The rest of the boys spread out- for what reason, Joris had no idea. (Neither did Jamie, by the looks of it, so he did not feel particularly too bad about not knowing.)

Joris just held the odd bat they had given him, carefully watching one of the other boys everyone else seemed to be focused on. The boy marched past Joris, and then turned around and started running back towards him, whirling one of his arms to wind up for a hit-

With a frown and without much further thought, Joris stuck up an arm to block the blow-

But it never came. Instead the other boy just tossed the heavy red ball he had been holding straight at Jamie.