The Other Side

Chapter 2: Towering Trees and Broken Leaves

"Climb up, come on!" Mare called down from a precariously high, thin tree branch. Three weeks ago she could've sworn she was on her deathbed, but now– "I can see the sea from here- just!"

But she got no response.

"Hello?" She called down again, "I don't know how long I can hold up here!"

"Can you come down?"

"Why? I already beat you up this time, so you might as well follow- sore loser or not!"

The distracted pause in her friend's response told Mare that it was possibly something other than the fact she'd lost a climbing race that was prolonging her. Eventually, however, she heard Leah's reply of, "Fine!"

Leah climbed up after her friend. She'd usually have climbed faster and far more enthusiastically, but the weather, of all things in such an unpredictable world, had triggered a sudden concern to encase her.

It had only really been today that Leah had noticed that the chill in the wind was shielding the land from a Spring warmth, and had been persistently for quite a while now. The mist that had also somehow seemed unmoving for the past few weeks was heavier to walk through than normal fog and it had been as if the stars were as invisible through the nights as they were through the days.

"I'll settle here, I don't dare try to get past your branch."

"Yours is even thinner!"

"But at least I'm not knocking so many leaves off- They fall in their own time!"

"Now, look." Mare insisted, "How long do you think it would take to reach the sea from here?"

"We could make it by nightfall."

Mare's eyes lit up, "We could camp in a cave!"

"Sleep to the sound of waves!" Leah realised, her concern melting away.

"We could stop at home on the way back- get blankets, food-"

"-that old bottle of Middliwig, too?"

"I thought that was for 'a special occasion'?"

"I think a beach camp out is a special occasion! I haven't camped out in... a long time."

"I have."

Leah rolled her eyes, "Not all of us live such thrilling lives."

"Not all of us are so used to saying they can just 'stop at home'."

"Well, now you can get used to that."

Mare gave a single, contented nod and looked back out to the Eastern shoreline of Narnia. Eventually, she looked back to her friend. "Should we- have you not seen a leaf before?"

Leah frowned in response, but shook her head. "Look, here- look how small it is."

Mare wrinkled her nose slightly, "A few small leaves? So? They- oh, I see what you mean... they're more like buds... how? Have they not grown properly this year? This is a chestnut tree, isn't it?"

"Yes... but the leaves have been growing- some are... still growing... they've just grown already near-death." She lowered the nearby branch gently, which showed a new, young but already browned leaf. It practically disintegrated between her fingertips.

It had never been given life.

"I'm Recording this." Leah decided, and began climbing down from her branch.

"What? Now?"

"Yes, now. I haven't heard anyone else talk of this, have you? People should be talking about this, they should be noticing this. It's odd that-"

Mare sighed and began climbing down, also. She dropped onto the woodland floor gracefully beside her friend. "But the camp-out!"

"I'm sorry." Leah replied sincerely, picking up and handing her basket to her friend. "We can go tomorrow. But could you take this back? There's the oyster mushrooms- look, we even found that load of Chicken of the Woods- they'll cook up great for dinner. I'll be back around nightfall."

"Well, if we're not going to the shoreline, why can't I come with you to the castle?" Mare enquired, taking the basket and pulling on her cloak. "I've always wanted to see Cair Paravel up close."

Her friend hesitated. "I- not today, okay? I'll only be in for a moment and- like I've said, it's difficult enough sneaking myself in, nevermind two people."

"Fine." Mare replied, "I'll simply be alone, bored in- at home, rather than by the sea with Middliwig!"

Leah rolled her eyes. "Next time you can come with me. We'll plan it out better and- yes, next time. I promise."