With Swords, Claws, and Teeth Bared

Whilst the giantess is satisfying her hunger, Zamron prepares his followers for the journey back to her home. He finds on the ground nearby a branch of a tree not only manoeuvrable, but also of the right kind to fashion himself a whip, which he shows Ulysses. "Any funny business or slacking from you," he snarls viciously, giving the satyr a hard poke with the end, "And you'll feel this!" Satisfied that the satyr has got the message, he gives the signal to move out. "We've gathered plenty of food for our followers, and any more loyal to the Queen who may yet join us, but I don't like leaving the rest of this wheat for them, " he observes to Captain Ashraf, but I fear we have little choice. Normally, in this kind of situation, I would burn what remains, but I don't think that would be wise with those Archenlander scum in the area." Ashraf nods his head and replies, "I quite agree, in our present situation we don't want to attract unwanted attention. But their turn will come!"
"Too right it will!" replies Zamron, "let us go." He then cautiously leads his people back to Gruntabillery's home, the wolves patrolling wide as before, in case there are any of the enemy in the vicinity.
 
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Back at Gruntabillary's lair, not yet revealed to Zamron, the Giantess has an emergency measure that she prepared long ago in case of Aslan's return. It is a pass between high ridges -- which would be _easier_ for others to move through than for Gruntabillary, if not for her little arrangement.

Choosing her moment, the Giantess abruptly moves when no one expects her to do anything unusual. Grabbing Ulysses up off the ground, she dashes into her pass -- and sets off a rockslide which blocks any others from following. Gruntabillary's knowledge of the terrain gives her an enormous head start
against any attempt to pursue her and Ulysses.



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Miles away, Flakefeather arrives at Aslan's camp, and tells the Great Lion about seeing Ripskin the Vulture near the miraculous wheatfield. Aslan laughs, and tells all within hearing of His voice:

"A surprise awaits any evildoer who eats that grain; for that grain is filled with My power! Now that I have made atonement for treachery, any traitor who eats that grain will be filled with a desire to turn from evil and ask My forgiveness!"
 
Zamron quickly reaches for his bow but by the time he has fitted an arrow, the giantess and satyr are well out of range. He is not at all amused by Gruntabillery's escape with Ulysses; on the contrary, he is furious and expresses his thoughts in very "colourful" language. His first thoughts are to unblock the pass and follow Gruntabillery, but soon realises that by the time this can be done, she'll be well away, and the trail will be cold. However, he is still very angry, not only because the giantess has proven a coward, and escaped, but because he and those others still loyal to the Queen have been made to look fools. When he eventually calms down, he speaks his thoughts to them.
"We have two options, either we unblock the pass, which will take a long time, and attempt to follow that snivelling traitor, bearing in mind that she will be long gone by the time we have done so, and moreover she will know the terrain better than any of us. Alternatively, we simply let her go, and concentrate on the real business, of striking at the human vermin and traitors. I also have two views on unblocking the pass she used. If we leave it blocked, no enemy can use it to strike against us, but It may be useful at some stage in the future. What do you think?" He pauses and continues, "Hopefully, Ripskin will be back soon too, with some news about those Archenlander rabble."
 
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Meanwhile, since the bad guys don't understand what really happened to Gruntabillary, five Talking Crows who are with Zamron's force begin helping themselves to some of the grain. Suddenly, they all start cawing: "Zamron! Ashraf! We've been wrong all this time! Jadis was _never_ a legitimate ruler; only _Aslan_ has the right to rule our world, because He is Almighty God and He _created_ our world! We didn't really _escape_ from Him, either; He _allowed_ us to live, only so we could still have a chance to repent and beg for His forgiveness! He could appear in front of us anytime, and slay us all, but He's being patient with us!"
 
O.O.C: I assume that it is too soon for Zamron and his followers to come to the conclusion that there is something "wrong" with the wheat they brought back? I also take it that these crows are expendable?

I.C: Zamron lunges forward, grabs two of the crows and effortlessly but swiftly wrings their necks. Simultaneously, Ashraf, Parcash and Sareg seize the other three crows and very quickly end their mortal existence too. Zamron then turns to face his followers. "Does anyone else question that our beloved Queen was the rightful ruler of this land?" he asks very quietly, but in a most sinister way. "Are there any more minions of that lion and the human vermin here? Speak now!"
 
