XV

The two of them sat together in silence for a little while longer, before going back to join their companions. The four of them sat together for the rest of the afternoon, talking about this and that – how much further it was to the pass; what they expected to find there; what they hoped to do when and if they found the breaknut. Time passed, and there was still no sign of Scaltard. They had expected him to return before evening, but, as the sun began to go down, he still did not come.

“We should never have sent him on his own,” worried Hedegar.

“Scaltard can take care of himself,” comforted Vixel, though there was a hint of worry in her voice, “He’s done so for many years.”

“Besides,” added David, “We did not send him on his own. He has the guinea pig. That creature might be small and not able to talk, but he is a clever none-the-less.”

“Hmm,” mused Susan, “I wonder how he got to be like that? He was, after all, a simple unintelligent animal from our world. Makes you wonder what properties the Wood-Between-the-Worlds must have to have changed him like it has?”

“Yes,” mused David, “When I was there, the wood made me feel sleepy, and I almost forgot who I was or why I was there, but it’s as though it had the opposite effect on him…like it woke him up.”

“Whatever are you two going on about?” cut in Vixel.

Susan explained to Vixel and Hedegar them about the rings and the Wood Between the Worlds. She also told them more about her family’s adventures in Narnia. After her cry earlier in the day, she found it comfortable talking about her family and reliving some of their happy memories together.

Breaking only to prepare dinner, they spent the rest of the evening in the glow of the campfire as Susan recounted those glorious days of what seemed to her a different life time. She received a good deal of teasing and abuse from Hedegar and Vixel over the story of Prince Rabadash of Calormen, whom she had almost agreed to marry. David said nothing throughout this tale, but kept his eyes on her the whole time with an almost indiscernible smirk of bemusement on his face. Susan secretly wished she knew what he was thinking, but said nothing and moved quickly on to the tale of the hunting of the white stag.

Though still worried about Scaltard, they all slept well that night, filled with the wonder of Susan’s tales in that far off world.

*-*-*-*

The next morning, there was still no sign of the tortoise and his companion and they began to debate what should be done. David was all for going off to search for him but Susan was worried about separating the group any further and Hedegar was still not healed enough to be lifted up the ledge. Besides, they wouldn’t know where to start looking. It seemed most prudent to stay where they were so the tortoise could find them again. That was assuming, of course, no harm had come to him.

They were no closer to a decision about what to do when they heard a wheeking noise coming from the direction of the ledge. David ran over to see what it was, and found the guinea pig standing there. Alone.

They were no closer to a decision about what to do when they heard a wheeking noise coming from the direction of the ledge. David ran over to see what it was, and found the guinea pig standing there. Alone.

Susan ran up after him, and they watched as the guinea pig stood on top of the ledge, squealing with excitement. When David asked where Scaltard was, the squeals got louder and slightly frantic. He gesticulated wildly with his paws, but neither of them could make any sense of his explanation. He kept pointing his left front paw in the direction he had come from, then ran out of sight from the ledge top, before returning with more pointing and squealing and running off.

“I think he wants us to follow him,” suggested David. Susan nodded. “I’ll go and see what he has to show us. Maybe Scaltard is hurt.

“I’m coming with you,” insisted Susan, still reluctant to split the group or let anyone go off on their own. “Vixel can stay with Hedegar.” David was inclined to protest, but thought better of it.

Susan ran off to tell Vixel and Hedegar what had happened and to get her backpack with the first aid kit and other supplies. She came back and she and David scrambled up the ledge, Susan going first this time. As soon as they were up, the guinea pig began running off again and they followed.

It was slow going with such a small animal, and they hoped it wasn’t far. It might have made more sense for one of them to carry him, but then they wouldn’t know which direction to travel in. The ground here was still pretty rough and after about half an hour, travelling in this way, the guinea pig stopped for a rest.

While they were sitting on some boulders in the shade of a thorn tree, they suddenly heard a rustling noise coming from a nearby bush. Susan and David both froze, having not forgotten the incident with the snake. They sat in silence for what seemed like an age, and there were no further noises. They began to relax, and at last David dared to say in a lowered voice, “We should probably move on from here.”

They stood up cautiously and began to gather up their things when there was a further rustle from the direction of the bush. It was a silly thing to do, but something compelled David to call out, “Who’s there? Come on out!”

