Back at the camp, Mara sat by the tree, where she was barely in boys' sight, frowning since the training, and also felt shame what happened. Using her sleeve to hold her lip where it was bleeding, even on her cheek.

The camp was filled with chat and chuckles, she didn't doubt that they were laughing about her. She wanted to leave the camp but knew she couldn't because of the rules. This was only her third or forth day on Neverland, already being bullied, already getting herself in trouble and nearly got herself killed...twice.

"Don't be so mopey" a voice rang near her. She glanced to her left and found James standing few feet from her.

"I'm not mopey" she frowned and gazed back down at her knees. She felt being mocked.

"Well you looked mopey to me" he sat down on the ground, "Here--"

She looked, he reached a brown cloth, and she gave him a question look.

"--for your bruises on your face" gesturing at his cheek.

She reluctantly reached the cloth from him, it was soaked and cold. She held it against her lip, it stung her a little but felt good to get something cold to numb her bruises.

"The worst is yet to come, Mara" James said, "You're lucky that Pan didn't throw you into the cage and lock you for days without water and food"

Mara gazed at James, "That happened to you?"

He didn't need to answer, he was peeling off an apple with a knife then looked at her, "That's what you get for running off from training and then end up almost getting killed by the Natives"

"Natives?" Mara was a little stunned, "There are Natives in this island?"

"Did I mention we weren't the only inhabitants on this island? Well, I did say you're not the only girl in Neverland"

"Just earlier before I got beaten down by a child, I thought it was the mermaids you meant" she had her back against the tree trunk, moved the cloth to her cheek.

"You saw the mermaids?" His brows raised and hinted a smile.

"Met them" she added, "they're nice" she murmured sarcastically.

He said nothing for a moment, "They attacked you?"

"Tried to drown me"

"You wouldn't be the first Lost Boy to be killed by mermaids or in that case, you'd be the first Lost Girl to be killed by mermaids"

She wrinkled her forehead as she looked at him.

"Well...people die here sometimes"

Why wasn't she surprised? Only because she acknowledged that the place was dangerous. She looked away and mumbled "Figured"

Neither of them said something, James was gazing across the camp, meanwhile Mara still cooling her bruises with the cloth. Just few moments later, a boy who she trained with, Tootles had came, had a plate of food and joined James's side. Mara wasn't looking as James and Tootles seemed to be whispering until James said "Well give it to her yourself"

Mara looked had met Tootle's and James's gaze. Tootles stood up, looking a bit shy as he approached closely to her, he was giving her a plate of cooked meat which she hesitantly reached for it. She was slightly surprised that she was offered food by another Lost Boy, and glad that there was another kind Lost Boy in the camp besides James.

"Thanks" Mara weakly smiled at Tootles which he returned a shy smile before walking back across the camp. James was looking at her, she merely shrugged in response then began eating her supper.

Midnight was near and the Lost Boys were settling for the night. Heading to their tents, there were only about six tents and about five or four boys were in each tents. Mara remained by the bonfire, she didn't want to go into one of the tents to settle, she was the only girl in the camp, she didn't mind sleeping outside on the ground. No one hadn't told her where she'd sleep, she hasn't seen Pan for few hours now and James was strolling back and forth to the camp to his tent, preparing to settle.

"I don't know about you" said James, he stood over her as she sat in front of the fire, "Pan hasn't told you where you'll sleep?"

She shook her head, "He hasn't been seen for few hours, where does he go anyway?"

James shrugged, "I don't know, probably having a talk with the Natives or hanging about out there alone"

"Well, I don't mind the ground" Mara stood up, "I'm used to sleeping on grounds and on trees"

James's brows lifted with his arms crossed against his chest, "I'm sure Pan will arrange you a nice comfy bed in a castle rather than a hammock in a small tent"

Mara scoffed, almost smiling, "Wouldn't mind a hammock in a tent"

"Good" a voice rang behind the two. They both shifted their heads over their shoulders and see Pan approaching them. "I assume you wouldn't mind sleeping in James's group tent then"

"What?" Mara was stunned.

