"Move, ya dogs, or I'll lay your bones bare!" Hook must have planned
coming out during peak heat of the day intentionally, being that it made
him all the more irritable and prone to lashing out verbally or physically
at his crew. With the exception of the heat, it was really a lovely day in
Neverland, especially with all the odd varieties of fruits being in season.
The scents of all the blossoms and ripened fruits hanging beneath the
canopy of the trees was beyond alluring, and the moss on the forest floor
was still cool from the morning's dew that hadn't been touched by the hot
sun yet.
Mason grumbled, grappling a handful of Neverberries roughly. Something about this not being a pirate's job. Gentleman Starkey noticed how half of whatever went into Mason's basket seemed to be half-crushed, or simply picked without care to see if it was ripe or rotten, but then shrugged off the thought, noting that the fruit would be mush by the time they got to eating it. The pirates walked along, picking their mild variety of fruits and vegetables as Smee went over a short list of needed foods. Silently, a tiny brown hand helped itself to the variety of pre-picked fruits from a few hoisted baskets as things like plums and apples were dropped into them. Smee moved over to count the apples in the basket. A large apple dropped in. "One," counted Smee. His eyes followed Mullins' hand as he picked the apples, but not the hand behind him taking them. He dropped in another apple, to which Smee looked in the basket and counted, "One." Smee thought nothing of it as he watched Mullins place another apple in the again empty basket. "One," he said again. Seven apples had vanished before it dawned on Smee that either Mullins' basket was being spooked, or something fishy was going on. "Mullins," Smee said, eyeing the basket carefully. "Hold your basket up like ye are, but Jukes, you go up in the tree and start handin' him apples. Somethin's not right to be sure." With a wordless nod, Jukes climbed the tree, and began to slowly hand fine red apples down. For several apples, nothing happened, until just as Jukes' hand placed the apple in and withdrew, and a second brown hand slipped down to fetch it. Smee did a quick double-take, but then saw only Jukes' brown hand. "Begorrah," Smee muttered. "I must be seein' things." Jukes, however, had noticed the second hand that wasn't his. The owner of that hand suppressed a mischievous giggle. Billy's hand moved down slowly with an apple, released it, and then began to move away as the second hand moved down. It looked like his, but he knew it wasn't. He withdrew, and it withdrew. He lowered his again, and it simultaneously moved down as well. The pair of hands moved up and down. They waved and wiggled fingers at each other. Mullins, who'd been watching the whole thing, eyed the second hand suspiciously. "These woods are cursed, lad! Gimme your hand, I'll help ye down." Billy lowered his hand for Mullins to grab, and so neither saw the second hand flip Mullins the bird before withdrawing. Sitting above the pirates, talking to each other without speaking, sat the two young culprits. The boy sat perched comfortably, his muscular arms wrapped around a tree branch. His hard black eyes watched the pirates like a hawk as they retreated, making sure they headed for the shore and not deeper into the wood. His much younger companion sat there with a cheeky grin on her face as she fingered through the stolen fruit. Yurek looked at the haul and smirked at her. ~ Surely, we needn't take all of that back. Share some with our hosts! ~ The sending came quite clear to Meanne's mind, knowing she would enjoy it as much as he, and that she'd have done it anyway if he'd allowed her to or not. Taking careful aim, Meanne, fetched an apple into the air, hitting Smee square in the shoulders. He looked all about. "It's rainin' apples!" he piped. Captain Hooked turned about, eyeing the trees carefully, certain it was the Lost Boys. Yurek and Meanne held their breath, praying that Hook wouldn't spot them sitting there in the branches. ~Stay here! ~ Yurek ordered as he rose and moved quickly to another tree closer to them. A small spray of acorns showered down on the pirates, who quickly drew their swords. "Odds, bombs, hammer and tongs! Show yourself!" Hook roared, ignoring Mullins' comments of there being evil in the trees today. Evil, thought Yurek. I'll give you a good evil tree-spirit, easy! Meanne smiled in admiration of her older companion – he was always SUCH a good actor! Yurek pulled out some hanging moss and covered his head in it, then grappled a hold of a more bendable branch and began lashing it back and forth at the pirates. He made a moaning sound. "I am PINECLAW! Leeeeaaave my wooooods, and neeeevah return! BOOOOOOOOO!" Yurek continued firing acorns and pinecones at the bunch. There was much yelping and cursing and debating on shooting or not. By now, Meanne couldn't resist the fun, and began to do the same. "YAAAAAH, booogah boogah!" Meanne shrilled as she too swished branches menacingly, knocking Captain Hook's hat off. "And I am Shrillbark!! Run away now, or I'll... or I'll.... I'll do something horrible and nasty to you!!! YEAAAHHHHH!!!!!" Yurek smacked his hand against his forehead. Now the pirates would figure it out that it was a farce for sure! He had to distract them from Meanne. While Cookson and a few others had already made their way out of the woods and safely to the shore, others were not convinced. Hook