Sorry again for the wait. There was a bit of writer's block that I have now successfully broken through to give you this. Consider it a late Christmas present.
After dinner two more hammocks were strung up in the gun deck along with a few sheets which created a small, enclosed space. Within this was one of the hammocks and a heavy chest into which Judy's belongings had been transferred. Nathan had gladly helped Judy and Ben recover their things, and Judy sighed with relief when she secretly checked her gun case to find it present and untouched.
It was only when she settled down for sleep that she remembered she was still wearing Finnick's hat. She took it off and gazed at it, her mind running through the eventful day, and not entirely sure how to feel. She had finally achieved her dream, to be a member of a crew, and had done it in a way Jack would have chuckled heartily at. The only thing was that it was a pirate crew, the type of mammals she wanted to help bring to justice, and she was willingly helping them in exchange for money. Did this make her as bad as they were? She shook her head and placed the hat on top of her wooden chest beside her. She was only doing this to save her family, and then she would never dabble in piracy again. Besides, the crew didn't seem that bad themselves. Though she knew what Nathan was capable of, he was very pleasant with those he liked and respected. Flash, Bobby and Yax were a little odd, but friendly. Bucky and Pronk kept themselves to themselves, and Finnick and Honey had not uttered a single hostile word. They seemed less like bloodthirsty pirates and more like a band of merry drifters, which confused Judy since they fought and invaded the Cloverleaf in a typical pirate fashion.
The only one who seemed to fit the description was the captain. Cunning, greedy and with no qualms about killing either her or Ben if he needed to. She absent-mindedly brushed her left cheek as her thoughts dwelled on the fox. How many mammals had he killed? What had he done to win the loyalty of these generally good-natured mammals? Could she force herself to be careful around him, or would her pride get in the way? Sighing in frustration, she rolled over and closed her eyes. Tomorrow was another day. If only she could ignore the snoring.
Everyone was roused from their slumber the next morning by Honey banging two pots together. Several mammals tumbled out of their hammocks in shock, and poor Ben had to be pried from the ceiling. As the majority of the crew journeyed to the galley for breakfast, Honey presented Judy and Ben with simple shirts and breeches she had managed to rustle up. They would learn to be grateful for these, as they soon discovered that they had been assigned chores their dresses and itchy officer outfits would have been unsuitable for.
Their responsibilities included scrubbing the decks, cleaning the cannons, mending the sails, and anything else Bucky and Pronk were previously in charge of. Instead, the two antelopes had been 'promoted' to supervisors, who were more than happy to lean back and shout out criticisms. They very quickly became the bane of Judy and Ben's existence.
"Circular motions, bunny! Have you never cleaned a floor before?"
"That mop's not gonna carry itself, y'know."
"Put your back into it, Tubby! Or is your spine made out of fat, too?"
After one particularly nasty comment regarding Ben's weight nearly brought him to tears, Judy decided she had had enough. A few minutes later, two soaked antelopes burst in to the Captain's cabin raving about mad bunnies and demanding justice. By lunchtime they were stripped of their new titles and back to performing the grunge work, always on a separate deck from the rabbit and cheetah. The Captain would have reprimanded Judy if it weren't for the fact that her stunt had just made her even more popular with the rest of the crew, and even he had to admit the antelopes had it coming.
Over the next few days Judy and Ben settled themselves among the crew. Ben's apprehension still lingered, but his initial fear diminished greatly thanks to the pirates' surprising welcoming nature. Judy was very happy, taking great satisfaction from being a part of a ship out at sea on a daring quest, even if all she was doing was cleaning, and the crew made it clear that anyone who could show up Nick Wilde was more than alright in their book. She swore she saw Finnick give a proud smirk as she adjusted her hat.
She also had a role in the ship's navigation. Every afternoon she would meet the Captain in his cabin, occasionally joined by Honey or Finnick, and confirm if they were heading in the right direction. She deliberately kept most of the map's instructions to herself, as she reasoned if she were to translate everything in one go her usefulness would come to an end and she and Ben would be in danger. Her tiny nuggets of information tried the Captain's patience, but as he was bound by their deal, he instead took his frustration by irritating the rabbit whenever he could.
He would often comment on her small stature, 'accidently' trip her up when they passed each other in the corridors, and on more than one occasion her mop mysteriously disappeared. The tension was high between them, as they both wanted to express their intense dislike for each other but couldn't risk going too far due to the importance of their bargain. This tension was felt by the rest of the crew and they took it upon themselves to effectively chaperone the fox and rabbit in case things grew out of hand. Spirits were not dampened however, as the thought of getting closer to Captain Maul's treasure was far greater than a few petty arguments.
