Chapter Seven
"What map?" Arayna asked as Tinkleberry removed the piece of paper from the pouch on her belt and opened the piece of paper, showing her the map. "You are looking for the Eye of the Moon?"
"You have heard of the Eye of the Moon?" Tumnus asked.
"Yes, but it's just a myth."
"Not according to this," Tinkleberry said. "I had an expert look at this and he assured me that this will lead us to the Eye of the Moon."
"Would you like to come with us?" Tumnus asked, holding his hand out. Thinking for a few moments, Arayna picked the crossbow off the ground then took his hand and they started walking down the path while the sunlight sparkled behind the leaves.
The stars twinkled in the night sky as Tumnus lay near the fire and Brock and Orin were sleeping nearby. Tinkleberry sat on the rock as she looked at Tumnus and the sword was resting on her lap. Arayna sat on the rock across from her as she looked at the fire and her crossbow was on her lap.
"He looks so peaceful when he's asleep," Arayna whispered as she looked over at Tumnus and softly smiled.
"You like him, don't you?" Tinkleberry asked and a blush moved across Arayna's cheeks.
"Yes, I do."
"Does he like you?"
"I don't know. What about you? Do you have feelings for him?"
"He is a very dear friend."
"He's more than that. I mean, you wouldn't go to such great lengths in looking for him if there wasn't anything more than friendship."
"Oh no, there is nothing more. I have a mate, though we haven't been formally bonded. He keeps saying that he isn't ready to commit to our relationship."
"What's your mate's name?"
"His name is Oakwood."
"If you don't mind me asking, why didn't you save Tumnus when he fell into the stream?"
"It's because...It's...Never mind," Tinkleberry whispered and looked at the fire.
"You can't swim?" Arayna asked and Tinkleberry glared at her then sighed, lowering her head.
"No, I can't. I mean I can skip over rocks like a deer, but I can't swim. I didn't have the nerve to tell him that and it nearly cost him his life."
"Then why did you cross the stream instead of looking for a bridge to cross?"
"There wasn't a bridge on the map."
"And you feel responsible for him falling into the water"" she asked and Tinkleberry nodded her head.
"I failed him," Tinkleberry whispered as she placed the sword against the rock and looked down. She sniffed when she felt Arayna lift her chin up and looked into her eyes.
"You didn't fail him. He's still alive and safe. He is also very lucky to have you as a friend," Arayna whispered as Tinkleberry smiled and nodded her head while looking at Tumnus.
"Do you want to hear something funny? Even though he says that he doesn't need help or want it, he really doesn't mind if we fuss over him," Tinkleberry whispered.
"No, he doesn't," Arayna whispered as they lightly laughed and the fire popped in the darkness. Neither of them noticed Tumnus had heard their conversation as he smiled then closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep while the fire softly popped in his ears.
The days passed as Tumnus checked the map, Arayna showed him where she had found him after he had fallen into the stream, and he looked at the mountain pass before them. He pointed as they walked along the path and the stone walls surrounded them. Arayna flanked his left as Tinkleberry flanked his right and the animals were behind them. They walked onward when they saw the large hole in the side of the stone wall and Brock moved closer, sniffing the air. Brock nodded its head as they walked inside the cave and the darkness surrounded them. They carefully walked close to the stone walls when Tumnus' fingers touched a torch and he looked at it. Suddenly the torch was lit as he jumped and saw the other torches flicker into life. The cave was lit with a warm glow as they stood near the torch and Tumnus sighed, tilting his head to one side.
"It seems like we're expected," Tumnus whispered as they walked onward and the shadows flickered on the stone walls. They walked down a side tunnel as the torches flickered and the sounds of water dripping filled the air. After entering a large cavern, Tumnus looked at the map when he realized that the map had ended at the large cavern and he looked up at the rocks hanging down from the ceiling of the cavern.
"Why did you stop?" Arayna asked.
"The map ends here," Tumnus said when a light appeared in a side tunnel and they looked at the light. Arayna held onto the crossbow while Tinkleberry held the handle of the sword tightly in her hands and Brock and Orin stood next to them. Slowly they walked to the side tunnel then walked down the side tunnel until they came to a larger cavern and Tumnus' eyes widened. The walls were carved from white marble as the runes shimmered in gold lettering and the columns encircled the cavern. The marble statues of faun warriors were in between the columns and double doors made of stone were at the back of the cavern. A large, stone alter stood at the center of the cavern and the large, stone alter was stained with what looked like dried blood. There was a hole at the top of the cavern and the light shimmered down, a large circle of light spreading across the floor. Torches were in holders on the columns and the torches flickered, casting shadows everywhere.
"Careful," Tinkleberry whispered as they walked toward the center of the cavern and headed for the large, stone alter. They stood in front of the large, stone alter when Tumnus looked at the dried blood and Brock stood next to him, sniffing the dried blood.
"It's bear blood," Brock growled.
"Oh no," Arayna whispered when something moved in the shadows as Tinkleberry, Arayna and the animals encircled Tumnus and he reached down, picking up a leg bone that was on the ground. They watched as the shadows shifted then something moved closer and the animals growled.
"Greetings," a female voice said when they saw three figures walking closer and the figures were wearing white robes with hoods and the robes were lined with runes in gold.
"Who are you?" Tumnus asked.
"Who are you?" the first figure asked when Tumnus looked down and noticed the robe ended at the top of black hooves.
"Are you demons?"
