~By the Lion's Mane: The Call~

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Anduril and I set out to find the Pevensies in early May. I rode him with my packs slung across his withers in front of me, pretending to be controlling him with the halter and rope reins he was wearing.

We traveled through the countryside, sleeping in barns and woods, and steadily making our way southwest towards London. I asked for directions to London, and I was heading the right way. But the country seemed huge when you have to travel by horseback, camping out in barns and strangers' homes.

Several more months passed. Summer came with all of its heat and humidity, and then the leaves changed colors and dropped and autumn arrived. I would wake in the morning with frost coating everything, sparkling in the early sunshine. The weather grew chillier and wetter. And I got closer to my destination.

I hoped that I would reach London and Finchley by Christmas, when the Pevensies would be home from their fall term at school. And as the weather grew colder and the first snow fell, I realized how close my deadline was.

I rode Anduril, shaggy in his winter fur, through a small town. Red and green lights twinkled in the windows; some people had left their Christmas decorations up even after the holiday had passed. A lump formed in my throat, and I became a little more homesick. Christmas had always been such a time of celebration at the Cair, but this year it had passed like any other day for me, only colder and wetter.

 I found a post office and swung off of the unicorn, realizing what a sight I must be, riding a big white horse through town without saddle or proper bridle. I went inside to ask for directions. An elderly man with glasses was at the counter.

"Excuse me sir, but can you give me directions to Finchley?" I asked hopefully. He looked up and raised his bushy white eyebrows. My cheeks flushed a little redder.

"Uh, yes ma'am. Finchley's about fifteen miles southwest. If you take that road," he pointed out the window, "It will take you right into town."

I nodded and smiled. "Thank you very much."

I quickly went back out into the cold and mounted Andy. We turned and cantered off down the road.

We went at a gallop once we left the main road through the town. I was too eager to reach them. We passed small houses with snowmen out front, and they grew closer and closer together and bigger and bigger. The town turned into a city and the roads became more crowded. I felt the stares of pedestrians as I trotted down the street on my large white horse. The snow turned to gray slush in the street. I looked for somewhere I could ask about the Pevensies, my insides turning with nerves and excitement.

Finally I decided to try a taxi cab centre. I went inside and strode up to the desk. I cleared my throat, and the woman behind it looked up at me with a bored expression.

"Yes?" she asked in a monotone.

"Could you tell me where to find the Pevensie house? I'm afraid I don't know the address." She sighed and stood. She went into another room for several minutes. I waited impatiently, tapped my dirty fingernails on the countertop and looking around the room. Finally she returned with a slip of paper.

"Here are the addresses of anyone with name of 'Pevensie'. Will you need a cab?" I looked at the paper and my heart sank. There were six different addresses.

"No, thank you," I said and turned to go, ignoring the nasty look she gave me.

I spent that whole day going from house to apartment, asking about Peter, Susan, Lucy, and Edmund. I crossed off four addresses, but soon it got dark, and I had to find somewhere to spend the night. I found an alleyway with several big boxes, and I crawled inside one of them. Andy stood outside. I barely slept at all that night, wide awake with nervous excitement and the cold. Finally, night turned into gray dawn, and I quickly put away my blankets and set out again.

It took me half of the day just to find the fifth address. It was in a nicer part of town, not quite so dirty, with a little park nearby, which was mostly empty but for a few children throwing snowballs and building snowmen.

At last I found it. It was at the end of a row of brick townhouses with a gate leading up the sidewalk to the front stoop. I glimpsed a small yard around the back, and I saw the door of a bomb shelter in the ground. I slid off of Andy and pushed open the gate.

I stepped onto the front porch and hesitated for a moment before I lifted the brass door knocker. Rap-rap-rap. I noticed it was a lion's head, the ring to knock with held in its mouth. For a moment, I thought I saw its eyes look at me. But before I could look closer, the door opened, and a dark-haired middle-aged woman appeared. She took in my appearance with lifted eyebrows as she wiped her wet hands on her apron.

"Umm, is this the Pevensie home?" I asked tentatively, my fingers crossed behind my back.

She nodded. "Yes. And you are?"

"Well, if this is where Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy live, then I'm an old friend. Are they home?"

The housekeeper shook her head. "Well, this is where they live, but they just left for the train station this morning. They're headed back to school for their spring semester."

My heart, which had soared with happiness at her first words, plummeted. I asked shakily, "Which way is the train station?"

The woman looked worried. "It's down the road, that way. Toward the edge of town." She pointed and I nodded, thanking her. She opened her mouth to say more, but I was already striding back down the shoveled steps and back to the gate where Anduril waited.

I swung up onto Anduril's back, and he quickly wheeled away and galloped down the street, his ivory hooves clattering on the pavement.

We weaved through traffic, dodging honking cars and shocked pedestrians. I ignored the shouts of a police officer, and continued my frantic gallop to the train station. I had to get to them in time. If not, I didn't know what I would do. I couldn't even imagine what I would do if I didn't catch them in time.

Finally we found it, and I rode Andy right down the stairs into the station, leaping over the rails blocking people from getting to the train without a ticket. People shouted and exclaimed, pointing their fingers, but I was oblivious to all else.

A train whistled into the station. Andy nearly sat down on his haunches as he slid to a halt, both of us looking up and down the tracks among the throngs of waiting people for four familiar faces.

At last I spotted them, far away down the tunnel. Dressed in school uniforms and waiting on one of the benches with suitcases in hand, they stood down to my right, waiting to board their train. I dug my heels into Andy's side and we raced down the tunnel, people parting like the sea.

When I was nearly to them, they leaped up, looking from one to another.

I shouted, "Wait! Don't get on the train! Peter! Susan! Over here! Edmund! Lucy!"

They turned and looked at me incredulously, as if they couldn't believe what they saw. I could understand that.

But then something strange happened. Just as I was about to reach them, the train station began melting away. I felt a pinch, and like sand being blown out of your hand when you drop it, the entire scene dissolved away and disappeared.

A?N: Don't forget to review and vote andlike and whatever else! I really appreciate it when you guys give me feedback!