Chapter 4 Foretold Dangers

Romsca woke on her own the next morning, later than Conva would have awoken her. She looked around a moment, noticing the sun was streaming through the cabin's window and her father's maps were not on his table.

The ferret scrambled out of her hammock, buckling on her belt, hatchet, and the few long knives she owned. She pushed open the cabin door, stepping out into the morning, relaxing as she saw her father and uncle discussing the maps on deck.

Xzaris walked up. "There ya are, sleepyhead. Guess what .. yer uncle's already discussin' battle plans."

"Where are we headed anyway? I mean .. I know, the western coast of Mossflower. But what are we up against?" Romsca asked, in case Xzaris had picked up more information .. something he was often good at.

He did not disappoint. "That's the cool .. and kinda creepy .. thing. We don't really even know. There are stories 'bout ghosts .. monsters .. dragons. And still some say it's just a bunch a woodlanders .. otters or somethin'. But pirates try ta avoid that shore, cause a the disappearin' ship a yer grandfather's."

Xzaris gestured to Conva and Barranca. "I was listenin' ta them."

Romsca nodded, before taking a step forward in hopes of hearing some herself. However, her father's first mate, Rafglan, stopped her. "Hoi, where do ya think yer off ta? Why are ya two standin' round? Go swab the forecastle, get to it!"

Romsca scowled, before following Xzaris. "It's not fair we don't get ta hear anything."

"Yer a cabin boy, ain't ya?" Xzaris shrugged.

Romsca snickered. "Not really."

"Ya know what I mean." The ferret smirked. "Cleanin' the ship is our job."

Romsca grabbed the mop and a bucket from where they'd been left, near the mainmast. "Yea, fer now. But someday, I'll be the captain a this ship. Dad says so."

Xzaris looked down, momentarily. "Yer lucky ya know. I'll be lucky ta ever get a ship, and you've got a dad who'll just give ya his."

Romsca didn't say anything, because she really couldn't. Xzaris got to scrubbing the floor, and Romsca slowly followed suit, thinking about what her friend had said.

Maybe she did take the good things about her life for granted too often.

=Next=

"Nope, you've got to hold your breath longer. Try again."

"But Marine .." Grath panted heavily, sitting in the water. "I .. just can't!"

Her brother shook his head. "You've got the wrong mindset. You're giving up too fast .. tell me, what are you doing under there?"

"Counting." Grath shrugged. "What else?"

Marine chuckled. "Well of course you're having trouble, you're trying too hard. Here, come with me, I'll show you."

He jumped in the water, stating, "Now an otter's naturally made to swim for long periods of time. You just need to relax .. let that natural part of you come out. Even Coral can do it."

"Coral?" Grath was surprised.

"Oh yes." Marine nodded. "When she was eleven seasons like you, she was zipping around the Moss like nobody's business. Nowadays, she's decided that helping to heal the sick and learning about plants is more interesting. And that's just fine. But don't you think our sister can't swim."

Marine ducked under, swimming to the far side of the water hole. "Now, you get underwater and swim over to me without coming up. Don't focus so much on what you're doing, but try and see if you can spot any fish or pretty rocks on the bottom. Alright, go!"

Grath took a deep breath, obeying her older brother. She ducked underwater, swimming toward where she could dimly see the bottom half of Marine, but looking about for the things he'd told her to look for.

There were many things about this water hole she'd never noticed, even though she'd been swimming in it all morning. Sparkling marble-like pebbles decorated the grayish silt, and she could see a silvery fish dart here and there.

All of a sudden, she bumped into something solid and furry. Two paws lifted her out of the water a bit, and she grinned. "I did it! It wasn't that hard!"

"It isn't." Marine was grinning at his pupil's success, when there was a scuffing from the nearby, slightly overhanging bank.

The next second, there was a flash of rich brown fur, and a splash as a positive wave of water crashed over Grath and Marine.

Aqua popped up the next second, panting, "So, am I late?"

"Yea." Marine smirked. "We've been at this a couple hours."

"Aww .." Aqua huffed. "Sorry. Can I help?"

Marine nodded. "We're doing diving next. And as you just demonstrated, that's your specialty."

