Our Long Awaited Return Book #8

Chapter 9 This Isn't Last Time

"I didn't remember this way," Susan protested, as we walked through the forest, climbing over large rocks and mountain terrain. 

"That's the problem with girls, they can't keep a map in their heads," Peter replied smugly. 

As always, he led the way; he was the High King. We had a big argument with him, Trumpkin, and I, but you knew how my older brother could be sometimes. Stubborn. And Trumpkin could be too. 

"Good one, Pete," Andrew laughed. 

"That's because our heads have something in them," joked Lucy, making Ruth laugh. 

"Say that again, Peter," I glared at him, "I hoped you weren't underestimating me; I knew maps by the back of my head. And I just wished you'd go my way." 

"I wished they'd just listen to the D. L. F.," sighed Susan, whispering to my two other sisters. 

"D. L. F.?" Edmund asked, confused. 

"Dear Little Friend," grinned Lucy. 

"Now that's not at all patronizing, is it," remarked Trumpkin sarcastically. 

Edmund grinned and jumped down from a boulder. 

"Not as patronizing as being called, Andy," Andrew replied. "I hated that one." 

"Now that is patronizing," Trumpkin agreed. 

I followed Peter as he reached a dead end. "I'm not lost," he said, confused. 

"You are. You should have gone my way, which was the most decent way," I replied, crossing my arms. 

"Or you're just going the wrong way," answered Trumpkin. 

"Last time I checked the dictionary, that was the small misused adjective called lost," I retorted, smirking at Peter. 

Peter glared at me and turned to the D. L. F. 

"You last saw Caspian at the Shuddering Woods; the quickest way there is to cross at the River Rush." 

"But unless I'm mistaken, there's no crossing at those parts," Trumpkin explained. 

"Good then, we're going my way," I brushed past my brother and turned in the other direction. 

"Just shut up, Verity; no one agreed to that," Peter retorted, looking at Trumpkin. "That explains it then; you're mistaken." 

He turned around, and we continued in his direction. 

I fell back behind with Edmund. "He's a fool, you know; if he'd only take my advice." 

"Your way could have changed too," he answered. "I think we should listen to Trumpkin; he knows this place better than we do. The only problem is you and Peter are too stubborn to even listen." 

"You're just like the rest of them," I glared at him before walking ahead of him. 

I shook my head in disgust; we finally reached the edge of a cliff, below the river. 

"See, over time, the water erodes the earth..." Susan explained. 

"I'm surprised you're such an expert at Geography all of a sudden; remember last term," I teased her. "I knew we were going the wrong way, Pete." 

"Oh, shut up, both of you," he told us roughly. 

He stared down the precipice. 

"Is there a way down?" Edmund asked, hoping to find some answers. 

"Yeah, falling," Trumpkin replied drily. 

"I think he means another way, a safer way," Ruth said, annoyed. 

"Does anyone have a rope?" Andrew asked. "That might help." 

Edmund looked in his bag. "No," he shook his head. 

"We're doomed," I groaned. 

"Well, we weren't lost," Peter tried to defend himself. 

I raised my eyebrows. "Yes, we were!" 

"There's a fjord near Beruna; how does everyone feel about swimming?" Trumpkin said. 

"Rather than walking," sighed Susan, and we turned to go. 

"But what about my way!" I protested. "If we would just go..." 

"Be quiet, Verity," Susan snapped at me. 

"Aslan," I heard Lucy say, "Aslan, it's Aslan! Don't you see he's right over there?" She called to us. 

We turned around, expecting to see the great lion, but all I saw were our surroundings. 

I laughed, "Good one, Lu." But Peter gave me a sharp look. 

"Do you see him now?" asked Trumpkin. 

"I'm not crazy; he was there. And he wanted us to follow him," Lucy explained to us. 

"Well," sighed Andrew, "Where did he want us to go, Lu?" 

"You believe her," I rolled my eyes at my brother. 

"She's probably right," Ruth told us. "Wasn't she with the wardrobe?" 

"Well, I didn't see him, Rue. Come on, everyone, my way, smartest way," I chuckled, making my way past them. 

"You're sure there aren't any number of lions in this wood, just like that bear?" Peter asked her. 

"Maybe it was just an illusion," I added, anxious to leave. 

"I think I know Aslan when I see him," Lucy told us. 

"Last time I didn't believe Lucy, I ended up feeling pretty stupid," Edmund said, remembering a past mistake. 

"Well, this isn't the last time," I replied, crossing my arms in that matter-of-fact manner. 

"But Lucy's not one to lie, and you know it, Key," Ruth protested. 

"Yes, but like I said, this isn't the last time," I replied sharply. 

Peter looked at Lucy. "Why wouldn't I have seen him?" 

"Maybe you weren't looking," Lucy answered. 

"I'm sorry, Lu," sighed Peter, and we all left. 

Edmund, Ruth, Andrew, and Lucy seemed to linger behind. 

"Where are we going?" I asked Trumpkin. 

"To Beruna," Trumpkin answered. 

"But..." I protested. 

"Stop making things harder, Verity," Susan glared at me. 

I looked over at Peter. "I hoped we were going the right way." 

He ignored me.