With Swords, Claws, and Teeth Bared

Ashraf is about to order the wolf to obey his orders, then changes his mind. The wolf is clearly a malcontent, and in his experience the best way of dealing with such is to keep them busy.
"An excellent idea!" he agrees. "Choose your team!"
As soon as the wolf leaves to begin his preparations, Ashraf calls Sareg over to him. "Have him watched, Lieutenant!"
Ashraf then briefs Zamron concerning this latest development, and the action he has taken on the matter.

Meanwhile, many miles to the north, that part of the Archenland army which did not set off towards Cair Paravel is busy on patrol. Amongst their scouts is a youth by the name of Bronon. Only recently turned 16, he is in the army at the insistence of his father, a librarian in the capital city. Bronon himself, whilst desirous to seek adventure, hates all the discipline and work involved in the army, and performs every task given to him sullenly and with as little effort as he can get away with. Finding himself on "fatigue duties" (again!) he decides that he has had enough, and sneaks away from his comrades. After heading southwards for a couple of miles, he finds a hollow tree, as dusk approaches, and decides to settle in it for the night.
 
One of the smaller evil creatures, a talking weasel, is in the vicinity, carrying one of the first completed Jadis figurines to be left for people to find. Hearing the boy snoring, the weasel places the wooden carving where the lad will see it upon awakening. Then the weasel hurries back toward Zamron's camp.
 
Many hours later, when the sun is high in the sky, Bronon awakes very refreshed. At first he wonders why there is no sight or sound of the other Archenland troops, and why he has been allowed to sleep so long. (His seargent usually compells him to wake at the crack of dawn, a totally unearthly hour in Bronon's view, after which he is forced to work like a slave, in his opinion, before he's even had breakfast!). Then he remembers that he sneaked off from his comrades the previous evening: although he is certain he will have been missed long before now, clearly there is no sign of any pursuit. Giving a whoop of delight, he climbs down from the tree and immediately spots the wooden carving.
"Hello? What's this?" he asks himself, "I didn't see this here last night, although it was dark, so I must have missed it! Picking it up and examining it carefully, Bronon sees that it is a piece of wood which has been skilfully fashioned to show the face of an exceptionally beautiful woman. "Wow!" cries the youth, "I've never seen anyone so beautiful! She must be a really great Queen!" Delighted with his find, Bronan pockets the carving and, as he is very hungry, eats some of his rations before setting off. Although these won't sustain him for more than a couple of meals, he isn't too concerned as he has learned how to snare, kill and prepare wild creatures for sustenance. Not wishing to meet his former comrades, especially his seargent, he heads off south, after he has satisfied his hunger, without a care in the world.

Meanwhile, the wolf and his party have left the Beaver Lodge and are cautiously moving northward. Unknown to them, Sareg, a very experienced member of the secret police, is trailing them in accordance with his Captain's orders.

O.O.C: I am working on the assumption that after 100 years, nobody in Archenland, including Bronon, will have much idea as to what Jadis looked like. At the beginning of her reign they may well have, but after 100 years such memories will be less clear and, no doubt, have been subject to considerable embellishment over the years.
 
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OOC -- That makes sense about Jadis.
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The weasel who left off the carving meets the hunting party. Since all of them are acquainted with him, he approaches them openly and says, "If you're hunting for humans, my back-trail will lead you to where one human is, or anyway WAS recently."
 
"Excellent!" says the wolf leading the hunting party. "This is going to be easier than I expected! "Come on, let's "introduce" ourselves to him!" They quickly proceed northwards, and soon pick up Bronon's scent.

Whilst the hunting party is tracking him, Bronon is blissfully unaware that he is heading towards very great danger.

Meanwhile, Sareg is discreetly following the hunting party.
 
One wicked creature with the hunters who _isn't_ a wolf is a Talking Warthog named Hackroot, who is big and tough enough that he knows that the _wolves_ know that they would suffer serious casualties if they tried turning on him, so he isn't afraid to accompany them. Besides, he shares their devotion to Jadis and hatred of humans. Hackroot is making himself available (unknown to himself) as a mouthpiece for Copperfox.


As for the weasel, he continues on past his meeting with the hunters, and proceeds southward on a path which will allow Sareg to hail him if Sareg chooses to do so.
 
