Caged • Robbie Kay/Peter Pan •

Chapter Two

After I had finished getting dressed, I opened my door to find a spear, like Caspars, resting against my tent. Attached to its sharpened blade, a note scribbled with black ink lettering. 'Follow the path behind Peter's tent'

I needed to talk to Peter about the chest and where he had gotten the clothes. He was most likely wherever this note lead me and I would ask him when I got there.

I grasped the spear between my fingers and folded the note before placing it in the hand stitched pocket of my pants. Why did everyone carry a spear with them when they departed the camp? Perhaps perilous creatures lurked in the forests of Neverland, or possibly other people lived on the island besides Peter and the boys.

As I trudged along the dirty path behind Peter's tent, I started to wonder if Peter's spell had also taken away my desire to leave Neverland and go back home. I had simply accepted the fact that I was here and I never questioned it. It was a strange and eccentric thing to accept, but this whole time I had been here it felt like a good dream. If it was a dream, I didn't want to end it by trying to escape.

I arrived at another tent, much larger than any at the camp. It's door was open and voices came from inside.

The tent was filled with assorted weaponry and targets. There was mat on the floor where Chase and Nolan wrestled each other.

I sauntered over to the mat, behind the rest of the boys who watched intently and cheered, unaware of my arrival.

"Keep your arms up, Nolan!" Peter yelled, pacing around the ring and examining their every move, his face remaining expressionless. Only once had I seen him smile, or smirk rather, when I tripped over the tree root the night before. His brooding appearance was simply a mask and his mind was full of thoughts and ideas, trapped beneath the many layers of pride.

Chase punched Nolan in the nose, causing it to bleed as his eyes watered. "Arms up!" Peter shouted again. He shook is head in defeat.

"Meadow." Peter said, without even turning around. He did know everything. "Glad you finally decided to show up."

Nolan and Chase stopped their fight and the other boys turned around to acknowledge my entrance. They appraised my new garments, and glanced back at Peter with a look confusion. Nolan took Chase' stare to his advantage and punched his jaw and stomach, causing him to hunch over in pain, groaning as he did so.

"Did I say you could stop fighting, Chase? If you had been paying attention instead of gaping with your big stupid mouth hanging open, you could have shielded yourself."

I stood between Caspar and Liam, crossing my arms as I watched the boys swing punches at each other. "Why are they fighting?" I whispered.

"To train." Liam answered.

"For what? Are there other people here, in Neverland?" I asked, turning to look at the young boy so fixated on the fight before him that it took him a moment to respond.

"Peter says-" he started

"No need to whisper when I can hear you just as clearly as if you were speaking aloud. We train for self defense, Meadow. Which is something you need to learn now that you're under my provision." he stated, a small smirk forming on his lips, but he quickly replaced it with his abiding grim expression.

"Self defense from what?" I inquired solemnly, crossing my arms as I had done before.

"Perhaps you'd like to find out." he replied sternly, sauntering slowly over to where I stood until I was almost beneath him. "When you're all alone in the dark of the forest and the creatures that lurk there mimic the cries of lost children that disappear from their prams. It stings your ears and rings hauntingly in your mind and the last thing you hear is the sound of your rapidly beating heart and your own voice screaming in anguish. Do not question my methods unless you wish to suffer the consequences."