Innocence (OUAT/Peter Pan)

Chapter 14: Shadows

Two hours later, Felix reached out and splayed his hand on her shoulder, slowing her. "We're near Dark Hollow. See, up ahead, the nature all dies and turns dark?" He held up her hand as he pointed. She sucked in a breath at the sight. Everything looked dead and darkened as if in perpetual shadow. There were a few sparse trees, then a large cluster of the dead plants. The branches twisted with each other and bent to form a structure similar to a dome. It looked like a home for the Shadow, the branches woven thickly enough to be walls. "Pan's Shadow and its victims live there. Those who anger or threaten him, the Shadow claims."

            "Any of the boys, has he ever..." she couldn't finish, too horrified at having to live like a ghost for eternity in such a dark place. It looked so wrong, a dome of dark and dead trees surrounded by the rest of the lush, shimmering forest.

            "No, never," Felix said sharply, "Pan would be disgusted at the very suggestion, Princess."

            They edged closer, but didn't step onto the dark earth. The closer they got, the more suffocating the dark power felt; it wasn't sucking away her magic, it was pushing its own onto her. But it wasn't necessarily evil, bad magic. It was the feeling of something forever lonely and forever in power. The Shadow, alongside Pan, ruled the island. But while Pan had the Lost Boys as brothers, the Shadow's company was forced and miserable. She felt sad for it, but kept this to herself. Felix seemed to be able to feel the magic, but not enough to realize it wasn't evil. It made her curious.

            "We aren't going in," Felix reminded her as she was about to step closer. She turned back to him, a bit dazed as she pulled herself out of her reverie and walked away with him.

            On the walk through the forest, Felix repeatedly shot down her questions, and she finally got the hint and dropped it. They just walked in their companionable silence through the immense forest.

            "Are there mermaids?" she piped up after some time.

            "Yes, they live in the ocean. No specific place. I've shown you the big sights on Neverland, the rest you're going to explore yourself tomorrow." He grinned back at her slyly.

            "Myself? Where will you be?" she asked nervously.

            "Oh, I'll be right here," he pointed to where they stood. He then started to gather wood by clearing nearby bushes and branches.

            "Then why am I by myself?" she groaned. Felix knew something, he was smirking at her and chuckling smugly.

            "You'll find out," he began kindling while she stood still and crossed her arms. He tilted his chin, "go climb that."

            "What? Why?" She loved climbing trees, but the sun had set and she usually climbed when she was hunting. They were supposed to be making camp and eating leftovers from last night.

            "Just do it," he sighed and cocked an eyebrow at her. She rolled her eyes and started up. "And hurry it up, slow-poke."

            She was just a few branches away from the very top when she heard Felix start up below her. Ignoring him—except for maybe putting more force than necessary on loose twigs that happened to fall on him—she pulled herself up so she sat on the highest branch that would hold her. She found it funny how often her misfortunes in the Enchanted Forest came in handy in Neverland. Here, for example, having been poorly fed and consequently very light, she was able to sit with only two thin branches above her. She gasped when she looked, and let out a whoop as if she were with the boys.

            She was looking out onto the better half of the island. Her magic helping her to see clearly in the dimness, she could see the barren area of Dark Hollow, the slightly brighter green of fairy territory, and even the faint glow of the fire at the Lost Boys' campsite. Dead Man's Peak loomed on her side, and she could see the tiny blue glimmer at the top even through the wall of Dreamshade.

            Felix settled next to her and sighed. "Look how far we've gone, and look how much we get to live on every day for eternity," he grinned and nudged her shoulder with his. She beamed, too much in awe for words. Felix wrapped an arm around her and put his head on top of hers, letting out a breath. He seemed deflated.

            "Oh, come on, you can't possibly be upset right now. This is incredible. And you can't be bored, you said it changes," she whined playfully. She felt him chuckle.

            "It is incredible." She nudged him again, he was holding something. "Pan's been acting a bit odd. Might be because of the scare you gave him, jumping off that damn cliff and all," she felt anger and shame swell in her at that. "But he says he feels something, like something foreboding. He can't see the future, but sometimes he can feel little hints and things."

            "Are we going to be alright?" she murmured. Felix shrugged.

            "Oh, definitely. Pan never loses. He did say it would probably test you, said he could feel your magic or something. Guess we'll see how you really do fight with us," he smirked proudly. She just swallowed. "Don't worry, princess. We'll protect you, we always protect each other." With that, they stared back out at the island lost in thought. They were both thinking the same things: what was Pan feeling, what was coming, and why did Pan specify her involvement.

            Finally, they climbed back down and settled down to sleep. She curled into Felix's side, tonight needing some assurance that she was alright while awake as well as asleep. That little tingle in the back of her mind still told her something felt wrong, but she ignored it and the urge to lie on her stomach or other side.

            She did eventually fall asleep, because one moment the space behind her eyelids was black and the next she was jerked into awareness as Felix flung himself up, causing her head to lift up just enough to hurt when it hit the ground again.