Tinkerbell

Truth and lies and a lost shadow

"Tink?" Peri calls as I slide off the Lynx, who immediately takes off through the forest, back to his master, The Keeper.

"Hey, Per," I greet. I narrowly avoid a snowball and run over to Periwinkle.

Her face turned from shocked to livid in a moment. "What the hell are you doing here?" She hissed.

I take a deep breath and spill everything - well, nearly.

"Look, Peri, I came to tell you - I'm going to the mainland for a few days, and won't be back till next week at the latest."

Okay, so it technically wasn't the truth, but it was better than the whole truth. I wasn't even lying really, just tweaking the truth a teeny tiny bit.

"What! Why?"

"There's something I need to take care of, and it needs doing before the changing of the seasons."

Peri nods and pulls me into a hug. "Be careful, and I want to hear about the mainland when you come back."

A laugh bubbles up my throat and she smiles lovingly.

"Now go before the temperature drops. And say hi to the others - they are still coming?"

"I don't know Peri, I'll pass on the message for you. Would you ...?"

She nods and I shrug my coat off and immediately she sets to work coating my wings in a protective frost coat. I hug her and take off back to the other side of the boarder.

"Tink!" Several voices exclaim. All the girls were there, including the newbies. I flick my wings once after I cross the border and immediately hit the ground. My wings were coated with water and I had to wait until Silvermist was in close range so she could remove the water. I take a pinch of Pixie Dust out of the pouch strapped to my belt, and rise into the air again. I look at Ember, and her grip tightens in the hammer.

"Ember," I say softly, looking at my hammer. "Please may I have that hammer?"

"No," She snaps. "It chose me."

Vidia growls and the fairy darts behind Gabriel.

"Fine. Rose, take her to the Tinkers Grotto - her house should be next to James - but talk to Clank and Bobble about it first. I need to go." And before anyone could argue, I take off, flying away from Pixie Hollow, and towards the Indians camp, where at least one of the lost boys were sure to be.

"Princess Tiger Lily. Happy birthday."

"Hip hip! Hooray!" A chorus of voices cheer.

Right, yeah. Tiger Lily's birthday was today and the whole of Neverland would be celebrating - except Hook and his men and us fairies.

"Hey look, it's Tinkerbell!" Someone yells.

I fly straight to them and it turned out to be Tootles.

"Where's Pan?" I ask. Even though no human could understand me, all on Neverland could. It was a gift. Or rather, Peter could understand me, but the Lost Boys has learnt to translate gestures and could normally figure out what I wanted if it was short enough.

"He should be over there somewhere, Tink. It's good to see you again." It was good to see him too.

I kiss Tootles's cheek and take off towards where he said Peter would be. And so he was, immersed in conversation with the twins.

"Peter!" I scream. His head whipped around and his face lights up.

"Tink!" He cries.

I fly over to him and pat his cheek softly.