~ Felix
"We need to find her!" I yell through gritted teeth, a futile attempt to contain my rage.
"We will Felix, calm down," Ricky says.
"Pan said we have to take anyone who shows up in Neverland. We've just lost the one person who will get him what he's looking for. I'm not gonna calm down, and if you tell me again, you're gonna be the one to get the dreamshade. Got it?" I spit, and he nods. "Now do something useful."
He nods again, rounds up the boys, and we begin our venture through the forest, following our footprints from the night before, checking the trees. And eventually we find her, far away from the clearing, laying on the branch with her legs up against the trunk. She's rolls and flips a coin through her fingers, unfazed by our arrival.
"Well look who finally showed their face. Nice of you to join me," she says, not moving.
"Just come with us Davina," I say.
She sits up, her legs swinging over the edge and for a moment, I believe she's going come with us. "Sorry love, you're not my type," she replies, jumps up and speeds off again.
"Should we chase after her?" Asks my second-in-command, Alexander.
"No, there's no point...Pan just got back," I say as I watch her disappear, smiling as the energy shifts on the island.
~ Davina
I jump to the ground as the trees suddenly get thinner, with branches that would instantly break under my weight. It's strange how the trees go bare and thin, and the ground is just dried dirt and dead leaves, whilst the rest of the island is covered with vibrant greenery. I turn, walking backward and looking up at the change from darkened forest to clear blue sky and the sparse trees. I turn around and bump into someone. I jump, and I start slowly stepping backwards, away from the figure that had just appeared out of nowhere.
"Davina, right?" He greets in a clear British accent while leaning against a tree.
I bump into a tree and stop, "Who are you?" I ask.
"Oh sorry, I'm so rude...I'm Peter. Peter Pan," he replies.
So here's the one they're all fussed about. He's not much by way of intimidation, but attractive to say the least.
I snort, "So you're him? Really? Is that all?"
"Aren't you supposed to be with Felix?" He asks, clearly confused.
"Oh, right...here's the thing mate, I uh, what do you call it...escaped?" I answer sarcastically. He's suddenly inches away from my face; this just makes me giggle. "You might want to teach them how to capture someone properly," I whisper with a smile.
He scoffs and takes a step back, "You're right. I should have just done it myself."
I frown, and in a second, I'm unconscious.
- - -
I wake up feeling very cramped. I roll on to my back, sitting up abruptly, only for my head to hit something. I flinch, carefully uncoiling my body as I open my eyes to discover that I'm in a wicker cage.
"Oh haha very funny," I mutter to myself.
I look through a gap to see that I'm hovering above them. While I sit suspended and cooped up, they enjoy a bonfire and dance around it. Pan can't seem to hear me over his playing of a pipe flute, making me shout, "Hey, Pipe Boy, I wanna talk to you!"
That gets his attention. He clicks his fingers, and the cage falls. It lands with a crash, and I expect it to break, but nothing happens. The landing knocks me onto my backside, fuelling my irritation. I grunt as I sit back up, putting my face right up to the tiny gap so Pan can see my eyes at the very least.
"Yes?" He says, coming up to the cage.
"Would you mind telling me why I'm in a cage?"
He raises his eyebrow, "So you can't escape obviously. I heard you're good at that, but you won't be able to from here."
"Right okay..." I say and look around the cage, "Could I at least have some water?"
He nods once, "Felix, get the lady a drink."
A minute later, I have a leather flask being passed to me; I take it from Pan's hand and I can hear the water sloshing around inside. I take a few gulps before handing it back to him.
"Keep it. You'll want more," he says and pushes the flask away.
"Oh, how very kind of you...I suppose I've had worse," I reply flippantly.
He scoffs again, his shoulders rising up for a millisecond and he shakes his head, as if what I had just said was crazy.
"You think what you're providing is bad? Please. I've been in my fair share of dungeons, brigs, holds, et cetera. This is nothing."
He raises his eyebrow, shakes his head once more and walks away. I watch him lean against a tree that just so happens to make me in his eye line; I slide to the back of the cage, and close my eyes - not sleeping, just listening.
The Lost Boys make strange noises to Pan's soundless pipes. The fire crackles wildly, but strangely, I can't hear a single bird, or a single breeze brushing the leaves. The only sounds are of their hoots, stomps and the fire. I start remembering my time on the sea, with my parents and our crew, and the rare occasion I would go sailing with my uncle, Killian Jones, or as he's more commonly known, Captain Hook. I wonder if he knew about our journey here. Maybe he predicted what would happen; he is the one who told me about that area of ocean. And maybe, just maybe, he's coming to look for us...for me. I sigh and let my thoughts drift.
I'm rudely disturbed by a banging on the cage. I open one eye to see who it is. "What can I do for you, Pipe Boy?" I ask as I see Pan standing over the cage with his pipe flute, closing my eye to continue reminiscing.
"It's Pan to you, seeing as I'm the one in control here, I suggest you respect me. I was going to ask if you wanted to join the party."
"Oh, how nice of you. But, I prefer parties that actually have music," I answer.
"You can't hear it?" He asks, surprised.
I shake my head, "I'm sure your...entourage...are enjoying themselves just fine without me anyway."
"I thought you would have liked to get out of your confinement, but..."
My eyes fly open, I make eye contact with him through the gap, "Listen here, Pan, I'll make a deal with you. If I get out of this cage on my own, none of this capturing nonsense anymore, but if I don't, you can let me out when you feel appropriate and I'll...co-operate. How's that?" I offer.
He thinks for a moment, "Deal," he agrees, "Better get started then."
I smile and get to work. He wanders back down to his...friends? Minions? Whatever they are, he finally leaves me be. I study each knot holding the cage together; they aren't as complex as I thought. I choose one which looks quite loose so I can test my theory. I very slightly pull one section out, and pull another, and as soon as I have a good grip on the both of them, I pull all the way and the whole vine releases itself, the stick of wicker falling. I pick it up and place it to one side. I smile to myself and continue with the rest of the front.
Having undone all the knots, I sit back and flick one stick, causing the rest to fall in a domino effect. I crawl out and stand up, brushing myself off. I look up and see the stunned faces of the boys and I smirk, placing my hands on my hips.
"Never underestimate a pirate," I say, "and more so, a woman."
I jump down from the hill where the now-open cage sits and on to the flat surface where they had all stopped jeering and dancing. Pan walks over slowly, his shoulders rolling slightly. I smile at him, my head tilted to the side with my hands still on my hips and an eyebrow raised.
He smirks at me, "I have to admit, I'm impressed. No one's ever been able to get out of that cage, until now. I'm curious, how did you do it?"
"I know how to tie and untie every single knot that exists, whether they've been combined or not, I know how to get out. I can do it with my eyes closed and my hands tied behind my back. I don't waste free time," I explain.
"Well, you're free to move around now, but don't try to leave, otherwise... it won't end well," he threatens.
I nod and walk over to where they have a pile of food. Out of habit, I mostly eat the fish but the greens are refreshingly good. After years of eating food that has been hidden in bilges for far too long, anything else is bliss. I pull myself up onto a low branch and lean against the trunk and look around the area. There's a large tree house on the opposite side, the bonfire in the middle, fallen trunks being used as seats set in a circle around the fire. Above my cage, are two others, hung up on a thick vine. There are a number of frequently-trodden pathways in different directions. Not bad. Better than being dead.
Who knows, maybe I'll get to like this place.