- Miss Green, I am now nagging you for ideas. Thankyou for all your help, I've missed you! Thankyou for the will to carry this on, I don't think I would have done had it not been for you!

Chapter Nine

"Bea, you can let go now." Peter chuckled. I quickly jumped backwards, I had just realised that I had been gripping him tighter than a anaconda on it's prey. I blushed furiously, and looked straight at the ground, kicking up the dust that lay in a fine sheet on the ground.

"So, where, um, where are we?" I stuttered, in a vain attempt to change the conversation subject away from myself.

"Take a guess!" Peter cried, jumping in the air and somersaulting. I turned around and looked at the large expanse of land in front of me. I was confronted with wigwam tents, campfires and feathered headdresses.

"The Indians?" I questioned, sounding sarcastic. "I wonder what gave me that idea." I muttered, although under my breath.

"Yeah! You're good as this game!" Peter giggled, sweeping down towards me and taking my hand, leading me straight into the middle of the encampment. "C'mon, let's go and meet everyone!" He smiled, pulling me towards the clearing in the centre.

"Chief, I would like you to meet Bea." Peter said, very politely, which I was surprised at. As I saw Peter bow slightly next to me, I quickly pulled a courtesy, and then felt very ridiculous. This was apparently not noticed, as the Chief began to speak.

"Big Chief welcome newcomer Bea to the tribe." He spoke loudly and slowly, and I smiled.

"Thankyou." I managed to utter. He really was fairly intimidating. Before I knew it, the entire camp had burst into music, and all of its inhabitants were dancing to the beat of drums. I laughed, and Peter captured my hand again, pulling me out to the side.

"What?" I chuckled.

"They're going to make you an Indian!" Peter cried, directing me into a smaller tent, and then flying backwards to join everyone else.

"Um…." I stuttered. I was surrounded by three large Indian women, who were holding small clay pots. I closed my eyes as they all advanced on me, and began plastering paint on my face. I suddenly felt one of them pulling on my hair. I began to struggle, but gave up after a few minutes, succumbing to their prodding and poking.

After what seemed like hours, although I was sure it had been mere minutes, a cracked mirror was thrust in front of my face. I stared back at my reflection, stunned. I had been completely changed, and I was utterly in love with it. I had warrior paint on my cheeks in two short, red lines, and my hair had been plaited, with three feathers poking out of the top of my lose braids. As soon as I began to realise that this was me staring back, I smiled. I had never looked so different in my life! I finally felt like I actually belonged somewhere. As I looked up, I realised that the three large women were shaking their heads in discontent at my clothing. I had to admit that my garments did not fit in with my face paint and hair.

I was forcibly pulled from my seat, and pushed behind a woven screen. As I looked around, fairly disorientated, I saw that some fabric had been thrown over the top. I admired it at arms length, and slipped it on. My feet, however, remained bare, in true Neverland style. I brushed the dust off the bottom of my outfit, and stepped out from behind the screen.

"Girl go dance now she is Indian." The shortest of the women instructed, and I willingly obliged. She did not look like a woman that one would argue with. I stepped between their bodies, and crept out of the material door, not wanting to provoke a major reaction from the entire congregation of people, who were still dancing to the beat that was echoing around the entire area.

I quickly scanned the area, looking for the one face that I recognised in the crowd. My eyes searched and searched, but were met with only feathers, dust and fringing. After several minutes, I stepped forward to get a closer look at the mass of people. He had to be here somewhere, he couldn't have left could he? My mind began racing. He probably left. Putting me in the tent was just a getaway plan. He probably flew away somewhere.

All of a sudden, my sight was channelled to the most wonderful face. I smiled. At least he hadn't left. I began to step towards the other side of the clearing, questioning with myself about what Peter's reaction would be. I stopped.

Peter was dancing, the biggest smile on his face I had seen since I got here. That's not what stopped me. It was her. I stared as she danced around Peter, her hair long and black, her dress beige and red. She really was beautiful. I walked closer, to try and get a better view. She was completely engrossed in Peter, as he was in her. Their eyes were locked, and they danced together in a perfect rhythm.

My heart stopped. She had skipped straight towards him, and was only centimetres from his face. My blood boiled. What was she doing? Peter was smiling, and she stepped even closer, narrowing the gap between them. I blinked. Peter was gone.

What was happening? Had I just imagined him? I looked over, and the girl seemed as dumbfounded and speechless as I was. Where had he go-

I lost my train of thought. I lost my sense of co-ordination. I lost my mind.