The Fox & The Crow

Chapter Eighteen *not edited*

A stranger has entered our midst, shrouded in a cloak of shadows. No doubt they have no good intentions.

¨Oh! It is an honor to come into your presence.¨ The creature dips down into a low bow and cranes its neck upwards to look at us. To say this thing is ugly would be a vast understatement. Its eyes are black, bulging beads, and its head's shape is similar to a small whistle. In the place of its mouth is a beak and from it protrudes a long, black tongue. Its cloak is shredded and covered in thorns, which I don't believe is decoration. And finally, its voice is that of a drowned older man, scratchy and watery. Nothing pleasant comes from looking at it. ¨Little humans. Children of ash and clay. Some might even call you little princes and princesses."

A few Watchers step from their posts outside the circle of trees and pull out their weapons.

¨Now, now, now. This is a celebration! I have not come to spoil your fun.¨

¨Then why have you come?¨ Peter walks forward, shielding his siblings. I take a few steps back, but simply from the smell of it.

¨The prophecy,¨ The thing whispers before doubling over and coughing. Its tongue stretches out and licks the ground before it regains composure and stands as upright as it can. ¨It breaks and splits and grows anew.¨

Lucy steps closer to me and stares at the thing with curious eyes. I am shocked she is not more afraid of it.

¨What does it mean?¨ She asks me.

¨I have come as a messenger. The prophecy is a warning. Should you go against the High Queen Jadis of Narnia with your swords, teeth, and disloyalty, one of your own will die.¨

Cries go out amongst the crowds. Pixies spit at the creature, wisps attempt to pull at its skin but all refuse to go less than five feet near it, and all other kinds of Narnians scream and howl and raise their voices.

¨Disloyalty?¨ One shouts.

¨This is a war! Many will fall.¨ Others cry out.

¨And if it means she gets her cold heiny off that bloomin' throne, then I'm sure we're all prepared to fall!¨ A young-looking centaur shouts followed by laughter and cheers from the crowd.

When the thing does not react, the Narnians all go silent.

¨Forgive me. I must remember to be specific with your kind. The prophecy has broken and spat out riddles of words. This prophecy binds our lands and its changing could be catastrophic, so I suggest you all listen well.¨ It waits for any disapproval or hysteric cries but is met with none. ¨Should you go through with this war against all of Narnia and the Queen, one of your precious children of Adam and Eve will die.¨

Lucy takes my hand and I suck in a breath.

¨The prophecies will crumble and Narnia will once again be thrown under the Queen's rule.¨

The thing stalks up to us and raises its arm to reveal a wrinkled, dry claw which it uses to pet each of our faces.

¨I wonder which one of you it might be.¨

It stops at Lucy and pulls a small clover from her hair. ¨Oh, how sweet.¨ It then blows it in her face.

¨Leave her alone!¨ Edmund cries out and stands in front of her. The creature smiles menacingly and inches back, bumping into our table.

¨I meant no harm, all that will come to her if you decide to fight. It will come to all of you who choose to break Narnia in two.¨

Turning, it sneers at the party and hobbles out of the circle of trees followed closely by Watchers. As it goes, I see it place a glass vial into its matted cloak. A small bead of green drops from it.