The scratching continued, growing more and more intense.
"Hurry, Mum," Mr. Beaver warned. "They're after us!"
"Right then," Mrs. Beaver replied. "Clara, fetch me the jam, if you will."
Clara handed Mrs. Beaver the jam and glanced at the door. "We must hurry. Maugrim will find a way in. It's only a matter of time.
"What is she doing?" Susan asked. "And Clara?"
Mrs. Beaver smiled softly. "Don't worry, you'll thank me later. It's a long journey and Beaver gets cranky when he's hungry."
"I'm cranky now!" Mr. Beaver cried.
"Do you think we'll need jam?" Susan wondered.
"Only if the Witch has toast," Peter answered sarcastically.
Clara frowned. "Peter, now is not the time."
They made their way down a secret tunnel. "This should lead to my friend's." Mr. Beaver informed.
Mrs. Beaver frowned. "You told me it led to your mum's."
Clara heard scuffling and crashing. "We don't have time to squabble. They're nearing us!"
Moments later, Lucy exclaimed, "They're in the tunnel!"
The tunnel led them to a dead end. "You should've brought a map!" Mrs. Beaver stated.
"There was no room next to the jam!" Mr. Beaver retorted, jumping from a hole.
With no map, they eventually made their way to the exit. Lucy fell on stone figures and Clara helped her up. Together, the girls investigated them. Mr. Beaver stepped closer to one of the figures. "He was my best mate."
"What happened here?" Peter wondered quietly.
"This is what happens to those who cross the Witch," a Fox replied, stepping out from the shadows.
"Stand still there, traitor," Mr. Beaver warned.
Clara stepped between the Fox and Mr. Beaver. The Fox gave her a nod of appreciation as he said, "Thank you, my lady." Though, the Fox looked at the blonde warily, not completely trusting her, which didn't surprise the girl. "Relax. I'm one of the good guys."
Mr. Beaver frowned. "Well, you look an awful lot like one of the bad ones."
"An unfortunate family resemblance, but we can discuss family breeding later. Right now, we need to move."
"What do you have in mind?" Peter asked.
The Fox told them to climb the tree behind them, so they did.
A pack of wolves soon appeared and stalked towards the Fox. They began circling him and the Fox took on a cocky tone of voice. "Greetings, gents. Did we lose something?"
Maugrim growled in annoyance. "Don't patronise me. I know where your allegiance lies. We're looking for some humans and the queen's daughter."
The Fox laughed. "Humans in Narnia? Now, that's a valuable bit of information, don't you think? I've no idea where queen's daughter is."
"Where are they?!" Maugrim demanded, grabbing the Fox's fur.
Lucy's quiet gasp was heard and Peter covered her mouth. Eventually, the Fox gave in. "North. They ran north."
"Quickly. Smell them out."
As soon as the wolves left, the children and Beavers' climbed down from the tree. As soon as they reached the ground, Clara made her way to the Fox to treat his wound.
"Are you all right?" Lucy asked worriedly.
The Fox let out a small chuckle, wincing as Clara treated him. "Well, I wish I could say their bark was worse than their bite."
The Fox wound was cleaned and bandaged and Clara let out a sigh. Mrs. Beaver gave the Fox a look. "You're worse than Beaver on bath day."
"Worst day of the year," Mr. Beaver said with a shudder.
The Fox bowed his head towards Clara. "Thank you for your kindness, but I'm afraid I must be leaving. I find comfort in the fact that you're nothing like your mother, princess."
Clara smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Fox. Be careful. My mother likely will not be kind."
"I appreciate the warning."
"You're leaving?" Susan asked.
"It has been a pleasure, my Queen. I have been asked by Aslan himself to gather troops."
"You've seen Aslan!" Mr. Beaver yelled.
"What's he like?" Mrs. Beaver wondered.
The Fox smiled. "Like everything we ever heard. You'll be glad to have him on your side in the battle against the witch."
Susan shook her head and frowned. Peter said, "We're not planning on fighting any witch."
The Fox turned to Peter. "Surely King Peter..."
He was cut off. "We just want to get our brother back."
DUNGEON
Edmund, in chains, was at the White Witch's palace. He attempted to eat the food he was given, but coughed and spit it out because of its taste. He attempted to drink a cup of water, which was frozen. He threw it on the tray.
"Are you gonna eat that?" Mr. Tumnus asked from the other prison.
Edmund gave him the food. "Mr... Tumnus."
"You're Lucy Pevensie's brother."
"I'm Edmund!"
"You have the same nose." Edmund rubbed his nose. "Is your sister all right?" Edmund didn't answer. "Is she safe? What about Clara? Did you meet her? Is she safe?"
"I... I don't know!"
The Witch returned as they went back to their places.
"My wolves tore that dam apart," the Witch said. "Your little family and my daughter were nowhere to be found." She lifted Edmund off the ground. "Where are they?"
"I don't know," Edmund replied.
"Then you are no longer any use to me... Guard."
"Wait they said something about Aslan."
"Aslan? Where?"
"Stranger has only been in Narnia a short..." Mr. Tumnus began as he was hit in the head.
"I left before I could hear anymore... I wanted to see you again," Edmund told her.
"Guard!" the Witch yelled.
"Yes, your majesty," the guard said.
"Release the faun." The guard hit the chains and Tumnus cried out in pain as he was dropped by the Witch. "Do you know why you are here?"
"Because I believe, like Clara, in a free Narnia."
The Witch stared at him coldly. "You're here because he," she pointed at Edmund, "turned you in... for sweeties." She turned to a dwarf and the guard. "Take him upstairs and ready my sleigh; Edmund misses his family and I have a child to punish."
ROCK BRIDGE
Their journey continued on and they happened upon a rock bridge. Mr. Beaver said, "Now, Aslan's camp is near the Stone Table, just across the frozen river."
"River?" Susan asked in a worried tone.
Mrs. Beaver gave her a reassuring smile. "It's been frozen for over a hundred years."
"It seems so far," Peter commented.
"It's the world, dear. Did you expect it to be small?"
"Smaller," Susan mumbled.
They slowly trudged through the snow.
WITCH'S COURTYARD
The dwarf brought Edmund up and he saw Tumnus turned to stone.
"Whenever you are ready Son-of-Adam," the Witch told him.
The sleigh went off into the forest with Edmund looking up at the Witch, both cold and fearful.
NARNIAN TERRAIN
Mr. Beaver turned to them and said, "Come on, before we're old."
Peter frowned. "If he tells me to hurry up one more time, I'm going to turn him into a big fluffy hat."
Clara laughed softly at his annoyance.
Mr. Beaver continued. "Hurry up, Son of Adam. We don't have all day."
"He is getting kind of bossy," Lucy said as Peter lifted her onto his back.
Peter glanced at Clara. "Are you okay?"
Clara nodded. "I'm all right. My mother's magic is wavering. I can feel it, and that brings about a great sense of hope."
"I suppose so. I'm glad it does."
She smiled and they heard bells ringing. "It's her! Run!" Mr. Beaver yelled, darting off. He then called out to them, "Quick! In here!"
They dove under a giant rock and waited in silence.
A few moments later, Clara said quietly, "I think she might have left, but be careful if she remains."
"I suppose I'll look," Peter decided.
Mr. Beaver shook his head. "No. You're no good to Narnia dead."
"Neither are you, Beaver," Mrs. Beaver said.
"Thanks, sweetheart!" He scrambled to the top.
Mr. Beaver left to investigate the mysterious sleigh with bells.