=Next=

On the Waveworm, days slipped by in a sort of routine. The Monitors had a way of plaguing Romsca's dreams as well as her days .. but they never did more than growl after the first time they had confronted her. In fact, they mostly stayed out of the crew's way.

The ferret awoke on the morning of the sixth day since leaving Sampetra, slipping out of the cabin to see Conva at the rail, staring out upon a pinkish dawn.

She was becoming more used to waking up when she was supposed to, Conva didn't have to remind her so much. As she walked over to him, and he muttered, "Red dawn .."

"What?" Romsca asked.

Conva seemed to notice her just then. "Ah, me girl."

Romsca persisted. "What about a red dawn?"

"It's not a good sign at sea." Conva stated. "We'll see, but we could be in for it."

"Storms." Romsca knew. She'd heard her father tell stories of voyages enough to know what he meant now.

"Aye." Her father shook his head. "I want you and Xzaris to make sure all the ropes about here are untangled. We may be needing them."

Romsca wasn't excited about messing with the ropes, but she knew enough not to complain. "Yea, I will."

The ferret hurried down the forecastle steps to the main deck, calling, "Xzaris!"

A weasel glared at her from where he was checking the mainsail's rigging. "Yer little friend's with that ol' rat who pertends ta be our cook .. dumb beast. He'll poison us wif his awful vittles."

For some reason, Romsca felt resentment at how he spoke of Rubby. "Hey, leave Rubby out of it! I'd like ta see ya do better, so shut up."

The weasel glared coolly at her. "Yer one smart little wench, ain't ya? Wouldn't be so smart if I stuck ya wif me blade, would ya?"

Romsca snarled. "Don't ya call me a wench, scum! I'll stick ya first if ya try."

"Is that a challenge, wench?" The weasel smirked, swishing his thin saber though the air as he slowly stood.

"Flairnose, get back to yer duties. You touch one hair a me girl's head, and I'll turn you into ribbons, see?" Conva had walked up, a paw laid on his cutlass should he need to use it.

However Flairnose smirked rebelliously, turning away, back to the sail-mending he was seeing to. Conva put a paw around Romsca's shoulders, leading her out of earshot. "What were you thinking?"

"He called me a .." Romsca exclaimed indignantly.

"I know what he called you, I heard it all. I know what you called him, too." Conva's voice was stern, before he smiled gruffly. "I'm glad you'd stand up for Rubby, his cooking may be the worst this side of Southsward, but he's a true blue beast. That Flairnose however, you watch out for him, he's a bad one."

Conva shook his head. "Half this crew is seedy .. most of my regular beasts wouldn't come on this crazy mission. Keep away from all but Rubby and Rafglan, see? Especially those cousins, Flairnose and Graylunk. I've got my eyes on them .. don't trust them one bit."

=Next=

Grath had spent the last four days practicing with Aqua, Marine, and occasionally Lutran. She still couldn't hold her breath as long as Marine would have liked, and Aqua said her dive was still sloppy, but Grath felt like she'd improved quite a bit.

Now, as the noon sun reached the highest point in the sky, she had hiked to her hidden lagoon. In her own mind, the place was quickly becoming her own world.

As she sat down on a rock, she thought about the way she was acting. Maybe it wasn't right to keep this a secret. The pearls weren't hers .. they were her holt's .. but if the others knew, she'd never get a chance to find them.

It was strange .. she thought at first she wanted to bring them back and surprise everybeast .. and in a way, she still did.

However, there was more to it now. A sense of purpose .. that she didn't want to lose. It wasn't about what every one else thought .. it wasn't even really about finding the pearls. It was about some deeper search .. Grath couldn't even say what it was.

She climbed up the spot she'd fallen in on her first visit to the hollow, looking down into the deep, clear water. It was a little dizzying, and Grath shook her head. It was now or never .. she'd back out if she let herself.

The otter backed up a little, before running and leaping, diving for the water. There was the terrible feeling of free falling for a moment, before the shock of hitting the water came. Grath shot down, down into the depths of the pool, snapping her eyes open and swimming for the now nearby bottom. Her forepaws touched the silt as she looked around .. shafts of light danced on the gray, pebble covered floor. There were many blue tinted colors, but no sight of a pearlescent sheen.

