Peter quietly snuck down the pathway. He peeked around trees and bushes with an animalistic skill. He would examine the ground closely, checking for any signs of creatures. Occasionally, Peter would stop to sniff the air, but this was just for show. Peter's right hand grasped the hilt of his dagger.

Michael and Slick bumbled around behind Peter. The two were usually making some noise, even though they tried so hard to be quiet. They were never quite as fluid in their movements as Peter. Michael was always a few steps behind Peter, and Slick was a few steps behind Michael. This order was only changed when Slick would try to catch up to Michael, and would inadvertently trip over something in the process. The few times he managed to catch up without tripping, he would crash into Michael, causing a great commotion. The boys would sometimes drop their weapons, and have to wander back to find them.

In this way, the boys made their way through the forest. Peter was the only one who knew where they were going, so he lead. Not even Peter knew exactly why they were going where they were. He picked up some clues on where animals were from the land, but there aren't many of these clues in Neverland. He would say, later on, that his conscience had led him through their hunt. If they came back with no game, he would say that it just wasn't plentiful.

It seemed like this would be one of the days when they wouldn't catch anything. After about fifteen minutes of walking, Peter heard a rustling sound in the bushes. The boys chased after it, but it was just a squirrel, far too small for eating. They found a path and decided to follow it.

This pathway was a long one. As the boys walked along it, the landscape began to change. The trees thinned out. Endless seas of grass and moss were interrupted by sandy edges. If one listened closely, they could hear the faint cry of seagulls. There was a louder rustling sound too.

Peter heard it first. He jumped over a log at the edge of the well-trodden path. Michael and Slick did the same as Peter ducked behind a tree. The rustling sound got louder, and with it came a musical noise. A low-pitched humming, to be exact.

Michael whispered, "I bet it's a big bird. Won't Wendy be pleased when we come back with a giant bird?"

Peter put his finger to his lips and whispered, "Get your weapons ready."

Slick grabbed one of the arrows from his quiver and fit it to the bowstring. Peter slid his dagger out from his belt. Michael gripped his club tighter and swung it behind his shoulder like a baseball bat. All three boys were poised on the balls of their feet, eager to strike. Their breathing got faster. The boys peered through the branches and leaves and over the log, hoping to see the animal first.

And there it was, a vast, multicoloured humming creature way off in the distance. It seemed to have hundreds of legs. The legs moved around with precision, pushing all kinds of plant matter away. Its bright coat flapped around as it moved. The creature's claws glinted like steel.

The boys stared at this creature, trying to make sense of it. Slick thought it might be a dragon. Michael guessed it could be a mutated caterpillar. Peter was not focusing on the creature's looks, but the humming, and so guessed it was a flock of giant hummingbirds. He leaned in as the creature got closer.

It was at this moment that the creature's humming changed into song.

"Yo ho, yo ho, swashbuckle to and fro, and if someday we meet again, it's in the waters below!"

"Pirates!" Peter hissed. "Get down!"

The boys ducked obediently. Peter swung back so he was hidden by his tree. The boys watched as the pirates got closer.

The pirates were a motley crew. There were twelve of them, not counting the two cabin boys back on the ship. These pirates were not quite as cunning or well-off as Hook's crew, and yet they still struck fear into the hearts of men. The pirate leading their procession was a short man with a long sallow nose and buggy eyes. He held a cutlass between his teeth as he scouted out the best route for the others to take. Behind him were an Italian pirate with a long beard and a pirate with only one useful eye. The pirates continued to follow quickly. There was a pirate with bulging muscles, a tattooed pirate, a pirate with black hair, a tall pirate, a pirate with a mustache, and a pirate with a wooden leg. Even the ship's cook followed, sword in hand.

At the back of the group were the two most distinguished pirates on the voyage. One of these you may recognize; Peter certainly did. His hair was white, and his spectacles were clean. His belly bulged slightly from under a blue and white stripped shirt. His face showed no signs of malice. Yes, it was Smee!

