Mara dreamt of her mother, it had been a long time since she dreamt of her, she never seen her face, she never even got to meet or neither her mother never got to hold her when she brought her into this world. In her dreams, her mother always has long light brown hair like Mara's. Smooth, wavy and clean unlike Mara's. Wearing a blue gown.
In her dreams, her mother would sit at Mara's bedside, finish reading a story to her, and then she'd walk away like Mara would beg her to stay and read more but mother would keep walking like she never heard her pleas.
Awoke to noises from outside, sounds of clanging and hammering as if they were building something. Slightly was the only one already on his feet, he was swinging his cloak over his shoulders, Curly was snoring, Tootles was yawning, waking up and James sat up and swung his feet off his hummock.
It felt early morning, she'd go back to sleep since Curly was still sleeping but didn't want to. She prepared to start her day. After washing her face with cold water and dried it with her sleeve, she left the tent.
Not everyone were up, half of the Lost Boys were already around the camp, breaking their fast and waiting. Pan wasn't in sight, he could be out there somewhere in the woods, perhaps preparing an activity for today. She was not looking forward to anything today.
"Slept well, girl?" James came with two plates in his hands and hand one to her.
Stretching her neck, giving a light crack sound "Still not used to the hammock" her back neck was aching.
"It's only your fifth day" James peeled off an orange with his knife.
Fifth day it has been, Mara thought bitterly, thinking that time stands still made five days feel like fifty days. There were few things she liked about the place, it was beautiful, she loved the forest, she made friends already when she thought she wouldn't make any. There were too many things that she did not like about this place.
"You look excited, arseling" Curly sat down beside James. "Really looking forward for today, are you?"
Mara gave him a sarcastic smile in response then pursed eating her breakfast.
"You sleep funny" Curly went on, Slightly and Tootles came and joined them. "Meaning you talk in your sleep"
Mara paused for second when she was about to put a piece of her food into her mouth but went on anyway. She spoke in her sleep?
"Mum, mum, please don't go, is what you said" Curly told her.
"Curly, shut up" Said James.
"What? I wasn't mocking or anything," Curly sounded honest. "I just wanted to-- never mind" he began eating.
No one spoke throughout the morning meal, only Tootles and Curly exchanged words. Even after Mara finished her plate, she didn't speak, she did wanted to ask what were the plans for today but figured they wouldn't know the answer because Pan always intended to surprise them all.
Most Lost Boys had finished their meals when Pan finally arrived. Mara wondered where he goes when he's absent from the camp, or what he's doing at night, if he sleeps, he's still a boy, he could still sleep, right? But where was his hammock or the place where he sleeps in? It wasn't in the camp.
When Pan had his place in the middle of the camp, "Nothing much will happen today, so that means you're heading to the training grounds"
All of the boys jeered in response while Mara frowned because she knew what's going to happen, something she'll have to repeat like last time. Not wandering out of the grounds and get herself almost killed by mermaids. Her eyes laid across Pan's back, across the camp, finding the boy, Thomas seated on the bench with Felix and Nibs. She's going to have to fight Thomas again, over and over, every training until she defeats him.
"Remember to keep training, don't stop only for breaks, and absolutely do not wander off" Pan's had shifted to his left, his gaze aimed at Mara, she returned a peevish look in response "Now, let's go" he turned around and went toward east into the woods.
The boys followed him, Mara grabbed her sword, strapped onto her belt and walked behind Slightly with James and the rest behind her.
While walking to the training grounds, half of the Lost Boys broke into a song, the one Curly sang yesterday, there was a second song she never heard of that went something like "Following the leader". When Mara was on a small hill and could see Pan at way down front, leading everyone to the grounds and a long line of two dozen of Lost Boys walking behind him.
When arriving the grounds, she and her tentmates went to the same training area with the dummies they use on with swords and staffs and spears.
"Alright girl" James grabbed two staffs off the ground, giving one to her and the other to Slightly, "taking up to the experienced fighter, you two, go on and start practicing"
"Do I have to?" Slightly mumbled.
"Pan said keep training, don't stop until you have trouble breathing" James had his own staff, where he took the cloth off of it's tip where it was sharp and pointy. "Tootles, you're running and Curly, you're on swords with one of the dummies"
"Aye, boss" Curly mocked while Tootles groaned and went out of the grounds.
The first hour was nearly a torture for Mara, she had already lost counted how many times Slightly put her down with his staff. She only hit him few times on the arm and legs. They took two breaks only before an hour passed, when it did, that's when James told them to take a break. Tootles was running outside of the grounds, to practice running without falling, but Mara could imagine the clumsy boy falling all over places.
