Many Years Later…

Aurora sang softly to herself as she walked through the forest that surrounded the cottage. It was a beautiful morning, with the sound of birds chirping. She'd like to believe they were even singing along with her, but she knew birds didn't understand her words.

The dirt was cool beneath her feet, which would be a vast contrast to later in the afternoon when the sun was directly above Neverland. For now, though, the sun was low in the sky, casting beams of bright light through the trees as if there had been a golden explosion just beyond the trees. The trees and plants were dark, letting the sun have its morning moment of brilliance without the distraction of their color.

Aurora caught a glance of a light fairy from Pixie Hollow named Iridessa fluttering in a sunbeam and she gave her a small wave as she walked passed. Iridessa waved back.

Aurora continued on her way. The three good fairies, Flora, Fauna and Merryweather, were busy straightening up the cottage for Aurora's birthday celebration that night. Though no one on Neverland aged and Aurora would not be technically getting another year older, the people of Neverland loved celebrations and the three good fairies threw a party every year for her. They had sent Aurora out first thing this morning to gather berries for Fauna's famous berry pie and though Aurora found the task to be rather boring, she did as she was told.

After her mother died, the fairies took her in. At the time Aurora's magic was unstable, but they helped her control it. Afraid of what would happen if her dark magic came to its full strength, they taught Aurora how to suppress her magic and only use it when absolutely necessary. Aurora didn't mind not using magic, although she had never really used it before so she didn't really know what she was missing out on.

Aurora found the berry bushes she had been after and started picking through them, all the while singing to herself to pass the time.

"You wake with the morning sunlight
To find fortune that is smiling on you.
Don't let your heart be full of sorrow
For all you know tomorrow
The dream that you wished will come true."

"Good morning, Aurora!" came a small voice.

Aurora glanced up as another one of her fairy friends, Tinkerbell, fluttered up to her. "Well, good morning, Tink. You're up awfully early."

To anyone else in Neverland, the voice of a Pixie Hollow fairy just sounded like tiny bells. But, the three good fairies had blessed Aurora with the gift of being able to talk to the fairies and understand them. She was the only one on Neverland who could, for only someone with fairy blood could receive a gift like that. And she was, after all, the daughter of the most powerful fairy there ever was.

Tinkerbell nodded excitedly. "I was woken with the first light of the morning when something shiny shone into my window. It was a lost thing! Would you like to see it?"

"Yes, please!"

Tinkerbell reached into her small pouch and tossed some pixie dust onto Aurora. Instantly, Aurora felt herself lift into the air. Being only part fairy meant Aurora didn't have wings like full-bred fairies and couldn't fly. But her friends in Pixie Hollow were always willing to spare a little dust for her.

Aurora's cottage was at the base of large rocks that could almost pass as mountains. She marveled at their beauty as she flew over them towards Pixie Hollow; which was located in a majestic forest hidden among the rocks. Pixie Hollow was at sea level like the rest of the forests of Neverland, but it was hidden by the rocks and could only be accessed through flight.

Aurora carefully landed, her toes sinking into the dirt. She looked around at all of the smaller fairies bustling around, working. Some of them greeted her, but most of them were too busy to even notice her.

"This way!" Tinkerbell called out with a laugh.

Aurora ran after the tinker fairy, grateful that she wasn't a fast-flying fairy like Vidia; otherwise she wouldn't have been able to keep up. Tinkerbell came to a stop at a tree and disappeared into the house she had built herself. She appeared a few moments, holding a gold ring with a sparkling diamond on top.

"Isn't it great!" Tinkerbell exclaimed. "I don't know what it is, but it lights up my house so beautifully."

"It's a ring," Aurora told her. "It's jewelry that people wear on her their fingers." She picked up the ring and slid it onto her finger to demonstrate.

"Oh! It fits you perfectly, Aurora! You should keep it."

Aurora shook her head as she took off the ring. "You found it, Tinkerbell. It's yours." She handed it back to the curious fairy.

Tinkerbell's face lit up even more. "I just remembered! I found something else this morning. But, it was too big for me to carry." She put the ring back in her house and fluttered away.

Aurora followed after her once more, but this time they didn't go very far.

"There it is!" Tinkerbell exclaimed pointing to the ground in front of a thin, crooked tree.

Aurora looked where Tinkerbell was pointing. Lying nestled on a piece of white felt was a candy cane with a green bow wrapped around it. Aurora clasped her hands together in excitement. "How wonderful!" She knelt down and picked it up. She held it out in front of her and Tinkerbell flew up to it. The candy cane was nearly as tall as she was; no wonder she couldn't carry it on her own.

"It's from North, isn't it?" Tinkerbell asked.

Aurora nodded. North was one of the four Guardians. They were originally from Neverland, but chose to leave in order to try and spread belief to the people of the main lands. Because of their constant contact with the aging disease, they can't come back to Neverland or they risk infecting everyone. But every once in a while someone will happen upon a candy cane from North or painted egg from Bunnymund, dropped down as small ways to say hello. Or they'll see Tooth's shadow flutter in front of the moon as she delivers a special memory just when someone needs it the most. Or Sandman will come into their dreams to talk with them. Though the Neverlanders missed their Guardian friends, they were always comforted knowing their friends were checking in on them.

"Flora, Fauna and Merryweather will be so happy to see this," Aurora said, sticking it in her basket. "Perhaps Flora will make some special peppermint tea with it at the party tonight."

"The party tonight," Tinkerbell repeated. "Aurora, not to bring down the mood or anything; but, do you think you'll brother will be there?"

Aurora sighed sadly. "I don't know, Tinkerbell."