Chapter 3 – Pirates and Indians
The Indian Encampment
The Lost Boys and Peter Pan danced around a bonfire that burned in the large fire pit situated at the center of the Piccaninny Indian Encampment. As many Indians sang and played pipes, rattles and drums, the sun was setting to the east. The camp consisted of dozens of brightly colored tents, a large armory of homemade weapons and approximately seventy five members of the tribe. The Chief known as Great Big Little Panther, a portly, seven foot tall, dark-skinned man with a leathery face, had just inaugurated Peter into the tribe and the whole village was celebrating. Peter wore a lengthy headdress made of jay feathers and maple leaves over his knit cap. With his arms folded into each other, he kicked his feet up in a peculiar dance. Tinker Bell flew around the fire, clapping her hands in enjoyment.
Without warning, the Chief gave a loud howl at the top of his lungs. Everyone in the village immediately halted. The Chief approached the great bonfire and began to beat a small drum held tightly in his hands.
"How!"
"How!" everyone responded to the Chief's greeting as they sat Indian style on the ground.
"Peter Pan, like boys who join tribe before, must act in Native custom. Now he learn great crow of the Neverbird."
Immediately all the members of the Piccaninny tribe stood up and began to crow like a brood of wild birds. Each of the Lost Boys suddenly flew into the air and also began to show off, crowing as hard and loud as they could. Peter watched in amazement and quickly followed suit, leaping into the air trying to imitate his brethren with a loud, throaty wail. Tinker Bell whizzed through the air and flew up to Peter, clapping for him. By now, all the Lost Boys had returned to the ground and as Peter continued to crow, drums hammered a similar rhythm.
Peter descended back to the ground and the Chief briskly approached him. Peter smiled as the Chief knelt down and placed his hands on Peter's shoulders.
"Peter Pan, you have mastered crow of the great Neverbird. Use it when happy or during victory."
"Now I'm officially part of the tribe?"
"Yes. Now, you play this," the Chief proclaimed, as a member of the tribe handed Peter a beautiful musical instrument made from a row of short bamboo stalks that were fixed together with a leather strap like pipes.
"Blow," the tribesman demanded sternly.
Peter began to move his mouth across the instrument and as he blew into it, everyone in ear shot was in awe. Peter was playing a beautiful melody that was at once familiar, yet mysterious. Though Peter had never played before, he seemed to have mastered this instrument in a matter of minutes. As he finished his made up song, the Chief patted him on the head.
"In honor of playing, I now call pipe the pan flute."
"Wow, thank you, Big Chief!"
"You keep flute as gift. Every visit to village, you play more."
"I will. I will," Peter promised, tying the flute with a string to the left side of his belt.
Out from behind the Chief, stepped a short, dark-skinned girl who looked to be about Peter's age. Resembling a princess, she wore a brown, cow-hide dress and had long, jet black hair that reached to the small of her back. She stepped up to Peter and stared at him with big, brown eyes.
"Who is she?" Peter wondered with a smile.
"Tiger Lilly!" The Chief announced with pride. "My daughter."
"Hello!"
"How!" the girl acknowledged, bowing her head.
"How? Is that all you can say, girl?" Peter laughed, glaring mockingly at the Lost Boys. "Why don't ya' just say hi?"
Tiger Lilly looked stern as if she didn't understand. Quietly, she moved in close to Peter and kneed the poor boy in the groin. Peter let out a cry and slowly dropped to his knees. A slight smile came across Tiger Lilly's face and she ran back to her father. The Lost Boys and Tinker Bell erupted in laugher at the sight of Peter wincing in pain.
As Peter returned to his feet, he was not amused. "Alright! We're leaving. Chief, thank you for the celebration. Until we meet again," the boy acknowledged before hurriedly flying away.
"But, Pan, we were only having a bit of fun," Tootles called out, disappointed that his friend got so offended.
The Chief gave a humored smile, waved, and turned away, sauntering back to his teepee. The Lost Boys and Tinker Bell were disappointed, realizing the young boy could not take a simple joke. They did not want to leave, but ultimately they followed their leader back to the Underground Hideaway, knowing Peter had been embarrassed.
A few days had passed and Peter and Tink were playing near the Mermaid Lagoon at the edge of the Tiki Forest. From the shores of the forest Peter saw three buxom figures swimming close to the shore. A beautiful blonde, brunette and redhead appeared about twenty five feet from the shore line.
"Oh, Peter, the mermaids! Aren't they beautiful?" Tinker Bell proclaimed, wide eyed in admiration.
"Who are you?" Peter quickly called out.
"We are the sirens of Mermaid Lagoon," the brunette known as Amber offered. "And you?"
"Why, I'm Peter Pan!"
"Yes, you are," the redhead called Ana declared playfully, splashing him.
"Hey, stop that," Peter laughed, spattering back.
"You're adorable," the blonde mermaid identified as Siri uttered with a sinister smile. "We like you! In fact, if you and your pixie ever need anything from any of us, all you have to do is come by."
