The Hunt

-Alice-

Alice was out on a hunt in the woods, prey is notoriously scarce and hard to find on the isle so she had been tracking the same elusive squirrel a long way from her clearing. Finally, after a long chase, she was downwind and had just lined up a shot on the ratty grey thing with her bow, when the sound of heavy foot falls sent the twitchy creature scrambling up into the skeletal tree tops. Alice slackened her draw and ducked behind a gnarled trunk. After a few heartbeats, a blur of brown and gold went thundering past her.

Wait, was that Gil? Alice jumped up from behind the tree and ran after him. Man he was fast. She crested the small hill of the trail and saw the back of her friend madly sprinting ahead of her.

"Gil!"

She called and watched as Gil skidded to a stop and tried to turn around at the same time and ended up tripping over his own feet. He hit the ground in a cloud of dust.

Alice slowed as she approached, laughing.

She fell silent when she saw the look in his eyes. Her heart sank.

"What's wrong?"

Gil was breathing hard from the sprint.

"Its.. Harry.." He managed to grunt between gasps.

"Harry?"

"Captain Hook's men took him"

Her blood turned to ice at the name.

"I saw them pull him from the ship. He tried to escape, almost did but they knocked him out. They carried him into the woods... I think.. I think they're gonna kill him."

That snapped Alice from her paralysis. She thought of her parents, Nanny's whispered recounts of her mother's screams as she watched her husband murdered in front of her. Only to face the same fate herself. Hook was responsible for that. He was about to do it again. She wouldn't let that happen. Her fist tightened around her bow. She looked down at Gil, still heaving on the ground.

"Where?"

She asked, her voice low and sharp. Gil gawked up at her and raised a finger, pointed north west. He started to speak, to come up with a plan probably, but she was already gone. The tail end of her long dark cloak snapped in the wind as she vanished into the forest.

She ran through the woods faster than she ever had before. Her feet light and swift, she flew over rotting logs and dense thistles. These woods were her home, her territory. Every fibre of her body thrummed with energy, her senses alert and focused. She was on the hunt now, they didn't stand a chance.

Trees and rocks whizzed past her as she scanned for any hint of a trail. There, up ahead, a thicket had been trampled down. Alice slowed, taking deep controlled breaths and inspected the bush. She could make out three, maybe four sets of tracks. They were deep imprints, very heavy men or men carrying something heavy. They pointed northwest away further into the woods. Alice sprinted off in their direction. After a few heart pounding moments, she heard it. Far in the distance the sound of two voices arguing. Alice changed direction and sped through the woods towards them. The ground sloped upwards, Alice knew this part of the woods, there was a small hollow ahead. She slowed her pace as the angry voices grew louder.

Alice drew her hood over her head and knocked an arrow. Keeping low, she crept up the side of the hill and crouched behind a thicket at the base of a twisted tree at the crest of the hill. She peeked over the branches to the hollow below. Two burly men dressed in patchwork clothing and sandals stood together arguing in front of the old tree in the centre of the hollow, three other men brooded about the perimeter, kicking at the dirt with their feet or staring off into the woods with vacant expressions. They were all huge, muscular men. Since her mishap oh the Jolly Rodger she had been spending more time training in the woods. Gil had agreed to help Once she had her recovered from her injuries, Gil and her began meeting in the clearing to train together. They worked out, sparred and discovered they were both very competitive. They constantly made challenges and competitions that pushed them physically and mentally. After Gil left Alice ran through Nanny's training exercises and made up her own. She was stronger than ever before but these men were made of muscle. One hit from them and she'd be done. But she didn't need to get close did she? He had tightened on her bow. She only had two arrows. There were seven of them. Alice cursed. This wasn't going to be easy. Nothing was ever easy.

"All I'm saying is why should we wait. Kid knows the reason, so what if he's still out for the punishment."

One of the arguing pirates grumbled.

"Captain's orders." The other one barked.

"But-"

"The kid has to be awake, Captain wants to know if he squawks. Unless you fancy telling him you disobeyed because you were tired. I'm sure he'll understand."

The other pirate went quiet and stepped away with his hands raised in defeat. In the new opening between them Alice now saw what the pirates were arguing about. Harry Hook was strung up against the trunk of the tree by a long rope tied over one of its drooping branches. Hanging by his bound hands his body and head hung limp, his hair and trademark jacket were dishevelled but he looked otherwise unharmed.

"Let's speed things up, shall we."

The lead pirate grunted and lashed the back of his hand across Harry's face. Alice flinched at the sound. Harry groaned and blinked open his eyes. He raised his head weakly and Alice saw his arms and legs struggle under the ropes. The pirates on the outskirts of the hollow gathered to watch their crew mate work.

Harry cleared his throat.

"Boys, boys, boys."

Harry cooed.

"If you wanted a romantic stroll through the woods with me, you should have just asked."

