Free The Last Battle by C. S. Lewis

‘here…speak softly,’ so I just stood as still as if I was frozen. And these two were Ginger and Rishda Tarkaan as they call him. ‘Noble Tarkaan,’ said the Cat in that silky voice of his, ‘I just wanted to know exactly what we both meant today about Aslan meaning no more than Tash.’ ‘Doubtless, most sagacious of cats,’ says the other, ‘you have perceived my meaning.’ ‘You mean,’ says Ginger, ‘that there’s no such person as either.’ ‘Allwho are enlightened know that,’ said the Tarkaan. ‘Then we can understand one another,’ purrs the Cat. ‘Do you, like me, grow a little weary of the Ape?’ ‘A stupid, greedy brute,’ says the other, ‘but we must use him for the present. Thou and I must provide for all things in secret and make the Ape do our will.’ ‘And it would be better, wouldn’t it,’ said Ginger, ‘to let some of the more enlightened Narnians into our counsels: one by one as we find them apt. For the Beasts who really believe in Aslan may turn at any moment: and will, if the Ape’s folly betrays his secret. But those who care neither for Tash nor Aslan but have only an eye to their own profit and such reward as The Tisroc may give them when Narnia is a Calormene province, will be firm.’ ‘Excellent Cat,’ said the Captain. ‘But choose which ones carefully.’”
    While the Dwarf had been speaking the day seemed to have changed. It had been sunny when they sat down. Now Puzzle shivered. Jewel shifted his head uneasily. Jill looked up.
    “It’s clouding over,” she said.
    “And it’s so cold,” said Puzzle.
    “Cold enough, by the Lion!” said Tirian, blowing on his hands. “And faugh! What foul smell is this?”
    “Phew!” gasped Eustace. “It’s like something dead? Is there a dead bird somewhere about? And why didn’t we notice it before?”
    With a great upheaval Jewel scrambled to his feet and pointed with his horn.
    “Look!” he cried. “Look at it! Look, look!”
    Then all six of them saw; and over all their faces there came an expression of uttermost dismay.

Eight

WHAT NEWS THE EAGLE BROUGHT

    IN THE SHADOW OF THE TREES ON THE far side of the clearing something was moving. It was gliding very slowly Northward. At first glance you might have mistaken it for smoke, for it was gray and you could see things through it. But the deathly smell was not the smell of smoke. Also, this thing kept its shape instead of billowing and curling as smoke would have done. It was roughly the shape of a man but it had the head of a bird; some bird of prey with a cruel, curved beak. It had four arms which it held high above its head, stretching them out Northward as if it wanted to snatch all Narnia in its grip; and its fingers—all twenty of them—were curved like its beak and had long, pointed, bird-like claws instead of nails. It floated on the grass instead of walking, and the grass seemed to wither beneath it.
    After one look at it Puzzle gave a screaming bray and darted into the Tower. And Jill (who wasno coward, as you know) hid her face in her hands to shut out the sight of it. The others watched it for perhaps a minute, until it streamed away into the thicker trees on their right and disappeared. Then the sun came out again, and the birds once more began to sing.
    Everyone started breathing properly again and moved. They had all been still as statues while it was in sight.
    “What was it?” said Eustace in a whisper.
    “I have seen it once before,” said Tirian. “But that time it was carved in stone and overlaid with gold and had solid diamonds for eyes. It was when I was no older than thou, and had gone as a guest to The Tisroc’s court in Tashbaan. He took me into the great temple of Tash. There I saw it, carved above the altar.”

    “Then that—that thing—was Tash?” said Eustace.
    But instead of answering him Tirian slipped his arm behind Jill’s shoulders and said, “How is it with you, Lady?”
    “A-all right,” said Jill, taking