I found this in storage a few days ago and decided I should put it on . It's not the best, I was about 10 when I wrote it. Just fixed some mistakes in it.

COPYRIGHT: This belongs to Brian Jacques! I am simply just moving the pieces!

Zicura Staltavius was a young, female fox. She had a cotton soft coat that was dark red, and a bushy tail that was black. Zicura was the captain of the boat Loyalmist. She was looking at papers when a gray searat named Darkblood walked into Zicura's cabin.

"We have been sailing for days, captain! The crew needs to know where to go!"

She looked at Darkblood. "'Tis none of your business. I will tell me crew when I feel like it. Got it?"

Darkblood studied her face and knew it was yes or die. He nodded. Zicura thought for a second and smiled. She took out her map.

"On second thought, since you are being so well in your service, I'll show you." Her smile widened. "Just say you want to know."

Darkblood was curious and didn't realize she was up to something. "I wish to know captain, but only if you insist."

Zicura's smiled more wide than before. She started to unroll the map. Then she swiftly took her sword from her table and ran Darkblood through. "I was hoping you would say that."

Darkblood took a deep breath. Zicura could see blood dripping out of his mouth. He took his last deep breath. "You'll regret this!"

Zicura sniggered. "How can I? You're dead now!" She pulled the sword out of Darkblood's corpse. "Halfjaw! Come here at this moment!"

Halfjaw ran in stumbling up the stairs. "What 'tis it, captain?" His eyes trailed off and saw the corpse of Darkblood. He pretended he didn't see. "What do you need?"

"Get your stupid brother out of here! Throw him out of this boat!"

Halfjaw picked up the corpse of Darkblood and gave Zicura a dark look. Then he headed up the door as quickly as possible, fearing he would end up like his brother. Zicura knew that she was feared by everyone in the crew, but she was surprised that no one has challenged her yet. But the way Halfjaw looked at her, she had felt strange, scared in fact. Scared for the second time in her life. A flashback went to when she was only a young lad...

"Zicura sweetie! Help me and Papa collect some herbs!"

Zicura made a face. "Yes Mama, but do I have to?"

Her mother eyed her. "Zicura! Of course you have to!"

She looked at her mother and stood up. "Fine. Just let me get me herb pouch and dagger."

Zicura's father came in and spoke up. "No dagger for you young fox! You're still too young! Maybe next season."

Zicura felt mad. "I'm not too young! You need to stop treating me like a baby! Now, I'm getting me dagger if you like it or not!"

Her father's face tightened. "Not on me watch, you won't! You are still too young whether you like it or not!"

Zicura felt much madder than before. "I can prove I'm not a baby! I'm going, and I'll see you in a couple of days. If I'm still alive, which trust me I will be, that will prove I'm not a baby! I'll be going now with me dagger! I hate you!"

"Zicura!" Her parents yelled for her, but she was already gone.

Zicura left weeping. She had her dagger at her side. "They'll be sorry when I come back alive. That will definitely prove I'm worthier than picking herbs and cleaning clothes!" She tried to reasure herself that everything was going to be alright when she heard a scream. She just knew that was her mother, she felt it. She ran back to her cottage as fast as she could, screaming 'Mama! Papa!.' She reached her cottage, which was on fire, and saw her parents laying on the ground, dead. "Whoever did this will pay!"

Zicura wiped away her tears. Ever since, she had no parents. She had to take care of herself. She stole a ship from a helpless otter, got a crew, and became a captain. That memory never left her, no matter what. She had always wish she never said she hated her parents, that was her last words to them. Zicura wept more. Halfjaw passed her cabin.

"Why are you crying?" Then he sniggered. "'Tis it because you've realized you have killed the best guy in your crew?"

Zicura answered by throwing her dagger at him. The dagger hit Halfjaw right between his eyes, killing him instantly. She smiled. "That should take care of my problem for now." She headed out the door. "I must go find Yanvis."

Yanvis was a very young fox, about in her teens, and looked very similar to Zicura, except her red coat was a bit brighter and her tail had a white tip at the end. Zicura adopted her after finding her in the middle of a shipwreck. Zicura took her in, knowing what it felt like to have parents lost, and took care of her as if she were her own. Yanvis turned into a very pretty fox, but deadly. She was the second best swordsbeast, after Zicura herself, in the crew. Yanvis was shapening her blade when Zicura came to her.

"My dear Yanvis, why are you sharpening your blade? I'm not going to kill you."

Yanvis put her sword down and stood up. "No. I'm sharpening me blade so I won't have to when we reach land. Ambush might possibly happen the minute we step off the boat, so I need to be ready."

"Smart fox." Zicura grinned. "But that won't be for a while, though. We will be sailing at least five days, at the rate we're going. Supposing we survive the rapids."

"Rapids?" Yanvis decided it was not a good idea to ask, so she went on. "But why? No beast in the crew but you knows where we're going! The crew needs to know!"

Zicura sniggered. "Funny, that's exactly what Darkblood said before I slayed him. And me crew doesn't need to know. At least quite yet."

"Just tell me where we are going. I'll tell no beast!"

"I am going to tell you, at least before the crew knows. But later. I came here for a different reason."

"If you want me to kill Halfjaw, I'll do it!"

Zicura eyed Yanvis. "Kill Halfjaw? I already took care of that. I need you to start mischief on and about the crew."

Yanvis raised an eyebrow. "What type of mischief?"

"Spreading rumors that they are plotting to kill each other and stuff."

"Why? You'll waste a perfectly good crew!"

Zicura smiled. "It won't kill them all. It'll just kill the weak and unworthy ones that are traitors."

"Alright, I'll do it, as long as I don't get into all the fighting."

"You'll just cause it, not join it." Zicura pulled out her map. "And, before you do so, let me show you where we're going."

Yanvis smiled. "Okay, as long as you don't slay me."

Zicura unrolled and layed the map on the ground. "We're going to attack Noonvale!"