"Are you?"
"Let's just run them through then figure out the rest later," Tinkleberry said. She gasped when the figures waved their hands and the sword, leg bone and crossbow vanished. The figures walked closer when one of them looked at Aryana and Tumnus then looked at each other and the figures walked away, heading toward the large, stone alter.
"Are you two fauns?" one of the figures asked, looking at Arayna and Tumnus.
"Yes," Arayna said as the figures reached up and slowly lowered the hoods. "They're…they're fauns."
The first female faun was as tall as Tumnus and she had long, brown hair, fur and hide and the light shimmered in her brown eyes. The second female faun was a little shorter than the first female faun and had long, white hair and green eyes. The last female faun was as tall as Tumnus and he noticed her hair, fur, hide and eyes matched his. Slowly, he walked close as he looked at them and slowly blinked his eyes.
"Who are you?" he asked and the third female faun softly smiled at him.
"We are the Elders," the first female faun said with a nod of her head.
"I am Tumnus," Tumnus said then turned to Arayna, Tinkleberry, Orin and Brock and pointed to them. "This is Arayna, this is Tinkleberry, this is Orin and that is Brock."
"Why are you here?"
"Well, uh, my brother, Tamnus, won this map and it is rumored to lead to the Eye of the Moon," Tumnus said as he showed the third female faun the map.
"This is, indeed, the map leading to the stone. Why did you seek it?" the third female faun asked.
"Well, um, no real reason other than to see if the Eye of the Moon exists."
"Where is your brother?" the second female faun asked.
"He died in the war along with my other brothers."
"I see. Tell me, will you take the three tests to see if you are worthy of the Eye of the Moon?" the second female faun asked.
"What sort of tests?" Arayna asked.
"There are three tests. They are the Test of the Head, the Test of the Heart and the Test of the Hand," the first female faun said. "Pass all three tests and the Eye of the Moon is yours."
"Do we get to pick which test we wish to do first?" Tumnus asked.
"Yes, but only you will be doing the tests," the first female faun said.
"No, I will not…." Tinkleberry said then saw the look in Tumnus' eyes and sighed, lowering her head.
"Are you ready?" the second female faun asked and Tumnus nodded his head.
"Then come and pick which test you will do first," the third female faun said as she brought out a cloth bag and jiggled the cloth bag. Something rattled inside the cloth bag as he walked closer and she opened the cloth bag. He placed his right hand inside the cloth bag when he took hold of something and lifted his hand out of the cloth bag. Tumnus opened his hand when he saw a hand shaped rock in his hand and the third female faun softly smiled at him. "You have picked the Test of the Hand."
"And what is the Test of the Hand?" Tumnus asked.
"You will see," the first female faun said as they headed for the double doors at the back of the room and Arayna looked at Tumnus. Tumnus took her hand as they followed the Elders when they stopped at the double doors and the first female faun opened the doors. After the double doors closed behind them, they walked down a large, marble hallway as the sounds of the hooves echoed around them and the torches flickered from the torches on the walls. They walked along when they came to a stone door and the second female faun opened the door. They walked inside an elegantly decorated dining hall as they looked around and the long wooden table was at the center of the room. They walked to the high back chairs when the Elders sat down then looked at them and Tumnus wondered what to do next.
"Please sit," the first female faun said as they sat down and Orin and Brock settled near the fireplace to the right of the room. The first female faun clapped her hands when the table was suddenly set and the food sat on silver platters and wine was in crystal jugs.
"Oh," Arayna whispered. They watched as the trays moved across the table and serve the food while the bottles poured the wine then settled back on the table and Tumnus looked at the food.
"Please eat," the second female faun said as Tumnus shrugged then poked his fork into the meat and used the knife to cut it. He placed some of the meat into his mouth when he started to chew and smiled.
"This is very good!" Tumnus said as the Elders smiled and Arayna and Tinkleberry started eating. Brock and Orin noticed the bowls of meat in front of them when they started eating and Orin's tail went back and forth.
The moonlight shimmered on the large, stone alter as Tumnus sat against the large, stone alter and looked at the shadows. Sighing, he felt like he wasn't alone when he looked to the right and someone walked closer, standing next to him.
"Why are you still awake?" the third female faun asked as she knelt down and he could just see her face.
"I, uh, I couldn't sleep," Tumnus said softly and looked down at his hooves.
"Why? "
"Well, um, I'm not really sure. I guess I'm afraid."
"I would be surprised if you weren't scared. You could always decline and go home."
"Parts of me are screaming to do just that, but I have come so far to give up now," he said then sighed, placing the back of his head against the large, stone alter. "I wish I was brave like my brothers and father."
"You are," the third female faun said and he gave her a blank look.
"That's what my father says."
"What did he say when you told him you were going after the Eye of the Moon?"
"I didn't tell him."
"I see. Well, it is wrong to keep things from one's father," the third female faun said as he looked at her and tilted his head to one side.
"What do you mean?"
"One must never keep secrets from one's parents," the third female faun said then lowered her head and looked at the floor. "Now, come, it is late and you must be rested for tomorrow."
"Um, what, exactly, is the test?"
"You will have to fight to save that which is most important to you."
"And what would that be?"
"You shall find out soon enough. Now, come, it is time for bed," she said then held her hand out and he stood up, taking her hand. Tumnus felt totally confused as they walked into the shadows and the shadows of the clouds overhead floated gently across the light on the floor.