During the break, James went to find Tootles to tell him to take a break, there were a lot of sounds from every weapons in the grounds, the yelling from the boys as they trained.
"Did I hurt you when I hit you?" Mara asked Slightly as he rubbed his thigh.
The boy gave her an odd look as if it was a stupid question she asked. He half laughed, his smile was weak, "No" he didn't spoke for a little moment, "You're not doing so good yourself, I think you should worry more for yourself than anyone else"
"I try to" Mara murmured. She took a drink of her water from her canteen.
Few moments later, James arrived with Tootles, the clumsy boy was all flustered, his head covered in sweat, and panting. Curly, who had gone to the stream to refill his canteen a while ago came back.
"Time to switch" James announced.
Mara noticed the rest of the Lost Boys moving to another spot, she and her tentmates end up bows and arrows area where they practice shooting.
She hated shooting arrows, she was terrible at it. Slightly was the only person in the group who was so perfectly at it, he'd hit a squirrel from up the top of the tree and hit it in the eye. Curly was good too, but not fantastic as Slightly while Tootles did okay. James would able to shoot the targets. As for Mara, she couldn't, this was the first time wielded a bow. She couldn't even keep the arrow from turning sideways before she could even shoot. It would bounce off of it string instead and the arrow once only flew ten feet away.
That's when James dropped his bow and walked up to Mara. "You're not doing it right" he told her.
"You think?" She frowned at him.
He picked up an arrow from one of the quivers, "Okay, here--" he handed her the arrow. "--get it ready then aim for the target"
Mara sighed, she did so, she got the arrow readied, raised it then aimed.
"Neh" James moved toward her, grabbed her right arm that was near up to her shoulder and holding the string and the bow. He lift her forearm a few inches up along with her elbow until it was an inch over her shoulder. He then moved behind her, the front arrow went sideways before James halted it, pushed it to the bow right on Mara's finger. He had his warm hand on her's, she almost shifted her head to look at him while she tense a bit as he moved her hand up a little, "hold the arrow with your finger for now" she did so. James straightened her left arm, "move only your head until your cheek is on the string to see where you're aiming"
Seems like it was the exact same position that Curly, Tootles and Slightly did.
"Whenever you're ready" James finished.
She was already aiming at the target, she wasn't sure if she was pulling the string far back enough for the arrow to travel that far to the target. She had to try. When she released the arrow, it flew fast and then it was at the edge of the target.
She was almost surprised. Better than the last couple of tries.
"Give it maybe a month or so and see if you're approving" James smiled. Mara half smiled in response before he said, "Keep trying"
When noon arrived, Mara and her tentmates were back with the staffs and dummies. She practiced fighting with Slightly again. The training took forever, it had been hours already, she was starting feel her bones and limbs growing sore as her body began to ache.
While she was fighting Slightly, they have been moving around in circles, swinging at each other, blocking and swinging over and over that it turned almost like a dance.
When she blocked Slightly's staff with her's, he thrust the butt of the staff onto her leg, almost fell on her knee but she swung around her at Slightly to her side, only that her staff was instantly halted like someone caught it. She was suddenly facing Pan, her staff inches from his face and his hand holding it. Slightly was standing couple feet away behind Pan.
"Ready for the second round?" He asked.
She sharply exhaled as she draw down her staff. It was time to fight the same boy from two days ago. She was definitely not ready for it but she knew she had to do it.
Once the Lost Boys had settled to watch the fight, all except the boy, Thomas. He and Mara were already in the pit, still fighting with wooden staffs and Pan stood between them. "We know how this works, the fight doesn't stop until one of you gives up or knocked out" he instructed. Silence filled the grounds for a moment as Pan glanced Thomas to Mara then walked out of the pit "You may begin"
With that, Thomas didn't even give her a moment or a second to ready herself, he charged at her with his staff raised over his head, she was barely quick but enough to raise her weapon to shield herself then moved away from the boy. Moved fast from him until she was far enough from him. She was ready for his attack this time.
There were no sounds in the training grounds but her and Thomas. Sounds of them fighting, their weapons, the yelling and the shouts coming out both of their mouths.
She took plenty of harsh hits, on her legs, arms, back, stomach and chest. She only him once on his back. The fight seemed short than the first one two days ago, it ended when Thomas smacked the side of her head by her temple, stumbled before hitting the ground and that's when she couldn't go on anymore.
She lost this round again.
***
Well, I tried to update quick or earlier but I didn't expect I'd be busy the entire week. While at it, I passed my road test few days ago and got my G2 ^_^
Anyway, stay weird everyone 🖖🏽