At the border of the Fandom Wildlife Preserve: afternoon

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

Susan waited for Peter and Willow, and checked her watch, hoping Jenny could make it, or catch up with them later. The trip out to see the dryads had buoyed her after yesterday's talk with Peter, and she was now nearly fizzing with anticipation.

She just hoped the afternoon didn't become awkward for any reason.

[for willbedone and once_a_king, but romany_witch is welcome too, if she can make it]

Comments

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

Willow had probably spent far too long on wondering what to wear. She finally settled for a dark green t-shirt with purple cartoon kitties on it, and a plaid skirt that came about an inch above her knees.

She also wore hiking boots.

She really really hoped this covered the bases of wanting to look nice for Peter and Susan's friends, while still being practical enough for woods-walking.

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

"Willow, hello. Are you ready?" Susan tilted her head at Willow's outfit, and nodded at the boots. "Good choice of footwear. It's about a half a mile, at least, into the forest."

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

Willow looked almost pathetically relieved at this feedback. "Did I? Do okay? I wasn't sure with the walking and the meeting and I thought maybe these could be walking and meeting capable without being too much of one or the other?"

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

Susan laughed, following the babble although wondering if Willow needed to breathe a bit more. "Yes, they're just fine. I wore khakis on my first meeting with them. And they're very informal--" One could say, extremely informal, and not be lying, "--most of the time. I'm glad you could come with us."

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

"I'm glad to be invited," Willow said. "Thank you."

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

Peter bounded up to Susan and Willow with a grin and bow for both of them. He'd grabbed a bag and filled it water, bread and cheese for the hike.

"Good afternoon, Willow. Afternoon, Su. How does the day find you?"

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

Willow gave a curtsey in return. "Sir Peter. Very well, thank you. You?"

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

Susan smiled at him, and took out her map and compass. "Glad to see you're on time, Peter. And ready to leave when you are. Jenny *handwavey* said she might be able to catch up to us later, but that we should start without her."

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"When aren't I on time, Su?" Peter said with a mock-offended air. "I must protest at your slight!"

"And I'm well, thank you, Lady Willow," Peter said with a grin.

"Shall we then? I must say I'm impressed at the compass. This is a true expedition."

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

Looking mildy worried, Willow whispered to Peter, "I couldn't finish the CD player in time. Do you think they'll be upset?"

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"I can't imagine they would be," Peter said back quietly. "We'll bring it back another day. Did you finish re-arranging all the books like you wanted?"

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

Willow smiled. "I did! I think I used a good system, though Giles was all humphy and complainy. But he always does that. I think it's the British thing."

Then, remembering who she was talking to, she blushed. "Um! I mean the older British thing."

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

Laughing, Peter replied, teasingly, "oh, I see how it is. You think all us Brits are stiff-upperlip and dour, hmm?"

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

"Nonsense," Willow said, primly. She then grinned. "Only the boys."

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

"Thank you for that," Susan said dryly. "I've always rather thought I was more Vivian Leigh than Judi Dench."

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

"You seem more Viviany too," Willow assured her.

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"Hah! I'll show you stiff-upperlip and dour," Peter said, still laughing.

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

"Try it," Willow challenged, her eyes dancing with humor. "I'll just be American right back at you."

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

"The woods are thick enough for it to be a concern. But if we get lost, we can just head toward the ocean, then figure out if we need to head east or west from there." Susan smiled, and turned to walk across the boundary into the preserve. "It's lovely in here, really. Although I've been told we should look out for the wildlife."

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"We are on an island after all. It would be difficult to lose ourselves forever." He allowed Willow to precede him, then also started walked into the preserve. "The wildlife? I heard there were polar bears."

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

"I've heard there are small bunnies," Willow said. "Though I try not to mention that around Jamie."

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

"Jamie?" Susan questioned, heading toward the creek she and Jenny had found last time, then turning to follow it downstream. It was much warmer than it had been in February, and the sun was shining brightly. Fandom Preserve was a much more open, brighter place in summer; the dogwoods had stopped flowering, but the leaves were full and out. Violets and jonquils decorated the edges of the brook randomly. "I don't think I know him, is he one of the new students?"

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

"New student, yes," Peter replied, walking on rocks sticking out of the stream. "He's in my cabin." Peter was enjoying being in the Preserve. In some ways, it almost felt like an expedition out of Cair Paravel.

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

Susan turned toward the ocean, picking her way through the tall grass, and spotting a few squirrels watching them as they went. "Any further retaliation planned against the-- Meerkats, is it? Willow, you don't live in that cabin, do you?"

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

"No," Willow said. "I live in Three-Toed Sloth. Nobody plays any pranks on us. I haven't figured out if that's a good or bad thing yet."