Peter couldn't help but smile at that comment, then he remembered something suddenly, and said, "He said Winter was almost over..you know what that means. No more ice!"

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Evelyn made a face, then tied her belt around her waist before following the Beavers to the river. "Oh, just great..." she said, looking down at the ice breaking.

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Peter looked slightly annoyed as he looked down at the river. "We need to cross, now!" he said, and Lucy looked at him.

"But don't beavers make dams?" she asked.

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"I'm not <i>that</i> fast, dear!" said Mr. Beaver.

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"Come on!" Peter said, grabbing Lucy by the hand.

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"Wait - will you just <i>think</i> about this for a minute?" asked Susan.

Evelyn, who had already started off with the others, instantly said, "We don't <i>have</i> a minute!" but looked at Peter when she realized he said the same thing.

Susan, surprised at both of them saying it so suddenly, said a bit more quietly, "I'm just trying to be realistic."

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"No, you're trying to be smart. As usual." Peter said, looking away from Evelyn and looking at Susan instead.

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Susan stared for a moment at them, not moving, but heard a howl behind her, and went.


Edmund sat miserably at the back of the Witch's sleigh.

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The wolves, by then, had reached the small cave that the Beavers and children had all hid in, and they were already following the trail that led to the river.

The Witch spared a momentary glance down at Edmund, though she raised her head again after a moment.

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When they finally reached the bottom, the last of the ice was already cracking.


Edmund looked at Felicity, then back down.

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Peter looked at the ice for a minute, thinking hard, then he took a step out onto the ice, though he quickly backed away as the ice cracked a little under the sudden weight.

Felicity didn't even look up, since she was so tightly curled up, and had her head on her knees.

The Witch glanced down and looked at the two, and allowing herself a slightly satisfied smile, she looked up again once more as Ginnabrik spurred the reindeer to go even faster.

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"Maybe I should go first," said Mr. Beaver.

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"Maybe you should." Peter admitted, looking at the river again, then at Beaver.

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Beaver stepped out carefully, testing the stability of the ice as he went along. One part cracked under his weight. "You've been sneaking second helpings, haven't you?" asked Mrs. Beaver.

"Well, you never know which meal's going to be your last!" he said, turning to look at her. He continued, muttering, "Especially with your cooking."

Evelyn shook her head and followed the others cautiously onto the ice. Parts of it snapped under their weight, and she whimpered a bit, but had no arm to hang on to. She closed her eyes and breathed shakily as she faced it by herself, almost frozen inside with fear.

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At one point, the ice cracked right underneath Lucy, and she shrieked in fear and grabbed onto Peter's arm tighter. Peter looked at Lucy, then looked back towards Evelyn for a moment. He then turned and looked at Susan as she said, "If mum knew what we were doing.."

"Mum's not here!" he reminded her, almost angrily.

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Evelyn closed her eyes tighter as the other two started shouting again. <i>Not now...</i> she thought. She heard something crashing down the side of the cliff, then looked up to see the wolves running along it. She quickly looked forward again, then back at the others.

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