The pirate walked up to him without a word and placed a hand beside Harry's head. He leaned towards the bound boy and whispered something in his ear before burying a fist into his exposed gut. Harry let out a shocked cry and doubled over as much as his bonds would allow. Straining against the ropes he wheezed for air but the next attack was already on its way. The pirate delivered a smooth uppercut that sent Harry's head flying back into the hard tree before winding back and punching the boy square across the jaw. Harry's head snapped to the side and blood sprayed from his mouth. Alice sprung into action.

She moved soundlessly through the woods, relaxing her mind and her lessons with Nanny came rushing back. How to roll your weight while stalking, tracking trails through the woods, sparring on the smooth stones, climbing trees, ambushes, escape tactics, combat techniques; all came rushing back in the blur of trees and dirt. The familiar musky smell of life and decay filled her with calm. She could smell Nanny there too, warm and soothing. Alice crested the rise on the other side of the hollow. The pirates were all yelling until one barked at them. Alice closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was back in the woods with Nanny, the sun warming her back through the overcast clouds. Nanny stood behind her, a firm guiding hand on her back as Alice readied another arrow. A dozen arrows porcupined the tree in front of her, none of them close to the small leaf wedged in the bark.

"Breathe, see the arrow's path in here."

Nanny's voice whispered over her shoulder. She reached a hand around and tapped Alice's stomach.

"Again."

Alice relaxed into Nanny's hand and straightened her back, pulling her arm back past her cheek. She took a breath in, her eyes flashed open fixed on her target, who raised a blade into the air. She loosed. The arrow collided with the centre of the man's chest and he stumbled back, knife clattering to the ground. Alice knocked her last arrow and steadied it at the group of pirates. Waiting.

"The woods!"

One yelled, the group split and darted into the woods. Alice relaxed her draw and ran down the hill. She moved deeper into the woods before turning sharply and skirting around the hollow. She heard the snap of a twig and ducked behind a tree just in time to see one of the pirates sweeping a long sword over the thick bramble underbrush in front of him. This part or the forest was younger than her home territory. The trees here were pitifully small in comparison to the ancient trunks that ringed her clearing. He turned suddenly and caught sight of her crouched behind the tree.

The pirate raised his sword and opened his mouth to call out but her arrow speared his throat. As he choked on the ground, Alice draped her bow over her shoulders and picked up his longsword. It was lighter than she expected. She could hear more pirates calling out to each other further into the woods and sped after them. She spotted one further ahead through the trees and darted from tree to tree unseen until she was right behind him. She wasn't used to her new weapon and her slash for his throat met his chest instead. The man howled and panicked, Alice slashed again. This time she didn't miss. It was too late, the other pirates were running towards her from all sides. Alice looked from one to the other, there were three of them, she couldn't take them all. Not all at once. They were spread out through the woods. Her best chance was to take them out one on one, before they caught up with each other. Turning abruptly, she raised the sword and ran directly at the closest one. Her hood fell back and the man's eyes widened in confusion at the sight of a teenage girl running at him with a sword. He stumbled and dropped his own in surprise. Alice swung high as she ran past him. The pirate crumpled behind her with a cry and she ran on towards the next approaching pirate. This one had seen her take down his friend and roared as he readied an axe in her direction. She eyed the weapon as she closed the distance. Now an axe is more my style. Alice smiled and right as she closed the distance between them she veered to the side and sprinted up the side of a tree, her momentum carrying her up the trunk for a few steps before Alice kicked off with all her strength and twisted her body in the air. She landed on one knee and launched up towards the stunned pirate who had swung too early. The sword speared the pirates middle and he fell to his knees. Alice released the sword's handle and took the axe from his limp hands. A cry rang out behind her. The other pirate! Alice rolled to the side just as a spear dug into the ground where she had just been. A tall muscular man with long greasy black hair and a matching beard decorated with braids and gold beads loomed above her. He pulled the spear from the earth with a thick hand and raised it above her. Alice swung her legs around in a hard kick to the back of his knee. The knee gave and the pirate stumbled. Taking hold of the opening, Alice threw the axe straight at the pirate. Its blade wedged deep into his chest. Alice kicked at the stunned pirate and he fell back. From the sounds he was making, he wasn't dead, but he would be soon. She turned from the dying man and sprinted back towards the hollow. Along the way, she pulled her arrow from the first pirate's body. If she had counted right, there was one more left and she had left him alone with Harry.

Blood rushed in her ears. Hook wouldn't take everything from her again. Not again. Alice knocked the bloody arrow to her bow and peered from behind a tree into the clearing. The last pirate was turning on the spot scanning the woods with a dagger in his hand. Harry was slumped in his bonds but she could see him looking between the forest edge and the short man. Alice shifted to line up her shot and a twig snapped beneath her. She stilled reflexively and cursed. The pirate whirled to face her and must have caught a glimpse of her arrow as he went scampering back to hide behind the suspended Harry. Alice's blood roared again at the sight of her friend covered in blood. Hook. The name blared in her head. He's a monster. His own son. She felt the rage burn through her. So much suffering. So much injustice. A true villain.