"I will, thanks!" Peter acknowledged.
"And we do mean anything."
Peter blushed, not sure what the beautiful siren was meaning until everyone noticed a dark shadow came over the lagoon.
"That's Hook's ship," Tinker Bell informed as The Jolly Roger, a monstrous, triple-masted, fifth rate frigate with forty guns suddenly came into view.
"Hook?" the brunette mermaid exclaimed in surprise and fright. "Dive girls, hurry."
As quick as the mermaids had plunged deep into the water, Peter flew and landed on a massive outcropping, a rock, located at the mouth of the lagoon, known as Marooner's Rock. As Tinker Bell trailed behind him, he watched the pirate ship sailing by and decided it was time to have some fun.
The odious Captain James Bartholomew Hook, called Jas for short by those who best knew him, stirred in slumber. He was having a bad dream and drooling all over his desk. He immediately shot out of his chair like a lightning bolt as an abrupt and loud crash finally and violently awoke him. With the howl of a monstrous beast, he alerted his right-hand man.
"Smee!"
The door to the Captain's cabin swung viciously open as the short, overweight, middle-aged gentleman pirate known only as Smee rushed in.
"Hiya, Captain Jas! Glad to see you finally awake."
"Get me my coat you imbecile. And what was that noise?" Hook growled.
"One of the crew found this flying boy, Sir. Most peculiar. He was with a pixie!"
"Pixie?" Hook uttered in surprise. "It must be Tinker Bell and one of her pathetic Lost Boys again. Tell Starkey or Jukes or Black Murphy to shoot them down. Blow them out of the water."
"You think that's wise, Captain? If we shoot the boy down, his gang will be by and it'll be another war."
"So be it, Smee. I could use some fun."
Hook stood, nearly six and a half feet tall, as Smee adorned him in a red coat with golden lining and brass buttons. His black, cavalier-style hat topped his shoulder length dark, wavy locks that framed his chiseled face. At least two days worth of dark whiskers covered his chin and were offset by the lengthy, thick mustache that made him appear foreboding. His ruffled, long-sleeved gray shirt was unlaced at the neck, revealing a dark patch of hair the top of his bronzed chest. His darkly colored breeches were tight-fitting, gathered with ribbons below the knee and above white stockings. His heavy boots with wide cuffs and brass buckles were fancy yet shabby. Two Flintlock pistols and a dagger were attached to the wide, black pirate's belt around his waist and a sheathed cutlass hung from a golden leather strap that was wrapped around his broad right shoulder.
Captain Hook and Smee stepped out to the deck to see the commotion. Peter Pan and Tink were flying left and right, evading fire from a heavily tattooed pirate with rotten teeth, named Bill Jukes. Peter swooped down to Jukes, punching him in the gut and quickly pulling a fancy parrying dagger from the mean pirate's belt. This dagger was a steel blade of about 35 centimeters in length with an engraved silver leaf on the blade near the hilt, a solid gold cross guard, a dark leather-wrapped grip with a titanium knuckle guard and a large acorn shell fused to the pommel.
"Gimme back me knife, boy, or I'll cut ya' down with a shot from me pistol."
"Oh really?" You're doin' a great job so far," Peter mocked.
"I've never seen this one before!" Hook uttered quietly to Smee. "Who is this lad?" he continued, staring at Peter in fascination.
"Not sure, Captain Jas. Just a bloomin' fool."
"Look at how he moves. Such grace and precision," Hook commented before moving down the crimson-carpeted steps that led to the main deck of the ship. "You there, young man," Hook pointed to Peter with his left hand.
Peter quickly landed in the center of the ship's deck and rapidly approached his quarry. "Captain Hook, I presume!"
"And you are?"
"Surely you've heard of me, Captain. I'm the newest addition to Neverland. Peter Pan, at your service."
"Pan? Peter Pan? No, I don't believe I've had the pleasure, lad. Are you with the Lost Boys?"
"Nope! They're with me, Hook. They're my men."
"That's Captain Hook to you, my boy. I must say, Peter. I am impressed. Intrigued by you even. I wish to offer you a place on my ship as my boatswain."
"But Captain, I'm the boatswain of this here ship," a fat pirate with an eye patch shouted from behind Peter.
Hook immediately unclipped a Flintlock pistol from his belt, pointed it, aimed, and shot his boatswain in the face.
"Not anymore, my good man." Hook expressed carelessly. "So, Peter, that is, Mr. Pan… What do you say to my offer?"
"I'll never join you, Hook! Pirates are vile and disgusting."
"Quite a very poor choice of words, my dear boy. The last person that called me vile was tossed overboard as shark fare."
"Just try it, Hook. You'll never catch me."
"No? Then how about a duel? While I abhor how easy it is to kill children, you might actually present a challenge."
"You're on, Hook," Peter agreed, holding the parrying dagger up in a deflecting position.
"Then let's do it," Hook declared, removing his coat and pulling his cutlass from its sheath.
"Let's go," Peter smiled as he began to charge at Hook.