She was right. Chloe could feel the temperature increasing as they'd arrived to the frozen waterfall. Well...it wasn't completely frozen by the time they'd arrived. The lake was slowly breaking the ice as it thawed out.
"We need to cross, now!" Peter urged.
Lucy looked at the beavers nervously, "Don't beavers make dams?"
"I'm not that fast dear," Beaver shook his head.
Chloe huffed, "Come on! I can slow it down as much as I can but we have to move!" She urged.
"Wait! Can we just think about this for a minute?" Susan asked.
"We don't have a minute!" Peter snapped.
She frowned, "I'm just trying to be realistic," she defended.
"No, you're trying to be smart! As usual!" He retorted.
In the distance Chloe could hear the howling of the Witch's guard and she knew they were running low on time, "Come on! I kind of have to figure out of to keep some this lake frozen!" She reminded them as they started their climb down to the melting lake.
She studied the lake a moment putting her staff lightly on the ice, a small crack formed before she felt a chill run through her veins, and the crack disappeared, but the rest of the lake remained unchanged, she realized she wouldn't be strong enough to stop it completely, "We're gonna have to run for it."
"I'll go first," Beaver told them, slowly stepping onto the ice, patting it with his tail. As he moved further in, the ice cracked, Chloe quickly extended her hand, feeling the chill once more as she fixed the crack.
"You've been sneaking second helpings, haven't you?" Mrs. Beaver accused.
He turned back with a shrug, "Well you never know which meal's gonna be your last," cautiously he took a few more steps forward, "Specially with your cookin'."
Finally Chloe stepped forward, refreezing any cracks in the ice with the others behind her. For every crack that she froze, another three appeared. She snapped her head behind her when she heard Lucy scream, but it was only because she'd caused another crack, "You're okay Lu," she consoled as she did her best to keep them on the ice.
"If Mum knew what we were doing-" Susan started.
"Mum's not here!" Peter barked, doing his best not to make any of the cracks worse.
To their left, Chloe noticed icicles falling from the waterfall. Initially she thought it was because it was melting, but Lucy yelled, "Oh no!" and glancing up, she realized it was because some of the Witch's wolves were running across, hoping to cut off their escape.
"Run!" Peter yelled, and so they started sprinting across as fast as they could.
But the wolves cut them off, and sandwiched them. They were growling on either end of the lake. Thinking fast, Chloe raised her staff and slammed it into the ice, in a burst of purple mist, the end of the lake that they'd come from broke off, the water flowing downstream. At least it would keep those wolves from getting to them on that side.
Beaver hissed and swiped at the others, trying to be intimidating, but one of the wolves lunged, biting down onto his midsection like they'd done to the fox, "No!" Mrs. Beaver screamed.
"Peter!"Lucy cried, clutching her big brother as the biggest wolf slowly approached them.
Peter unsheathed his sword, brandishing it nervously, "Put that down, boy," the wolf spoke, his voice rough, "Someone could get hurt."
"Back up!" Chloe threatened, moving her staff to her other hand and bringing her free hand up, she eyed the ice water from the lake, pulling it up, feeling as though it was an extension of her own body, and poised the tentacle-like arm over the wolves threateningly.
"You and I both know you can't control yourself just yet. You'll end up drowning your royals," Chloe would swear she thought the wolf was smirking at her. The water wavered as she thought maybe it would be a bad idea, she didn't want to risk the others if the wave took them under.
The wolf walked closer, it was then that Chloe noticed they were being herded toward the edge of the ice, "Leave now while you can," the wolf told Peter, "And your brother leaves with you."
"Stop! Maybe we should listen to him!" Susan yelled.
He chuckled evilly, "Smart girl,"
"Susan you're mad if you think he's actually gonna do what he says," Chloe muttered, her hand still poised to attack.
Beaver was yelling from his spot, "Don't listen to him! Kill him! Kill him now!"
But Peter made no move to stab him with the sword, keeping it pointed at the wolf but not attacking, "Come on. This isn't your war," the wolf shook its head, "All my Queen wants is for you to take your family and friend here and go."
"Look, just because some man in a big coat hands you a sword, it doesn't make you a hero!" Susan yelled, trying to get her brother to stop, "Just drop it!"
That was when Chloe had a feeling, she slowly looked to the waterfall, it was as though she could feel the water running down, thinning the ice. Then she got an idea, "Peter she's right!" She yelled, bringing her hand down, the water falling back to the river, "Drop it."
"No!" Beaver yelled, "Narnia needs you!"
"What's it gonna be, Son of Adam? I won't wait forever," the wolf was practically right in front of the sword, "And neither will the river," he indicated.
Chloe was trying to gather her strength, she knew what she had to do, channeling the running water beside them. She noticed the haze in her staff swirling around, and suddenly there was a large crack going down the center of the waterfall, water spewing out.
"PETER!" Lucy screamed when she saw it.
Peter and Susan flinched, and he looked around trying to figure out what to do, "Put the sword in the ice," Chloe whispered, "I'll handle the rest."
He heard her over the sound of the rushing water and nodded, "Hold on to me!" He yelled to his sisters before stabbing the sword into the crack that had formed on the ice.
They started to drift down the river, and that was when Chloe finally pushed the water out. It burst through the ice, collapsing it down onto the wolves who whimpered when they realized they'd been outsmarted. Chloe felt proud, until she realized the wave was a lot bigger than she'd planned. With one hand on her staff, and the other gripping Peter's coat, she struggled to get it under control.
They were underwater, but continued to remain a firm grip on each other, Chloe concentrated as much as she could to calm the wave, trying to steady her erratic heartbeat- and finally felt herself taking a large gulp of air once they'd broken the surface. The current was strong, but Chloe controlled what she could, pushing their bit of ice to shore, with the help of the Beavers.