After Captain Hook's crew was defeated, Smee had travelled the land telling everyone that he was the only man Captain Hook feared. He also said there were great treasures to be found on Neverland. A man in a royal blue velvet coat, Captain William Flint, approached Smee about this treasure. Now, we all know there is no such treasure. Smee did too. Smee also knew Captain Flint would do terrible things if he was caught lying, so he was forced to continue to make stories up. Eventually, Captain Flint made Smee first mate on his voyage and set off for Neverland's shores.

Now Captain Flint was talking to Smee.

"Really Smee, are you certain this is the right path?" Flint asked.

Smee turned to the Captain and adjusted his spectacles. "Yes, sir," he replied calmly, "I am absolutly sure this is the path."

Flint muttered, "It better be."

Smee asked, "Sorry, were you speaking?"

Flint laughed awkwardly. "No, no, it was just a gadfly. The stupid things are always buzzing around."

"True," Smee said. The two continued walking in silence for a while.

Then the cook asked, "Captain Flint, do you think this road will bring us to the treasure?"

Captain Flint thought for a moment before saying, "I would hope so. Why, in a few more days it will have been a month since we've arrived, and we haven't seen even the tiniest flake of gold!"

"Gold?" Michael echoed a little too loudly. Peter shushed him.

Captain Flint stopped in his tracks. Hiss eyes grew wide and his breathing quickened.

"What was that?" Captain Flint asked.

Smee laughed and said, "The sound of your own footsteps, Captain."

Captain Flint insisted, "It sounded like a shhhhh noise!"

"I didn't hear any shhhhh noises." Smee said.

"Nor I," said the pirate with the wooden leg.

"Nor I," said the cook.

"Nor I," yelled the bug-eyed pirate from the very front.

Captain Flint looked down at his shoes as each of the pirates stated they had not heard anything out of the ordinary. The Captain ordered the procession to continue. Slick fitted an arrow to his bow. He carefully aimed his bow at the bug-eyed pirate. Peter reached out to stop Slick.

"Not yet," Peter whispered, "Wait until they see us."

"And if they don't see us?"

"All the better," Peter whispered.

"You're a real bore sometimes," Slick hissed as he put the bow down.

The boys watched as the bug-eyed pirate got closer and closer to their hiding spot. The pirate moved faster now, checking every log and tree for something that could frighten the Captain. Before the boys knew it, he was right beside them. The boys ducked down. His cold eyes scanned over the boys, but he didn't notice them. The pirate turned away to check the other side of the path.

A shriek rang out from behind the boys. Everybody looked over at the sound. Captain Flint yelled something. The pirates swung their swords up and ran to the sound- right in the way of the boys! Slick grabbed his bow and Michael lifted up his club. Peter pulled his dagger out of his belt. The boys jumped up, and Slick shot his arrow. It struck the tattooed pirate in the shoulder.

The boys were soon surrounded by pirates. Slick kept shooting his arrows, which barely hit the pirates. Peter jabbed the mustached pirate in the arm before flipping around and kicking the black-haired pirate in the face. The black haired pirated stumbled back into the pirate with the wooden leg. The wooden-legged pirate stabbed Michael in the arm. Michael dropped his club, wincing. Slick shot his final arrow between the wooden-legged pirate's eyes. The pirate screamed. Peter slashed at the tall pirate before jabbing the bug-eyed one. He dodged a blow from the pirate in the mustache. The boys kept jumping, dodging, covering, and jabbing.

Leaves rusted in the bushes and suddenly, a strange creature jumped out. It had mud smeared all over itself. It was clothed only in the ragged leaves of the surrounding bushes. It stood up slowly, its back hunched, making deep guttural sounds. A silvery blade already stained with blood flashed in the creature's hand. A look of panic crossed Captain Flint's face as the creature's eyes met his own. Captain turned his back and ran back to his rest of the pirates followed their Captain. The creature looked around at the boys, and Peter realized he'd seen this creature before.

Author's Notes: Cliff, meet Hanger!

This chapter is a little bit different. I wanted to use this chapter to explore the boys as individuals and bring back the pirates. It's also one of the longest chapters I've written.