Peter Pan & The Shadow

Chapter 8.

"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?!

"Princess," Fox pleaded. "Please trust us, we need this person's face covered."

Tiger Lily spun around. "She's wearing a dress, and she is here, she's not just dreaming."

You bit your lip. No it must be a dream. Let it be a dream.

With the sound of the lost boys yelling out in protests, Tiger Lily grabbed your hood and pulled it down violently, eyes connecting with yours.

You looked up at her, completely silent, inhaling shakily. She kept staring at you, but you noticed how her aggressive expression slowly vanished and turned into pure horror.

"We-?"

"Tiger!" A small but stern voice spoke and Tiger Lily turned around, Peter was gazing up at her, eyes warning her to stay silent. Something told you he was the only one who could speak like this to her without her skinning him. "We'll talk after I get better." He said and let his gaze rest on you longingly.

Tiger Lily turned her head and stared at you. "Agawaateyaa." She growled through gritted teeth and then walked around the fire and into the tallest tent behind it. Peter's eyes closed and Felix quickly kneeled beside him, a hand touching his cheek.

"He's cold."

Fox's eyes were upon you. "He'll be okay." He said and then sat down beside Peter as well. Slightly limped over to you and with a quick hand; pulled up your hood again.

"For safety."

You and the lost boys stood back as Tiger Lily and some from her tribe danced around the fire, burning torches in hand. The night turned darker and colder. You were glad you wore a jacket.

Peter lied on the ground; an elder lady sat by his head and held her hands over him, chanting something while Tiger Lily's dance turned wilder. You watched her as she danced. She was strong and agile: beautiful. She had made it so that the shadow couldn't touch any girl. You believed that, she looked strong enough to defeat anything.

"Peter and Tiger Lily are friends," Felix explained. "For a long time ago, Hook and Peter had their fights and Tiger Lily helped Peter. Peter saved her life and she acknowledged him. We're quite close with the Indians." Felix gave you a smile and you smiled back at him before lowering your head. What had Tiger Lily wanted to say when she saw your face?

You turned to Felix. "What did she say ... that word...?"

"Agawaateyaa. It means 'shadow'." Felix had a slight accent when pronouncing the word, it sounded much less agitated as when Tiger Lily had said it. She really loathed that creature. It's just weird how much the shadow looks like Peter himself.

"Peter..." Felix hesitated as if not sure if he should say this. As he held a pause you both watched Peter's face that was lit up by flames. "... plans on making a bonfire and giving you a name besides y/n. He does that with all of us. My name is actually Tootles. But I kept my name Felix. At bonfires we tell stories and we have a lot of fun."

You smiled and saw the figures of the Indians pass by. "I would love to."

The drumming, the yelling and the voices became louder, the music hit its peak and with a last move of swinging their arms and putting a fist to the ground everything stopped. Then with a fistful of dust they rose and threw it up in the air with a 'hou', and as they did, Peter's eyes snapped open.

You wanted to clap, but it seemed like no one else did. Instead they all silently watched as Peter looked around him, taking in everything. A smile broke out on his face and Tiger Lily roared while others howled and they all erupted into song and celebrated the light. Peter was pulled up by Tiger Lily and he smiled at her and danced around with her. You felt like something from inside cut your heart and you had to look down to erase the feeling. Felix slightly jumped to the beat before joining in and you looked up when Fox howled and watched him beam as he joined the dance with Slightly in his heels. You were the only one standing there, watching them all. They were... beautiful.

Someone stepped in front of you and covered your sight. "Wanna dance?" Said a voice that you recognized immediately, his face was in the dark, but lights from torches behind you lit up his green eyes and you felt your heartbeat quicken. He took your hand, your skin tickling wherever he touched you and then he stepped back face brightening the closer you came to the fire. Heat closed around you both and you suddenly felt the same urge to bounce away to the drums and with his childish voice Peter howled in excitement and you laughed cheerfully. You ran and danced with him around the fire, everything turned into a blur and from time to time you saw faces. Tiger Lily looked so different when she sang along to a song you had never heard before, in a language you could not understand. She looked like a goddess, and then there was Fox, his bright eyes was even brighter in the light of the flames and you couldn't feel happier than to see him and Slightly laugh while Felix and Peter sent each other grins and excited smiles. All the while Peter's hand and your hand were still linked.

You danced your way into the starry night, and when the fire grew smaller and the night colder, the elders vanished into their tents and children were put to sleep. Tiger Lily and few other boys from her tribe stood left together with you and the lost boys and you watched everyone try to catch their breaths. Your hood had fallen off and you looked at Peter who sent you a blinding smile. He chuckled and you felt heat rise to your face and you hid your face by looking down.

"Wendy?" An unknown voice sounded and you all looked up. A tall, sun-kissed, dark-haired boy stood a little away from you all, his eyes, framed by thick rimmed glasses, locked upon you.

"John..."