Sarafine

Chapter 4

They were walking down the snow-covered hills to reach Mr. Tumnus' cosy home. Lucy was leading in front, talking about what she knew about him while Sara and Peter was right behind, their fingers intertwined, Susan and Edmund walking at the back. Edmund was quite mad at the girl's coat Peter gave him. It was Sara's when she was about 9.

"There will be lots and lots of lovely food, and lots and lots..." Her voice trailed off as she saw something on the white ground.

A broken door.

Lucy's eyes widened in shock and she sprinted towards the house. They knew something was wrong and ran after the girl.

"Lucy!" Peter called, but she didn't listen.

They stopped at the sight of Mr. Tumnus' house. The sight was horrifying. Broken glasses scattered everywhere, the door was broken, table and chairs lying around. It was no longer a nice and cosy home.

"Who would do something like this?" Lucy asked.

"Peter." Sara gained his attention and pointed to a paper on the wall "Look."

He ripped it off and read it. Sara peeked over his shoulder to see lines of black-ink words written on it.

The faun Tumnus is hereby charged with High Treason against Her Imperial Majesty, Jadis, Queen of Narnia, for comforting her enemies and fraternizing with humans.

Signed,

Maugrim, Captain of Secret Police.

Long live the Queen.

"Alright." Susan said "Now we really should go back."

"But what about Mr. Tumnus?" Lucy asked.

"If he was arrested just for being with a human, I don't think there's much we can do." Susan reasoned.

"You don't understand, do you?" Lucy protested "I'm the human. She must have found out he helped me."

"Maybe we could call the police." Peter stated.

"These are the police." Sara pointed the paper.

"Don't worry, Lu." He assured her "We'll think of something."

"Why?" Everyone turned to look at Edmund "I mean, he's a criminal."

Outside, on a tree branch, a robin landed and gave a sound. Not a 'tweak' sound, but something more human.

Psst.

Susan noticed, and so did Sara.

"Hey, that bird..." Sara narrowed her eyes at it.

"Did it just 'psst' at us?" Susan asked.

They went out of the small house as it flew away. Sara had a feeling that it did that to drag them out for something. Obviously it didn't want a conversation since it flew away already.

Rustling sounds emerged from behind a bush just outside the woods. The five moved close together. Sara and Lucy held tightly to Peter's hands. Then, a beaver came out.

"It's a... Beaver." Lucy let out a sighed of relief. She was definitely thinking of something worse than a beaver.

"Here boy." Peter clicked his tongue and hold out his hand as the brown beaver stared at him before sitting up straight.

"I ain't gonna smell that, if that's what you want." It said.

Lucy and Sara laughed out loud when Peter retrieved his hand to his side and scratched the back of his head.