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The_Complete_Chronicles_of_Narnia_(volumes_1-7,_in_order_of_publication)

The_Complete_Chronicles_of_Narnia_(volumes_1-7,_in_order_of_publication)

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now," his heart leaped <strong>in</strong>to his mouth because an appall<strong>in</strong>g noise had suddenly risen up<br />

out <strong>of</strong> the darkness ahead; a long snarl<strong>in</strong>g roar, melancholy and utterly savage. Instantly<br />

Bree swerved round and began gallop<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>land aga<strong>in</strong> as fast as he could gallop.<br />

"What is it?" gasped Shasta.<br />

"Lions!" said Bree, without check<strong>in</strong>g his pace or turn<strong>in</strong>g his head.<br />

After that there was noth<strong>in</strong>g but sheer gallop<strong>in</strong>g for some time. At last they splashed<br />

across a wide, shallow stream and Bree came to a stop on the far side. Shasta noticed that<br />

he was trembl<strong>in</strong>g and sweat<strong>in</strong>g all over.<br />

"That water may have thrown the brute <strong>of</strong>f our scent," panted Bree when he had partly<br />

got his breath aga<strong>in</strong>. "We can walk for a bit now."<br />

As they walked Bree said, "Shasta, I'm ashamed <strong>of</strong> myself. I'm just as frightened as a<br />

common, dumb Calor mene horse. I am really. I don't feel like a Talk<strong>in</strong>g Horse at all. I<br />

don't m<strong>in</strong>d swords and lances and arrows but I can't bear - those creatures. I th<strong>in</strong>k I'll trot<br />

for a bit."<br />

About a m<strong>in</strong>ute later, however, he broke <strong>in</strong>to a gallop aga<strong>in</strong>, and no wonder. For the roar<br />

broke out aga<strong>in</strong>, this time on their left from the direction <strong>of</strong> the forest.<br />

"Two <strong>of</strong> them," moaned Bree.<br />

When they had galloped for several m<strong>in</strong>utes without any further noise from the lions<br />

Shasta said, "I say! That other horse is gallop<strong>in</strong>g beside us now. Only a stone's throw<br />

away."<br />

"All the b-better," panted Bree. "Tarkaan on it - will have a sword - protect us all."<br />

"But, Bree!" said Shasta. "We might just as well be killed by lions as caught. Or 1 might.<br />

<strong>The</strong>y'll hang me for horsesteal<strong>in</strong>g." He was feel<strong>in</strong>g less frightened <strong>of</strong> lions than Bree<br />

because he had never met a lion; Bree had.<br />

Bree only snorted <strong>in</strong> answer but he did sheer away to his right. Oddly enough the other<br />

horse seemed also to be sheer<strong>in</strong>g away to the left, so that <strong>in</strong> a few seconds the space<br />

between them had widened a good deal. But as soon as it did so there came two more<br />

lions' roars, immediately after one another, one on the right and the other on the left, the<br />

horses began draw<strong>in</strong>g nearer together. So, apparently, did the lions. <strong>The</strong> roar<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> the<br />

brutes on each side was horribly close and they seemed to be keep<strong>in</strong>g up with the<br />

gallop<strong>in</strong>g horses quite easily. <strong>The</strong>n the cloud rolled away. <strong>The</strong> moonlight, astonish<strong>in</strong>gly<br />

bright, showed up everyth<strong>in</strong>g almost as if it were broad day. <strong>The</strong> two horses and two<br />

riders were gallop<strong>in</strong>g neck to neck and knee to knee just as if they were <strong>in</strong> a race. Indeed<br />

Bree said (afterwards) that a f<strong>in</strong>er race had never been seen <strong>in</strong> Calormen.

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