Chapter 20 Across the Western Sea
Xzaris awoke on the fourth morning since his argument with Zurgat, though slowly. He hadn't slept much since he'd set off on this voyage, and when he did, he slept like he was dead.
This must be what Romsca felt like all the time.
The ferret lifted his head from his pallet on the sand, brushing loose hair out of his eyes. It was predawn light, and not many of the crew were up and about, in fact he saw none.
He stood, walking toward the waters of the bay .. or limping, more realistically, as his foot was unresponsive to his wishes. The water gleamed dully in the rising light, and he fingered the light chain he wore doubled around his neck, holding the longer loop out were he could see it.
It didn't look like much, just a dull silver chain, but it was pure silver, though tarnished. He should clean it more often, but he rarely took it off.
Romsca had given it to him several seasons back, as part of his payment for sailing as one of her crew. He could have sold it, but nothing could make him part with it, and he clenched his paw around it, muttering, "If only I was brave 'nough ta say with all me heart that I'd rather die than ya."
Xzaris looked at the chain again, before closing his eyes. "Oh Rom .. find those things. Find 'em so I won't have the guilt a findin' 'em an' seein' ya die. Cause I'd be frozen like I alwus is 'round that Madeyes .. jist find 'em so I kin die an' not think about it."
"Ye care for me daughter, I can see."
Xzaris spun around, finding Arashi watching him, and shook his head wordlessly.
"No, ye do." The older ferret smiled, almost a smirk. "One doesn't need your fox to tell them to guess that."
She sighed, asking, "I suppose Romsca sees ye as a friend and no more?"
Xzaris met her gaze a moment, before looking out across the bay. "How did ya know?"
"Because I was the same way with Conva." Arashi laughed fondly. "The poor beast tried to tell me many times, but I did not see. I was so focused on being the best pirate that ever lived, I truly didn't notice."
She looked like her mind was elsewhere as she shrugged. "Ye see things clearer when ye are older. When ye're young, it's all about proving something. Maybe finding who ye really are. Maybe finding what ye really believe in. And ye miss things. I did .. I'll never know why he loved me."
"When .." Xzaris paused, and Arashi smiled a little.
"Ye can ask me, whatever it is."
He looked up. "What made ya pay attention?"
"Ah, Conva managed to stammer the truth and tell me, after five seasons." Arashi smirked. "I didn't know what to think, but I'd grown fond of him, Romsca's probably the same."
"I .. donno if'n I'd go that far." Xzaris sighed. "An' it wouldn't matter if'n she cared or didn't .. one or botha us are gonna die."
Arashi nodded soberly. "Aye, tell me .. what will ye do if we get off this island?"
"I .." Xzaris shook his head. "I've got ta try an' go farther south. I can't make meself go back .. not yet .. not yet .."
He looked slowly up. "Ya probably think me a coward."
Arashi shrugged. "It is a hard thing ye face."
"I ain't gonna blame ya." Xzaris shuddered. "I am a coward .. around Ublaz at least. Almost anybeast in their right mind is gonna be .. he could tell ya to walk through fire an ya'd do it without a thought. His word is law .. all he has ta do is git ya ta look inta his eyes."
"Me lord is stronger than him." Arashi's brown eyes flickered with something like anger, or perhaps defiance.
Xzaris turned his head a little. "Not strong 'nough ta save Conva, though."
"That is not true." Arashi's answer was sharp. "He did save him."
Xzaris raised an eyebrow, as the older ferret met his gaze. "I'm not crazy. This world isn't made up only of what we can see, and neither are we. Ignasa saved his soul, if he truly repented, or he would be in Hellgates as we speak."
Arashi looked away, and Xzaris felt bad he had brought Conva up, so he tried to reassure her. "Hellgates is only fer wicked beasts .. Conva was a noble capt'n, an' a fair un ta. He'd have gone ta Land of the Sun, I'm sure a it."
"Then ye are gravely mistaken." Arashi's eye were cold. "Me young friend, how would ye have seen all the raids we went on, or how many beasts we killed? No, it was richly deserved, death, and I live on borrowed time. I only wish to see me daughter set in the right path, saved from the evil, and then I will except whatever fate I am given without fear or complaint. At least then, I would be free of guilt."
Xzaris realized he was staring at her. "Where .. did ya hear these things?"
Arashi's eyes flashed with some pain, but she shrugged. "When the Roaringburn threw me and the wreckage I had lashed myself to upon this island, I was delirious and near death, I could not have dragged myself ashore had I comprehended what had happened. No, there was an old shipwrecked sailor living here, a Southswardian jerbilrat, and he'd lived here thirty seasons, alone."
She looked away. "I guess he was glad of any company, and he fished me out and nursed me back to health, though me clothes betrayed me as a Sampetrian and he treated me warily at first. However I only wanted to go home, and nearly killed meself again trying to sail a skiff out of those rip currents .. once again, he fished me out and brought me back from Hellgates. He taught me of his lord, Ignasa, and I believed .. I hoped to one day escape this place and tell me family. The poor beast died of illness three winters ago, the rain always bothered his old joints anyway .. and I guess he just couldn't take it. He must have been over eighty seasons by then anyway."
The ferret met Xzaris's gaze. "Then a storm happened to throw a repairable ship on these rocks, ye, and I suppose what happens next is in your paws, Captain Xzaris."
Xzaris could not meet her gaze. "Ya want ta go ta Sampetra, don't ya."
"I cannot speak. I am not the one going to me death."
Xzaris looked away. "I can't make meself jist go back like that. I gotta try .. though there ain't any joy if'n I find 'em. But I jist .. wull I gotta try. I can't go back til I'm made ta."
He shrugged. "And besides, til the wind changes, we ain't gotta worry about leavin'. We jist gotta wait it out."
Arashi looked around, stating, "I don't think we'll be waiting much longer."
Xzaris lifted his head, eyes fixed on the bay as he paid attention to the soft but steady breeze around him. Sure enough, it was from the south.
If it was strong enough to pull them past the Roaringburn and out to sea, that remained to be seen.
=Next=
"I say Hood, whatcha got there?"
The fox looked up, before returning to his task, coiling spare rope. "Ropes. Plogg and Welko wish to replace some of the rigging."
His companion crossed the storeroom quickly, piling rope into his arms. "Like this matey, makes it bally fasteeeerrr .."
Some lose coils caught around his paws, sending him toppling into a nearby open sea chest. The lid fell down, and there was an amused snort from Hood, as Clecky's legs, an arm, and ears were still visible, amid piles of rope.
Clecky popped up indignantly, shoving the lid back open. "Is that any way to treat a pal? Laughin' at his jolly calamities?"
"Jolly calamities would be the correct description." Hood's voice held undeniable amusement.
