Chapter 7

"Meeting the Indians"

Upon her arrival in Neverland, Alice had already been nearly killed thanks to the Lost Boys because they thought she was a bird. Now, she was continuing to get adjusted and was offered by Peter to get a better perspective of her surroundings. So, early the next morning, the Lost Boys had agreed to let her come on one of their hunting rounds where they would be out to hunt for Indians.

Eventually, they all came to a series of footprints in an outermost part of the forest and Slightly bent down to inspect it.

"Indian tracks," he said to himself. "They must be nearby. Keep your eyes peeled, men. They could be anywhere."

Alice was slightly concerned about this exercise that they were doing and was curious to know what was happening. After all, being English, this was unsure of whether that this was a hunt or a game that the boys were playing. She wanted to ask the lost boys, but at the same time, she didn't want to disturb them.

"I say," thought Alice as she watched the Lost Boys do their thing. "This is quite unusual for children. I dare say that this reminds me of what we did back in England."

Alice continued to watch with curiosity until she saw what appeared to be an axe flying right at her. Upon sensing that it was coming, Alice ducked down and the axe came right into a tree trunk. Feeling that she was being watched, Alice tried to walk away from the situation, but then she noticed a tree moving towards her.

"Something is not right with this tree," she said nervously. "Why does it keep following me?"

She then bent down and lifted the bottom of the tree and saw to her horror a pair of feet and not just any feet. They were the feet of Indians and fearing for her life, Alice ran over to the Lost Boys who were now conversing over what to do.

"Boys! Boys!" she cried, trying to get her attention. "Indians! Savages! Listen to me!"

But, Cubby just kicked her away to the ground as Alice saw several more trees surrounding them. Alice tried to get their attention, but a pair of hands pulled her into one of the trees and out of the view of the lost boys.

"Say," said Nibs. "Wasn't Alice trying to…?"

Suddenly, a series of loud war cries came from the trees and a hoard of Indians came out from the trees and grabbed the lost boys. They of course, tried to fight back, but it was no use and they were all captured. A little while later, they were brought back to the Indian encampment and tied to a stake as the sounds of Indian drums were heard.

"Where are we?" whimpered Alice as she tried to struggle against her bonds. "Are we in a savage camp?"

"Don't worry, Alice," replied Slightly. "This happens to us all the time. Just play along with us."

"If you say so," said Alice, meekly as the other Lost Boys tried to cheer her up.

Suddenly, a hulking figure came forward with a large headdress on his head and stared down at the tied up group.

"How!" he called, raising his right hand to the group.

"How, Chief! How!" replied the lost boys, responding to what was said to them.

"For many moons, we red men fight paleface Lost Boys," said the chief. "Sometime you win, sometime we win."

The boys were silent for a minute, before Alice whispered to them from behind. Being that she never met an Indian, she couldn't help but feel slightly nervous.

"What are they going to do us?" she asked, the Raccoon twins nervously.

"It's only a game," they replied. "If they win, they turn us loose and if we win, we turn them loose."

But, the chief heard the whimpers and walked around to where Alice was tied up. The chief looked down at her and admired at how different Alice looked from the Lost Boys.

"How!" he said to Alice as she looked up nervously at him. The towering presence of the chief had caused Alice to start fearing for her life, remembering how criminals back in England were like this. Seeing that her lack of words was disrespectful, the chief had Alice removed from the Lost Boys and dragged by her pinafore to the spot where the chief usually sat and was just about to have Alice impaled when a loud cry was heard.

"No!" cried the voice and a small Indian girl ran in front of the frightened Alice and stopped her father from impaling her. "Don't hurt lost girl!"

Knowing that the girl was not going to move out of the way, the Chief relented and stepped back. Grateful to be alive, Alice hugged the Indian girl and was later led back to Hangman's tree with the rest of the lost boys.

"I can't believe those savages!" remarked Alice to the lost boys. "Imagine, the nerve of trying to kill me!"

"That's what happens when you don't show them respect," said Slightly, looking back to Alice. "That's one thing you will have to remember the next time you come out on a hunt with us, Alice."

"But, who was that girl who saved me?" asked Alice as they arrived back at Hangman's tree. "She had a lot of courage to stand up to that man like that."

"That's Tiger Lily," said Cubby. "She's the chief's daughter and a very good friend of ours. Perhaps you and her can get to know each other later."

"I really do hope so after what she did for me," replied Alice as they all settled in for a good night's sleep. Alice didn't have any nightclothes, so Peter and the lost boys loaned her one of their animal skins. It wasn't like her usual nightgown, but it was very comfortable on her.

Meanwhile, as they slept, the Queen of Hearts' ship and the Flying Dutchman were watching from offshore, waiting for the moment that they would strike on Alice, Peter and the Lost Boys…