The Warrior of Neverland

Hollow

She ripped off the red ceremonial shawl and tore at the tangled braids in her hair, unfamiliar with the feeling coursing through her. She was shaking and unhappy. She didn't know what it was. She wanted the pirates to be hurt, and that went against everything the tribe had believed for all her existence.

Pan knew about pirates. And he knew about feelings, too. She needed to talk to him.

"Chief Tigerlily," someone said from outside her tent.

Tigerlily paused, still working on her braids.

"The council is gathering."

She set her jaw and stood, throwing open the tent flap. Sequoia, a boy about the same height and days as Tigerlily, was waiting for her. She stepped into the sunlight and glanced in the direction of the lagoon. "Tell them to wait until sunset. We will gather then."

"But they're already gathering-"

"I know," Tigerlily interrupted sharply. She immediately regretted her tone. "But we need to clear our minds. It's too soon right now." She reached back into her tent and grabbed her thin leather moccasins. "And I need to talk to Pan."

"Pan? You think he'll be able to help us?"

"He knows more about pirates than anyone on the island," Tigerlily said, pulling on her moccasins.

"Maybe you should talk to the fairy queen."

"That will take too long. I don't need the fairy's prestige and etiquette; I just need answers." She tied the straps and straightened, looking solemnly at Sequoia. "Dismiss the council. I'm going to the forest."

"Chief," came another voice. Tigerlily looked up to see Cobalt approaching. "All the archers have returned safely. Two of them took a fall into the lagoon, but they're fine."

"Good." Tigerlily nodded with relief and turned to Sequoia. "Dismiss the council."

Sequoia didn't look happy, but Tigerlily didn't give him a chance to argue. She ran off, passing the handful of council members preparing to talk.

"Chief!" one of them called. "Where are you going?"

She didn't even stop to answer, but disappeared into the trees, jumping into the branches and leaping through the canopy. She only stopped when she reached the river, kneeling at the edge and cupping her hands to get a drink of water. Then, crawling out to the farthest branch of the Crying Tree, she jumped across the divide, grabbing onto another branch, and swung to the ground.

The forest side was harder to traverse. The branches were farther apart, and less sturdy. It was easier to run on the ground, but she didn't like having to swerve back and forth through the trees.

When she reached the Hollow, where an enormous, gnarly tree rose, she slowed. The tree was hollow, which is why it was named that, and Pan and the Lost Boys lived inside. There were no lights in the round windows, no movement through the glass. They were probably off playing and fighting.

She perked her ears up, but heard no noise other than the bugs and animals, and the seldom sound of fairies flying past. Tigerlily bounded to the door of the Hollow and yanked it open, ducking her head as she slipped inside.

There was no one there, which she'd expected. The Lost Boys were always yelling and shouting, so if they'd been there, everyone in the forest would've known. But she wasn't in here to see if the boys were around- now, she was looking for clues as to where they were.

The fishing rods were leaned up in one corner, so they weren't at the pond. The gathering baskets were piled against the wall, so they weren't out hunting or harvesting.

Their bows were gone. She climbed up on a thick tree root that curled out from the ceiling and peered around the room, making sure they really were missing.

It wasn't unusual- the boys often took their bows with them. But when they did, they normally took their gathering baskets too- for carrying home whatever they hunted.

So what were they up to now?

Then she froze. The pirates. They were fighting the pirates.

Tigerlily ran outside and scrambled up the outside of the Hollow, climbing up to the Lookout at the top. It had vantage of the entire forest.

She set her jaw, hoping beyond hope that they weren't actually fighting the pirates. Pan may have been experienced in battles, but she knew something he didn't- the captain of that ship was waiting for Pan. He wanted Pan to come to him.

Pan was walking straight into a trap.

Maybe they weren't at the pirates, she told herself. She pulled herself into the Lookout and peered over the forest. Maybe they were just playing somewhere. Maybe they were at Daisy Meadow, in the opposite direction of the mermaid lagoon.

She waited in the Lookout for a minute, hoping she'd spot them somewhere, but she saw nothing. She pushed a branch out of the way and peered towards Daisy Meadow, but she couldn't see it past the treetops.

A familiar jingle made her turn. She looked down at the railing of the Lookout and saw a fairy perched there, glowing with pixie dust, flapping her delicate wings slowly.

"Tinkerbell!" Tigerlily exclaimed, bending down to see her better. "Please tell me you know where Pan is."

Tinkerbell shook her head.

"I'm afraid he's off to the Mermaid Lagoon to fight pirates," Tigerlily said. "But I have something important to tell him."

Tinkerbell tilted her head, crossing her arms.

"The pirate captain knows Pan. He's after him, and I'm afraid if Pan goes there he'll be caught."

Tinkerbell rose off the rail a few inches, jingling worriedly.

"Can you find him for me, Tink? Tell him to meet me at the Crying Tree."

Tinkerbell flew off, leaving a trail of fairy dust dissipating in the air. Tigerlily swung down from the lookout and hit the ground running, heading straight for the Crying Tree. She only got halfway there before she heard that sound again, muffled and deep, piercing through the trees.

A cannon.

She swallowed and ran harder.