Belief Extraordinary

Changed

When the horn signaling game end sounded across the island, no one was surprised to see that Felix led the largest trail of flags back to the camp. Despite their best efforts and some marginal attempts at coordinated escape, Sarah, Loto, and Kasim remained prisoners until game end. They were further joined by Cody, Zack, and Alec, an auburn-haired boy around Cody's age. Nibs returned leading a sulking Xavier and two other boys, while Arthur, Rasheed, and Lucian returned empty-handed but free. A handful of other Lost Boys filtered in with captives, but none had as many as Felix. Pan, looking suspiciously pleased with himself for someone who hadn't taken part in the game, clapped Felix warmly on the shoulder as he announced his lieutenant's victory. Several of the captives shifted nervously, concerned over what their fate would be having lost the game.

It appeared Pan was in a much better mood than he had been the day before, however, as he announced that the humiliation of having been captured – or of not managing to capture anyone else – was punishment enough. The majority of the captives had the sense to look properly chastened, not wanting him to change his mind to something worse. With an approving nod, the boy king strode from the group to the privacy of his tent. With their leader gone, the captured flags grew antsy to be untied and set free. This was accomplished with minimal mockery on the part of the victorious, though Nibs scoffed at Xavier's insistence on a rematch. "Learn when to quit!" He told the other boy imperiously, but then broke into a smile. "Though if you really want to lose three times in a row..." The two were soon wrestling on the ground.

Sarah watched as Felix moved methodically down his line of flags, untying each prisoner and re-coiling their rope. In most cases it had been their own, and she noticed his two youngest captives looked particularly galled to have it handed back to them. When he reached her, he paused. Sarah shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. "What?" A lazy smile split across Felix's face.

"I seem to recall," He drawled, "You left me tied up in the jungle earlier." He shrugged. "Just thinking maybe I should return the favour." Sarah looked at him sharply.

"I tried to get you to run, and you wouldn't." She told him shortly. "So whose fault was that?" She was confused to find that her heart began to beat a little faster when he reached out to untie her hands. It wasn't as though they hadn't been in contact before, but...had his hands always been this warm? Whatever you think you're doing, she admonished herself, stop it. This was Felix, after all. Maybe all this time on the island was starting to get to her. I'd better not be getting Stockholm Syndrome. Not with this bunch. The ropes came undone and her arms fell happily back to her sides.

"See you around, Lost Girl." Felix hefted his club to his shoulder as he turned – once Kasim and Loto had been recovered, he'd made the three backtrack to where he'd dropped it on Sarah's orders.

"Um, right." Sarah coughed. "See you."

"Lost Girl." Sarah jumped, turning reluctantly as Pan strode towards her. She shook her head, forcibly dislodging her discomfiting thoughts. A prickle of fear climbed over her as he neared. When Pan had left her in the jungle earlier his anger had been clear, and though he seemed to be in a better mood now, she knew that could change at any moment and she worried what the beast had planned for her now. Though inwardly Pan was pleased at her sudden stiffness as she watched him, he managed to keep the smirk from sliding onto his face. "Just who I was looking for. Follow me."

Sarah was reluctant to follow, but was as yet uncertain how much defiance Pan was in the mood to brook. She settled for a middle ground. "Follow you where?" She asked cautiously. Pan frowned.

"You'll find out when we get there." Sarah shook her head slowly. Pan's surprises were almost never pleasant, and even those that were he usually twisted until they were anything but. Pan rolled his eyes. "Come on Sarah, where's your sense of adventure?"