3.1
"Ah, blimey! Looks like the old girl has got the kettle on. Nice cup o' Rosy Lee," Mr. Beaver says as they stop on top of a hill overlooking his home.
"It's lovely," Zoe compliments his home.
"It's merely a trifle. Still plenty to do. Ain't quite finished it yet. It'll look the business when it is, though," Mr. Beaver explains as he starts to lead them down the hill.
"Beaver, is that you?" A female voice asks as they get close to the home. "I've been worried sick! If I find you've been out with Badger again, I... Oh!" Mrs. Beaver stops talking as she sees the Pevensies and Zoe behind Mr. Beaver. "Well, those aren't badgers. Oh, I never thought I'd live to see this day. Look at my fur. You couldn't give me ten minutes warning?"
"I'd have given a week if I thought it would've helped," Mr. Beaver tells her causing Susan, Zoe, and Lucy to giggle.
"Oh, come inside, and we'll see if we can't get you some food, and some civilized company," Mrs. Beaver says causing Mr. Beaver to chuckle.
"Now, careful. Watch your step," Mr. Beaver says before leading the way inside.
"Isn't there anything we can do to help Tumnus?" Peter asks after they had gotten settled in around the table, except for Edmund, who stayed near the door.
"They'll have taken him to the Witch's. You know what they say. There's few that go through them gates that come out again," Mr. Beaver explains, causing Lucy to frown.
"Fish 'n' chips?" Mrs. Beaver asks to interrupt him.
"But there is hope, dear. Lots of hope," Mrs. Beaver tells Lucy, causing Mr. Beaver to choke on his drink.
"Oh, yeah, there's a right bit more than hope! Aslan is on the move," Mr. Beaver tells them excitedly.
"Who's Aslan?" Edmund asks as he walks over to the table.
"Who's Aslan?" Mr. Beaver repeats as he laughs. "You cheeky little blighter." Mrs. Beaver notices the Pevensies' and Zoe's confused faces before nudging Mr. Beaver. "What? You don't know, do you?"
"We haven't exactly been here long," Zoe answers him with a shrug.
"Well, he's only the king of the whole wood. The top geezer. The real King of Narnia," Mr. Beaver explains as he waves his arms around to express how big of a deal Aslan is.
"He's been away for a long while," Mrs. Beaver adds with a nod.
"But he's just got back! And he's waitin' for you near the Stone Table!" Mr. Beaver says excitedly.
"He's waiting for us?" Lucy asks confused.
"You're bloomin' joking! They don't even know about the prophecy!" Mr. Beaver says as he looks at Mrs. Beaver.
"Well, then..." Mrs. Beaver says as she motions for him to tell them.
"Look. Aslan's return, Tumnus' arrest, the secret police, it's all happening because of you!" Mr. Beaver explains to them.
"You're blaming us?" Susan asks him, offended.
"No! Not blaming. Thanking you," Mrs. Beaver answers her.
"There's a prophecy," Mr. Beaver tells them. "'When Adam's flesh and Adam's bone sits at Cair Paravel in throne, the evil time will be over and done'."
"That doesn't really rhyme," Susan says, causing Zoe to slightly roll her eyes.
"I know it don't. You're kinda missin' the point!" Mr. Beaver says as he starts getting annoyed.
"It has long been foretold that two Sons of Adam and three Daughters of Eve will defeat the White Witch and restore peace to Narnia," Mrs. Beaver explains causing Zoe to smile, while Susan and Peter look at each other worriedly. Peter and Zoe both reach for something to drink but end up touching hands causing them both to quickly pull back and blush as they glance at each other. "With the oldest son of Adam and the oldest daughter of eve falling in love."
"And you think we're the ones?" Peter asks after him and Zoe share looks of disgust.
"You'd better be, 'cause Aslan's already fitted out your army," Mr. Beaver answers him.
"Our army?" Zoe and Lucy ask at the same time.