There was silence again, but at last, moving slowly and furtively, out came a small thin creature that looked something like a weasel, but was lighter coloured and slimmer. It reminded Susan of the creature called a meerkat that she had once seen a picture of in a book on exotic animals.

Nervously, it made its way over to them. “Can you speak?” asked David.

It appeared there would be no answer, but at last it squeaked out a frightened “Yes, who are you?”

“I’m David, and this is Susan,” the former answered, “We are looking for a friend whom we think is in trouble. A tortoise, have you seen him?”

The creature shifted his eyes uncertainly, before lowering them. “Maybe,” he answered.

“Maybe?” cried Susan, “What does that mean? Have you or have you not seen our friend.”

It took some coaxing, but at last it came out that the meerkat had witnessed an altercation between a tortoise and a hare and lizard. At first they had greeted one another in a friendly manner, but then the latter two creatures had started to get rough. A brief scuffle ensued in which the hare and lizard came out on top. The last thing he had seen was them leading the tortoise away.

The meerkat had apparently been too far away to hear anything that was said, although something in the way he spoke led Susan to suspect he was not telling them everything. It seemed obvious that the creatures that Scaltard had encountered were none other than Loopel and Akadis, though what they had kidnapped Scaltard for she could not guess.

The meerkat offered to lead them to the place it had happened, but learning it was quite a distance, they decided it was better that they return first to Vixel and Hedegar and discuss a plan of action. The return trip was much quicker, as they could carry the guinea pig.

Vixel was shocked by the news of what had happened, but Hedegar simply shook his head as though he had suspected that those two creatures were up to something. In the process of the conversation, it came out that the meerkat did remember having overheard some snatches of dialogue between Loopel and Akadis and Scaltard. They said something about a clue, and a pass and that the tortoise should lead them to it.

“It seems to me,” suggested Hedegar, “that for some inexplicable reason, they want to find the seed for themselves and have kidnapped Scaltard to show them the way to the next clue.”

“At least we know where to find them,” encouraged Vixel. “Now if only we can find a way to the pass. Scaltard was our best guide, and we still have no way of getting past the ledge.”

“I can show you a way,” offered the meerkat, almost out of the blue. “You want to get to the Phairdayle pass, do you not?” The companions looked at one another quizzically. None of them had specifically said this was the pass they were aiming for, though it was not difficult to guess.

“It means crossing the river, but there is an easy ford not far downstream and another easy crossing further up, but the land on that side is much easier.”

While the meerkat went down to the river to wash and drink (it had been a long day of travelling for him), the four companions discussed their options.

“Do you think we can trust him,” asked Susan. She had been unsure of him since the beginning. His initial nervousness and reluctance to tell them things gave her an uneasy feeling.

“Why ever not?” asked David, surprised. “He told us where Scaltard is being taken and has offered to show us the way.”

“Susan does have a point,” put in Hedegar. “There is something about him. We should consider the possibility he is working for those two… and was sent to put us off the trail.”

“His story makes sense to me,” put in Vixel, “If they are after the seed, taking Scaltard to the location of the next clue is most logical. I say we accept his help.”

“I don’t know,” sighed Susan, “Why was he so nervous?”

“Think of what he’d seen,” suggested David, “Wouldn’t you be scared? Here he is travelling in an uninhabited part of the country, and he suddenly witnesses a tussle and a kidnapping. And then he meets us. How was he to know whose side we were on?”

“I suppose you’re right,” Susan conceded. “Seeing two humans in the middle of nowhere would enough to frighten any creature. Most of our friends didn’t even trust you or me at first. So, shall we let him lead us?”

“If the rest of you trust him, I do,” voted Vixel.

“I say we be wary,” put in Hedegar, “But as dear Susan once pointed out, having to trust people we don’t know and take risks is an expected part of any adventure. Let’s follow him, but be on guard.”

“He seems to me like an honest meerkat, I trust him,” added David.

“Okay. I’m with Hedegar, but it seems like our best option,” concluded Susan.

The ford was not far downstream and was wide, shallow and stony. The creatures all made it across with just a few wet paws. Susan and David removed their socks and shoes and rolled up their trouser legs.

The meerkat was right about the terrain on the other side being much easier, and they made good progress during the few hours of the afternoon that remained. They set up camp in a bushy area a sensible distance from the river and prepared dinner. They estimated that by that time the next day, they would have reached the pass.