Pan's Secret

by R. V. Bowman

  Time ticked by slowly, and the sun beat down on their heads. Finally, Rommy heard a commotion. She peered back toward the small village and saw Chief Hawk Eye, Little Bear and two other men striding out of the camp. The two men had spears over their shoulders and the Chief carried a long bow. She wasn’t sure where Little Owl or Tiger Lily were, but the area around the fire pit was empty.

  “Can we go now?” asked Alice.

  Rommy hesitated, looking at the homes around the central fire pit. “I’m not sure which one is Little Owl’s,” she admitted.

  Alice waved a hand. “Oh, that’s easy,” she said. “Follow me.”

  The two girls circled around to the back of the encampment and crept toward the home that Alice pointed out. How the girl could tell it apart from the others, Rommy had no idea; she only hoped Alice was right.

  As they crouched in the grass, Rommy wondered how they would get to Little Owl. It was still early enough that she didn’t think they should go around to the front. Even if they called to the older woman, what if someone else was in there with her? What if someone heard them?

  “What are you scowling at?” asked Alice, lifting an eyebrow.

  “I’m trying to figure out how we’re going to let Little Owl know we’re here without anyone else finding out,” said Rommy blowing out a breath. “Just once, it’d be wonderful if something was simple on this cursed island.”

  Alice shook her head. “Why didn’t you say so?” She cupped both hands over her mouth and made a hooting sound. She did three quick hoots, paused, and then let one long hoot.

  Rommy stared at her.

  Alice smiled, her dimple showing. “Little Owl and I got some signals together. You know, just in case.”

  “Oh, Alice, I could hug you right now!” said Rommy, a grin spreading over her face.

  Sure enough, a few minutes later, they saw Little Owl coming around the side of her home, her eyes searching the long grasses. Alice popped up and waved, grinning.

  The woman hurried to the back of her tent and loosened one of the long polished wooden stakes that held it down. “Hurry,” she said, her voice soft, as she waved Alice and Rommy under the opening.

  The girls squirmed through and then stood. It wasn’t long until the tent flap opened and Little Owl entered. She looked from one to the other.

  “I am guessing you did not come to visit?”

  Rommy and Alice looked at each other, and Rommy stepped forward. “We were hoping you could help us, Little Owl. We need to speak with Unilisi and find out how to close that passage to Neverland.”

  Little Owl sank into the rocking chair by the fire and shook her head. “I thought that was why you came, but you cannot go into the jungle alone, the two of you. It is folly.”

  Rommy came to kneel by the older woman. “My father has left Neverland, and he thinks I’m on his ship. Once he realizes I’m gone, he’ll come back. I don’t know how long that will take, but I have to find Unilisi and get her to tell me how to close off Neverland before he returns.” Rommy leaned forward.

  Little Owl put a gnarled hand on Rommy’s cheek. “So much fire for one so young,” she said and shook her head. “But even as fierce as you are, you will never survive the journey. This island,” she said, waving a hand, “it has a terrible beauty, one that kills. The few who have gone into the jungle unprepared don’t return.”

  Rommy felt a shiver slide up her spine. She swallowed. “I have to try,” she said. “Papa was going to take Alice and me back to London and hide us away again. He’s spent a decade trying to get Pan, and I don’t want to spend another decade waiting for him, worrying about him.” Her voice broke. “I can’t.” She looked down as she felt tears well up in her eyes.

  “Oh, Child,” said Little Owl, the sympathy in her voice undoing Rommy, who blinked rapidly to keep the tears from falling.

  Alice patted Rommy’s shoulder and then looked at Little Owl. “So’s, if we can’t go by ourselves, who can help us? I don’t want to turn up my toes,” Alice said, jerking a thumb in Rommy’s direction, “but her old man ain’t leaving this place if Pan’s still going about his merry business.”

  Rommy sniffed and wiped at her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she said. “It all seems so hopeless. Papa won’t let me help him, and Pan won’t stop stealing children. If we can stop him, if we can close off Neverland, we’ll stop Pan, and I’ll get my father back. Don’t you see? I have to do this!”

