A faint unfamiliar sound caused Lyra to stir in her sleep. When she awoke she found herself alone in the hollow, the moonlight shone through the entrance and onto the empty space where Will had been led just hours earlier. They had arrived late last night, her, her dæmon and Will, and almost as soon as she had laid down she had fallen asleep despite the cold dampness of her bed. Shaking him gently Lyra woke her sleeping companion. Pantalaimon, her dæmon, had taken the form of a large wildcat to keep her warm and cuddled up closely to her through the night and he was better than any blanket, Lyra thought.

'Pan?' she said gently. Pantalaimon opened his eyes.

'Lyra?' he asked her a tone of confusion and concern in his voice. Changing into an owl he looked around at their surroundings with his now superior night vision.

'Will's gone.' Lyra told him. Pantalaimon hopped over to where he had been sleeping noticing a small patch of blood.

'His hand was bleeding again.' he told her. 'Maybe he couldn't sleep.' he reasoned flying back over to sit on her shoulder. Just his presence made Lyra feel better, he was probably right. He had the knife so he was safe from spectres, not that they would affect them, and the witches would be watching him she reassured herself. He could take care of himself she thought.

'Sorry for waking you Pan.' Lyra apologized but Pan shook his head.

'That's okay Lyra.' He changed again into an ermine hugging her neck like a scarf keeping her warm noticing her shivers. He knew she felt silly for worrying now she was fully awake. Looking up at her he noticed a thoughtful look in sky blue eyes. 'Lyra?' he prompted curiosity getting the better of him.

'I heard something, that's why I woke up, but it sounded different to anything we've heard here.' She said there was a tone of intrigue in her voice and he knew what that meant.

'You want to find out what it was don't you.' Pantalaimon said knowing Lyra's mind only too well. Her curiosity was what had led them here in the first place often getting them both into trouble but he knew she wouldn't let it go. Lyra nodded.
'It might be important Pan.' she said.
'It might also be dangerous.' He tried.
'What if ask the althiometer?' Lyra asked him. He agreed so Lyra got out the heavy golden instrument. Immediately she got into the state of concentration she required, after practice it had become second nature to her, like speaking or breathing she didn't even have to think. The answer though took a little more, the althiometer's needle swung wildly around the face stopping on almost every symbol. It had never done this before Lyra thought concerned, frowning she kept watching the jumble of symbols for a pattern. Several minutes later she looked up. Pantalaimon knew that something was different this time, it didn't usually take her this long but he didn't want to break her concentration. When she finally looked up he waited patiently for her conclusion.
'It's not dangerous in itself, it's a machine from another world again but it's not like any we've visited before. I asked it what it meant, what it was and it said it was everything.' she paused waiting for a response but she didn't get one. 'It's important I know it is, maybe it's where Will went too.'
'Okay.' Pantalaimon agreed reluctantly. He changed back into an owl and perched once more upon her shoulder. 'We'll go.'
After they had prepared themselves, the pair quietly they crept out from beneath the rocky overhang in search of the origin of the strange noise. Looking up she saw the witches fling high above. Lyra didn't wan them to stop her and despite Pantalaimon's protests made sure that they weren't seen leaving. She had taken directions from the althiometer before they left so they headed south down into the thick forest. Pantalaimon swooped silently through the trees gliding through the dense branches. Lyra scrambled after him on the forest floor the moonlight was dappled through the heavy canopies revealing secret world beneath. Pantalaimon was certain to stay close as he flew so as not to put strain upon himself or Lyra and they covered ground fast. It wasn't long before Pantalaimon spotted something ahead and flew down to Lyra landing gently beside her changing one more into a wildcat.

'Pan?'

'It's not far, it's in a clearing about a kilometer in the same direction.' He informed her. Anticipating her next question he continued. 'It's a big blue box, wooden it looks like but it definitely powered by anbaric current from somewhere. The light it produces is not natural.' A box? Lyra thought, the althiometer had said it was everything.. How was that even possible.

'We should get to that box before anyone else finds it and takes it away. It is important, I can feel it Pan.' Lyra paused. 'Once we have discovered more about it we'll have to find Will.' He nodded.

'If he's not already here.' he added 'It's not far now the clearing is near a stream so if we listen out for the water we'll know when we are there.' Lyra agreed and they continued their journey. Pantalaimon's wildcat form meant he leapt easily through the fallen branches and rocks on the forest floor. Lyra easily kept up though drawing upon her days on Jordon's roof.

Soon the faint trickle of running water could be heard. The stream was wider than expected so with Pantalaimon in her arms Lyra took a running jump. Landing safely on the other side she noticed that the tree's were beginning to thin out and through the darkness a yellow light mixed with the moonlight. Reminding Pantalaimon that the althiometer had deemed the box safe Lyra walked with anticipation straight out to the blue box, which looked quite out of place in the centre of the clearing.

KNOCK KNOCK.

Lyra, much to her dæmon's disapproval, knocked on it's doors.

'It is wood!' she said surprised but she didn't have time to wonder as the door swung open. A tall man in a long brown coat and blue pinstriped suit poked his head out of the door with a grin.

'Oh,' he exclaimed surprised upon seeing Lyra. 'Hello! I'm the Doctor.'