Chapter 13

Renewed Hope – Part II

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The Indian encampment sat on a cliff high above the Neverland ocean, overlooking the vast expanse of water that still craved to be explored by the adventurous. Exiting the forest, it was as if being thrust into a completely different world. The entrance was flanked by two massive totem poles that's height challenged even some of the tallest trees in Neverland. Each one decorated with the guardian animals of the tribe from the very topmost eagle, to the bottom bear, who supported the rest of the animals on his wide shoulders.

The sun had reached the highest point in the sky when Peter and Leah, made their way past the poles into the heart of the encampment. All around them, teepees stretched to the very edge of the cliff, and all surrounding a central communal fire pit. As they continued to walk further into the camp, heads of the Indians began to turn and all were looking strangely at Peter, some of the younger children even tugged at their mother's skirts and pointed at him. When a man about the age of five and twenty past them and gave Peter the same strange look, Peter glanced over at Leah as if to question her what was going on. But she said nothing in return.

Leah knew that the Indians were all surprised to see Peter for most had assumed him to be dead. Now that he was walking right past them, alive as can be, they were astounded, but at the same time, very happy to see him still alive. Some of the elders that they past, would give the two of them a sympathetic head bow, and Leah realized that the elders were probably the only ones who really knew what happened on Hook's ship.

Finally, after enduring countless stares, Leah stopped in front of a teepee a few teepees away from the edge of the cliff. Standing outside, was a large man with long black hair and a series of designs drawn across his chest in red clay. Upon seeing Leah, he gave a slight nod, and pulled aside the opening flap for her to enter. As Peter past him to follow Leah, the Indian gave Peter the same strange look as everyone else had, but at the distance they were at, Peter was able to see the pity that the man carried for him behind his brown eyes. Trying to avoid the man's stare, Peter entered the teepee, the Indian dropping the curtain behind him as he followed Peter inside.

Inside, the teepee lit by sunlight through the smoke hole at the top, Peter noticed that the small home seemed even smaller from the inside than it did from outside, and realized that half of it had been blocked off by a curtain drawn from either side.

He wasn't inside for more then a few seconds when all he saw was a flash of black hair, then felt someone through their arms around him.

"Peter! I was scared that…that you might be dead." Princess Tiger Lily cried, her voice hitching as she clung to him. She pulled away from him, her eyes shining with tears. "I'm so happy to see that you are alive." Through the past weeks, Peter couldn't believe that he had almost forgotten about Tiger Lily. She had been his best friend since as far back as he could remember, and he felt horrible that he had made her so worried.

"It'll take more then that to kill me." Peter said, putting on a false bravado. But immediately he could see that Lily didn't believe him, and she gave him the skeptical look that she always gave him when he told her an elaborate story about how he was able to wrestle an alligator with one arm behind his back. But then she gave him a small smile, and turned to look over at Leah, who was standing patiently by the divider with her hands clasped in front of her. Leah gave the Princess a small nod, as if telling her something in code that Peter was desperately trying to understand. Lily glanced at Peter, who looked at her in confusion, then answered Leah with the same small nod.

"We will be outside, if you need us." Lily gave Peter one last hug before exiting the teepee, the large Indian following right behind her. Once the two were gone, Peter turned his gaze upon Leah, still trying to figure out why they were there and what was going on. What had Leah meant before when she said that he was wrong?

"Please, sit down. I'll be right back." Leah said gently, motioning towards the fur rug that was strewn across the far side of the teepee. Once he sat, she disappeared behind the curtain, leaving Peter alone. Seconds ticked by as Peter sat on the fur rug, focusing on the ray of light that filtered in from the smoke vent, his thoughts were confused as he tried to figure out why they were there. He didn't have to wait too long. A few minutes later Leah emerged from behind the curtain, but she was not alone.

Resting on her hip, she carried a small child who was dressed in Indian garb and whose face was pressed into the crook of Leah's neck, hiding him from Peter's view. Another young child, dressed in the same clothes, stood next to her, clinging onto her skirt, his face pressed into her side. Carefully Leah kneeled while cradling the boy, the other child, still keeping his face away from Peter, hurried into her arms as soon as she was settled.

Peter caught Leah's gazed and silently asked her what was going on. In response, she tilted her head towards the young boy she cradled and whispered something in his ear that Peter could not hear. Cautiously, the child pulled his face from her shoulder and looked up at her, and with her head she motioned in Peter's direction. Peter held his breath, and time stood still as the child slowly turned his head to face Peter. It took a moment for Peter to register the boy's face, but once he did, his breath released in a choking sob, that came with a single name.

"Nibs."

Upon hearing his name, the young boy's reaction was immediate. Leaping from Leah's arms his threw himself into Peter's stunned ones.

"Peter!" Tears poured in streams from Nibs' eyes, dampening Peter's shirt, but Peter didn't care. In his arms, the boy felt real, solid. Alive. And as he tightened his grip around his lost boy, in his chest Peter's heart exploded.