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OOC-- Zamron certainly would not have figured it out at the very moment of those crows being changed. But I invite you to think of what might be the next "odd occurrence." Only, we can't have Zamron himself eat the grain and repent of his evil, or where would the story be?

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Meanwhile, Ulysses, still being carried to safety by the long strides of the Giantess, asks her what is happening. Gruntabillary replies: "I' m not sure myself. But suddenly everything became clear to me. What Jadis did to Narnia was unnatural; it served only her warped malice. But Aslan brings life.
 
OOC-- Zamron certainly would not have figured it out at the very moment of those crows being changed. But I invite you to think of what might be the next "odd occurrence." Only, we can't have Zamron himself eat the grain and repent of his evil, or where would the story be?

Quite, there would be no evil villain to keep the good guys on their toes!

I.C: Unsurprisingly, every single Jadisite addressed by Zamron assure him that they were all loyal to their Queen, whom they considered it a pleasure to serve. Indeed, this is not surprising, as those who escaped from the Battle of Beruna and joined Zamron comprise the most wicked Jadisites, having chosen to serve Jadis voluntarily, of their own free will. Satisfied, Zamron dismisses them, although he remains concerned about recent developments. That same evening, he and Captain Ashraf hold a council to discuss the matter.
"There's definitely something peculiar going on!" he exclaims. "Moreover, it seems to have started after we returned with the corn."
"I agree with you!" replies the captain of the secret police. I cannot understand what is happening, because those crows and Gruntabillery the giantess were all staunchly loyal to Her Majesty. I would never have expected them to be traitors. However, we both heard them, so we had no choice but to silence the crows. However, I am concerned at the escape of Gruntabillery with that satyr. Since she has blocked that pass (she must have been planning this for some time) not only can we not follow them, but we have no way of knowing where she is planning on going. We have to consider the possibility that she may betray us to our enemies. If she does so, this base may not be safe in the long term."
"That thought had occurred to me too, " admits Zamron. "However, even a giantess will take a while to get to the part of Narnia where they are, and there is a strong possibility that it will take a while before they are willing to listen to her. As for the satyr, he seemed so stupid I very much doubt whether he is capable of telling anyone anything about us. Nevertheless, when Ripskin returns, I intend asking her to scout around and see whether she can find us somewhere else we can use as a base, if it should become necessary. Of course, there is always Her Majesty's palace; although eminently suitable, I fear that would be the first place they'll look for us."
"Very true, " replies Ashraf. However, you may wish to consider mounting an expedition there, to see whether there is anything we can use, or to prevent anything useful from falling into their hands. In the meantime, I shall double the guards and send out more scouting parties, so we don't get caught unawares."
"Good thinking," says Zamron.

At this point they adjourn their meeting. A short time later, the alarm is raised. "Zamron! Captain Ashraf! Come quickly!" Next minute, Sareg rushes up to him excitedly. " I was passing the place where the grain we collected was stored and you won't believe this, I scarcely do myself, but the grain is glowing! It must be bewitched! Come and see!"

Wondering just what the wolf is on about, Zamron hurries after Sareg to the place in question, joined on the way by Ashraf, who is also investigating the commotion. Upon arrival they see that there is indeed a golden glow coming from the grain. Stunned, they stare at it for several moments before Zamron asks "What is going on?"

O.O.C: I shall stop at this point, as I'm not sure whether you will approve of this latest development. If it is considered wrong in any way, I can always delete the last two paragraphs
 
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OOC-- The glowing part is fine; we do, after all, need to resolve the business with the grain.
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Ripskin the Vulture is on landing approach even as they are looking at the grain pile. She immediately feels uneasy, but still descends.

"My lord Zamron, what can this be? That light fills me with fear somehow!"
 
Quickly Zamron briefs the vulture on everything that has happened since she left to spy on the Archenlanders. Realising that something has to be done, and done quickly regarding the strange phenomenon of the glowing corn, in order to prevent some of his followers from panicking, he quickly decides that the best thing to do is to burn the strange corn. Before giving the order, however, he asks Riplakish what the Archenlanders are doing and how far away they are from their (the Jadesites) base.
 
