The Early Chronicles Book Six: Dragon Wing

Chapter 7

Isabel crouched low in the course brush with her bowstring tensed tightly.  She locked her gaze on a grazing doe that was barely twenty paces in front of her.  Trying to keep her breathing soft, she raised the arrow feathers until they touched her cheek, then exhaled and prepared to shoot. Just as she was about to let go, the rich sound of a horn made her jump, and the deer instantly jerked up and bounded away.  Isabel grumbled under her breath and stood up to see who had ruined her shot, but the figure she saw made her shrink back in fear and shyness.  A Centaur charged out into the glade lowering an ivory horn from his lips and slinging it over his shoulder.  Isabel marveled at the sight of the half-man, half-horse creature whose black horse hide glistened in the sun and whose human form looked fierce and strong with similar jet-black curly hair.  The Centaur noticed her at once and slowed his thundering gallop to a gentle trot, then stopped where the deer had been, swishing his horse tail and wiping his brow with his human hand.  

"No need to hide.  Come forth."  He said in a voice as deep and loud as an ocean.  Isabel felt her knees knocking but she stepped forward out of the brush.  The Centaur stared at her with eyes that were the same color as an oak tree's trunk.  Isabel shifted nervously, then her fiery spirit seemed to rouse within her again and she remembered her frustration.

"Why did you ruin my shot?"  She asked in a slightly huffed tone.  The Centaur stared at her and hardly seemed surprised at her answer.  

"I am a caretaker of this land, and I cannot allow a Talking Deer to be killed for a meal."  He said. 

"That was another talking animal?"  Isabel pointed with her bow in the direction the deer had gone.  She shouldn't be surprised, it seemed everything was backwards in this "Narnia" land.  "Forgive me." she made a mocking bow, "but I can't live on air you know."

The Centaur's expression remained unchanged.  "If it is food you need, follow me."  The Centaur turned and motioned for her to follow him.  Isabel hesitated, but the mention of food was too tempting to resist.  She walked behind the great creature along the glade until he led her to a grove of strangely-shaped trees adorned with large yellow fruits.  "These fruit trees should sustain you well."  The Centaur pulled a branch low for her to reach.  Isabel took the fruit with some caution, but after smelling its sweet aroma and biting into it, her mouth melted.  Its tase was like nothing she had ever experienced, even back when she and her family had lived well in Spain.  It tasted sweet but held a remarkable spicy taste as well.  After taking a bite, she knew it could easily substitute for an entire meal.

"This is incredible.  What kind of fruit is it?"  She asked between bites.

"We call it the spicemelon.  It only grows in these regions of Narnia, and some parts of Archenland."  The Centaur answered.  "Take as many as you need back to your people."

Isabel complied, filling her satchel and arms with as many melons as she could carry.  Maybe remaining here wouldn't be so bad after all. 

"So what other creatures live here?"  She asked.

"Many kinds.  Fauns, Satyrs, Centaurs, Dryads, Nymphs, Talking Beasts, dumb beasts, and of course other humans like yourself."

"I haven't seen any."

The Centaur looked towards the East.  "We are in the wilder parts of the country where humans are fewer.  If you travel south and farther east you will find many humans."  His face suddenly clouded and he almost looked like he was sniffing the air.  Isabel watched him curiously.

"What's wrong?"

"Quick!  Get on my back now!"  The Centaur suddenly bellowed.  Isabel jumped at his thunderous voice and turned around.