Sorry for not updating for a while! I've had really bad writer's block. I'll try and update more regularly from now on. Anyway, here's the next chapter. (At last.)
"I'm freezing." Sophie thought to herself. She was still wearing shorts. Admittedly, so was everyone else, but they were in discussion and appeared not to have noticed that they were standing in two inches of snow.
"Is it always cold here?" she thought.
"What do you think, Sophie?" Peter turned to her.
"urrrr….I agree?"
"So, it's settled. Lucy, lead the way."
'Where are we going?" Sophie thought. 'Next time, I am definitely listening to what's going on."
A hand waved in front of her face.
"Sophie?" It was Susan. "Come on, before we catch our death."
Sophie snapped out of her reverie. "Sorry, I was away with the faeries. Come on, before we lose Lucy and as she knows the way, it wouldn't be a bright idea."
Susan smiled and they both ran to catch up with the others.
As they walked towards Mr. Tumnus' house, who Sophie gathered, was a fawn, she couldn't help feel a sort of familiarity of being in Narnia. Wait. How did she know that was what it was called? She knew she definitely hadn't been here before. Yet, she felt she had. It was very confusing.
They all came to a stop.
"Oh my." Lucy gasped. The door to Mr. Tumnus' house was broken in.
Sophie and Peter crept towards the house and peered around the door.
"It's fine." Peter beckoned for the other three to follow. Sophie stepped inside.
"Peter look." Peter came over and stood right behind her. Sophie was staring at a note pinned to one of the beams. Peter followed her gaze. He read it. They both turned their heads to look at each other. Peter, Sophie noticed had a look of worry on his face. Sophie, Peter noticed had a look of fear.
"This is going to make Lucy so upset."
"I know." Peter frowned. "How am I going to tell her?'
"Peter? What's wrong?" It was Lucy.
Peter cleared his throat and read the message. Sophie was about to go and hug Lucy, when….
"Psstt!" They all turned their heads to face the doorway. A beaver stood there. "Is one of you called Lucy?"
Lucy nodded.
"then, I bid you, follow me."
"Peter, check he's not an enemy." Sophie whispered.
"How do we know you're a friend?" Peter asked.
"Ah, Mr. Tumnus' asked me to give you this." He held up a white handkerchief.
"That's mine!"
"Mr. Tumnus' asked me to return it to you, lest he should get caught."
"It's alright Peter, he's a friend."
Peter eyed him warily. "Alright. We'll follow you."
"Good. But we must be swift. She has spies everywhere. Even the trees are on her side."
"How does he know that?..." Peter muttered under his breath. But only Sophie heard.
"Come on, Peter. This is no time to be fussy. The Secret Police could come back at any moment."
Peter looked into her eyes. They were the deepest brown he'd ever seen. They looked at him with trust and…
"Come on you two." Susan whispered. "we don't want to lose the Beaver."
They all set off. Sophie was shivering now. She had the strangest feeling that someone was watching her. She shivered again.
"Are you cold?" Peter asked.
"No, I just have the feeling I'm being watched."
Peter looked around.
"Some of the trees on her side, remember? Whoever 'she' is. Come on."
They lightly ran over the snow, desperately not trying to make too much noise.
They were soon all in stitches. Their breath rose up in icy clouds before them. The cold kept hitting them, until it felt like they were constantly being slapped. Their cheeks were soon red, but they were all still freezing. Sophie blew on her hands as they ran. It was a habit. She always had to keep her hands warm, because if they were cold, she couldn't play the piano. She felt cold all over, apart from her face, which was warm from all the running. They were all relieved, when Mr. Beaver finally stopped. They looked down onto a frozen river where a dam had been built. It looked warm and cheery inside. The delicious smell of cooking wafted through the air. Sophie's stomach rumbled. Peter glanced at her.
"What?" she mouthed. Before sticking her tongue out. Their spirits had lifted since seeing the house.
They were all ushered inside.
"There you are, my dears!" said the voice of another beaver. Undoubtedly a female. "Sit down, you all look so cold. Dinner should be ready in a few minutes and…"
"Then we can get down to business." Finished Mr. Beaver.
"Oh hush, Mr. Beaver. Let the children rest." She flapped a tea towel at him. Sophie stifled a giggle.