The map took them to waters not frequented by Navy vessels since there were no populated areas to protect. The sea was calm and wide, and other than the fish in the ocean no other souls could be seen. On a particularly breezy day Ben found Judy rather melancholy as they took up their mops and buckets to swab the deck.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Today would have been the day I returned to Bunnyburrow," she replied. "I'm glad I'm out here, of course, and I'm doing this to help my family, but I still miss them. I keep thinking of what'll happen when they find out I'm missing. Maybe they already know. They must be so worried."
"They're gonna be distraught," Ben agreed. "Uh - I mean - " he stammered when he saw Judy's crestfallen face. "Yeah, they're gonna be upset, but think how happy they'll be when you do return, and with all that treasure!"
"When they find out what I've done, they'll never let me leave the manor again," she sighed despondently, placing the bucket on deck and wetting her mop. The door opened behind them and Captain Wilde strode out, heading towards the main mast.
"You missed a spot, Carrots," he said as he passed them.
"I haven't started yet."
"What's taking you so long? I thought bunnies were supposed to be fast."
Judy glared at him, but he didn't look at her. When he reached the mast he called up to Bobby in the crow's nest.
"Looking good up there?"
"I think a storm's approaching," Bobby shouted down. "We'd better start preparing for it."
The Captain groaned in frustration. "Alright. I'll warn the others." He turned around and walked back to the door, pausing to glance at Judy who had been listening to the exchange. "Did I tell you to stop swabbing?"
"Don't you want us to help prepare for the storm?"
"No, I want you to keep swabbing." The Captain disappeared below deck before Judy could be tempted to hit him with her mop.
Despite what the Captain said, Judy and Ben joined the rest of the crew in ensuring the ship was ready to endure the incoming storm. The hull was checked for leaks, the sails safely furled, and everything else locked away and strapped down. They barely finished in time before the first flash of lightning cracked across the sky, something which unnerved the crew greatly.
"A storm arriving this quickly and out of nowhere means we're close to the Bearmuda Triangle," Honey explained to Ben and Judy, "and now we're entering the Serpent Seas."
"Serpent Seas?" asked Ben, nervously.
"The parts of maps that are usually decorated with sea serpents," Honey answered as if it were supposed to be obvious. "It's filled with monsters and cursed ships and mysterious islands. Loads of pirates hid their loot in these waters, so we've been here a few times. Not that you'd know from this gibbering wreck." She stuck a thumb towards the rest of the crew who were huddling round the table talking to each other in low voices. A few of their heads turned sharply at a particularly loud creak. Honey shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Cowards."
Judy knew she should be feeling wary herself, but the roaring thunderstorm outside reminded her of the stories Jack told by the tavern's fireplace. She was even enjoying the rocking of the ship as it was tossed by the sea. She was shaken from her reverie when a loud crash sounded from above.
Heads snapped to the direction of the crash, and a second later the crew swarmed to the door and made their way to the deck. Thanks to his size, Nathan reached the outside first and swore under his breath when he saw what had happened.
The foremast had been struck by lightning, causing the wooden structure to be covered in bright orange flames that were slowly making their way down its length. The crew, now gathered on deck, gaped at the sight for a second before scrabbling about, looking for anything that might be helpful.
"The buckets are below deck, you idiots!" shouted Honey, just managing to keep her voice audible in the storm.
"What about water?" yelled back Bucky.
"Someone toss him overboard for me!" was Honey's response as she raced downstairs.
The rope and buckets were brought up and everyone started drawing water from the sea. Due to the buckets being almost as large as she was, Judy couldn't contribute much in way of physical strength. It took all her effort to not be thrown into the ocean from the ship's violent rocking. Nonetheless, she refused to hide below deck and instead stood next to Finnick and helped him keep an eye out for any other incoming danger.
"We just need to keep the fire from spreading 'til the rain does its work," Captain Wilde said, helping to pull on of the loaded buckets on to the ship. As soon as it was up, Nathan grabbed it and hurled the water as far as he could up the mast, dousing the lower flames. After several more buckets and moments of heavy downpour, the fire finally died there was a collective sigh of relief.
"OK, everyone back below deck," ordered Captain Wilde, about to lead the way. Before they had travelled more than two steps, there was a commotion above them. The sail of the main mast suddenly unfurled itself and caught the heavy wind, which caused the ship to surge forward and knock the crew off balance.
The Captain looked up at the sail, then at his crew. "Who was in charge of securing that sail?"
Bucky and Pronk looked at each other then tried to sneak away from the Captain's line of vision.
Captain Wilde growled in frustration. "We're gonna have to secure it again. Bobby? Honey?"
The bobcat and honey badger quickly climbed up the mast to the top of the sail. They fumbled with the ropes but the storm made it nearly impossible for them to keep steady. The Captain soon ordered the two antelopes to help them, which they did so with much grumbling and less grace.