Grath swam quickly toward the rocky wall, knowing she'd have to come up for air soon, but determined to look a little more.

Suddenly, lodged between several rocks, she saw it .. a gleam of white. The otter spun around, clamping her paws around the object .. in the same moment she heard it, a strange, wet swishing.

She lost a little air as she saw the monstrous pike, and she didn't wait for it to attack. Grath kicked off the floor, swimming desperately for the surface. She could almost feel the fish on her tail, biting for it .. the surface seemed so far away!

She was weakening .. she was almost out of air, and she couldn't keep going. She felt the many, needle sharp teeth close around her tail, trying to drag her back, and she couldn't get away. The otter kicked the pike in desperation, but the world of blues was turning into grays.

I was so stupid .. to think I could do this on my own ..

There was a splash, and somebeast grabbed her, dragging her toward the surface. Her head was out of water the next moment and she was gasping in air.

It wasn't long before she ways laying on dry ground again, and she coughed a little, before looking to her rescuer. "Lu .. Lutran?"

Her brother was holding his harpoon, and he panted, "What .. on earth .. were you doing? That's the first thing dad taught me about swimming .. never swim alone, and especially in water you aren't familiar with!"

Grath didn't like how experienced he was acting. "Ok, so I messed up! A beast can do that once."

"This could have been your last time." Lutran sighed. "You don't have to prove you're something you're not."

"How do you know what I am? I can learn to swim just as well as you .. you're only three seasons older than me. You can't tell me what to do."

Lutran paused, before nodding slowly. "You're right."

There was a moment of silence, before Grath sighed. "I'm sorry. You just saved my life, and I'm acting horrible."

"Yea." Lutran shrugged. "I'll forgive you though. Maybe I was sounding sort of bossy .. I'd do the same thing. I'm .. just not used to you acting like that, I guess."

He cocked his head. "What's that in your paws?"

Grath looked down at the thing she had a tight hold of, a sudden smile of triumph spreading across her face .. for despite her shave with death, she'd done it. In her palm and nearly a third the size of it, was a beautiful, slightly rose-tinted pearl. "I did it .. I found one!"

"What is it?" Lutran was confused. "I know it's a pearl of course .. but how is it here?"

"The pearls of Lutra .." Grath murmured. "Long ago, they were our Holt's finest treasure, but they were lost. I'm looking for them now .. and I found one. I found one!"

Lutran was impressed, despite himself. "Let me hold it!"

Grath paused, before she dropped the pearl into her brother's paw. He felt it awhile, before stating, "Well, I'm glad I followed you, for more than one reason. Should we tell the others what happened?"

"No!" Grath exclaimed.

"Aww come on! It'll be exciting .. dad won't be upset about the pike, he'll probably help train you even better." Lutran pleaded.

Grath shook her head. "It's not about the pike .. I just want to find them myself. I've never gotten to do something for myself, and .. I want to do it now. Please don't tell anyone!"

"What about your tail?"

Grath looked at her tail to see it was scratched and bleeding a little. "I'll .. say I got it caught in brambles. Please Lutran!"

Her brother thought a moment, before nodding. "Alright .. on one condition."

"What?" Grath asked.

Lutran's eyes twinkled. "If you let me share the adventure."

Grath thought for a moment .. having Lutran help was better than having the whole holt know ... and maybe she did need help with that pike. She nodded at length. "Alright .. Come on. Let's take this to Waterlily!"

Lutran shook his head. "Hey .. if you're up to it, can we look some more? Pike are territorial .. if we stay away from that wall, it probably won't hurt us."

"What if there are more?" Grath was dubious after what had happened.

Lutran twirled his harpoon. "I do have this .. if you let me, I'll make one for you."

Grath paused, before the spirit of adventure seized her. "Well .. let's try it!"

=Next=

For Rasconza, days weren't as slow as he'd thought they'd be .. not now that Val was around. He'd never have imagined he would grow to anticipate her visit's with the hope she would come, but in just a few days, he had.

