VICIOUS (II) : peter pan ouat

How to Shoot an Arrow

He looks at me before rolling his eyes. "You didn't need to say anything."

Fair enough.

When he raises the bow a second time, I hear rustling in the bushes. Looking from him to the bushes, I stand.

"What's that?"

I shush him before he can continue to speak. The trees continue to move, swaying slightly, and I draw my dagger. Whoever it is isn't a Lost Boy. They're coming from the wrong side to be, and though I don't have to worry all that much about the conspirators, the Natives are still on my plate.

Man, I can't catch a break around here.

The blade of my dagger flashes in the light, and the cold feeling on my hands makes my blood rush. Heading towards danger isn't always the best option, but Max can't run away. I need to protect him.

In the trees, it's too dense to see. Nevermind the fact that the sun hasn't risen yet. It's peaking over the horizon, but that doesn't make it day yet.

A hand on my shoulder, and the quick thump of my dagger hitting the tree behind me. Next to the head of Walela, the Native girl. I relax, ripping the dagger out of the tree and holding it in my hands. Though I trust her, this could still be a trap. I haven't seen her since Pan took Alex out of their clutches. The Natives could've punished her for that, and she might be here to punish me.

"You're quick on your feet, for someone so young." She chuckles, her breath low.

"Are you alone?" I ask. "Where's Inali?"

"My, my, so many questions." She begins. "No hello, no how are you."

"Walela," I begin. "Our people are at war."

"War, war, war," she sighs, tilting her head back against the tree. "We've always been at war."

"We haven't always been kidnapping each other." I argue. "Or are you quick to forget our little mishap the other day?"

She ducks out from beneath me, moving deeper into the woods. I wouldn't imagine her coming all this way without expecting me to follow, but it could be a trap. If I leave Max alone, he'd be vulnerable. I follow anyway.

I can run fast. Besides, if Walela were setting me up, she could've killed me by now. There's no reason to take me hostage.

"Why did you come?" I ask, grabbing hold of her wrist and turning her around.

"Inali said I shouldn't." She admits. "And as much as I love Inali, I don't like to follow any rules."

I would argue, since Inali obviously knows better than her, but I would do the same. I have done the same, multiple times. As it is, I'm doing the same right now.

"So you just came to say hi?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "Well, Inali said I should find Alex, and I'm sure you find yourself too similar to Alex to stand. Probably why you didn't like me from the moment you saw me."

"I don't dislike you." I tell her, though I'm not sure if it's true. Seeing Walela is like seeing a future snapshot of my life. Once I know the forest better, and the people in it, I can see myself being just like her. Even if I'm slightly more violent and cruel than she is. I'll be honest with myself about it.

She rolls her eyes. "Anyways, the Natives aren't happy, since you two up and disappeared with Pan. They wanted leverage, and they'll get it back. Any of your boys step a toe out of line and you'll be up and gone."

"What exactly am I supposed to do with this information?" I ask.

She shrugs. "I don't know. Just make sure the amnesiac and the crazy boy stay off our land. Inali went out of his way to make sure no one touched them, but who knows how long that will last."