"Rotter." Celcky muttered darkly as he climbed from the trunk, shaking himself. "I say what's in here? Bed sheets? Dish towels? Golly there's a lot of it, whatever the bally stuff is .."
Hood set his rope on a nearby barrel, helping Clecky drag yard after yard of coarse white material out of the trunk. "I believe you found a sail."
Blue and turquoise embroidery was visible now, stitched by expert paws to form a massive dragon motif in the middle of the white expanse. Clecky stared at it. "Good grief, whoever made that knew what they were doing .. an' it must have taken bally forever, wot!"
"Well, Grath will be glad of this." Hood remarked. "And it seems in near perfect condition."
Clecky brightened. "Well there you see, the beast that laughs best laughs last! I'll go tell the lass, wot!"
Hood smirked as his companion bolted up the galley stairs, calling out the good news. Soon everyone had gathered to see Clecky's discovery. Grath stared at the sail, and she looked relieved. "Well we won't have to travel two days north at least."
"Why do you suppose it was down here all this time?" Cracklyn was curious.
"It's the original sail." Grath explained. "When my holt captured this ship and killed every corsair aboard it, they made it a new sail and called it the Seawarrior. But I guess they saved the old pirate sail."
Martin looked relieved. "Lucky for us."
Clecky was digging through the trunk, and pulled out a square of blue cloth with a crouching, winged dragon embroidered on it. "I say, these pirate chaps must be very fond a large lizard types. Well Grath me gel, you get a matching sail and flag, courtesy of sea-beast Clecky!"
The otter smirked, before shaking her head. "I'm not flying their flag .."
She walked over to another trunk, pulling a green cloth out, embroidered with a white and green creature of which the top half was horse and the bottom half was fish. Dark green chevrons ran up the shorter sides of the flag, with three circles on each side. "I'll fly my own."
Tansy blinked. "Ooh, it's so pretty!"
"Uh-huh." Cracklyn agreed. "With the cool fish-horse thing .. hey, can I put it up there? I've been up in the crow's nest and it's an awesome view."
"I say, didn't get height-sick?" Clecky asked.
Cracklyn snorted. "I'm a squirrel Clecky, now can I?"
Grath handed her the flag. "Ok. And can you untie the old sail?"
"No problem!" The squirrel skipped up toward the deck, and Hood started to fold up the dragon sail.
Grath helped him, as did Martin. "Well .. let's get this up on deck. It looks like we've got our work cut out for us today."
=Next=
Romsca sat on Waveworm's window seat, staring out at the sea dully. They'd spent a few days fishing along the shores of Mossflower, but now they were headed across the ocean toward Sampetra.
Lask was antsy to be on his way, so they didn't have as much food as Romsca would have liked, but she figured what they had would get them home.
Home.
What awaited her there? Seeing her friends brutally murdered, just like her father?
"Oh Xzaris .."
She paused, wondering why she would think of him first, Rasconza was in the same danger. But then, Xzaris had grown closer to her over the last seven seasons, and she no longer felt that deep a connection with the dog-fox. He was still a good friend, but he wasn't her best friend, unlike how it had almost been the opposite when they were younger.
And what about Val? Where would she land in all this chaos? Back at the tavern with Kia? Boyfriend-less?
Romsca smirked, thinking of how Rasconza and Val would fight and then kiss each other in the same day. She'd always rolled her eyes at them, but she knew Val would be devastated to see Rasconza die.
I'll take care of her. Romsca promised herself. As long as I'm alive. She might be frustrating sometimes, but she's still .. my awesome pirate sister.
The ferret was smiling at the thought of the hyperactive vixen, when she heard the faint sound of voices from below. At first she passed them off as crewbeasts, but soon it was obvious it wasn't .. it was the mice in the brig.
Romsca knelt, laying her head on the floor of her cabin as the male mouse spoke. "Well, she doesn't seem so bad .. you know what I mean .. for a pirate. Maybe we could get her on our side .. maybe she's not entirely evil."
"Durral." The way the mousewife said his name, it was obvious she was unimpressed. "Not because she's a pirate, and a ferret, but because she is a mortal without the grace of Ignasa .. she is fully evil. And not to be biased, but I know a thing or two about Sampetra. Don't trust her, no matter what."
The male sounded indignant. "I didn't say I trusted her. You put words in my mouth. Just because I'm the abbot of Redwall doesn't mean I'm stupid, in fact, it has the opposite connotation last time I checked."
There was a pause, and Romsca could imagine the two glaring defiantly at each other.
"Of course not." Sayna's tone was clipped. "You probably have great knowledge of the scholarly sort. But how about real life .. wickedness, cutthroats, war, and pirates, how much do you know about that? Making some unruly dibbuns wash the supper dishes hardly qualifies."
Durral sounded disgusted. "Well you needn't insult me. Running an abbey is not as easy as it looks."
"Whatever Durral." There was a clinking, indicating Sayna had shifted her position.
"Besides that." The mouse stated, a little frustrated. "What of the pearls she found? She's going to give them to her evil master."
"I know."
"And? Are you going to let her?"
There was a clanking, and Sayna's voice was confused. "Durral, I thought you were the peaceful abbot. Why do you care about these pearls?"
A moment of silence followed, before Durral stammered, "Well .. I mean .. you didn't see them! They're beautiful .. I .. "
"You want them." Was the conclusion.
"Well .. not in a bad way, just to see them again." The mouse's voice sounded awed as he spoke of them. "They're wonderful .. the moment I saw them, I knew they could make me a perfect abbot, and help me rule Redwall in peace and friendship without mistake. If only I had them! You wouldn't understand."
There was a long pause, and Sayna finally replied, albeit a bit grimly. "I think I might."
Durral's chains clanked as he moved a little bit. "What do you mean by that? Do you want them too? I saw them first you know."
"No. I don't. And if you knew the legend of them, you might be the wiser beast and leave them be." Sayna's voice was hard, and she volunteered no reason for her mindset, even though Romsca wished she would.
And she did the next moment, when Durral pressed her. "Why? What harm can they bring?"
"I've seen your pearls, the six rose-colored tears of the oceans. I could go into detail of when, but you wouldn't believe me. However I saw them, that is what matters, and found them quite beautiful .. which led me to research history for any sign of them .. and there is little, but enough."
Sayna paused, before stating, "In this world, there are certain things, special things, that abide in it but are not of it. And from all I see, these pearls are one of those. They are perfect, but we are not. However .. we were created perfect, therefore we will always strive to be perfect again, and in our evil, we think we can perfect ourselves. Do you follow me?"
There was silence.
