Status: We bring this to you.
The Never War
Harrow
“The Never what?” Harrow gave Peter a look as if he were crazy.
“The Never War. The fight for this land. It’s going to happen here very soon and the more soldiers on my side, the better.” The boy rocked on his heels with a devilish grin that made Harrow’s skin crawl.
“You want us to fight with you?” It was Holland this time who voiced her concerns which only made Peter’s grin deepen.
“Of course. You’ve survived on this land this long, why not add a little twist of adventure.”
“How about no.” Harrow quickly put her knife back into her boot and reached for Harrow’s arm. “We’re going to stay as far away from you two as possible.” Her eyes flickered from Peter to Will.
“Harrow,” Holland whispered as the older girl began to pull her. It wasn’t until she tugged her arm out of her sister’s grasp did she stop. “Maybe we should help them.”
“Help them? Are you mentally insane? Did the water poison your mind?” Harrow pointed to her own head for exaggeration. “They want us to fight in a bloody war Holls, meaning one of us could die.”
“But it also means that we could both live. You know how good you handle a sword and how sharp my aim is. If anything we can hang in the bac-“ Harrow gave her a look that knew Holland would never stay in the back, “alright not in the back but not in the front either. Who knows how long they have been watching us fight our own mini battles.”
“The fact that they were watching us is creepy enough.” Harrow glared in the direction of the fire where the two boys were still currently standing.
“Can you blame them? It’s their land. If someone intruded on mine I would want to scope them out too.”
“I don’t like it Holls, I really don’t. This whole thing stinks of shit.” Harrow turned to her sister with a sour expression.
“Let’s just spend a few days with them.” Harrow looked as if Holland had slapped her. “Just let me explain.”
“If this is because you think he’s cute I swear I will smother you in your sleep,” Harrow growled.
“Give me more credit,” Holland replied quietly.
“Sorry.” Harrow rubbed her face and dropped her hands at her sides. “Continue.”
“If we go with them, get to know them, we could stop moving. We would have a bigger family.”
“We don’t need a bigger family.” Harrow glanced over to the boys. “And it’s not like they want us because it would be convenient. They want fighters.”
“And we can give them that. But aren’t you tired of moving from camp to camp?” Holland gestured to the mountain. “Don’t you want to settle down and feel safe?”
“What makes you think that after this little war thing that twinkle toes and his pal won’t just kick us out of their camp and leave us for dead?”
“Because I know you won’t let them do that.” Holland shot Harrow a wide smile and Harrow let out a groan of protest.
“Holls,” Harrow began but the younger girl put on her best pout. “No. Put that away.”
“It’s just a few days. Pretty please?” She reached for her sister’s hands and glanced over her shoulder at the boys. “And you have to admit they’re a little bit cute.”
“I’m not going to admit anything,” Harrow stated pointedly. Holland didn’t miss the way her sister’s eyes drifted to the older of the boys still by the fire or the way she licked her lips absently.
“You think he’s cute!”
“Shut your mouth or I’ll leave you here,” Harrow taunted.
“No you won’t.” Holland turned from the older girl and almost skipped back to the boys.
“Well? What is your decision?” Peter asked with a raised eyebrow.
“We’ve decided,” Holland looked to Harrow with a grin, “that we’ll go with you.”
“Excellent.”
“But if I see something I don’t like, hear something I don’t agree with, we’re gone. Understood?” Harrow pointed at the slightly smaller boy and he nodded. “Then let’s go.”
Holland secured her bow and quiver shooting glances at Peter when Harrow wasn’t glaring daggers at her. The two girls fell into step behind the boys taking a path through the thick trees engulfing them in complete darkness.
Harrow kept her eyes focused on the back of Peter Pan’s head picturing ways of knocking him off his feet in case he tried anything unexpected. As much as she hated this idea, she knew that Holland had a point. They needed somewhere to stay that wasn’t a traveling camp.
“Did you hear that?” Holland asked a moment later.
“Hear what?”
“Your drool hitting the ground from staring at the back of Will’s head.” Holland let out a squeak of laughter when Harrow playfully shoved her.
“Shut up.” Harrow watched Will’s head turn slightly and she quickly averted her gaze.
