The Early Chronicles Book Six: Dragon Wing

Chapter 4

Isabel felt like her feet were fastened into the stone under her feet as she stared out of the cavern at the mind-boggling sight.  She closed her eyes and shook her head but the sight still lay before her.  Thousands of words buzzed around her, all debating the same things.  Was this part of the island, or had they somehow gone through a portal to whole new world?   Do they go forward into this strange new territory, or do they go back?  Isabel's mind raced, unsure of which way she would choose.  On one hand, she wanted to turn around and run back to the island that was still in her world, but the bold side of her wanted to run forward and meet adventure and possibly a new life where they couldn't be captured.  

"Papá, we may yet find good provisions this way."  She whispered to her father.

"I don't know, chica."  Her father's eyes darted around nervously and his voice sounded higher-pitched than normal.  

Isabel looked behind them back into the cavern, "Look!  We can still get back if we want to.  We could find good timber and possibly fix the ship!"  A chorus of protests came up from the other men as they swarmed around their father in front of Isabel, trying to convince him it was a bad idea.  Isabel's anger rose up and she kicked a few of the pirates' heels so that they yelped and moved out of her way.

"Shut up all of you!"  She shouted, moving closer to her father.  "Please, Papá, let's stay here."

"Who made you captain, prissy?"  A pirate sneered.   Isabel stared hard at him like she had done many times.  Her father had teased her many times about the red in her hair seeping down through her scalp and into her veins, making her hot-tempered.

"I've certainly more right than you, Jino."  She shot back, then turned her back on him and faced her father.  The captain rubbed the back of his neck and looked around.

"I think we should see if life here would be more suitable than the island, but those who are not comfortable may stay on the island."  He finally said.  The pirates stood around for several moments, contemplating his offer.  A few went, but most were loyal to their captain and remained.  With the current crew, they then began exploring the territory.  It was clear this was mountainous territory.  They were not on a mountain themselves, but Isabel marveled at the snow-capped peaks that stood on the horizon around them.  There were some small clusters of trees, and the land showed promise that denser forest could be nearby.  

Isabel wandered off by herself a ways from the rest of the men.  Birds sang, rabbits scurried about, and she even saw one or two deer bound by.  When she entered a small copse of trees, a small animal moving at her feet made her jump back.  She stared at the prickly face of a rather large hedgehog.  Instead of running away at the sight of her, the creature sat up on its back legs and stared at her with a very hard expression.  It seemed a very peculiar thing that it wasn't afraid of her.

"Morning." It said.

Isabel jumped back.  Had the hedgehog just spoken to her?  She stared at its face, but there seemed to be no evidence of it.  Had she imagined it?  She crept closer, watching its face.

"Did you just--speak?"  She asked.  

"'Course I did."  

Isabel pulled her knife from her belt and held it in front of her.  "What sort of hedgehog talks?  Hedgehogs aren't supposed to talk!"

"Hmmm, well that's peculiar."  The hedgehog scratched its chin.  "As long as this land has been in existence hedgehogs and other animals can talk.  Not all of them of course."

Isabel slowly lowered her knife.  What sort of place was this?  Had they all gone crazy?  "Papá!"  She called back to her father.  Upon her father's initial shock at the hedgehog's voice, she realized she was not dreaming, and that they had somehow stumbled through a portal to a world where animals could talk.  

"Please, Mr. Hedgehog..." Isabel said sheepishly.  

"The name is Sticklebrick."  The hedgehog said proudly.  Isabel shook her head at the ridiculousness of it all.

"Sticklebrick then, where on earth are we?"  

"You are very close to the Western border of Narnia of course."

"Narnia?  Strange name.  What country?"  She asked.

"I just told you."  The hedgehog said with a puzzled expression.  "The country of Narnia."

"This is madness."  Captain Torres threw up his hands in disbelief.  "Is the entire country only animals?"

"Oh no!"  Sticklebrick said with a shake of his spiny head.  "These are the more wild lands where it is mostly animals and Fauns and Centaurs and such, but if you go farther south and farther east you'll run into many more humans like your sort.  The queen herself is human."

"Queen?"  Isabel whined.  Wonderful.  To get any information or help they would have to deal with a royal.  And not just any royal, a royal of a land where animals talk and strange portals exist.  Perhaps they should head back.  

"Can you tell me where to find this queen?"  Her father asked. 

"Papá!"

"How else do you expect us to find a way to survive here, Isabel?"  Her father asked with a serious expression.  Isabel hesitated, she was hoping they would only stay long enough to find material to fix their ship and then sail off to return to their old life, not become acquainted with a monarchy that was most likely as selfish and arrogant as any other.  But there was no use arguing with her father when she had no better alternative.  She would just have to ensure she spoke to this queen as little as possible.