Peter had tried to wrangle the boys to eat breakfast at their table like Wendy had always gotten them to do. But he was finding now without his make believe wife, he had no control over them when it came to manners. Not that he minded the noise, the running around, and the eating with their hands. He only felt he owed it to Wendy to keep her ritual while she was gone. He gave up when Curly stole a piece of Slightly's Never Sloth off of his plate and in retaliation, Slightly stuck a wet finger in Curly's ear, and the wrestling began. Peter threw his hands up, and leaned back in his chair to cheer on the rough housing.
When they had finally calmed down and worked off most of their energy, they huddled around a bare patch of earth outside to formulate their plan for rescuing Wendy.
"What if we sneak around the back of their campsite," offered Slightly. "And I can look under all the tents and then Curly can create a distraction, and Michael and Tootles can be the lookouts, and then…"
"Why do I always have to be the distraction, why can't I look under the tents for Wendy?" asked Curly.
"Because knowing you, you'd get captured by Indians and then we'd have to rescue you too!"
"Take that back!" cried Curly. The wrestling resumed again, with boys taking sides and joining in on the attacks.
Peter flew in to separate them. Normally, he would have laughed at their behavior, but he was getting anxious to see Wendy again and put this business with the Indians behind him.
"Boys! Focus on your mother. John, what do you think?"
"Well," said John, straightening his spectacles. "I believe in this matter the direct approach is the most suitable. They began the game early, maybe they were mistaken about the time and place. It would be best to confront them directly." John would never admit it to anyone, but he had suggested this only so that he could spend a lengthy amount of time in Tiger Lily's presence. Ever since he first saw her at the Pow Wow, he couldn't get her fearless eyes out of his mind.
"Maybe you're right John," said Peter.
"But that's no fun!" exclaimed Nibs. "What about our game?"
"This can be part of it!" cried Slightly. "Peter and John are the distraction!"
"That's not bad John. We can talk to the Chief, and the boys can look for Wendy! No matter what, we walk away with our prize." He wanted so much to hold Wendy again. A few hours had seemed like days, even weeks.
"It's worth a try," said John. They all agreed, and marched out of the hideout.
When they got to the village, the younger boys flanked left and right through the trees, around to the back of the encampment. Peter and John strode up through the middle, straight through to the Chief's tent.
They garnered stares and looks and by the time they reached the center of the village, there was a large crowd around them.
The Chief was sitting in front of his home, dressed unceremoniously, and yet John had to marvel; he was still an imposing figure.
"Good morning great Chief," said Peter.
"Good morning Peter Pan. What brings you to my dwelling?"
"Sir we'd like Wendy back. Our game was supposed to start two days from now, and we weren't prepared for her kidnapping. We need her to come back and be our mother. Please Great Chief."
The Chief stared at the two boys in front of him, eyebrows raised. "Peter Pan, you have always been brave and young, and spoken to me like a leader of boys. And now you come to me with a man's voice, in a manner befitting a great leader of men. I am impressed by the respect you show me with your words, but I regret that we do not have your Wendy-Bird. We would not start the game before its proper time, and so you must be mistaken."
Peter and John looked at each other in surprise.
"But sir," John interjected, and flinched a little when the Chief gazed directly at him, but took a deep breath and continued. "The evidence is irrefutable at the scene of the crime; it was definitely a kidnapping by your men."
The Chief stood, and crossed his arms in front of him.
"Are you saying that I do not know my own people? I would know if they had taken your mother. Your Wendy-Bird is not here. Now go, look for her among the Pirates. I will hear no more of these accusations."
Peter was confused. This had never been part of their games before; bold faced lying. He only hoped that the lost boys were having more luck finding Wendy than he was having negotiating.
Just then, Tiger Lily came around the dwelling, and stood next to her father.
"Here is my daughter, Peter Pan. She will confirm what I have already told you." The Chief looked down at Tiger Lily, pride in his eyes, and Tiger Lily kept her eyes straight ahead, refusing to look at Peter.
"Daughter, tell Peter Pan we do not have his Wendy-Bird. He is questioning my honor."
Tiger Lily let her gaze wander slowly to Peter's face. He looked back at her, imploring her with his eyes. A week ago, she would have run to him, thrown her arms around his neck and asked him about his adventures. Now her demeanor was cold, and she looked at him with contempt.
"Let me talk with Peter alone, Great Father. I will convince him," she said. Her father looked down on her and smiled.
"Very well."
Tiger Lily took Peter's hand and led him into the Chief's longhouse behind her.
"May I accompany you?" asked John stepping after Peter.
Tiger Lily turned and narrowed her eyes at John as if seeing him for the first time. John's heart skipped a beat at the beauty in her face, and the shine of the sun on her hair. Her copper skin glowed. She was utterly intimidating. She turned back around. Peter looked behind him with a shrug, and left John to push dirt around with his feet outside under the scrutiny of the Chief and the other inhabitants of the village.
"Tiger Lily, what's going on, do you have Wendy? Where is she? Why are you acting so strange…" He didn't have time to finish his sentence because Tiger Lily had stepped forward, and planted a kiss on his mouth.