"No. It isn't true. Peter's dead. Just like everyone else. He's not there." Another young voice said, his voice cracking with strained emotion. Peter looked up at Leah to see that the other boy had wrapped his arms around Leah's waist and was violently shaking his head in disbelief. But even without seeing the boy's face, he recognized the voice, and Peter released another choking sob.

"Slightly."

The child turned, his eyes welling with tears as soon as he saw Peter's face. A loud wailing cry escaped from Slightly as he too ran across the room into Peter' s open arms. Leah sat back and gazed upon the three boys hugging and crying with joy, and couldn't help but feel her eyes mist over as well. She knew that she had made the right decision.

It was a few minutes before all the emotions began to settle down, but once it did, the young boys were attached to Peter's side as if they were glued. Peter kept his arms around his lost boys and couldn't believe that they were actually there beside him. He looked up at Leah and once again, couldn't believe how amazing she was.

"How?" Peter asked, tightening his grip around the boys.

"Well, I found them in a cave when I was waiting out a storm." Leah started.

"We thought she was one of the pirates!" Nibs chimed in.

"But she wasn't." Slightly continued. "She was just a girl." Leah smiled at his comment, as did Peter.

"She told us that she was a friend of yours and that she was trying to help." Said Nibs.

"We don't usually trust girls, but after getting away from the pirates, we had no where else to go." Slightly said while fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.

"And how did you get away from the pirates?" Peter asked. The two young boys exchanged looks, the quickly turned away and stared uncomfortably at the ground. Peter looked up at Leah, but she was staring at the boys sympathetically.

"They told me, they got away while the pirates were trying to take Cubby with them." Leah said. Immediately, Peter had images of the last time he saw Cubby flash in his mind.

"Cubby put up a good fight." Slightly sniffed, his eyes shining with tears again. Peter hugged the boys closer to him.

"Yes he did." Peter began. "Up to the very last minute." All three were in pain, remembering their fallen friend, and Leah felt helpless. She wanted to help their pain go away, or at least ease it, but she didn't know how.

"I asked them if there was anyone that they could go to for help." Leah said after a few minutes of only their sniffing breaking the heavy silence. "They told me that Tiger Lily would help them. And that's how they ended up here."

"I'm just glad that they are safe." Came Peter's voice in a soft whisper.

Minutes continued to pass without anyone saying a word. Leah sat back and watched Peter and the boys enjoy each other's company. And as she watched Peter smile fondly at the boys he cradled in his arms, something flickered in her heart. It felt so foreign to her that she placed a hand over her chest, thinking that maybe it was something physical. But the more she watched him the more she was amazed by his strength, and she knew what she felt was the one thing se had been denying herself for as long as she could remember. Suddenly her train of thought was broken as Tiger Lily came rushing in.

"Peter! Leah! It's pirates." Tiger Lily said in a rush, her usually strong composure ruffled. "We saw a few sniffing around in the trees just outside our perimeter." Lily grabbed Leah's arm and pulled her into a standing position. "I think you two should be going." Leah knew that Lily was right, the longer they stayed there, the more danger they were putting themselves and the boys in. But glancing over at Peter, it would be heartbreaking to have to rip him away from Nibs and Slightly after the little time that they had together. How could she ask that of him?

"You're right." Peter's statement shocked everyone. Slowly he stood, still carrying the two boys in his arms, and carefully placed them on the floor.

"No!" Nibs immediately wrapped his arms around Peter's thigh.

"You just got here!" Slightly cried, wrapping his arms around Peter' s waist. "You can't leave us!" The boy's words cut straight into his heart. But Peter knew it was for the best.

"Hey, I would never leave you." Peter said. He kneeled down to their level, and placed a hand on each of their shoulders. "You have to stay strong, okay?"

"But-"

"No 'buts'. I promise I will back to see you as soon as I can." Standing he placed a hand on each of their heads and ruffled their hair. Two small faces stared up at Peter, tears running down each of their cheeks. "Be good for Tiger Lily okay?"

"We promise." Peter smiled and forced himself to walk away from them towards Lily.

"Take care of yourself." Lily said, enveloping Peter in a hug.

"I will." Peter took a deep breath and walked away from her as well. Standing next to Leah, he took her hand in his. "Let's go." Peter continued to pull Leah out of the teepee and through the entire Indian encampment. The whole way, Leah stared at the back of his head and knew that he was in pain. She watched as he would occasionally bring his other hand up to his face then drop it. Unsure of what to do, she tightened her grip on his hand, and felt him give her a squeeze back.

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Well imagine that! Happy TGIF everyone! One of our longest chapters yet and done in only a few days! Yay! We also want to give a big HELLO to the reader Embry who figured out the big secret of this chapter weeks ago, so…HELLO EMBRY! Happy reading!

Oh, and to Embracing…it's Friday! Be shocked! ;)

-Star and Glade

3/24/06