Ages past
If you know of Narnia, you know that there are doorways to and from Earth or Terra as they call the planet in space. Two of Narnia’s talking beasts found a doorway hidden way from the rest of the land. Karla, a thief was running away from the otter clan that she stole from and slipped into the crack of the mountain that separated the unknown land from the border of Narnia. Hot on her trail was the chief’s son of the otters, Stormcloud hoping to prove his worth as the next chief.
Rarin slammed to a stop a few feet into the crack of the mountain. The thief, Karla of the Black Rain was stowing away anything that indicated her status of a talking beast.
The deep blue eyes of the raccoon stared into Rarin’s dark ones. “If you value Narnia and your life you must pretend to be a dumb beast. The air has changed, we are not in the unknown land anymore or near Narnia, the trees and the animals don’t speak. I believe we are in the world of men.” Rarin turned to go back to Narnia, but the crack completely disappeared like it never existed in the first place.
“I’ve been her for two weeks, I know what I speak of. We must hide.” Karla’s voice was soft, and Rarin could see the truth of her statement in his own sense of smell and lack of voices.
Rarin nodded and they started to walk.
At first they kept together but they decided to separate in hopes that no one would catch onto their intelligence.
The new world they found themselves in was hard on them, so ever so slowly they started to act like the dumb animals in Narnia. They didn’t mean too, but over much time trying to find another doorway back, they lost hope and died dumb animals with offspring.
****
Rocket was having that damn dream, the one that had Lylla. An otter that was just like him or almost like him. Lylla was dying in his arms again and there was nothing he could do to stop it. The dream shifted to her grave as he was trying to find a way to get her back. He heard a sound behind him and turned around his gun ready to fire.
Rocket dimly recalled the beast before was called a lion, or at least that’s what stupid Peter informed him when he asked much later in life. Then the lion spoke. Rocket couldn’t see any implants at all on the lion. The lion’s voice sweep over him like gentle Lylla’s paw on his cheek.
“Rocket descendant of Karyla the youngest thief of the Black Rain Clan in Narnia I greet you. I am Aslan, I rule over the world of Narnia that your ancestor came from. I have a mission for you. Your Lylla is gone into my country, but some of her offspring live, along with some fellow raccoon from the White clan that slipped into the land of men. They were picked up by spacers a few hours ago. You must find your friend’s kin and your own kind before it’s too late. I am not usually so straight forward but the time to get them to safely is pressing. The walking thesaurus will lead the way and the green one will confirm it.” The lion’s eyes bore into Rocket’s, the truth burning in him. “Get them home.”
With that Rocket woke up swearing. He didn’t know who was a walking thesaurus or green one and he didn’t want to. He dismissed the dream. He had other things to do. Now about that bounty. He had Groot, he didn’t need anyone else.
****
Two years later, he and Groot made friends, saved the galaxy, killed a friend’s dad and came back five years later. What a life.
***
“Humie, Peter, why in the world do you think Garmora is even at Black Market. I mean don’t get me wrong I would love to get some free goodies, but this market is rubbing me wrong.” Rocket kept a paw on his gun and eyed anyone who looked at him.
“She doesn’t even remember you or us! She’s from a different time period for ****’s sake.” Rocket was glad that Thor was still on the ship, he was keeping an eye out for Groot. This Black Market was sketchier then normal ones. He was glad when they returned to the ship. Thor and Nebula were sleeping off a long spar. She was helping him get back into shape. It was a slow going process.
Rocket jumped when Drax slammed down a cage like box just as the Quill entered them into hyperspace.
“Quill I found information about your better dancer! Also look! Dinner! It’s different species from what I ate on my home world, but” Drax suddenly slumped over onto the table after he whipped the cover off the cage. A similar creature almost identical to Rocket staring out from the cage, her mouth open in snarl. Three little kits huddled behind the female that was protecting them.
He was so shocked that when Groot came into the room with Peter that he didn’t react as Groot put him on his shoulder.
He just kept his eyes on the female, as he noticed the differences between himself and the other raccoon. She was a head shorter then him, a lighter color of fur, more a red tint, but her brown eyes were sharp as she seemed to gather information. The kits behind her shared the same markings and coloring, but had bright gray eyes.
Rocket was shocked to see the raccoon’s paw hide a slim looking needle weapon, like she never had one in the first place. He took a quick glance to Drax and spotted a tiny almost impossible to miss needle on his neck. Dang the female was quick.
“I am Groot?” Groot asked as the creature started to make noises like it could speak as soon as the raccoon creature spotted Quill.
Lela kept her eyes on the human looking man who was staring like he never saw a speaking animal. She kept glancing over to the tree that she couldn’t understand and the racoon he was holding.
“Well can you speak son of Adam or are you a dumb animal?” Lela wasn’t so mean or blunt, she was a thief and needed to be sly.
But she was tired, hungry and she had to keep her nieces from harm. That’s why she ran after them when they disappeared into the crack in the cave wall. She was most annoyed when they couldn’t get back and that they were picked up such strange creatures. It terrified her to not speak but in whispers to reassure her scared nieces. It’s not like she could understand the languages anyway.
The man, who clearly was still stupid, made Lela turn to the hopefully reasonable creatures in the room. The other racoon and the tree.
“Please tell me that you can understand us.” She even in desperation added what she remembered from the trees and the signals that the talking racoon adapted from the dumb animals when they needed to work silently.
Lela could see that the tree could understand a little of what she was saying but the raccoon looked like he never saw another talking animal in his life. She sighed in disappointment and then jumped as the man said, “I don’t know anyone named Adam or the son of. I’m Peter Quill aka Starlord. How do you know English?”
Lela turned towards the finally talking man who was named Peter, signaling sorry to the tree as she did so. “I am a talking beast from Narnia. Now get us out of this cage so we can find our fellow talking animals and get home.”
“Narnia? That’s a kids tale. It’s not real.” Peter’s eyes went wide when he saw a shooting needle suddenly appear in the raccoon’s paw. She shot the big red man as it stirred again. She didn’t trust that one.
“Oh it’s real alright son of Adam, name of Peter. I grew up there and we need to get back. I’m in charge of the last of my clan, and I need to get home.” Lela was fed up with this slow human. For humans rulers of Narnia, he clarity wasn’t from the best.
She never knew that humans could be foolish. But hey, you learn something new everyday.
The tree who she figured out was named Groot, started to slowly talk to her which was a nice change from the silly human. The silent conversation took more then thirty minutes in which Rocket left to make or dismantle something to keep his paws occupied. Groot would give him the lay down later. The female’s eyes were too piercing anyhow to stick around. Peter hauled off the red man complaining all the way.
Lela flickered her tail in agreement and gingerly placed the translate in her ear. She hoped it worked because honestly she was getting tired of trying to translate.
She jumped as her nieces hugged her in fear as she heard loud laughter from where the other raccoon was. “Yes it worked. Quill don’t worry I didn’t blow up your ship I promise. I’m living on it too.”
“Three more ear things for my nieces please.” Groot handed them over and was surprised but happy that the three younger kits raced to perch on him after Lela settled on his shoulder, the one that Rocket always took. He was happy for new friends, Groot thought as he went to find his other friends. It was time for some serious talking.