Storm at Sea
By Katie Sullivan (a.k.a. Snowfur, aka KatieScarlet)
[Set some time before Pearls of Lutra. And yes, I know Romsca wasn't a Captain then...oops!]
It was just after sunset. Increasingly high waves battered
the Waveworm and the wind had risen to an eerie whine. The ship's sails flapped and
billowed in the gale, and sea spray filled the air, soaking everything on deck.
Romsca hurried on deck, weaving with practiced ease to stay upright on the swaying
deck. "What's going on?" she shouted above the wind to the searat at the
helm.
The rat struggled to keep the ship on course. "We've
sailed into a whalloper of a storm, Cap'n!" he yelled, his sinewy arms straining at
the wheel.
"I can see that, addle-brain!" Romsca shouted
back. "Why didn't you sail around it?"
"It came up in an awful hurry, Cap'n. There wasn't
time," the helmsrat replied.
Another searat came running across the deck, stumbling as the
deck moved beneath his paws. He was a young rat, and this was his first long sea
voyage. His greenish eyes were tinged with fear. "Cap'n!" he said
desperately, his voice a high squeak of terror.
"What now?" Romsca asked grouchily, turning to the
trembling rat.
"Cap'n, we're taking on water!" he squeaked, wringing
his paws in worry.
"Show me," Romsca said quickly, rushing after the rat
as he headed below decks.
They jogged down the stairs into the lowest level of the ship.
Heavy barrels full of seaweed grog and water lined the walls. A flickering
lantern hung from the ceiling. It swayed along with the ship, casting moving,
grotesque shadows against the timbers. "See, Cap'n," said the young rat,
his whiskers trembling with fright. He pointed a shaky claw at the brackish water
that lay on the floor.
Romsca blinked in astonishment at the rat's stupidity.
Searching his leader's face for emotion, the rat said timidly,
"It's bad, isn't it, Cap'n? We're all gonna die, ain't we?"
Romsca bonked the young rat playfully on the head and lowered
herself into a sitting position on the stairs. "Thintail, sit down."
"Yes, Cap'n," said the rat, instantly obeying. He
looked like his knees were about to give out on him, anyway.
"Thintail, that's bilgewater."
"What's that?" he asked dumbly.
"Bilgewater is...just bilgewater. It's supposed to be
there. I've never been in a ship that doesn't have it."
"Really, Cap'n?"
"Really, Thintail."
"You're not just saying that to make me feel better about
drownin' and all, are you, Cap'n?"
"No, Thintail."
"Gosh. Thanks, Cap'n. I sure was worried.
I didn't want to drown on my first voyage." Thintail wiped perspiration from
his brow with a still shaky paw. A look of new terror crossed his young face.
"You ain't gonna tell anyone about this, are yer, Cap'n?" he asked falteringly.
"It can be our little secret, Thintail," Romsca said,
stifling a laugh at the quivering, inexperienced searat.
"Thanks, Cap'n. Thanks a million. Yer a real
matey."
Romsca smiled a rare smile. "If you don't mention it,
I won't mention your mistake." No need to let the crew think she was going
soft, she reasoned.
"Sure thing, Cap'n. You can count on me, Cap'n!"
Thintail gave an awkward but heartfelt salute.
"Now get on with yer. There's work to be done."
"Yes, Cap'n!" Thintail said eagerly, scrambling to his
feet and dashing up the swaying staircase to the deck.
Shaking her head with reluctant fondness, Romsca returned to the
surface. There was a ship to be battened down, and they were still two days out from
Sampetra.
