Hi there! I just want to inform you that in this chapter you'll find dryads, but it's my version of dryads, not the movie-version.
Clip from next chapter:
A smile appeared on the lion's face. "Love is a powerful thing, and you shall be careful with who you share it with." I stared at him before he continued. "But I think the young king is a man worth your love. There's no need to be afraid of sharing moments with him. Enjoy the life while you can, 'cause you don't know when it will be taken away."
CH. 11 Attacked by Wolves
We stared down at the river. The only ice was a stripe right under the waterfall, and it looked like if it could break up in any time. I swallowed. Yes, I could swim if there would be any need for it, but the water was probably so cold I would be frozen in no time, and then I would be washed out to the sea.
"We have to cross now", said Peter.
"Don't beavers make dams?" Lucy asked and saw at Mr. Beaver.
"I'm not that fast, dear", he replied.
"Come on!" Peter commanded, closing the distance between the edge of the cliff.
"Wait, will you just think about this for a minute?!" Susan asked, in fact, nearly shouted.
"We don't have a minute!" Peter replied her.
"I'm just trying to be realistic." Her expression told her she felt a bit offended.
"No, you're trying to be smart", Peter snapped. "As usual!"
I swallowed and took Peters arm. "Come on. We don't have time to argue now."
He glanced down at me in some seconds, but the he nodded, took Lucy's hand and began on his way down to the river.
I turned to Susan. Her expression was now truly offended.
"I'm sure he didn't meant what he said", I told her and tried to make her feel better.
"Well, but I'm quite sure he meant it."
I sighed. "Fine. I'm not going to argue now. Let's just go." Suddenly I felt it. I didn't know why, but I got the feeling that something horrible was about to happen.
I hurried after Peter, Lucy and the beavers, but since I hurried, I nearly slid. Again Peter's arm was there to hold me from falling.
"You have to be careful. You don't want to fall into the river."
I swallowed and saw up at him in some seconds before I nodded and he continued down with Lucy. I felt that I blushed. How was it possible? We were in danger, hunted by the Witch and the wolves, and here I was standing blushing!
"Wasn't it you who said we should move?" Susan asked from behind me and I realized I had been standing at the same spot for nearly a half minute. I continued down the small path with my back to the wall of the cliff.
When I finally reached down to the river, we stared over. My feeling that something was about to happen grew stronger.
Then I heard howling and I knew why I felt like I felt. The wolves would do something, or make something happen, and I knew I wouldn't like it, nor would the rest of the company like it.
Peter took a step out on the ice which creaked and sank under him. He jumped back on the ground.
"Maybe I should go first", Mr. Beaver offered.
"Maybe you should", Peter agreed with wide eyes.
Mr. Beaver took a tentatively step out on the ice. It creaked and groaned under him, but nothing else happened.
"You've been sneaking second helpings, haven't you?" Mrs. Beaver chided beside me.
"Well, you never know which meal's gonna be your last", he answered without looking at her, but I heard him add: "Especially with your cooking."
Soon Peter followed after Mr. Beaver, and Lucy hang on his sleeves. This time, they stepped only where Mr. Beaver had safely crossed, and to my surprise it worked. I followed after them, and Susan behind me with Mrs. Beaver like the last.
"If Mum knew what we were doing-" Susan began, but she didn't finish.
"Mum's not here!" Peter barked with a look at her.
"Stop it!" I shouted at both of them. Peter looked as if he wanted to argue with me, but then he changed mind and continued after Mr. Beaver with a last furious look at Susan.
Pieces of ice at the size of bibles fell from above us and I glanced up. My heart sank in my chest. "Peter, above us!" I told him and his head flew up from the ice under his feet, to the ice above us.
"Oh no!" cried Lucy who had seen up, just like her oldest brother.
"Run!" Peter shouted, but it was easier said than done. We slid and nearly fell, but didn't reach over to the other side of the river before the wolves had boxed us in.
One of the wolves in front of us barked, and Mr. Beaver snarled back. He tried to punch the wolf, but he ignored the show of bravery from the beaver and leapt on him.
"No!" screamed Mrs. Beaver and wanted to run after, but I grabbed her before she could do so.
In front of me I heard Lucy sob, and then Peter who drew his sword. I stared at him as he pointed the word at the wolf closest to us. While I knelt down and held Mrs. Beaver with one hand, Lucy came from the other side of me and buried her face in my shoulder. I laid the other arm around her in a vain try to comfort her.
"Put that down, boy", I heard the first wolf say. "Someone could get hurt."