Sayna sighed. "That's what I thought. Short and long of it, we long for a perfection, however twisted our understanding of perfection is. So as mortals, we tamper with what we should not and look to anything we imagine can bring us what we desire, anything except Ignasa. Now if you don't mind Durral, I'm going to sleep. I'm not as young as I once was and being jostled around in a cart for two weeks and chained to the wall in a brig doesn't agree with me as well as it would have two hundred seasons ago."
There was silence for a moment, before the male mouse sighed. "I don't think I'll ever understand you."
Sayna's voice was muffled, as if she had laid down on the floor and put her head on her arm. "The feeling is mutual."
Romsca waited a few moments, but no more conversation was forthcoming. The ferret sat up slowly, leaning up against the window seat and rubbing the back of her neck.
Why did that mousewife have to talk in riddles? Why couldn't she just be honest and say what she meant? Listening to her had a way of making Romsca's head ache infernally, as if it didn't ache enough.
She didn't have much time to ponder what she had heard, as there was a soft knock on her door. Romsca leapt nimbly onto her paws, snarling, "What'da ya want Raf?"
"Capt'n, it ain't Rafglan, it's yer scout, Kage."
Romsca raised an eyebrow, confused. "Well .. what'd ya want? Is there a problem? Yer interuptin' me."
His voice was a bit hard to hear, as if he was keeping it low on purpose. "No capt'n, sorry .. an' yes capt'n .. kin I come in?"
"Why?" Romsca was slightly suspicious. "Ya know Rafglan's the only one that comes in here, sides Rubby bringin' me meals. State yer purpose."
"Please capt'n, I'm tryin' ta help ya, but if'n I'm seen, I might not be able ta."
Her curiosity aroused, Romsca grabbed her axe from where it lay on her desk and unbolted the door, letting the dusky stoat in. "Alright, but ya better be on the level. If this is a joke I'll make ya pay, an if ya play me false, I'll kill ya, unnerstood?"
Kage nodded. "Perfectly capt'n."
"Then what have ya got ta tell me?"
He looked around, and Romsca bolted the door, motioning to the window. "If yer worried bout bein' heard, come over here."
The stoat nodded. "Look, it ain't me, an' when Hellgates break loose, ya gotta remember I was good 'nough ta warn ya."
"I have a good mem'ry. What do ya speak of?" Romsca lifted her chin a little.
"It's Cheng." Kage stated. "Now I knew Cheng from the streets, an' if'n he don't git what he wants, he'll take it or take revenge. Ya didn't give him what he wanted, capt'n."
Romsca sneered. "I'd sooner gut him then kiss him, dog that he is. So he's leadin' a mutiny 'gainst me, eh? I figgered he'd try somethin' sooner or later."
"I kinda guessed ya felt that way capt'n. But I never seen him this mad an' hateful. He ain't gonna give up easy." Kage warned.
Romsca grinned. "All beasts give up when they're dead."
Kage paused before smirking. "Point taken. He says he ain't gonna move til he has a good chance."
"I ain't gonna give him one. He'll die today."
"I donno if that's a good idea capt'n. The thing is, all the crew that saw those pearls are goin' along with him." Kage stated. "They wanna kill ya an' take 'em."
Romsca gave him a look. "Well why ain't ya with 'em? Don't ya want the pearls too?"
Kage shrugged. "I didn't see 'em capt'n, r'member, ya sent me off ta git the others."
"Aye, I do now." She scowled. "An' I suppose ya is right, the Monitors'll defend me, kill a lot a the crew, an' I won't git ta kill Cheng meself. Ya seem a clever beast. Sides bein' scout on land, how 'bout ya be me chief lookout, an' me spy among the crew. I'll give ya a raise."
"How much'a one?" Kage raised an eyebrow.
Romsca scratched her chin. "How 'bout double, an' I'll throw in a few gold trinkets."
She reached into her desk, pulling out some bejeweled gold hair pins. "How about these as down payment? They'll fetch ya a good price on Sampetra."
Kage took the pins, and nodded. "Aye, I'll do it."
"Good. An' stay loyal." Romsca ran her gloved paw softly along the blade of her axe. "There ain't nothin' I hate more'n disloyalty. An' if ya turn, ya better pray I'm killed, or I'll make yer life short an' yer death agony."
"I hear ya capt'n." Kage smirked, and Romsca met his gaze steadily. This was no conceited fool like Cheng. Kage would be a worthy adversary, and for now, a most useful spy.
She sneered, though it was good naturedly this time. "Thank ya fer tellin' me. Go do what yer supposed ta."
=Next=
By midmorning, Darkshroud was fully supplied and everybeast was aboard, minus one crew member and with a new recruit. The rat that had been attacked by the monitor Xzaris had killed had died, and Arashi had joined up as a lookout.
Xzaris and Skarbod stood by the wheel, watching the sail billow in the wind, which had picked up. The ferret looked at his first mate. "I donno Skarbod .. think we kin pull this off?"
"We ain't gonna git a better chance capt'n." Skarbod pointed this out calmly, shrugging. "The Monitors ain't willin' ta stay here much longer."
Xzaris sighed. "Aye, that's the truth."
He leaned over the forecastle railing, shouting, "Hoist the anchor! Alla ya I assigned ta oars, git ta 'em!"
There was a general flurry of activity, and the ship shuddered as the clanks of the anchor rising were heard. Xzaris gripped the wheel, nodding to Skarbod. "Git ready ta help me hold this .. we've got ta keep her goin' straight 'cross the Roarin'burn or we'll git smashed ta pieces."
The wind had caught the sail, and Darkshroud was moving forward quickly, toward the opening of the atoll's crater. Skardbod pointed toward the whitecaps breaking against the reefs, asking, "Yer sure we're in the right place?"
"Arashi took me out ta the cliffs an' showed me the path with no rocks." Xzaris tensed as the ship picked up a little speed, the creatures using the oars having begun to row. "Yer jist gonna have ta trust me."
Skarbod nodded. "A'right capt'n."
The ship was caught in the outer edge of the Roaringburn, and Xzaris could feel the heavy pull on the tiller .. it wanted to jerk the wheel from his paws, and he tightened his grip.
"Row!" The ferret's yell was tight as he called to the oarsbeasts below deck. "Row with all yer strength til I tell ya not ta!"
Xzaris braced himself as the current battered against the tiller, and he nodded to Skarbod. "Help me hold her. We gotta steer round one reef, come'n up here .."
The stoat helped to hold the tiller, and Xzaris watched the surf come closer, before shoving on the wheel. "Now! Turn her inta the current!"
"Inta it?" Skarbod's voice was a gasp, and the two strained to turn the ship, but the wheel rotated only a fractional amount thanks to the driving Roaringburn.
"I said turn her!" Xzaris's teeth were clenched.
Skarbod groaned, shoving up on the ship's wheel again. "I'm .. tryin' capt'n .."
