Cats P.O.V
Coming round the next day, I feel like the inside of my eyelids are made of sandpaper. I whimper as I wrench them open, experiencing the sore feeling that only comes after crying too much. As my sleep haze clears the night before comes to the forefront of my mind, flashes of pain, darkness, dead eyes and blood seem burned into my soul and once again, stinging tears fill my eyes. I stretch my arms and legs out tentatively, then try to raise myself up, wincing as agony flairs in my nether region. Gulping back my sobs, I slowly come to realise there's an arm slung over my waist, a warm body pressed against my back and I can hear deep, heavy breaths. He stayed with me all night? After what he did, the gentle way he's holding me is surprising. I also at some point through my unconsciousness have been dressed in a t-shirt and pants. I glance over my shoulder; my line of vision is filled with blonde hair. I allow the pulsing anger I felt at being completely helpless last night to fill me up and control my next actions. I drive my elbow into his stomach, feeling a grim sort of satisfaction at his sharp intake of breath and his arm immediately withdraws. I follow this up by twisting round, trying to ignore the agonising pain in my centre and shove him off the side of the bed with my foot in his crotch. As I hear the thud of his body hitting the ground and his grunt of pain, I get up, half crouching and holding my middle to try and quell the waves of torment radiating from my insides, stagger to the tent exit and throw myself through.
The camp, which was buzzing with activity before I landed, freezes as all heads turn towards me. As I lie there, I hear one of the boys shout ''someone get Pan, NOW.'' A few boys run off into the woods while some of the others gingerly approach me, lifting me and carrying me to the fire. I moan in distress, I don't want them touching me but im concentrating too hard on not throwing up to speak. ''Holy crap, she's bleeding, what has Felix done'' one whispers to another. They lay me quite close to the flames on top of a sleeping bag, wrapping me up in it in an attempt to stop the shivering. ''Do you want some water, some food, anything'' another questions me in a small voice. Before I can respond im distracted by Pan's arrival. He crashes through the treeline with two boys on his heels, looking round in a panic. Spotting me, he rushes to my side, ignoring my flinch at his nearness. ''Caterina, what's wrong?'' I speak into the quiet; I have everyone's full attention. ''You must be devastated, Pan. Felix beat you to it, he…he…'' I trail off, horrified by how weak and pathetic my voice sounds. ''No'' he whispers. He looks towards Felix's tent; the lost boys who surround us back away to reveal Felix standing at the entrance, looking over the scene with a detached expression. Pan growls lowly, getting louder as he disappears from his place beside me, reappearing in front of Felix, giving him a vicious punch to the face. Felix's head snaps back, blood flying from his nose. Pan continues to hit him, over and over, yet Felix makes no noise and remains standing throughout the beating. Finally, he falls to the ground, making no move to get back up. Pan lifts his foot to continue his assault, but unable to stand it anymore, Rufio tears from crowd to stand in front of his brother, palms facing forward in a submissive stance. ''Pan, stop, he's down. You'll kill him if you carry on.'' He crouches beside Felix's prone form, checking him over, wiping the blood away from his face.
Breathing heavily, Pan faces me, covered in dark red splatters. He moves back towards me slowly, like im a startled deer. ''I'm so sorry, I had no idea he would hurt you'' he says, looking at me with such sadness I could weep again. It's a flawless act, but I see something behind the sympathy, something about the gleam in his eyes creeps me out, keeps my guard up. ''Why are you sorry, you're just as bad. You're probably just mad he took my virginity instead of you'' I spit. A collective gasp comes from the boys, if there was any doubt about what Felix had done before, there was none now. Kneeling beside me, he lifts the sleeping bag away from my body, reaching down my trembling form. ''Don't touch me'' I warn, trying to stop him, but he holds my hand, lacing his fingers through mine and begs ''Trust me, im going to help you.'' I release him and lie rigidly as he delicately lays his hand over my middle. Once again, I feel heat emanating from his touch. This time, it seems to sink into my bones, eradicating the aching throb from my core. I sigh in relief and close my eyes as I relax from my unnaturally stiff pose. ''We need to get you cleaned up'' he muses, lifting me into his arms and standing, ignoring my squeal of surprise. ''Hold on to me tight, this might make you a bit dizzy'' he cautions me before the world melts together into a blur, reforming a moment later to show a different scene. Head spinning I loll my head back. ''What the hell was that'' I slur, struggling to get a clear picture of where I am. ''That was your first time magically teleporting, love'' he laughs, carrying me towards what I realise is the same pool Felix washed me in before. He splashes into the water, and as Felix did before him, gently lowers me into the warm pool. ''Do you need help or can you manage?'' he asks, shocking me. He's asking permission? ''I'll manage fine'' I reply, standing myself and moving away from him. ''I'll wait in the clearing, come find me when you are ready and call if you need….well anything'' he shrugs and walks out of the pool. ''Pan'' I call. He pauses and looks over his shoulder. ''Um, thanks'' I say awkwardly, unsure if this is his best act yet or if he is genuinely concerned. He nods at me and disappears. Once he is out of sight, I submerge myself under the water for a few moments. Breaking the surface, I find that once again im crying, and allow the sobs to wrack my body as I try to come to terms with what happened.