outburst ~ edmund pevensie

V.

The group whirled around.

"It's Aslan! It's Aslan-over there!" Lucy turned to the group, face beaming and her arm stretched to point across the river. There was nothing. "Don't you see, he's right..there." Lucy turned back to the cliff and saw the empty space.

"Do you see him now?" That earned Trumpkin a small kick from Grace. The girl was clearly discouraged enough. Lucy frowned.

"I'm not crazy. He was there, and he wanted us to follow him!" Grace searched the forest on the other side, as did the rest of the group. There was nothing but green.

"I'm sure there are any number of lions in this wood Lu, just like that bear." Grace shuddered a bit at Peter's words. Lucy glared at him.

"I think I'd know Aslan when I see him." Edmund looked like he wanted to say something.

"Look, I'm not about to jump off a cliff after a lion that doesn't exist." Trumpkin looked doubtful, and bored. Ed finally spoke.

"The last time I didn't believe Lucy, I ended up looking pretty stupid." He looked to his younger sister, who was smiling widely at him. Peter turned to Lucy with a frown.

"Why wouldn't I have seen him?"

"Perhaps you weren't looking." Lucy's eyes begged for her brother to trust her, but he couldn't bring himself to believe it.

"I'm sorry Lu." He walked off. Susan and Trumpkin followed, but Grace and Edmund stayed. Lucy looked at her with tears in her eyes and she smiled at her.

"What was he like?" She asked gently as she pulled the girl along. Lucy wiped a stray tear.

"Y-you mean, you believe me?" Grace nodded.

"Of course! After all, you discovered this place right? I think one would have to be crazy not to believe you!" Lucy smiled brightly and began to vividly describe how the proud lion stood and smiled at Lucy. Grace listened intensely, amazed by the creature she has yet to meet. Lucy stopped speaking, almost breathless, as they approached Beruna. They  had to quickly duck behind some logs, Grace still gripping Lucy's hand. Lucy looked sadly at the wood they were crouching behind, running her fingers across them. "These were my friends, once..." She mumbled. Grace squeezed her hand lightly.

"Perhaps this wasn't the best way to come after all." Susan whispered to Peter, who nodded and motioned for everyone to retreat back into the forest. They soon returned back to the cliff from before and Peter spoke.

"Where do you think you saw Aslan?" He asked his sister, doubt still clouding his eyes. Lucy huffed and pulled herself forward, still intertwined with Grace.

"I wish you'd all stop trying to act like grownups. I didn't think I saw him, I did." Trumpkin huffed from beside Edmund.

"I.. am a grownup." Edmund and Grace held back laughs.

"And it was right about-" Lucy was cut off by her own scream. Grace, still holding hands with the little girl, was pulled roughly to the ground before she lost Lucy's grip.

"Lucy, no!" The group all rushed forward as they peered down the hole she had fallen through. Grace's arm was dangling through it and Lucy sat just below her, on what seemed to be the beginning of a path. "Here." she smiled. They all breathed a sigh of relief. Grace jumped down the hole quickly and held the girl in a hug.

"Don't scare me like that Lu! And if you do, at least don't take me with you!" Lucy and the girl laughed as the rest of the group followed down the path. Edmund caught up to Grace.

"Are you alright? You got pulled down quite roughly." Grace chuckled and nodded.

"Yeah I'm fine, I'm just glad that she's okay." She said, looking at Lucy as she almost slips on a rock, but is quickly caught by Trumpkin. Edmund nodded.