The War of Kings Queens and a Witch

Chapter 9: No more ice

"He said winter was almost over."

I looked at Peter quizzically.

"You know what that means. No more ice," he stated.

Lucy and I exchanged worried looks. If the ice melts, how do we cross the river?

"Then we'd better hurry!" Mr. Beaver urges. He and Mrs. Beaver scurry ahead to lead the way.

Trudging through the snow was a little easier now that I wasn't freezing my nose off. But carrying the boots was started to get cumbersome.

"I wonder why I can't put them on yet," I asked nobody.

"Maybe they're really hard to use?" Lucy responded.

We hiked up a hill and looked down at the river. The ice was breaking away! Only a small path of it was left to cross on.

"We need to cross. Now!" Peter panicked.

"Don't beavers make dams?" Lucy asked.

"I'm not that fast, dear!" Mr. Beaver retorted.

"Come on!" Peter ordered.

He grabbed Lucy's hand and began to head down the slope.

"Wait! Will you just think about this for a minute?" Susan shouted worriedly.

I blew out an anxious breath as the siblings began to bicker again.

"We don't have a minute!" Peter snapped.

I stood between the two nervously watching the melting ice.

"I was just trying to be realistic," Susan said quietly, obviously hurt by Peter's harshness.

"No, you're trying to be smart! As usual!" Peter stated.

Lucy gave me an embarrassed eye roll and let Peter drag her down the hill.

Howling started in the distance. The wolves were coming.

"Come on, Su!" I called. I grabbed her hand. The two of us quickly followed the beavers down the hill after Peter and Lucy.

With careful haste, we picked our way down to the river. I jumped down from a rock and landed next to Susan.

I grimaced as the ice creaked and groaned. This would not be easy.

Peter fearfully looked at the melting ice, and then he tried to step on it. I gasped as it began to give way. But Peter was quick and pulled his leg back to safety.

I grabbed his arm and held it, glad he was safe and not too eager to leg him try again.

"Wait, maybe I should go first," Mr. Beaver said.

"Maybe you should," Peter agreed.

"Be careful," I pleaded.

We watched with baited breath as the beaver slowly stepped onto the ice. He didn't sink, but the ice creaked and shifted slightly. He tapped his tail to test the thickness before continuing on. I gripped Peter's coat as the ice cracked a little.

"You've been sneaking second helpings, haven't you?" Mrs. Beaver accused.

"Well, you never know which meals gonna be your last. Especially with your cooking," he defended himself.

Peter and I went onto the ice first, I grabbed Lucy's hand as she stepped on after us. We took a few hesitant steps. I looked back to see Susan stepping on the ice.

And it held.

Lucy screeched as the ice cracked under one of her feet. I quickly pulled her off it, and she clung to me to regain her balance.