Claimed

Chapter 32 - Deal

As we were getting closer to the shore, I could feel myself getting nervous. How would Peter react to seeing me again? Would he even react at all?

We were all in a little boat, to get from the ship to the shore, because the ship of course couldn't get that close. When we met ground I wasted no time, so I jumped out of the boat into the water and ran to shore and continuing into the forest. I just heard Hook say how he hoped I knew what I was doing. 

I started sniffing around, trying to find a trail. Looking around here and there, I quickly recognized everything. 

So I started looking around the forest in a fast pace. I was silent while constantly looking for the smell emitting from Peters son.

<<<<<

It was getting dark and I still hadn't found a single trace of him. I was getting tired and had to find a place to rest for the night. 

I was looking for some big leaves to make a roof with, when suddenly out of nowhere I heard a voice. A voice I new very well, together with a scent that I also recognized immediately. 

"Why now?" He asked, calm and collected.

"I know where the box is" I answered, while turning to look him in the eyes. Those green eyes that I knew all too well. He looked disappointed in me, maybe sad or regretful. 

"You're too late, everything is going according to that plan and soon I will be even stronger than I could have ever been with the box." He stood leaning against a tree. 

"What if I get the box, and give it to you before you can follow through with the plan?" I asked, getting hopeful, since I knew the plan involved Henry, I had to get him out of this mess.

"Interesting. I guess I will let the boy go then in exchange for the box, but if you don't get it in time, I will use the boy and you have to stay here willingly forever." He said. Since I couldn't imagine any other ending than me staying here after all this, I of course agreed. He then bent down and picked up a random smallish rock, waved his hand over it, and then gave it to me. "If you fail to bring me the box again, this rock will turn hot, so you know when to find me. Then we will discuss your punishment for being gone for almost 30 years." He sounded as cold as ever while saying that and just like that he then disappeared into a green fog. 

<<<<<

After a good nights sleep. I immediately started searching again. I had the stone securely in my pocket as I looked and searched. 

Day in and day out, I searched everywhere. I could only find small pieces of Mr. Golds scent, but I would quickly loose them again, as if he had only been in certain spots of the island, but not in the paths connecting them together. 

It had been three days, since Peter gave me the rock, when I suddenly found the scent of Emma and all the others. I decided to find them, maybe they had any clues as to where Mr. Gold was. I had been walking for a bit, when I noticed, where this path was leading me to. I hoped, that it wasn't leading to the place I thought it would, but unfortunately, that was exactly where I ended. At the entrance of the ekko caves. They were in there and I did not want to know why. 

Suddenly Charming came out of the cave opening, saying:

"It's perfect that you are back now, we need one more truth..." He made a gesture for me to follow and I did. When we arrived we came in to this huge room with a deep and wide chasm in it. In the middle of the chasm, there was a plateau, where there was a cage. There was a bridge almost over there... So from what I know, they need me to tell the a truth or a secret of some sort, and then they can save, whoever is in the cage.

Let's hope this is enough

"Uhm.. okay, the reason that I'm constantly wearing long sleeved shirts and gloves is because of this" I said as I ripped of my gloves and pushed the sleeve away from left arm, where the paw prints was, to let them see. "I'm what they call a Warrior. Meaning I have the ability to turn into different predators at will." I waited a bit, but nothing happened. The secret wasn't big enough. They all looked shocked at the fact, but unfortunately I had to tell my biggest secret to them...

"Okay, so since that wasn't enough, I'm forced to tell you this. Please don't freak out or do something irrational, I'm on your side, please remember that." I said. Snow was the first to answer, 

"You can tell us anything". 

"Here we go then. The reason that I know this island so well, is because I lived here for a long time. While I live here... Peter Pan was, and obviously still is, my true love. This is another reason why I wear long sleeves." I said. I pushed up my other sleeve in utter silence, to reveal Peters name. The room started to shake, and I knew that the secret was big enough. Problem was how they reacted.

Emma ran to the cage, the others kept staring at me. Especially Hook almost glared at me,

"If this is true, then she works with Pan. We can't trust her." He said.

"He's right, we can't be sure that she won't chose him over Henry" Charming said. Snow immediately reacted,

"She said we could trust her, she just helped us"

"That might as well have been a lie all together, her way to get back to him and play a game on the same time, just like he would." Hook said. I wanted to run while I knew for sure I could, but that would make it seem like they were right. I looked at the three of them. Hook and Charming seemed convinced, whereas Snow looked like she knew they were right but didn't want them to. When Emma and some guy returned, the guy said,

"We heard what you said and honestly, I don't think we should bring her with us, she could potentially ruin everything"

"But we can't just leave her here, she'll just catch up on us." Emma said.

"We can tie her up here and once this is over come back for her?" Charming suggested.

<<<<<

And that is how I ended up tied to a tree, just outside the ekko caves. I had just helped them and this is their way of thanking me. Hours passed. I had tried a thousand different methods to get free, but Hook and that guy, sure knew how to tie some knots. It was completely useless to try.