Chapter 20 Tiger Lily

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The further we got down the path the thicker it got, and the harder it became to watch for Dreamshade. The woods began to change aside from just getting more compressed, the trees became lighter shades of green and the flowers became brighter blues and reds.

"I'm starting to think this was a bad idea." I mumbled to Tate earning a shoosh sound from him. Despite the vivaciousness of the flora and fauna on this part of the island I couldn't help the feeling of dread that was forming in my stomach and beginning to spread out in all directions.

My chest grew heavy as I began to feel somewhat claustrophobic, wincing as I was unable to focus on nothing other than the feeling of sharp branches scraping and tugging at me from every angle. Tate barreled through the brush with no problem, ignoring the branches and thorns that tore at him, and the blood that tricked down his arm from a few different cuts.

We walked a few more paces in silence before hearing voices and the sound of drums in the distance. The moon was unable to shine through the trees thick leaves, so we had to strain to see what was going on a few feet in front of us.

Tate motioned for me to join him to the right of the trail, crouching down behind a shrub and pulling the leaves apart just enough for us to peer through. A small camp resided on the other side in the middle of a clearing with a large wooden fence built around it.

The large door was open allowing us a glimpse of the tepees that formed a circle similar to the way ours do around the walls of the camp. A young girl appearing to be around my age stood in the entrance with her hands planted firmly on her hips. She wore a dark brown dress that ended mid thigh with tattered sleeves and oddly colored blue bands tied around her right bicep and left thigh.

Her long black hair was pulled into two braids on either side of her shoulders. She wore many beads around her neck, and when she spoke I glanced up at her angled face, glancing from her dark eyes to her pink cheeks. I noticed a figure pacing out of the shadows in front of her and realized instantly, even though I hadn't yet seen his face, that it was Pan.

He held himself as casually and nonchalantly as always, but his tone was deadly and threatening. "I'm not one to go back on my deals. You know that."

"Please." The girl begged, placing one hand on her chest, pleading to him in desperation, and I knew he was reveling in it. "We meant you all no harm."

"And no harm was done." He replied easily. "But I made it perfectly clear which part of 'my' island your people could hunt on and which part was off limits. You crossed the line and entered my territory thus stealing from me and my lost boys, and not only that, but when I confronted one of your men about it he lied, that's not fair."

"But we don't have many resources left in our area. We need to expand-"

He cut her off sharply, with the wave of his hand. "Despite the fact that you are not a lost girl you are still considered a child on my island, and all children here have one thing in common. Do you know what that is?" He paused long enough for her to shake her head. "You all feel lost, unloved, meaningless. Your father, the chief, has many duties in the tribe and I'm sure with all that responsibility you get pushed to the side lines, am I right?"

She nodded so meekly it was almost unnoticeable from our position. "Test me again Tiger Lily and you won't just feel like an orphan, you'll be one."

A few chills ran down my spine at the venom in his voice causing me to shiver and step back. Tate glanced up at me, his eyes as wide as mine as we took in the conversation we had just heard. There were others on the island, and not just other children, but adults!

I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking, stepping roughly onto a stick, gasping as it snapped loudly, the sound echoing harshly throughout the still and silent night. I held my breath as Tate froze, staring at me in a panic.

Neither of us even dared to breath as we waited to see if we had been heard. A few moments passed and I nearly thought we were safe, but just as I went to take another step the British voice I had become so accustomed to hearing rang out from behind Tate. "Well, what do we have here."

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