Hooked

Chapter Thirty Three

... Hook ...

I crouched behind Rider as he stared out from behind a log, towards our foe. His eyes were following the being's every move. Sweat trickled from his forehead to his nose. His brow was furrowed.

"Well?" I asked, annoyed by his silence. "What is it?"

"It's-" he shook his head in disbelief.

"What? A werewolf?... Spit it out, mate!" I said, keeping my voice in a hushed tone. I never would've expected him to be lost for words.

"No. It's Pan." Pan? He was frightened of the fairy?

I had to see this for myself. The only reason he would be in the forest at this time would be to conjure some elaborate plan against me. I peered over the log, and saw Peter looking the other direction, hands on his waist, talking to someone - or something. "He's there, alright," I said in a bored tone.

"What should we do?"

I looked at him, an eyebrow raised. Was he trying to annoy me, or was he so stumped as to what to do next that he had to ask me for assistance?

"You mean you don't have a brilliant plan? I thought you were always a step ahead of the enemy," I mocked Rider.

With no response except for the slight lowering of his gaze, I realized that he was ashamed for the fact that he was being utterly serious, searching for an answer. I said in a deep tone, "He's just a naive boy. He doesn't know what he's getting himself into."

"You may think he's just that, but I know he's also powerful," he said fearfully.

I rolled my eyes. "Come on, now. The only things he controls is a small fairy and one or two lost children."

"-as of now," he said, giving me a look. "And he cut off your hand. Maybe you should reevaluate Pan. Perhaps he is the greatest foe anyone could have. Correct me if I misunderstood something."

"My hand - that was my fault," I said.

"I don't believe you... I think that's just what you tell yourself."

We then both warily looked over the log at the realization of silence from the direction of Pan.

"Where the heck did he fly off to?" Rider said.

The clearing where Pan recently stood was completely bare of any sign of life. "Don't know."

"I guess we should continue then, hmm?" Rider said, standing and sliding his sword back in its sheath.

I pulled him back behind the fallen tree and whispered, "I know his tricks. If he left, that means that he knows we are here."

"Oh, so he's attentive and smart, then?"

I shot him a glare, forcing my curse to start growling.

He seemed shocked by the sound that came from the back of my throat, if not frightened.

I tossed a rock into the air and caught it with my other. I looked it over and mentally weighed it, hoping it was heavy enough to set off any trap that could be before us.

I tossed it and ducked down, expecting anything from a snap to a gun shot.

I slowly peered over to the clearing when I heard nothing at all.

My eyes narrowed when I saw Pan facing me, a smirk unapologetically placed on his mocking glare. He was tossing a rock - the exact one which I had just thrown - in one calloused hand. He started to laugh, which ended in a single cough.

His voice, though usually smooth and easy, came out as tired and scratched, "You thought I was... was coward enough to run away from you and leave you some trap that you would only escape from? I'm not that dumb, Hook. You should know me better than that."