Peter Pan and the Airship Darlings

The jungle of Na Koa Island was alive around her, but to Tiger Lily, it was as familiar and quiet as a sleeping beast. Each rustle of the leaves, each distant birdcall, and every subtle shift in the wind whispered a language she had long since mastered. As she moved silently through the dense underbrush, her senses were sharp, attuned to every sound that didn’t belong. And she knew immediately when Peter Pan and his companions set foot on her island.

They thought they were quiet, slipping through the trees and laughing softly, but to Tiger Lily, they might as well have been shouting. Peter was always reckless, and though he was clever and quick, his arrogance betrayed him. He believed he owned Neverland, moving through its forests and rivers as though every inch of it was his playground. Tiger Lily knew better.

This was her island, the land of her people, the Kamaʻāina. And while Peter’s antics often amused her, they also had a way of drawing attention to places that needed to remain hidden. Today would be no different. As Tiger Lily tracked their movements, she moved without a sound, her feet never disturbing the soft earth beneath her. The jungle was her ally, every vine and branch another extension of herself.

Peter and his group were not far ahead. She could hear Wendy's voice, soft but clear, her English accent cutting through the natural sounds of the island. Wendy was different from Peter—more thoughtful, more careful. Tiger Lily respected her in a way she couldn’t bring herself to fully respect Peter. Michael and Tootles were there too, their lighter footsteps easy to follow, though they lacked the reckless confidence that Peter carried like a badge of honor.

Tiger Lily slowed her pace, blending into the shadows as she caught sight of the group moving through a small clearing. Peter led the way, his sword drawn like it was part of the game, while Wendy walked more cautiously, scanning the area around them with her usual quiet curiosity. Michael, younger and eager to follow in Peter’s footsteps, trailed just behind, while Tootles seemed more reluctant, his eyes darting nervously to the trees.

A small smile tugged at the corner of Tiger Lily’s lips. She had been watching them for nearly an hour now, and they hadn’t seen her once. It was almost too easy. But today wasn’t about games. She knew why they were here—to catch a Native, as Peter had put it. The phrase alone had made her bristle when she first overheard it. They didn’t mean any real harm, of course. To Peter, everything was an adventure, another challenge to conquer. But to Tiger Lily, the idea of being hunted was an insult.

Her people weren’t the stuff of Peter’s mischief. They were warriors, the protectors of the land, and they carried the weight of generations who had lived in harmony with Neverland’s untamed wilds. This was not a game for her. She moved deeper into the shadows, watching as Peter swung his sword at a nearby tree, laughing as Michael tried to mimic him. Wendy, meanwhile, seemed less entertained, her brows furrowed as she watched Peter’s antics.

Tiger Lily’s grip tightened around her spear. It was time to remind Peter that Na Koa Island was not part of his playground. She had laid her trap well, ensuring that they would have no idea they were being watched, let alone hunted. Peter often thought of himself as a predator in Neverland, but today, he was the prey. And as Tiger Lily waited for the right moment to strike, she felt the familiar pulse of the land beneath her feet, the rhythm of the earth that guided her every move.

She could hear Peter’s voice, loud and carefree as ever. “We’ll catch a Native soon!” he declared, pointing his sword toward the dense jungle. “They always fall for the same tricks.”

Tiger Lily’s smile faded. He still didn’t understand. He never did. But he would soon learn that while Neverland belonged to the brave, it also belonged to those who respected its power, its ancient magic. And today, she would teach him that lesson.

She moved swiftly now, her body a blur in the shadows as she circled the group, positioning herself for the ambush. She could already see the confusion on Peter’s face when he realized what was happening—the widening of his eyes, the quick flash of fear before he tried to turn it into laughter. Tiger Lily had no intention of harming them, of course. But she wouldn’t let Peter get away with disrespecting her people.

The Kamaʻāina had long protected Na Koa Island from outsiders, from those who didn’t understand the balance between the island’s magic and its people. Pixie dust and steam tech were foreign forces here, things that the Kamaʻāina had long since rejected. Peter’s reliance on these unnatural tools was part of what set him apart from her people, and part of what made him so dangerous to the balance of Neverland.

As she reached the edge of the clearing, Tiger Lily readied her spear. One swift movement, and the trap would be sprung. She would capture them all without a fight, without a single sound. And then, they would learn.

Setting the Trap and Capturing Them

Tiger Lily’s heart beat in rhythm with the island. Every rustle of the leaves, every shift in the branches seemed to fall in line with her silent movements, her body and the jungle acting as one. The trap was already set; Peter and his group didn’t know it yet, but they were walking right into it.

She had studied them long enough to know their habits. Peter always charged ahead, his bravado blinding him to the subtleties of his surroundings. Wendy, while more observant, followed his lead, constantly scanning the jungle but missing the signs of what lay beneath the surface. Michael and Tootles, the youngest and most inexperienced, simply mirrored their companions, more focused on keeping up than on being aware of any danger.

