Author's Note: A failed Redscape applicant. I felt she deserved her own story.

Chapter 1

Rihana had always prided herself on her gift to read creatures. Even as she touted her wares – "The freshest salted pork on this side of the sea!" – she scanned the market for troublesome beasts. The shrieking of a dissatisfied noble stoat soon reached her ears, and she grinned as the rival shop owner held out his paws and shook his head in response to her tirade.

"Oysters! Oysters! You shan't find anywhere else! The flightless chicken for just four coppers! You want it, I got it," she called, her higher voice carrying over the low hum of male growls.

"Shouldn' ye be at home taking care o' the kits?"

Rihana fastened her brown eyes on him and was pleased when he wilted under the intensity. "And let you miss out on these great prices? Not on your life, sir!" A quick flash of her canines in a rapacious smile sent him scurrying into the crowd.

"There all sorts t'aint there, miss Rihana?

"Always, Rinault. The usual then?"

"Aye, pretty lady. Put in a couple o' those oysters while yer at it," Rinault was an older weasel who appeared not to have a single part of his body free from battle wounds. One even sliced across his face, shutting an eye forever. As he counted out change with a chipped claw, she carefully wrapped his package.

"Only seven coppers this time. Special 2-fer-1 on the oysters for my most loyal customer!"

"Oh, ye don't have ta do that, miss. I wanna keep me favorite stall in business."

"Please, Rinault. It's on me." She fluttered her eyes and gave him a much kinder smile than the rat.

"Ye drive a hard bargain, miss. Thankee, Rihana."

"Certainly, Rinault," she replied and when he had vanished into the crowd, she shook her head in amusement. He would be back before sun down for more of those oysters if she could read him at all. Such was life on the island city of Scylist.

The pine marten carefully straighted out her low cut tunic and smoothed her auburn fur down on her head, while she waited for more regulars to make their weekly rounds. Just as she took a handkerchef to dab her nose – which was irritated by the salt in the air – she saw them. The fox had fur so vibrant and healthy she would've thought him among the nobles that lived on the hill. It was the swagger, the sword at his belt, and the weasel lackey tailing him that almost caused a low groan to escape her.

The scoundrels have come into port, she thought and did her best to simply go about her business, hoping she might blend with the crowd. As she called to the crowd again, sweeping her gaze back and forth over it she happened to lock eyes with the fox and her stomach clenched. Oh hellgates!

She pretended she hadn't noticed them, but all too soon the fox was towering over her with a disgusting leer near splitting his face.

"Yew call this good?" A ragged fox snatched up an egg from a crate in the front. Behind him, a weasel sniggered.

"Most certainly, sir," Rihana said. She continued to smile genially and her hazel eyes fluttered at him in sweet innocence, but behind the stall her paw flexed into a fist as she seethed inwardly. "I shan't accept nothing but the best in my shop!"

"There's a crack in it!" The fox split the outside with a claw. He leaned in toward her with a rapacious grin and—curse her hide!—she flinched. Wrinkling her nose and recoiling from the beast's foul breath.

You fool, she berated herself, now he'll walk all over you! Her eyes lost their warmth as she watched the fox's grin grow as he messily snapped down on it, eating eggshell and all. Bits of egg and yolk flecked her face which she wiped off with a dainty swipe of her paw, but rage boiled beneath the surface. "Sir, you're going to have to pay for that." The smile was gone and a hard, fearless expression now directed all of her fierce energy straight into the fox's eyes.

The fox merely snorted and popped in another egg to eat. The third one he plucked from its carton, he tossed at Rihana, striking her on the bridge of her snout. One paw reached for her snout, but her other reached for the curved dagger in her belt.

"What is all this commotion here?"

Rihana hastily slipped her dagger back into its sheath. A black-pawed ferret guard had stolen up on the scene and now stood between them, spear in paw. A second ferret lingered nearby, watching carefully.

She swallowed nervously, and tried to sound casual. "Nothing, sir, this fox was just going to pay me ten coppers for the eggs he just ate," she replied, picking the mess of eggshell and yolk that had broken at her paws and holding it aloft for the guard to see.

"That's a lie!" The fox quickly grabbed the hapless weasel who was sidling away and shoved him towards the guards. "It was him that ate the eggs! Not me!"

"N-no, sirs, I didn' do it. I swears."

"Ten coppers is steep for even three eggs," the guard said, ignoring the weasel and looking down at the crushed egg in disgust.

"He threw it at me," she replied stiffly, flicking her eyes over to the fox. He bared his teeth in a hideous expression and she struggled not to smirk back at him.

The senior ferret deliberated for a moment, and then he nodded and gestured with his spear at the fox and said. "Well, pay up! We will not tolerate any attempts to swindle our good citizens of their due profit."

Victory! Rihana wanted to howl with laughter, but instead she shot a nasty grin at her opponent when the ferret looked away.

The fox dug through a pouch at his side and bad-temperedly slapped ten coins down onto her counter. "We ain't finished here, marten. Yer goin' to regret this," he muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

Beneath her false bravado, Rihana felt her stomach drop into her paws and she was certain her skin had paled under her fur, but she stood her ground, glaring balefully back at him.

After a few long moments the fox nudged his companion and turned away, and as they disappeared Rihana slumped onto the counter of her store. Stupid, bloody beasts. There seems to be no end to them. It made her job easier, but it also took the joy out of living. There was no feeling more gratifying than when she successfully maneuvered through the dangerous waters of persuasion, to leech creatures out of every penny in their pocket.

I wish I could leave this hellish rock. Rihana peered longingly out toward the ocean resided, even as she felt the dark stirrings of fear in her heart and felt her fur stand on end. The money for passage was not the only reason that stood in her way. The water seemed so peaceful and calm, sloshing and gently lapping the shore, but she knew the ocean as a patient beast. It waited for any creature foolish enough to attempt to master its ebbs and tides, before it mercilessly tore apart their vessels.

Among the pirates were occasional merchants and captains who often toured the seas and it was a local pastime to hear their stories of the land beyond. More than one had spoken of a creature, a great beast that overstretched their vessels, which had a tendency to render ships apart during the squalls that beat on their doors. It chilled Rihana to the bone, imagining all those poor sailors – and even pirates! – who met their fate to that horrible beast.

Rinault scoffed at such talk. "Jus' superstition, miss. Don' ya worry yore pretty head over those bedtime stories."

Despite his words, Rihana could not quell the expectation or the fear whenever she looked out at the deep blue.

She had been born on this rock and it seemed she was going to die there as well. Her heart stuttered at the thought and she determinedly drew herself up. No! I must master my fears, because I shan't be kept here forever!