Mara remembered what happened last night, from the first sip to sleep, despite all the dizziness, the blur and the entire world spinning around. There were times she felt like she was flying. It was different from being drunk, she felt free, no stress, no worries, she forgot everything around her, the happiness and the fun was all she felt.
She was dancing in full confidence with James, with Slightly, with Tootles, with Curly, all of them, around in circles, around the bonfire. She howled with the boys. Before she slept, she spoke with Pan a bit and in the end, she told him if he could stay with her.
When Mara woke up, slowly, on the ground and saw some boys sleeping on the ground around camp. Then she saw Pan, sitting near her, by the tree and observing the woods.
"Did you actually stay there all night?" She asked and she wanted to chuckle but still feeling too sleepy.
Pan looked over her, showing no expression, "You wanted me to"
"You could've just... went for a walk" she had her elbows on the ground then slowly sat up, "go to wherever you go all night. You know I wasn't myself last night" she felt no headache or nausea or something she'd suppose to feel but Curly was right. She felt nothing, no horrible feeling at all and everything had worn off.
"I was aware of that" Pan tossed a stone into the woods, "had no plans and nowhere else to go to"
James wasn't in sight, but there was Curly and Tootles sleeping near each other at their usual spot. She guessed James and Slightly are in the tent. "What kind of poison did I drank last night?" She pulled a leaf off her hair while she was brushing her hair with her fingers.
Pan merely chuckled, "Just some odd berries, that's all"
"Hmm" She nodded weakly, she slowly got on her feet, not feeling light headed or anything, she felt wide awake.
One of the boys was stirring and is about to wake up. "Time to get some breakfast ready" Pan stood up, "Oh, there are new garments in your tent if you need to change"
Pan walked away before she could thank him, but she was reluctant for some reason. Instead she went into her tent and found James and Slightly sleeping on their hammocks. Garbs were piled and folded on the table in the middle of the tent, she found one set of garbs from the pile which hinted that it could be her's. She took a look at them and they did look they were her's. She hasn't changed her garments for a while, not since in the Jolly Roger when slipped on a pirate's vomit while she was cleaning and Hook managed to find extra garments for her size but were boys' clothing.
Mara hung a blanket in the corner of her tent to make a curtain where she can change. Just moments after she was done, James woke up and not long before Slightly did as well.
Morning grew late when every boy woke up and were ready for the day. Mara was ready long before they did, she already had breakfast and had finished her's first. Once everyone were ready, that's when Pan announced "Alright boys...and girl, today we're heading to the training grounds"
Training, Mara swallowed a groan. This is her third time and will be the third round to fight Thomas. When Pan glanced at Mara and had spotted her frown look, he smirked as if he knew what she was thinking.
At the training, it was the same as usual, even she practiced fighting with Slightly then Curly who didn't go easy on her but she didn't mind. He did gave her a big bruise on her arm which was the size of an apple. Every hit and every cut she took, the more she was used to the pain. She was still processing in archery including with crossbow and throwing daggers. Once she and her group jogged around the camp for a few miles, it was actually difficult because of all the trenches they had to jump over, and over the big logs.
The training went on and on nearly all noon that evening almost arrived. It was in fact the longest training Mara had since coming in Neverland.
Each training, the more she got used to the pain.
Pan called out Thomas and Mara into the circle. She felt no concern at all but with little confidence. Not the type of confidence where knows she'll win this time. She wasn't worried about the boys watching.
It was the same weapons they're going to use. Before they even started, Curly, Tootles and James were cheering for her and howling out her name but barely heard over the shoutings of Thomas's name.
Both lost children circled around the pit and facing each other. Her look was stern as the boy's. She knew she still wasn't ready, still wasn't a best fighter. She has to at least try.
This fight went longer than the last two fights, not very long. Mara circled around Thomas most of the times, she hit him only few times while she had taken a lot and fell couple times but quickly went back onto her feet. Taken hits, knocked back down onto the ground then stood back up, that went on over and over until she grew exhausted.
One more hit and she may stay down this time. Their staffs knocked each other dozen times as Mara and Thomas moved around the pit. When she shielded herself with her weapon when Thomas attempted to slam his onto her face, their staffs pushed other, she tried push forward as hard as she could, there was so much effort between the two until Mara did something new and different.
