Lifeline ⤞ Peter Pevensie [Chronicles of Narnia]

vii

By the time the group got to the side of the supposedly Frozen River, it was far too late.

The cracking of the ice echoed in the distance, and Fallon watched as pieces of frozen water drifted down the river, leaving less and less space to walk on behind them.

Peter made the decision for everyone by saying, "We need to cross. Now."

"Don't beavers make dams?" Lucy asked, a hint of hope in her voice.

"I'm not that fast, dear," Mr. Beaver replied, giving her a patient tone.

Peter grabbed Lucy's hand then, dragging her down the hilltop. "Come on!"

"Wait!" Susan called, causing her brother to stop. "Will you just think about this for a minute?"

"We don't have a minute," Peter snapped as he stared his sister down.

"I'm just trying to be realistic," Susan defended, seeming offended.

"No, you're trying to be smart," Peter said slowly, as if Susan was a toddler and he was teaching her an important life skill. "As usual." He added that last part with a scoff, turning once again.

Fallon stayed behind for a second, waiting for Susan. "Su–"

Her speech was interrupted by a howl, one that didn't sound too far away either.

The two girls looked at each other for a moment before turning towards the direction Peter, Lucy, and the Beavers had walked in, gripping onto rocks and each other as the climbed down. When they reached the bottom, Peter was already taking a tentative step onto the ice, but before Fallon could warn him, the frozen water cracked, forcing Peter to take a step backwards as he pushed Lucy behind him.

"Wait," Mr. Beaver said, stepping in front of the group. "Maybe I should go first."

"Maybe you should," Peter stuttered, still scared about having nearly fell into the river not more than a few seconds ago.

As Beaver walked across the ice, carefully tapping his tail around, Fallon noticed a few, small cracks forming under his paws.

"You've been sneaking second helping, haven't you?" Mrs. Beaver said, partially worried yet annoyed at her husband.

Mr. Beaver looked at her innocently.

"Well," he stated, "you never know which meal's gonna be your last. Especially with your cooking." He added that last part with a mutter, and Fallon probably would have brought herself to laugh if they hadn't been in such an intense situation.

Peter slowly crept forward, clinging onto Lucy's hand as he walked over the crack he'd formed in the ice earlier, making his way behind Mr. Beaver carefully.

Lucy let out a shriek when she tripped, and Fallon instinctively stepped forwards, grabbing her coat and pulling her back up in a moment.

The little girl didn't say anything, but as she looked back at her, Fallon could see the pure terror in her eyes.

"If mum knew what we were doing..." Susan said, leaving the others to allude to what would have finished her sentence.

Peter snapped his head around, careful not to move his feet and said, "Mum's not here."

Fallon looked at him before looking to Susan, who was staring at the ice beneath her feet, inching forwards. The girl had never had any siblings, but she knew that if she did, she would probably argue just like Peter and Susan did, but she saw the love the two felt for one another nonetheless.

Suddenly, Fallon heard sounds coming from above them, and she craned her neck upwards, her eyes widening when she saw three wolves running on the surface of the frozen waterfall.