While she wasn't Romsca or Xzaris .. she helped fill the loneliness they'd been forced to leave him with. It seemed like forever since they'd gone, even if it was only about a week. He wished they'd return .. he could take Val to meet them, and they could all have fun together .. just like it had always been.

But Rasconza knew deep down, that things would never be the same again. He didn't want to think about it, but he was old enough to know the world had changed .. and would keep changing.

Every day now, he saw Monitors or ratguards march past his home. Kastaa didn't want him to play alone in the streets anymore, for fear of the creatures hurting him.

Rasconza still found it amazing Ublaz had turned Sagitar and her ratguards to him with hardly a fight .. but he had.

Sampetra didn't feel so much like home anymore .. it was beginning to feel more and more like a prison. Rasconza worried a little about Val coming because of the Monitors, and deep down, he wondered how long she'd be able to.

Just last night, Kastaa had come storming in, growling about how Ublaz had decided to increase the quota of what the sea captains brought back by a fourth, and seize a fourth of their property each time they couldn't pay.

Many times in the night, Rasconza heard the soft swishing sound of a Monitor walking along the street below his window.

Many times in the day, he heard the sound of ratguards heading down to the bay or back from it .. with the marching of boots and the clopping of horse hooves.

The world was frightening and unstable.

Today, Rasconza would finally get to see more than just bits and pieces out of the window .. today Kastaa has decided to take him along while he met one of his closest affiliates, a tavern owner.

"After all," Kastaa had said, "You're almost an adult, you need to know what's really going on .. and sometimes I don't like to leave you at home with nobeast but the servants."

Rasconza buckled on his favorite long knife and its sheath, in addition to several throwing daggers as he thought on these things.

His door opened, and Kastaa looked in. "It's time to go. I'll get you something to eat there."

"What about Val?" Rasconza asked.

"The servants will tell her why we aren't here." Kastaa shrugged. "Come on, the horses are saddled."

Rasconza followed his father out to where his bay and Kastaa's dappled gray were waiting, stomping a hoof now and then. The young dog fox swung up into his saddle, as did Kastaa, and the older fox turned his mount to the outer courtyard doors.

The stoat bowed, after he had opened the gate. "Safety be with you, master."

Kastaa nodded. "Thank you. If the young lady comes, tell her Rasconza cannot see her today, he has work to do. Tell her she may return tomorrow if she wishes."

Rasconza felt a little guilty he would not be able to tell Val why he couldn't be there, but the curiosity about what might happen today pushed the thought to the back of his head. Kastaa trotted his powerful gray ahead of his son's mount, as they made their way down to the harbor.

Rasconza expected to see everything he'd always seen, ships in the harbor, the bartering in market places, ragged children playing in the streets.

But the streets were shockingly quiet. There were still ships in the harbor, there were still buyers and sellers in the markets. But they did not stop to greet one another hardly at all .. beasts went about their business quickly and almost .. fearfully.

As for the children who would steal from shops and scuffle in the streets .. they were absent.

Monitors and Ratguards seemed to be everywhere, and the gray of the cloudy sky seemed to mirror what it saw on land. Rasconza's horse had come up beside Kastaa's without him realizing, for he had been focused on what was happening.

"You see this? This is only the beginning of Ublaz's handiwork. It will become far worse." Kastaa's voice was low, near his ear, before the dog fox rode on.

Rasconza paused a moment, before riding after his father. They stopped at one of the better taverns, sitting very near the docks, and Kastaa dismounted, tying his horse to a hitching post.

Rasconza did the same, following his father into the tavern. Here, things seemed more normal .. though there was still an air of foreboding.

Kastaa walked to the counter as his son looked around. Two old ship rats sat at a table, drinking some sort of grogg, a young barmaid cleaned several tables in a corner, and a greenish parrot sat on the rafters, watching the newcomers with its piercing stare.

"Ah, Kia, as I'd hoped."

"Kastaa, ya better have better news 'an last time."

Rasconza looked up in surprise .. this was his father's accomplice? The beast was a slight, female ferret, dressed in scarlet and black. She had a tray in one paw, grayish brown fur, and penetrating blue eyes .. eyes just like Xzaris's.

