Weakness

Chapter 21: The fire in her eyes

"I win"

Ace ran deeper and deeper into the surrounding forest until she was certain she was several miles from camp. The shout and howls of the lost boys told her they weren't to far behind. She continued to run dodging trees and shrubs. She stayed light on Her feet not leaving to much of a trail for them to fallow. Her face flushed, her palms were sweaty, her heart beat a mile a minute. The adrenaline coursing through her brought a large grin to her face. She hadn't felt like this sense she came to Neverland. The thrill of the hunt made her laugh with glee. The need to win drove her faster and faster through the trees. When she came to a sturdy tree she ran up the side grabbed a hold of a branch and hoisted herself up. She climbed as high as she could hiding in the leaves. She sat breathing heavily the grin still on her face. She already had a plan. She knew how she was going to win. The only problem was Pan. If he used magic then that might pose a bit of a problem. She opened the satchel, she was immensely glad she had brought with her, as she dug through it. She smirked as she found what she was looking for frowning when she realized their wasn't much left. She'd have to make more. She dipped her fingers into the bottle. She swiped a line of the dark green inky liquid across each cheek the one line from her hair line to the tip of her nose. She wiped off the reamians of the potion from her finger onto her pants smirking as she put the lid back on it and placed it securely in her bag. Pan would have a much harder time finding her with magic if he tried. It was his island so he probably still could though it would take a great deal of magic and strength she was hoping he wouldn't want to exert. Now for the next phase of her brilliant plan. She was going to go back to camp. It was the one place the boys would never even think to look. She smirked as she silently backtracked sticking to the tree tops so she wouldn't be spotted. She heard a shout that made her freeze in place. She slowly turned her head downwards to see a boy beneath the very tree she was perched in. She sighed in relief as she saw he was shouting at one of his friends a few feet away.
"Found anything!" The boy beneathed her yelled.
"Nothing! How could she just disappear!" The other boy yelled coming out of one of the bushes.
The boy beneath her shrugged.
"Maybe, she went towards the beach." The boy suggested as his friend caught up to him. His friend laughed loudly.
"You just want to go to the beach don't you." His friend pointed out still laughing.
"Pretty much." The boy responded causing the two to laugh as they disappeared.
Ace sighed in relief although an amused smile tugged at her lips at her little victory. She moved silently and stealthily from tree to tree as she backtracked. She came to a clearing she had run through earlier. She could go around it, but that would take more time. She was still miles from camp so the lost boys combing this area was definitely a possibility. If she ran through the field staying low as to hide in the grass she could probably make it without being spotted. She flipped up the brown hood of her cloak before dropping from the branch she was on landing silently in a crouch. She slowly rose to her feet her eyes scanning everywhere for movement as she began to creep through the grass. Head ducked down as she moved silently keeping to the tracks she had made before so they wouldn't know she had passed back through this way. She dropped to the ground as she heard rustling from behind her. She crouched into position pulling out a collapsible bow staff. With a swhossh it extended to full size as she heard the rustling grow louder and louder. She saw a piece of cloak similar to her own smirking she swung the staff downwards smacking the boy in the shoulder he cried out and spun around. Now knowing where his head was she swung upwards knocking him under the chin and sending him into unconsciousness. She checked his pulse to be sure and smirked in victory at the confirmation. She smiled collapsed her bow staff putting it back in her satchel as she continued her path through the field. She was going to win this one way or another. She made it to the end of the field and realized it was a few yard dash to the nearest tree. She looked around not seeing anyone as she stepped out. She stayed low making her way to the tree slowly. Fast movement would be easier to spot. She keeps towards the tree before the hair on her neck stood on end. She froze in place concentrating before she spun around and grasped the arrow out of the air that was headed towards her arm. She spun it throwing it back towards its sorce. She heard a grunt as hunter fell from his place on the tree. She keeps toward him as she placed her hand on his neck feeling his pulse as he was lieing still on the ground. Luckily he wasn't too high so the fall didn't hurt him to bad. She pulled an arrow from his quiver and realized a clear liquid coated the top. She smelled it and grimaced. It was a sedative. She scoffed knowing it wouldn't have helped him bring her in, but it would her. She unbuckled his quiver strapping it to her own back before she picked up his bow. It was a little big for her, but it would do. She didn't