Rawr. I told you I would update sooner, but I didn't. Sorry x But, I am working hard! I'd like to thank you guys for sticking with me, all of you, from those who have been here since the beginning and those who are just tuning in. You guys keep me going :D
Disclaimer: Neine
"Don't scream." the voice repeated quietly.
I tried to swallow the lump forming in my throat but was unsuccessful.
"That's a good girl." the voice whispered, seeming to sigh.
I strained my ears for each syllable the person uttered. The sound was human enough. It's a boy, maybe around my age? Yeah, that sounds right. How big is he? I slowly slid my arm across my side, extending my fingers as far as I could without lifting my arm too much. My fingertips brushed against a flat, bare stomach.
The boy squirmed under my touch and his hand closed around my wrist, my mouth now free.
"Who are you?" I demanded, my voice cracking. I cleared my throat and tried to wriggle free of his grasp.
"Shhh." the boy hissed into my ear, refusing to release his grip on my wrist and over my eyes.
"Who are you?" I said again, but quieter this time.
"Running Bear." he said in a light tone, "What's your name?"
"Running Bear?" I echoed. He must be a redskin, one of the Indians that inhabited the isle of Neverland.
"So we have the same name!" Running Bear said pleasantly, "You seem much too delicate to be described as a bear." he mused, running his fingers up my side, "Much too skinny."
I squeaked, trying to squirm away. I was horribly ticklish. "Stop!" I squeaked.
"Shhh!" Running Bear hissed, releasing my wrist to cover my mouth again.
I saw this window of opportunity and jumped through it, taking my newly released wrist and launching my elbow into Running Bear's rib cage.
Running Bear sucked in a breath and released the hand he held over my eyes.
I whirled around on my heel to come face to face with the boy.
He was at least six inches taller than I, still looking quite tall as he was doubled over, holding his stomach. His torso was bare, he wore only a pair of cow-hide pants. He looked up at me with his black eyes, his russet skin smooth. He had high cheekbones and an angular face, his thick black hair pulled pack into a ponytail. "You hit hard, Running Bear." he coughed, straighting up.
"My name isn't Running Bear." I said, "It's Kino." I puffed out my chest, trying my hardest to look tough.
Running Bear grinned, rising his index finger to his lips, "Quiet down, Kino." he said, "It is very late."
"What are you doing here?" I said, ignoring Running Bear's request.
"I should ask you the same question." Running Bear smiled. He spoke slowly, but clearly. He seemed to be quite fluent in English.
"I am a Lost Boy." I announced, "I answer to no one but Peter Pan." I scowled, glaring into his dark eyes.
"A Lost Boy?" he repeated, "You look much to pretty to be a boy."
I sucked in a breath, so, he noticed. "Well, I guess I'm not a boy-boy ..." I murmured "But, I am a Lost Boy nonetheless."
Running Bear snickered, "I was out for a walk, and a snack." he said, pointing to the furry carcass of a rabbit a few feet back.
"Why did you sneak up on me?"
Running Bear shrugged, "You looked very scareable."
I glared hard at Running Bear, "Leave." I barked, "Go back to your camp."
"But I still need to give you something." said Running Bear, taking a step closer.
"What?" I said, never taking my eyes off of him. I was wary of this boy but the prospect of a gift was very tempting.
"Close your eyes." he said.
I glared at him, but closed my eyes. I felt something drop over my head and land around my neck. I then felt something press against my forehead, something soft and warm ...
"HEY!" I screamed, swinging my fist.
Running Bear laughed, effortlessly dodging my punch, "You're so cute."
I clenched my fists, feeling my cheeks burn red.
"Who's there?!" someone yelled, startling the both of us.
"See ya later, Mel." Running Bear said, retrieving the rabbit carcass from the ground and disappearing into the forest.
"Who was that?" I heard an annoyed voice at my shoulder and turned to see Toriko standing next to me.
"A jerk." I growled, wiping my forehead.
"I agree." Toriko said, a sour look on his face. He looked up at me, "What were you doing?" he demanded, his eyes not meeting mine.
"Nothing, he sneaked up on me."
Toriko glared at me, "You should be more careful, he could've hurt you. The redskins are always hunting the Lost Boys."
"I can take care of myself just fine."
Toriko scoffed, snatching my hand, "Come on, you need to go back to bed." he huffed, pulling me along.
I let Toriko lead me back into the hideout, his hand surprisingly warm and my own surprisingly cold. My mind, despite being terribly troublesome earlier in the day, redeemed itself by reminding me of the redskin's gift.
Toriko dragged me down his special entrance, making for a cramped entrance to the Home Under the Ground. Toriko turned to me, eyeing me for a moment, "Night, Kino." he murmured, slipping into bed next to Niko.
I smiled faintly, trotting off to the room I shared with Peter.
He was sound asleep.
I crawled into bed next to him, lying atop the bearskin blanket. I reached for the redskin's gift.
It was a pendant. It was held to my neck by a thin strap of smooth, buttery leather, long enough for the pendant to rest in the middle of my chest. The pendant was simple, a grey teardrop and that was all.
I pinched the bit of strap above the pendant, dangling the teardrop above my head. Why did the redskin, Running Bear, give this to me? Something this nice could not have been a casual gift to a stranger.
They grey matched my eyes.
His eyes.
