"Fievel! Fievel, come back here!"
"I'm getting my hat Papa!" The younger mouse shouted back, jumping up the large steps to the upper deck of the rocking ship, where the wind had 'stolen' his hat.
"Fievel no! Get back here this instant!" Papa shouted, trying to climb up after him. During all this, Tanya had wandered over to them. She sighed, exasperated at her brother's antics, and leapt up the steps with ease.
"I'll get him Papa." She called as she passed the older mouse.
"What!? Tanya! Stop!" She didn't hear him, continuing up towards her brother, who had reclaimed his hat and was gaping at the chaos of the storm.
"Come on Fievel!" She demanded, grabbing his sleeve. "You know better than to run off like that!"
"Aaw come on!" Fievel whined. Suddely, the ship jerked, and gravity took over, sending the two siblings tumbling into the flooded deck. They both screamed, Tanya grabbed onto a stray rope, her other arm wrapped around Fievel's waist.
"Kids!" Papa was above them, holding out his hand. "Here! Grab on!" Fievel, who was closer, reached out his hand. After a tense moment, Papa managed to grab Fievel's sleeve. Tanya mentally sighed in relief... Until the sound of tearing fabric made her heart sink. Fievel's sleeve gave way, and the two mice children were sent back and forth by the boat's rocking, until a massive wave slammed into the boat, sending Fievel and Tanya overboard, and into the endless abyss of water below...
XXXXX
"Tanya? Tanya, wake up." Fievel's voice tore through the abyss of sleep plaguing Tanya's mind... Though just barely.
"Mgh..." She batted him away, only for him to start shaking harder.
"Wake up Tanya!"
"Five more minutes." Tanya whined, rolling over...
She got a face full of seawater. She sat up, spitting the salty water out. She looked around her surroundings, which was easier said than done, as the bottle they were in obscured their view of the outside world. Everything came to her... They were thrown overboard... Away from their parents and sister.
"Tanya, I'm scared." Fievel whined.
"Me too, but don't worry Fievel, everything will be okay." She pulled him closer, trying to consol him. They were nearly knocked over as a stray wave pushed the bottle onto what appeared to be solid ground. They heard a flutter of wings, and something landed next to the bottle.
"Ah ha! Look at this! They are coming here in bottles now?" Fievel sneezed, rocketing up into the neck of the bottle, which he proceeded to crawl out of. "Children, where is your Mama? Your Papa?"
"I don't know." Fievel answered as Tanya helped push him out of the bottle.
"They were on the boat to America." Tanya finished, crawling after her brother.
"America? Well, you children are in luck! This is America!" The animal, who Tanya and Fievel now saw was a pidgeon with a French accent, exclaimed.
"It is!? Tanya! We made it to America!" Fievel happily exclaimed.
"But we don't know where Mama and Papa and Yasha are." Fievel's face fell.
"B-but we can find them! America doesn't look that big!"
"I apologize little one." The pidgeon cut in. "This is but a small island that is a part of America. It is much bigger than you realize." Fievel's head dropped, distraught. Tanya wrapped an arm around him. "But worry not children, I'll help in whatever way a can. But first, we should get you cleaned up! All that sea water cannot be good for you, no?" He turned, spreading his wings. "Come! Climb on, I will take you to my home."
"Our parents told us not to trust strangers." Tanya responded.
"And your parents were right to do so! But you should know that not all strangers have bad intentions."
"He seems nice Tanya." Fievel spoke up. Tanya crossed her arms.
"Perhaps I should introduce myself. My name is Henri. You?"
"I'm Fievel, and this my sister Tanya!"
"Very nice to meet both of you!" The pidgeon bowed. "I will help the two of you find your parents, I only ask that you trust me." Tanya sighed.
"If you try anything, you'll regret it." With that said, she helped Fievel crawl up onto Henri's back.