  Little Owl stared into Rommy’s eyes for a long moment before giving a brisk nod of her head. “Yes, I can see that you do,” she said. Placing her hands on her knees, she pushed up from the rocker. “But you’ll need some help. Little Bear would be a good companion on this journey, but when your father returns, he mustn’t suspect any of us helped you, or he will become very angry. And Captain Hook’s temper is its own beast.” The old woman placed a finger to her lips and tapped several times. Suddenly, her face brightened. “But I think I know who can help you.”

  Without another word, the older woman hurried out of tent, leaving Rommy and Alice looking at each other. A small glimmer of hope burned between them.

  Chapter 21:

  Preparing for a Journey

  The minutes crawled by as Rommy and Alice waited for Little Owl to return. Alice sat down on the rocking chair, but Rommy was too nervous to sit. Instead, she walked around the perimeter of the tidy dwelling, taking in the simple furniture and several paintings done on what looked like tree bark.

  She leaned over one, studying the detail of an enormous tree surrounded by thousands of lights, each a different tint. When she looked closer, she could see each light was a tiny being. It took a moment for her to realize that she was looking at fairies. She wondered if the fairies lived in the tree and if the tree was real. Before she could investigate further, the flap flew open and Little Owl hurried in, followed by several balls of light.

  One zoomed to hover right in front of Rommy’s face, and she recognized Nissa. She smiled tentatively. The fairy had not always seemed to like her very much. “Hello, Nissa,” she said. She gave small wave and then felt foolish.

  Nissa clicked and trilled at her and then flew over to Alice, settling on the younger girl’s shoulder. Alice giggled.

  “The fairies will lead you and protect you,” said Little Owl. “You know Nissa.” She turned and gestured to three other balls of light. Each was a different hue. Pointing to one with an amber tone, she said, “This is Balo. He has a special bond with the animals of the jungle.” Two glowing balls moved forward together, one tinted green and the other silver. “These are Kalen and Talen,” she said. “They are both warrior fairies. They are small, but they will protect you. Together, these four should be able to get you where you need to go and return you safely.”

  Rommy looked at each small creature and felt a pang of unease. “But, how will we communicate with them?” She put up a hand when Nissa made an ominous buzzing sound. “Not that I’m ungrateful for their help, nor do I doubt their abilities. But how will they be able to keep us safe or guide us if we can’t understand each other?”

  Little Owl smiled. “They can understand you well enough, but you bring up a good point.” She turned and went over to her sleeping cot. Gingerly getting down on her knees, she reached way underneath the bed and pulled out a carved stone box. Holding it close to her heart, she pushed herself up to stand. She placed the object on the quilt and opened the lid. Inside, something cast a warm glow, but Rommy couldn’t see what it was until Little Owl turned. In her hand was a glowing dark green stone attached to a leather cord. She stepped over and placed it over Rommy’s head. When the stone touched Rommy skin, it felt warm and almost like it was pulsing. Tentatively, she touched it and then looked up, startled, when Nissa buzzed into her face.

  She was even more surprised when, instead of clicking and trilling, she heard a clear, melodious voice. “We will take you to Unilisi, but we won’t promise that she’ll talk to you,” the fairy said.

  Rommy stared at Niss
a and then down at the stone. “Does this...how...what...?

  “I hope you are more intelligent than this on our journey,” said a deeper voice that still managed to sound musical. One of the other fairies, the one Little Owl had called Balo, was now also hovering in front of her face. This close, Rommy could see his auburn hair and golden eyes. Unlike Nissa, he seemed thicker and more muscular. He had a scowl on his tiny face.

  Little Owl chuckled. “Now, Balo, the girls are not from here. You cannot expect them to know what a hearing stone is if they have never seen one before.”

  The fairy made a sound that was suspiciously close to a harrumph. “What she knows or doesn’t is irrelevant. We must be ready to leave at first light.”

  Little Owl’s face became serious. “You are right, Balo,” she said. Turning to Rommy and Alice, she said, “I will put together some things for you, but you must be ready to leave before dawn. It is imperative that nobody knows you’ve been here.”

