Disclaimer: I do not own Peter Pan. Just the Mist Wolves.
Unconventional Meetings- Part 1
It's in your eyes, what's on your mind.
I fear your smile and the promise inside.
It's in your eyes, what's on your mind.
I fear your presence, I'm frozen inside.
-A Dangerous Mind by Within Temptation
An Indian girl by the name of Pale River waited on the beach of Neverland under the island's full moon. She twisted the fabric of her skirt nervously. The swishing splash sound of a paddle against water caught her attention as a small row boat, from the Jolly Roger, came into view.
She smiled softly waving as a young man, simply known as Tom, waved back to her from the boat. He stepped out of the boat once he was into shallow water and swept Pale River into his strong embrace, kissing her fiercely.
The two soon pulled away, staring into each others eyes, enjoying the peaceful yet adrenaline rushing sensation of being with someone you love but knowing you can never truly be with.
A rustling within the trees caught the two lovers attention, both afraid that they had been caught by someone of one or the other's parties. They were quite surprised when they saw an unfamiliar man, his skin as white as paper, step out from the bushes of the forest.
"W-w-who are you?" Tom stuttered noticing the man's piercing red eyes as he hid Pale River behind him protectively.
"Boy, tell me," the man chuckled, "do you know a girl with raven hair and decisive violet eyes?"
"Violet eyes?" Tom questioned. "T-that's not possible."
"Actually it is," the man replied, "but since you don't seem to know anything I guess you are no use to me." A wave of pain rippled through the boy as he withered to the ground, silent screams coming from his mouth. "Now," the mysterious man said in Indian tongue as he looked at Pale River who appeared horror struck, "do you know of the girl of who I speak?"
She nodded.
"Good then you may go. Tell her that she can no longer hide. We'll find her and take over this place for ourselves. Can you do that?"
She nodded again, not trusting her own voice. She took a look at Tom who had stopped moving on the ground. Was he alive? Was he dead? She didn't know but to truly show her measure of love for him, the depths she'd go for him, she took off into the forest, running for her life which she held higher then his while never looking back.
The red eyed man chuckled as he walked over towards the limp figure of the pirate boy. Kneeling next to him, he lifted the boy by the collar of his shirt. "I'll need my energy and a distraction," he murmured before sinking his teeth into the boy's soft flesh. His only witnesses: the moon, the stars, and the mermaids watching from afar…
--
The peaceful scene of waterfall provided pond was instantly shattered by loud shouting and yelling.
"NOOOOOOOO!!"
"Stop squirming! It only makes things worst!"
"Rina, get in! The water won't hurt you."
Mist Bell smirked, wings fluttering as he continued to playfully braid the hair of the slightly annoyed girl whose shoulder he was perched on. "Ha! You were the one who wanted more of them," he chuckled nodding towards the other six girls who were loudly splashing each other or trying to convince the youngest, Rina, that taking baths weren't horrible events.
Yue glared at the fairy before taking a deep breath and submerging her head under water, a distant memory playing on the surface of her subconscious that reminded her of a situation similar to this…
A very young raven hair girl with deep chocolate brown eyes refusing to take a bath like any child her age; wanting to instead play some more outside in the waning sunlight. A faceless male reassuring her that she would be safe, promising to protect and watch over her…forever…
"Hey!" Mist cried angrily as he managed to hover in the air, completely soaked from the girl's probably intentional splash. Yue resurfaced seconds later, pushing aside her wet bangs. She took a calming breath before turning towards the others.
"Rina," she called out evenly to the small girl who stayed unmoving on the water's bank. Bluish gray eyes met light violet ones as Rina hesitatingly made her way towards her leader, sister, and mother figure. "Take off your clothes," Le Fay instructed once the girl had stopped before her. The youngest girl pouted but did as she was told, peeling off her clothes before slowly wading into the water by Yue. "Now, was that so hard?" the older girl asked as she began to scrub the others hair.
"We go through this every time with her," Jade said annoyed pointing to Rina who was now cupping water playfully in her small hands, "and every time you take your sweet time before you do anything about it."
"Because," Yue said running her fingers through Rina's hair, "I expect you all to be able to get things done when I'm not around, especially the simple task of cleaning up a child.
"Do I look like her nanny?" Jade questioned angrily.
"Jade, we all take care of Rina, so stop being a brat" Suki replied off handedly.
Before the green eye girl could retort angrily, Selena caught her off, speaking in an eerie voice as her normally blue eyes turned a hazy purple. "Someone's coming."
