The Great Cat's Daughter

After telling Caspian what the horn meant to us, he didn't stay for long and instead left the home saying it was better if he went off alone. Not ones to listen very well the three of us followed him anyways, myself not even bothering to hide like Nikabrik and Trufflehunter were failing to do so.

They kept hiding behind the trees but they weren't being quiet about it and I'm sure Caspian knew they were there as he seemed to look annoyed every time Trufflehunter muttered an 'ow' from being whacked with a branch.

Finally in the middle of the ferns he stops and calls over his shoulder. "I can hear you."

"I just think we should wait for the kings and queens." Trufflehunter said as he and Nikabrik came out of hiding and I flew down landing on Caspian's shoulder as he started walking. I seemed to have startled him as he jumped a bit and I smirked.

"Fine, go then! See if the others will be as understanding." Trufflehunter called out to him.

"Or maybe I'll come with you. I want to see you explain things to the Minotaur's." Nikabrik called out to him as well.

"Minotaur's… they're real?" Caspian questioned with a startled look as he turned around to face them,

"And very bad-tempered." Trufflehunter said to him nodding.

"Yeah, not to mention big." Nikabrik added.

"Huge." Trufflehunter continued

"What about centaurs? Do they still exist?" Caspian asked them.

"Well, the centaurs will probably fight on your side. But there's no telling what the others will do." Trufflehunter said to him as he and Nikabrik walked forwards to catch up.

"What about Aslan?" Caspian asked startling them and would have me to if I hadn't known that the professor had taught him about us.

"How do you know so much about us?" Nikabrik asked him with narrowed eyes.

"Stories." Caspian replied cryptically.

"Wait a minute… Your father told you stories about Narnia?" Trufflehunter asked him.

"No, my professor… "Caspian asked before he looked sad and shook his head before looking at them again. "Listen, I am sorry. These are not the kinds of questions you should be asking." He says before he walks off myself now on his shoulder.

"What is it?" Nikabrik asks Trufflehunter as he sniffed the air behind us.

"Human." Trufflehunter says.

"Him?" Nikabrik says gesturing over at Caspian.

"No… them!" Trufflehunter shouted looking over to the side.

Following Trufflehunters lead I looked to the side seeing about twenty Telmarine soldiers each standing there with cross bows aimed at us.

"There they are!" One of them shouted.

"Run!" Trufflehunter said as we all started running away. I flew off Caspian's shoulder and instead went and attacked some of the shoulders narrowly missing the arrows flying through the air.

One soldier fired an arrow that hit Trufflehunter in the back. I dived towards the man and snuck my talons on the edge of his helmet and pulled it off. He swatted at me and then realizing he was doing nothing crouched to grab his helmet, the back of his neck now exposed I slashed him with my talons getting revenge for him hurting my friend.

I flew away from him and back over to Caspian who was now carrying Trufflehunter and evading arrows as we ran. I flew above them and looked behind at the same time Caspian did to see many of the soldiers falling to the ground with screams.

"Get him out of here." Caspian says to Nikabrik as he sets Trufflehunter down and draws his sword.

We watch as another soldier falls and the last one throws down his cross bow. The soldier draws his sword and starts swinging wildly at the ferns around him. "Where are you!" He shouts before he falls and that rustle in the ferns starts coming towards Caspian and that is when I realize what is happening seconds before something flips out of the ferns and knocks Caspian down.

A sword flies into the air, lands in the creatures' hand, and is pointed at Caspian. "Choose your last words carefully, Telmarine!" Oh you silly mouse.

Why he was giving Caspian this time to defend himself was beyond my reasoning. I think somewhere deep down all Narnians could feel what I felt when I saw him. Hope. The hope that he could save us.

Caspian just stares back at him, apparently sumbstruck. "You are a mouse." He speaks up.

He's in for it now. He couldn't have come up with anything better? I thought the professor taught him better than that.

Reepicheep sighs before replying. "I was hoping for something a little more original. Come on, pick up your sword." He says tapping him on his armor with his small but sharp sword.