moved toward the apple tree with the shrill voice slowly; Meanne did not dare to breathe. Her body was arched against the body of the tree, barely hidden by leaves and branches as Hook stood merely feet beneath her, eyeing up the branches as he could. "Or you'll WHAT, Miss Shrillbark?" Meanne's arms held tighter against the trunk and pulled her body as close as possible, watching the captain's gleaming hook poke at various low branches. ~ Don't move! I'm coming! ~ Yurek silently moved between the trees, noting that all remaining pirates watched their captain as he sought out Meanne. And then, Hook grinned. Though the tree was no longer screeching, Hook found what he was looking for: a small set of brown toes. "Since you requested it so, we shall leave," Hook said, saying each word slowly and clearly. He gave his crew gestures to say things along the same lines. He took a few strides and dashed behind another tree to wait as Meanne hastily scooted around to the back of the tree to clamber down and run the other way. Exactly what Hook had been counting on. ~ Meanne!! NO! Don't move!! ~ One foot stepped down silently, then another. And that's when his hook caught the hem of the blue-trimmed petticoat and yanked down very hard. Meanne let out a sharp yelp as her head bumped against a branch roughly before she toppled onto the ground. "Owwwww....." she whimpered as she rubbed against her head, sitting up on her elbow. "What in the world caught..... me...." Her voice trailed off and eyes widened in terror as she was now face to face with a very frightening Captain Hook. "About that torture, Miss Shrillbark?" He grinned maliciously, gently lifting the green moss mat from her black waves. Meanne was in big trouble. His hook moved to her soft, young throat. "And now, "tree spirit," you die." The Captain's gut was promptly met with a hard-heeled foot, knocking his hook off course from her aorta to just behind it. Meanne wasted no time in scrambling away with her covered fruit basket and made a mad dash into the thicket. Hook roared as he straightened. "AFTER HER!" Yurek darted up to cut the pirates off, blocking the way she ran, and threw something in the brushes around him to make it seem like she had run elsewhere. Hook neared himself to Yurek, who glared up to match growls. He was a tall and healthy young man with bare arms and chest, and a collar of intricate beadwork and lions fangs and gold. He backed up a pace and made a coyote-like bark, and ran into the brush, throwing down several smoke balls as he went. After much coughing around and sounds of the bushes moving in all directions, the smoke cleared and there was no trace of the jet-eyed man or the young girl who dared to kick Captain James Hook in the gut. The small troupe made a retreat back to the longboat wordlessly; it now seemed that either Peter Pan had made additions to his little herd, or Hook had someone else on this accursed island to torture him. Billy didn't mention to anyone the two beads he'd found in the dirt before the bushes heading east.
Mason grumbled, grappling a handful of Neverberries roughly. Something about this not being a pirate's job. Gentleman Starkey noticed how half of whatever went into Mason's basket seemed to be half-crushed, or simply picked without care to see if it was ripe or rotten, but then shrugged off the thought, noting that the fruit would be mush by the time they got to eating it. The pirates walked along, picking their mild variety of fruits and vegetables as Smee went over a short list of needed foods. Silently, a tiny brown hand helped itself to the variety of pre-picked fruits from a few hoisted baskets as things like plums and apples were dropped into them. Smee moved over to count the apples in the basket. A large apple dropped in. "One," counted Smee. His eyes followed Mullins' hand as he picked the apples, but not the hand behind him taking them. He dropped in another apple, to which Smee looked in the basket and counted, "One." Smee thought nothing of it as he watched Mullins place another apple in the again empty basket. "One," he said again. Seven apples had vanished before it dawned on Smee that either Mullins' basket was being spooked, or something fishy was going on. "Mullins," Smee said, eyeing the basket carefully. "Hold your basket up like ye are, but Jukes, you go up in the tree and start handin' him apples. Somethin's not right to be sure." With a wordless nod, Jukes climbed the tree, and began to slowly hand fine red apples down. For several apples, nothing happened, until just as Jukes' hand placed the apple in and withdrew, and a second brown hand slipped down to fetch it. Smee did a quick double-take, but then saw only Jukes' brown hand. "Begorrah," Smee muttered. "I must be seein' things." Jukes, however, had noticed the second hand that wasn't his. The owner of that hand suppressed a mischievous giggle. Billy's hand moved down slowly with an apple, released it, and then began to move away as the second hand moved down. It looked like his, but he knew it wasn't. He withdrew, and it withdrew. He lowered his again, and it simultaneously moved down as well. The pair of hands moved up and down. They waved and wiggled fingers at each other. Mullins, who'd been watching the whole thing, eyed the second hand suspiciously. "These woods are cursed, lad! Gimme your hand, I'll help ye down." Billy lowered his hand for Mullins to grab, and so neither saw the second hand flip Mullins the bird before withdrawing. Sitting