particularly care for the bow and arrow, but that didn't mean she didn't know how to use one or that she wasn't an expert at it. She was a perfect marks woman. She had to be. She held the bow in her hand grimacing; she could almost feel the sting as the whip licking across her back when she missed. She toke a deep breath before she secured the bow on her back. She climbed the tree Hunter had fallen from and continued on her trek back to camp. This time however she intended to stick to the tree tops. She made her way silently as she leapt from branch to branch. She froze in place as she came upon the border of camp. She watched vigorously for any movement in the encampment. Not one boy had remained behind. No one wanted to miss out on Pan's game. She grinned pleased as she jumped from the branch she was on landing behind one of the outer tents. She krept between the cloth dwellings sticking to the shadows that the quickly approaching evening was creating, as she made her way to one of the larger treees towards the center of camp. She looked around not seeing anyone she got a running start before she leaped grabbing the lowest branch and hauling herself up quickly disappearing in the thick foliage above her. She hid amongst the leaves her green and brown outfit helping her to blend in. Not to soon either as the boys began to slowly filter into camp. It started with the younger ones and toke a few hours for the others. Some came in to refill on supplies before heading out again. These boys really didn't want to give up. Ace grinned the adrenaline going to her head as she watched them come so close to her. The colors of the sky began to light up in orange hues as the sun began to set. It was almost time now. She watched as Pan came out of his tent when a rather large group of boys returned. Pan came out of his tent grinning only for it to disappear when he didn't see Ace among them. Ace had to hold back a scoff from her hiding place. He didn't even try to find her.
"Where's Ace?" Pan asked confused at what they were doing back.
"That game will end soon and no ones seen Ace." One of the boys spoke up.
"What if she's in trouble!" One of the little ones called.
"It's a game she's probably just hiding." Pan reassured as he frowned. The boys were right the voices of the setting sun had lit up the sky it had been. The sky began to darken as some of the more determined boys began to reappear in camp. Pan began to get a bit worried. There's no way his boys couldn't find her. It wasn't until Felix came back that he began to get concerned. He knew Hunter and another boy named James where in the infirmary. He had assumed Ace knocked them out, but what if she didn't, what if she was in trouble. The sun was almost below the horizon she had almost won. The boys where back at camp now all of them knew how dangerous Neverland was at night. Felix came up behind Pan as Rufio distracted the boys with a late meal.
"Maybe You should use magic just to make sure she's okay." Felix requested as he watched the boys begin to eat some of them looked a little concerned while others seemed more frustrated that they were going to lose the game. Pan sighed before he nodded. Felix was right. He closed his eyes and concentrated. He slowed his breathing and used his mind to search through Neverland. He found his boys, the ex fairies, and even the pirates but he couldn't sense Ace. He could feel she was on the island but her aura was fuzzy and he couldn't pin point it. He sucked in a breath as his eyes shot wide open he stumbled a little causing Felix to catch him.
"That clever girl." Pan mumbled as Felix steadied him. Finding her took a lot more power then he anticipated. Somehow she was blocking him, but not well enough. He got a range. Which means he knows not only is she close, she is in camp.
"You found her?" Felix asked.
"Sort of." Pan admitted distractedly he furrowed his eyebrows in concentration trying to pinpoint her exact location through the haze.
"I guess it doesn't matter as long as she's not in trouble." Felix replied thoughtfully.
Pan looked at his second questioningly.
"It's dark. She's won." Felix finished gesturing to the darkened sky. The first stars were appearing as the sun had finally dipped below the horizon. Ace had won. Pan began to chuckle before he outright laughed.
"Ace you won!" He yelled causing the boys to look at him like he was crazy. Then they watched in awe as Ace jumped from her hiding place landing In front of them. She stood from her crouch position a devious smile playing across her lips. The paint on her face made her look like a warrior and the mischievous glint in her eyes made some of the boys take a step back. She walked between the boys right up to Pan not missing a beat in her stride. She stood toe to toe with him and for the first time he could see a brave fire dance in her eyes.
"I win." She whispered the smirk never left her face, and that's when Pan knew she will be one of his greatest adventures. He stuck his tongue against his cheek a she looked down at the girl.
"That you did, Love. That you did."

Author's Note:
Hello, everyone sorry for the long wait, but here is two chapters in a row. I hope you like them as much as I do. I'm pretty proud of this last one. Comment and tell me what you think.
-Becca