not accept me, but he will forgive Edmund, I pray he does. Most likely it'll go unheard, but I still try. I do not care if he banishes me from Narnia, I can live with the knowledge that Edmund's safe. I do not wish upon anyone what I've been through. But... is he really back?

Despite my growing doubts, I make up my mind and focused on keeping up with the sleigh for the rest of the journey.
-~-~-~-~
It was warm, too warm for my body. If I had any doubts about Aslan's return, they're gone now. The snow is melting, and like I heard so clearly long before we arrived, the river was flowing freely and green grass covered most of this part of the forest for the first time in a century. "It's so... warm out." The dwarf whined out loud, starting to take of his coat until he realized the Witch was looking at him with dangerous eyes. "I'm going to check the sleigh." He cowardly excused himself and left. I caught myself smiling in amusement. The look of concealed but obvious outrage was hilarious. She looked ready to kill Ginarrbrik. That's the dwarf's name; finally remembered.

"Your Majesty." Maugrim...

I sniffed the air quietly. Oh no...

"We found the traitor. He was rallying your enemies in the Shuddering Woods." Maugrim says. One of the wolves throws the fox between his jaws on the ground, making him yelp in pain.

"Ah! Nice of you to drop in. You were so helpful to my wolves last night. Perhaps you can help me now." She remarked sarcastically as she walked in front of the defenseless fox. This wasn't going to end well.