Caspian looks over at his sword that is lying beside him before looking back up at Reep."Uh, no thanks."

"Pick it up! I will not fight an unarmed man." Reep yells back at him, still obviously angry about the whole mouse thing.

"Which is why I will live longer if I choose not to cross blades with you, noble mouse." Caspian replied and I raised a metaphorical eyebrow. Maybe the professor did teach him a well as I thought he did.

"I said I wouldn't fight you. I didn't say I'd let you live!" Reep says before readying his blade for the killing blow.

I was about to change and speak out against it but Trufflehunter beat me to it. "Reepicheep, stay your blade!"

" Trufflehunter? I trust you have a good reason for this untimely interruption!" Reep replies looking surprised to see him there.

"He doesn't. Go ahead." Nikabrik added in, but we all ignored him.

"Reepicheep, he's the one that blew the horn!" Trufflehunter explains and holds the horn up to show him.

Reepicheep only stares at Caspian before speaking. "What?"

"Then let him bring it forward." A deep low voice cuts through the forest.

I look up and see Glenstorm was the one who had spoken along with three other centaurs behind him. How I didn't know they were there had always irked me. You would expect being half horse they would make tons of noise but no not these. Sneaking bastards.

"This is the reason we have gathered." Glenstorm continued as I flew from my perch on the branch and landed on his arm which he held out for me.

Caspian looked surprised by the familiarity we showed each other as Glenny nodded at me and I did the same to him. I winked at Caspian (as well as an eagle could) and he looked a bit startled before recovering as we walked away from the ferns to join the others.

Night had fallen and the Narnians surrounded Caspian inside the dancing lawn, shouting and growling curses at him and shouting their opinions which consisted of mostly having him killed. I waited on a tree branch beside a squirrel named Patterwig watching the proceedings.

"All this horn proves is that they've stolen yet another thing from us!" Nikabrik shouted at the crowed and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I didn't steal anything." Caspian defended himself.

"Didn't steal anything? Shall we list the things the Telmarmines have taken?" A Minotaur shouted pointing his axe at Caspian.

"Our homes!" Windmade a female centaur shouted.

"Our freedom!" A faun shouted.

"Our lives!" Came another voice from the crowed and I could feel my temper rising. They were ridiculing him for something that had long since passed. He was our chance at freedom and they didn't seem to understand it.

"You would hold me accountable for all the crimes of my people?" Caspian replied looking around at them.

"Accountable…and punishable!" Nikabrik said to him as he came down from his spot on a large boulder to face Caspian.

"That's rich coming from you, dwarf. Or have you forgotten that it was your people who fought alongside the White Witch?" Reep said to him drawing his blade and coming down to the grass.

"And I'd gladly do it again if it would rid us of these barbarians!" Nikabrik shouted back and that was it for me, I snapped.

I felt the magic thrum through my veins and without another moment I leapt of the branch and landed in my lioness form roaring in Nikabriks face and silencing all the other Narnians. The white witch was a touchy subject for me. She did after all kill me and my father, none to gently might I add. I felt a great sense of hatred for her, she was dead but never really would be. She still lived on in stories and that would always fuel her power and because of that I felt fear.

Giving the Narnians surrounding me a hard look as they each bowed to me in respect. I then gave a menacing glare to Nikabrik causing him to take a step back from me. I looked away from him and seeing the Narnians still bowing I felt some of my anger disappear. I was never one for bowing, I wanted us all to be equal and I didn't like using my superiority in rank unless absolutely necessary.

I wasn't facing Caspian but I could sort of picture his shocked look at his eagle companion suddenly turning into a lioness. I didn't know what would happen when he saw her turn into a human, which I just did.

"Then we are lucky it is not in your power to bring her back. Or do you want us to ask this young man to go against my father?" I said glaring at Nikabrik.

Turning my gaze away from Nikabrik I looked to the still bowing Narnians. "Please, my friends, my kin, my family, rise. You need not bow down to me." I said to them in a loud but soft voice and they all slowly stood again.

