Rewrite the Stars

04

As he walked through a forest of ferns, Caspian heard a sound and stopped before he said, "I can hear you."

Nikabrik and Trufflehunter came out of hiding and Trufflehunter said, "I just think we should wait for the kings and queens."

Caspian kept walking and Trufflehunter yelled, "Fine, go then! See if the others will be so understanding."

Nikabrik said, "Or maybe I'll come with you. I want to see you explain things to the minotaurs."

Caspian stopped abruptly. "Minotaurs... they're real?"

Trufflehunter nodded. "And very bad-tempered."

"Yeah, not to mention big," Nikabrik added.

"Huge."

"What about centaurs?" Caspian questioned. "Do they still exist?"

Trufflehunter shrugged lightly. "Well, the centaurs will probably fight on your side. But there's no telling what the others will do."

"What about Aslan?"

Nikabrik and Trufflehunter shared a look before Nikabrik asked, "How do you know so much about us?"

"Stories."

Trufflehunter frowned. "Wait a minute... Your father told you stories about Narnia?"

"No, my professor... Listen, I am sorry. These are not the kinds of questions you should be asking."

Caspian walked off and Trufflehunter sniffed.

"What is it?" Nikabrik asked.

"Human," Trufflehunter replied.

Nikabrik glanced to Caspian. "Him?"

"No... them!"

They looked over and noticed Telmarine soldiers approaching on foot.

"There they are!" a soldier cried.

"Run!" Trufflehunter yelled.

They ran away as arrows flew past them. Trufflehunter got hit and fell.

"Oh, no..." Nikabrik muttered.

"Wait, I'll go!" Caspian said.

Caspian ran back over and Trufflehunter gave him Queen Susan's horn. "Take it, go! It's more important than I am!"

The Telmarine soldiers stopped and took aim. The ferns suddenly startled rustling and one of the soldiers fell. Caspian looked around, confused. He picked up Trufflehunter and ran as more soldiers fell down behind Caspian. When he reached Nikabrik, he put Trufflehunter down beside him. "Get him out of here."

Caspian drew his sword and started walking back towards the soldiers. Another fell, and the last one threw his crossbow to the ground and started swinging wildly at the ferns around him.

"Where are you?!" the soldier cried.

The soldier fell and the ferns started rustling in my direction. Something flipped from the ferns and knocked Caspian down. A sword flew into the air and landed into the creature's hand and pointed at me. "Choose your last words carefully, Telmarine."

Caspian stared at Reepicheep and said, "You are a mouse."

Reepicheep sighed. "I was hoping for something a little more original. Come on, pick up your sword."

Caspian glanced at his sword, lying down beside him. "Uh, no thanks."

"Pick it up!" Reepicheep cried. "I will not fight an unarmed man."