R-I-P-S-K-I-N replies:

"Half of the Archenlanders have doubled back, apparently heading for Aslan's camp to pay homage to Him. The rest are busy, about thirty miles to the west-by-southwest, building fortified stockades, probably as bases from which their troops will operate for the near future, to assist the accursed Lion in restoring order. Each half-army still is much too strong for us to attack as we are now."
 
"Good," replies Zamron. They are too far away to interfere with what I have in mind." He turns to his followers. "Clearly this corn was planted by minions of the lion, with the clear intention of destroying us. However, we have seen through their evil scheme. The best thing now is to destroy this corn before it can cause any more mischief. Help me take it outside: there is a place nearby where we can pile it up. Whatever you do, do NOT leave a single ear, and, above all else, do NOT eat even a single ear! When this has been done, we shall burn it."

Quickly the Jadisites all set to work and follow the minotaur's instructions. As soon as the very last grain has been added to the pile, placed at a safe distance from their base, Zamron pours some oil on the corn, then sets it on fire. He stands back at a safe distance and, along with his followers, watches the corn burn, with a grin on his face.
 
The smoke from the burning grain causes some of the Jadisites to feel uneasy, but not to such a degree that they would wish to abandon Zamron and go beg Aslan's forgiveness.

Ripskin asks what the Minotaur's plan is.

Meanwhile, Gruntabillary, still carrying the bewildered Ulysses, is taking a wide-ranging evasion route in case any Jadisites might try to follow her.
 
"It is quite clear to me," observes Zamron, "That that grain was enchanted by our enemies, and deliberately planted there in order to destroy us. However, their plan has failed." (There is a loud cheer from all who are present). "As to what we do next, says Zamron, "It would be helpful to know where Gruntabillery is going with that satyr, for it may well be that she is planning to betray us to them. If that is the case, we will need to move somewhere more secure. Ripskin, you are more familiar with this area than most of us, do you happen to know of anywhere suitable? If not, will you fly around and see whether there is anywhere both large enough and secure enough for our purposes? Once this is done, I think it is time to repay them for that wheat: yes, it is time to strike back! (There is an even louder cheer from the assembled company). "Obviously, it would be foolishness to mount an assault upon Cair Paravel itself, or even those Archenlander mercenaries in a direct assault. However, many of the traitors will be living alone or in groups small enough to deal with. I suggest we consider "rewarding" some of them for their treachery. Are you with me?
 
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After the cheering fades, Ripskin tells Zamron: "There's a pond not far from the Lamp-Post in the east; the Archenlanders' camps are not quite close enough to it to threaten detection if we went there by a northerly route. A pair of Talking Beavers have their home there; the husband's grandfather chose the site because none of the trees near it were Dryad trees, thus it was all right to fell them. The Beavers went west with the accursed Pevensies, and are still with the Lion.

"Since they have gotten involved with restoring Cair Paravel, they are likely to be away from their lodge for a long time. They have left some two dozen felled trees beside their stream; these were probably intended for new construction if they had children. We could use that material to build shelters. It would only be a temporary camp for us, but it would perhaps facilitate some raid we might make before moving on again."
 
"Excellent!" says Zamron. That sounds just perfect. What think you, Captain Ashraf?" The wolf shows his agreement, adding "It will be good to show the cowards and traitors that their treachery will not go unpunished!" There is unanimous agreement to this observation, after which Zamron continues,
"I wonder whether the beavers in question are the same ones who betrayed our beloved Queen to that foul Lion and the human scum? I do know that there are other traitors who used to live in that vicinity too, such as the faun Tumnus." (Zamron spits the name out with utter contempt and hatred). "I am sure that I've seen that bluejay who gave you such insolence there too, Ripskin. Then there's the dog, Mia and her feline friends. Well, I expect they are still grovelling to the lion and his human slaves." He gives a nasty grin. "For there sakes, they'd better be! However, they are about to learn that their treason carries a very high price! Right! As soon as we've made the necessary arrangements, we'll set out by the route recommended by our good friend Ripskin. Will it be safe to journey by day, or should we travel by night?"
 
