Neverland

Chapter 29

I marched into camp. The lost boys were huddled together, and looked up at me expectantly as I walked to the center of the clearing. I took a deep breath.

"A war's coming boys. That woman you all just saw goes by the name of Sloane. Personally I think she's in way over her head, but it appears I may have been underestimating her just a bit. She's still not much of a match for us, but she will put up a fight. I want you all to be prepared for battle. For once I don't really know when it will come. It could be tomorrow. It could be weeks from now, but you need to be ready. Have no doubt that when the time comes I will have the upper hand. Train hard, and keep your minds sharp, boys. You'll need your brains as much as your brawn."

With that I turned and walked to my tent to plan, but I didn't make it far till I felt a small hand tug on my shirt.

I turned around to see Socks staring up at me accusingly. "Where's Kate?" He asked. I figured I might as well tell him. When Kate stayed here with us, the two of them had shared a special bond. "Kate's leaving the island." I said simply. It was easier if I got it over with quickly, not allowing my infuriating emotions to get in the way. "Tomorrow I'm sending her away. It's too dangerous here."
Suddenly Sock's face turned from aggravated to nervous. "No." He said, shaking his head. "Kate has to stay on the island. She has to. It's the only way you can beat that lady."

I threw my hands in the air in exasperation, "Does everyone just seem to think that I can't handle some little witch? My God, it's not like she's the most powerful thing I've ever been up against!"

Socks fixed me in his gaze. His eyes had always intrigued me. They were so old, but he was so young. It was an odd combination, but it seemed almost normal on Socks, as though he were simply a young boy who had seen far too much for someone his age. There was something else about him, however, that made me wonder about his past life before he turned up on this island.

His voice broke me from my thoughts, and he spoke with the words of someone far older and more learned than he.

"There will come a day when the light shall be made dark, and the darkness shall spread till she is more wide and powerful than ever imagined. A threat like none before her, she shall be brought down by only a weapon like none before. When dark and light combine with the magic gifted by the ancients, the witch will fall, and the evil will be purged."

It took me a moment to realize that Socks had not been speaking of his own words, but reciting something much older. A prophecy. I looked at the boy in shock, who, seeming to have realized he said too much, took off into the woods before I could say anything. I could have easily gone after him, but I wanted some time to ponder this before I confronted him.

Kate's POV

I woke up with a sharp pain in my neck, and for a moment could not remember why on Earth I was on the ground with leaves dried onto my face and dirt clinging to my hair and skin.

And oh, what a blissful moment that was.

Suddenly it all came rushing back to me. Peter, Sloane, all of it. An immense sadness built up in me. I didn't want to leave the island. I'd lost track of how long I'd been here, and I couldn't imagine going back. This island was my home. At the same time I was filled with guilt and self loathing for what I'd done to Peter, and to that poor kid, Tic. At the thought of Peter, I was again overwhelmed with a mix of emotions. Frustration that he hadn't listened to me, fear of what might become of him if he faced Sloane alone, more guilt over what I'd done, and even more sadness that I was being forced to leave him behind.

By the early morning light streaming through the tree tops, I made my way back to my tree house. As I climbed the up the ladder and reached the landing, I was nearly knocked backwards by the force of something, or someone who had launched themselves onto me, wrapping their arms around me in a python-like hug. Tinkerbelle stepped back, releasing me, only to check me over to see that I still had all my limbs, all the while exclaiming things such as, "Kate, you gave me such a scare just disappearing like that! I had no idea what might've happened to you! I've been worried out of my mind, I thought you might be at the camp, so I snuck over there late last night, but I still couldn't find you anywhere!" By the time she decided I had made it back in one piece, she seemed to have realized that it was alright because I was home now, but continued to demand an explanation. And so I told her. I told her the entire story, what I did, what Peter did, Sloane's big reveal, and how Peter was going to make me leave the island. This last bit of news seemed to trouble Tink more than the rest, but she ushered me inside, saying there was something I needed to see.

"You know I thought it was you at first... God, I nearly had a panic attack and knocked the poor thing off the porch."

"Tinkerbelle!" I interrupted, "what in God's name are you on about?"

She sighed, leading me into the living room, "he just showed up at our door, the poor thing. I don't think he slept a wink last night, just kept insisting he needed to tell you something urgent."

I peered into the room curiously to see none other than Socks perched on the very edge of a chair, looking very nervous indeed.

Hi guys! I'm updating this on my phone so I can't quite do it in my usual format... Anywho, I am going on vacation this week, so I most likely will not be updating for about a week, preparation for said vacation and the fact that I seem to be suffering from a bit of writer's block are the main reasons behind this late update... Well please continue to comment and vote! I love you guys so much!! -Kat <33