This was Xzaris's mother?

"Well, what good news can I give you? You know the effect Ublaz has on us." Kastaa replied.

Kia scowled. "Aye, next he'll be taxin' all places a business a fourth more'n what it was .. I can't pay it I tell ya!"

Kastaa nodded. "All the more reason for you to join me. Have you been spreading discontent among your patrons?"

"Plenty a it. Without that little brat in me fur, I can worry about what really matters." Kia always seemed to be scowling.

"How a mother could send her son to his death, I'll never know." Kastaa looked a little disgusted.

Kia crossed her arms. "My son, my problem. Yer just here fer business. Now let's get to the point. How long will we wait? We wait too long, an' Sampetra'll succumb ta what's happenin' .. she'll lose 'er strength ta fight this."

"Sampetra will never lose it's strength, Kia. We are too proud a people for that." Kastaa stated, sternly.

Rasconza was not listening so much anymore .. his mind was focused more on what his father had said about Kia sending Xzaris to his death.

His death? How dangerous could getting six magic pearls be?

"We may be proud an' a risin' power, but I see the fear in the eyes a me fellow beasts. Those lizards are what'll do us in .. fer alla our history we've fought ta keep those vile things outside our walls. That's why we built the walls! An' now this scum kills our empress, who was about to lead an attack on Southsward ta expand our influence, an more'n that, he brings our age-long enemies with him!" Kia's scowl deepened. "The time is now Kastaa. He has the throne, he'll break us if 'e can .. we must fight!"

Kastaa shook his head. "Without plans, armies, weapons, and horses, we will be nothing more then a feast for the very creatures we hate and fear so much."

"How long will we wait?" Kia snarled. "Just the other night, one a me best barmaids left ta buy some new bangles with her pay .. she hasn't come back. I've the feeling she ain't ever comin' back .. some lizard had a nice midnight snack. If we don't do somethin' fast, we'll vanish one by one."

"I am working on these problems, Kia. You just keep the people stirred up. That's all I ask."

Kastaa laid his paw on the counter. "But we will attack. And it will be soon."

=Next=

"Furl the sails! Batten the hatches and keep her course steady!"

Conva's orders sent the crew scurrying about with a steady undercurrent of urgency. The day had grown darker, as hour by hour more clouds filled the western horizon. Romsca and Xzaris had untangled every rope they could find that was in need of it. Now they stood at the main deck's railing, watching the storm move in.

"Who knows how long this one'll last." Xzaris sounded gloomy.

Romsca shrugged .. Xzaris was one to pay close attention to weather. Back on Sampetra, he'd always been able to guess how long a storm would last. This naturally led her to question him. "How long'll we be in it?"

Xzaris thought a moment, before stating, "A couple days. At least it'll drive us east .. an' that's where we want ta go."

"That's good then." Romsca was feeling a little better.

Xzaris shattered her hopes. "Not really .. it'll send us off course, a'most certain it will."

"Oh .. great." A ghastly thought came to Romsca. "The ship won't sink, will it?"

"I donno." Xzaris was not exactly helpful. "Maybe."

Romsca glared at him, but he was looking at the sky. "Feel how still it is?"

The ferret realized he was right .. there wasn't a breath of air, though the front of clouds was fast approaching.

"Here it comes." Xzaris spoke to himself.

Sure enough, what seemed just moments later, the first gust of wind and splatter of raindrops hit the Waveworm. It keened through the rigging, and the ship almost shuddered .. a few minutes later, the rain was sheeting down.

Rafglan ran past the two, yelling, "Get away from the rail .. yer too small ta be out 'ere. Get below wif Rubby, hop ta it!"

=Next=

Grath and Lutran found one more pearl that day, far from where the first had been .. in fact, almost halfway across the pool.

After hearing the story of how the pearls where lost, Lutran surmised an explanation .. far better than his sister at logical thought, as always.

"They must have been flung into the pool by accident .. whoever was carrying them was probably shot, fell into the lagoon, and time and currents have strewn the pearls all across it. The rapids where simply too sheer a slope for them to be washed into the river."

