Free Always Neverland by Zoe Barton Page A

being the only one who could tame a Never bird. Nobody likes being shown up, especially by a visitor.
    â€œWell,” I said as modestly as I could, “I learn from the best.”

Chapter 8.
The Never Trees Attack Pirates
    R ight after that, Prank started complaining that his stomach was growling, and when Button pointed out that they had missed lunch, Peter and Tink flew off to find us something to eat.
    He gave me a weird look as he went. If I didn’t know any better, I would say that he was looking at me like I’d just shown up in the clearing—like he was seeing me for the first time. But all he said was “Lost Boys, make sure the Wendy girl doesn’t try to befriend any mermaids while I’m gone.”
    Most of the Lost Boys laughed like Peter had told them to stop me from making friends with Neverland’s crocodile or something equally outrageous. Only Button turned to me curiously. “You tried to make friends with the mermaids?”
    I shrugged, flushing a little and wishing Peter hadn’t brought it up. I had enough trouble winning the Lost Boys over without Peter making me seem idiotic.
    â€œWendy girl, we can take a break until after dinner, right?” Kyle asked after Peter left. His shoulders drooped, like he was really tired. “I’m starving.”
    â€œOkay,” I said, more than happy to rest. Remembering how I’d almost dropped Dad’s camera earlier, I asked, “Is there a safe place I can hide my camera for the night? I don’t want to mess it up.”
    â€œThere’s the hiding places,” Button suggested as he joined the others.
    â€œYou can put it in mine!” Kyle said, flying down a few branches. Then he grasped a knob in the trunk firmly, twisted, and pulled. A big chunk of bark swung on hinges, revealing a locker space behind it.
    â€œWow,” I said, passing the camera to Kyle. It was a bit shadowy inside the hiding place, and hard to see, but a very worn teddy bear peeked out.
    Kyle placed my dad’s camera inside with exaggerated care. “We all have one. Button made them.”
    I was starting to realize that Button made almost everything around the Tree Home.
    But I didn’t realize how tired I was until I sat down with the Lost Boys among the lower branches. Or maybe I was just really ready for dinner. I hadn’t eaten anything since pizza the night before.
    My stomach growled, so loudly that all the Lost Boys turned to stare.
    â€œI’m hungry too,” said Kyle with a huge sigh. “Too bad this isn’t a food tree.”
    I glanced at the branch above us, looking for apples or oranges or lemons I might have missed among the leaves. “I don’t see any fruit.”
    â€œA food tree ,” said Dibs, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Suddenly, he reminded me a lot of Peter. “Don’t you know the difference?”
    â€œOf course she doesn’t,” Kyle said, scowling at Dibs. “Neverland is the only place that has food trees.”
    â€œWe have fruit trees,” I said, thinking that they just weren’t saying the name right. “Is that what you mean?”
    â€œNo,” said Button, Prank, Kyle, and Dibs together.
    â€œFood trees are special,” said Button. “Neverland didn’t always have them, but once, a Wendy girl brought a huge basket of food to Neverland to share with us Lost Boys. We had a picnic.”
    â€œAfter we finished eating, there was a lot left over. We started a food fight. It was my idea,” Prank added proudly.
    â€œThe Wendy girl got mad—like a real mother would,” Dibs said. “She lectured us. She said, ‘Your mother has worked hard to prepare that meal for you. Food doesn’t grow on trees, you know.’”
    I wrinkled my nose. I’d heard that before. Grandma Delaney said it all the time. Was she the Wendy girl they meant?
    â€œBut Peter said, ‘Says