"Ours Mums sent us away so we wouldn't get caught up in a war," Susan says as she looks at Peter and Zoe.
"I think you've made a mistake. We're not heroes," Peter tells the beavers.
"We're from Finchley," Susan says, causing the beavers to look at each other confused. "Thank you for your hospitality. But we really have to go."
"No, you can't just leave!" Mr. Beaver says as Susan and Peter stand up.
"He's right. We have to help Mr. Tumnus," Lucy tells them with a pleading look.
"It's out of our hands," Peter tells her as he shakes his head. "I'm sorry, but it's time the five of us were getting home. Ed?" They turn to find Edmund gone. "Ed? I'm gonna kill him."
"You may not have to," Mr. Beaver says, causing them to look at him. "Has Edmund ever been to Narnia before?" The remaining siblings and Zoe look at each other worriedly before grabbing their coats and rushing out the door.
"Hurry!" Zoe calls as she and Mr. Beaver lead the way up the hill. Zoe gasps as she reaches the top of the hill and sees a castle. The Pevensies reach her as they watch Edmund head for the door.
"Edmund!" Lucy yells as she grabs Zoe's hand.
"Shh! They'll hear you!" Mr. Beaver tells her before Peter starts to run for the castle. "No!"
"Get off me!" Peter tells Zoe, who is holding him back.
"You're playing into her hands," Mr. Beaver tells him as Peter jerks his arm away from Zoe, causing her to fall into the snow.
"We can't just let him go!" Susan argues as Peter looks at Zoe in shock because he hadn't meant to knock her down while Zoe glares up at him.
"He's our brother!" Lucy adds as Zoe stands up to comfort her.
"He's the bait! The Witch wants all five of you!" Mr. Beaver explains as he looks between the four.
"Why?" Zoe asks him as she looks away from the castle.
"To stop the prophecy from coming true. To kill you!" Mr. Beaver answers her before they turn to watch the gates close with Edmund inside them.
"This is all your fault," Susan says as she marches towards Peter and Zoe.
"Our fault?" Zoe asks her with a glare.
"None of this would have happened if you two had listened to me in the first place!" Susan yells at them as Zoe continues to glare at her.
"You knew this would happen?" Peter asks her as he finds himself standing next to Zoe protectively.
"I didn't know what would happen. Which is why we should have left while we could!" Susan answers him as she shakes her.
"Stop it!" Lucy yells at them, causing them all to look at her. "This isn't going to help Edmund."
"She's right. Only Aslan can help your brother now," Mr. Beaver tells them with a nod.
"Then take us to him," Zoe responds determined to save Edmund and anyone else she could save.
As they make their way back to the beaver's home they could hear the howls of wolves before Mr.Beaver started to get panicky.
"Hurry, Mother! They're after us!" Mr. Beaver orders as they rush into the house.
"Oh, right then," Mrs. Beaver says before she starts grabbing things.
"What's she doing?" Peter asks as he glances at Zoe worriedly.
"Oh, you'll be thanking me later. It's a long journey and Beaver gets pretty cranky when he's hungry," Mrs. Beaver explains as Susan starts to help her.
"I'm cranky now!" Mr. Beaver tells her as he paces.
"Do you think we'll need jam?" Susan asks as she adds it to the other food.
"Only if the Witch serves toast," Zoe retorts, causing Susan to glare at her while Peter hides a smile. The growls of the wolves could be heard outside before they started to dig into the home. Mr. Beaver quickly ushers them into a hidden tunnel.
"Badger and me dug this. Comes out right near his place," Mr. Beaver explains as he leads the way.
"You told me it led to your mum's!" Mrs. Beaver accuses before Lucy trips.
"Lucy!" Zoe says as she helps Lucy up before they hear the wolves.
"They're in the tunnel," Lucy says scared as Peter rushes to her and Zoe.
"Quick! This way. Hurry!" Mr. Beaver tells them.
