Remy's POV:

I hardly spared another moment there. I didn't bother asking Sean or Curly what had happened. Wasn't it obvious?

I hurried off after Peter, taking with me the decency to even say goodbye to my companion.

Damn you, Remy. Damn you.

He would have seen us sooner or later. Or would he? Would there have been any relationship whatsoever between me and Alex after our trip? The way things were at that moment in time, my imagination of what could have laid ahead for us had crumbled in nothing more than measly dust.

I decided to push all other thoughts aside and focus on catching up with Peter. Had he taken to the sky, or was he still on foot? Wherever he was, it wasn't anywhere close to me. I had been running to try and find him, but to no avail. I had ran so far I was back in dense woodland, where different creatures I had not yet learned the names called to each other, ignoring my presence.

I didn't blame them. I would have ignored me too.

No, Remy. No point in feeling sorry now. You brought this on yourself.

So I did the only thing I could think of.

"PETER!" I screeched. The animals were sounding more frantic.

"PETER! COME BACK! WHERE ARE YOU? PE – "

A hand cupped over my mouth, drowning out my words and forcing me to back into a tree. I tried to wail for a rescuer but my mouth was forcefully clamped shut, so I started to beat the person around the head with every ounce of rebellion I had left in me. While doing so I could hear the person trying to speak to me, trying to calm me. What were they doing? Who were they? What did they want with me?

Then an unthinkable thought crossed my mind.

Hook?

So just in case I kicked him in the best place I could think of.

They yelled and released me. I scrambled away from the tree and into open space, so if need be I had plenty endless directions I could disappear into.

This individual was taller than me, but from what I could see this was a boy.

He turned and I recognised him instantly.

"Eddie? What in the name of God are you doing? Are you trying to kill me? I thought you were – I thought you were – "

He held up a hand, desperately trying to signal me to be quiet with his eyes. I was immensely confused.

What? I mouthed.

Listen, he mouthed back.

So I did. I listened. My ears felt like they were twitching, and there was a small tingling sensation inside them. But past all that, I only heard the animals.

But there was an unmistakeable pattern. A certain species of bird would sing, and another would join in, and another, until five birds were singing in harmony together. Then, a chorus sung by much deeper voiced birds started. Soon the deeper voiced bird's voices faltered, until the last one had decidedly stopped. Then, it would start all over again.

I looked at Eddie for an okay. He nodded.

"I don't get it. What does it mean?"

"I think…do you think they might be trying to tell us something?"

My nose wrinkled of its own accord. "What?"

"Do you think the song could lead you to the sword? If you knew what it meant?"

I was surprised. "I don't know. Do you know what it means? Are you trying to tell me something, Eddie?"

He didn't appreciate my sarcasm. "Look, I'm sorry for scaring you. I just needed you to stop screaming and – "

"Wait. Did you see Peter? Did he pass by?"

He sighed. "Yeah. I said hi but I'm not sure he heard me. What did you do to him?"

I shook my head. "Never mind. Look, I don't really care that you scared me. And I'm thankful that you've been trying to figure out where the sword could be. I'll look into your theory, I promise. Where are the others?"

He shrugged. "They left to look somewhere else. I stayed here and listened to the song, waiting for you to come by. They all thought my idea was stupid."

I smiled at him, despite my current dire situation. "Your idea is the height of smartness. I never would have even stopped to listen to the birds. You have a very interesting point, Eddie. These birds are tied to the island, so perhaps their songs do mean something. And if I find out that they do, your name will be the first to come out of my mouth."

He smiled back, a little bashful. "Anytime."

I felt like I was in debt to him. "Just don't wear yourself out, okay? And don't get lost."

"I won't. I might stick around for another while though. This place is pretty beautiful."

I grinned. "Yeah, it is."

He smiled again and turned when the birds started their song again.

"Uh, Eddie? Could you tell me which way Peter went?"

Peter's POV:

She wouldn't find me here. Nobody would. This was my place, here at the top of the waterfall. I was perched on a large smooth rock that stuck slightly over the edge of the waterfall, threatening to leave with the water at any time. But I had already tested for its strength, and knew it wouldn't. My thoughts unsurprisingly drifted back to her.

How could she do this? After everything we had been through together, after everything that had happened. How? My chest hurt, complaining with more pain than I had ever felt before.

And she even waved at me, trying to diffuse the horrible aura of betrayal. It hadn't worked. Suddenly I felt a pang of strong hate for her. I didn't want to, but I did anyway.

Was it her fault though? I hadn't told her how I felt about her. But would she have guessed? Possibly. But had I even tried to make it obvious? I didn't know. I wasn't sure.

I didn't seem to be sure of anything anymore. I wasn't sure of my feelings, I wasn't sure of hers, I wasn't sure whether she knew of my feelings, and I wasn't sure whether I should tell her how I felt or not.

Well. I couldn't tell her now, not when she was with him.

Was she with him?

I groaned.

Maybe I should just ask her straight out. Demand answers. Because at this rate, I didn't have any better ideas. I would. I would find her and ask her.

I jumped up from the rock and slowly made my way off of the waterfall. I leaped down the short distance from the wall to the ground and kept a steady pace in a guessed direction. Then I heard her call my name.