Xzaris caught sight of Val, running along the deck toward the forecastle. "Val! Git up here an' help us!"
He looked at the quickly approaching reef as the vixen hurried up the stairs. She seemed to put two and two together in the one moment she took to look at them, grabbed the wheel near the top, and jumped up, curling her legs beneath her as she yanked down.
The added weight jerked the wheel around, turning Darkshroud away from the treacherous reef, though too slow. There was a jolt and a terrible scraping sound as the hull ran over submerged rocks.
Xzaris's hair billowed around his face as a burst of wind caught the sail, sending the ship jolting forward and out of the Roaringburn, into open sea.
Val opened one eye, still crouching on the deck and holding the wheel in a death grip. "Did it work?"
Zurgat came bounding up the stairs, hissing, "Get down there and zzee what we hit! Thizzz zzhip cannot zzzink! Go fix it, zzzee there izz no water!"
"Oh." Val sighed. "Guess it didn't."
Skarbod pulled himself to his paws. "I got her now capt'n."
Xzaris nodded his thanks, bolting down the stairs to see what damage had been done. Arashi appeared at the hatch, yelling, "Hey, we got trouble down here!"
As he ran across the deck, Xzaris shouted orders. "Furl the sail! Turn her inta the wind, we're goin' south!"
He swung down the hatch, landing with a splash. "Hellgates .."
The ferret grabbed the nearest beast, shaking them a little. "Ya! Git me tools!"
Arashi grabbed his arm. "Over there, the leaks there .. Hey, some a ye, get to bailing!"
"Aye, ya heard her, move!" Xzaris turned to the older ferret. "Git me some boards. If ya gotta break down the galley door, by Atlas git me some boards!"
He threw himself to his knees in the brackish water, seeing the source of their troubles, a crack running a few feet. It was just at the water level, but each time a wave slapped against the hull more water came in .. every ten seconds or so.
By now beasts were throwing themselves into bailing, and the beast he had sent for his tools came sloshing quickly back through the ankle-deep water.
Xzaris grabbed his hammer and some nails as Arashi came running with an armload of boards. He seized a longish one, laying it across the crack and pounding a nail into one side. "Somebeast hold her up!"
Arashi did so, clamping the board firmly to the wall, and Xzaris pounded his side down, before moving on to the one she was holding. This stemmed the leak most of the way, and Xzaris added more boards around the first, before nailing some shorter boards across them to help hold them in place.
The water level had dwindled now, thanks to the bailing crew, and Xzaris rubbed a grimy paw across his forehead. "Let's look fer more, jist in case."
However there was a shout from above deck, Skarbod. "Capt'n! Git up here quick, we got company!"
=Next=
Ublaz might have been watching any number of places at any given moment, but at this particular moment he was watching Rasconza's ship, and darkly.
He showed no emotion beyond knitting his eyebrows and tightening his otherwise expressionless jaw. For once, he did not smile. And while one might have thought his smile conveyed anger as well as a frown, to see not one drop of mirth on the Emperor's face was to see fury.
Through the glass of his crystal ball, he could see the deck of the Bloodkeel, and what should have been a terrible battle .. as it was, it was more of a slaughter, with a weak scramble here and there.
The Monitors simply could not fight back, though they tried. But Rasconza's beasts fought as one, distracting, charging, leaping out of the way until the lizard pulled itself off the ground .. only to be impaled.
Ublaz's paw slowly curled into a fist, his many rings tightening about his knuckles. That fox had dared to defy him? He would face torture after torture .. he would have a chance to experience Hellgates fully before he took up residence there.
He could see the fox now, goading one of the Monitors with his long dirk, dancing always out of reach. Suddenly he spun around, kicking the lizard hard across the face, his expression a grim smile.
The Monitor jumped at him, only to be brought down by a waiting crewbeast; and as it was a shivering, sick looking heap of misery, it struggled little.
Rasconza suddenly looked toward Ublaz, a twisted grin on his muzzle, and the pine marten realized he must be looking at the last living Monitor. The fox and several others ran forward, and Ublaz's vision backed away from them .. he could hear its feeble hiss in his ears.
There was truly nothing he could do but watch as the pirates attacked, pulling the struggling lizard to the ground, and the image on the crystal surface faded away.
Ublaz slowly stood, expression tense with suppressed anger.
"Sire? Are you alright?"
He looked toward the doorway, to see Sagitar standing there, expression honestly concerned.
Ublaz blinked, letting his stiffness drain away and replacing it with a smile. "Our little fox boy thinks he has gotten away from us. He'll learn just how powerful the emperor is."
"Having .. difficulties, sire?" Sagitar looked dubious.
"Nothing we can't handle." Ublaz smirked. "Rasconza has chosen to follow in his father's pawprints. We'll have to help him do that fully."
Sagitar smiled darkly. "I can guess where this is going. But what did you mean by him thinking he's gotten away?"
Ublaz grew serious again. "It is a very minor setback. In fact it's really no setback at all. Rasconza went far enough north that the Monitors froze, and he has killed them. But he can gain no real following up there, where is he to go? The highlands? Terramort? I doubt any northerner will be glad to see a Sampetrian."
"That is true .." Sagitar paused. "But that means you cannot see him!"
The pine marten smiled a little, sighing. "Of course general. Now I suppose he might try to sneak along Mossflower's coast, he might."
He looked at Sagitar expectantly, and she suddenly sneered, "Aye, but his friends are coming here."
"Exactly." Ublaz pulled a bottle of wine from his desk, asking, "Won't you join me general?"
She bowed. "If it is your desire, milord."
"It is." Ublaz poured her a drink, handing it to her and pulling up a chair. "Do have a seat."
He handed her a chalice, before sitting down himself. "Now understandably, he won't want to leave his friends to suffer and die all by themselves .. he'll want to save them. So when he does come back, we need to be ready for him."
Sagitar smiled. "Well that is simple enough, we'll simply send the captains to patrol the northern waters .. say twenty miles or so north of Sampetra."
"A rat after my own heart, general." Ublaz smirked. "Order that all the captains stay in port and that they do not go anywhere without my approval."
"Well, one just left, the day before last .. but we have about twenty in port at this time."
Sagitar cocked one ear to the side. "But if he's coming back, why don't we send them out now?"
"Too rash my dear, too rash." Ublaz twirled his whiskers. "The boy can't possibly make it back in less than three weeks, the winds are steady from the south. To send captains out now would simply be a waste of resources, but I need them here, available. I'll send them out in two weeks or so, to be safe."
"As always, you know best, sire." Sagitar nodded. "If the winds are from the south, does that mean your little gray ferret is on his way back?"
Ublaz smiled. "Hmm .. now that is a good thought general. How about we take a look?"
He turned his chair a little, tapping on the crystal ball. "Show me Xzaris."
