Griffin had returned to where Goldie was waiting, just as the others had come back and after a quick introduction to Boo, he had informed his friends that the Gingerbread Man had been located. So far he had said nothing about SC, just as the mysterious cat had requested, merely smiling when asked and saying it was not yet time for him to reveal himself but that he would appear at their greatest need.
Then, Griffin had told them to follow him at a discreet distance. This was a precaution in case anything went wrong and there were guards up ahead. If they saw a simple grey tabby padding along, they would think nothing of it and he could pretend to settle himself until the danger had passed, while the others stayed in the shadows a hundred or so yards behind.
He didn't believe anything would go wrong. After all, nobody was on the lookout for cats ... or were they?
It had taken an hour of painstaking progress and Griffin had led the Hare's contingent almost to the section where the Gingerbread Man was imprisoned, when the voice rang out.
'Halt in the name of Aslan! Who goes there, friend or foe?'
'Friend,' Griffin answered automatically as he gawped at the astonishing brown leather clad figure before him. He instantly regretted speaking, remembering belatedly he was supposed to be a dumb beast.
'Aha!' declared the newcomer, drawing a sword from his belt and pointing it at Griffin. 'A spy eh? Well we've ways to deal with your kind Sirrah!'
Griffin continued to stare. The dashing figure in front of him was rapidly discarding his brown leather tunic to reveal a billowing 17th century style cream silk shirt - in fact his entire appearance was that of a 17th century musketeer - light brown britches atop brown swashbuckler boots and a wide brimmed and plumed cavalier hat. A neatly trimmed goatee beard adorned the stranger's face and he wore a large gold hoop earring in his left ear.
The Earth cat held up a placating right paw. 'I beg your pardon sir. I am indeed a talking cat but I'm not a spy. I'm with the delegation and ...'
The sword tip prodded Griffin's nose. 'Silence cat. My men have reported seeing your kind prowling about. Where's the other one, the black and white fellow who sneaks around like a thief in the night!'
Griffin began to feel annoyance and struggled to retain his temper. 'I told you I'm ...' he began as he used his paw to bat the sword aside.
A look of maniacal pleasure crossed the features of the large mouse in front of him. 'You resist! So be it feline. En garde!!'
The blade slashed forward and Griffin barely ducked in time. 'Look out, you nearly had my eye out!'
The mouse paused, took a mock bow and looked up, grinning. 'Fear not, I intend to merely nick you a time or two and subdue you for questioning. Will, you surrender or face me like a mouse!?'
Griffin sized the brown mouse up. He didn't like the look of the sword - even such a tiny blade could hurt him. Then again he was much larger and he would be damned if he surrendered to a mouse. 'You've brought this on yourself,' he hissed and batted out.
The mouse leaped nimbly away and his grin grew bigger. The sword pointed forward again. 'Excellent! Know ye cat that you face Narnia's champion of champions! Tis mighty Reepicheep who will soundly thrash you this day. EN GARDE!!!'
That was it. That was quite enough! Griffin was a very even headed cat but pushed far enough, he could lose his temper with the best of them. He pounced!
Reepicheep dodged again and laughed merrily. 'Come Sir, at least put up a fight so I might tell my liege lord Caspian that Reepicheep did not merely beat up a mewling kitten! Aha ha!!!'
Griffin whirled and attacked again. This time the mouse swayed casually aside and whistled as he batted the flat of his rapier against Griffin's posterior. 'Again Sir, again! You nearly had me that time!'
The grey tabby hissed and swiped with his claws but Reepicheep blocked with his sword and with a savage twist, drew blood from Griffin's forearm.
'Methinks I grow tired of the chase Master Cat. Have at ye!' Suddenly Griffin felt himself nicked and cut in a dozen different places, nothing too serious - every blow expertly placed by the madly laughing swashbuckler mouse. He realised with a feeling of dread that the Narnian was playing with him and he was going to lose!
'Pay attention kitty!' cried Reepicheep as he thrust his sword into Griffin's belly. A red stain appeared and the mortal cat collapsed sideways as the swashbuckling mouse stalked towards him.
'Fear not spy. Tis only a flesh wound, but now, seeing as you've proved an unworthy opponent, It seems the time for fun and games passes.' He raised his rapier and aimed towards Griffin's back leg. 'A hamstring should do it. If you don't move I can guarantee you'll heal and walk again ... albeit with a limp.'
As Griffin felt a shock of terror run through his body, there was a sudden blur and the mouse went flying into the air to smash, stunned against the nearest wall. In place of the mouse was a Doc Marten boot and as Griffin struggled to stay awake, the owner of the boot knelt down beside him. The Hare had saved him by getting rid of Reepicheep with a running kick.
The Narnian champion was still unbelievably clinging to consciousness and called out. 'Foul play! You shall pay for this cat and rabbit man ... when I .... wake ...up.' His eyes closed.
The Hare gently lifted the stricken cat as Jessica and Goldie fussed around him. He felt hands clean and bandage his fur.
'Put me down,' he gasped. 'I can still walk and we need to do this before that maniac wakes up!'