I gave the wolves behind us a look, and registered that the ice behind us had melted away.
"Don't worry about me!" Mr. Beaver told us while he tried to get away from the wolf holding him down. "Run him through!"
"Leave now, while you can", the same wolf as before continued, "and your brother leaves with you."
I stared at him with as much hate as I could manage to put in it, and I was quite sure the wolf
felt it, 'cause he chuckled and added: "Seems like someone doesn't like me."
I wanted to say something, do something, what ever, but I had to take care about Lucy first. Meanwhile Susan had got a weird idea.
"Stop, Peter!" she cried. "Maybe we should listen to him!"
"Smart girl", the wolf remarked, still with a smile.
"Kill him!" Mr. Beaver yelled from his place under the same wolf as before. "Kill him NOW!"
"Oh, come on", the first wolf said in a bored tone. "This isn't your war. All my Queen wants is for you to take your family and go."
"'Your family'?" I repeated and I began to understand what he meant. "Peter, it's me the witch wants!" I rose and left Lucy to Mrs. Beaver.
Peter gave me a quick look, and I knew he knew what I meant.
"Look, just because some man in a red coat hands you a sword, it doesn't make you a hero!" Susan cried. "Just drop it!"
Peter started to lower his sword.
"Peter, Narnia needs you!" Mr. Beaver shouted. "Gut him while you still have a chance!"
"What's it gonna be, Son of Adam?" the wolf asked, still with that smile I hated so much. "I won't wait forever, and neither will the river."
The waterfall groaned and creaked louder than before. My eyes widened as a long crack ran through the middle of the ice which was left. Lucy let out a scream of fear, Susan's face was filled with anger, panic and maybe confusion, while Peter's eyes searched for a way out of our situation.
"Hold on to me!" he shouted as he lifted the sword and drove it into the ice right in front of him. I still wasn't able to tear my eyes away from the ice which started to break up at the top.
"Catty!" Lucy screamed as the ice under my feet creaked again.
With the staff in a death grip I turned to the wolf and a white light exploded out of the staff. The wolf yelped and then turned to run, but too late. The ice broke apart under him and he fell.
"Catty!" I turned to Peter, Susan and Lucy. "Get over here!"
The ice under me broke and I gasped when I fell into the water. My arms and legs froze and I got panic. As fast as I got my head over water I took a deep breath. The cold air filled my lunges. "Peter!" I cried. I nearly didn't notice the tears which ran down my cheeks. Not too far away I saw the iceflake with the Pevensies on.
The water washed over my head and my foot got stuck in something. Everything around me was in dark colors, but I could see the tree root around my ankle.
I felt like hours, and all the time I tried to get free from the root, but then I felt strong arms around my waist. In surprise I let out the last air I had in my lunges, and then suddenly warm lips met mine.
My head came over the water, and I had Peter's arms around me. He took me to the riverbank where Susan, Lucy and the beavers were waiting.
I had no idea about what happened under the water, and I wasn't sure if I was prepared to understand it yet.
"Are you okay?" Susan asked concerned. I nodded, still breathing hard. My hand, that which didn't held the staff, went to one of the two pockets in the coat. It was empty. I let go of the staff and searched through every single pocket I had, not that they were many, but yet.
"Oh no!" I cried. "It's gone!" Beside me Peter coughed and I saw at him. In his open hand a necklace of gold with a heart laid. I stared at it.
"I cached it before it disappeared", he explained.
Carefully I took it, and then a hugged him. Somewhere in the background I heard Susan giggle, but I didn't care.
When I let go of Peter, he blushed.
"Hey, no need for that", I said with a small smile and he quick looked away.
"It's not... it's just that I-"
"Don't even mention it", I warned him. "I'm not sure what happened, but I'm going to find out of it when I'm ready for it."
"And... you're not angry?" He looked so eased that I nearly had to laugh.
"Excuse me, but have I missed something?" Susan asked. I turned to smile at her.
"No, nothing else than that we are soaking wet, and our coats doesn't keep the cold out."
She send me a look that told me she would find out, no matter what.
"And I don't think you'll need those anymore", said Mrs. Beaver with a small smile.
It was first then I took a good look at the forest. Small, pink flowers sprung out in front of us, and the snow melted away.
"It's... beautiful", Lucy whispered, and then turned to the beavers. "So this is how Narnia looks in the spring? Mr. Tumnus mentioned it, but I never thought it would be so beautiful, like in a dream."
