Catherine's POV
It has been exactly eight days since Pan forced me to leave the camp. In the days following my banishment, I have become close to some of the other creatures, both magical and otherwise, that inhabit Neverland, including the island natives, the fairies, and the mermaids.
I've learned that everyone across the board dislikes Pan and, after learning of my connection to him, were a bit wary of me at first. When I told them of how Pan himself had severed all ties to me because of our complicated history and how I had no intention of ever returning to him and the Lost Boys, they seemed to trust me a bit more and have been much friendlier to me over the past few days.
My first encounter with the natives happened the day after my banishment and was a complete accident. It was that day that I met the famed Princess Tiger Lily. We had coincidentally been stalking the same wild pig and were both patiently waiting for the opportune moment to strike. I had taken the first shot, but had only succeeded in wounding the little beast. Just before I could cock another arrow into position to deliver the killing blow, she went ahead and put it out of its misery with a clean shot through the eye. She had then quickly dropped to the ground from a nearby tree, grabbed the dead animal, and took off with it into the jungle.
Of course I wasn't going to let her get away with the prize considering I was the one who wounded it enough for her to easily take it down. If anything, we should split the kill. I took off after her and, after much searching with no success, locked onto her aura and transported myself to where ever she was, which just so happened to be right outside her encampment.
"You really shouldn't take things that don't belong to you, dearie," I said.
She jumped and whirled around to face me, brandishing her knife in my direction. "What do you mean? I killed the beast. It is rightfully mine," she countered, sneering at me.
"Well, you see, that's not entirely true," I explained, disappearing and reappearing directly behind her.
She jumped again when she heard me say, "I took the shot that weakened it enough for you to take it down. Without my help, you probably wouldn't have even caught the wretched little thing. So it was really a team effort, when you think about it."
She sneered, but remained silent.
"Come on, dear, half that pig is mine. I have to eat too you know," I said impatiently.
"You are Pan's girl, Catherine, correct?" she asked me.
"Yes, I was. But not anymore," I replied, trying hard to keep the pain from my voice.
She looks at me skeptically. "How do I know you are not lying?" she asked.
"If you give me my share of the pig, I'll tell you everything," I offer.
Still looking at me suspiciously, Tiger Lily takes her dagger and deftly slices the pig into two equal parts. She tosses me my half and said, "Alright, I have given you what I promised. Now talk."
I then go on to tell her everything that happened between me and Peter. I don't know why I told her as much as I did. Maybe it was because I had bottled up my feelings for so long that when I was finally able to share them with someone, it all just came out, like someone opening the floodgates to a river. Or maybe it was the fact that I found Tiger Lily easy to talk to. Well, no matter the reason, every little detail came out, from something as important as Lance's almost-kiss to something as insignificant as the look of pain in Peter's eyes when all his memories returned. By the time I had finished, I had never felt more relieved to have told anyone anything than in that moment.
She stayed quiet long after I had finished my tale, and for a second there I was worried that she might call on her other Indian friends to come out and kill me. When she did finally speak, I was completely shocked to hear her say, "Would you like to stay here tonight?"
I could feel my eyes grow wide at her proposal and she had laughed at my reaction.
"Do not seem so surprised. You have been through so much already. The least I could do is offer you a place to stay tonight. Especially if it means sheltering one of Pan's rejects," she said smirking at me.
The way she had called me one of Pan's rejects had hurt more than I'd care to admit, but I knew that we were on the same side now and that she could be trusted. I accepted the offer and she told me that I would be staying in her family's teepee with them. I tried to refuse, saying that I would be perfectly comfortable on a palette next to the fire, but she ignored all of my protests, saying, "It is only fitting, considering you are the guest of honor."
I eventually give in to her demands, and she leads me into camp to meet her father, Chief Great Big Little Panther. Similar to his daughter, the chief seemed a bit wary of me at first, but after Tiger Lily related my story to him, he, along with the rest of the tribe, welcomed me with open arms.
He even decided to celebrate my arrival with what they called a powwow. There was music and dancing unlike anything I've ever witnessed. We must have danced nearly the entire night because by the time we finished, it was nearly dawn.