She hit him on the face as hard as she could, he stumbled backward and he nearly fell down. Still had her staff in her hand, she gripped it tightly as she charged forward at the boy, instead of pushing him down, she gave a swing of her staff sideways and smacked him in his face. This time, he was on one knee and one hand. The training grounds quieted down a little while James, Curly, and Tootles' cheering and howling for her were loud. James was urging her to keep hitting the boy until he's knocked out.
Mara attempt to do so, she was approaching the boy until out of nowhere, his staff slammed onto her belly, she stumbled back while Thomas promptly got on his feet, furiously approaching the girl, swung his staff, smacked harshly on her arm, another on the other arm, next on her hip then her rib cage and lastly on her leg forcing her to kneel down. With one last hit on the side of her head, she was finally knocked down. She couldn't get back up anymore.
Thomas wins again.
The hit on her rib cage was more painful than everywhere else, barely felt any aching elsewhere.
Mara was laying down on the ground while her hand on her left rib cage before James, Curly, Slightly and Tootles came over her and helped her up.
"Least you were better than before, arseling" Curly commented.
Mara groaned in response while in pain and had her arm over James's shoulder. Pan announced it was time to head back to the camp.
During supper, Mara was still in pain, she was sitting back, leaning against the log still with her hand on her rib. While her other hand holding a wet cold cloth on her right jaw.
"You alright there, Mara?" Tootles asked while the boys were still eating.
"Yeah," she nodded, "Just aching"
"In case you're feeling not well in physical way, you could ask either Rufio or Ezekiel, they're our...healers" the clumsy boy stated.
"I'll keep that in mind" she gave a weak nod. She needed to check under her shirt to see how her bruise looks. It felt sensitive when its poked or touched. She didn't know which Ezekiel was and she still hasn't got along with Rufio, a dark skin boy who nearly shot her on her first or second day here during the hunt game. Most likely he won't be interest in seeing her to check her wounds. She needed to see how bad her bruise looked, so she got up, barely and she winced as she stood up. "I'll be right back, gotta wash up real quick"
Mara went to the stream, it took only a minute or two to get there. The evening light was slowly fading but it was enough to see around. As she stood the edge of the stream, she pulled up her shirt on her side, over her stomach and revealing a big dark blue and purple bruise. Could it be fractured? How can the youngest Lost Boy be so strong and hit that hard? Of course he was one of the firsts and he's may be a boy but truly old. All those years of fighting and training.
"That looks terrible" a voice uttered from the woods and it was Pan.
"You think?" Mara frowned, looking back down at the bruise, she still had a cloth she used earlier, she kneeled down and soaked the cloth. She gently and slowly pressed it on her ribs, she winced by the touch. "That little boy can hit... if that's really a boy but a man inside the boy"
Pan huffed and laughed. "That's ridiculous" he then approached her. "Mind if I check?" He asked as he stopped a foot from her.
She glanced up at him, giving him a strange look, "You're not a healer, you know"
"Depends on how bad it is" he said, he offered his hand to help her up.
She was hesitant for a moment, since she rather not get checked by Rufio who seemingly despise her and the other boy who she doesn't know or what he looks like. She decided to let Pan check, she grabbed his hand, stood up as he helped her up.
She was standing while Pan kneeled down to look closely, he gave a touch on the bruise, pressed until she flinched and winced "Ow"
After a moment, he said "It is bad, Thomas may have fractured it so it's not going to heal in a while"
"I suppose I gotta take it easy until it heals?"
Pan scoffed, "Don't think I'll let you have a long break... stay still"
She wrinkled her brows in confusion as she glanced down and looked at her bruise. His hand was on her bruise, she flinched a little by it, how cold it was and how sensitive the wound was. She looked up at the woods and not watching what he was doing. His hand was still there, over the wound, for the long moment, it was silent between them.
Then she started to notice that the pain had faded. She glanced down, Pan took his hand off the wound and he stood up. The purple and blue bruise was gone, "You healed it" she said in almost surprise tone.
"You need to be in a good shape for tomorrow"
"What's happening tomorrow?" She pulled her shirt down.
"You'll see" he flashed a small smirk then started to walk away.
Before he disappeared into the woods, Mara immediately called out "Pan!" He stopped and turned to look at her. Something she never thought she would say to him, "Thank you"
He smiled a little, gave a little nod then he left.
***
Every time I reach to the thirtieth, something like this begins to happen 😅
Stay weird, everyone!