I never did get formally introduced to the boys. Peter seemed to have forgotten what we were doing and said it was time for us to return home. He picked up the toddler and we were off.
As we were waking, I got a chance to learn some of the boys names, Cause someone was always screaming something. These boys were all over. One I had learned to be Rass was doing cartwheels along the forest ground, trying to impress Peter. While the tyke was Toddling around picking flowers with his chubby hands.
I watched as he tripped over a tree root and fell to the soft forest ground, cutting his arm in the process. He let out a course wail that caught our attention immediately and Peter and I both ran to him. I got there first and scooped him into my arms. The tyke continued to cry and burrowed his head into my neck. I stroked his light blonde curls as I glanced at the minor wound on his arm. The half inch cut had placed it self on the middle of his fore arm and was slowly dripping blood on the hem of my dress. I looked to Peter sitting next to me.
"Peter, can you get me a knife and some water."
"Sure Jaynie." He said, observing the cut. "It looks kind of deep. Be careful" he then reached In to his bag and handed me a well worn knife and canteen"
I shifted the tyke on my lap so i could cut of the hem of my dress, already dotted in blood. And soaked it in water. I tried to distract the tyke with some questions.
"Hey kiddo. Look at your arm. It's a little red. I like red. What's your favorite color?" He told me that he liked blue. Cause that was the color of the sky. Then he continued to tell me Peters favorite colors while Peter grinned at the two of us doing well together. I asked him more questions and let him ramble while I cleaned and wrapped his cut, the child wincing when I applied pressure. I focused on the child again "I'm all done! You did so good- " I turned to Peter "um. What's his name?" I whispered.
Peter looked down embarrassed "we never really gave him one... we just called him baby."
"Baby? Peter he's hardly a baby." I turned to the child. "Can I call you tyke? Cause I think I'm going to be here a while!" The child grinned and nodded sniffling away the last of the tears. "Can you carry me home jay?" He asked, trying to remember my name.
"Yes I can sweetie. You ready?"
He nodded as Peter helped us up and we continued out trek home.
We walked for another half mile or so when the boys began to complain of hunger.
"Peter... we hadn't even eaten lunch yet." A 10 year old ( to my best guess) boy started. "You said we had to check the traps first, and then we found Jaynie, and we're still not home Peter! Do you want me to die? 'Cause peter I think I am...I'm going to- "
"Daem!" Peter said, cutting him of with a shout and a lopsided smile. "I understand you're hungry. We're all hungry, Jayne probably more that the rest of us, but were almost home, then I promise we'll eat."
This seemed to hold them off for the next twenty minuets while we walked home. We soon came across an open half acre of land with an Native style long house in the back corner. The boys immediately dispersed, some going inside, some playing on the lawn that was already strewn with toy. I set Tyke down and he ran after a greenish iridescent bird flitting around the wide open space.
"Well," Peter said. "This is home."
How was this their home? It was so out in the open... how did they hide from the pirates?
"But Peter? This is dumb. How do you hide from the pirates?"
Peter let out an amused Chuckle. "oh. 'The pirates.' The boys won't help me set traps if we're just trying to catch game, but if I tell them there are pirates, its a different story. Don't worry Jaynie, there have never been pirates on neverland."