The image on the glassy surface swirled into focus, to a scene of chaos.
=Next=
Xzaris bolted up on the deck, and Skarbod was waiting for him. "Capt'n, it's a Southswardian ship, by Hellgates she's a lot bigger'n us!"
The ferret grabbed the spyglass from his first mate, putting it to his eye and twisting it around until the other ship was clearly visible. Sure enough, it was a ship from Southsward, evidenced by the chunky design and many oars, and Xzaris's voice was tight. "It looks like a large merchant at least .. might be a battle ship, though those ain't often caught outa lone."
He looked up at the sail, to see it was still down, sporting the dragon for all to see. "I thought I said furl the sail!"
"Aye ya did capt'n .. but mosta the crew was a bailin'." Skarbod made a face. "What're we gonna do now?"
Xzaris hesitated a moment, before turning to the stoat. "We run. Git the crew ready in case we're boarded."
"Boarded?" Val grabbed the hilt of her saber, and Xzaris groaned.
"I ain't sayin' this minute, jist in case. I'm gonna turn her 'bout."
He tucked the spyglass into his silk sash, hobbling quickly up the forecastle steps and taking the wheel from Arashi. She walked to the railing as Xzaris turned Darkshroud about, and the ferret's voice was grim. "They're after us. Hope ye got that mast right."
"Me ta." Xzaris muttered, looking up at the billowing sail.
The ship responded quickly, as the breeze was stiff, but the other ship had the same winds and at least twice as many rowers. It wasn't lost on Xzaris they were going to be caught in less than ten minutes, there was simply no way around it.
"They will show no mercy." Arashi's voice was tight, yet tinged with sorrow. "For the mercy we show them."
Xzaris met her gaze. "They ain't takin' me ship with me sittin' down. I weren't after them, I only ever killed one beast in a raid an' it was cause they wouldn't stop fightin' .. I don't like killin' beasts."
His eyes snapped. "But if ya gotta, ya gotta."
Zurgat came leaping up the stairs for the second time that day, snarling, "Where izz that other zzhip from? What are they doing following uzz?"
"They wanna kill us an' take the ship, ain't that obvious? They're Southswardians, and they won't let a Sampetrian ship go if'n they think they kin take her. An' they kin take us real easy, we're nothin' but prey fer a ship that big." Xzaris snapped this, not in the best of humors.
The Monitor watched him a moment, before showing her teeth. "I know who will be prey, them. A feazzt for uzz."
Xzaris glared at her. "Ya can't stop 'em ferever."
"They don't know how to fight uzz." Zurgat paused at the top of the stairs. "Prepare for battle, captain."
She leapt down to the lower deck, scales rippling in the sunlight, and let out a screeching roar, her frills standing up aggressively. In a few seconds the fourteen lizards in her command congregated around her, hissing excitedly.
Xzaris sighed. "Then again .."
Arashi was watching them disdainfully. "Disgusting, bloody beasts."
"Wull they might jist get us outa this mess," Xzaris pointed out. "Much as I hate 'em."
There was the sound of steel being drawn, and he looked around to see Arashi draw both her blades at once. Her eyes were dark with many an emotion, and Xzaris paused. "Will ya fight with us?"
"I don't want to kill woodlanders." Arashi's voice was hard. "But it's not like I'll have much of a choice. It's not like they would listen to a vermin like me."
Xzaris met her gaze for a moment, before sighing, nodding, and turning to the waiting Skarbod. "Prepare ta repel boarders."
"No." Both looked at Arashi, who shook her head. "As long as we keep them off this ship, they'll shoot us to death easily. When they get their beasts on our decks, they'll stop to avoid shooting their own, and with your .. lizards, that's how we'll drive them away."
Xzaris paused, before nodding. "I got a plan .. it's crazy but it's our only chance."
He limped quickly down the stairs, yelling, "Zurgat! Zurgat hide yer beasts, when we start fightin' ya come out an' overwhelm 'em. Val? Ya got a fire goin' in the galley?"
"Me lantern .."
"That'll work. Skarbod, yer an' archer ain't ya? Wull here's the plan .."
He grabbed the stoat, whispering a few things in his ear. "And hurry!"
The other ship was drawing alongside them now, and Xzaris drew his pike and long knife, snarling, "Form ranks!"
Arashi crouched down, holding both swords ready, one before her and one behind. There was a swishing as a grappling hook swung through the air, catching on the railing with a foreboding clunk.
A dozen or so more followed it.
Xzaris braced himself as there was the jolt of the two ships bumping each other, and he caught sight of Val and Skarbod climbing the rigging from the corner of his eye. They better do their job well, or this was a lost cause.
A few arrows hissed through the air, and Xzaris ducked as one sped past his ear. "Stand firm!"
"Attack! Send the scum to Hellgates!"
This cry came from the other ship, and in an instant, a menagerie of well-armed squirrels, jerbilrats, mice, and even a few weasel-like beasts jumped to the Darkshroud's deck, and the battle erupted in full fury.
Xzaris crossed blades with a mouse first, whose flashing eyes mirrored the intensity in his own. The creature blocked his thrust, snarling hatefully as the ferret slashed at him with his knife.
He dropped to one knee, raising his shield above his head as he cut at Xzaris's legs, but his opponent was too well trained to fall for the trick.
Xzaris sneered, jumping and curling his tail up in the same second. As he came down however, his bad ankle buckled beneath him, sending him sprawling at his enemy's feet.
He didn't have time to raise his pike before the mouse pinned his saber across his throat. "Some pirate ..."
The Southswardian had no time for more as Xzaris kicked him hard in the legs, thrusting with his pike in the same moment. There was a flash of pain along the side of his neck from this sudden movement, but the other beast fell in a heap.
Xzaris recovered his feet in a heartbeat as Zurgat ran past him, plowing an attacker down and tearing them savagely. He clamped a paw on the side of his neck, feeling the warm blood running down his shoulder and chest, and he looked back up at the rigging. Where were Val and Skarbod?
The two in question were in the crow's nest; Val dipping rags in oil, tying them around arrows, lighting them, and handing them to Skarbod. He fitted them quickly on his bow, drew back, and shot them into the larger ship's sail, a target he was unable to miss.
"Why ain't it catchin'?" Val's voice was tight. "We've shot five or so in it, why ain't it on fire?"
Skarbod shook his head. "Wind's too strong .. it's blowin' the fire out before it has a chance ta git goin'!"
Val made a face, suddenly grabbing the bucket of oil and swinging down onto the rigging. Skarbod stared at her. "What're ya doin'?"
"I'm gonna help it burn." The vixen clamped the handle in her teeth, swinging down the ropes and getting a good view of the battle in doing so.
