The_Complete_Chronicles_of_Narnia_(volumes_1-7,_in_order_of_publication)

was him tonight, when you woke us up. I mean, deep down inside. Or I could have, if I'd
let myself. But I just wanted to get out of the woods and - and - oh, I don't know. And
what ever am I to say to him?"
"Perhaps you won't need to say much," suggested Lucy.
Soon they reached the trees and through them the children could see the Great Mound,
Aslan's How, which had been raised over the Table since their days.
"Our side don't keep very good watch," muttered Trumpkin. "We ought to have been
challenged before now -"
"Hush!" said the other four, for now Aslan had stopped and turned and stood facing them,
looking so majestic that they felt as glad as anyone can who feels afraid, and as afraid as
anyone can who feels glad. The boys strode forward: Lucy made way for them: Susan
and the Dwarf shrank back.
"Oh, Aslan," said King Peter, dropping on one knee and raising the Lion's heavy paw to
his face, "I'm so glad. And I'm so sorry. I've been leading them wrong ever since we
started and especially yesterday morning."
"My dear son," said Aslan.
Then he turned and welcomed Edmund. "Well done," were his words.
Then, after an awful pause, the deep voice said, "Susan." Susan made no answer but the
others thought she was crying. "You have listened to fears, child," said Aslan. "Come, let
me breathe on you. Forget them. Are you brave again?"
"A little, Aslan," said Susan.
"And now!" said Aslan in a much louder voice with just a hint of roar in it, while his tail
lashed his flanks. "And now, where is this little Dwarf, this famous swordsman and
archer, who doesn't believe in lions? Come here, son of Earth, come HERE!" - and the
last word was no longer the hint of a roar but almost the real thing.
"Wraiths and wreckage!" gasped Trumpkin in the ghost of a voice. The children, who
knew Aslan well enough to see that he liked the Dwarf very much, were not disturbed;
but it was quite another thing for Trumpkin, who had never seen a lion before, let alone
this Lion. He did the only sensible thing he could have done; that is, instead of bolting, he
tottered towards Aslan.
Aslan pounced. Have you ever seen a very young kitten being carried in the mother cat's
mouth? It was like that. The Dwarf, hunched up in a little, miserable ball, hung from
Aslan's mouth. The Lion gave him one shake and all his armour rattled like a tinker's
pack and then - heypresto - the Dwarf flew up in the air. He was as safe as if he had been