Rufio slammed her into a tree, his knife pressed against her neck. Artemis rolled her eyes. "A little overdramatic. Isn't it?"
"What's the plan Rufio?" Artemis drawled out. Despite the situation, she felt the most relaxed since her first encounter with the red head. "Kill me, for what a question? Talk about an overreaction."
"You have no idea what you just cost us-"
"What? A pointless thing that benefits no one."
"Insolence!" Rufio spat, Artemis grimaced. "Say it, not spray it. And if you don't mind me asking: what's the big deal?"
Rufio growled withdrawing his knife, sliding it back into sheath. "Stupid girl. You have no idea what Pan is capable off, what he could do to us if we were to lose."
"Wha-no." Artemis gasped, catching Rufio's train of thought. "No, he…no." Rufio rolled his eyes, folding his arms staring at her like a disapproving parent, the rest of the boys splitting up huddling together in small group.
"He wouldn't-"
"And what would you really know about Pan?" Rufio asked his voice soft, freaking her out even more. "He would seriously-" Artemis started, glancing around at the other, lowering her voice. "-kill us…right?"
"You tell me, after all you are the Pan expert aren't you." Rufio sneered, shaking his head. Artemis looked around them, the group of Lost Boy's seeming more like innocent children than Pan's usual personal little army.
"Please don't tell me I just killed us all." Artemis muttered, running her fingers though her blonde hair, her fingers messing up her already messy plaint even more. "Yes, you did."
"Really Rufio, now!" Artemis snapped, picking up her bow, twirling it around in her hands. Rufio scoffed. "Don't see why you're worried, he'll keep you alive, Princess."
"Don't call me that." Artemis said sharply, her bow twirling cut off, her fingers twitching towards her arrows. Rufio paused, a flicker of shock in his eyes that disappeared almost instantly.
Artemis swallowed hard, shutting her eyes tightly. "I've seen you play games before, why is this any different?"
Rufio licked his lip. "Um, Initiations, they're the hardest because it not only a new recruit it's a test to prove that we are still capable of being Lost Boys. We worked out a simple deal for initiations, same time, place people, we make it good and we tie, so there would be no losers."
Artemis nodded, opening her eyes, sliding her bow over her shoulder. "Wouldn't Pan have noticed the pattern by now?"
Rufio shrugged. "Maybe, but if he did, he didn't make a move. Maybe he knows, but doesn't care or he's…just enjoying the fear…who knows, what goes on in his head." Rufio mumbled.
Artemis sighed. "Great. I'm on an island with a sociopath."
"Hey, that's our leader you're talking about!" Rufio snapped.
Artemis stared at him in surprise. "Wh-I'm getting so many mixed messages from you, Rufio." she grumbled. "So…since the old plan can't work anymore, I've got an ide-"
"No way in hell, am I and these boys listening to you." Rufio snapped, his red hair quivering as he spoke. "I'll handle this and then-"he growled, stepping closer to her. "I'll deal with you."
Artemis smirked, stepping closer, so close that she could count his freckles. "As entertaining as that would be, we have bigger problems." she said stepping back. "Look I don't like you, you definitely don't like me, but I have a plan that helps everybody. So I suggest you help me and we all stay happy and alive. Deal?"
Rufio paused, glancing behind him. "And if I refuse?"
Artemis shrugged. "You lose, die. I don't really know. I can do it on my own, but I did screw you over. So, just an invite." Artemis said, turning around to making her way to the path, from which they came from.
"Better decide quickly, coz I'm not waiting around for you." she said, retracing her steps, earning the attention of the other boys. "Times a wasting." she sang, pausing just before the trees. Rufio said nothing, still staring at her place in front of him.
Artemis sighed. "See ya." she said, disappearing into the trees. The path was much easier to travel though than before, but she would have to rely on her tracking skills to know her way around the forest.
"Oy! Girl! Slow down!" came a shout from behind her. Artemis grinned, turning around, facing a very out form breath Rufio and their tiny group of Lost Boys. "Changed your mind?" she teased.
"Oh, shut up."
"You're off, to think this might work." Curly said, crouching behind her staring at Felix's teams flag waving happily in the sunshine. He was a boy around her age with brown hair that was due to his name: curly.
Artemis had to fight the urge to slip her fingers into his ringlets. "Artemis?" Artemis blinked, shaking the thoughts out of her head. "Sorry, what were you saying?"
