Red Rebellion

Chapter 8

"Gather round, boys!" Peter shouted loudly as he found the resolve to stand. Lost Boys scurried out from inside the hideout while others dropped from the hanging trees, climbed down trunks and emerged from the surrounding bushes. "I'd say it's about time we stretched our legs," Peter smirked wickedly at the clustering circle. Elizabeth sat a short distance away from the huddled party, trying to stay focused on sharpening the blade she pilfered from her earlier escape. The brief moment she did happen to look up, she caught Peter's fleeting glance. He unperturbedly pulled his attention back to the boys, "After giving it some thought, I realized it doesn't seem fair to keep all the fun to myself."

"You mean we can go out?" A smaller boy, no older than eight, bounced on the balls of his feet while gripping his hand-carved spear.

Elizabeth scoffed to herself, apparently loud enough to catch all of the boys' attention. They turned with curious stares. Peter raised a curious brow. Elizabeth looked up after feeling the weight of their attention and the pressing uncomfortable silence.

"Sorry," she smiled and set the blade down. "I just think it's a little ridiculous all you boys are so eager to act like Peter's escaping zoo animals." All of the boys gawked with open jaws. Some stared at Lizzie, while others looked to see how their leader would react. Peter's eyes narrowed with a bewildered smirk. "It's just strange that you're all so excited to go out and do his dirty work just because he needs his shadow to go terrorize someone else."

A stout little boy with flaming ginger curls poked his head through the group. "Why wouldn't we be excited? It's our home and we've every right to go out there and defend it."

Another boy chimed in from the back, "Yeah! It 'aint dirty work if it's fun!"

Pan grinned proudly while the entirety of the boys began to holler out chants.

Yeah! Let's get out there! They need to learn what happens when you trespass in Neverland! Show them what happens when they mess with us! Let's go sink their ships!

Pan's eyes darkened maliciously. He pulled out his dagger and lifted the weapon up triumphantly over the boys' heads. "Alright boys, go give those grown-ups some hell!"

They cheered rowdily with raised fists and blades before hastily scattering. Some rushed back inside to fetch their spears while others formed hunting parties and ran off into the trees. In a matter of minutes the campsite was empty with the exception to Peter and Elizabeth. She picked up the knife and continued to sharp its fine edge while Peter casually strode over.

"Question" she muttered lowly. "Wendy Darling didn't happen leave any clothes behind did she? Maybe a pair of shoes, a shirt or maybe some socks?"

Peter looked at her confusedly, "Wendy?"

Elizabeth tentatively looked up from her handiwork and smiled, "Yeah, Wendy."

He smiled and furrowed brows. "No, she got along fine in a dress. She wasn't here long enough for it to become a problem. Then again, she also wasn't the type to go frolicking in the woods." He smirked, "Why do you ask?"

Elizabeth swallowed and stood up. "I want to get back out there."

Peter chuckled amusingly, "You're not serious."

"Actually I am," she picked up the knife and smiled. "You let the Lost Boys go out, why not me?"

"For starters, as you've so acutely pointed out, you're not properly dressed. Neverland is no place to run barefoot."

"Then why don't you go get me some clothes?" She retorted annoyingly. "Maybe my old pair of boots back at home? If you honestly think that I'm going to spend an eternity living in these cotton pullovers, you've got another thing coming."