The Shadow's Keeper ~OUAT Peter Panfiction (Book 2)

Boiling Over

        "Is that it??" Emma called from behind Regina as they neared a broad cave entrance, slowing to a stop. Anne's form glanced back at her with a smirk. 
        "Indeed it is, savior..." She replied cooly, seemingly confident. Benjamin clung to her like a scared little boy. The cave was frightfully familiar and he swallowed uncomfortably.
        "We're going in...there?" He asked her quietly. She regarded him with dark forest eyes, almost conveying a spell of ease. She then moved out of his hold and turned around. Swords pointed, eyes tested her movements.

        "What's in there?" Regina inquired. 

        "Something not worth stirring," Anwen warned, cocking a brow. "If I were you...I'd turn around and walk away while you still have your lives." 

        The mood seemed to grow cold and a silence pulsed through the air. Regina immediately broke it with a laugh of disbelief. "You can't be serious, of course we're going inside. What a stupid thing to suggest," she spat with a venom in her voice.

        "Wait..." Emma began apprehensively, "why would you lead us all the way here just to tell us not to go in?"

        A smirk pulled at the disguised lips of Anwen. "Is it?" She regarded Regina's comment. "You finally got your son back, and you're willing to take the risk of losing him again? You have no idea what to expect yet you're perfectly willing to walk straight into something without constructing an escape plan. Haven't you been told enough times to never break in somewhere unless you know the way out?" She challenged, quoting the one and only Peter Pan. 

        Another silenced pulsed and the group came to an unfortunate realization.
        "Wait a minute!" Neal exclaimed in frustration. "Isn't that what you were going to tell us?!"
        Regina began glaring at the girl, tightening her jaw.
        "Not exactly," Anwen began, "I said I'd show you where Pan's 'children' inhabit."
        "Anna," Isabelle gasped in utter shock at what she thought was her daughter's betrayal.
        Anwen turned toward her and pulled off her best soft face. "I'm sorry, mother, I can't betray the boy I love."
        Anne's parents' veins iced and Isabelle grinded her teeth. John balled his fists but he never said anything. He was afraid of this, but was not surprised.

        "Here's the thing, I'll let you all decide whether or not you want to explore this cave, meanwhile, my work here is done."

~

        Anne and Peter landed inside a tree, the cave being obscured by tree leaves. With a tight arm wrapped around her waist, Peter delicately moved aside some tree leaves, opening to the view of her family negotiating with Henry's. Felix was no where and no one was grieving...Pan observed. Anne gasped at the sight when Peter clamped a hand over her mouth, palpitating her steady heart beat. "Shhhh," he gently, silenced into ear, making her body quiver. She tightly closed her eyes to regulate her excessive breathing.

        "We can't go in," Emma whispered to Regina.
        "Well someone has to," she exclaimed.
        "No, we can't split up again," Emma protested. Neal began to look around for his father when he cursed.
        "Too late," he sighed. "He's gone, again! Did he go in??" His eyes shot toward an obscured Anwen (still in Anne's form) with Benjamin standing protectively behind her. She tilted her head, giving him a look. Neal's brows furrowed. They were partially inside the cave themselves, blanketed by a fallen shadow. Anwen appeared relaxed, but almost testing Neal with her eyes.
        "We didn't see--" Benjamin began when Anwen hit him in the stomach, silencing him. Neal caught the gesture then backed away. 
        Regina's head shot in all different directions, searching the forest for Rumple. She nearly growled, balling her fists. "I swear, that imp needs a leash!" She bolted off, alarming the rest of the group.
        "Regina!" Emma shrieked.
        "We have to find him, now!"


        Pan snickered behind the real Anne, still muffling the small noises her mouth would make. She was frigid against him. The only part of her body moving was her eyes, following the group as they all rushed after Regina. "Look at them go," he replied, amused at the scene. Not that Pan didn't understand the scene because he had heard their conversation, he just didn't think much of it. Escaping the cave came Anne's form and a confused Benjamin. That's when Pan opened his eyes. Anne studied her copy in alarm, moving Pan's hand off her mouth. 
        "What the hell is that?" She questioned.
        Pan's blood boiled when he saw the two holding hands. He came to realization that who he was looking at was a confused Anwen and a lost boy she sought out to protect. There was something else, an aura that gave it away that Anwen was trying to screw Pan over. He waited for the others to disappear before he let go of Anne's waist, nearly dropping her. She caught herself and began to panic when Pan tried to fly out of the tree. "Wait!" She shrieked, hanging onto a prickly tree trunk as her boots teetered across a branch.
        Peter glanced back at her and his whole demeanor had changed. He was not one to be toyed with in that moment, his internal anger transparent. His chest heaving, his lips were fighting to pull back into a snarl, and his eyes were darkened to black ice. Anne's mouth had dried and she withdrew.
        "Wait here," he pushed roughly, making Anne shiver and pale, before the keeper was gone.