“There it was again. The sound of spit hitting the leaves.” Harrow was about to shove Holland again when she caught movement in the corner of her eye. Slowly facing forward she stressed her ears to hear anything other than their own footsteps. “What is it?”
“Someone is following us,” Harrow whispered barely moving her lips.
“How many?” Holland questioned. Harrow let her eyes sweep the lining trees.
“At least six.” Harrow brought her hand up to her neck to roll it around as a distraction. “They all have weapons.”
Licking her lips Holland itched to have her bow in her hands but knew it would draw too much attention. Focusing on Peter she calculated how many steps it would take to bring him to the ground out of harms way.
“Harrow Sparrow?” Holland called out loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Yes Hollsie?” The older sibling turned to her sister with apprehension.
“I think there’s something in my boot. Can you help me get it out?”
“Honestly girls? We don’t have time to diddle daddle,” William grumbled as the group stopped.
Ignoring him altogether Harrow knelt down to play with Holland’s boot, her right hand snaking around the handle of the dagger Holland had tucked away for an emergency. “I think I got it.”
“Yes that feels much better,” Holland agreed.
Harrow stood to her full height and twisted on her heel, hair whipping around her face as her arm shot through the air, the dagger flipping endlessly before embedding itself into the chest of one of their followers.
Screams echoed in the trees. Will instinctively grabbed for his bow firing dark arrows into the approaching bodies. Peter pulled out his sword and took a defensive stance next to his right hand man while Holland and Harrow took out those who were behind them.
“We’re outnumbered!” Peter declared. “Will, take Harrow to the treehouse through the shadow forest. I’ll take Holland by the cliffs.”
“No!” Harrow grabbed for her sister but was already being pulled by the older boy. “Let go of me!”
“We have to go,” Will urged.
“Holls!” Harrow watched her younger sister let go of three arrows simultaneously that took out three larger men closing in on her and Peter.
“Just go!” Holland edged closer to Peter. “I’ll be alright!”
Gritting her teeth the older girl stopped fighting the arm that was wrapped around her torso and instead turned into him. Realizing this motion he took a few steps away from her.
"Lead the way."
“The Never War. The fight for this land. It’s going to happen here very soon and the more soldiers on my side, the better.” The boy rocked on his heels with a devilish grin that made Harrow’s skin crawl.
“You want us to fight with you?” It was Holland this time who voiced her concerns which only made Peter’s grin deepen.
“Of course. You’ve survived on this land this long, why not add a little twist of adventure.”
“How about no.” Harrow quickly put her knife back into her boot and reached for Harrow’s arm. “We’re going to stay as far away from you two as possible.” Her eyes flickered from Peter to Will.
“Harrow,” Holland whispered as the older girl began to pull her. It wasn’t until she tugged her arm out of her sister’s grasp did she stop. “Maybe we should help them.”
“Help them? Are you mentally insane? Did the water poison your mind?” Harrow pointed to her own head for exaggeration. “They want us to fight in a bloody war Holls, meaning one of us could die.”
“But it also means that we could both live. You know how good you handle a sword and how sharp my aim is. If anything we can hang in the bac-“ Harrow gave her a look that knew Holland would never stay in the back, “alright not in the back but not in the front either. Who knows how long they have been watching us fight our own mini battles.”
“The fact that they were watching us is creepy enough.” Harrow glared in the direction of the fire where the two boys were still currently standing.
“Can you blame them? It’s their land. If someone intruded on mine I would want to scope them out too.”
“I don’t like it Holls, I really don’t. This whole thing stinks of shit.” Harrow turned to her sister with a sour expression.
“Let’s just spend a few days with them.” Harrow looked as if Holland had slapped her. “Just let me explain.”
“If this is because you think he’s cute I swear I will smother you in your sleep,” Harrow growled.
“Give me more credit,” Holland replied quietly.
“Sorry.” Harrow rubbed her face and dropped her hands at her sides. “Continue.”
“If we go with them, get to know them, we could stop moving. We would have a bigger family.”
“We don’t need a bigger family.” Harrow glanced over to the boys. “And it’s not like they want us because it would be convenient. They want fighters.”