"Sit down my dears." They all took places around the table. Soon they were all tucking in to some delicious fried fish. Sophie felt like she hadn't eaten in years. Clearly, so did everyone else.
Once the plates had been cleared and everyone was feeling warm and contented, Mr. Beaver cleared his throat and his voice took a serious note. "Now, to business…"
Sophie listened more than talked. Somehow, as Mr. Beaver was explaining everything about the White Witch, it seemed familiar. She was sitting in front of Edmund and when Mr. Beaver mentioned Aslan, Sophie self-consciously shivered and sat up a little straighter. Only Edmund noticed this, and he viewed it as suspicious. But his mind did not ponder on it for long.
"So… that's why we need your help." Mr. Beaver finished. Sophie couldn't help wondering what her part was. There were four thrones at Cair Paravel. Not five. Perhaps she should just go home and...
"Where's Edmund?" this statement interrupted her line of thought.
"Perhaps he went out for some fresh air." Lucy suggested.
With a sickening feeling in her stomach, Sophie went to the window. There were Edmund's footprints, leading up towards two mountains. His footsteps were heading for the centre of those two mountains.
"Not unless, a hike is what you consider a breath of fresh air, Lu." Sophie said dully.
"When did he leave?" Mr. Beaver asked urgently. Nobody knew.
"He's gone to the White Witch. He'll tell her everything he knows. It isn't safe for you anymore. We have to go."
The little dam was soon filled with chaos as people helped pack or make sandwiches or started to button up their coats. They had almost finished when a deathly howl ripped through the cold night air. Sophie gripped Peter's arm. She felt terrified.
"They're here." Said Mr. Beaver. His voice low. "Everybody grab anything they can." Another howl filled the air. "Quick!" He flung open a secret passage. Mr. Beaver went first, with a lantern, Susan Lucy and Mrs. Beaver followed. Sophie went next followed by Peter. Together, they both managed to pull the heavy door shut as the sound of snarling wolves approached the dam. Then they both sprinted down the small passage.
"Hurry up, Hurry up!" Mr. Beaver was crying urgently. Mrs. Beaver was lagging behind. Sophie picked her up and they all sprinted at a much faster pace.
"Come on, Lu!" Susan cried as Lucy tripped and fell. Far behind them, they heard the wolves scratching at the door. They all froze.
"Come on!" Sophie cried, spurring them all into action. They sprinted the last 100 metres and burst into the cold night air. "Quick!" said Mr. Beaver. "make for the forest." He rubbed out all the footprints with his tail.
They heard the wolves also bursting through the tunnel.
"Hurry!" a voice said. They turned and saw a fox.
"Don't listen to him," said Mr. Beaver. "He's a traitor."
"I'm not. It was so that I could see the White Witch's plans." Mr. Beaver started to protest. "Get up those trees. I'll cover for you." The fox continued.
"I don't think-" The sound of the wolves breaking through the undergrowth was heard. Peter grabbed Mr. Beaver and threw him up into the trees. He then gave Lucy and Susan a leg up. Sophie threw Mrs. Beaver also up into the tree. Peter gave her a leg up, and the all scrambled to the highest branches they could find. Then they waited.
The wolves burst into the little ring of trees where the children were hiding. The fox had covered up their footprints.
"Where are they?" snarled the biggest wolf. "Tell me, or the Queen will hear about this."
"Where are who Morgrim?' the fox said coolly.
Morgrim grabbed the fox by the scruff of his neck. "They went that way." The fox choked out. He pointed to the way which was opposite to the tree the children were hiding in.
"You better not be lying, scum." Morgrim growled and threw the fox onto the snow. It lay there, whimpering. A bloody gash across it's neck. The children waited until the wolves had well and truly gone, before descending the tree.
Susan and Sophie rushed to the aid of the fox. Sophie ripped some of the material of her shorts, and soaked up the blood. She held it there until the blood stopped flowing.
"Thank you, my friend." Mr. Beaver said to the fox.
The fox managed a small smile. "Anytime. But now, you must make your way to the Stone table and with haste. Don't worry about me. This wound will heal on its own accord. I'll wait here to deter them when they return. You should be by the Stone Table by then."
Mr. Beaver nodded. "Come children we must go." The children turned, Peter and Sophie picked up Mr. and Mrs. Beaver and they ran. Away from the wolves that would no doubt, soon be back at their heels.