Gradually, the crowd silenced, sensing that Aslan wanted to speak.
His eyes seemed sad. “We must move from this place at once, it will be used for other purposes.” His eyes grew even sadder. “We shall encamp tonight at the Fords of Beruna.”
Once again, the crowd cheered and began to make preparations for the brief journey.

It’s so unfair. They don’t even notice how sad Aslan is, I thought with contempt.

Peter interrupted my thoughts whispering, “How did he ever sort it all out with the Witch?” He lowered his voice. “But I daren’t ask.”
I was in total agreement for Aslan’s roar was still ringing in my ear.
We walked towards the hilltop for our noon meal.
“It’s hot,” Lucy waved her hand in front of her face—attempting to fan herself but failing.
Peter and Edmund were conversing together about the war.
“The Witch may defeat us,” Peter talked pessimistically.
“She won’t,” optimistic Edmund retorted with confidence.
“Well,” paused Peter uncertainly. “I’m just glad you’ll be there to help me and Aslan will be there, of course.”
Meanwhile, Susan had drifted away and was talking with a Well Woman.
We watched as the Well-Woman spoke something to Susan but we couldn’t hear it distinctly. Susan glanced quickly back to us, motioning with her eyes to go on.
“They sure like to try one’s curiosity. I feel like spying on them,” muttered Edmund.
“Shall we?” asked Peter.
“Oh, stop,” pleaded Lucy. “For once, leave Susan alone!”
After we helped with the preparations to move on to another place, we found ourselves walking at an easy pace along with the Narnians.
Susan, Lucy, and I traveled together. Other Narnians walked behind, ahead, and beside us. In our arms were food and other necessities.
“Where’s Peter?” Lucy suddenly asked.
Susan and I strained our eyes.
After a few moments, Lucy squealed, “I see him now!”
“Where?” Susan craned her neck. “Wait, I see him too! He’s talking with Aslan.”
We lapsed into silence.
My eyes causally wandered away to Peter and Aslan. Right then, I saw two things. One, I saw Aslan say something to Peter. And two, I saw a look of confusion and terror fleet over Peter’s face as he hastily replied back.
Quickly, I turned my head; for I know, once again, what they were talking about.
I just wish things wouldn’t be so complicated.
Before long, I noticed that Peter’s pace began to become slower than anyone else’s, causing him to move away from Aslan little by little. But by the look of his downcast eyes, I knew that Peter didn’t realize of his actions.
Soon, Susan, Lucy, and I were walking beside Aslan and Peter was walking yards behind us. Aslan was exceedingly quiet. At times, Susan and Lucy would feebly attempt to make out a conversation with Aslan but their attempts would end in vain.
“He seems so sad,” Lucy whispered in our ears.
I gave a knowing nod.
“Something dreadful must have happened,” Susan answered.
Before I could reply, a thunderous call sounded, notifying us of our arrival.
“Please help set up camp!”
Everyone, including me was busy for the rest of the afternoon. It was dark when everything was in order.
That night, the whole camp was sober—Aslan’s mood had affected everyone.
“Supper is ready! Come to the table and help yourselves,” another distant call sounded.
We trudged up the hill. Peter was very silent. So silent, in fact, that Susan took it upon herself to ask him:
“What’s the matter? Is something wrong?”
Peter’s eyes grew more downcast.
“Peter?”
“Aslan might not be there in battle,” he blurted out.
“Aslan? Why not?”
“I don’t know! That means I won’t have anyone to turn to for help—if…you know,” he hesitated. “if something goes wrong.”
Susan’s face turned ashen white.
“All of us,” Peter said, a bit rushed. “What do you suppose will happen back home if we die here? I mean—“
Susan got up quickly and threw her arms around Peter. The next thing I heard was muffled sobs.
Lucy’s body began to shake violently. I reached over and hugged her as my eyes began to sting.
We all stood. For some reason, I found all of us holding hands; forming a circle.
“Let’s promise,” began Peter.” That whatever happens, we’ll try our best to stay together. For each of our sakes.”
Peter turned and nudged Edmund gently.
Ed gulped as tears sprang to his eyes.