"Many of you may have forgotten. But I remember well. As do the badgers." I said looking over at Trufflehunter walking over to him and laying a hand on his head. I felt my palm become warm as I healed his bandaged wound. He smiled at me in thanks as I unwrapped the bandage and let it fall to the forest floor before looking back up at the Narnians.

"I was here when the kings and queens of old, as you now call them came to Narnia. I was there when they set us free, defeating the witch in battle. I was also there when they were crowned. For thirty years they reigned. And all I remember of that time was peace. And so, Narnia was and never will be right except when a son of Adam or a daughter of Eve are King and Queen!" I shouted at the Narnians and turning to look at Caspian and pointing a finger at him. I studied his face and his jaw was slightly open from shock as he stared at me with wide eyes. I can't say I wasn't surprised by how well he took it. I sort of expected him to pass out.

"He's a Telmarine! Why would we want him as our king?" Nikabrik yelled to me.

"Because I can help you. Beyond these woods, I am a prince. The Telmarine throne is rightfully mine. Help me claim it, and I can bring peace between us." Caspian spoke up for himself before I could, with a slight falter in the beginning still getting over his shock but he recovered and finished in a strong clear voice.

"It is true. The time is ripe. I watch the skies, for it is mine to watch as it is yours to remember, Aurora. Tarva, the Lord of Victory, and Alambil, the Lady of Peace have met, and here a son of Adam has come forth to offer us back our freedom." Glenstorm added stepping forward and staring Caspian down.

Pattertwig suddenly jumped into the conversation. "Is it possible? Do you really think there could be peace? Do you? I mean, really?"

"Two days ago, I didn't believe in the existence of talking animals, or dwarfs, or centaurs. Or Aslans daughter...Yet, here you are… in strength in numbers we Telmarines could never have imagined. Whether this horn is magic or not, it brought us together. And together, we have a chance to take back what is ours." Caspian said to them looking around at them and holding up the horn for all to see.

"If you will lead us, then my sons and I offer you our swords." Glenstorm said to him and pulling out his sword and holding it out in the air with the other centaurs following him and then most of the other Narnians who carried swords.

"And we offer you our lives… unreservedly. "Reepicheep says speaking for his fellow mice as bows.

"Miraz' army will not be far behind, sire." Trufflehunter says to Caspian.

"If we are to be ready for them, we must hurry to find soldiers and weapons. I am sure they will be here soon." Caspian replies looking to Glenstorm who was looking at me.

I raised an eyebrow as they were all looking at me and I realized I hadn't pulled my swords out yet. I pulled them out of their sheaths at my side relishing in the familiar hum of the blades as they came from them. I pointed them up to the air and looked Caspian in the eye. "And I Aurora, daughter of Aslan offer you my services in any way you shall need of me." I pledged to him and then after an eerie silence we all sheathed our blades again and the others started walking from the dancing lawn.

I stayed behind staring at Caspian with a light smile on my face before I spoke. "Hello, prince Caspian." I said as I walked closer to him and held out my hand. "I believe we haven't been properly introduced. I am Aurora."

He looked at me for a few seconds before falling over backwards passing out...Well that's how I imagined this going but in reality he took my hand and knelt kissing the back of it before standing again. "It is an honor to make your acquaintance my lady. I am Caspian...the tenth." He said smiling at me.

"The honor is all mine." I replied smiling wider at him and looking into his eyes. I shook my head a bit and then gestured to the direction of where the others walked off. "We should be going. After all you are their leader."

He nodded and gestured for me to walk ahead of him, "After you, my advisor."

"Your advisor?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yes." He replied nodding.

"I see." I replied and turning away from him and following after the others. I probably should have worded that pledge a little differently... I wasn't so sure I liked this Caspian as much anymore.. Me? An advisor... I would laugh at the thought if I didn't have any dignity.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by a soft neighing to my left. I looked up to see Orion galloping towards me. I smiled wide at him and as he came to my side, I petted his neck while we walked after the others with a smile on my face. I was slightly happier then I had been in years, We might finally have a chance at reclaiming Narnia, and I had hope, if my strange dream meant anything, that I would see my beloved Pevensies again.