Grath made face as a sudden thought occurred to her. "You don't think we'll find a skeleton down there ... do you?"

"You know .. we might." Lutran wasn't comforting.

"Ukk .." Grath made a face. "I hope we don't."

The two had made their way back to the stretch of river the caves of Holt Lutra sat upon, and Grath hurried toward Waterlily's home. "Come on, we've got to show her!"

The young otter bolted in, calling, "Waterlily?"

The otterwife looked up from what she was writing, blinking owlishly through her glasses at the siblings. "Well now, what can I do for you two?"

Grath dug the pearls out of her satchel, holding them up in triumph. "I found them! Well .. two of them, anyway. And Lutran did help."

Waterlily slowly slid her paws under the shimmering orbs Grath was holding up. She felt them for a moment, before setting them in the young otter's paw again, and nodding. "I've got something for you, as well."

She picked the shell case off a nearby shelf, stating, "All the records say the case was lined in blue velvet. I didn't have any blue, I'm afraid. Still, it does look handsome, even if it came off one of my old cushions."

Waterlily lifted the lid, showing that the case was now lined in smooth, satiny red velvet. Seven little dips in a semi-circle were to hold the pearls, and Grath smiled. "Oh, they will look so pretty in it .. may I?"

"Of course. I figured you wouldn't let the treasure lie .. that's why I repaired the case." Waterlily was smiling.

Grath set the two pearls in the case, and Lutran blinked. "Wow .. they fit perfectly! How'd you do that, if you'd never seen them?"

Waterlily chuckled. "There are drawings in my old books. The strange thing is, every picture I can find has only six of the pearls in it, and every account speaks of six, not seven pearls. However, I will go by the verse on the shell itself, which says there are indeed seven."

Lutran scratched his head. "Huh .. that's weird."

"But where's the seventh pearl?" Grath was concerned.

"I'm afraid nobeast can answer you that. However, I will keep searching the records for a clue." Waterlily promised.

Grath looked at the two shimmering pearls sitting in their shell-case, and she promised herself then and there .. somehow, she would find the mysterious seventh one.

Lutran was speaking now. "So .. can we keep these here? Cause Grath doesn't want to tell anybeast until we find them all."

Waterlily smiled, closing the case and setting it on the shelf again. "I see no reason why not. They have been lost for so many seasons, a few weeks are nothing."

She turned back to her desk, muttering, "In fact .. maybe they are better off to stay lost."

Grath was surprised. "How can you say that?"

"I have my own reasons, young one." Waterlily explained. "We shall see."

=Next=

Waveworm was lurching up and down, up as it crested a wave, and down as it plunged into the immediate trough.

Romsca may not have been sick a few days before, but she was now. Xzaris seemed .. despite the way he'd been at first .. surprisingly fine. The two were sitting in the galley .. or at least, Xzaris was sitting.

Romsca was curled in a pitiful heap, trying to push away the feeling somebeast had punched her in the gut.

"I'm not going to ask if yer feelin' ok." Xzaris sounded genuinely sympathetic. "Cause ya ain't."

"No I ain't." Romsca realized her voice was a little sharp, but she was seriously pondering if she could keep her dinner down all night. She felt so wretched she wondered if doing so was even worth it.

Xzaris raised an eyebrow. "Need a bucket?"

Romsca closed her eyes a minute. "Maybe."

They were completely alone, even Rubby had gone on deck to help .. but he'd ordered they stay here. Xzaris had been a little disappointed .. Romsca was too sick to care.

There were sudden pawsteps on the stairs leading into the galley, and she opened her eyes a crack to see a dripping wet beast storm in. "What's this fool capt'n a ours thinkin' .. he should lay anchor an' wait it out!"

"Aye, but what's he do? He tries an' rides it out! Makes more work'n more danger fer everybeast!" The beast who answered was relatively the same size, and just as soaked.

Romsca and Xzaris exchanged a wary look, and didn't move from their place in the concealing shadows.

"Graylunk, why'd ya sign up fer this crazy mission? If this capt'n is willin' ta endanger 'is ship an' crew like this, what'll he do next?" The first weasel, Flairnose, snarled at his companion.