And that was how it went, clockwise as each of us blurted that promise. But inside I knew, that one day, we would be separated from each other—perhaps even forever.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There was no dancing or celebration that night. Everyone went straight to bed. The camp was deathly quiet except for the sound of the flowing river crackling along the stones and the continuous laughter of the night fairies.
I had a great deal of trouble trying to fall asleep. Troublesome thoughts filled my mind. I rolled, turned, fixed my blankets, and straightened my pillow before I finally drifted off to a light sleep.
“Anne! Anne!” someone shook me urgently. “Are you awake?”
“Hm?” I mumbled, half awake. Then, something struck me.
Stone Table!
I jerked myself awake. “What is it?”
It was Susan and Lucy.
“We’re going to see if Aslan is still in the camp.”
Dread creeped up into my body.
“Why would—“I asked feebly, beginning to feel frightened.
“Hurry!” Susan interrupted in a low voice. “We haven’t much time!”
We got up hastily and tiptoed out of the tent.
Susan clutched Lucy and my arm. “Look!”
And there, was Aslan walking away from us and into the wood.
With each step, his paws grew heavier and heavier, his tail and head hung low almost to the ground, and he appeared exhausted.
We followed him secretly, dashing into the shadows whenever he turned his head until finally, when there were no more shadows to hide us that was when he saw us.
His eyes bored sorrowfully into ours and seemed to penetrate into mine.
When he spoke those sorrowful words and asked us to lay his hands on him, we immediately did so.
It felt so good, the warmth of his fur…his comforting presence!
We walked on and one; our feet grew wet with the dew but we didn’t care; there were too many things happening all at once.
Eventually, we reached the last bushy tree. Aslan stopped and said those two words we certainly didn’t want to hear, “Farewell.”
Our floodgates opened and we all wept bitter tears, kissed and hugged his golden mane, and we clung onto him desperately ‘till the last moment.
Then he walked one and we hid in the bushes as the terrorizing scene unfolded before us.
This is what we saw:
Fierce, horrid, and terrifying creatures were moving around restlessly, clutching their needlelike claws open and close, slouching dreadfully, and laughing evilly in gibberish.
In the midst of the crowd, standing pale and tall, was the White Witch.
Her icy voice was like a knife slicing into darkness and it echoed throughout the trees.
I lowered my head, crying softly, tears streaming down my cheeks.
It seemed like hours and hours.
Then I heard Lucy hiss, “She’s going to kill him now!”
I covered my eyes for just one second. And in that second, Aslan was killed. Aslan was dead.
My feelings nearly took hold of me and I slapped my hand over my mouth to conceal a heart-wrenching sob.
“Shh!” Susan whispered in alarm; her eyes red.
The Witch’s army was heading joyfully towards us! Fear and panic entered my soul. We clung to each other desperately, trying to hide ourselves among the leaves.
Foul and horror-some creatures staggered within inches from us.
Lucy had a difficult time trying not to scream. Her fear stricken eyes widened with each second.
After the last of the mile long procession stomped away, we breathed a sigh of relief.
“Oh, oh, oh!” cried out Lucy. “How could—“her lips trembled. “come, let’s see w-what they’ve done t-to H-Him.”
We stumbled tearfully to the Stone Table.
My heart lurched at the sight.
This was Aslan?
Lucy buried her head into his mane. I stroked his golden fur and gently laid my head on him. Susan sat down on the Stone Table and rested on him.
I felt something stir beside my feet. I didn’t bother to investigate.
What matters now? Nothing. Aslan’s dead.
“Cheep, cheep,” mice scurried about and began to nibble the cords.
There were thousands of mice; it looked like a grey sea.
“Ugh,” Susan said disgustedly. “go away!”
I shivered. Susan’s and Lucy’s teeth chattered.
Everywhere was dead still. A bird’s chirp made us jump.
Sorrowfully, we cleared the ropes from Aslan’s body and let it fall to the ground.
The last star disappeared from the sky and the air was dreadfully cold.
“Let’s take a walk,” suggested Susan numbly.
We turned to go; my eyes and ears alert…anticipating for that sound…
then—
Crack. A deafening, ear piercing crack.
Susan and Lucy froze, staring at me.
I closed my eyes tightly and slowly turned around.