Chapter Three: The Hunt
"We missed them, Darkmoon!" Rhianna cried in despair as she observed the trampled snow where they had walked. She had dismounted at the Lamp-post and followed the trail of their footprints to the faun Tumnus's door. Upon seeing the wreck and reading the notice that Peter had left on the floor, she felt a crushing despair. As the last elf of Narnia, and as Aslan's adopted daughter, she was duty-bound to defeat Jadis by aiding the fulfillment of the prophecy. Now she stood, weak with disappointment, staring dumbly at the wreck before her. Whisking a hand through her nut-brown hair, she growled, "We were so close!"
"Wait, child," Darkmoon reprimanded gently, "What was the first thing the old bloodhound taught you?" During the first few years after the massacre, Rhianna and Darkmoon had been accompanied by an old, ragged bloodhound, who had taught them how to live off the wild. He was wise and strong, despite his age, and had lost in his own life trying to protect Rhianna from discovery when she was ten years old.
"'Always thoroughly assess your surroundings,'" she recited with a sigh. "But Darkmoon, I did that!"
The mare tossed her head, annoyed. "Did you?"
"Yes, of c-" Rhianna paused in midsentence as her eyes tracked across the snow again. She bent over the prints once more, noticing a second set of imprints leading away from the cave. The prints backtracked for some distance before veering off. "But why…" she mused aloud, wondering what could have distracted them from the road.
Darkmoon, who had followed her, nickered softly and took a few steps further, nosing into the snow. "Look at these," she said, stopping at a spot about ten paces from where Rhianna stood, "They join the Humans'… here." Intrigued, Rhianna joined her and bent over the tracks, studying them.
She breathed a sigh of relief. "Praise Aslan, they're safe. They're with Beaver and his wife."
"Then we must not waste time. Come, Rhianna, let's run!" Darkmoon cried as she turned and dashed off into the woods. Rhianna smiled and broke into a run, bounding like a deer through the forest and gaining on her equine companion. The mare slowed to a brisk trot as the elf caught up and swung effortlessly onto her back. Once she was firmly seated, Darkmoon tore off at unimaginable speed, kicking up clouds of snow behind her.
"Slow down, Darkmoon," Rhianna said, just loud enough to make herself heard above the pounding of the mare's hooves. "I want to make sure it's safe before we go charging in there." The mare slowed, allowing her to slide to the ground. She dropped into a low crouch and crept forward through the last remaining trees and undergrowth between her and the lake. Peering cautiously through the foliage, she deemed it safe and was about to step out onto the lake's frozen surface when a set of teeth caught the fabric of her sleeve. She turned to meet Darkmoon's large, brown eyes, which were now darkened with worry.
"I don't like it when you go where I can't follow," the mare said darkly. "I can't help you if you're out of reach."
Rhianna's dark blue eyes filled with affection. "You'll have to let me go, sometime," she replied, brushing Darkmoon's forelock off to one side and kissing her between the eyes. "Besides, I'll be fine with the Beavers; they'll take care of me until tomorrow morning." She blew softly into Darkmoon's nostrils and lovingly tickled the mare behind the ears.
"All right," the mare gruffed, "I'll wait for you upstream in the old nymph's clearing – you know the one."
The elf nodded. "Go to Badger's house if there's trouble, we'll meet you there." With that, she adjusted her bow and quiver and slipped out onto the lake, across the dam, and to the hovel. As she tapped lightly on the door, she glanced back in time to see Darkmoon fade into the trees and disappear.
A shuffling sound came from the other side of the door and Rhianna turned back in time to see it open just a crack. "Who is it?" Beaver's voice asked, pitched low in distrust.
She shifted into his line of vision and crouched down to be at eye level. "Beaver, it's me, Rhianna. I've come to see the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve. Please, let me in."
His black eyes widened in recognition and he threw the door open. "Come in, my dear, come in!" She slipped in and he quickly closed the door behind her before throwing both paws around her waist in greeting. Mrs. Beaver bustled up to her to get a hug in as well and Rhianna hugged them both back, though her attention was fixed on the table, where three of the four humans were now standing.
Author's Note: Guess what! This story is basically complete, but unless I get reviews, forthcoming chapters could be a long time in coming :) Just a little FYI. Let me know what you think... an author always likes reviews!