Peter Pan & The Shadow

Chapter 7.

Something tore the bright mood apart, in a second everything shattered and filled everyone with terror. It was a scream. The scream of a boy. You felt a chill run down your spine. It was the voice of Peter Pan.

He was close. You could all hear him clearly. Without any words the three of you ran into the bushes, Fox in the lead and Slightly in the back. You felt your heart rise up into your throat. It was hard breathing and you pushed branches out of your way as you hurried to follow Fox's long steps.

You reached a glade where Peter's voice had come from and all of you appeared just in time to see Felix lash out with a torch in the direction of a dark figure. It was the shadow. You gasped and stepped back bumping into Slightly. He looked down at you worriedly.

  "You've met it, I guess." He said and eyed Felix swinging the torch and once again sending the fire in the shadow's way. You nodded and searched the glade with your eyes. Behind Felix someone was on the ground, trying to push himself up on all four. He failed and fell down again, face in the dirt.

  "Peter..." You gasped.

It was him and he looked wounded. Fox ran forward while Slightly searched the leather bag around his shoulder. He pulled out a silver flashlight and with a lot of clicking and hitting it, light flickered alive sending a ray of it in the direction of the shadow. It spun around and faced him, hand covering its eyes. With a quick glance in your way it flew away and you took the chance to run over to Peter immediately.

You grabbed him and turned him over. He was gasping for air, eyes wide and his hand gripped your wrist, trying to hold onto something.

  "What happened to him?"

Felix kneeled down at the other side of Peter. "When you stand in the shadow, no light can reach you." He explained and you heard Fox and Slightly talk about guarding Peter. "The shadow touched Peter, weighing him down with old memories and darkness and he collapsed." Felix frowned. "He needs light."

  "But it's getting dark." You said and looked up at the reddening sky.

Felix looked at you. "Stay close to him. Just for now." He said and then with the help of Fox got Peter up on his back and then they headed for the mountain.

You reached the beginning of a tunnel into the mountain and for a second you heard Peter Pan stir, moaning in pain. Felix's jaw clenched and he eyed you before staring straight ahead. Fox went up and leaned close to Felix, speaking in a low mutter. You frowned what was wrong?

  "It appears to us that you can't come with us." Felix said and your jaw dropped.

  "It appears to me that I will."

Felix's eyes widened. Fox grimaced and Slightly chuckled. "I'm not going to fight her, your choice."

Fox looked at Felix. The blond groaned, heaving up in Pan. "You just got to be messing with me."

  "I guess I am?" You shrugged and Felix groaned even louder.

  "Cover you head, do not talk to anyone and stay silent." Felix looked like he'd rather die than let you come with him. "Peter isn't going to be happy."

  "Rather Peter Pan not happy than dead." Slightly added with a small grin and you smiled. He was right. Fox then nodded and led the way into the cave. You gasped when a sudden hood appeared on your coat. Fox looked back. "Wear it."

You pulled it up to cover your head and face, where were you going? To the camp on the mountain?

It was dark but soon light lit and a red-skinned man stepped out from the shadows and searched you all. Fox spoke with him and their voices slightly echoed. The man then nodded and gave Fox the torch he was holding and Fox lit up their way. When they reached the outside world the sky was a darkening blue, and the sun's last rays shone upon the sky leaving long shadows on the ground.

Still people were moving from place to place and you gawped. They were all clad in much less clothes than the lost boys, and the clothes were made of light brown leather. The men had painted chests and backs, also their faces, while the women only had their faces and arms painted. They were colorful and you smiled. A big bond-fire was burning, smoke rising up and vanishing in the sky. Fox led you towards the fire. You kept your hood low, but you couldn't help but look around at all the tents, some bigger than others. There were some animals looking wolves that rested in front of the tents or sat watching. They each had a feather braided into their fur on their right shoulders, the color was different on everyone, you noticed.

You looked straight ahead and through the tall flames and gasped.

Brown eyes were watching you, through the flames, a face lit up by the red flames was on the other side and you immediately looked down.

You noticed Fox turn to his left and a pair of boot-clad feet appeared in front of him. "Princess Tiger Lily." Fox said and bowed. You raised your eyes, noticing that the person wore a leather dress, with two swords secured on her back. She was taller than Fox, and as you looked at her face you noticed that she had an oval shaped face, thick brows above round eyes and a round button-up nose too. Her lips looked like they were constantly pursed and her hair was black and braided into two braids down her chest. She had paint coloring her cheeks and forehead, red and blue. She gazed in your way and you lowered your head once more. She was very intimidating.

  "What happened?" She asked, her voice like the rumbling of a waterfall, strong and also intimidating.

  "He got into a fight with the shadow." Fox explained.

  "Place him here by the fire, we'll chase the darkness out of him." She said and you noticed Felix with the help of Slightly lay Peter down. He was still unconscious.

  "Who are you?"

You jumped, Tiger Lily had suddenly stepped in front of you, covering your sight. You didn't look up, Fox had told you not to say anything.

  "Show me your face!"

What should you do?!