Author's Note:

This is officially the third time I've tried to write this author's note in! Dumb laptop. I think it has a virus.

Anyway, I used an "American Indian name generator" to get some of the names in this chapter. At midnight, those things can be so funny. They just hook an adjective up to a random noun (mostly nature-y words like "leaf" or "possum"). So why did I need help from one?...I'm just that pathetic sometimes. Names are not my forte.

Enjoy!

~Forest


Chapter Seven

I awoke before Isabel the next morning. My whole body was sore from sleeping on the hard ground, but I was determined not to reveal this to Isabel.

I stood, looking down onto my bed where Isabel slept curled up on her side. She looked so serene, just lying there asleep. But one thing wasn't right: her cheek. It was a deep purple.

I'd seen many bruises in my lifetime. The Lost Boys were a rowdy bunch, and they'd sometimes get into fights, or they'd play games that were just a bit too rough. But, of all the bruises I'd seen, none were like this. This one was seemed like Isabel had taken a harder hit than any of the Lost Boys had before.

Without thinking, I reached out and touched Isabel's bruised cheek.

My mistake.

Isabel frowned, and her hand shot up to her cheek, running into my fingers. Her eyes opened, and she looked up at me.

I withdrew my hand. "Sorry," I said, wondering how I'd explain what I had been doing. I took a few steps back to allow her room to stand.

She blinked and sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed, still frowning. Gently, she pressed on her cheek, and winced slightly. After a moment, she asked, "Is it bruised over?"

I nodded.

Isabel slowly lowered her hand and looked down at the floor for a moment. When she raised her head again, she smiled at me.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked. I could tell she was trying to change the subject, and I let her.

"Yes," I lied. "You?"

She stood and stretched. "The best I've slept in a long time."

"Good," I replied. "I'm sorry I woke you."

Isabel shook her head. "Don't worry about it."

My stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn't eaten in a while. "Are you hungry?"

She nodded, running her fingers quickly through her hair.

"Great. The tribe told me to stop by any time if I'm hungry, and, well, there's no food here…" I smiled. "And, besides, I need to introduce you to Bear Claw, the chief."

Isabel beamed. "Lets go!" she said excitedly.

I led the way out into the forest, then took off. Isabel followed close behind, dodging trees with ease.

"What do you think of Neverland so far?" I asked, just trying to make conversation.

"It's all I ever dreamed of in one place. Mermaids, fairies, beautiful forests…Everything." Isabel smiled at me, a huge, beautiful grin that lit up her whole face.

Instead of going directly to the Indian village, I detoured over to the mermaid's lagoon so Isabel could see them again. A few of them poked their heads out of the water, looking up at us with their big blue eyes. Isabel smiled down at them. "They're beautiful," she said.

"Don't get too close, though. They may try to drown you," I replied, happy that Isabel hadn't called the mermaids 'sweet' like Wendy had. In that way, history would not repeat itself.

Isabel looked up at me and nodded her understanding. She didn't appear confused, or alarmed. She just accepted it. I wondered if this reflected something—or someone—else in her life.

It wasn't long before we reached the Indian village, which was little more than a circle of teepees with a large fire-pit in the middle. The people looked up at us, and many of them smiled. A few shouted their greetings and gestured for us to come and land. We did, and a group of children ran over.

"Peter! Peter! Come play with us!" they chanted, showing me their wooden toys.

"Maybe later," I replied, mussing up one of the kid's hair.

A chorus of "aww"s followed my response, but they smiled anyway, knowing I would keep my word.

A couple of the kids surrounded Isabel, asking her questions like, "What's your name?" and "Where are you from?", which she answered happily. After a few minutes, little girl—I recognized her as the chief's daughter, Hidden Star—approached Isabel and gave her a big hug. "I like yooooou!" she said in her two-year-old voice. Isabel laughed lightly and hugged the girl back. She looked up at me, beaming.

"I take it that you like children," I laughed.

"I love them," she replied. Hidden Star pulled away, looking up at Isabel.

"Piggie back! Pweeeeeease?"

Isabel laughed again and knelt down, allowing Hidden Star to get on her back. "Hold on tight!" she said enthusiastically before standing. While Isabel spoke to Hidden Star, I couldn't help but think of what a great mother she'd make. If she stayed long enough for us to get together a group of Lost Boys, she could be their mother. She'd probably be a better mother than Wendy was…

Luckily, a voice cut through my thoughts before they could turn sad. "Well, Peter Pan! Welcome back!"

I turned to see the tribe's chief, Bear Claw, striding towards me. Isabel spun around to face him, observing him carefully.

The chief was a large man—taller and broader than anyone I'd ever met, but also kinder and more generous than most. He welcomed us with a warm smile.

