❝ there was a difference between living and existing, and for the first time, phoebe felt like she was living. and wasn't that a marvellous thing?❞
[book 1]
in which a boy calls a girl irrelevant, but somehow manages to fall in love with her anyway...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
✳︎
The five of them had formed into an uneasy group, and how couldn't they be uneasy when their leader was quite literally a beaver. Lucy was at the head of the group, chatting away to the beaver (Phoebe still wasn't used to the fact that he could talk). Susan and Peter were walking close to Phoebe, though not close enough to hold any sort of conversation. Edmund was walking a good twenty metres behind, clearly troubled by something.
Phoebe still wasn't quite sure where she stood in their hierarchy of sorts. She was friends with Susan, but she wasn't related to them in any way. In fact, she wouldn't be here unless Susan had grabbed her. She couldn't help but feel like she didn't belong.
Peter hadn't made any attempts to speak to her, and neither had Susan. They were all still reeling from the shock of the discovery of a new world, the disappearance of Mr. Tumnus, and the fact that they were being led off into the world by a fuzzy creature who, by all accounts, really shouldn't have been able to talk. Yeah, Phoebe could understand why no-one was talking (except for Lucy, but her enthusiasm was seemingly endless).
Snow might have been beautiful, but it was bloody boring when it was endless. So much white, so many trees stripped bare. Up ahead, Phoebe could just see the forest clearing, but there was still an endless expanse of untouched, chalk-white plains.
Phoebe heard footsteps approach her slightly, and she looked to her right to see Peter falling into step beside her. He still didn't seem eager to speak, but it was the first time he'd made any movement whatsoever towards her.
Within seconds, Susan began walking on her opposite side, the three of them forming a small group. Phoebe was glad no one was speaking - she felt very hemmed in, despite the fact that the expanse around her was hugely empty.
"Ah! The missus put on the kettle! Just the thing for a day like today!" The beaver's voice was loud. Clearly, he didn't have a problem bossing the children around. Despite his stature, he was likely several years their senior. He veered off their track towards a lump in the snow - a smoking lump.
A dam! That was right! Beavers built dams! Phoebe could see the harsh, sharp edges of sticks poking out from the heavy snow that had clearly buried the beaver's home over many snow days.
"It's lovely, Beaver!" Lucy's voice was filled with awe. It was heartwarming to Phoebe, the way that every single thing filled Lucy with wonder and excitement.
"It's not quite finished yet. It'll look quite the castle when it is, mark my words. Come, come, all of you. The heat'll get out if you sorry lumps don't hurry up!" The brown fellow's voice was filled with mirth as he waved the cold, shivering children over with his paw. Phoebe began to walk faster, eager with the promise of heat - maybe the smoke was coming from a fire. Oh, that really would be lovely.
Once all five of them (even Edmund) were clustered around the door, the beaver busied himself with opening it.
"Beaver! Have you been out with Badger again? If you have-" An audible gasp sounded inside the door, cutting off the warm, maternal voice. "You couldn't've given me a chance to fix my fur? Christ, I only made tea for two, not bloomin' seven!" Phoebe chuckled slightly at The five of them, along with Beaver, made their way into the tiny house. It really was cramped, although Phoebe thought it was rather cosy - and, even better, it was warm!
