Leonis equitem *Peter Pevensie*

The Lampost

A young girl, with long dark hair, that contrasted the snow falling heavily behind her watched through the thick green branches, frosted with a light dusting of snow and her blue eyes widened as she watched another, much younger girl emerge from the trees a little way away from her. The younger stumbled slightly and the older girl gasped quietly, taking a step forward but pausing as her foot made a crunching sound in the deep snow. She watched with kind eyes as the young girl smiled in awe and lifted her hands to feel the snow brush her outstretched fingertips, melting due to the warmth of her palm. An awed smile broke out on her face. It was the first true smile that Narnia had seen in a long time. The girl spun around, taking in the magical sight and walked cautiously towards the warm glow of the grand lampost that stood in the middle of the clearing. Her fingerprints made small marks in the frosted base of the lampost.
Suddenly a large rustling noise errupted in the clearing. The dark haired girl hiding in the trees looked around worriedly with a frantic expression. Her icy blue eyes narrowed and she gripped the string of her arrow that was slung over her shoulder. However, it was only a Faun that burst into the white clearing and upon seeing the young child, presently dropped all his parcels with a shriek.
The girl in the forest stifled a laugh, bringing up a hand to cover her mouth. She pulled her coat closer to her as the young girl passed the Faun one of his dropped parcels.
"Were you hiding from me?" She asked quietly.
"Well," The Faun replied, stooping down to pick up his other parcels. "N-no. I just... I... No. No. I just didn't want to scare you." He stuttered.
"If you don't mind my asking... What are you?" Questioned the young girl, looking at the creature in front of her curiously.
"Well, I'm a... Well, I'm a faun." He replied as though it were obvious.
"And what about you? You must be some kind of beardless dwarf?"
At this question the girl hiding in the darkness of the forest leaned forward ever so slightly to hear the reply.
"I'm not a dwarf! I'm a girl!"
She gasped quietly and a smile slowly spread across her face as the Faun questioned the child wether she was human.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, casting furtitive glances around the deeply wooded forest.
"Well I was hiding in the wardrobe in the spare room and..."
"Spare Oom? Is that in Narnia?"
"Narnia? What's that?"
The Faun loomed at the child as though she was asking what air was.
"Well, you're in it. Everything from the lampost to Castle Cair Paravel on the eastern ocean. Every stick and stone you see. Every icicle is Narnia." The young girl looked out across the large expanse of snow covered land, the Faun did the same but he held a sadder expression.
"I'm sorry. Do allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tumnus."
"Pleased to meet you Mr Tumnus. I'm Lucy Pevensie." She held out her hand to Mr Tumnus but he just looked at it warily.
"You shake it." Lucy urged.
"Why?" Mr Tumnus asked, frowning slightly.
"I... I don't know." Lucy admitted with a laugh. "People do it when they meet each other."
The Faun blinked bemusedly before shaking her hand delicately.
"Well, then, Lucy Pevensie from the shining city of War Drobe in the wondrous land of Spare Oom, how would it be if you came and had tea with me?" He asked with a smile, putting up his umbrella to cover the two.
"Well thank you very much, but I..." Lucy trailed off.
"It's only just around the corner. And there'll be a glorious fire with toast and tea and cakes." He offered.
"Well, I suppose I could come for a little while." She said, linking arms with Mr Tumnus and they both walked away, unaware that they were being watched carefully by the mysterious girl hidden in the depths of the dark forest.