Sareg notes the weasel (looking very pleased with himself) pass by. He chooses not to reveal himself, in view of his assignment, and being a skilled tracker. He is aware that the weasel is completely loyal to their cause, however. Sareg continues to track the hunting party, noting the presence of Hackroot, whom he also knows can be trusted. The secret police make it their business to know everything about friend and foe alike.

The hunting party draw ever nearer to Bronon, who is strolling up the trail in a very relaxed manner, enjoying his new found freedom from the rigours of military discipline.
 
Hackroot, waiting for Corin Thunderfist II to invent a name for the leader of this hunting group, mutters to that wolf: "I've picked up the smell, so I expect you also have. Seems to me like a young man; trace of leather smell suggests military gear."
 
Mauron, the wolf leading the hunting party, replies. "Yes, I've picked up the scent too. My guess is that he's quite young, not much older than those who conspired with that lion in the murder of our beloved Queen. Even if he is a member of the military, he's alone so should prove no problem to us! But, remember, our orders are to bring him back alive! Lord Zamron and Captain Ashraf wish to interrogate him. By the time they've finished with him he'll wish he was dead! Then, he's ours!" Mauron, Hackroot and their followers laugh evilly.

Bronon, meanwhile, continues on his journey without a care in the world. He says to himself, "I wonder whether I'll meet any talking animals? That would be really cool!" His wish is about to be granted, but not in the manner he is either expecting or hoping!
 
Hackroot mutters to Mauron, "Perhaps one or more of the fastest wolves should run to get ahead of this human's apparent course, while the rest of us come up behind him."
 
"An excellent idea!" replies Mauron. He then assigns two wolves to carry out this plan. Sareg, still keeping a discreet watch on Mauron, notes their departure and nods approvingly.

Meanwhile, Bronon is enjoying his new found freedom from the discipline and rigours of military service (which he had neither wanted to do or volunteered for either) and is strolling through the woods whistling a merry tune. Suddenly, he stops dead. The thought had just come into his mind that someone or something was watching him.
 
O.O.C.-- We understand the majority of the bad guys to be coming _behind_ the young man. And I assume that Mauron gave a little time for the "interceptors" to get ahead before he advanced with the rest.


Two or three minutes after the hunters had split to entrap the Archenlander, a remarkable occurrence occurs. From the direction the youth had been walking toward, there is a sound like thunder....two flashes of flame side by side....and then two rising billows of smoke. From that direction comes a burning smell, very much like two wolves having just been consumed all at once by a furious blazing flame.
 
The spectacular blaze is seen by all in the vicinity. Mauron and his followers panic, and run back the way they have come, putting several miles between them and this fire, before eventually halting and regrouping. Sareg, although equally alarmed, is much further away. He observes the hunting party scatter and at first is minded to follow them. However, he decides it is his duty to investigate this phenomenon, and report back his findings. He waits a while, watching to see whether anything else occurs, before mounting a closer inspection.

Bronon meanwhile, utterly unaware that he has just been saved from torture and death, is at first very much afraid and flees into the forest. However, he is a very curious youth and after a short time, as the flames aren't spreading (indeed they seems to have extinguished themselves as miraculously as they appeared) and nothing nasty seems to be following him, retraces his steps and cautiously approaches the place where he'd seen this incredible occurrence.

The spirits of the two incinerated wolves find themselves instantly transported to a gloomy netherworld, where they are greeted by a huge, sinister bird-like being walking upright on two legs. Upon seeing them, he marks them off on a scroll, grins evilly and croaks, "Welcome to your new home! This is your reward for your deeds in mortality. Enjoy!"
 
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Hackroot the warthog says to Mauron, "Perhaps we were scared for nothing. Perhaps that flame was caused by a dragon who hibernated through our Queen's winter; who has now awakened; and who will join our cause against the accursed Lion."
 
