When morning arrived and the sun rose, the Lost Boys began to wake up. Mara was the one who prepared breakfast, setting up the plates for the boys, Twin One was the first to leave his tent, he showed little surprise when he saw Mara as he was getting breakfast but said nothing. Nibs along Felix came out of their tents, the way they looked was something Mara had never seen from them, she doubted it was sympathetic looks but rather speechless faces.
More and more boys awoke and left their tents to have breakfast, Rufio and Twin Two were the only ones besides her tentmates who had said something to her. "You're awake, finally" said Rufio, "you're looking quite bright today"
Mara smiled in response, "I just feel glad I'm better"
"Good seeing you're normal again" Twin Two said then went to his friends and even Rufio went to his tent.
It was Tootles who saw her first without her noticing him, he had to tell Curly, Slightly and James about her being awake. Tootles was the first to come to her.
"You're awake!" The clumsy boy smiled, "Finally. How are you feeling?"
Mara shrugged, "I feel fine" she half smiled.
Curly, Slightly and James came. The sight of James hit her, remembering what happened, Pan said the poison make you see things, perhaps she and James kissing were all just in her head. It was the poison's work.
"It wasn't that pleasant, wasn't it?" Curly chuckled, "Mad, was it? Everything you saw, all seemed real, right?"
"I'm trying not to think about it, honestly" Mara admitted. The only thing she thought about was James. If she told him about what she saw, he'd laugh about it probably.
"Try Dreamshade" said Tootles, "Surely Dreamshade is worse than Dreamgiver. You die in a very slow and agony death"
"And yet, you're still alive" James stated, Mara handed him a plate of breakfast and he just nodded and smiled weakly as a 'Thank you'.
"Spring water, remember?" Tootles reminded, "I can't ever leave Neverland though, the fountain from Dead Man's Peak has a price, I have to stay here if I want to live"
Mara looked at Tootles, "I never heard of that"
"Loads of things we still haven't told you" Slightly said, his voice sounded different, not so solitary this time but with a bit confidence, "Too many but you'll learn everything someday"
Throughout the breakfast, Curly and Tootles talked about what she missed the past week, what they were all doing, she missed two hunts, two games and three trainings. As soon breakfast was finished, Pan announced today is training.
Mara still wasn't in a good shape to train, she admitted she missed training and she'd like to train right away. On their way to the training grounds, the Lost Boys sang the usual, "Following the Leader" as they do when they go for a stroll. Mara noticed she hasn't talked to James much like they normally do.
"Do they ever get tired of singing this song?" Mara groaned peevishly.
James's head was down, "You'll get used to it" that was all he said.
"You're a bit depressed today" She was looking at him.
She could see him smiling a little, "I'm a bit tired" he replied.
"Didn't get a good sleep?"
"You can say that"
"That's unusual of you" it was true, she always see him fast asleep before she could every night, she'd hear him snoring before she could close her eyes.
"There are sleepless nights sometimes, they don't come quite often, so you can say sleepless nights are rare for me"
The Lost Boys were still singing behind them as Mara and James didn't speak for long moment. The boy wasn't talking as much as he used to. Mara spotted Pan ahead, leading them all to the grounds, she wanted to ask him something, "I'll see you in the training grounds" she said to James and she went to catch up Pan. She passed Twins's group and Felix's group before joining Pan and walked beside him. "This might be too much to ask"
"What is it?" Pan asked.
"Well... it's a favour" she said almost awkwardly, "as you notice that I'm not a good condition right now, I'm not in a good shape to train so... I don't want to just sit around and watch, you know?"
"Wouldn't you like to sit this one out and skip this fight with Thomas? Shouldn't you be glad?"
"Particularly...no" Mara answered, "Sitting around and watch seems a bit boring, don't you think? I mean probably isn't since that's what you do most of the time when they're training or playing"
Mara could see him looking at her in the corner of her eye, she imagined he was frowning at her and she didn't want to look at him because she might smile. He didn't answer.
"Well?" Mara asked, "Will you heal my arm?"
Pan sighed, "I will"
Mara smiled in delight. As the Lost Boys were still singing, she can hear their echoes as well, "Okay, who came up with this song? You?"
Pan chuckled, "No"
"How did they came up with it anyway?"
