The High Queen Book One

Chapter 11 - Breaking

Third-Person POV

They rush to the top of the cliff, looking down at the ice sheets breaking away with the strong current of the freezing cold water. Tilly looks around, trying to find a way they can safely cross the vanishing frozen river before it is just water.

"We need to cross, now!" Peter demands, to which Tilly nods, agreeing they don't have time to waste.

"Don't beavers make dams?" Lucy questions the two animals, and Peter takes her hand.

"I'm not that fast, dear." Mr Beaver replies as his wife nods.

"Come on!" Tilly yells at the others, but Susan stops them, trying to be smart.

"Wait!" She calls, and the three other kids are already moving down the side of the cliff. "Will you think about this for a minute?" Her tone is harsh, but Tilly and Peter know they don't have time for it.

"We don't have a minute." The eldest says, turning back to his sister, who huffs, rolling her eyes.

"I'm just trying to be realistic." She says softer when Peter's harsh tone surprises her.

"No, you're trying to be smart." Tilly jumps in, "As usual." Susan rolls her eyes as her family and the Beaver keep moving, but when the howls of the wolves get louder, she quickly follows them down to the edge of the river, where some ice is still frozen. As the wolves pick up on their sent, their howls grow louder and travel throughout the forest, alerting Jadis and Edmund that his family is close. Peter takes the first step on the ice, but it cracks, and he almost falls through if Lucy and Tilly aren't holding him. "Don't!" She yells out to the boy. "We'll all be too heavy to test it."

"Maybe I should go first." Mr Beaver says, slowly walking out onto the ice.

"Maybe you should," Peter mumbles, swallowing thickly, as the beaver shuffles onto the ice, tapping his tail to find stable places and those that aren't. When the ice cracks every step he takes, Mrs Beaver calls out to him.

"You've been sneaking second helpings, haven't you?" She scolds, wiggling his finger at him.

"Well, you never know which meals going to be your last." He chuckles. "Especially with your cooking," He mumbles as the others start to follow. Peter frowns, looking sceptically at the ice, worrying they might fall through. Tilly puts her hand in front of Peter and walks behind the beavers, letting the other go behind her.

"If mum knew what we were doing...." Susan starts about to go on her long rants, but Peter shortly cuts her off.

"Mum's not here." He turns around, facing her while frowning, before turning back and carrying on. Tilly can hear the ice cracking next to her and the icicles breaking off down the cliffside as something at the top.

"Oh, no!" Lucy cries as she sees the wolves at the top, which the other also picks up on, and Tilly and Peter both yell out.

"Run!" Both worried more about being caught by the hounds than falling into the freezing cold river.

As the group tries to run over the ice, the wolves quickly jump into action surrounding them, and one takes Mr Beaver in his fangs. Peter grabs Tilly's hand, pulling her back into the small circle, so she isn't taken next. Mrs Beaver calls out to her husband as she sees the wolf attack him.

"No!" Lucy looks at the poor wife and husband starting to freak out and turns to Peter and Tilly.

"Peter!" As she yells his name, the boy draws his sword, pointing it shakily at the wolf. "Tilly!" When she looks at the younger girl's face, she lightly pushes her behind her and Peter and also takes out her sword, but she holds hers steady.