Thankfully Tiger Lily was gracious enough to let me sleep in a little later to recover from the festivities the night before, and after eating a nice breakfast with her family, I was on my way.
I have seen Tiger Lily often since then. She comes and visits me at my little campsite whenever she can and we've gone on a couple of hunting trips together, so I think its pretty safe to say that she is my closest friend. She has invited me to come and stay at the encampment again a couple of times. I have declined her offers, but she still keeps the option open to me by saying to show up whenever I want. Apparently her father enjoyed my company and says that I'm welcome any time.
My encounters with the other creatures were a little less heart-warming. The fairies weren't mean but neither were they welcoming. Most of them took one look at me and turned up their noses, so I try to avoid them as much as possible. They don't bother me and I don't bother them. End of story.
The mermaids were a bit kinder. They despise Pan as much as the next creature, but they took an oath to remain neutral when it comes to things involving him. They were nice enough to place a protection spell on me, however, and since mermaid magic is nearly ten times stronger than any mortal's magic, I was grateful for their help. I try to visit them as often as I can because they really are kind creatures. I just have to be careful around them because they have a craving for human blood and after a while, they tend to grow restless and attempt to drown me.
My favorite mermaid would probably be Celeste. She always listens to what I have to say and is the most patient mermaid out of all of them. I could sit and talk to her for hours on end if I didn't have to worry about her potentially craving a snack. I also enjoy all the stories she tells me about her life in the Kingdom of Oceana. I've learned that her mother's name is Queen Cora and that Celeste has two younger sisters, Marina and Pearl. They are twins and I've only met them once, but I will admit, they are a pair of trouble makers. I have never met Celeste's mother, but according to the other mermaids I've met, she's one of the kindest and most just rulers in all the realms.
Today, I decide to pay Celeste a visit so I head over to Mermaid Lagoon. When I get there, I call out, "Celeste! Celeste!"
No one answers, so I try again. "Celeste! Marina! Pearl!"
When still no one answers, I begin to grow worried. The only reason the mermaids wouldn't come when I call would be because either something has gone wrong in Oceana and they are needed or there is someone or something up here that would threaten their safety.
My suspicions are confirmed when a voice sounds from behind me. "Well, well, well, look who it is. Never thought I'd see you fraternizing with the merpeople. What's up with that?"
The voice causes my blood to run cold and I slowly turn to face the voice's owner. There, leaning calmly against a tree is Lance, with his ever present smirk on his face.
"What do you want, Lance?" I ask coldly.
"What do you think, dearie?" he replies raising his eyebrows.
"Hook wants me again, doesn't he?" I ask.
"No. I came here on my own accord this time," he replies smoothly.
"Then what is it you want?" I ask again.
He doesn't answer. He just removes himself from the tree's side and strides slowly over to stand in front of me. I stand my ground, refusing to let him have the upper hand.
"Heard you and Pan had a little argument," he says.
"Yeah. What else is new?" I snap, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Oh, Catherine, you really have no idea do you?" he asks getting even closer.
"No idea about what?" I whisper.
He chuckles. "How appealing both your feistiness and your vulnerability make you," he says quietly. He then leans in and lifts my chin gently.
Before I realize what I'm doing, my eyes close and I feel his lips on mine. His hands move around my waist and pull me closer. My arms then snake their way around his neck in my own desperate attempt to bring him nearer.
This kiss is nothing like the one I shared with Peter only a week ago. While Pan's was gentle and sweet, Lance's is rough and hungry. I give out a small sigh and he moans with contentment. He then roughly pushes me up against a nearby tree and starts tugging at the hem of my shirt.
Suddenly, I feel Lance get ripped away from me and my eyes snap open. My eyes grow wide at the sight before me. Lance has been thrown to the ground, and looming aver him is an enraged Pan.
"What did I tell you about touching things that aren't yours, Lance?" he snaps.
"What the-" Lance shouts, anger flashing dangerously in his eyes.
"And you!" Pan cuts Lance off, turning to point at me. "What the heck are you doing with him?"
"Well you obviously didn't want me, so I went with my second choice!" I shout frustratedly.
Pan still looks extremely angry, but I catch the small flicker of hurt that flashes in his eyes.
Before I can say anything else, Pan turns his attention back to Lance. "Now I'm going to kill you like I wish I had successfully done the last time," he says and lunges for Lance's chest.