The boy seemed to be thinking for a moment, like he was trying to remember, "It's one of those nights where they drink juice, they'd just started singing anything, anything they could come up with and ever since then, they started singing it"
"I imagine you've been listening to that song for a very long time" she guessed, "and it doesn't annoy you at all?"
"I got used to it" he shrugged.
She had walked with Pan the rest of the way to the training grounds. The boys were with their tentmates and already in place where to train first. Her tentmates were by the dummies and they were about to begin their training.
"I'm not going to heal your arm just yet" Pan informed, "I want to see how well you train with your bad arm. Never know you're gonna fight truly someday. In the battle, you get injured, not just cuts and scrapes, you have to keep fighting even with a broken leg... unless you want to sit this one out"
Mara frowned, train with one hand and with a bad arm? Pan does have a point, she might fight tomorrow or next week or next month. She has to try. "Fine" she sighed.
Mara approached her tentmates and started her training. James implied she should sit and skip the training, but Mara was a bit stubborn and insisted to train and told them what Pan said. James eventually gave up and reluctantly agreed but said he and the boys will go easy on her.
While training with wooden swords, Mara had to use her left hand to wield the sword and fight. She was terrible with left hand, even dagger and staff. She could barely get the bow up or pull the arrow. She tried to avoid the pain when she lifted the bow and pull the arrow and the arrow shot poorly. James wasn't helping her today at all, not once he asked her how she was or if she was doing okay.
Every time Mara looked up the hill from where they came into the grounds, she'd catch Peter Pan already looking at her. He did say he wants to see how she does today.
The training went on and on for hours. Mara's aching in the arm worsened, every limbs ached and sore and burned. It was the most difficult training for her. When it was mid-noon, that's when Pan announced the training was done and called Thomas and Mara to the circle.
When Mara entered the circle and Pan approached her. "Do I have to fight him with this bad arm?" She said in a low voice.
Pan scoffed, "Of course not" he grabbed her forearm gently and had his other hand on the wound. Some Lost Boys were talking and some were quiet and watching while he was healing the wound. She looked around for James, for Tootles, Curly and Slightly and she saw them on her left. Tootles was giving her a smile and a nod while Curly gave her thumbs as if a good luck gestures. James exchanged nothing, not even a look and she was beginning to concern for him. "Good luck" Pan said as he let go and stepped away from her and from the circle.
There was no pain in her arm now, she stretched it out and raised her arm up a little and there was ache at all. Thomas tossed her a staff and she caught it with both of her hands.
She was confident to fight, but wasn't confident enough to win or just didn't think she'll win this round.
When the fight started, Mara and Thomas went around in circles before the boy charged at her. Their staffs clashing each other, pushing and shoving each other. The fight went on for quite a bit longer than the last time. The two spiralling and dancing in circles as their weapons clashed over and over.
After moments and moments, when Mara grew tired and exhausted, and once she dropped her guard, that's when Thomas finally knocked her down and out of the circle. The fight ended.
No one said anything about the fight, it's as if they all knew Thomas was going to win and even she knew he was going to win. Then they all went back to the camp.
Mara wondered if James was going to train her, like they always do on their free time. With training over, Pan gives them free time for the rest of the day. When Mara asked Pan about free time while they went back to the camp, she was right.
As soon as they were back in the camp, most of the Lost Boys decided to swim at the falls, Mara approached James who went into their tent and she followed him.
"Hey" she stopped by the entrance as James put his stuff down by his hammock.
"Hey" James looked at her with his same solemn look.
"So, you know it's free time" she sat down on her hammock, "and you know what that means, right?...training?"
"Oh yeah, that" James gazed down, "Look, why not skip it? Surely you're exhausted from the training...and I assume you're tired since you woke up very early in the morning. I think you need a rest"
Mara was confused, "You did say you'd train me every time we get free time"
"I know. Skipping it for once won't hurt" he smiled weakly and nodded slowly. "I'm gonna go with them to the falls and swim... and you should rest"
She couldn't figure out what to say but she was disappointed and almost mad at him. She nodded weakly "Yeah... sure"
James stood there for a second, pausing as if he was trying to say something. He didn't, he just walked by her and left the tent.
***
Hmmmm... James seems to be trying to avoid her meanwhile she and Pan are growing close...
Stay weird, everyone