She drew her bow, ready to kill. Until she saw his eyes. They were not the same bright eyes of the boy from the boardwalk. Those storm grey eyes looked so tired, broken and hurt. It was the same look she saw staring back at her from her broken mirror everyday. She was overcome with grief for the boy. Treated like this by his own father. Having to live under such a monster. Maybe he knew what it was like, the constant fear. She wanted to take him away from this place. To make those eyes light up again.

"Stop!"

The pirate cried, wide eyes darting this way and that.

"You better do what I say or I kill the boy!"

Alice drew her hood low over her face and stepped into the clearing.

-Harry-

Filligan stepped back to admire his handy work. Harry hung limp from the rope, blood trickled down his chin. He blinked up at the bearded pirate through bleary eyes. His head was ringing. Everything hurt. He wheezed a breath and coughed, smattering blood on the big man's shirt. Even breathing Hurt. The big pirate glowered at the new stain on his shirt and then at Harry.

"I think the Captain would like you to learn a more permanent lesson."

Filligan sneered and drew a rusty dagger from his belt. Harry gulped, powerless.

"Chop his fingers!" A pirate from the group called.

"His ear! His ear!" Another supplied.

"Quiet!" Filligan snapped. The others obeyed. He turned his beady glare back to Harry.

"I say we tarnish that pretty little mug of yours. One right cross the middle. It'll be hard to charm your way outta trouble after that, won't it boy?"

He drawled as he stepped towards him, knife raised menacingly. Harry was gripped by fear. Paralyzed, he could only watch as the knife arced up and flashed as it descended towards his face. Something whistled past his ear and with a thump, Harry saw the feathers sticking out from the centre of the pirate's chest. The knife fell to the ground from his slackened hand as he stumbled backwards and fell over, coughing blood until he stilled. The other pirates looked on, Harry included, with mouths agape.

Suddenly one broke free of his stupor.

"The woods! Go!"

They scampered off into different directions, weapons drawn. One pirate, Puddley, a stout balding man with a few gold teeth stayed behind and stared into the woods.

They heard one of the men shout in the distance, followed by a chorus of war cries as the other pirates ran to the noise. Those cries soon turned into screams and then silence.

Puddley turned in a slow circle, a large dagger trembling in his hands. At the snap of a twig from the woods the man let out a tiny shriek and ran to Harry, wedging his large body between Harry's and the tree. He raised his dagger to Harry's throat.

"Stop!" He cried, wide eyes darting this way and that.

"You better do what I say or I kill the boy!"

A rustle and a cloaked figure stepped from the trees a few paces away, a long wooden bow, with arrow knocked, in their hands. The pirate behind him yelped at the sudden sight and the blade nicked his throat. Harry winced and felt a drop of blood trail down his neck.

The figure walked towards them, their steps eerily silent. A ghost? Harry wondered. The chided himself for such a ridiculous thought but something in his gut told him to fear it.

"Stop right there!"

Harry's captor commanded, tightening his grip on Harry and his knife. The figure stilled. Its dark head tilted, as if asking- what now?

"D-d-drop your weapons and step away from them."

The pirate stammered. The figure lowered slowly and placed the bow and arrow on the ground and stepped past them, closer to the two of them.

"No! Stay there or I swear I'll cut his throat!"

The figure raised their hands slowly in front of them, dark gloves with palms held forward. Harry felt the pirate behind him shift and begin speaking, when the stranger flicked their wrist and a small knife went speeding towards him. Harry heard the knife sever flesh and bone and felt something warm and wet spray his cheek. The pirate slumped to the ground behind him. Harry stared at the cloaked figure and neither of them moved.

A rustle from the woods startled them both and the figure dove back to their bow and rolled to their feet in a flash with an arrow drawn back and pointed at the sound. The rustling grew louder until a familiar blonde head crashed through the trees.

Harry almost cried at the sight of his friend.

"Gil!"

He croaked. Gil's eyes found his.

"Harry! You're alright!" His friend called as he sprinted to his side and began to untie the ropes.

While Gil busied himself with the knots, Harry craned his neck to look beyond him. The stranger was gone.

His head felt heavy and thick, the light hurt his eyes. His whole body ached from the beating and when the ropes released his burning arms he almost collapsed on the spot. Gil rammed a shoulder beneath his arm in the nick of time and together they made their way through the clearing. They stopped in their tracks and sucked in breaths at the carnage before them. All of the pirates Hook had sent were scattered through the woods, motionless in pools of their own blood that had yet to soak into the ground. Filligan was hunched over, the point of a sword spearing up through his back. Large Lou lay flat on his back staring up at the grey sky through glassy eyes. An axe stuck in the centre of his chest.

"What.."

Harry started, but Gil just patted him on the shoulder and led him away.

They hobbled down a small trail through the wood and Harry's eyes began to cloud. His feet felt heavy and his head foggy. Soon the dark edges of his vision began to grow and he leaned heavily on his friend.

"Harry, buddy? Hey. Stay with me, okay?"

Harry tried to open his eyes but they wouldn't lift.