Peter Pan and the War of Evils

Chapter Twelve

A/N: There is some slight gore and animal death. Please proceed with caution.

Chapter Twelve

The next morning, heavy with their hunting gear, Peter and the Lost Boys set out for game to trade with the Indians, Kaytee quietly following them in support. Although she was good with a sword, her skills with a bow and arrow were rather embarrassing. She'd long since accepted her role as a Gatherer, and left the rest to the boys without complaint. It was just fine with her, they were running low on fruit and herbs anyway.

They trekked through the jungle on silent feet, straying far from their usual trails. Each time they hunted, they chose a different part of the island so as not to unknowingly train the animals to avoid them. Curly and Tootles would break away every half mile and check the snares they'd set up the night before. Maybe they should've noticed something was off when they kept returning empty handed, their traps untouched and cold. Must just be an off day.

Kaytee tugged Peter to a stand still and let the boys walk ahead before pressing a kiss to his warm lips, "This is my stop. Shoot straight and come back to me whole."

He sighed and pulled her close, brushing his lips along her ear, "Try not to miss me too terribly. I love you."

She giggled as he pressed a kiss to her neck, "And I love you. Go!" she shoved him away before his hands got too distracting and he winked, flying off to catch up with the boys.

The hours passed in a warm, languid way as the day turned from morning to afternoon. Kaytee hummed to herself and thought up new stories to tell the boys, absentmindedly harvesting a patch of toadstools they usually added to their rabbit stew. Her own game bag, though it held no actual game, was full of fruits and veg, a smaller pouch by her hip with herbs. Peter would always double check she hadn't brought home anything poisonous, but since Kaytee diligently memorized(and avoided) the handful of harmful plants in Neverland, it was unnecessary.

She was too lost in her daydreams to notice the silence of the dense jungle around her. The stillness of the brush, the absence of life's giveaways. Despite his teasing, Kaytee did actually miss Peter. She'd grown too used to his presence, the way he would cocoon her in his affection and attention.

She was relieved to finally hear the steady thud of footsteps headed towards her and stood from her resting spot under a shady sapling. Peter burst through the wall of greenery, his face covered in dirt, dripping with sweat. He didn't sweep her into his arms like he always did, nor did his face show much more than relief at seeing her.

"Peter?" Kaytee felt her own smile dip, "What-"

"Have you seen any of the boys?" He interrupted, panting.

She shook her head, "You're the first I've seen since this morning. Why?"

"Damn," he bit his lip and lowered into a crouch, "Get on my back- no, leave your bag. Just get on."

Unnerved by his haste, she wordlessly did as he said, grabbing onto his shoulders and settling onto his back. He hooked his hands behind her knees as she hugged her chest to his shoulder blades, slippery with sweat.

"Peter, what's going on?" She asked, her stomach dropping as he leaped into the air, the trees streaking past them.

"I sent them out on their own to hunt, we weren't coming up on anything as a group. I told them to go back to you if they shot anything." he paused, wind whistling in their ears, " But I was wrong, it wasn't our strategy that was the problem," He shook his head, his grip on her knees tightening.

"Then what? What's wrong?"

"Can't you feel it?" He asked her, his voice grave, "It's empty. The animals are gone."