The other weasel defended himself. "Ya needed the money as much as me! It ain't like we alwus find a ship that'll take us on, after the mutiny ya led on the .."

Flairnose broke in. "Ya, ya, whatever. When I get through, we'll be rich, an' free'a Sampetra forever. We'll just steal whatever this fool gets through raidin', and take off. Look, what was we supposed ta git?"

"Rope, that was whut the rat said." Graylunk snapped.

Romsca looked down at what they were sitting upon .. the ropes. Xzaris flopped down, hissing in her ear, "Pertend ta be asleep."

With no other options, Romsca did as he said. There was scuffling nearby, and Graylunk's somewhat dull voice rang out. "Hoi, mate, lookee 'ere. We got company!"

"What? Don't let 'em tell the capt'n!"

"No, they're out cold .. see? Sleepin'." Graylunk proceeded to kick Xzaris to prove his point.

He did so a little roughly. Xzaris winced instantly, and Flairnose saw it. "He ain't sleepin' ya fool, he's been spyin' on us the whole time!"

The weasel grabbed the young ferret, shoving him heavily against the wall, and tightening his grip on Xzaris's throat. Romsca may have felt sick, but fear for her friend forced her to act. She pushed herself up on one paw, drawing her hatchet and swinging it with all the strength she could muster.

Flairnose screamed as the axe buried itself in his leg, near the joint. The weasel dropped his victim, clutching at the injury, and blood pooled to the floor through his paws. He suddenly lurched forward, grabbing Romsca instead. "You little devil, I'll send ya back ta Hellgates!"

Xzaris ran forward at that moment, shoving the end of his bamboo pole into the weasel's torso with all his might. Romsca felt herself be thrown to the floor, and almost choked as her already upset stomach refused to hold what she'd eaten down.

Graylunk grabbed her, sneering, "Not so smart now is ya?"

Romsca drew her knife, slicing into his arm to relieve the pressure on her throat. She collapsed to the ground as the weasel howled in pain and wetness splattered on her.

"Ya little son a Hellgates, you'll pay!"

Xzaris cried out in pain as there was the crack of wood, and Flairnose brought the ferret's own pole across his shoulders. Romsca tried to crawl forward, but Graylunk slammed his booted footpaw between her shoulder blades, pinning her to the ground so she could barely inhale.

Flairnose kicked Xzaris remorselessly against the wall, swinging the bamboo pole as he limped heavily toward Romsca, blood flowing from the wound in his leg. "I'll teach ya a lesson you'll never ferget, ya little devil!"

There was a sudden slamming of a door, and Graylunk's weight was ripped off. Romsca gasped in a breath as an arm wrapped gently around her shoulders. "The only devil that'll get taught a lesson Flairnose, is you. Put 'em in irons!"

Rafglan and several others ran forward, grabbing Flairnose and shoving him to the ground despite his struggles.

Conva pulled Romsca onto her paws, asking, "Are you alright?"

The young ferret nodded breathlessly, looking over to where Xzaris was staggering stiffly to his paws. Conva hugged his daughter, shaking her the next minute. "I thought I told you to stay away from those two!"

Romsca held her still pained stomach, shaking her head, though unable to speak.

Xzaris had stumbled to them, and he held his ribs, mumbling, "They came in lookin' fer rope .. they was talkin' 'bout stealin' whatever ya got by raidin', and takin' off inta Mossflower. Course we was sittin' on the rope .. we tried ta pertend ta be asleep, but he .."

The ferret slumped to the ground with a wince.

Conva let Romsca go, and she sat beside Xzaris, asking breathlessly, "Does it hurt?"

"What da ya think?" The ferret clamped his eyes shut, mumbling, "My side .."

Conva was glaring at the two troublemakers. "Mutiny, even plans for it, gets only one punishment on my ship .. ten lashes. Since you tried to kill two of me crew .. and one of them my daughter, let's say fifteen for Graylunk and twenty for Flairnose. The rest of this trip you'll be locked in the brig, and back on Sampetra, you'll be tried and executed. If you try anything, I might hold a couple executions myself, is that clear? Good. Take them away."