RIPSKIN: "My suggestion is that we first send some of our smaller friends to keep an eye on the Archenlanders, just in case those might change location unexpectedly. Then the rest of us move by night. And yes, the Beavers whose home we will capture ARE the same ones who were so active against our Queen."
 
"Really?" says Zamron. "It's a great pity they won't be at home! I'd like to have a little "chat" with them, and I'm sure you would too, Captain Ashraf!" The wolf captain nods. Zamron continues. "We are indeed fortunate to have such a loyal friend as Riplakish. I recommend we follow her advice. Any one disagree? Good! In that case, are there any volunteers from our smaller friends to spy on the Archenlanders?" Virtually all the smaller animals come forward. "Excellent!" says Zamron. He chooses a hare, a pair of stoats, three weasels and four rats. "Don't worry, my friends," he says to the other volunteers, your turn will come!" Turning to those selected, he tells them to leave as soon as they are ready, wishing them good fortune, and giving them clear instructions as to where they will find the Archenlanders. He himself, along with the other Jadisites spend the remainder of the day preparing for their own departure. As soon as the sun sets, they move out and follow Ripskin's choice of route. Captain Ashraf deploys his wolves in scouting ahead and to the sides, in case anyone hostile happens to be in the area. Ripskin also flys ahead, using the available cover, to observe from above.
 
Meanwhile, on the seacoast, Aslan greets a large extended family of Talking Skunks, whose ancestors had gotten out of Narnia before Jadis' takeover was complete. These descendants of refugees have come back north with the Archenlanders -- always keeping downwind of the humans for the sake of courtesy.

The eldest male Skunk, as all of them are bowing before the Lion, says, "Glorious Aslan, we wish now to give honor to those forgotten heroes of a past generation who enabled some Narnians, particularly the Humans who were most in danger, to get away to lands where Jadis' powers would be too weak for her to risk an invasion. We especially honor the Talking Tiger Gripstone and his wife Ninecatcher. Although every conceivable circumstance was rigged against them, they persevered in their efforts to rescue others."

"So they did," agrees Aslan. "And I can assure you that Gripstone and Ninecatcher are dwelling in fabulous happiness in My country right now. But to return to the affairs of those who are still in mortal existence: I have a task which I would like you Skunks to perform in Cair Paravel."

"Sire, You have only to name Your desire!" exclaims the Skunk elder's wife.

"It is this, My friends. During the reign of the Witch, the wreckage of Cair Paravel was used spitefully as a dump for all manner of filth. Of course, I could simply make all the filth cease to exist; but I did not create Narnia for Narnians to have nothing to do themselves. I therefore ask you, because you Skunks are immune to being troubled by intense odors, to dig out and remove the filth from Cair Paravel, so that the Children of Adam and Eve may dwell there when it is rebuilt."

"With or without tools, we shall begin at once!" replies the male Skunk.

Aslan smiles. "The Dwarfs will provide you with tools as needed. Once you finish this task, I shall breathe on you and make your fur completely clean of all foulness."

"And I," says King-Elect Peter, "shall confer titles of nobility on all of them for this."
 
Zamron, who had been amongst those "encouraging" those detailed to treat Cair Paravel in such an appalling manner, was leading his forces towards Mr and Mrs Beaver's home, by the route recommended by the vulture, Ripskin. Shortly after setting out, as they are about to pass a cave entrance, Sareg suddenly stops, and sniffs in the direction of the entrance to the cave.
"There's someone hiding in there!" he says, excitedly. "It smells like dwarf!"
"Indeed?" replies Zamron, after signalling everyone to stop. "Come on out!" he bellows, "or we'll come in and drag you out!" There is a short pause, then Ginnarbrik creeps cautiously out of the cage. The dwarf is most relieved to see who it is calling him out of the cave. He explains that after the Queen had been killed, he had fled north, like Zamron and his followers and had spent the time on the move, in order to throw any pursuit off the scent. Like Zamron and his followers, Ginnarbrik has more than a few scores to settle with the worshippers of Aslan, especially the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve, plus those who helped them. He therefore joins Zamron's group.
 
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