  “Why can’t we leave now?” asked Rommy.

  A tinkle of laughter sounded in her ears. “Do you want to die, human?” asked the one Little Owl had called Talen. “The jungle is always dangerous, but by the time we are ready to leave, the sun will be setting. Once it is dark, it will be more challenging to keep you safe. It’s better if we have time to plan a protected place to rest.”

  “She is right, but we have much to do,” said Little Owl. “I also must prepare you to meet Unilisi. She is not to be trifled with, and she will be unwilling to listen if you don’t approach her in the correct way.”

  Alice rolled her eyes. “This tree lady sounds like a right git. Ain’t there nobody else we can ask?”

  Little Owl smiled and laid a hand on the young girl’s head. “No, little one, there is no one else, but we will prepare and hope. Sometimes, that is enough. Now, you must listen, and then you may rest until it is safe to leave.”

  The older woman settled herself into the rocker. Alice and Rommy sat at her feet, and the fairies drew closer, too, alighting around the elderly woman.

  “Now, listen,” said Little Owl.

  Chapter 22:

  Best-Laid Plans and All That

  Rommy and Alice nestled in a pile of blankets clustered around the central fire in Little Owl’s home. Rommy could hear Alice’s gentle snores, signaling the younger girl had already dropped off to sleep.

  Rommy was not having the same luck. She stared up at the pointed ceiling, Little Owl’s instructions about Unilisi turning over and over in her head. She wished she could relax and go to sleep, but her stomach was tied into a tight knot. What if she failed? What if she dragged Alice through the dangerous jungle and it was all for nothing? Worse, what if something happened to Alice along the way?

  At Chattingham’s Rommy had listened to a lecture given by an intrepid woman explorer. She, along with her classmates, had sat enthralled as the woman regaled them with her spine-tingling adventures deep in the Congo of Africa. Rommy remembered being glad that she, at least, was sitting in a chair in London and not traipsing through a jungle a continent away.

  In the dark, her mouth quirked at the irony. If only she’d known. The thing was, as dangerous as those jungles back in her world were, the jungles of Neverland were worse. Not only were there the typical wild animals and snakes, but there were also plants that could kill and deadly magical creatures.

  That didn’t even take into account Unilisi. She sounded not only wholly uninterested in the problems of Neverland’s inhabitants but also somewhat hostile. Rommy only prayed that the tree woman—or whatever she was—would be in a good mood when they finally found her. If she wasn’t, Rommy wasn’t sure what to do.

  _______________________________________

  Rommy’s eyes flew open. She must have drifted off after all. She looked around the dark living area and felt Alice stir beside her. What had woken her?

  Then she heard it again. An urgent voice. “Little Owl? Rommy?”

  The entrance flap cracked open, and moonlight filtered onto the floor. Rommy blinked. It must still be night. She wondered how long she had slept. A head poked in, and before she could identify who it was, a shadow shot across the swath of moonlight.

  Rommy sat up and stared. Little Owl was sitting on the back of whoever had opened the tent flap and had the person immobilized. By this time, Alice was sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

  “What’s going on?” she said, her voice still sleepy.

  Rommy got to her feet just as the person croaked out, “It’s me, Finn. Let me up!”

  Little Owl eased back. “Forgive me,” she said, helping Finn to his feet.

  Finn dusted himself off and shook his head. “Wow, I didn’t know you could do that,” he said. He stretched his neck, and it audibly cracked.

  Little Owl chuckled and shook a finger at him. “You thought I was too old, but there is still life in these old bones.” She quickly became serious. “Now, what has you coming here at this hour of the night?”

  “I came to warn you,” said Finn.

  “Warn us?” A look of alarm spread over Little Owl’s face.

  “Yeah, um...” Finn looked away from the older woman and pulled in a deep breath. “I’m sorry to say it, but Tiger Lily overheard your plans and told Pan. He’s planning on stopping the girls before they can even get to the jungle.”