"That is possible, Hackroot", says Mauron. "However, it is possible that the Archenlanders have brought a powerful sorcerer with them. It would be foolish for all of us to venture there in case either this is the case, and we cannot handle him, or the dragon is unfriendly to our cause. Therefore, I suggest one of our smaller people investigates first." As soon as he has finished speaking, a talking brown rat called Vermwood volunteers for the task, and immediately sets out to where the flames have been seen. He soon finds the remains, what little there is, of the two incinerated wolves. He is very relieved that there is no sign of any dragon, or that one has been there recently. Vermwood is about to return and report his findings to Mauron and the others when he suddenly hears a noise. At the same time he catches a new scent, that of a human! A few moments later, Bronon, with his sword drawn, cautiously approaches the place he had seen the flames. Upon seeing Vermwood, he stops and lowers his sword, for he does not believe a creature that size poses any threat to him. "Hello!" he says cheerfully. "I wonder if you can talk?"

Meanwhile, Sareg is approaching very quietly from another direction, one where others will not pick up his scent. He, however does pick up several scents, those of incinerated wolf, a rat and a Son of Adam!
 
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While Mauron and Hackroot are trying to decide their next move, two evil dwarfs join them, carrying new carved figurines of Jadis, and ask for suggestions of where to deliver them.
 
"I have no time to discuss such matters now!" snarls Mauron. "We have a very serious situation here!" Briefly, he tells the dwarves what has occurred, Hackroot's thoughts on the matter, and the action he has taken. "Perhaps you can advise us on this matter?"

Meanwhile, the rat Vermwood smiles at Bronon. "Of course I can talk, Son of Adam!" He gives Bronon an ingratiating smile. "You are lucky I've found you, because you are in great danger here. You must have seen those two flashes of light and heard that thunderous noise? Yes? Well, during the Great Winter those dragons living in Narnia whilst sympathetic to the White Witch were forced to hibernate as the climate had become too cold for them. The recent warm weather has enabled them to awake and they have allied themselves with rebels, followers of the Whiter Witch still active in this part of the country, and if they were to find you they would take great pleasure in eating you alive
without any hesitation. However, there are those nearby who are friends and they want to help you. Allow me to lead you to them: they will give you food and take you to somewhere safe. Come! You need not fear me!"

Bronon, very alarmed upon hearing this news, thanks Vermwood and gratefully accepts his offer of help. He is, by now, quite hungry, and thirsty and therefore anticipates a good meal with much enthusiasm. He therefore follows Vermwood without any hesitation.

Sareg, hiding in the woods nearby, has heard every word of this exchange, and discreetly follows, grinning evilly.
 
An instant later, faster than Sareg's brain can comprehend, he goes from stealthily stalking -- to lying flat and helpless on his back, with an enormous paw compressing his chest so he can barely breathe. Above the wolf's face, shining brighter than the sun (and the light is visible at least as far away as the flames were), is the face of Aslan Himself. The Great Lion tells the helpless wolf, "You see that I knew you were here. You cannot hide from Me or deceive Me. Neither can all of you together do Me the slightest harm anymore, for I no longer make Myself vulnerable. But I still give you a little time, so you may have the chance to repent and escape the eternal punishment to which I sent your two friends over yonder. Do not waste your opportunity. King Peter will accept your surrender, if you offer it honestly."

With that, Aslan vanishes again, as if He had never been there. He has not hurt Sareg, because Aslan does not intend to do ALL of the Pevensies' work for them.
 
Sareg is thoroughly shaken by this experience, and for a long time he does not move. He simply lies there trying to make sense of what has happened. At last he gets to his feet, having come to the conclusion that he must have dozed off and had a nightmare except, of course, that it happened during the day! He decides the wisest thing is not to say anything about his "dream" to Zamron or Captain Ashraf. However, there are some hags who escaped the Battle of Beruna amongst their followers and they have the ability to an extent to foresee the future. He'll have a discreet word with one of them. However, now he has a job to do, so he decides to head back to where he can keep a discreet watch on Mauron.

Although Bronon and Vermwood are unaware that Sareg is hiding in the woods, they did see enough of the latter's vision to know that something rather special had happened there. Both are terrified, but the rat is the first to recover his senses and isn't slow to turn the situation to his advantage. "Run for your life!" he calls, "there is dark sorcery afoot!" Although curious, Bronon does not argue with Vermwood but, running as fast as his legs will allow, follows him back the way they had come.

Further north, the main hunting party have also seen something but, because they are not so close, have even less idea what is going on.
 
Flakefeather the faithful Bluejay has been scouting. The bursts of flame also caught his attention. He now sights Bronon and calls out to him: "Young man! You look like an Archenlandish soldier! Are you lost?"
 
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