"You should have brought a map!" Mrs. Beaver says as Mr. Beaver leads them to what appears to be a dead end.
"There wasn't room next to the jam," Mr. Beaver retorts before climbing up. Zoe and Peter make sure that Lucy and Susan are up before going up themselves.
"Come on, Lucy!" Susan says as she pulls Lucy out of the hole. After Peter and Zoe are out they use a barrel to block the hole. Zoe feels something over her hand before looking to find Peter's hand on top of hers. Zoe looks up at Peter in shock as he looks over at her also in shock. Zoe and Peter quickly pull their hands back with a quick glare at each other as Lucy trips over what appears to be statues before Mr. Beaver walks over to a stone badger.
"I'm so sorry, dear," Mrs. Beaver says as she joins him.
"He was my best mate," Mr. Beaver says sadly while Mrs. Beaver attempts to comfort him.
"What happened here?" Zoe asks trying to hide the blush that is present on her face as they look around to see more animals turned to stone.
"This is what becomes of those who cross the Witch," A fox says as he appears out of nowhere.
"You take one more step, traitor, and I'll chew you to splinters!" Mr. Beaver threatens as Mrs. Beaver holds him back.
"Relax. I'm one of the good guys," The fox says as he walks closer.
"Yeah? Well, you look an awful lot like one of the bad ones," Mr. Beaver accuses with a glare.
"An unfortunate family resemblance. But we can argue breeding later. Right now we've got to move," The fox explains before they hear the wolves in the tunnel.
"What did you have in mind?" Peter asks him before the fox has them climb into a tree while he covers their tracks.
"Greetings, gents. Lost something, have we?" The fox asks as the wolves circle him.
"Don't patronize me! I know where your allegiance lies," Maugrim states with a snarl. "We're looking for some humans."
"Humans? Here in Narnia? That's a valuable bit of information, don't you think?" The fox questions him before a wolf grabs him from behind. Zoe quickly covers Lucy's mouth as she goes to gasp.
"Your reward is your life. It's not much, but still. Where are the fugitives?" Maugrim threatens him. The fox looks down sadly, making Zoe think that he was going to tell where they are.
"North. They ran north," The fox tells Maugrim.
"Smell them out," Maugrim orders before the fox is tossed to the side and the wolves take off. Once they make sure that the wolves were gone before they climb out of the tree and built a fire.
"They were helping Tumnus. The Witch got here before I did," Mr. Fox explains about the animals turned to stone.
"Are you all right?" Lucy asks as Mr. Fox whimpers.
"Well, I wish I could say their bark was worse than their bite. Ow!" Mr. Fox answers her as Mrs. Beaver tries to help him.
"Stop squirming! You're worse than Beaver on bath day," Mrs. Beaver tells him.
"Worst day of the year," Mr. Beaver says, causing Zoe to giggle.
"Thank you for your kindness, but that's all the cure I have time for," Mr. Fox says as he stands up.
"You're leaving?" Zoe asks him confused.
"It has been a pleasure, My future Queen, and an honor, but time is short and Aslan himself has asked me to gather more troops," Mr. Fox explains, causing her to lightly smile as he called her future queen. She had to admit that she liked it while Peter is confused by how easily she is accepting everything.
"You've seen Aslan?" Mr. Beaver asks as Mrs. Beaver gasps.
"What's he like?" Mrs. Beaver asks.
"Like everything we've ever heard. You'll be glad to have him by your side in the battle against the Witch," Mr. Fox answers.
"But we're not planning on fighting any witch," Susan tells him with a frown.
"But surely, King Peter, the prophecy!" Mr. Fox states as he looks at Peter. Zoe can't help but think about how she was called future queen while Peter was called king. Then she remembers the prophecy. Could she ever really love Peter in that way?
"We can't go to war without you," Mr. Beaver adds as he looks at Peter as well.
"We just want our brother back," Peter tells them with a shake of his head and a sigh.
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