Curly laughed, making his curls jump up and down. "You're off, mate. Off."
"No risk, no reward." Artemis replied lightly, her eyes locked onto a flickering flag. The two guard boys: Will and Furs surrounding it. They were on a small bit of land too small to island, maybe an isles, who knows. With deep dark choppy water surrounding them and flowing down in a thin rocky line elsewhere. It was also (she guess) was filled with crocodiles and yes; Crocodile Creak was spelled creak instead of creek. It was clear spelling was not the Lost Boys forte.
As far as she could see, the only way to the flag was the rickety bridge on the other side, which was where Felix's team were making camp. Hopefully this crazy plan worked.
"Ready?" Artemis asked, glancing at Rufio who had just crawled next to them, making sure to keep his head down. His bright red hair would have sounded the alarm instantly.
"Almost, Jack's getting into position. He just needs to give us the signal." he mumbled, his face practically planted into the dirt and plants. "You sure this is going to work?"
"Pretty sure." Artemis answered, discreetly slipping out one of her arrows. "Pretty sure, we're risking everything for pretty sure?" Rufio whisper-yelled.
Artemis rolled her eyes. "For an island where everything is meant to be carefree and fun; you guys really take the fun out of everything."
Rufio opened his mouth to argue, but was cut off by Curly. "Look, somethings happening." Instantly the three dove down, Curly and Rufio covering their hair with some of their 'carry on tall grass, Artemis simply ducking behind a rock.
Will and Furs were talking: "Wonder if you tossed the newbie yet?" said one of them. A laugh. "Rufio must have loved getting stuck with her. Remember when she first came." A scoff. "Rufio said she's last less than a week."
Artemis turned at Rufio giving a dark look. "A girl on Neverland." Another laugh rang out. "She ain't gonna make it."
Artemis gripped her arrow tightly. 'I'm going to kill them.'
The sound of movement. "Ya know, if you think about it Willy," another rustle of movement. "She's only here, coz of Pan. She should have died after Pan took her out with that Aaedfal."
The arrow was digging into her hand, the top of the arrowhead making a light imprint into her skin. "Wonder why he's keeping her alive?"
A thin line of blood started to drip onto the grass, but she couldn't stop herself from pushing the arrowhead further. "I can think of-"
"That's it." Artemis growled, stretching out sliding her bow towards her. Rufio shot his hand` out grabbing the bow, before she could. "Wait for her signal!" he hissed. "We've waited long enough." she hissed back. "I'm going for it."
Rufio let out a low growl, letting go of the bow. Curly scooted over to the side, ready to run. Artemis slowly, stood up.
They hadn't noticed her yet.
She took a deep breath loading her bow, her hand stinged as she pulled back. The bow was beautiful, powerful just as she suspected. The feather at the end of the arrow tickled the side of her cheek.
A cold breeze of air rushed by making the strands of her hair, flicker around in the wind. She never knew why she remembered this so vividly. She had taken many important shots in her life, from her first, to Robin, to meeting Emma; but for some reason this particular one stood out.
Maybe it was because she was proving something, or as usual she worked herself up in a temper and wanted some vengeance. Even to this day she didn't know.
She could replay every detail, the twang of the arrow as it released, the shouts of Will and Furs when they spotted her. Rufio's scowling mouth, but bright eyes as the arrow released.
Curly's smirk as he watched her, before digging his heels in as he ran into the forest to alert the others. Felix's shocked face, as he ran up his hood falling down. The rushing water, the arrow soaring though the air, Will and Furs diving to the ground.
But they weren't her target.
The arrow cut though the rope holding up the bridge on the right; but it didn't stop there. She had spotted it ages ago, sitting there calmly allowing the water to rush over it. At the angle she was at, the arrow would hit its target easily.
The arrow soared by knocking the Crocodile right in the eye, lightly skimming the edge of its mouth, before hitting the rushing water. The creature's eyes snapped open in rage; leaping up in the air at Felix and the boys.
Its jaw snapped, the boys jumped back; as the Crocodile cleanly bit the other end of the rope. The bridge collapsed, falling into the water, disappeared down.
She could remember them look up at her, there's eyes simply staring. She could remember the smile on her lips, the rush of adrenaline fueling her and just like that; the world started up again.
So? As usual review, PM...Thank you all for reading! Till next time...