"Stop!" I yell and jump in between the angered teens.
"Get out of my way!" Peter bites out through gritted teeth.
"No," I reply firmly. I then turn my head towards Lance. "Get out of here," I command. He then slowly rises to his feet and, after one last glare at Pan, he disappears before our eyes.
Pan just stands there fuming, staring at the spot Lance previously occupied for a minute then moving his death stare to me.
"Just take a deep breath and calm down," I order, calmly taking his hands in mine.
He immediately snatches them away and turns his back to me. I can see him attempting to get his anger under control by clenching and unclenching his fists and taking many deep breaths. I stand there supportively, patiently waiting for him to speak first.
Pan, with his back still to me finally speaks, "I'm sorry."
His apology is so unexpected that I don't know what to say. He turns around to face me and I see by the look in his eyes that he is completely sincere. "I'm sorry for everything I said and for sending you away. It was the worst decision I have ever made and have regretted it from the very moment you walked out of my tent. You were right. I am a heartless monster, but one that wants to be given the chance to change. Will you please forgive me and come back?" he gushes, his expression filled with pain and repentance.
I say nothing for a while as I try to push down the lump in my throat. I then slowly sit down on the log that is conveniently laying on the ground beside me.
"Please say something," he whispers in a pained voice.
I close my eyes to reign in my emotions. "No," is all I say.
"No?" he asks.
"No," I affirm.
"Why?"
"Because I already gave you a second chance," I answer quietly.
"What?"
"When you brought me back here, I could have left whenever I wanted. I could have erased your memories again and left, but I didn't. I stayed because no matter how much I wanted to leave, a part of me still wanted to believe that you could change. But I was wrong."
"But I-"
"Oh please," I cut him off. "You know deep down that I'm right. The proof is right in front of you! You sent me away because I made you feel vulnerable and weak. But you should also remember, your relationship with me also proved that you have a heart. I think that's what scared you the most about me. I brought out a side of you that no one else ever even knew existed, and you were afraid that it would eventually take away the respect and the fear that others felt towards you. You were afraid that it would make you soft. And I don't think you could bear loosing the power you wield just to be with me," I rant. Once I started, I found it very difficult to stop until I had all of my feelings out in the open.
He remains silent, looking ashamed as he stares at his feet.
"So no," I finish. "I won't return to camp with you because I know that eventually that inner monster will resurface and we'll be right back at square one. And what would be the point of that?"
I then turn to go, but his reply stops me. "Then why haven't you left?" He steps closer to me and I can feel his warmth just a few centimeters from my back. "I think that deep down you want me. You want me so bad that you are willing to stay on the island just so you can be near me, and believe me when I say that I want you just as badly," he whispers seductively in my ear as his hands gently caress my hips.
"I want to believe you, Peter. The sad thing is I don't," I whisper past the lump in my throat, and before he can say another word, I transport myself to my home atop Blind Man's Bluff, a place no one would ever think to look. Just as a precaution, I quickly place a cloaking spell around it so Pan won't be able to find me with his magic even if he wanted to.
I duck inside my tent, plop down on my make-shift bed, and begin to sob. A short while later, I hear a familiar and welcoming voice call my name.
"Catherine? Are you here?" Tiger Lily calls.
"Yes," I say, quickly wiping my eyes. I then poke my head out of the tent flap to see her. She's smiling, but as soon as she sees my face, her expression takes on a look of worry. "What is wrong, Catherine? What has happened?" she asks, hurrying to my side.
At her apparent concern, the tears start to flow again and she wraps me in a tight, comforting embrace. She then leads me back into my tent and we both sit down. "Now, tell me everything," she prompts and I do.
I have to stop a couple of times because I'm crying so hard, but she remains silent and patiently listens to what occurred over the past few hours.
When I finally finish relating my story to her, she says nothing, deciding to be supportive by just holding me as I shed my tears.
"I'm so sorry, Catherine," she whispers and all I can do to reply is nod.
And so we just sit there in my little tent, her comforting embrace the only thing that is holding together my battered, broken heart.
Third chapter of the 3 I promised! Hope you enjoyed your triple update! Love y'all!