The water was beyond cold and when Chloe had made it to shore she was quick to heat herself up, finding comfort in the purple smoke that traced her body as she got dry, "Alright, who needs to get dry?" She asked, "I think it's safe to say I've got the hang of this."
"I think Lucy should go first- Lu?" Susan turned only to see her brother holding onto their younger sister's coat...but no Lucy in it, "What have you done?!" She gasped.
Peter's face went pale and immediately Susan started calling for Lucy while Chloe was completely prepared to dive back into the icy water to look for her. But just before she could dive, they heard a frail voice coming from further down the shore ask, "Has anyone seen my coat?"
They all turned and saw poor Lucy clutching her cardigan, shivering. Chloe gripped her staff with both hands in relief while Susan smiled. Peter was quick to run over and wrap her coat back around her.
"Don't you worry, dear," Beaver comforted, "Your brother's got you well looked after."
Mrs. Beaver nodded, "And I don't think you'll need those coats anymore," she turned and looked off into the distance.
As they slowly walked through the wood they noticed the snow falling from the trees, which were sprouting pink flowers. Spring was arriving to Narnia before their very eyes. Chloe assisted in drying them off, guiding the warm breeze to the others with a wave of her hand and calming breaths. Once they were dry, the Pevensies discarded their coats; Chloe keeping her cloak, and they kept on their way.
💜
Chloe hadn't expected the number of creatures she saw when they finally arrived to Aslan's camp. Upon their arrival, a centaur blew on a horn, signaling they'd finally made it.
The day had turned beautiful, Chloe had removed her hood, keeping the cloak tied around her neck as they walked, admiring the green grass and blooming trees as they approached the camp.
Walking through the camp, the creatures stopped their tasks to see the Son of Adam and Daughters of Eve. There were centaurs, fauns, dryads, and a variety of different animals all doing different tasks and dressed for battle.
"Why are they all staring at us?" Susan asked lowly so as to not seem rude.
Lucy giggled, "Maybe they think you look funny."
They approached the main tent, next to it stood a centaur- a centaur in which Chloe found mighty familiar. But the thought was driven quickly out of her mind when Peter unsheathed his sword, pointing it in the air, "We've come to see Aslan."
The centaur looked to the tent. All the creatures who's stood behind them kneeled respectfully. The flap of the tent was flowing in the wind when the great lion himself walked out. Nothing would have prepared Chloe for how magnificent he looked. Her grandfather's stories almost didn't do him justice, for he was much more noble and glorious looking than she ever could've envisioned.
Chloe found herself smiling as she, herself, kelt down respectfully, keeping her hand on her staff. Peter, Lucy, Susan, and the Beavers followed suit.
"Welcome Peter, Son of Adam. Welcome Susan, Lucy, and Chloe, Daughters of Eve," Aslan's voice was like what Chloe would've imagined velvet to sound like if it were able to speak, it was rich and deep, "And welcome to you, Beavers. You have my thanks," he turned back to the humans, "But where is the fifth?"
Reluctantly, they got to their feet, "That's why we're here, sir," Peter spoke, "We need your help."
"We had a little trouble along the way," Susan frowned.
Chloe nodded, "Edmund had been captured by the White Witch," a low murmur rippled through the army behind them.
"Captured? How could this happen?" Aslan asked.
No one answered, until Beaver said, "He betrayed them, Your Majesty."
There was a gasp, "Then he has betrayed us all!" The head centaur spoke, Chloe's eyes widened in recognition at the voice.
"Peace, Oreius," Aslan comforted, a low growl coming from him, "I'm sure there's an explanation."
Chloe's eyes were now focused on Oreius, the centaur, as she was starting to see the resemblance between him and someone else she once knew. "It's my fault, really," Peter admitted, "I was too hard on him."
Susan sadly put her hand on her brother's shoulder, "We all were."
"Sir, he's my brother," Lucy told him sadly.
"I know, dear one. But that only makes the betrayal all the worse. This may be harder than you think," Aslan told them, "Susan, Lucy, why don't you go get changed, a dryad will assist you. I would like to speak with Peter and Chloe privately," Peter and Chloe looked to each other before nodding and following the lion to the top of the hill overlooking the rest of the camp, and in the distance, "That is Cair Paravel, the castle of the four thrones," he explained, "One of which you will sit, Peter, as High King," Peter looked down solemnly while Chloe just looked at the shining castle, wondering what the future of Narnia meant for her, "You doubt the prophecy?"
"No," he shook his head, "That's just it. Aslan, I'm not who you think I am. Chloe, she's got these abilities, she can defend Narnia better than I ever could-"
"You're Peter Pevensie, formerly of Finchley," the lion stated knowingly, "Beaver also mentioned that you planned on turning him into a hat," he stated jokingly, before continuing, "Peter, there is a Deep Magic, more powerful than any of us, that rules over Narnia. It defines right from wrong, and governs all our destinies. Yours, Chloe's, and mine," he explained, "And I have no doubt about young Chloe's battle abilities," he nodded to her kindly, "You shall train with Oreius and Asari, they will help you better prepare for battle."
She nodded looking down at her hand, conjuring a small ball of fire before diminishing it. Peter continued, "But I couldn't even protect my own family! Chloe was the one who got us out of the waterfall-"
"I didn't do it all by myself," she stopped him, "You can't diminish your worth Peter."
Aslan agreed, "You've brought them safely this far."
"Not all of them..."
Chloe frowned, "We'll get Edmund back."
"I will do what I can to help him, but I need you both to consider what I ask of you," Aslan looked down at the camp, "I, too, want my family safe."
Suddenly, they heard the blare of Susan's horn, "Susan!" Peter gasped, and the two of them took off in a sprint toward the sound.