Racing through the snow, Cyrus squinted as flakes fell upon her face and muzzle. She left paw prints in the deep sheet of white as she tried to keep herself from slipping. Her heart pounded within her chest, and her sides heaved with breaths. The cold air stung her throat with each sharp inhale and exhale. She made a quick turn and kicked up a bunch of snow as she did so. Despite her markings and movements, she blended in with the snow. A shiver went down her spine despite her thick white coat.
Soon, her destination was in sight, and she knocked on the small wooden door with a paw, glancing around at the silently falling show. She quickly knocked again, and the door opened, revealing a faun with brown curly hair and kind eyes.
"Cyrus? What are you doing here?" he asked as she stepped inside and shook the snowflakes from her fur.
"Is it true? What I heard, is it true?" she asked eagerly, looking at Tumnus with an enthusiastic gaze. She trailed him across his little home and to his kitchen.
Tumnus chuckled. "Well, that depends. What did you hear?" He filled a teapot with water as he spoke.
"I heard you met a Daughter of Eve! Did you or not?"
Tumnus froze, staring at Cyrus wide-eyed. She stared back at him with a smile, but it faded when he did not return it. "W-where did you hear that?" he asked. Panic edged into his tone and he swallowed hard.
"Tumnus? What's wrong?"
"Where did you hear that, Cyrus?" he asked seriously. His voice was low, as if there were someone else around to hear, and his eyes held fear within them. Cyrus hesitated.
"Mr. Beaver and Badger were talking about it. I don't know where they heard it," she explained. Tumnus closed his eyes for a moment taking a deep breath. "But you never answered my question," she prompted. "Did you really meet a Daughter of Eve?"
"Yes." He closed his eyes and choked on the word a little.
Cyrus gasped and grinned. "Tumnus! Don't you know what this means? This means the prophecy will be fulfilled! They're going to save us from the Witch's rule!"
He gave her a sad smile. "I dearly hope so."
"I don't understand. What's wrong?"
"You do know the Witch's orders, don't you?" Tumnus asked. Cyrus nodded. "And the penalty for disobeying her. I'm sure you know that well." She nodded again, avoiding the thoughts that came flooding back, but she still didn't see his point. Tumnus sighed and sat down in a chair in front of the fireplace. "If more than just I know that the Daughter of Eve was here, they're going to come for me. The Witch must know by now."
Cyrus then realized the issue. She and Tumnus shared a saddened gaze. "I won't let that happen," she insisted. Tumnus sadly smiled at her determination.
"Cy--"
A loud, fast knock came to the door. Tumnus stood and crossed the room. He cautiously opened it and found Mr. Beaver stood there panting as if he had just run all the way from his home.
"The police are on their way!" he exclaimed. "Hurry, we can hide you at my place before they show up if we're quick!"
A very close by howl rang out through the forest, alerting the three that the police, a band of wolves whom served the White Witch, were on their way.
"We won't have time," Tumnus said, shaking his head. "You two get out of here quickly."
"No, I'll stay and fight them," Cyrus offered.
"Are you crazy?!" Mr. Beaver said, throwing his paws in the air. "Come on!"
"I'm not leaving you!" Cyrus just short of shouted at Tumnus.
"Go!" He shouted. She flinched. His expression softened and he placed a hand on Cyrus's shoulder. "I'll be okay."
She backed away slowly nodding. She felt a pang of guilt when she lowered her head and looked to Beaver. They started out the door.
"Oh, Beaver, wait," Tumnus said. The pair turned. Tumnus gave Mr. Beaver a wadded piece of white fabric. "If you see them, give this to the littlest girl. Her name is Lucy Pevensie."
Beaver nodded in understanding before he gestured to Cyrus. She didn't have time to question Tumnus before she and Mr. Beaver hurried off in the opposite direction of the police. Cyrus was already regretting leaving her closest friend to be killed by the Witch's wolves. She tried not to think about it as she and Mr. Beaver fled back toward the dam.
Once they were a decent distance away from trouble, they slowed their pace to a walk.
"You alright, love?" Beaver asked. Cyrus did her best not to snarl. She kept her head low and didn't respond. He nodded and took her silence as a no.
"We shouldn't have left," she mumbled. "What kind of friend am I to do that to him?"
"Cyrus, he's gonna be alright. The Kings and Queens are returning!"
She took interest in her paws as she dragged them through the snow. The dam was now in sight despite the thick white flakes that obscured it from this distance.
"Well they haven't come soon enough."
Mr. Beaver lay a paw on her striped shoulder. She flicked an ear at him. "C'mon Cyrus, have a little faith. This whole winter thing is hard on everybody."
"No! We left Tumnus to die there! And unless they can stop the police from taking him now, they haven't come soon enough."
Beaver dropped his head with a sigh. "Look, love," he came to a stop. "Not all is lost. This isn't over yet. In fact, I have a feeling it's just the beginning." He launched into some long speech about having faith in Aslan and how everything happens in time. All Cyrus could think was her best friend was likely about to be executed if she didn't do something. She felt a fire spark within her. A fire that made her feel not quite angry, but ready to fight. The fire made her want to bear her teeth, to tear the muzzle off of a wolf. The fire spurred her to go back for Tumnus before it was too late.
"…It's something unexplainable. It's like a-"
"Beaver," Cyrus cut in, "I'm sorry but I'm going to stop you there. Don't come looking for me." And with that she took off in the direction which they had come. She was going to save Tumnus.