Wendy awoke to darkness. There was the smell of smoke and rawhide, and her head throbbed deeply. What had happened? She remembered Peter, cooking, water… Tiger Lily! Her heart sank at the memory so deeply, she began to cry. She now realized she was still bound, propped up against the wooden pole in the center of a Tee Pee, her neck stiff from her head falling to her chest, and her head pounding from being dropped on the ground. All was dark after that.
Slowly, slowly, Wendy stopped crying and began to assess the situation. She now knew that Tiger Lily's feelings ran deeper for Peter than she knew, especially if she was willing to do this to her. But she had known her to be kind before, even if she had been fickle and impulsive sometimes. She must still be reasonable.
Maybe not though. Seeing Wendy and Peter together might have pushed Tiger Lily over the edge.
Focus Wendy, she thought. Her bindings weren't too tight. They rubbed horribly, but she thought maybe she could squeeze out of them. She labored at the ropes for a while to no avail however. Her eyes were focusing now in the dark, and she could see light coming in through the hole in the top of the tee pee. It was still day at least.
Suddenly the flap to the tent flipped open, and Tiger Lily stepped in. She stood there assessing Wendy for a moment, and then spoke.
"Wendy-bird, you will leave Neverland. My Braves will escort you to the edge of the island, and then you must fly away back to where you came from." She crossed her arms in front of her signifying the end of the conversation.
Wendy looked up at her kidnapper with anger, but also with a slight bit of relief. She at least knew now Tiger Lily was not planning on killing her. Maybe she could reason with her.
"Tiger Lily, why are you doing this? I need to see my brothers. They'll be worried sick and…"
"You will not see your brothers, or anyone else. You must leave as soon as possible."
"I know you're angry with me Tiger Lily, but you must understand. Peter and I never meant to hurt you…"
Wendy stopped as Tiger Lily turned on her with hatred in her eyes. "This is not JUST about Peter Pan!" she shouted. "You are ruining Neverland!"
Wendy's eyes widened in surprise, "What?"
Tiger Lily's eyes softened a little and took a deep breath. "I saw you in the water with Peter," she said quietly. "I knew he was there with you. I saw Hook and his men in the jungle, and I knew he must be on his way to where you were. I intended only to warn Peter, so I ran with deer's feet to the pool. I saw you there, his hand on your face…" Tiger Lily looked away, hurt in her eyes. "I had never felt such hate for two people. It was like a hive of bees stung my heart. I couldn't warn Peter. I wanted him to suffer." She turned to Wendy, "I wanted you to suffer."
Wendy never let her gaze fall. She would never be sorry for her moment with Peter in the pool.
"I watched you escape from Hook, and I vowed to never see Peter Pan again. Never play the games of children. Never feel love again." She stared at a corner of the tent, but her gaze seemed to be on something no one but she could see.
"Tiger Lily," Wendy interjected when she felt a relatively safe pause in her speech. "I understand how you feel. The jealousy of seeing someone you care for with another. That's how I felt about you at first." Tiger Lily looked at Wendy incredulously.
"No, it's true," she continued. "I was so upset the night you danced with him, and I thought you had kissed him. I cried all night."
Tiger Lily smiled at the thought of her being able to arouse the same jealousy in another, especially Wendy.
"But you can't let those feelings justify tearing me apart from my family! And I can't make Peter love you!"
"This is not just about Peter Pan! Neverland is changing because of you! You have bewitched Peter, and now this land is dying!"
"What are you talking about?"
"Haven't you noticed the colors of the island? They are changing. The leaves are browning, the flowers are beginning to wither."
"Those are called seasons; it's the natural order of the world, that has nothing to do with me…"
"Not this world! This world does not change. It has always been alive and lush. And what about yourself? Have you not noticed how you've changed since you were with Peter in the water?"
Wendy was about to tell her how preposterous she sounded, but something made her pause. Was she too wrapped up in Peter to notice? Notice how her night dress was infinitely tighter on her frame? Notice how her moods had gone from happy to sad to anger and frustration in an instant? She had always felt in control of herself, even as a child, but being with Peter had made her feel like her emotions would never be in her power to command again. She began to take stock of Tiger Lily now as well. Her face had thinned. Gone were the full round cheeks of youth, and in their place were high lovely cheekbones. How had she failed to see these things before?
She was remembering now Peter's strong jaw line. She only thought being with him made him handsomer every day. Now she knew he was becoming handsomer every day.
"I can see by your eyes that you know what I speak is true," said Tiger Lily crossing her arms in front of herself again. She looked down at Wendy triumphantly.
Wendy began shaking in horror. Had she really put all of these things in motion when Peter touched her face in the pool? No, before that; it was her. She knew things had changed when she kissed Peter in the cave. She had forced her kiss on him, and in turn on Neverland. In a world that knew Peter Pan must never grow up, she had forced it upon him, and now adolescence was not creeping up on them, it was hunting them down full force!
Would leaving make it go away? Make everything stop changing; dying? She loved Neverland with every fiber of her being, this place that had sheltered her in her youth a little longer, and what had she done in return? Spit in its face.
Could she leave? Dare she? Everything she loved was here.
Just then the tee pee flap opened and one of the Braves entered and whispered in Tiger Lily's ear. Her face went from excitement at the news to sadness and then to fear.
She turned to Wendy. "Peter Pan is here," she said and left the tent abruptly leaving Wendy conflicted and sobbing.
