Thank you everyone SO much for the reviews-they truly warm my heart! I'm going to be writing more this weekend so enjoy this chapter and I'll post again soon
:)
Wendy sat, huddled around the fire with her feet tucked underneath her dress and blank, expressionless eyes that reflected the light of the flames. Tink settled on her shoulder and gazed into the fire.
"What happens if we lose him, Tinkerbell," she finally spoke. "What happens if he doesn't come back?"
You can't think like that, Wendy. He's Peter Pan. He always wins. He always comes back. Tink reached out and touched Wendy's cheek and jumped as a giant teardrop rolled down the girl's face. Wendy sniffed and buried her face in her arms.
"All of this is because of me. He wouldn't be…wherever he is, if I hadn't gotten poisoned. I wish they had killed me. I wish he had never met me. If he dies because of me…" she was overcome with sobs and her wet cheeks stained her dress. Tink sighed and patted the girl's cheek. She fluttered her wings, willing Wendy to look up at her.
It isn't your fault. Peter loves you, he would do anything for you. I know that now. But Wendy did not hear or see any of it. She continued to sob into her dress and Tink slowly lowered back to her shoulder and nuzzled up against her, her heart going out to the girl whom she had once hated.
Peter awoke to water dripping onto his face and sliding down his cheek. His eyes shot open and he saw Oceane leaning over him, studying him intently. He shot straight up and leaned away from the mermaid; Oceane bit her lip.
"I apologize Peter. I did not mean to startle you."
"What…what were you doing," Peter asked, clutching his heart. Tethys and Sedna both swam over to see what the fuss was about.
"You were sort of…glowing." Peter stared.
"I was what?"
"Glowing. It's gone now but you had this sort of glow about you. Were you dreaming about something?" Peter was not about to admit to the mermaids that he was dreaming of Wendy and the thing they had started the other night. He shifted uncomfortably and avoided her eyes.
"I don't remember."
"What do you mean, he was glowing," Tethys leaned closer and Peter leaned even further back.
"There was a bright aura around him! I don't mean he glowed with happiness, I mean he was actually lit up. I have never seen anything like it." Peter became even more uncomfortable under the mermaids' stares.
"We have always known Peter Pan was different," Sedna said, coming to Peter's aid. "We should continue. Peter, you will have to keep watch while we go under the water and search for the cave."
"What? No, I'm not letting you go down there alone! I want to come help."
"And how do you think you will breathe under water?" Peter bit his lip; of course he hadn't thought of that. But he couldn't let the mermaids risk their lives for something that he needed.
"Do you know of anything that I could use?"
"Sedna could kiss you. And then you could breathe for a short while."
"Kiss?" Peter leaned back involuntarily. He had only ever kissed one person. And he was sure that one person would be furious if she ever found out that he had kissed a mermaid. Still, if it was the only way…
"My kiss does not mean what that girl's kiss means," Sedna said a bit huffily. "And it is the only way to allow you to swim with us."
"Ok," Peter said, still a little hesitantly. Sedna nodded and without another word, she took off under the waves.
"Hey! Wait a minute!" Peter knelt close to the water and gasped as he saw a gray tail coming down toward him. He didn't have time to duck and he fell into the water with a loud splash.
He thrashed around for a minute, trying to blink the water out of his eyes, his blonde curls floating around his face, and his heart hammering as he struggled to breathe. He didn't see any of the mermaids around and wondered briefly if this was all some sort of horrible trick. He closed his eyes, feeling them burn with the salt water, and floated where he was until he felt slimy hands grasp him and pull at him. His eyes shot open as he felt lips press against his and he looked into Sedna's clear, slanted eyes. She pulled away and he gasped, drawing in a deep breath, feeling relief as air filled his desperate lungs. His expression was torn between puzzlement and betrayal. Sedna released him and allowed him to float beside her.
"It had to seem like you were drowning for the enchantment to work. We cannot kiss above the water. Our kiss is meant to save sailors from drowning. Or to lure them to their deaths," she added with a cruel smile. Peter swallowed and he felt more hands close around his arm and he whirled around. Oceane and Tethys were smiling at him, their wild hair floating around their faces.
"This way." They kicked with their powerful tails, with Peter struggling to keep up.
Peter found immediately he did not like to swim. He missed the air, where he excelled and could control his speed. Under the water, he tired quickly, he felt too cold and too vulnerable, even with three mermaids by his side. He was used to being the hero; if something came after them, he wanted to be the one to save the day. But he knew it would not be like that if they were forced to remain under water. Tethys gripped one arm while Oceane grasped the other and they lead him along, following Sedna. The mermaid finally stopped and the other two yanked Peter back, holding him in place. Sedna's face had turned to her right and had become very alert. Peter frowned.
"What is it, sister?" Sedna's nostrils flared as she sniffed around her.
"The cave that we seek is this way. But don't you smell that?" She turned to her sisters, and saw they both looked puzzled.
"Smell what?"
"I smell fires. Burning embers. Rotting flesh." Peter gagged and the mermaids looked horrified.
"I smell nothing, sister."
"Then let us hope it is not any real danger. Stay close to Peter. Follow me." The mermaids kicked their tails again and dragged Peter along. Soon, a monstrous cave came into sight. Peter saw immediately that Sedna had not been lying; the cave was literally burning. And now that they were so close, the rest of them could smell it too. Peter tried not to gag but the stench was horrific. Sedna, too, looked queasy. Peter wanted to ask the question but found that he could not speak. Sedna turned to him, a sad look on her face.
"They are the ill-fated souls who are exiled here. A garden of souls that is harvested by the Sea Witch. She and her minions keep the souls trapped here, burning for eternity." Peter looked immensely unsettled and thought again about Wendy being sent here. No way he would let that happen. In fact, he intended to speak to the fairies when he returned and demand they set things right. Perhaps they could save these poor souls.
"Sedna, what do we do if we encounter the Sea Witch?"
"Let us hope we do not. We need to get close enough to the cave to find out where Cragen is. Let us hope it is not in her lair."
"And if it is," Tethys asked nervously. Sedna's eyes rested on Peter for a moment before she answered.
"Then we shall have no choice but to enter." Tethys and Oceane exchanged frightened looks but Sedna turned back to the cave and let out a gasp. Her arm shot out and caught Peter in the stomach and the mermaids instantly stopped.
"What is—" but she clapped her hand over her sister's mouth before the mermaid could finish speaking.
"Iku-turso," she hissed. Peter's brow rasied and he looked baffled. Seeing his expression, Sedna jerked her head upward and Peter glanced up and nearly let out a yell that would have been muffled anyway. Three gigantic green…things, was all Peter could think of to call them, swam over the entrance to the cave. It was a cross between a giant lizard and an eel, with razor sharp teeth, two hands with claws on each side, and slimy tentacles coming from its face. Razor sharp fringe decorated its terrifying face. Peter's face was drained of color. The mermaids watched them swim around, and Tethys swallowed.
"What is your plan now, sister?"
"We have to distract them. Lure them away from the cave. Peter can swim into the cave and find Cragen." Peter didn't think much of this plan; in fact, he held up a finger to stop her but Oceane interrupted.
"You would let him face the Witch alone? And besides, how are we supposed to out-swim iku-turso? They are impossibly fast. We would never make it to a hiding place."
"I have an idea," Tethys broke in, a smile crossing her face. The mermaids glanced up at the creatures again before sinking down to hide amongst the sea anemones.