I stared at the small girl. She wasn't older than nine, and still the words she said were the words of a mature one.
As we went through the forest, I heard birds singing in the trees, and it also sounded as if the trees were whispering and talking to each other.
The sun dried us, and soon we had to take off the thick coats. I stopped in some seconds, closed my eyes and felt the sun on my face. Then I took off the bandage I still had around my waist. Under it there was no wound. I laughed and the others saw at me in surprise.
Filled with joy I took some steps, like in a dance, before I spun around, still laughing. I fell into a field of flowers and I heard the rest of them laughing too.
"Come on, children", Mrs. Beaver encouraged us. "We'll be in the camp tomorrow by dinnertime if we hurry now!"
I got up from the bed of flowers, took my staff and followed them.
It was just as Mrs. Beaver had said. It was just about dinnertime the second day after the river, and I was starting getting hungry when the trees in front of us disappeared and we stood at the beginning of a plain. A small river ran through a small town of red and yellow tents.
I stared at the creatures in awe. There were centaurs, dryads, and fauns, but also animals. Talking animals.
As we approached to the camp, we got the attention of at least hundred eyes, if not more. We passed a centaur and a bear who were making an armour, and a bit further some fauns were making dinner.
All the creatures we passed stopped with their jobs and stared at us. I felt uncomfortable, and without really wanting it, my hand searched for Peter's.
"Why are they staring at us?" Susan asked from the other side of Peter.
"Maybe they think you look funny", Lucy replied with a giggle. I had to smile, though Susan didn't answer.
We stepped into a clearing between the tents. There was nothing but one big, red and golden tent, and outside it stood a strict looking centaur with dark hair and a brown horse back. His eyes followed us when we stopped.
Peter unsheathed his sword and held it high when he spoke. "We have come to see Aslan."
A whisper went through the crowd which had gathered behind us, and then they knelt. I frowned at them, and then at the big tent. The opening to the tent was pushed away, and a great golden lion came slowly out. I and the Pevensies knelt while the lion came closer. I knew he was the one from my dreams, and he was also the one visiting me back at the Professor's house.
"Welcome, Peter, Son of Adam", Aslan said. His voice was deep and sonorous. "Welcome, Susan and Lucy, Daughters of Eve. Welcome, Catharina, Daughter of the Star. And welcome to you, Beavers. You have my thanks. But where is the second Son of Adam?"
At this Peter rose and sheathed his sword. "That's why we're here, sir. We need your help."
"We had a little trouble along the way", Susan continued. She, just like me, Lucy and the Beavers had rose.
"Our brother's been captured by the White Witch."
Behind us a new whisper went through the crowd, but this time without enthusiasm.
"Captured? How could this happen?" Aslan's eyes moved to me, and I got the feeling he blamed me for it.
"He... betrayed them, Your Majesty", Mr. Beaver tried to explain. The crowd grew louder, and I had to force back the urge to run as far away as I could.
"Then he has betrayed us all!" the centaur behind Aslan barked.
"Peace, Oreius", said Aslan in a soothing tone. "I'm sure there's an explanation."
"It's my fault, really", Peter said before I could say it. "I was too hard on him."
I saw Susan put her hand on his shoulder, and again I felt a small sting of jealousy. "We all were", the girl said.
"Sir, he's our brother", Lucy whispered in a pleading tone.
"I know, dear one", Aslan replied, "but that only makes the betrayal all worse. This may be harder than you think." In some seconds he got lost in his own thoughts, but then he saw at us again. "I'm sure you're all tired after this long journey. Laira, could you please show them to their tents and ask the chefs to prepare some food for them?"
A dryad with light green skin, a dark green dress and brown hair came up from the crowd. She curtsied to Aslan before she turned to us. "This way, please."
I was about to follow Peter, Susan and Lucy when I heard Aslan's voice behind me. "Catharina, I would like to talk to you, if you don't mind." I froze in some seconds before I turned to Aslan.
Suddenly a hand was put on my shoulder and I glanced up at Peter.
"Why, sir?" he asked the golden lion. "Have she done anything wrong?"
"Maybe. That decision have to wait until I've spoke with her." I swallowed. Then it was as I had thought. Aslan blamed me for Edmunds capturing. It nearly wasn't to carry.
I gave Peter a quick hug before I went up to Aslan. He nodded toward the tent, and with a last look at Peter I walked inside. I had the feeling that it could be the last time I saw Peter.
So, what do you think? Please, leave a review after you've read.
Thanks for your patience to read all this.