"What?" James also said.

"Just because you're a girl doesn't mean I have to treat you differently or more kindly than them"

"I'd rather sleep in a bear cave, thanks" Mara stood up.

"Can I talk to you in private?" James asked Pan.

Mara was eying at Pan to James then Pan to James again before Pan nodded to his left and agreeing. The two boys walked away further away from Mara. She could still see them in her sight, watched them talking, she couldn't hear them at all but knew they were talking about her.

Does she really have to sleep one of the tents? Each tent with couple of boys? It seemed almost worse than sleeping with horses in a barn that reeked with horse dung. What was she worried about sleeping in a tent with boys? She wouldn't be comfortable sharing a tent with them.

Several moments later, only James came back as Pan disappeared into the dark forest. "Our king says you gotta"

"You must be joking" she frowned.

"I wish I was, but you don't need worry about Tootles, Slightly and Curly, they're the tentmates"

James was kind, Curly seemed the same as him, she knew the quiet and sad boy called Slightly and Tootles was the shy one. All harmless and kind. She was less concerned then.

"Come on" he gestured her to follow him.

She was reluctant for a second, she went on to follow him, just the far corner of the camp toward the crooked squared tent.

James stood by the entrance and said aloud "Girl coming in!" Giving the boys in the tent a warning before she entered.

The four boys inside were all sitting up on their hammocks, their bare feet touched the ground, they looked a little shocked and confused as they stared at Mara. She remained by the entrance.

"I thought Pan would give her a nice a treehouse to sleep in" Curly was the first to speak, "Is he serious letting a girl to sleep here?"

"Let us recall today's training when you said 'she's one of us'" James reminded.

"You said it, I was only repeating it to motivate this sweet gentlemen here that it is okay to fight a Lost Girl" Curly pointed at Tootles who scolded at him.

"Still, she is one of us, gotta treat her like it" James began making a hammock between two poles on Mara's right, it was close to the entrance. "I trust all of ya that you won't do any funny business or attempt to slit her throat in her sleep?"

"My god James, we're not that cruel" Tootles cooed ironically.

"Only Thomas would smother her with a pillow while she's sleeping" Curly laughed, "And Ace would do some funny business, did you see him today? He was drooling over her"

"As if it's the first time he seen a girl" This was from Slightly, it was the first time Mara heard him speak, his voice was sullen and grumpy at the same time.

"It's no wonder Pan didn't want her in Thomas's tent, or Ace's, or Felix's" Curly went on.

"He trusts us with her, that's why" James was tying the strings around the pole. "He warns that if anyone does something, he'll have our hands chopped off"

"You do know that I'm here, right?" Mara uttered. "You don't need to speak of me as if I'm not here"

"Oh yeah, there you are! We didn't see you there!" Curly uttered in surprised tone but with sarcasm.

Tootles chuckled and Slightly flashed a smile. Curly swung his legs onto his hammock and laid down.

It didn't take a while for James to finish setting up the hammock for Mara, "There ya go, hope its cozy enough for ya"

"Thanks" Mara mumbled.

"Don't forget to turn off the lamp" Curly reminded. The three boys were already laying on their hammocks, Mara sat on her's, she wasn't always fond sleeping on hammocks but it'll do, they were bad as the hays.

After James lit out the lamp, Mara struggled to get comfortable on her hammock for long several moments, she even fell off once which made James snort, and even heard one of the boys laughing softly from where Tootles was.

She did had a hard time sleeping, not only because she was uncomfortable sleeping on her hammock but wonder what happens tomorrow and worrying her surroundings. She sometimes heard someone strolling nearby the tent few times, all she could wonder was if that was Pan, maybe looking out the camp or something. The boys were already snoring when sleep finally came to Mara.

***

Giving this an update :) Hope you're all enjoying this story even though there's aren't much chapters. Hopefully I'll update this sooner than before :)