The others stilled as Yue turned to Selena. "Who is it?" she asked.
"Relax," Selena replied. "It's the princess. She's a few yards away."
Yue waved a hand in front of her, her body turning into a dense mist that slinked out of the water and onto land, solidifying and shaping into a full dressed Yue. She took the belt that had two sheathed swords attached to it – one plain looking with a dull blade that was virtually useless in battle and the other was more practical with a blade that had never failed her in cutting through an enemy - and tied it over her green tunic.
By the time she was done the other Mist Wolves were already finishing dressing themselves. A rustle came from the edge of the forest before a familiar figure pushed through the wild foliage.
"Princess Tiger Lily," Yue tilted her head in acknowledgment of the Indian Chief's daughter.
"Yue!" Tiger Lily sighed relieved as she stepped closer to the other girl. For long time I've been looking for you."
Mist Bell settled himself on Yue's shoulder as she raised a questioning brow. "Is something the matter?"
"A girl…from tribe…you must come see!" she pleaded breathlessly.
Yue turned to the other girls standing behind her. "Jade. Selena. Come with me. The rest of you return to the cave. Be prepared with your weapons."
They nodded, splitting up. Yue watched as Suki, the twins, and Rina walked off in another direction before she turned back towards Tiger Lily. "I hope you don't mind but we'll have to go by using mist." The girl had to hold back a laugh as Tiger Lily visibly paled. It appeared the Indian princess remembered the last time she had used the Mist Wolves mode of transportation very clearly.
Before Tiger Lily replied, Yue grabbed her arm just as Mist Bell began showering his purple glittering dust upon them. "Take a deep breath, princess," she suggested before they disappeared into the mist.
--
Yue never did that well when it came to comforting people. If a situation ever called for it, she would simply mimic what she had seen the others in her pack do. So, one can only imagine how out of place she felt when Pale River, a cousin of Tiger Lily, instantly clung onto her as soon as they appeared in the Chief's tent, sobbing in her native language.
Le Fay looked towards Jade and Selena for some assistance but the former merely smiled smugly at her leader's awkward position while the later spun continually on her toes, watching as the smoke from the tent's fire swirled up and exited from the opening at the top.
Taking a deep breath and following the motions Mist Bell charade to her, she awkwardly patted Pale River in what was suppose to be a comforting way while also slowly pulling her off her so she could regain some use of her lungs. Much longer than she thought was necessary, Tiger Lily's cousin finally calmed down, allowing she, Yue, Jade, Selena, Tiger Lily, and the Chief to calmly sit around the tent's fire.
Yue listened almost half interestedly as Pale River talked about how she had spent the day looking forward to meeting Tom – apparently a pirate by the Chief's displeased look – and when they finally met, when Tom was attacked by a strange pale skinned man with blood thirsty red eyes.
"Wait," Yue said suddenly, her mind coming back into focus at the details of the man's appearance. "Repeat that."
Pale River began to speak, Tiger Lily translating. "The man had pale skin, like that of ice. The air around him was luring yet frightening; that of a predator's. His eyes saw through you," Tiger Lily translated before waiting for Pale River to say more, "like he was about to slowly steal your soul."
"Or your blood," Jade muttered under her breath before being elbowed hard in the side by Selena.
"No talk of bad things," Selena whispered earning her a snort of annoyance from the other girl.
"Were you bitten?" Pale River looked confused as Tiger Lily translated the question but shook her head, earning a slight sigh of relief from Yue.
"Where is Tom?" Yue asked with a tone of urgency in her voice.
"She doesn't know," Tiger Lily responded. "She ran when the man attacked Tom. He was last at the beach by the lagoon." The princess turned towards her cousin with a confused look as she murmured something, looking back and forth between Yue and Tiger Lily. "She says…that he told her to give you a warning."
Yue's eyes narrowed. "What kind?" she growled.
"You can not hide. They find you and…" the Indian princess looked shocked at what she next said, "and they'll take Neverland."
Mist Bell looked towards Yue who was biting her lip in thought before she got up. She bowed respectfully to the Chief and Tiger Lily before motioning towards Jade and Selena to follow her.
"What is Yue thinking of doing?" Selena questioned following her leader.
"Tell Tiger Lily and the Chief to clear out the village and hide somewhere. After that, prepare for a hunt" she ordered.
Jade's eyes widened. "Seriously? You're letting us help?"
