I am so sorry for taking so long! I'll try to post when I can, but papers are piling up for school...I don't own, R&R, and cya at the end!

This...is a bad thing. Wildfire shuddered at the thought of crossing the river after it had melted. They definitely had to hurry if they were going to make it across without an incident. Lucy realized the severity of the situation, and ran over to Wildfire. Shockingly, the girl had some issues hopping on the Lioness's back. Am I growing? Wildfire thought excitedly, crouching down so Lucy could finish mounting her.

"Wildfire! You have something on your paw!" Susan exclaimed, rushing forward to see. Confused, the Lioness looked down to see a tuft of red fur between her claws. It could almost be mistaken for blood, if one didn't know better. My fur color! I'm turning back into my normal self!

"Come on, let's hurry! You heard Father Christmas! We need to cross that river, and fast!" Wildfire started running, feeling her muscles lengthen with every stride. She heard the eldest Pevensies struggling to keep up, along with the Beaver's claws as the scratched the ground in their pelting run.

Hundreds of thoughts passed through Wildfire's mind as she ran. Will we get there in time? What if the White Witch catches up to us? Where's Whirlpool when you need him? Am I finally changing back? The last one caused a surge of giddiness overwhelmed the white Lioness. Finally, after 5 years of being small and unseemly, she would be back to her normal self.

She heard it before she saw it, cursing the heavens above. The sound of rushing water and cracking ice filled her ears. Are we too late? Peering over the edge of the cliff before her, Wildfire felt her stomach drop. The waterfall was frozen, but the sound of water beneath it destroyed the false sense of security. The cliff she was on sloped gently downward to her right, touching the riverbank. Or, so it used to. The river itself was swollen, for a hundred years of ice, snow, and rain can really fill up usually small river. Halfway between Wildfire's position and the swollen bank was where the ice was breaking off. The Lioness estimated that they had mere minutes before they would have to swim across.

In the distance, a Wolf howled. Lucy cowered down on Wildfire's back, but she could barely feel it. All she could feel was the numb terror as she watched ice chunk after ice chunk break off. Her mind filled with images of her plunging into the ocean, it's dark depths dragging her down, cold fingers wrapping around her body, watching as a block of ice float over her, breaking her off from the sunlight above, sinking into an uneasy peace...

Lucy prodded the white Lioness, startling the latter. She noticed that Peter and Susan were making their way down with the Beavers right behind them. Gulping, Wildfire padded forward, fear almost rooting her to the spot.

Mr. Beaver offered to go first, to test the ice. This was fine by Wildfire, but it meant that she was at the back. Carefully, she slid each paw forward, her eyes trained on the back of Lucy's head. Lucy had gotten off her, so that they could distribute the weight more evenly. Still, it took all of Wildfire's energy to keep calm and not jump at even the tiniest sounds.

So when the sounds of the Wolves running over the top of the waterfall began, the poor white Lioness jumped nearly higher than Peter was tall, landing with a heavy thump. Susan turned and glared angrily at her, the girl's green eyes flashing with annoyance. Lucy screamed as a Wolf jumped down in front of her. Wildfire instantly recognized the ragged pelt of Maugrim.

"Well, well, well," he growled, "look what the Cub dragged in!" Wildfire snarled lowly, just loud enough for him to hear. She saw Peter draw out his sword, his hand shaking violently as he tried to hold it's weight. Oh Great Aslan! If only I were human! Then I could help him with his poor posture...

Mr. Beaver was being held down by another Wolf, while Peter was desperately trying to think of what to do with Susan yelling at him to listen to the Wolf was saying. Yet, Wildfire wasn't concerned with what they were saying. The whole time they had been talking, an ominous rumbling and begun, and the fur on her spine had rose. With one swift glance to the left, Wildfire knew her sinking feeling was right. There, in the middle of the ice waterfall, was a long crack that was growing.

Wildfire crouched down slightly, signalling with her eyes to Peter what was about to happen. A large CRACK rang through the air, and everyone except Peter and Wildfire turned to look at the wall of ice. Peter plunged his sword into the ground, telling his sisters to hold on to him. A chunk of ice broke off the waterfall...and crashed between Wildfire and the Pevensies.

Wildfire dug her claws into the ice floe tightly, her mind swirling with her ordeal from five years ago. She saw the Beavers dive in, so she knew they were safe, but the rapids ahead caused her to almost blackout. Ahead of her, she saw the three siblings tightly gripping Peter's sword, desperately holding on to each other as they hit the rapids. Moments later, she lost sight of them as her own section of ice got hit by the swirling torrent of flood waters.

Lights flashed above her head, her claws numb from holding on to the slippery surface. She watched in dismay as another ice chunk collided with hers, making it dislodge its occupant. Wildfire gazed helplessly up, knowing her time was near...a flash of light ginger at the corner of her vision caused Wildfire to turn her head. Her lungs burned for air, and Wildfire almost gasped at the sight. Lucy...