Xzaris's left shoulder and his white tunic were covered in blood, but he fought still, Arashi defending his back with her two flashing swords. The Monitors were wreaking havoc, but the Southswardians refused to retreat, probably banking on wearing them down with their greater numbers.
Still, they were focused on the deck of the Darkshroud, and that was the good thing. The two ships were lashed together by the grappling hooks, their hulls practically touching .. it was a long jump, but if she could save Xzaris ..
The vixen tensed, not giving herself time to think about how crazy this was. She did a lot of crazy things, the key was to do them without thinking of possible outcomes and hope everything went well.
She jumped, and the world sped by for a split second before she landed clumsily on the other ship's rigging, sloshing some of the oil on herself .. thankfully not enough to ruin her plan.
Val scrambled up the rigging, until she was even with the sail. It's just like throwing water across the deck. Yea! Like that!
She hurled the oil at the sail, and it splattered across the white surface a ways. Val slid down the rigging, leaping back on the ropes of the Darkshroud as a flaming arrow spun through the air, sinking into the oily patch of sail cloth.
For one moment, nothing happened. Then flames began licking up the sail, turning it into a roaring inferno in less than a minute.
"Ha!" Val looked up at Skarbod. "That's how ya do it!"
She planted her boot better on the rigging, just as there was a sharp hiss, and something sank into her shoulder, sending her reeling back. Her claws caught on the rope ladder for one second as she let out a yip of pain, and then they tore through the fibers and she was toppling off into oblivion.
The next second she was hitting something hard .. and wet .. no, she was underwater! She struggled to reach the surface, but her right arm would not cooperate and she wasn't even sure which way was up.
Still, she should have come up by now .. sea water was so hard to sink in .. normally. But it was almost like she was caught in an eddy .. maybe she was spinning. Or falling .. but darkness overwhelmed her, and now she was sinking in that instead of water.
Xzaris had seen what Val had done .. jumping over to the other ship .. throwing oil onto their sail .. jumping back on the Darkshroud and forgetting about everything .. just like her to do so.
The Southswardians were running back to their burning ship now, desperate to put out the fire .. but not in such a hurry that one didn't take a shot at the one who was responsible for the damage.
Val took the arrow clean through her right shoulder, and of course, toppled into the water.
"No!" Xzaris heard his own voice ring out as he bolted for the railing, his accursed clubfoot buckling beneath him as he was almost there. Somebeast ran past him, leaping gracefully overboard in a flash of orangey fur.
He grabbed a nearby coil of rope, staggering back on his paws and grabbing the railing, scanning the waters for any sign of the two, rope poised to throw.
With the grappling hooks cut and the other ship's sail all but burnt, Darkshroud was making good speed away, but that also left a sickening feeling in Xzaris's stomach.
Let me see them .. just let me see them!
Arashi appeared the next second, a limp Val's tunic between gritted teeth. Xzaris hurled the rope at her, yelling, "Grab on!"
The ferret did so, and Xzaris hauled on the rope, yanking them toward the ship. In those few minutes, he felt he had the strength to do anything, so powerful was his desperation not to loose Val or Arashi .. both of who had found an irreplaceable part in his life, especially Val.
The ferretwife's paw suddenly gripped the railing, and Xzaris grabbed it, helping to pull her on board. Val was gasping now, coughing, and trying to shake herself all in the same moment. Arashi laid her down on the deck, and the vixen let out a sudden yelp of pain from the arrow in her shoulder.
Arashi held her down, shaking her head. "Don't move .. hang on, I'll get it out .. somebeast get me some bandages!"
Xzaris made a move to do what she said, but his legs buckled beneath him .. both of them this time .. and he collapsed to the deck, the rush of excitement fading away and leaving him limp. He drew in a shuddering breath, realizing the side of his neck throbbed, and he could smell blood .. his own or other beasts', he did not know.
There was a flurry of activity around him, and somebeast's paws lifted his head.
"Val first .. I ain't that bad .. help her first ..."
But he couldn't even hear his own voice anymore, and he gave into the blackness, at least it brought mercy from the pain.
=Next=
Grath sat on the railing of the Seawarrior, holding a fishing pole idly. All that day she'd been fishing and helping repair the ship, thankfully the vessel had been sheltered enough that aside from the sail, some torn rigging, and a few leaks, there wasn't that much to do.
Tansy and Cracklyn had been gathering wild vegetables, roots, and nuts all day, and they had a sizable collection.
There was a scuffing behind her, and Martin swung himself up onto the railing a few feet away, his fur and hair ruffled and grimy. "Phew .. I'm glad Clecky decided it was time for dinner. That hold is a mess."
He scrubbed a paw across his brow, leaving a dirty streak. "What?"
"You're filthy .. what's wrong down there?" Grath raised an eyebrow.
Martin shook his head. "Nothing really, Welko says it's normal. There's been a few leaks develop over the seasons, and the water made an awful sludge in the bottom. Hood, Clecky, and I have spent the whole day cleaning it out."
Grath looked down at the water, tugging on her fishing pole a little bit to attract something, if any fish happened to be paying attention. Martin rubbed his paws together, trying to get some of the dirt off, but only succeeded in smearing it. He sighed. "The truth is .. do we really know what we're getting into?"
Grath shook her head. "Probably not. But I'm going to face whatever we must face .. as well as I possibly can. It's all I can do."
She smirked, laying her head on one paw. "I could say I'm not afraid, but that'd be a lie. And I don't like lying."
"Yea." Martin copied her action, sitting straight up again as his paw left a dirty streak along the side of his face. "The truth is we're just a bunch of silly youngbeasts who might have all had a weird dream."
"Well .." Grath looked up. "I saw Ignasa!"
Martin met her gaze a moment, before nodded. "I believe you .. and I know what I saw. But it's fading now, and I can't help but wonder if it was just rash, and we're all going to die for it."
Grath gave him an unimpressed look, and Martin gestured out at the surrounding forest and river with one paw. "I don't like to be the naysayer, but we're messing with one of the most powerful vermin nations the world has ever known. Sayna told me some about them .. and oh boy. I hope we're okay."
He slumped down a little. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm crazy."
Grath paused, before pulling her hook up to see some clever fish had nibbled every speck of bait from it. "Don't think you're alone it that."
"Of course .." Martin sighed. "It is the right thing. It is and I know it .. and I want to do it .. but .."
He flopped backwards onto the deck, staring up at the sky. "If only I was braver."
Grath didn't say anything, just stared across the quiet, moonlit river. If only she was braver as well. And just generally stronger. She sighed wordlessly, and Martin added, "At least I won't have to worry about Piknim."
"At least I won't have to worry about learning healing with Viola, like Cicely wanted." Grath shrugged.
