Menolyrical - FFF

It's here again my dears, Final Friday Fiction!!! 

From page 87 of PRINCE CASPIAN by C S Lewis

  8)  the only one I’d trust

12)  you haven’t the speed

16)  fairly treated

IN HINDERTWIG ONCE

Several weeks passed as Hill Bert and Low Sooz adapted to their new roles, only meeting privately when they were absolutely certain of not being discovered. This was one such occasion. Low Sooz led the way through by the back wall, behind the curtain of the falls. She  had taken Hill Bert there on their first meeting after the routh. Responding to her darling’s surprise at this hidden place she had said,

‘Vidge brought me here. He knows we are meeting – no don’t flinch – he’s the only one I’d trust with this knowledge. We both must trust him. After all, it is due to him we are having to be so clandestine.’

Hill Bert just shook himself and whuffed reluctant acknowledgement of the fact.

Now he questioned her as to why this meeting. ‘Actually, my love, it is Vidge who encouraged this today. He is a little concerned that Rooper is starting to agitate for another challenge to be third. You haven’t the speed to outrun that young bully, so Vidge has made a suggestion.’ She paused to let this sink in with Hill Bert. Not that he was slow on the uptake, but at the moment, she was actually senior to him in the herd and this needed to change before too much longer. The only way that could happen would be a challenge to Vidge to become the first and thus the director of the herd. To do that, there needed to be no risk of being overthrown by one of the younger bucks. Hill Bert said nothing, just held her gaze expectantly.

‘Vidge has told me he would like the younger bucks to have a sense of being fairly treated, so he thinks it is time he took Rooper, Pal Sun and a couple of the other teenagers on a far forage.  This would mean having to leave his third in charge…’ She paused again. Hill Bert was blinking.

‘Soozma! He intends not to return from that trip?!’

‘Correct. What is more, he intends that Rooper will not return. He has not enlightened me as to the how.’

The pair lay watching the water veil and pondered this next enormous step. Vidge was undoubtedly keen that things move more quickly. Hill Bert asked if Low Sooz knew the why of this increase in urgency. She only hesitated slightly, taking her role as second and confidante of the leader very seriously.

‘The work of the two-legs has started to truly threaten our territory. Vidge was wandering the Southern border only two days past and smelled their wickedness. Hillbee, you have the respect of all the herd but Rooper, and he could cause you trouble. Vidge knows that he is not so universally trusted as the leader. He can remove both obstacles to your taking first with this one trip. It is time.’

(475 words)

© Yamini Ali MacLean