The Third Star

Chapter 1: Come Home

Her heart pounded as she raced through the trees, ribbons of dark hair flying out behind her. The rich forest flashed by, and the cool darkness was broken only by the narrow fingers of sunlight that reached their way through the dense treetops. She felt herself lose all thought as she became one with the steady wind that swept up into the trees from the shore.

This is what she loved. She loved the way the leaves threw kaleidoscope shadows across the virgin soil, and the breath of the creatures that danced all around her. She loved racing the leaping deer and listening to the music of the forest, and she especially reveled in the privacy of these special moments. It was her and the island, and no one else could intrude because no one knew where she was.

Well, except one person.

She skidded to a stop when she saw the figure draped lazily in the tree above her. In the dim light, she couldn't tell for sure who it was, but her experience allowed her to accurately guess. She frowned as the figure dropped to the ground with an unnatural grace and straightened up in the same manner.

"Tiger Lily," he nodded in greeting.

She returned the nod. "Peter Pan," she said coldly.

He raised an eyebrow. "Why so somber? I thought you loved your little...forest adventures," he said mockingly.

"What I love is being alone," she said coolly, never taking her eyes off the rugged boy in front of her.

Peter's lips twitched, teasing a small smile. He leaned lazily against a tree trunk and casually plucked a leaf off of his dark green tunic. "Now, we both know that's not true," he said evenly.

Tiger Lily's eyes narrowed. "Oh, do we?" she said dryly, playing his game.

Peter's gaze lifted to meet hers with equal intensity. He pushed away from the tree and walked towards Tiger Lily, crossing his arms. "You don't like being alone. You just don't know how to be anything else," he said.

Tiger Lily bristled and advanced on Peter. "You don't know me as well as you think you do," she hissed.

He gazed mildly back at her, amused. "Oh, I think I do. Perhaps even better than you know yourself."

Tiger Lily glared at him. What could he know, this mischievous boy with the arrogant smirk? She had always been independent, that's all. Who was he to tell her what she did and did not like?

"What do you want, Peter?" she said, weary of his cryptic riddles.

He took her by surprise by suddenly stepping close to her and staring earnestly into her eyes. He caught her elbow gently in his hand and held her gaze.

"I want you to come back," he said in a low voice. "The camp is your home; the lost boys are your family. You're one of us. You don't have to hide like this."

Tiger Lily stared mesmerized into his vividly green eyes. She was caught off-guard by what she saw. She could see Neverland itself reflected in the eyes of its king. The green of the forest, the darkness of the shadows, the glimmer of the stars. They were haunted and beautiful, and now they swirled with an unfamiliar honesty. She might have even believed him if she hadn't known better.

"No," she said, breaking away. "No, I won't go back and play your ridiculous games of torment and cruelty. You say you know me? Well, I know you, Peter Pan, and you care for no one but yourself."

Peter looked like he'd been slapped. His face reddened in incredulous anger. "That's not true," he said between clenched teeth.

"I know it is," Tiger Lily said firmly, backing into the shadows of the trees. "And I'm not going to be your victim anymore." She spun around and took off, racing through the trees in the way she had come. She hadn't gone far when she heard him call after her.

"I'm going to prove you wrong, Tiger Lily," he called out. "Just you wait."