When Stars Fall

Chapter 21 - The Spirits of Fallen Stars

The bright red ball of light, which had just shot purposefully towards Sitara's neck, slowed down in mid-flight and stopped just before Peter's hand. The young man exhaled in relief. With her uncompromising feelings, this fairy sometimes overshot the mark a little.

"Leave it, Tink! She's a friend!" said Peter placatingly, lowering his hand again.

The fairy had not yet calmed down completely, but the shock of possibly hitting him instead of the actual target had sufficiently swept aside the rage inside her. Now it whirred in a tight arc around Peter's head.

The star was now smiling and watching the little light with affection.
"Tinkerbell," her voice hummed softly, "don't you recognize me?"

The little light seemed to hesitate. All at once the little figure's glow brightened noticeably, wings fluttering excitedly and the golden dust drawing a web of shimmering lines around the star.

Tink seemed to have recognized her, and now Sitara reached out for the little light and gently nudged the little fairy in greeting. Seeing the fairy-like that, the star's eyes widened, and her hand shot to Peter's arm.
"Peter!" she groaned, her eyes sparkling with the idea that could have reignited the whole sky, "I know how we can save Neverland!"

A wide beam made the rosy lips take on a joyful expression. The soft glow around her figure increased, brightening a little in her gloomy surroundings.
"Infinite years ago - I don't even remember when - we were once a triumvirate in the sky. But in the course of a great battle, many of our sisters and brothers, as well as our big brother, the Noonday Star, fell from the sky and landed in the middle of Neverland. The island was still young and full of chaotic dreams. With its impact, the Noonday Star reshaped Neverland. His fall brought destruction, but it also allowed all the dreams it held to spring forth into freedom. Around the site where he still rests today, we remaining guardians of the sky, formed the Never Peak Mountains for this reason. For his protection - and that of the island." the star told him.

As it was exhausting to listen to Sitara and fly, Peter lowered the flight at the next opportunity and landed near a babbling brook.
"You mean the mountain range is a huge ... grave?" The thought brought Peter more adventurousness than the respect he needed. Always the numerous caves had been a mystery he had loved to poke his nose into. But numerous Lost Boys had already disappeared in them and never returned.

The star nodded slowly. As it was exhausting to listen to Sitara and fly, Peter lowered the flight at the next opportunity and landed near a babbling brook.
"The earliest children of the island, now called Natives or Savages by the pirates, found many of the fallen stars. They worshipped us and thought they were spirits or fallen souls. They gathered up many stars and brought them to the mountain."

Peter understood what she was getting at, and Tink also rang excitedly. As the star spoke, he climbed straight into the streaming creek.
"That means there could be more stars there?"

"Yes, that's possible," Sitara sighed and turned her head to look towards the rumbling mountain with a clammy feeling. "We must get there quickly. If the nightmares corrupt the star at the heart of the mountain ..."

Peter folded his arms over his drawn knees and scowled at his distorted reflection. What he saw ... he did not like it. Slowly his fingertips slid over the prominent cheekbones. He felt the rough stubble, and a disgruntled sound escaped his throat. The young man's reflection blurred as his fist struck the water. "Tick, tock, tick, tock. As if that damned crocodile is still alive and after us ..." grumbled Peter, but at the thought of the fire pits and the mountain rumble...
"I'm to blame for all this."