Becoming a Lioness (Book 2)

Chapter 25 Captured

We began our trek soon after Edmund agreed to let me come with them, and have been walking for at least ten minutes now. The brush and thorn patches were even thicker through this part, and I had already acquired several scrapes along my arms and legs.

Everyone was quite for the most part, aside from a murmur here and there. Edmund led us with his head held high, even though I knew he was terrified of what he might find. I increased my pace a bit and placed my hand on his arm as soon I could reach him. He turned back to me and smiled lightly. "It shouldn't be too much further."

"You mean we we're this close to them the entire time? How is it that neither groups ran into each other?" I asked, my voice breaking the unnerving silence.

"That, my liege, is an excellent question." Reepeecheep exclaimed, scurrying up ahead of the group. "Are we to believe it was convenience that allowed us both to have soldiers patrolling all hours of the night and neither stray far enough to see the enemy?"

"I- I suppose Reep." Edmund replied. "Well, that is, unless someone- never mind."

"What?" I pressed, leaning forward.

He shook his head and waved his hand once signaling the end of the conversation. I rolled my eyes and sighed, leaning down to Reepeecheep. "Oh, and Reep? Don't call me my liege. Maggie will suffice."

He returned my statement with a smile and pointed ahead of us, unsheathing his sword as he did so. "There would be the enemy camp."

We all stopped dead in our tracks at the bloody, horrid sight in front of us. The ground and trees in the surrounding area looked as though they had been painted in blood, and all the tents and fabric laid in shards in the dirt. I felt my chest tighten as I took in all the mangled corpses that were strewn about.

We began to move forward in an attempt to look for clues, after having gotten past the initial shock. "Maggie." Edmund called after a moment, motioning for me to come take a look at something.

I dropped the shard of clothing and dusted my hands off on my pants. I took a few steps and kicked something roughly. Glancing down, I felt as though I could be sick as I saw what my foot had come in contact with- a bloody disembodied arm. It was cut off just at the elbow and was slit open from the top to the bottom.

I stumbled back, biting so hard on my lip that I drew blood, straight into the arms of someone. I whipped my head around to see who had caught me and what I saw was not what I was expecting.

The pirate stared down at me with dark, hooded eyes and a tight lipped smirk. I opened my mouth to scream for help, but he slapped a dirt covered hand over my mouth. I struggled as hard as I possible could, but he was too strong. Being at the edge of the woods and as far away from the group as I was, no one even noticed as I was dragged away through the woods to Aslan knows where. The only thought that I could make out through the throbbing in my head was that at least now I could see Peter.