Part 13

There were too many of them, too many casualties. Jackals, tigers and wolves surrounded centaurs four to one, bats and hags lifted fauns high into the air and dropped them. The morale was beginning to slip.

In the trees, the Faun children watched the situation began to turn desperate. Suddenly, a bat appeared before their faces, hissing and baring his long, snarly teeth.

"Get down!" yelled Tumnus as the creature lunged its head forward, mouth wide open. He ducked their heads down in time and instinctively swung his hand, knocking its mouth away.

"GET DOWN FROM THERE!" Lichi-Won shrieked at them in an angry tone they had never heard before.

Kensun looked up when he heard an angry scream. In the trees, he could see bat trying to assail a group of kids. He was horrified to see his own child amongst them.

There was no time to act for a jackal had taken advantage of Kensun's distraction and sank his teeth into the Faun's leg. He buckled down to the ground with a cry. Otmin swung his axe, a gleam of triumph in his eyes.

"Kensun!" Kiyo screamed as she lunged herself at the blade. She swung her leg and with a single kick threw the blade off course. The flat side, however, still struck the Faun, he sailed into the air a few feet and hit the ground.

"DAD!" cried Tumnus.

The bat reared back his head and, with purpose, head-checked the faun child squarely in the chest. Tumnus gasped as white-hot bursts of heat coursed through his veins. It was so painful he could hardly stand it.

Not thinking and not caring to do so, Tumnus threw himself at the bat. As they spiraled down in midair, Tumnus readied his hooves upon the creature's chest. He drove the bat into the ground as they made impact and sped toward the Minotaur in fury.

Kiyo watched her child in shock, not paying attention to the axe that was now swinging upon her. Tumnus leapt and using a wolf's head as leverage, bounded forward at the Minotaur.

Otmin turned to see the child coming but could not stop the attack. His forehead collided into beast's chest. The wind forced out of him, Otmin stumbled as the child fell to the ground, knocked out.

There were just too many of them. Kensun was unconscious, Kiyo had broken her hoof and faun warriors were being devoured left and right. They needed help!

Suddenly, a Half-breed bolted from the forest onto the battle field, then another followed, and another until the entire Half-breed clan, moved by inspiration, joined the fray. Now, as said before, Nymph-kind were not bred for battle, but still, it moving to see such a sight. They tried their hardest but quickly fell into casualties themselves. It was not enough!

"Now, Brat, you die." Otmin readied his axe over Tumnus' body and raised it above his head.

"No!" cried Kiyo.

Sitting on a lonely cliff, adorned in his Eagle headdress and drumming as he sang to the Creator, was Elder Hakkai. His song was slow and filled with sorrow as he watched his children die. He stopped his singing and let out a sob. He looked across the ocean with tired eyes. He had had enough of this. He was ready to go.

He began drumming a medium tempo. He closed his aged ice-blue eyes and drew in a deep inhale. He began to sing, ululating into the air with all of his being.

On the field below, the battle stopped abruptly as they heard a sound so horrible they doubled over in terror. It was the sound of many disembodied voices, screaming and hollering; bursting any eardrum that was not covered.

Only Kiyo knew what it was. To her, all she heard was the distinct singing of her grandfather. She began to weep for it was a song of farewell.

Unable to defend themselves against Panikon Deima, the Narnian Raiders once again, fled in panic.

Those who survived looked helplessly at the aftermath. Half-breed children ran out onto the field. Many of them cried next to their dead fathers, they had no one now. Nymphs were known for abandoning their young after giving birth. There was not one Half-breed Faun alive that could say that he truly knew his mother.

Gojyo, who held a cloth over his bloody face that was now missing an eye, gathered up as many lost boys as he could and led them into the gate.

As they gathered the bodies, Kensun, Gojyo, and Kennichisun went to collect the Eldest Faun who was now resting peacefully in death.

There were not as many casualties as they had thought, many having survived their injuries. Still, every loss was deeply mourned.

"Master, when should we question the Dwarves?" Kensun asked as they wrapped their Elder in a shawl.

"As soon as we get back to the village." He replied.

Inside Lichi-Won's teahouse, the Red-bearded Dwarves sat uncomfortably on the mats as the Elder faun interrogated them.

"So, can you run all that by me once more?" Kennichisun said to the tallest of the dwarves.

"W-well," he said hesitantly. "Th-they were chasing us,"

"We figured that much." Gojyo said, now bearing bandages on one side of his face, covering his eye, Kensun hushed him.

"From Narnia all the way to a cliff, we thought we were done for until we saw a rucksack and figured if it was climbed once it could be climbed again. Saved our lives, it did. But they had been tracking us."

"We know all that," said Kennichisun. "but what you're not telling me is why they were tracking you."

"Because, I- we refuse to bow down to the White Witch." He replied proudly. "She will never be my Queen. Right?" He turned to his comrades who all stayed silent but nodded curtly.

"Very fortunate that you managed to make it this far," said Kensun.

"Y-yes, very fortunate, indeed." The Dwarf leader replied.

The Fauns exchanged glances.

"Very well." Said Kennichisun, "You may go and rest."

As the dwarves walked out in single file, Lichi-Won rose from her chair on the porch and shut the door behind them.

"What do you think, Master?" Gojyo whispered.

"I don't know. I can't make a precise judgment right now." The Elder Faun whispered in reply.

"Then I don't trust them." Kensun whispered. "We must keep a close eye on them, especially the leader, he's too fidgety.