Peter was right, training started very early the next morning. Wendy brushed her hair with her fingers and tied it back with her ribbon. Whatever Peter had in mind for her today, Wendy was determined to show him that she didn't need it. She was capable of defending herself, no matter what had happened last night. And she would prove that today.
Wendy walked out to the large open area of the hideout. There the lost boys were lined up with Peter pacing back and forth in front of them, arms behind his back. John and Michael were lined up across from the lost boys, looking sleepy when Wendy joined them.
"Alright men!" Peter announced. "Today begins the training of the new lost boys John and Michael," Peter looked to Wendy. "And Mother will be trained as well."
"But Peter," Nibs began, a slightly disgusted look on his face "We've never trained a...girl before."
"Well you are now. She will be trained just like the boys. Don't treat her any differently, is that understood?" Peter demanded.
A chorus of "Yes Peter's" was heard.
"Good." Peter moved to stand in front of the Darling children. "Each of the lost boys are responsible for a portion of your training. Cubby will be in charge of strength, since he is the strongest lost boy. Nibs will teach strategy; the Twins, balance; Tootles, stealth; Slightly, weapons, archery, tomahawks, and slingshots."
Then with a pointed look at Wendy "I will teach sword fighting."
Wendy raised her head; she would not let Peter make her out to be weak.
Peter turned back to the lost boys and started pacing again. "You will train with each of the boys every day, until you have mastered their skill. Or until I see fit. Cubby you're up first."
Peter stepped back and allowed Cubby to take the floor.
Cubby puffed out his chest in mock bravado. "Being a lost boy takes a lot of toughness. You gotta be strong like....like...like a bear." He flexed his chubby arms. Nibs and the Twins snickered. Pride a bit hurt, Cubby turned up the toughness factor.
"ALRIGHT YOU SCURVY WIMPS! I want you up that tree now!" Cubby yelled pointing to the ladder behind him.
John and Michael were shocked and immediately began climbing. Wendy looked down at Cubby with a raised eyebrow.
Cubby swallowed then in a much gentler tone, "S..s..Sorry Mother, would you please climb that ladder?"
Wendy smiled, hiked her nightgown, and began to climb. Peter smacked his forehead with his hand. This was not what he had planned.
He watched as the Darling children and the lost boys climbed the tree to a raised platform about ten feet in the air. Connecting this platform to another branch were two ropes, paralleled, creating a series of monkey bars.
Cubby grabbed hold of the first bar and swung to the second, then third, then forth, and so on until he had reached the last bar and dropped down onto the opposite platform.
"To be a lost boy," Cubby yelled back, "You need to be able to cross this rope bridge. This will test how strong you are."
Wendy looked uncertain. It wasn't the height so much that made her nervous. It was her fear of falling. "We really must cross it?"
"You aren't afraid are you Mother?" Goaded Peter from down below.
"Oh!" Wendy huffed in indignation. "No I am not afraid! I just don't see how this applies."
Nibs answered before Peter could. "It shows how strong you are, if you aren't strong enough how can you lift a sword or other weapons long enough for a brutal fight?"
YOU ARE READING
The Never Beginnings
Fanfiction"Do you want to go home?" He asked bracing himself for the answer that was sure to come. The girl looked at the ground for a long time, and then she looked up at the boy who had come to mean so much to her. "No Peter. This..." She gestured to the ma...