I shook my head violently, causing my neck to ache. The wound on my neck, which had scabbed over, did not crack back open at least. My mind was being mean again. I yawned, sleep is what I needed now.
(---.::. ADVeNTuRe AWaiTS! .::.---)
Again, I was flying, soaring through the air. The night was lovely, the moon a silver splash in the sky, the stars winking at me as I passed. I looked down but there was nothing there, it was as if I was flying over a canyon. When I looked up again I had to stifle a scream. There was the window again and I was heading straight for it.
I flipped in the air, coming to a graceful stop in front of the banister of the balcony. I placed my fingers on the smooth, wooden banister and a weight dropped in my stomach. A strangled scream tore from my throat as I groped for something to hold as I felt myself begin to plummet to the ground. My fingers found their way around the thick wooden beams holding the beautiful banister up. My breath came in short gasps as I struggled to compose myself. I kicked my feet but all the lift was gone.
I couldn't breathe, my fingers were beginning to cramp from supporting my weight. Hot tears were stinging in my eyes as a lump formed in my throat, further hindering my breathing. The tears began to fall as my fingers began to slip. I felt myself drop as I squeezed my eyes shut.
And suddenly, I was steadied, a warm hand wrapped tightly around my wrist. The one behind the hand pulled me up effortlessly, gently tugging me over the banister.
I opened my eyes to look into the face of my saviour, whom now held me tenderly in their arms as they cooed into my ear, but my eyes were clouded with tears.
"Breathe, breathe." was all they said as they set me on my feet.
I fisted the tears from my eyes, clearing my vision. I lifted my head to look my saviour in the face but all I saw was the large, glass window. I whipped my head in all directions, cricking my neck in the process. I muttered very rude things under my breath as I rubbed my neck. A movement of light from the other side of the glass caught me eye.
A large figure sat in the room, a bundle of blankets in their arms. He sat in the lone chair of the room decorated completely in a pastel shade of green. A white perambulator stood in the corner, a rather small crib of the same colour stood adjacent to it. A large teddy bear sat in the remaining corner, near the window.
I approached the glass, crouching down behind the shadow the large bear cast. I lightly touched my fingertips to the cool glass separating us. Immediately, the figure grew clearer as a lamp was flicked on. I narrowed my eyes. It was that man again.
His dirty blonde hair was thicker than last time I saw him, but his eyes were as bright as ever. He held the bundle of green blankets tenderly in his arms and smiled. His lips moved slowly as he gazed lovingly down at the bundle, it looked like he was singing to it.
I watched in awe as this man sang to an inanimate object and immediately questioned his sanity. That is, until I saw a tiny, chubby hand raise out of the blankets followed by the most beautiful gurgle of a laugh.
The man's eyes lit up as he cried out in joy, "Annie! She laughed!" he shouted, jumping to his feet. In his haste and excitement he missed something.
Just as the bundle in his arms, which I now knew to be a baby, laughed, a tiny lavender light burst forth from her mouth as the sound was heard. The light floated gently through the air, propelled by the gust of wind the man had left in his wake as he bounded out of the room. The tiny lavender light then passed through the window and continued to float.
I stared at the light as it passed me and I could have sworn I saw a small person lying within it. As I watched the little light float off into the night I suddenly felt as if something had tugged hard on a string somewhere behind my navel. I was thrown from the balcony, soaring over the banister and into warm arms. I felt something thud against my chest. It was the pendant that Running Bear had given me. It was warm, too warm. I could feel it through my shirt. I felt lips against my ear.
"Remember this." was all the voice said before the arms released their grip on me.
(---.::. ADVeNTuRe AWaiTS! .::.---)
I woke with a start, rocketing out of the bed and onto the floor below. I breathed heavily, running my hand through my shaggy hair, loosening the strands stuck to my forehead with sweat. I sighed, flopping back onto the floor. What was that all about.
I felt something warm on my chest. It was the pendant. It looked to be glowing dully, but I dismissed it as a trick of the moonlight streaming in through a window.
My eyelids were getting heavier. I rolled over onto my won bed, kicking the thick bear fur away as I lay down. I was asleep in no time at all.
(---.::. ADVeNTuRe AWaiTS! .::.---)
"Meddlesome redskins." a dark voice spat. Hook collapsed into his favorite chair, a beautiful wooden creation, ornately carved all over. He rubbed his left temple with his organic hand as he tapped his right temple with his hook.
"Very meddlesome, sir." Smee echoed, gingerly lifting Captain Hook's feet onto an automan.
"It is that young one, the tall, cocky one." Hook wrinkled his decrepit face in disgust.
"Much, much too confident." Smee said, nodding his head as he prepared tea.
Hook rolled his eyes, becoming annoyed with Smee's boot-licking, "If the brats gains any more allies it is going to be difficult. I need to dispose of him."
Smee froze, nearly dropping the kettle on his foot, "But, Cap'n. After the tantrum Lord Hades threw, we are not well armed enough to risk a fight with the savages."
Hook glared at him, a growl emitting from deep within his throat, "I am well aware of that Smee." he sneered, digging his hook too far into his temple. The liquid glistened, a bright and vibrant red. The red was soon overtaken by a goopy, black liquid. "We will need to call upon reinforcements. Hurry with the tea, Smee. I will be making another trip down there soon.
I finished this right after I finished my essay for summer homework and after finding my i-pod. Eve6 played a big part in the completion of this chapter XD
R&R! It speeds my fingers XD