  Rommy couldn’t help her sharp inhalation. “No,” she said, “we can’t let him do that!”

  Finn shrugged. “If you don’t want him to, you’re going to have to leave right now. He was still at the caves when I left, but I’m sure he’s left by now”

  Alice was already pulling out the two packs Little Owl had helped them prepare earlier. She shoved her feet into the soft shoes that Little Owl had made for her and came to stand by Rommy, who hadn’t moved yet.

  “We can go now,” said Alice.

  “But, what about what the fairies said about the jungle at night?” asked Rommy, a sense of panic washing over her. What if they forgot something? What if they got turned around in the dark? What if...she snapped back to the moment when Alice shook her arm.

  “Rommy? Hello, Rommy? Get your stuff. Little Owl has water and food for us.”

  Rommy blinked at Alice and then at Little Owl, who was holding out two water flasks and a small bundle wrapped in cloth. “You can eat this once you are in the jungle” said Little Owl. “There’s no time to lose.”

  Looking at Rommy’s white face, Little Owl touched her arm. “Everything will be fine,” the older woman said, her voice soothing. “But you need to hurry now. Once you get into the jungle, Pan won’t have an easy time finding you, even if he follows you in, which is doubtful. He has enemies in the jungle, so he will probably try to stop you before you get there.”

  Rommy’s panicked paralysis lifted. She took the food and water from Little Owl and spun to grab her boots. She pulled them on and quickly re-braided her hair, which had come halfway undone. Turning, she squared her shoulders.

  “I’m ready,” she said. “Where are the fairies?”

  “We’ve been waiting for you,” said Balo. “Humans! Always so slow.” He spun in the air and headed toward the entrance. When he realized nobody was following him, he let out a harrumph and hovered by the doorway, his tiny arms crossed. He looked so grumpy, Rommy had to stifle a somewhat hysterical giggle.

  Finn looked at Little Owl. “What will you tell them?” he asked. “I know you wanted to get the girls out of here without anyone knowing they had been here, but I doubt Tiger Lily will keep this to herself.”

  Little Owl smiled. “Don’t you worry about that, young man. I can handle everyone here. But you must all go. Now.” She herded them all toward the door, where the four fairies were waiting.

  Rommy stopped and spun toward Finn. “But, Finn, what about you? Won’t Pan know you warned us if we’re gone before he gets here? Won’t he notice you’re missing?”

  Finn grimaced. “It don’t matter, now,” he said.

  “What do yo
u mean?” she asked.

  “I can’t go back now,” said Finn. “I had to make a choice, and Pan has to be stopped. You were right about that. This is the only way to do it.” He shrugged. “I guess you have someone else in your little party now.”

  Rommy stared at Finn for a long moment. “That was a really brave thing to do,” she said. She laid her hand on his arm when Finn looked away. “No, I mean it. I know you are really worried about the other Lost Boys, but I think it’s the best way to protect them—in the long run.”

  A smile tipped Finn’s lips and even in the dark she could see his face darkening. Suddenly, Rommy felt a shove from behind her.

  “Will the two of you get moving already?” said Alice. “You’ve got the whole long walk through the jungle to stare at each other.”

  Rommy felt her face grow warm when she saw the twinkle in Little Owl’s eyes. The older woman steered them out and around the back of her home. The sky was still dark, but the moon wasn’t quite as high as it had been, and the stars were winking out.

  “You must hurry,” the older woman said. She placed a hand on Rommy’s head. “May the spirit of good fortune go with you.” She moved her hand to her heart. “I feel that your journey will bring the answers you seek.”

  The older woman fumbled at her waist and then pushed something at Rommy. When her hand closed around it, Rommy realized it was Little Owl’s dagger still in its sheath.

  Rommy blinked back unexpected tears and quickly fastened the sheath to her waistband before she flinging her arms around the older woman. “Thank you,” she said into her ear. “I won’t forget this.”

  With a last look at the older woman, Rommy followed Finn and the fairies as they pushed into the air, heading toward the cliffs where the jungle waited.

  Chapter 23:

  Into the Jungle