above the pirates, talking to each other without speaking, sat the two young culprits. The boy sat perched comfortably, his muscular arms wrapped around a tree branch. His hard black eyes watched the pirates like a hawk as they retreated, making sure they headed for the shore and not deeper into the wood. His much younger companion sat there with a cheeky grin on her face as she fingered through the stolen fruit. Yurek looked at the haul and smirked at her. ~ Surely, we needn't take all of that back. Share some with our hosts! ~ The sending came quite clear to Meanne's mind, knowing she would enjoy it as much as he, and that she'd have done it anyway if he'd allowed her to or not. Taking careful aim, Meanne, fetched an apple into the air, hitting Smee square in the shoulders. He looked all about. "It's rainin' apples!" he piped. Captain Hooked turned about, eyeing the trees carefully, certain it was the Lost Boys. Yurek and Meanne held their breath, praying that Hook wouldn't spot them sitting there in the branches. ~Stay here! ~ Yurek ordered as he rose and moved quickly to another tree closer to them. A small spray of acorns showered down on the pirates, who quickly drew their swords. "Odds, bombs, hammer and tongs! Show yourself!" Hook roared, ignoring Mullins' comments of there being evil in the trees today. Evil, thought Yurek. I'll give you a good evil tree-spirit, easy! Meanne smiled in admiration of her older companion – he was always SUCH a good actor! Yurek pulled out some hanging moss and covered his head in it, then grappled a hold of a more bendable branch and began lashing it back and forth at the pirates. He made a moaning sound. "I am PINECLAW! Leeeeaaave my wooooods, and neeeevah return! BOOOOOOOOO!" Yurek continued firing acorns and pinecones at the bunch. There was much yelping and cursing and debating on shooting or not. By now, Meanne couldn't resist the fun, and began to do the same. "YAAAAAH, booogah boogah!" Meanne shrilled as she too swished branches menacingly, knocking Captain Hook's hat off. "And I am Shrillbark!! Run away now, or I'll... or I'll.... I'll do something horrible and nasty to you!!! YEAAAHHHHH!!!!!" Yurek smacked his hand against his forehead. Now the pirates would figure it out that it was a farce for sure! He had to distract them from Meanne. While Cookson and a few others had already made their way out of the woods and safely to the shore, others were not convinced. Hook moved toward the apple tree with the shrill voice slowly; Meanne did not dare to breathe. Her body was arched against the body of the tree, barely hidden by leaves and branches as Hook stood merely feet beneath her, eyeing up the branches as he could. "Or you'll WHAT, Miss Shrillbark?" Meanne's arms held tighter against the trunk and pulled her body as close as possible, watching the captain's gleaming hook poke at various low branches. ~ Don't move! I'm coming! ~ Yurek silently moved between the trees, noting that all remaining pirates watched their captain as he sought out Meanne. And then, Hook grinned. Though the tree was no longer screeching, Hook found what he was looking for: a small set of brown toes. "Since you requested it so, we shall leave," Hook said, saying each word slowly and clearly. He gave his crew gestures to say things along the same lines. He took a few strides and dashed behind another tree to wait as Meanne hastily scooted around to the back of the tree to clamber down and run the other way. Exactly what Hook had been counting on. ~ Meanne!! NO! Don't move!! ~ One foot stepped down silently, then another. And that's when his hook caught the hem of the blue-trimmed petticoat and yanked down very hard. Meanne let out a sharp yelp as her head bumped against a branch roughly before she toppled onto the ground. "Owwwww....." she whimpered as she rubbed against her head, sitting up on her elbow. "What in the world caught..... me...." Her voice trailed off and eyes widened in terror as she was now face to face with a very frightening Captain Hook. "About that torture, Miss Shrillbark?" He grinned maliciously, gently lifting the green moss mat from her black waves. Meanne was in big trouble. His hook moved to her soft, young throat. "And now, "tree spirit," you die." The Captain's gut was promptly met with a hard-heeled foot, knocking his hook off course from her aorta to just behind it. Meanne wasted no time in scrambling away with her covered fruit basket and made a mad dash into the thicket. Hook roared as he straightened. "AFTER HER!" Yurek darted up to cut the pirates off, blocking the way she ran, and threw something in the brushes around him to make it seem like she had run elsewhere. Hook neared himself to Yurek, who glared up to match growls. He was a tall and healthy young man with bare arms and chest, and a collar of intricate beadwork and lions fangs and gold. He backed up a pace and made a coyote-like bark, and ran into the brush, throwing down several smoke balls as he went. After much coughing around and sounds of the bushes moving in all directions, the smoke cleared and there was no trace of the jet-eyed man or the young girl who dared to kick Captain James Hook in the gut. The small troupe made a retreat back to the longboat wordlessly; it now seemed that either Peter Pan had made additions to his little herd, or Hook had someone else on this accursed island to torture him. Billy didn't mention to anyone the two beads he'd found in the dirt before the bushes heading east.