"Yea." Martin's voice was faraway. "At least we won't have to worry about trimming the orchard like my dad wanted us to do this summer."
There was silence, before Martin sighed. "I hope mom and dad aren't too worried."
"I left a note." Grath stated. "Maybe it will help."
"I doubt it. After her childhood .. being captured by Slagar the Slaver and all, mom wanted to keep me out of battles." He shrugged. "I guess war isn't something you can really avoid."
Grath looked at the shimmering water far below. "No. Either you go to it or it comes to you, sooner or later. I've seen what happens when it comes to you. This time, I'm coming to it."
Martin sat up, nodding. "I hope Abbot and Sayna are alright."
"At least they can help each other .. being pirates, they might have separated them." Grath paused. "Sayna can take care of herself, but I don't know about father abbot."
"Sayna will protect him .. then we'll save them both. I hope." Martin laid his head back down on the deck.
The galley door swung open, letting out a gleam of lantern light. Clecky stepped out. "Oh I say, there you are. Well come and have some scoff, the darlin' cook has done it again."
Tansy's voice sounded embarrassed, but pleased. "Oh Clecky .."
=Next=
"Ahh .." Xzaris came awake slowly, murmuring a little at the pain in his neck. There was a firm but gentle paw laid on his shoulder, and Arashi's voice came to him.
"Don't move too fast, ye took a hard hit back there."
He blinked his eyes open, to find he was laying in his hammock, bandages around the side of his neck and shoulder. Arashi shook her head. "How ye pulled the foxmaid and I out of the sea, I'll never know. Ye lost enough blood ye are lucky it didn't kill ye."
Xzaris laid a gentle paw on the bandages. "What .. happened?"
"Ye got us on deck, and then ye fainted." Arashi smirked. "Surprised ye didn't do it sooner. Ye had a gash between yer neck and shoulder that was bad enough to scare me."
"Wull .. I'm ok." Xzaris protested.
"Yes, yes, I know." Arashi sounded sarcastic. "Ye are one who is always ok, until he is dead."
Xzaris sighed, sensing the ferretwife had her mind made up. "What 'bout Val?"
Arashi shrugged. "She is stiff and hurting, but she is recovering well for her injury. Skarbod and I are taking care of the ship for ye while ye heal."
"Wait .." He turned his head a little, and wished he hadn't. "How long've I been sleepin'?"
"Two days." Arashi lifted his head, pouring a little water into his mouth. "Not really a surprise to me. Val's up and about though .. wanted to go back to cooking, so I let her."
Xzaris tried to sit up, but fell back with a groan. "Ok if'n I go back ta capt'nin'?"
Arashi rolled her eyes. "Didn't ye just prove to yeself ye aren't ready?"
"I s'pose not .. but what 'bout me ship? An' the Monitors? An' where is we goin'?"
"Captain, I'm sorry. We sighted another Southswardian ship .. we're caught in steady southern winds, and I .." Arashi paused. "There's really nothing we can do. If we fight it to go south again, we may meet more from Southsward, or we may row against the winds long enough we run out of rations for the lizards .. which of course means .."
"They'll eat us." Xzaris sounded disgusted. "I think I'd rather be killed by Southswardians or eaten by lizards .. than face what that mad-eyed marten's gonna do ta me."
He looked down, lifting his gaze to met hers, then dropped it with a heavy sigh. "But ya don't deserve that. Not ya, not Val, or Skarbod, or any a this crew. I'm jist the one the Elements hate, they've hated me since I was born. Everybeast has .. sept Rom, Rasconza, an' Val. An' Barranca an' yer Conva."
Xzaris shifted his gaze to the ceiling with a sigh. "Guess some are jist born with all the bad luck. Maybe if'n I git it all, Romsca won't."
He thought for a moment, before snorting, "Like that's really been workin'. Nah. I wasn't never worth much ta nobeast. Jist a dirty commoner, with no dad an' no real family. Except ta me three friends an' Rom's family. They really didn't see me like that. Not that it really matters. Ya should'a jist let me die."
Arashi raised an' eyebrow. "Perhaps ye are not just a dirty commoner to me either."
"It don't really matter, do it?" Xzaris closed his eyes. "I'm goin' ta die some horrible way, an' then things'll go on like they always have. But I know it'll hurt Romsca even more, an' .. that's one a the things that hurts the most."
"I don't think ye mean so little. No living creature does." Arashi's brown gaze was steady. "Not to me, and not to Ignasa."
Xzaris watched her a moment, before sighing, "I saw what happened ta Conva. Somethin' .. I don't even gotta name fer. Somethin' real, or at least what it seemed like. He did stuff I didn't know he had it in him ta do. He made me wonder if'n there really was a Lord called Ignasa, one who really did care."
He dropped his gaze. "But that couldn't save him. I thought maybe his Ignasa would kill Ublaz on the spot an' stop Conva dyin', but he didn't. An' if he don't care bout a beast like Conva, there's no way he's gonna care bout a beast like me."
Arashi shook her head. "He did care about Conva, and he does care about ye. He cares for every creature on this earth .. he made us, after all."
She laid a paw on his shoulder. "Ignasa may not have saved my husband from death, but he saved his soul from death. He can do that for ye. After all .."
She poked him gently. "It's what's inside that matters. Not what's on the outside."
"Wull .." Xzaris smiled the tiniest bit. "Ya'd be the first ta tell me that, I think."
He sighed, realizing how tired just talking had made him. Arashi smiled a little, stating, "Rest. It is what ye need at this point."
=Next=
The slow lap of waves was a constant, peaceful sound. Romsca leaned against the wall behind the long, bench window seat, her head resting on the frame of one of the tall but simple windows.
The scratch of pen on paper filled her silkily furred ears, and she paused, reading her writing as she rubbed the healing scar on her cheek.
Mutineers, lizards, and Ublaz. That's what I have to deal with. I'm not going to ask if my life can get worse, because it can, and it will. If this crew of fools isn't the end of me, the emperor will be.
She sighed, scratching down some more.
Raf's no help, I can't play by his rules. Anyway, who owns this ship? Him or me? Course he'd really like it if I just hired him to be captain while I stayed on Sampetra, but to Hellgates with that. I'm this ship's captain, and I'll kill to keep it that way.
"Of course .. that's probably his whole plan."
She stopped writing, slowly closing her journal. "Of course it is."
The ferret stood up, looking at her transparent reflection in the window and the waves beyond. "I've been a fool, haven't I?"
She laid a paw on the glass. "A course he trained me. He was me father's friend, an' he wasn't young enough ta get a better position on a different ship. But all along, he's been hopin' I'd give up an' let him captain the ship fer me."
Romsca curled her lip. "But I didn't, an' now he's hopin' Ublaz'll kill me so he kin have me ship. Under normal circumstances I'd will her ta Xzaris, but .. guess that ain't much a an option."
