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Rissy

Caspian knelt beside a small creek that flowed freely through the woods. He cupped his hands as he pushed them into the cold water that slowly began to numb his fingers. He then brought the water to his lips and took a sip. The cold water felt wonderful on his dry throat.

Caspian cocked his ear as he heard running footsteps coming from behind him. His heart began to race in his chest as his hand closed around the handle of his battleax. In a blink of the eye, he jumped to his feet and pulled the battleax from his back. He spun around with spectacular speed and leveled his battleax at whoever was approaching.

“Please, don’t kill me, please do not kill me, Caspian.”

Caspian shook his head as he looked at the voice. It wasn’t a rabbit-like you would be expecting, but instead a wolf. A wolf with greyish-blackish fur and one brown eye and one blue eye. Shasta was shorter than other wolves, and that was one of the things that made him different, that and the fact that he wasn’t a bad wolf. Unlike other wolves, Shasta was a gentle spirit and he was Caspian’s friend, at least one of his friends.

Caspian lowered his battleax with a sigh of relief.

“You almost killed me with that battleax of yours, I don’t think you should be carrying weapons,” Shasta said with a hard look, he then added, “But that is only my opinion.” Shasta shrugged.

Caspian rolled his eyes. “Well, I wouldn’t have to do that if you would stop sneaking up behind me,” Caspian said with frustration.

Shasta cocked his head and raised a finger. “Well, technically I didn’t sneak up behind you this time, I was running.”

“You shouldn’t run behind me either, I’m always on alert, I could have chopped off your head,” Caspian said as he strapped his battleax on. He was tired of talking about it now. He could tell Shasta was enjoying the conversation though.

“Well –”

Caspian cut him off and raised a hand. “I don’t want to hear it, Shasta. I just don’t want to hear it. Do you know where everyone else is? Are they back at camp?” Caspian started to walk off.

Shasta fell in beside him as he said, “Everyone else, I think, but I’m not for sure. Well, I think, that they are back at camp. But I’m not for sure, oh, and I’ll give you whose grumpy today.”

“And who in the world might that be, Shasta?” Caspian asked as he moved a tree branch out of his way.

“Well, let’s see.” Shasta stopped walking for a minute. Caspian did the same as he looked at Shasta and let him continue. “Well, um, your brother is a real peach. Edmund and your brother are just being very peachy and kind of horrid.”

Caspian nodded. “Thanks for giving me a heads up.” Caspian began walking again.

They walked to a little cave where their camp was located. A small fire glowed in the cave and the smell of breakfast greeted them. The wonderful smell of mushrooms and spices all cooking and sizzling together. He heard Shasta’s stomach growl.

Shasta then said, “Oh boy, oh boy, I’m hungry let’s go get a bite of breakfast. But just letting you know once again they are grumpy, even if they saw that they’re not.”

Caspian could tell that Shasta was going to say more, but a loud voice cut them off. “If you are referring to me, I am not, I repeat, not grumpy! I just didn’t sleep well.”

Shasta leaned over and whispered in Caspian’s ear, “I told you he’s a rotten peach that stinks.”

Caspian tried to keep from laughing as he looked up to see Edmund, who wasn’t a rabbit, but a red fox with dark eyes that were glaring at him and Shasta.