Wendy awoke to the sound of birds chirping and the far off hush hush of ocean waves, very different from the sounds of the tenement houses and busy streets. It only took her a few seconds to realize she was no longer in England. She stretched her arms above her head and touched rough wood, opening her eyes she saw that she was in a small room on a bed. Sitting up, she looked around for Petyr, but he was not there. He must have brought her back to Hangman's Tree after she had fallen asleep.
There is no one like you. The words flickered through her mind, what an odd dream, she thought. Pushing back the blanket covering her, she noticed she was still wearing Pan's shirt and it barely came to her mid-thigh. She blushed hotly and looked around for something else to put on. The only other piece of furniture in the room was a chair that looked hand-made. On it was a pile of clothes. Wendy quickly stripped off Petyr's shirt and folding it gently, she tucked it under the pillow. She had no idea why she did it, but something deep down wouldn't let her part with it just yet. She pulled on a pair of black pants that reached her mid-calf. She had lost her chemise at the pond, so instead, she had to tear a few strips from the blanket and wrap them around her chest, then she pulled on a plain beige tunic. Tucking it into the pants and using a strip of leather as a belt, she felt much better. Next, she deftly twisted her auburn locks into a braid and tied it with another small strip of the blanket. Much better. As she finished tucking some rebellious strands behind her ear, Wendy heard footsteps coming towards her room. Her stomach fluttered and anticipation coursed through her.
When John pushed aside the blanket that served as a door, she promptly concealed her disappointment. "Good Morning!" he chirped brightly.
She smiled. "Good Morning, John."
"The Lost Boys have been really worried, I have done all I could to keep Pip and Bas..."
Suddenly a curly-headed mass threw itself through the door and wrapped itself around Wendy, "Oh Wendy! You're back!"
Wendy returned Pip's hug and patted his head, "Yes, I'm back."
"Those damn bloody Pirates, if I'da been there..." Basil pushed his way past John as well, both fists clenched.
Wendy reached out and grabbed the boy, pulling him into the hug as well, he resisted like any twelve-year-old would, but then melted into it after a few stiff awkward moments. "I know you would have, Basil," Wendy murmured, "But I am glad you weren't there, I would not have liked to see anything bad happen to you."
Pip wriggled out of her arms, "Oh, nuthin would of happened to us. We fight Pirates all the time! I've kill–"
John whacked him in the back of the head, "That's enough, this room is getting too crowded and we've got stuff to do. C'mon boys!" The two young ones trooped out begrudgingly and Wendy followed close behind.
Outside the sun was shining, it was another beautiful day. "Do you ever have bad weather in Neverland?" Wendy laughed, soaking in the warm rays of the sun.
The boys paused for a moment, but only John answered, "Sometimes."
Wendy didn't ask about the hesitation, or the look the boys shot each other, she was tired of all of the secrets but nagging would not get her anywhere, "Well, in my town it is sunny and gorgeous like this maybe one day in the whole year."
"Where is your town?" Pip asked, falling back to walk beside her.
"On the coast of England. Where are you from?"
Pip scrunched his nose and thought, "I think from a place called America...but I can't really remember."
That would explain the odd accent she had picked up on while listening to his earnest babbles, "What about your parents?"
"None of us really remember them," Basil chimed in when Pip didn't respond immediately, "I don't think they were very nice, I'd remember parents if they were nice I think." He finished with a jerk of his chin.
"I suspect I would too," Wendy agreed, "So, where is Petyr today?" She hoped that she sounded nonchalant because that was how she wanted to feel about him.
John allowed the boys to go down the rope ladder first, to the forest floor below. "He didn't say when he left. Petyr comes and goes as he pleases." He then helped her get started downward and waited till both of her feet hit the ground before he slid down the rope, barely touching the rungs and landing with a flourish. Wendy laughed and he gave a short bow.
"Wendy! Watch this!" Wendy turned just as Pip let loose a smooth stone from his slingshot and hit a straw target a few yards away, knocking off its head.
Wendy realized that they had entered some type of training area, with strawmen and targets set up in the clearing. The twins, Toby and Tomas, were facing one another, metal-tipped staves at the ready, then suddenly they began to attack. It wasn't like Michael and his friends back home when they pretended to sword fight with sticks, thwacking aimlessly at one another. This was like a dance, their hands twirled the staves, dipping and bending they avoided one another's clipped jabs and sweeps.
Wendy was impressed and...jealous. When one finally seemed to overpower the other, the tip of the staff hovering just over their head, Wendy clapped her hands, "Amazing, absolutely amazing." The twins both blushed brilliant red and smiled shyly, but neither said a word.
"Do you want to try?" John appeared at her right elbow, his curved sword gripped comfortably in his hand at his side. Wendy felt her stomach clench at its wicked sharpened edge, but she forced herself to relax, willing her mind to repeat over and over that she was in no danger here.
"Me? Learn to fight? Like that?" Wendy bit her lip, "In England, women don't–" But this was not England, and a part of her wanted to learn. A small, secret part of her that was dark and bitter and full of...hate. "Yes, I do."
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