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?"
"I don't know, want to try to fight her?" James nodded at Mara, "you'll be the judge"
"Nah, already know I'd take her down not more than five seconds" Curly scoffed.
"Scared to be hit by a girl?" Tootles gave a smug as he glanced at Curly.
"Pff!" Curly huffed, "Least I won't be the first Lost Boy to get my arse kicked by a girl"
Tootles narrowed his eyes before Slightly spoke out, "Didn't Princess Lily beat you down so many times before? I do recall that one time you didn't last five seconds to stay on your feet"
Mara snorted, along with Tootles and James. "That was long time ago, she's a savage, completely different, Lily is not even a girl but a woman"
"If you say so" Slightly murmured.
"Speaking of--" Tootles began, "--I remember I got shot by her brother with an arrow on the leg"
"Wasn't your fault" Curly said, "It was bastard Nibs and others that made you cross the line"
"I know" Tootles gave a weak shrug, "Hawk almost scalp me, that was a bit scary"
"Hawk?" Mara was confused.
"Chief's only son and eldest child" James answered while chewing, "Tiger Lily's brother. You saw him yesterday, one with the bow"
Mara could barely picture the Native men she saw, she could only remember Tiger Lily clearly while barely recall the rest. She did remember the one with an eldest boy who jumped from the tree and had black painted markings on his face.
"What happens if one of us crosses the line?" She was curious.
"They take one of us" Tootles answered, "They either keep you for a while or kill you"
"We lost one of ours by them once" Curly said almost sullenly, "Poor Willy"
"Poor Willy" Slightly murmured softly.
"How did that happened?" Mara continued to ask, "So he just crossed the line then they killed him?"
Curly shook his head, "Not only crossed the line but killed one of them by accident." His voice was quiet.
"He killed one of them and they kill one of us" Slightly added.
Boys die on this land, Mara thought. "So you die out here sometimes?"
"All of them were accidents and tragic" Tootles assured, "Which is why we have rules around here. It makes Pan a little anxious when one of us don't follow them. Disobeying the rules is how they all died"
"Furious" Curly corrected. "You saw how he was when you wandered off to the Mermaid Lagoon and when you nearly crossed the line"
Infuriated for sure, Mara remembered.
They spoke quietly and softly at times so no other Lost Boy can hear what they were saying. Not even Pan, who sat near the bonfire, he had a wooden object and a knife as he was carving the object. He paid no attention to her and her tentmates.
Once the night grew late, Pan finally announced it was rest time. The greatest thing that Peter Pan has ever said, in Mara's opinion. Everyone settled into their tents, Mara followed Slightly and Tootles into their's and made her place on her hammock.
On the morrow will be her sixth day, already feels like sixty days it's been. Today was a bit different, she learnt more of this place, a bit of history which made her understand a little.
"Big day tomorrow" Curly said as he laid down on his hammock.
"What's happening tomorrow?" She questioned.
"Who the hell knows?" Curly shrugged, "Its just something I always say before I shut my eyes. Have good dreams, boys...and girl"
I suppose that's his way of saying 'Good night' or 'Sweet dreams', Mara thought. Have good dreams, she hasn't really had any nightmares for quite a while. Last time she recalled was the nightmare was on the Jolly Roger, dreamt of her father being slaughtered in Ogre Wars which she constantly has nearly every night. Since coming to Neverland, she has calm, nice dreams and dreamless for once. Like last night, she had a nice one about her mother.
Moments after the light were out, Mara still had her eyes, two boys were already snoring and the rest sounded asleep. Mara wished she could fall fast asleep like them. What kept her awake was a person walking around the camp, she guessed it was Pan, it's like that boy never sleeps.
She tried to sleep, kept her eyes closed for long moments but can't help to think of what she thought all day, giving him a chance and speak to him more often despite she disliked the plan. It could wait till tomorrow, in the morning perhaps, or whenever she's alone with him, surely there will be times she'll be alone with him.
She attempted to fall asleep again, shifted around and then found herself comfortable. But then it was all silent, even outside, only she heard snores from the boys but not Pan outside anymore. Did he left them all?
Mara's curiosity grew. Just go to sleep, just go to sleep, she told herself, sleep, sleep, sleep is what I've waited for all day.
Well, she tried. She breathed deeply into her nose then out. She got on her feet and put her boots back on. When she quietly went to the exit but stopped there for a moment to take a peek and Pan wasn't in sight.
Go back to the hammock, she demanded herself, just go to sleep.
But she still stepped out anyway.
***