After a ten minutes hike we had reached the campsite. Boys were running, jumping aroud and dancing around the fire, all on this beautiful pipe music. I wanted to join in but Ruffio still had a firm grip on my hand. In the middle of the festivities a boy was sitting on a log, he was the one playing the pipe. He noticed Felix and stopped playing, the boy didn't stop dancing though. They made music with the things they were holding and kept partying.
"I see you brought the new recruit Felix." He said while walking towards us. "Actually, it''s recruits. He brought his little sister." Felix said and he stepped aside. The boy with the pipe was clearly suprised, but he shook it of and turned to us. "Hi, I'm Peter, Peter Pan. And you are?" He asked. Ruffio answered for the both of us. "I'm Ruffio and this is Lucy, she is my little sister. Our dad was a drunk and he beat us, I once swore to our Mom I would protect Lu before she died. I'm all she has left. I'm strong and a quick learner, she might look small, but she is fast and clever with her hands. It's both of us or none of us, but I promise you that ou won't regret it if you let her stay." Pan listened to Ruffio's speech then looked at me. I stared back with pleading eyes. "Please. Don't make me leave my brother." And I hgged Ruffio tight, he in response put his arm around me. Pan was thinking, and clearly torn in what to do.
"She can stay, but! She will be treated just like any of the other boys, no special treatment because she is a girl. Understood?" I nodded and let go of Ruffio, instead I ran towards Pan and gave him a big hug. "Thank you." I whispered. He was slightly taken aback but then returned the hug. After I let go he ordred Felix to show us our corner to lay our stuff and get some rest.
"This is where you can sleep, get some rest. Tomorrow we will start your fighting training." He said to Ruffio. "Fighting?" He asked confused. "Yes fighting. I assume you noticed the ship on our shore? Well those are pirates, they are dangerous so we need every boy who is able to hold a weapon ready. Can you fight?" Felix asked.
"I can throw a decent punch and know how to hold a sword if that's what you mean. Lucy might be better at archery though." Felix looked at me curiously. "I already know how to cook, clean and if you want I can fix your hood." I said, noticing that his hood had a few torn places. "I might be a little girl but I've done most of the housework for a few years now. I know what I'm doing." I stated more bravely than I felt. Felix chuckled. "I see. Well I guess you'll do just fine here then. Goodnight." And he left. I layed down the blankets we brought while Ruffio watched the others. I could see he was thinking, I recognised his thinking face any time of the day. "You did the right thing Ruf. I know it is a bit more dangerous than we might have thought, but it is safer then having stayed home with Dad." I told him. "I don't mind where I am, as long as I'm with you big brother."And I hugged him again. He smiled and looked down. "I know, we can stay here forever. Forever together. Now get some rest, I'll be just a second." I nodded and layed down, I was dead tired and fell asleep quikly.
The next morning we were woken by the sound of the other lost boys. Everyone was standing around last night's fire remains, listening to Pan.
"As most of you noticed we have two new recruits in our midst. Come foreward my friends." He said, motioning us. "These are Ruffio and his sister Lucy. I know Lusy is a girl but I have been promised that she will do just fine here. What are your skills, Lucy you start." Ruffio nodded encouriging me to speak.
"Hi, I'm Lucy. I'm ten years old and my skills are pretty much anything that has to do with the household. I can cook, clean, sow and I know first aid. I'm not that good at fighting but I guess I can learn that." I said. "I'm Ruffio, and I'm eightteen. I can fight, forge weapons, hunt and anything like that."Pan nodded aprovingly and continued his speech. "Alright, Felix if you'd be so kind to start Ruffio's training. Then Devin you can take Lucy under your wing and give her something to do. Alright, everyone else knows what to do." And he walked away. A young boy, maybe thirteen at most approached me. "I'm Devin, you can come with me. We need to start breakfast and the night patrol guys are hungry as well." I nodded and looked over to Ruf, he was already talking and laughing with Felix. Good, he already made a friend. I thought and followed Devin.
After I showed off my cooking skills I started to hand it out to everyone. Apparently I did goog because I got compliments all around. I noticed some of the boys had minor injuries, so after I did the washing up I asked Devin where they kept the bandages and those things. I made another round and gathered all my courage to speak to everyone with a cut somewhere. I placed badages, cleaned wounds and collected clothing that needed fixing.
"I see you found your spot in the group already." I heard Pan's voice say. I was busy with the clothes. I looked up and smiled. "I guess so. It's about time someone fixed these things."I said, pointing to the pile of rags. Peter chuckled. "You're right, the boys could do with a gentle touch with some things. Great job on the cooking by the way. I had boys come to we joking that we should have let a girl join years ago." I smiled with pride. "I loved cooking for Ruffio back home, it's lust like that but now I got some more brothers to feed." We laughed. He patted my back and left. Leaving me proud and glowing.
After dinner Ruffio finally joined me. He and Felix had been training all day. I gave him his supper and he smiled seeing one of his favorites on the plate. "How was training?" I asked. "Great, Felix and the other older boys are great sparring partners. I learned a lot and made some great friends. How about yours? Are you queen of the household already?" He joked. "Haha, not yet. But I'm getting there. I cooked for everyone, patched some of the clothes up, patched some of the boys up. And I think Pan is starting to like me as well." I asnwered.
"That's great!" Said Ruffio, spraying me with his food. "Sorry." He said as I wiped it off, chuckling. "You don't have to apologize here." I recognized Felix's voice. "You're a lost boy now, we don't apologize for anything." He said as I handed him his food. "Sounds good, that way I don't have to feel guilty if I spice the food to much."I joked, making bot of them chuckle. "Don't worry Felix, I did an excellent job on you're diiner if I say so myself." Felix nodged Ruffio. "Your sister is getting cocky." "Yeah, she does that." He tapped me with his foot playfully, making me laugh.
The boys were sitting on the same log, and I decided to sit in front of them on the ground. "So Felix, is my brother any good?" I asked, while I picked up my latest sowing project. Felix chuckled. "He is actually, he may need some pointers here and there but we have time enough for that." Ruffio smiled at that. "So where is Devin? I thought he was supposed to show you around?" He asked. "He was, but after lunch I started doing my own thing an he let me. He did make me fix his cloak first though." They both finished their plates and I took them to bring them to the washing up. Suprising Felix. Yeah we were going to do just fine here.