"Daddy!" Hidden Star exclaimed happily, reaching for her father. He lifted her off Isabel's back and swung her around. The two of them laughed and held on to each other tightly. When he slowed down, Hidden Star enthusiastically said, "Daddy, that's Isabel! She's niiiiiice."

"It's good to meet you, Isabel. Welcome to Neverland." Bear Claw set his daughter down, and she ran over to Isabel again, taking her by the hand.

"The pleasure is mine," Isabel replied, swinging the little girl's hand in hers.

"Come, come! Are you hungry? We have food to spare," Bear Claw said, ushering us to the largest teepee in the circle. He held the flap open for us, and we ducked in.

Inside, the floor was covered in pillows and blankets of all shapes and sizes. There was a small fire pit in the middle to keep the teepee warm during the cold nights. A large wooden box stood on the left side of the teepee, along with some other objects, normal things like a jacket and a few small toys.

Bear Claw's wife, Golden Leaf, sat on the teepee floor, sewing. She looked up when we entered, and greeted us with a soft "hello." Her long, flowing black hair was braided with a few small flowers—daisies, I think—in it. Her face was heart shaped, and her eyes dark. Hidden Star ran over to her mother and settled beside her. The girl tapped the place next to her eagerly with her small hand.

"Sit wif me, Isabel!" she exclaimed excitedly. Isabel smiled and sat down next to Hidden Star, who immediately moved herself into Isabel's lap. I smiled and seated myself beside them.

"Golden Leaf, this is Isabel. She's a friend of Peter's," Bear Claw introduced.

Golden Leaf smiled at Isabel. "Hidden Star really likes you," she observed softly.

"I really like Hidden Star too. She's a very charming little girl," Isabel replied, giving Hidden Star a hug. Hidden Star giggled and hugged her back.

Golden Leaf looked up at her husband, then quickly asked, "Are you hungry?"

"A bit," I replied. My stomach growled loudly, and Golden Leaf giggled.

"Sounds like more than a bit. And if I know a growing boy—" Golden Leaf stopped mid-sentence. "I meant if I know a boy of your age," she corrected quickly, "you are most definitely hungry." She stood and exited the teepee.

"Now," Bear Claw began, turning to Isabel and Hidden Star. "Daughter, could you go help your mother for a few minutes?"

Hidden Star reluctantly slid off Isabel's lap and walked slowly outside. Bear Claw smiled after her, then turned back to Isabel and me, a frown forming on his face.

"It's about Hook. We have reason to believe that he's planning another attack on our camp. The last one left our warriors either weak, injured, or dead. We don't know if we can take another attack!" Bear Claw shifted in his seat. "Strong Hawk is the last of our greatest warriors, and even he is getting tired of all the battles. The rest of our warriors are in training still." Bear Claw shook his head sadly, a tired look coming to his eyes. He looked up at me, his dark eyes pleading. "We need your help. Both of you. If we are to survive the next attack, we'll need you two. Please."

I glanced at Isabel. Her eyes were sad as she looked at the chief. She turned her gaze to meet my eyes, and nodded slightly.

"We'll help," I assured him.

Bear Claw's eyes showed his gratitude immediately. "Thank you, Peter and Isabel." I heard footsteps approaching the teepee. "We'll talk about this later," Bear Claw finished quickly.

Golden Leaf entered the teepee with a tray of fruit and small pieces of meat. She set it over the fire pit so it would be accessible to everyone in the circle. Hidden Star stumbled in after her mother with three apples balanced in her small hands. She set them next to the tray, then went to sit between Isabel and her mother.

"Eat," Golden Leaf urged us, and we happily dug in.

The breakfast conversation was pleasant—no mention of pirate attacks or dead warriors. Isabel and Golden Leaf talked quietly together, and I could tell they were bonding easily. Hidden Star sat between them, playing with a couple of wooden horses. Bear Claw and I discussed the current issue: the lack of rain for the Indian's crops.

After about a half an hour, I noticed that something didn't feel right. Everything was too quiet, too still. And that's when it began. People outside were screaming, and I could hear their quick footsteps as they ran around. Bear Claw stood quickly and went to the door. He looked out, then closed the flap and looked back at us.

I could see the answer to my questions in his eyes, but I dreaded to hear him say it.

"Pirates!"


Author's (continued) ramblings:

Will the pirates defeat the tribe? How did Isabel get that bruise on her cheek anyway? Will these questions be answered in the next chapter? Find out when Chapter 8 is posted!

Please review! I'd love to hear what you thought of this chapter!

I'm starting chapter 8 right now, and it will be up by next Friday.

~Forest