Tiger Lily adjusted her grip on the spear in her hand, her muscles tensed and ready. She moved swiftly through the dense undergrowth, circling them as they wandered deeper into the jungle. The path they walked seemed safe, but Tiger Lily knew every step they took brought them closer to the moment when the land itself would betray them.

She had arranged the vines hours earlier, positioning them in such a way that they appeared to be nothing more than part of the jungle’s natural tangle. But as Peter pushed forward, hacking at the air with his sword, his foot unknowingly snagged the first one.

The reaction was instant. The vine snapped free, pulling tight around his ankle and jerking him off balance. Peter yelped, his sword falling from his hand as he stumbled forward, landing in the thick brush. His laughter echoed through the trees, the sound more amused than alarmed.

“Well, that’s one way to catch me!” he said with a grin, his legs tangled in the vines.

Wendy and the others rushed to his side, their concern quickly morphing into amusement. Michael snickered behind his hand, and Tootles tried, unsuccessfully, to stifle his giggles.

“I’m fine!” Peter called out, his voice filled with his usual bravado. He yanked at the vines wrapped around his legs. “Just a little trip. No big deal.”

But Tiger Lily wasn’t done yet.

Before they could react, a second vine snapped free, wrapping around Tootles’ waist and yanking him backward. His eyes went wide with shock as he was pulled off his feet and swung up into the air, dangling upside down from a tree branch. He let out a startled yelp, his hands flailing as he tried to grab onto something, anything.

“Help!” Tootles cried, his voice high-pitched and panicked.

Michael darted forward to help him, but before he could reach Tootles, the ground beneath him gave way. A hidden pitfall, carefully concealed by leaves and branches, opened beneath Michael’s feet, and he tumbled in with a shout, landing in a pile of soft moss at the bottom. He wasn’t hurt, but his face was a mix of confusion and embarrassment as he looked up at the others.

Wendy took a cautious step back, her eyes wide with realization. “This isn’t an accident,” she said softly, her gaze scanning the surrounding trees. “We’re being... hunted.”

Before she could say more, Tiger Lily stepped out of the shadows, her spear held loosely at her side. She stood tall and calm, her expression unreadable as she surveyed her captives. Peter was still tangled in the vines, Tootles dangled helplessly from the tree, and Michael sat at the bottom of the pit, too stunned to speak.

“I warned you,” Tiger Lily said, her voice quiet but firm. She made no move to attack, but her presence was enough to command their attention. “Na Koa Island is not your playground.”

Peter grinned up at her, as if this were all part of the fun. “Nice one, Tiger Lily! I didn’t see that coming.”

Tiger Lily’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You never do.”

She walked slowly around the group, her gaze moving from Peter to Wendy, and finally to Tootles, who was still hanging upside down. His eyes were wide with a mix of fear and confusion, but Tiger Lily made no move to free him.

“This is our land,” she said, her voice steady, “and you will treat it with respect. My people are not here for your games, Peter Pan.”

Peter’s grin faltered slightly, though he quickly tried to recover. “We were just having fun, that’s all. No harm in a little adventure.”

Tiger Lily’s gaze sharpened. “No harm, you say? You come here, onto our island, thinking you can catch a Native like it’s a game. But we are not part of your Neverland fantasies. We are the Kamaʻāina, and we protect what is ours.”

Wendy, ever the more thoughtful one, stepped forward carefully, her hands raised in a gesture of peace. “We didn’t mean to offend you, Tiger Lily. Peter... didn’t think it through. We’re sorry.”

Tiger Lily studied Wendy for a moment, her expression softening slightly. She had always respected Wendy’s calm, measured nature—so different from Peter’s constant need to play the hero. Wendy at least understood the weight of words, the importance of respect.

“You should be more careful with your words, Wendy Darling,” Tiger Lily said softly. “There are places in Neverland where games are not welcome. Volcano Island, for example.”

At the mention of Volcano Island, Wendy’s eyes widened with curiosity. She had heard Peter mention it once before, in passing, but he had brushed it off as a dangerous, mysterious place, not worth exploring. Now, hearing it from Tiger Lily, it felt like something more—a sacred, forbidden land that carried a weight far beyond any of Peter’s usual adventures.

“Volcano Island?” Wendy asked, her voice full of intrigue.

Tiger Lily nodded, her eyes locking with Wendy’s. “It is where the four elements—earth, fire, water, and sky—come together. It is a place of great power, a place where only my people go. It is not for outsiders.”

Wendy glanced at Peter, who had fallen silent, his grin replaced by a look of mild interest. She turned back to Tiger Lily, her curiosity piqued. “Could we... see it?”

Tiger Lily raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps. But only when you understand the true power of Neverland and learn to respect its balance. For now, you should leave.”