Peter Pan & The Shadow

Chapter 14.

It was scary, but somehow the flame seemed to guide you with its warmth, and you thought you heard a boyish laugh somewhere in the cave. You felt your heart skip a beat. Was it Peter? Had he come to help you in the darkness?

   "Peter?" You called softly, afraid of raising your voice and you shuddered when you heard your voice echo.

 The voice of the boy played again, but he wasn't really saying anything you could understand. Instead you just followed it as the boy began to sing a song in a language you had never heard before.
Then it appeared, a round space in the middle of the mountain with 4 different entrances for each element and one going up. You eyed the misty clouds above and then went near the water tunnel. You could hear the water and you stepped away only to walk over to the cave with wind. It howled loudly and you walked over to the fire cave. It radiated with warmth and was brightly lit up by flames. You heard a cry behind you and spun around, but there was no one but you. You remembered what Tiger Lily and Cal had explained. It was called the Howling Cave and the wind in there could make sounds that sounded like cries or voices. You sighed... the boyish voice must've been the wind.

 You placed the torch in a stone barrel in the middle and turned towards the fire cave. This would be your exit, you just knew fire was the right thing to choose. It was life and death and you kind of liked the fact that it was both.

With cautious steps you walked into the cave and heat embraced you. Cracks in the ground radiated with heat and there were branches in there that was forever aflame. You avoided stepping on any cracks and walked around the burning branches. All the while you felt the anger directed at Peter melt away. As if you knew that bottling it up wouldn't help and that you had a greater purpose in Neverland; something more important than keeping a grudge at the boy for calling you a different name.

A wall of fire appeared before you and you knew you'd had to jump through it. You breathed in deeply, even though it was hard to breathe in there. With quick steps you ran towards the fire and sprang through it only to land on cooler ground and you kept running hoping your dress hadn't caught the flame. You looked down and noticed that your clothes looked untouched. You frowned and stopped running. It was a trick? The wall of flames hadn't been there? Was it all just a test to see if you feared the fire and would turn back?

You felt a smile creep upon your face. The air was cooler and the warm light from the flames began to fade into a cooler light from the daylight outside. You ran the last way and to your excitement stood Tiger Lily, Cal and John at the mouth of the cave, waiting for you. You ran towards Tiger Lily and high fived her. She looked rather confused when you grabbed her wrist and clasped your hands together.

   "High five!" You explained. Tiger Lily grimaced. You laughed and counted the fingers on her hand, "five fingers, high raised hands, high five." You explained and Cal laughed at you two.

   "So you chose fire." He said and Tiger Lily just realized she'd won.

   "Who's the leader?" She cheered and kicked Cal in the butt. "I am!" She taunted him and John smiled. Tiger Lily turned towards you, brown eyes gleaming. "Then here in the tribe you're called Lavire, okay?" She smiled and then looked up. "The day is nearing to an end, let's go back."

At the bondfire back at the camp, Tiger Lily came over and asked if you wanted to go on a walk. The two of you walked into the forest and you waited for Tiger Lily to speak but she didn't until you ended up at the spot where she came to get you the night you argued with Peter.

   "When I say the name Wendy, how do you feel?" She asked calmly and you felt anger and frustration blossom up in your heart.

   "I feel frustrated, angry and... I feel confused and lost." You felt it, the emptiness. "I don't understand what you all see in me? You don't see me but some girl I've never met and that I'm not." You turned to face Tiger Lily. "How would you feel to be mistaken for someone else?"

 Tiger Lily chuckled. "Oh that... Imagine a free-spirit as the role of a princess, caught in the line of leadership, doomed to be a Chief one day. My time is running out in a land where there is no time." She said and looked at you. "Illnesses and death can happen in Neverland. My father is old and an illness could easily kill him. He could be on a hunt and die. Then I'll be Neverland's second ruler. Queen of the mountain." Tiger Lily looked down. "You're not the only one who's suffering, remember that."

 You blinked and even stepped back a little. You just realized something. Peter was suffering too, why were you so angry with him? Why push him away? You could let him get to know the real you and not who he thought you were. Why be selfish and butthurt? You had an image of Peter Pan too, who he would be and you were disappointed. Same for Peter.

   "I should go back to the lost boys..." You said and Tiger Lily smiled with a sigh of relief.

   "Oh I am going to a great leader!" She said and beamed at you. You huffed.

   "Don't be so full of yourself." You hit her playfully and she looked even more happy when you did and she pushed you back.

   "See who's warming up. Took a little flame to make you believe in yourself." She said and placed her hands on her hips.

   "I do believe in..." You silenced.

   "Well you believe in Peter, you forgive him for assuming he knew you, for assuming you were someone else?" She asked and you nodded. "That's good." She said and looked up at the stars.

   "Thanks, Tiger Lily." You smiled to the princess and she hit you in the back and began her walk back.

   "Sleep here, you can go to the boys tomorrow."

 You sighed and felt a slight dread. You would face the boys again. Fox, Felix, Nibs and Curly, Slightly and... Peter. You felt your heart beat faster and you grimaced. You were excited and then not at all on the same time. But you had decided it. You would go back and you will help the lost boys with whatever they ask of you. They deserve it.

(A/N: Once again I'm sorry for taking so long with the updates! <3)