Seeing the small girl struggling gave Wildfire the power she needed to get past her nightmare. Struggling in the strong current, the Lioness paddled swiftly to the unconscious girl. Opening her jaws carefully, she grabbed Lucy by her dress and hauled her to the surface.

When they broke, Lucy took an enormous gulp of air, sputtering all the while, with Wildfire doing the same by her side.

"Lucy," she gasped, "wrap your arms around my neck." The girl did so, too tired and cold to complain. The pair swam to the shore, limbs aching from the battle. Suddenly, they heard Susan and Peter yelling. Alarmed, the two stumbled along the bank until they found the other four members of their party.

"Has anyone seen my coat?" Lucy asked, shivering. Everyone smiled as Peter wrapped his sister up in her coat.

"You may not need those for much longer." Mr. Beaver pointed out, gesturing to the flowering trees behind them. Awed, Wildfire sat up, watching as a small bud bloomed into a glorious daisy, it's petals full and luscious, as if the long winter had never happened. The small party moved further into the woods before Peter smacked himself in the forehead.

"My sword!" He raced back the way they had come from, returning a few minutes later with his sword safely in it's sheath. Wildfire chuckled.

"Oh, our fearless King, what would we ever do without you?" she purred, causing the girls to giggle. Peter smiled his crooked smile, his blue eyes sparkling in the sunlight. Something stirred in Wildfire again, but she couldn't quite pin it down.

Through the blossoming forest they walked, the humans shedding their winter clothes almost immediately. Wildfire could feel herself growing to her usual size, and her fur was laced with red and white fur. Soon, they could hear the clamor of an army ahead, and Wildfire turned to look Peter in the eyes. Indeed, she had grown so that she stood shoulder to shoulder with Peter, which surprised her companions.

Dryads spun forth, dancing in the breeze, happy for the spring. Lucy and Susan watched in awe as petals swirled around them, the dryads sweeping them up in their joyous dance. The Beavers laughed while Wildfire and Peter smirked. In all of their days of travel, they had never felt so happy or together.

The trees ended at a large field, full of yellow and red tents with all sorts of creatures bustling back and forth. Centaurs ran around the edge, constantly watching for danger, while chipmunks and squirrels could be seen perched in trees and on top of tents. Birds of all sorts dived between tents, delivering various messages. In the sky, hippogriffs and gryphons could be seen swooping back and forth in a mock battle. Breathing deeply, the red-and-white Lioness stepped forth into the sunlight, her paws sinking into the lush grass. One of the birds, a thrush, saw her and the rest of the party. With a call of alarm, it took off into the mass of tents.

"Well, Aslan should know of our presence soon." Wildfire commented mildly. Peter gave her a quizzical look. "He always favored thrushes when it came to delivering us messages."

The group started walking forward, their sights set on the largest tent in the center of the clearing.

"Us?" Peter asked, confusion glittering in the depths of his blue eyes.

"Yes, us. Whirlpool and I both lived in Aslan's Country, but we got separated five years ago when we traveled to Narnia. I am hoping that either Aslan found him, or vice versa." Wildfire explained excitedly, her long tail sweeping back and forth. She hardly noticed when she nearly knocked the Beavers over, who promptly moved out of the range of her tail.

Soon they were standing outside of the tent, which had a burly Centaur standing in front of it. Shaking, Peter drew his sword, and held it out with the tip pointing upwards.

"We have come to see Aslan!"

A slight rustling came from the tent, and the whole army started to bow. The humans hastily joined in along with Mr. and Mrs. Beaver when they saw him. Aslan, the mightiest Lion, stepped out of his tent, taller than Wildfire, his mane glowing golden in the sunlight. The only one who did not bow, was Wildfire.

The great Lion purred deeply, the sound reverberating in his chest. "Rise, Son of Adam and Daughters of Eve. And you as well, Beavers. I see my adopted daughter has brought you here safely."

Peter nodded. "She saved Lucy in the river." He responded weakly. Obviously, he still wasn't used to such a mighty figure speaking directly to him. The rest of the army turned their eyes to Wildfire, questions of all sorts burning away at their souls.

"Where is the fourth?" Aslan asked, ignoring his army for the time being. Wildfire saw something in his eyes and in the twitch of his tail. She instantly knew why she didn't see Whirlpool for all those years.

"The White Witch tricked him, sir." Mr. Beaver said sadly.

"Just like she did Whirlpool, right?" Wildfire asked, rounding on Aslan.

Shock rippled through the crowd. Whirlpool was better known as Aslan's son than Wildfire was known as his daughter.

Aslan sighed, defeat echoing in his eyes.

"Yes."

So long! It's my longest chapter yet! Thank you, all of you, who took the time to comment or read this. You keep me going. Don't stop reviewing! I love your reviews because you keep me going! I will see you all again before Halloween, I swear :)