The Heir I Need

Part I: Chapter 3

Peter

Aewryn and I rushed inside. She instantly frowned and I noticed her eyes starting to water.

"I'm gonna kill 'im," I snapped angrily.

"You may not have to," Mr. Beaver said with in a dark tone, "Has Edmund ever been in Narnia before?"

I shook my head.

"They'll come after us, we better hurry," he concluded looking downcast.

Mrs. Beaver began rushing about feverishly packing. Susan, Lucy, and Aewryn began to help her. Suddenly the howling of a wolf stopped all of us. A loud crunch was heard as something stepped on the dam. Soon more howls filled the air.

"This way!" Mr. Beaver commanded running down a hole in the wall.

We all followed after him. I held a torch as did Susan as we raced down the halls of the tunnel.

"Hurry!" Aewryn cried from the back of the group.

The sound of metal on metal filled the tunnel as she drew her sword. Finally the exit appeared in front of us and we all crawled out.

"C'mon Lucy," I encouraged grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the hole in the ground.

I reached down to help Aewryn. She hesitated before taking my hand. I pulled her up. Susan and I shoved the topper thing over the hole blocking it off. Everyone sat in the snow breathing heavily.

"Is everyone alright?" Mrs. Beaver asked looking around at all of us.

I nodded gulping down freezing breaths of air. Mr. Beaver was silent though as he stared at a statue of what looked like a badger. His wife comforted him. Aewryn and Lucy walked past him looking at the other concrete creatures.

"What happened?" Lucy asked looking scared.

Aewryn put an arm around her gently.

"This is what happens when you cross the White Witch," a different voice answered her.

A fox jumped out of nowhere snarling at the two girls. Before I could move forward, Aewryn had her sword pointed at the fox and had pushed Lucy behind her. Mr. Beaver stormed forward looking beyond angry.

"You traitorous little," he growled as Mrs. Beaver tried to hold him back, "If you take so much as one more step towards us, I will not hesitate to rip you to shreds."

"Whoa I'm on the good guys side," the fox chuckled though he didn't get any closer.

The sound of scratching caused us all to look back at the barrel to see it shifting a little. The wolves would break through any minute. Lucy clung to Aewryn's leg looking scared.

"Into the tree," the fox ordered nodding in the direction of the big tree nearby.

I helped the Beavers into the tree. Across from me Aewryn was helping Lucy and Susan. She refused to meet my eye as she then climbed into the tree herself and held out a hand to help me up. I sighed taking her hand and climbing up. Just as we were all hidden in the tree, the wovles broke through the barrel and came towards the fox who was inconspicuously dusting away over footprints with his tail.

"Where are they?" the lead wolf growled at him.

"Who?" the fox replied feigning innocence.

Another wolf leapt forward snatching the fox up in his teeth. The fox cried out in pain. Lucy's widened as Susan covered her mouth keeping her from gasping aloud.

"I know where you're loyalties lies," the lead wolf leered, "Tell me where the young royals went in return for your life. A fine trade huh?"

The fox growled rolling his eyes. But he didn't answer. The wolf bit down harder and he squeaked in pain.

"Alright alright. North," he gasped out in pain, "They were going north."

The wolf nodded sneering at him before turning and heading north. The rest of the pack followed after the one wolf spit the fox out. Once we were sure they were far enough away, Aewryn jumped down from the tree. The rest of us climbed down carefully as she rushed to the fox's side. She carefully picked him up and we began walking again trying to put some distance between us and the dam.

"We better set up camp here for tonight," Mr. Beaver suggested, "I'll get a fire going."

I watched as Aewryn and Mrs. Beaver set to work on the fox. It was hard not to stare as Aewryn was helping stitch the fox's wounds. Her forest green eyes sparkled in the firelight as they remained focused on the task before her. Small snowflakes sparkled in her hair and she looked like a princess. Her eyes flickered upward and met mine. They held for a second before she looked back down with a sad frown. Regret filled me instantly. We can't stay but what if we leave?