The tree was an unwelcome visitor to the back of Neal Cassidy. Its course bark bit into his back while it also tattered up his hands that were wrapped around its base. All around him was sleeping lost boys, save one, who kept Baelfire under his careful eye.
It was very same group of lost boys that dragged him away from his unconscious son and had crushed his hope of besting Pan at his game for only a quick few moments, but it was going to be the very same group of lost boys who were going to be reprimanded for losing sight of their captive.
How far away he was from his son, Neal did not know. All he was aware of - at the moment - was the withering away of the bonds that held him captive, as he rubbed his hands up and down the bark of the tree and the chance of freedom he had in sight.
"Stop your fidgeting Baelfire. It's making an unpleasant noise."
The sound came from the boy on watch duty who finally stood up from where he was seated and carried himself over to where the now calmed Baelfire was tied up. Neal, a moment before, felt the rope bonds fall from off his hands and down the back side of the tree. Keeping his hands pulled together, while the lost boy came only a few feet away, was only the first step to his plan that quickly developed in his mind.
"Well, this bark isn't as comfortable as I remember, Toothless."
Toothless gave his traditional toothless smile. He stepped even closer to Baelfire's face, so that the stench of the lost boy's last meal was clearly distinguishable.
"You didn't happen to save some rabbit stew for me, did you?" Neal played sarcastically to the boy that now just sneered.
"Enjoy your jokes while you're still alive, Baelfire. Pan has a special plan for you. One that you'll find isn't too enjoyable."
His hot breath lingered on Baelfire's face as he turned around to head back to his perch. With one quick movement, Neal released his hands and sent the lost boy to the world of momentary unconsciousness in a single blow to the back of the head; it clearly being not the first time that he accomplished this feat in one day's time.
"I think that I'll enjoy my plan instead." Neal spoke in a whisper to the motionless boy now face planted in the mud. He quickly peered around to see if the clamor awoke any others, but was pleased to find them all still asleep under the stars. Grabbing a quiver and a bow, Neal escaped the scene as quickly as possible, not taking a glance behind.
Not taking a glance behind, at a boy named Peter Pan who observed the whole development that had just taken place and that now held a grin from ear to ear as his captive escaped.
"Oh Baelfire, how much I am going to enjoy this."
