Nothing But a Pirate
Chapter Eleven
In Hook's past…
After the Indian Chief's daughter led both Captain Hook and Smee into their camp with their arms bound behind their backs, Chief Great Little Panther slowly stepped out of a tent as they entered and the old man looked firmly into the Pirate Captain's eyes in an attempt to get a read on Hook before any words were spoken. A few moments passed, then the leader motioned to his men and they reached out to untie the ropes to free the pirates until Hook swiftly raised his hand and hook to show he was already free, smiling smugly while he looked between father and daughter.
Killian spoke first saying, "Forgive me, but I've never been one for being held prisoner by anyone. I come in peace, I assure you. Chief Great Little Panther, might I ask where you got your name?"
One of the warriors standing beside their leader stepped forward and was about to strike Hook for his arrogance and the Chief immediately reached out to hold his man back, then walked forward himself as he answered, "I understand my name is not why you have come. The boy wishes for you to deliver a message. Why did he send you, rather than come himself?"
"Well, I suspect that has something to do with your strained relations," Hook responded while Mr. Smee remained standing nervously beside his Captain. "Both your tribe and the Lost Boys have been fighting to claim yourselves as Neverland's true rulers, yet both of you have failed to do so. Which, I will admit that is why my message for doesn't make a whole lot of sense, as it's clear that neither of you have good reason as to why you would help one another if one asked."
"Pan needs our help?" the Indian Princess asked in disbelief. "It's exactly as you said, Captain. Why would we help him when he would never help us if our roles were reversed?"
Another of the Indians stated, "Pan is villain. We won't help…"
Their leader cut his warrior off with a simple raise of his hand and then questioned, "And what is the child's message?"
"First, I will tell you Pan may look like a child, but I assure you he is a demon," Hook retorted in frustration and then slowed his breath as he continued. "I only work with him as a means to an end. As soon as I get what I want, I will leave this bloody island for good. He's looking for an answer. He seeks the gift of immortality. Apparently he's discovered that living here in Neverland won't actually help him to live young forever. A shame really, but alas… that is why I'm here."
"And should I give you this answer, would you not take it for yourself and become the immortal Peter Pan wishes to be?" Chief Great Little Panther asked as he moved to stand directly in front of the Pirate Captain and looked directly into his eyes once again.
Killian didn't look away from him as he replied honestly, "I have no desire for immortality. It isn't why I've come. I only wish to live long enough to gather my own answers so I can return to my land and get my revenge on the Dark One for taking my hand and the life of the woman I loved."
The Indians' leader nodded and then answered, "You speak the truth. For which I will give you the answer Pan seeks. But one word of advice, Killian Jones…"
"How is it you know of that name?" Hook asked in surprise. "Only the most trusted of my men and my first mate here know of my true name."
"My daughter, has a gift," the Chief responded. "She knows much, including that you would be coming here tonight to see us."
It was then that Tiger Lily held up a small bowl to her nose and mouth and breathed in deeply the smoke that rose from the incenses that burned within as her eyes suddenly became pure white, while Smee asked nervously, "Your word of warning?"
The leader looked between the two pirates as Tiger Lily remained within her trance, then turned to Hook again as he replied, "If Pan wishes to live for all eternity, then he must seek out the one with the heart of the truest believer. But Killian, I warn you that if you do this, you will never gain that which you truly desire. She will forever see you as that which you believe yourself to be and you will always be."
"I don't understand," Hook said again with confusion as he watched another of the warriors hand Tiger Lily a blank parchment while she began to draw with a quill. "I don't want anything other than vengeance. So long as I get that, I don't care about anything else. Not even that which happens to me. I loved a woman and she was murdered. If you believe another is in my future, you're mistaken."
"The choice is yours," Tiger Lily answered when her eyes cleared as she finished, then handed the parchment over to the pirate. "Do with the answers you've come for as you see fit, but heed my father's words. You have a chance to become more than you are, to find peace. If Pan wins, you will lose it all. Including that which you think you seek."
When Killian took the paper, he stared down at a sketch of the face of a young boy, then he raised his eyes to her as he questioned, "Who is this?"
She looked at him sadly as she responded, "You will discover that, in time. Now, you have your answers. Do with them as you will."
"Surely you haven't done so without expecting something in return?" Hook spoke once more as the rest of the tribe members stepped aside for the two pirates to leave in peace.
"All we ask is for peace," Chief Great Little Panther replied sternly. "Should Pan choose to invade our camp in the future, he will not like the consequences. Go in peace, Killian Jones."