The Lost Boy

Chapter 10

A howl; loud, sharp, piercing, pained. It shattered the silence and caught the group by surprise, and they immediately set off into the trees to find the sound's source. They split up, running with Codfish's plan to "trap 'nd corner the monster." 

Rooster had forgotten how sore and tired he was. The chase forced him to pump his legs, sending fiery pain through his muscles as rocks stubbed his toes and roots tripped him. His chest ached, his breathing was short and frantic, and his eyes kept wandering up to that large green moon looming ominously above them. 

Codfish had explained how he'd felt the same effects of the Never Moon as Rooster and Slightly. Jade Star had managed to help him fight the power away, though he didn't explain how. He'd said that the Never Moon monster appeared and attacked them shortly thereafter. 

"Whatchu think's wrong with Codfish?" Slightly asked Rooster as they ran through the woods, Tink acting as their light. To their left, Codfish and Jade Star were weaving through the trees several yards away, out of sight. 

"Whatcha mean?" Rooster asked, looking at Slightly in surprise. 

"Ya know," Slightly said hesitantly, reaching up to scratch the chin of Tic Toc, who was now perched on his shoulder, the crocodile's tail draped across the back of the boy's neck. "He was actin' strange. Angry, almost. Not real diff'rent for Codfish, but still strange. He just seemed...diff'rent." 

Rooster glanced at the ground and found himself nodding slowly. The boy was right; Rooster had seen it. Something was definitely wrong with Codfish. He had been angry, almost vengeful. He wanted to hunt the monster of the Never Moon, something they knew nothing about. 

It just...didn't feel like Codfish. 

Tink glanced back at them from up ahead. Her eyes were full of conflicting emotions, so her expression was hard to read. 

Another howl, only this time it was much, much closer. It was pained and furious and despairing all at once, and it chilled Rooster's gut. 

"It's close!" Tink cried. 

"Is that the monster?!" Slightly wailed. 

"C'mon!" Rooster grabbed Slightly's hand, gave it a comforting squeeze, then began to pull his friend along, following Tink's glow through the darkness. He looked up at the Never Moon, which continued to pulse green with power, and he readied himself for confronting the monster. It sounded as though the monster had been terrorizing the inhabitants of the island for years, from what Tink had said, and Rooster had a feeling in his heart that he was meant to help protect Neverland. 

Somehow, he wasn't sure how, he was meant to be here. 

Another howl, a roar, a scream, and a gasp. Slightly ducked behind Rooster as they skidded to a halt, Tink's glow illuminating the face of the monster. Rooster stood, frozen, gaping at the beast, while Slightly hid behind him, tugging on his hand and whimpering, and Tic Toc was crying on his shoulder, pawing at Rooster with his tiny claws. 

Huge and hairy, a long snout with massive teeth, claws like swords, a hunched form taller than the tallest person he'd ever seen. Its head would have been buried within the canopy of the trees if it had been standing up straight. It reminded him of a wolf, with long gray fur and fangs and claws. Its hind legs and feet resembled those of the stray mutts back in London, but its forelegs were more human. It had tall, pointed ears that were pressed flat against its head and its fur was full of branches and its lips, which were peeled back against its white teeth,were torn and covered with blood. 

But the eyes were the most intriguing part of the beast. They weren't the starved, dark amber eyes of the mutts he'd seen back on the streets of London. They were scared, desperate, and gold.