𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐀, peter pan

Chapter Twenty-Two

Dusk almost settled when the training was finished, Mara was famished and weary. At the stream near the camp, she put her blistered hands into the water for long moments while James was washing the sweat off his face.

Training was just near brutal as the actual training, only this was long and more weary. Her body taking more bruises and her face had another cut. She managed to shake all of it off, every training is where they have to learn to conquer pain and some games that are dangerous is where they learn to defeat fear. As what James said.

Fighting better is one of the things that was important to the Lost Boys, to prepare for future battles to come for them and they do it to protect Neverland. Most men out there aren't worthy for the land, it wasn't for the people who are adults. Yes, there are adults in the land right now but they are Natives and they've been here long before Peter Pan came. It is a mystery where the Natives came from and how they came across this place. James don't know, neither Felix, but maybe Peter Pan does, as what the boy told her.

"You'll train again tomorrow, that's if we have enough free time" James informed.

"I'll die if I have to train everyday" Mara groaned.

James laughed in response, he stood up, grabbed his staff and cloak, "Come on, supper must be ready now"

Mara wiped the sweat off with water and rubbed her face around. She stood up as she dried her face with her sleeve and follow James back to the camp.

The forest was getting dark as the evening sun was settling over the horizon. Birds weren't singing anymore, they must be rest already, resting sounded so heavenly to Mara, it never sounded this very heavenly before. But she had to have supper first, wait for the night to grow late and Pan to announce to sleep.

She hasn't thought of what she agreed to what James implied. About to give Neverland a chance and even Peter Pan. As much as she hated it to give Pan a chance, she has to. Maybe she'll be like James, him being Pan's right-hand Boy and she could become Pan's right-hand girl. She might've misunderstood and misjudged Pan all along, James seem assured what he said about the leader, but reason why she couldn't trust Pan not even a bit was because of what Captain Hook said.

She still remembered what he said before he left "No matter what, don't ever trust him"

Maybe Hook misunderstood and misjudged Pan as she did, Hook barely even knows Pan, they only met once or twice and Hook can't really know him that well as James does.

Well, she doesn't really have a choice, she doesn't want to trust him, not yet anyways, it would be too soon, so she was planning to take just baby steps. Maybe try to speak with him more often, see where that leads. Explore Neverland more, seems there's more to it. Perhaps talk to other Lost Boys if she can or if they want to speak with her at least, try to befriend at least half of them. She's going to need a lot of friends which might help her to survive.

Somehow Mara wasn't quite happy with the plan. With attempting to gain trust from Pan or befriend with as many Lost Boys as she can. She's going to have to do whatever it takes to survive.

Do what you must do to survive, she heard Killian's words.

When James and Mara arrived the camp, everyone were already having supper, there was a skinned-deer cooked on the bonfire in the middle of the camp. The smell of cooked-deer was all over in the air, she could smell it near the river. She was hungry, she can have it too.

After they had a plate of meat, they joined their tentmates, "You look even more shyte, arseling" Curly commented, "James fooled you around too roughly?"

Mara rolled her eyes while James said nothing but it seemed it made him a bit awkward. Too awkward to say something.

"Oy I'm only joking, mate!" Curly laughed, "But how was training? Has little arseling proved at least a little?"