Caspian looks very hard at the trees, which he doubts could have come so wholly to life under the tree-sisters' will alone. As he does, he smells fresh water and earth, and when his glance shifts, he sees with a small shock that the willow-woman, she who had even forgotten how to speak has made her slow way up from her bed by the stream.

Nor is she alone: the white pine has joined her. The four tree-sisters now all stand in a protective circle around them, branches waving gently.

The birch-woman leans forward to embrace Susan in green leaves and the sweet smell of sap. We promised, she murmurs. No harm will come to you here. No killing frost. No flame.