Yax, only wearing a coat to cover himself from the rain, and Nathan took their place beneath the riggers in case they should slip, though they were finding it difficult to not fall over themselves thanks to the ship's unsteady movements and the waves that spilled on to the deck. One wave in particular completely engulfed Finnick and slammed him against the railings.
"Fin!" yelled the Captain and Judy at the same time.
"Stupid water," cursed Finnick, getting up and shaking himself.
The Captain, temporarily distracted, did not notice Nathan stumble and trip beside him. Judy watched as the enormous mass began to descend over the fox. Before she gave herself a chance to think, she raced forward, leapt towards them and pushed the Captain away just before the polar bear's body slammed into the floor, leaving a hefty crack in the wood.
Captain Wilde stared at where he had just been standing, his eyes wide with horror. "Carrots!" He looked down at Judy. "You just saved my life!"
"I...guess I did," she replied, smiling uncertainly.
They both turned to Nathan when they heard him groaning. He had landed flat on his back and didn't seem to have the strength to pull himself up. Judy ran to his side and placed comforting paws on his large shoulder.
"Is that sail secured yet?" Captain Wilde called up the mast.
"They are..." Honey finished the last knot. "...now!"
"Good! Get down here! Nathan's been hurt!"
It took every mammal on deck to lift Nathan on to his feet, and he managed to shuffle towards the door with the help of Bobby, Yax and Ben. Honey led them to a small room off the galley which served as her medical area while the others filled in Flash with the recent events. In the crew's early days, they soon discovered that due to his speed Flash was more of a hindrance than a help in emergencies and so had specific orders to stay below deck unless his driving skills were needed. He was more than happy to comply so long as he was given a complete run down on what he had missed.
Judy sat close to Ben, watching the door that led to the medical room. Other than Ben, Nathan was the closest thing she had to a friend on the ship, and despite knowing how tough he was she couldn't help but feel extremely worried. She only stopped her vigilance when the Captain ordered most of the crew to bed and Ben gently pulled her toward the sleeping quarters. She had an uneasy sleep, her mind drifting between Nathan and any other surprises the storm may unleash upon them.
Fortunately the storm passed with no other incidents. The morning was clear and bright, and Honey happily proclaimed that although Nathan may be out of action for a few days, he would soon make a full recovery. Judy visited him straight away and he told her that if she had any trouble, he would help her out no matter what state his back was in. After reassuring him that it shouldn't be necessary, she left to start her chores.
On deck she breathed in the post-storm scent and admired the now much calmer waters, feeling rather exhilarated at experiencing and surviving something as ferocious as last night. Her eyes wandered up the main mail which fortunately hadn't suffered much damage, but then her gaze fell upon the foremast. She went closer to it, confused at the sight. The wood that had been ablaze several hours ago had no burn marks at all. It was completely untouched.
She heard someone come on deck and turned around to see Honey stretching her arms above her head and taking in the relative serenity before her. She waved to Judy and joined her under the mast.
"We did well yesterday," she said, grinning at the mast with her hands on her hips.
"It's like it was never struck by lightning at all," said Judy, still bewildered.
"That's because the ship's undead," explained Honey. She went on when Judy gave her a look. "It's got some sort of enchantment upon it, which means it cannot be destroyed. Roughed up a bit, but not destroyed. It has to exist. We still have to protect it, though. The Black Paw may be undead, but the crew and cargo aren't."
"Undead?"
"Some witch or something must have done it," Honey answered, casually. "It was like this when we got it."
"Where did you get it?"
"Nick won it off another pirate." Honey chuckled at the memory. "He was very pleased with himself. The other guy? Not so much. Good thing this is the fastest ship on the sea."
Judy was feeling very uncertain. She had heard a lot of tales of the supernatural thanks to Jack and her books, but she was never sure if she actually believed them. Strange things happened at sea, of course, but magic? And now she was on a magic ship?
Honey gave another stretch. "I better make sure the idiot twins haven't slept in again." She walked back to the door. "I'll let you know how Nathan's getting along. Ah! Mornin' Cap'n!"
Captain Wilde stepped aside to let Honey through. Judy used this small distraction to run and grab her sponge and bucket before he could make his usual comments on the quality of her work. However, instead of the snide insult she was expecting, he coughed softly. Puzzled again, she turned her face towards him.
"Erm..." He looked nervous, and didn't seem able to look her in the eye. "I just wanted to say thank you for what you did yesterday."
What she did yesterday? Oh, that.
"It was no problem, really," she answered. "We may not get along, but I don't know many mammals who deserved to get squashed by a polar bear."
He gave a small huff of amusement and smiled slightly. "Still, I thought I should thank you."
Judy smiled back. "You're welcome, Captain."
He waved his paw and started to walk away. "Call me Nick. Everyone else does."
She tilted her head then smirked. "Does that mean you'll start calling me Judy?"
"No."
Merry Christmas everyone!