Thanks for being loyal fans to the story.
The Lost Boys were running in the forest, calling out the lost girl's name. "Ashleee! Ashleeeee!" They cried out, not even noticing the lone mermaid in the river as they went right by it.
"Boys?" They were all in line, and when that voice called out the first one in line stopped, and they all bumped into each other at once.
"Ashlee? Where are you?" Cubby asked.
"Look! Mermaid!" The twins pointed out to the river. They all rushed to the riverside to see it was true, there was a mermaid. And she got herself stuck in a small pond and couldn't get any farther. She looked up at them to reveal the familiar face of Ashlee.
"Hey boys! It's great to see you're not with that stupid mermaid that stole my legs!" She said, a sad smile on her face.
"A mermaid stole your legs? Did you hear that guys? A mermaid stole her legs!" Slightly said.
"How can we help?" Tootles asked. Ashlee's mind began to work, and an idea popped out. It wasn't the best of ideas, but it would have to work.
"Boys, Peter has to find out that the mermaid stole my legs before the next full moon. So its..."
"Tommorow night! I saw, its almost a full moon." Nibs said.
"Okay, then we're going to have to work quick or Peter is going to be forever taken by a stinking fish." That rose some giggles and laughter, but then she gave them a stern look and they all fell at attention. "Here's the plan..."
Later
Everyone but Slightly went back inside the hideout. "Hey boys, you find Ashlee?"
"No." Nibs said, moping. Cubby moped too and the twins shook their heads. Tootles shook his head no as well and then disappeared into the hideout.
"Where's Slightly? I only managed to get away from that girl because she's trying to make something for me." Peter said.
"He didn't give up yet." Cubby said, biting his lower lip and holding his head down still. "But he did say he wanted you to go help him."
"Oh, well, it would give me a good reason to get away. You coming Tink?" Tinkerbell rang out a yes and flew onto his shoulder. Peter flew out th door and ended up getting covered from head to toe in fish oil. Tink had successfully managed to jump off before getting hit with it herself. "AGH!" He looked up to see Slightly with a now empty bucket, flying because he had used some pixie dust he had snuck off Tink, and grinning guiltily. "Slightly! Why did you cover me in this stuff?"
"Because, we thought your new friend would like it!" Cubby said. Tootles came out from behind the pelt with the girl, and when she got a whiff of the air her mouth began to water like crazy.
"Petteeeerrr~ You smell delicous~" She said. Peter backed up, alarmed. "Don't goooo, I'll eat you up!" He zoomed off into the air, missing a tackle hug from her. He flew off, both terrified and wondering why she would try to eat him like that. The girl grabbed Tinkerbell, shook pixie dust on herself, and flew after him. The lost boys all gave each other the thumbs up.
"Mission accomplished!" Slightly said, climbing down.
Elsewhere
Peter flew as fast as he could to skull rock, where most people wouldn't dare to venture. He went into the eye of the skull, and leaned against the wall, panting. His eye caught a shadow in the water, and remembering that fish oil was supposed to attract mermaids, he was prepared to flee when he saw Ashlee's head pop out. "Ashlee! There you are!"
"Peter! Look, there isn't much time before-" Something blew in right through, and the girl came in drooling.
"There you are my dear..."
"Peter! She's not human! Look!" Peter turned his head to see that Ashlee had sprouted a mermaid tail.
"I didn't know you were a mermaid!"
"I'm not, she took my legs so that she could get close to you!" The real mermaid screamed as her seashell magic was beginning to dissolve. She could feel her legs fuse together, and Ashlee was feeling her tail seperate and get less scaly. But then the mermaid hissed, and tackled Ashlee with full force into the water. They began to rip and tear at each other underwater. Desperate for survival, Ashlee bit hard into the mermaid's arm, making her scream and jump back with surprise. But since the other girl had no idea how to swim, all she could do was struggle until Peter shot into the water, the fish oil scent driving the mermaid insane. Peter picked up Ashlee out of the water and sprang right out before the mermaid could get a chomp off either of them.
"That was close... so how exactly did you become a mermaid?" He asked as they were headed back to their home with the mermaid cursing and yelling after them.
"It's a long story. Right now I just want to sleep on a nice warm animal skin..." She mumbled, closing her eyes and happy to not have to worry about algea producing in her ears. Peter just remained quiet as the girl fell asleep in his arms.