The_Complete_Chronicles_of_Narnia_(volumes_1-7,_in_order_of_publication)

Next moment the astonished Narnians saw seven figures leap forth in front of the stable,
four of them in shining mail. The King's sword flashed in the firelight as he waved it
above his head and cried in a great voice:
"Here stand I, Tirian of Narnia, in Aslan's name, to prove with my body that Tash is a
foul fiend, the Ape a manifold traitor, and these Calormenes worthy of death. To my side,
all true Narnians. Would you wait till your new masters have killed you all one by one?"
CHAPTER ELEVEN
THE PACE QUICKENS
QUICK as lightning, Rishda Tarkaan leaped back out of reach of the King's sword. He
was no coward, and would have fought single-handed against Tirian and the Dwarf if
need were. But he could not take on the Eagle and the Unicorn as well. He knew how
Eagles can fly into your face and peck at your eyes and blind you with their wings. And
he had heard from his father (who had met Narnians in battle) that no man, except with
arrows, or a long spear, can match a Unicorn, for it rears on its hind legs as it falls upon
you and then you have its hoofs and its horn and its teeth to deal with all at once. So he
rushed into the crowd and stood calling out:
"To me, to me, warriors of The Tisroc, may-he-liveforever. To me, all loyal Narnians,
lest the wrath of Tashlan fall upon you!"
While this was happening two other things happened as well. The Ape had not realized
his danger as quickly as the Tarkaan. For a second or so he remained squatting beside the
fire staring at the newcomers. Then Tirian rushed upon the wretched creature, picked it
up by the scruff of the neck, and dashed back to the stable shouting, "Open the door!"
Poggin opened it. "Go and drink your own medicine, Shift!" said Tirian and hurled the
Ape through into the darkness. But as the Dwarf banged the door shut again, a blinding
greenish-blue light shone out from the inside of the stable, the earth shook, and there was
a strange noise - a clucking and screaming as if it was the hoarse voice of some
monstrous bird. The Beasts moaned and howled and called out "Tashlan! Hide us from
him!" and many fell down, and many hid their faces in their wings or paws. No one
except Farsight the Eagle, who has the best eyes of all living things, noticed the face of
Rishda Tarkaan at that moment. And from what Farsight saw there he knew at once that
Rishda was just as surprised, and nearly frightened, as everyone else. "There goes one,"
thought Farsight, "who has called on gods he does not believe in. How will it be with him
if they have really come?"
The third thing - which also happened at the same moment - was the only really beautiful
thing that night. Every single Talking Dog in the whole meeting (there were fifteen of