❝ 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...
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Phoebe heard Maugrim's voice before she saw him, and her breath caught in her throat. The wolves had found them. Peter, in his state of fear, let go of her hand and began to run faster, breaking out into the clearing ahead seconds before Phoebe did, heaving with rushed breaths.
"Ah, the Son of Adam returns." The wolf's voice was amused, yet menacing. The glint in his eyes scared Phoebe as the beast turned his gaze onto her, her heart still racing. "His little girlfriend too! Interrupting something, are we?" Maugrim and the wolves behind him chuckled deeply, an ominous sound. Phoebe glared at the wolf, praying that her fear wasn't as obvious as it felt. Wolves could probably smell fear, anyway. It didn't take a genius to figure out she was afraid.
Susan and Lucy were in a tree to Phoebe's right, and she edged slowly closer to them, trying to evade the wolves' notice. All of them still had their attention on Peter, baring their teeth in matching growls. Maugrim was pacing back and forth, like a shark toying with its prey. Glancing over to the girls in the tree, Phoebe could see the panic clear as day in their eyes. One of the wolves was circling their tree, snapping his teeth. Maybe Phoebe had somewhat of a death wish by going closer, but she had a feeling this other wolf would be less foreboding than Maugrim. The familiar noise of a sword being drawn sounded from where Peter stood on Phoebe's left, and her gaze flashed to him. He looked like a leader, like a King. Still, she knew he wouldn't want to kill Maugrim. The wolf seemed unperturbed, continuing with his laughter.
"Peter!" Susan's voice was anguished, almost terrified. The wolf was still snapping at her foot which was dangling out of the tree. Her horn was still clutched in her hand from earlier. Lucy was cowering away next to her, retreating further into the tree. "Think this through. Wait for Aslan, Peter!" Maugrim growled at her, and Susan let out a bizarre noise that Phoebe was sure she wouldn't be proud of.
"Peter, Peter." The wolf had a patronising tone to his voice, one which Phoebe was certain neither she nor Peter liked. "We've been through this, boy. You haven't got it in you. Need I remind you of the waterfall?" The wold was smirking as Peter's blade wavered in his hands. A growl from behind them drew Phoebe's eyes away from Peter, and her head whipped around to see Aslan pinning down the wolf who had been circling the tree. Oreius and the rest of the army weren't far behind, and Oreius seemed ready to go into battle, even if it was only against one wolf. Aslan shook his head at Oreius as Susan and Lucy descended from the tree, rushing over to Phoebe. "The great lion! Shame you can't save the little King here from his fate." Aslan snarled at the wolf, whose ears flattened just briefly.
"Stand down, Oreius." Aslan's voice was calm and commanding, as though he knew exactly how this fight would play out. "This fight is only Peter's." Maugrim chuckled again, and the three girls stood closer together, all enraptured by the suspenseful events playing out before them. Maugrim fell back onto his haunches, readying himself to jump, and Phoebe's heart practically leapt out of her chest. Peter seemed to be steeling himself, even as the wolf gained a determined set to his eyes.
