𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐀, peter pan

Chapter Seventeen

There weren't many rules after James told her nearly everything, Mara would able to remember them all and keep them in her mind at all times. She can't wander off alone, Mermaid Lagoon and the West side where the line was were off limits, she also can't climb up the mountain because it was strict, when there's training, they all must train until Pan says it's over, and of course, they must obey whatever Pan says.

They met Tootles near the stream, found him seated by the waters as he was scrubbing off brown stain off his trousers on one of his knee parts, he looked rather moody. "You alright there, Tootles?" James crouched down inches from the water.

"I tripped on a boar's dung!" Tootles grumbled, "I was right behind you two but not even five steps I took when I ran"

Mara could smell that foul reek from the dung stain on Tootle's pants while she stood seven feet from him. She had the white flag around her hands and wrists before pulling it off, "If it makes you feel better," she walked to his side, "least we won't be the losers and that means you're a winner"

Tootles had his eyes widen in surprise then flashed a smile as he grabbed the flag then stood up, "No way! You guys caught it! I thought the boar had crossed the Native line!"

James half laughed, "It did" he then told Tootles about what happened when he and Mara encountered the Natives.

"Whoa" Tootles seemed amazed, "I mean, glad that neither of you two got killed and I'm surprised Pan is not that mad to punish you, Mara"

"He was actually" James said, he wrapped the pointy tip of his staff with a cloth and tied it with a lace he got from his garb. "If only I decided I don't say anything, girl would've been either in a cage or the pit by now"

"Curly and Slightly might be in their way back to camp now, I reckon they're jumping and joy at the moment" Tootles tossed the flag at Mara and she caught it.

The three lost children walked across the stream and made their way back to the camp. Tootles mentioned to Mara that one of the Natives once shot him in the leg because he was about to trespass their land without his knowledge.

"Ace, Nibs, Thomas and the Twins wanted me to fetch Ace's arrow from the other side of the line" Tootles mumbled, "they thought it was funny, I didn't get in trouble but rather those boys did and retrieved punishments from Pan"

"Those bastards" Mara murmured.

"Eh, it was a long time ago" Tootles shrugged. It seemed that they were almost at the camp.

"How long have you been here in Neverland?" She asked the clumsy boy.

He shrugged again, "I honestly have no idea because the longer you're here, you starting to lose counting days and years, but I'm guessing over a decade. Feels like it"

Forever days left until she gets off Neverland, most likely she'll never leave but still a shred of hope she might. Not tomorrow, not in few days or weeks or months or a year but somehow she has to one day. Someday she will get used to this place, maybe in a month or so. The question is when she gets used to this place, would she still want to leave?

When they arrived at the camp, they weren't the first group that arrived but as the third group, there was Thomas's group and Felix's. Some of the boys' looked almost surprised to see her and her group as if they were betting that she would be the ones who never caught the flag.

"Yeah, we caught one!" Tootles blurted as he raised the flag.

"Sit your arse down!" James hushed as he gave him a smack on the back with his staff. Mara half smiled at Tootles's enthusiasm and she already liked the boy as James because he seemed too innocent.