Tiger Lily (A Peter Pan Fanfic)

Chapter Six

An entire week had flown by since my attempted escape. Baelfire hadn't been seen since. Part of me blamed Pan. I knew he knew just exactly where Baelfire was, but he insisted on not bringing up my friend at all. Another part of me blamed myself. I dragged him into my plan. I told him to run. And because of that, he was somewhere wandering around the island. Or worse. Dead. A sliver of hope told me that he'd made it back to my father, but that was unlikely.

Pan had made it his personal mission to supervise me after we'd arrived back at camp, and for the past week, he'd been watching my every move. If I stepped even one foot outside of the camp's boundary line, he was there, interrogating me about my whereabout's before smirking cockily and telling me I belonged there.

Today, however, was different. I was determined to find Baelfire and my father. While Pan, the lost ones, and I had bonded ever so slightly, I was homesick more than ever. The constant bonfires and flute playing was getting to me. It was an inviolable routine that I had grown to hate. Pan watched me through the flames, like a tiger on the prowl, every evening, giving me an uneasy feeling.

Currently, Pan was nowhere to be seen - and neither was Felix. They had gone off deeper into the jungle, muttering something about "special guests" and "cages". While that spiked my attention, I had more important things to be thinking about. Like Baelfire and my father.

Sneaking out of the camp was rather simple. None of the lost ones cared as much about following Pan's orders as Felix did, and since Felix was nowhere to be seen, I had no problem leaving.

I'd taken a bag and several weapons from Pan's personal stash, just to spite him in case he got back before I did.

The jungle was excessively humid today I noted as I trekked through tangled vines and clumped bushes. Sweat dripped down my forehead and the back of my neck, causing me to wipe my face constantly. It struck me as odd that Pan could control practically everything on the island except the bloody weather.

Shaking my head, I found my way into a darker part of the jungle, where trees and vines alike knotted together, making it even more difficult for me to cut my way through. I wasn't ready to give up, though. I'd find my father. I'd find Bae. No one, not even Pan would stop me.

After cutting my way through the thicker part of the mass of trees, I came to a small clearing where a cave caught my eye.

Warily, I approached the dark, cold cave, keeping one hand on the sword I'd stolen from Pan. I'd packed weapons, but no lanterns. How could I have missed a lantern? I'd just have to do without light, then...

Entering into the damp cave, I glanced around. There was a long pathway curving along the cave walls, and I was slightly nervous to follow it. Perhaps certain death was just around the corner.

Man up, idiot, I mentally coached myself, taking a deep breath before following the dark path along the cave.

To my surprise, there was a dead end after the curve of the path. Even more, it was nicely lit. The cave's ceiling was imbedded with several crystal-like things that gave off light. They reminded me of stars, beautiful and shining in unlit places.

After staring in awe at the "cave stars", I took in the room around me. It was small and damp, but a small makeshift cot caught my eye. Someone was living here. I approached the cot curiously, gingerly touching the bed with my fingertips.

On the wall above the cot were several strange markings. Vertical lines that seemed to be grouped in a certain way. A way of counting, no doubt. But what for?

"Lily?" a voice called from behind me.

I jumped, a small gasp escaping me before I whirled around, my eyes wide.