Yue nodded. "I'll need both of your skills for this one," she murmured thoughtfully stopping behind a tent away from everyone else, "but before we can do anything, we have to see the mermaids."
"Those fish tails?" Jade scoffed.
"They might have seen something. If they did, they may be able to tell us something about this…vampire," she said the word bitterly.
--
"Easy men," he whispered as their unsuspecting target was in sight. "Steady. Steady."
One of the archers licked his lips nervously as sweat trickled down his brow.
"Wait for it…NOW"
Arrows soared high into the air at the same time a loud crowing was heard. The wild boar looked up startled, squealing hoarsely as it tried to move out of the way, but it was too slow as one lone arrow pierced its thick hide. With a loud shrill cry it crumpled on the ground, waiting for its demise.
A pair of dirty feet landed on the ground as a certain flying boy looked proudly down on the fruit of their hunt. "Oh the cleverness of me," he grinned. "My arrow got him!"
"I thought it was my arrow that got the pig," Nibs murmured softly so his leader wouldn't overhear him.
"Let him have it," Slightly advised. "He's been in a sour mood lately. He needs something like this to make him feel better."
"I guess, but he wasn't even using a bow and arrow," Nibs said pointing to Pan who was holding a dagger.
Curly chuckled. "Maybe he's finally lost his marbles. He has been getting taller," he said before frowning. "Should we be worried Slightly?"
The second in command knocked the curly haired boy on the head. "What are you talking about? He's always been that height."
"But what about the clothes that won't fit him?" the twins questioned.
"They shrunk."
"And his voice?" the youngest, Tootles asked.
"His throat is sore."
"For months?" Nibs said in disbelief.
"You know how he hates taking his medicine. Foul stuff it is," Slightly said making a face.
"Aye," the other boys agreed.
"Why are you all just standing there?" Peter questioned. "Let's take this to the Indians. This is big enough for a feast," he grinned.
The boys cheered as they helped lift the hunted animal off the ground, Peter floating above them with Tinker Bell at his side. Slightly sighed in relief. He didn't know if Peter had over heard their talking or if he was just lucky but at the least the other boys had forgotten about their leader's – and his for that matter, his - aging.
"Almost there, lads!" Peter grinned as he saw the rising smoke that rose above the tree tops, a signal of the Indians' location.
When the group of boys finally made it clear the boarder of trees that surrounded the village, they were startled by its eerie quietness. Never, in any of the boys' time in Neverland had the Indian village ever been so…lifeless.
Peter floated down to the ground, a confused expression on his face as Tinker Bell sat perched on his shoulder. "This is the right place, right?" the boy asked his fairy for confirmation.
The golden fairy put a finger up to her chin in thought. "I…I think it is," her bell like voice said hesitatively.
"Did the pirates come?" Nibs asked.
"Ney," Slightly said kneeling over a fire pit. "The coals are still warm," he pointed out, "and it was purposely put out." Peter's best mate got up to his feet, wiping his hands on his pants. "If it were pirates that caused the Indian's disappearance you would have known. Those codfishes aren't civil enough to attack without destroying something."
"Exactly what I said," Pan said hovering over the ground with a prideful expression that said that Slightly merely had said that same thing he was about to say. "Well whoever it was," he said landing softly back on the ground, "they must be awfully fearsome to scare the Indians away. We'll split up and find the fiend. Who ever shall find him first will get an item from my treasure!"
The other boys gasped. Pan's treasure was rumored to be magnificent gifts from the gods themselves that the boy had expertly acquired from the pirates over many years. It was supposedly hidden in a place where only Peter himself knew where it was located which just proved its worth since there were very few things that the boy remembered, the treasure being one.
Peter grinned as he watched the others run off in search of whatever or whoever had caused the Indian's disappearance. Once the others were out of sight he chuckled at Tinker Bell.
"We'll look from above, Tink. That way we find the fiend first before the others," the boy said, his fairy nodding approvingly before they took to the air.
The boar that the boys had hunted laid on the ground, unattended and forgotten. A shift from a nearby bush was made before a dark figure quickly made its way to the dead animal. The figure snarled softly as it sniffed the carcass before pulling the deceased creature to a more reclusive part of the island's forest to feed on its find.
Okay, sorry for the wait. Band camp and looking for a house with my mom kept me busy. Also I had to wait three weeks to get my laptop reapaired. Hopefully next chapter should be out soon.
Nothing more to say so... PLEASE REVIEW!!