“And we can give them that. But aren’t you tired of moving from camp to camp?” Holland gestured to the mountain. “Don’t you want to settle down and feel safe?”
“What makes you think that after this little war thing that twinkle toes and his pal won’t just kick us out of their camp and leave us for dead?”
“Because I know you won’t let them do that.” Holland shot Harrow a wide smile and Harrow let out a groan of protest.
“Holls,” Harrow began but the younger girl put on her best pout. “No. Put that away.”
“It’s just a few days. Pretty please?” She reached for her sister’s hands and glanced over her shoulder at the boys. “And you have to admit they’re a little bit cute.”
“I’m not going to admit anything,” Harrow stated pointedly. Holland didn’t miss the way her sister’s eyes drifted to the older of the boys still by the fire or the way she licked her lips absently.
“You think he’s cute!”
“Shut your mouth or I’ll leave you here,” Harrow taunted.
“No you won’t.” Holland turned from the older girl and almost skipped back to the boys.
“Well? What is your decision?” Peter asked with a raised eyebrow.
“We’ve decided,” Holland looked to Harrow with a grin, “that we’ll go with you.”
“Excellent.”
“But if I see something I don’t like, hear something I don’t agree with, we’re gone. Understood?” Harrow pointed at the slightly smaller boy and he nodded. “Then let’s go.”
Holland secured her bow and quiver shooting glances at Peter when Harrow wasn’t glaring daggers at her. The two girls fell into step behind the boys taking a path through the thick trees engulfing them in complete darkness.
Harrow kept her eyes focused on the back of Peter Pan’s head picturing ways of knocking him off his feet in case he tried anything unexpected. As much as she hated this idea, she knew that Holland had a point. They needed somewhere to stay that wasn’t a traveling camp.
“Did you hear that?” Holland asked a moment later.
“Hear what?”
“Your drool hitting the ground from staring at the back of Will’s head.” Holland let out a squeak of laughter when Harrow playfully shoved her.
“Shut up.” Harrow watched Will’s head turn slightly and she quickly averted her gaze.
“There it was again. The sound of spit hitting the leaves.” Harrow was about to shove Holland again when she caught movement in the corner of her eye. Slowly facing forward she stressed her ears to hear anything other than their own footsteps. “What is it?”
“Someone is following us,” Harrow whispered barely moving her lips.
“How many?” Holland questioned. Harrow let her eyes sweep the lining trees.
“At least six.” Harrow brought her hand up to her neck to roll it around as a distraction. “They all have weapons.”
Licking her lips Holland itched to have her bow in her hands but knew it would draw too much attention. Focusing on Peter she calculated how many steps it would take to bring him to the ground out of harms way.
“Harrow Sparrow?” Holland called out loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Yes Hollsie?” The older sibling turned to her sister with apprehension.
“I think there’s something in my boot. Can you help me get it out?”
“Honestly girls? We don’t have time to diddle daddle,” William grumbled as the group stopped.
Ignoring him altogether Harrow knelt down to play with Holland’s boot, her right hand snaking around the handle of the dagger Holland had tucked away for an emergency. “I think I got it.”
“Yes that feels much better,” Holland agreed.
Harrow stood to her full height and twisted on her heel, hair whipping around her face as her arm shot through the air, the dagger flipping endlessly before embedding itself into the chest of one of their followers.
Screams echoed in the trees. Will instinctively grabbed for his bow firing dark arrows into the approaching bodies. Peter pulled out his sword and took a defensive stance next to his right hand man while Holland and Harrow took out those who were behind them.
“We’re outnumbered!” Peter declared. “Will, take Harrow to the treehouse through the shadow forest. I’ll take Holland by the cliffs.”
“No!” Harrow grabbed for her sister but was already being pulled by the older boy. “Let go of me!”
“We have to go,” Will urged.
“Holls!” Harrow watched her younger sister let go of three arrows simultaneously that took out three larger men closing in on her and Peter.
“Just go!” Holland edged closer to Peter. “I’ll be alright!”
Gritting her teeth the older girl stopped fighting the arm that was wrapped around her torso and instead turned into him. Realizing this motion he took a few steps away from her.
"Lead the way."
♠ ♠ ♠
Boom.:))