She laid her ears back with a sigh. "Should'a seen it comin' really. Me stuff's all that matters ta Raf, not me. Oh, maybe he'd be sad, but he'll get over it ta enjoy me money, what's left a it."
The ferret tucked her journal into a drawer of her desk, before tucking a few knives into her belt, and slinging her axe across her back. "Everybeast fer himself."
It was likely true, it was simple, it wasn't to be taken as any surprise. But it hurt still. She shouldn't let it, that was just the way the world worked. At least the vermin world. Romsca unbolted her door, slipping out and suppressing a snarl of surprised disgust at the Monitor watching her with cold, reptilian eyes.
She walked darkly past the beast, pinning her ears.
Great. Now Lask has placed a watch on my cabin. I hate lizards.
Her paws took her down into the galley, where she almost ran into Cheng. She curled her lip, growling, "Watch yerself."
The weasel dipped his head, but the glimmer of mocking hate in his eyes told Romsca he was anything but respectful. She met his gaze boldly, sneeringly, and he slunk away.
Kage was watching her, and he jerked his head pointedly in the direction Cheng had gone, gray-blue eyes meaningful. Romsca nodded grimly in reply, before pausing as she passed him. "How many?"
The stoat dipped his head as though paying his respect, but he murmured, "A third."
He walked off down the hallway, and Romsca scowled. Cheng had a third of the crew on his side. That was a hard hit.
Am I really that bad of a captain, that they hate me?
She paused at the kitchen door, shooting a glare out in the empty hallway. "As if I need their acceptance. All I need is their fear. An' I'm gonna have it by the end'a this."
Rubby looked up as she came in, before bustling about his business. "Need somthin' capt'n? Some biscuits, stew, or .. erm .. stew .. an' maybe some biscuits?"
"I'm good. Ain't hungry." Romsca shut the door behind her. "Can I still trust ya Rubby?"
The cook blinked, before shrugging. "Oh, ya mean bout Cheng? He don't got no use fer me, most beasts wouldn't. Ya and yer daddy was the only ones, an' it means a lot ta an' ol' beast like me. I'd be out on the streets if'n it weren't fer ya, havin' me cook."
He tested his stew, spitting it on the floor. "Blargge! Ukk! Needs more salt. That way ya can't taste me awful cookin'."
"Aha .." Romsca wondered how bad his cooking was without salt, since he seemed to think salt made it better.
The rat sighed, picking up where he'd left off. "An' the truth is, I'm jist a bad cook. I weren't never made ta be one."
Romsca frowned. "Then why .."
"Why do I alwus stick around as cook?" Rubby chuckled. "Honey I'm .. I means capt'n a course .. I'm sevendy or so seasons ol .. probly goin' on eighty by now. I was only ever a sailor, I don't know nothin' but sailin' .. if it weren't fer ya I'da rotted in some alley long ago. I knows ya hate me cookin', but ya've kept me round this long, an' it do mean a lot ta ol' Rubby, I hopes ya knows that."
Romsca felt a surge of guilt at his words. "Yea .. I mean .. sure .. I don't really mind yer cookin', Rubby."
The rat chuckled. "Yer a poor liar honey .. erm .. capt'n .. though yer a fine beast. I knows ya've kept me around cause ya didn't have ta pay me hardly nothin'. But it don't matter ta me, cause I knows any other beast woulda kicked me off their ship long time ago."
He rummaged in a cupboard, shrugging, "Course .. Ya could dump me now too .. but what I mean by alla that is I ain't with Cheng. I'm with ya capt'n, an' I alwus will be, ta the bloody end."
"Thanks." Romsca sighed. "You'll be one a the only ones."
"Like I said long ago honey .. that is capt'n .." Rubby hung up some spoons, brown eyes smiling. "Yer sun's up in those clouds someplace. One day it's gonna come out."
She met his gaze, before shaking her head. "If there's any sun up there at all, the clouds are so thick it ain't got a chance."
The ferret fiddled with the key hidden in her belt. "But thanks Rubby."
Romsca turned away, leaving the kitchen and heading farther down into the hold, toward the brig. She pulled her key out, carefully, quietly opening the door, as she listened to the conversation within.
"I am not eating one more bite of this filth. I don't know who cooks for that ferret captain, but whoever it is, they must be a poisoner." Sayna's voice was disgusted. "I'll stick to water."
Romsca could just make out the two in the dimness, and Durral looked incredulous. "You'll starve."
Sayna sighed. "No, I won't. I can't really, you see."
"Oh you and your silly stories." Durral rubbed his stomach. "That's not going to get us something decent to eat, and it won't get us out of here."
The mousewife glared at her companion. "Perhaps not. I was simply pointing out the fact that I really would have a hard time dying of starvation. And if you are so wise, what do you suggest?"
The abbot tightened his habit cord miserably, snapping a little. "Don't expect me to know .."
He hung his head. "Because I don't."
Sayna pulled on the chains around her paws, grumbling, "Well as little as I like to admit it .. I'm in the same situation you are."
"Oh come on .. you? Sayna? The magical .. defender of Redwall? You don't know how to get away from some pirates?" Durral sounded incredulous.
Sayna didn't look up. "No."
Durral shook his head. "Then why do you say you're .. our defender, and go about pretending you're different from every other beast? You're just like us, why do you insist on being a loner .. you should live at Redwall, like us."
She slowly met his gaze. "I cannot be any less or more than what I am Durral. I have seen wars and blood and ages, I'm sorry, I won't pretend to be normal and wear your silly habits. If fitting in means altering me, then I'd rather be the ghost of Mossflower woods. I doubt a beast like you could ever understand."
Romsca watched them in silence, standing in the accumulation of shadows in the doorway. She did not know what to make of these two, very different, very strange woodlanders. She wasn't sure either was quite right in the head.
Durral said nothing, just sighed in a long-suffering manner. Sayna suddenly lifted her head, nose twitching a little. "Oh I smell you ferret. Might as well come out, standing in the doorway won't get you what you want."
Romsca felt a tingle run up her spine .. maybe this mouse really was a witch. Did she really have that good a sense of smell naturally?
Sayna turned her head around, meeting Romsca's gaze with her sharp, cutting black eyes. "I said come out, ferret."
And she did, as if compelled by some unseen force, some invisible power that relentlessly drew her foreword. Romsca stood still in the corridor outside the brig, feeling more of a guilty culprit than a captain and captor.
Nobeast said anything for a moment, Durral watching both Romsca and Sayna with apprehension. Sayna's hair was falling slowly from the tight braid she wore it in, falling around her face and surprising Romsca by how long it really was.
"Why did you spare me?"
Romsca blinked. "What?"
"You." Sayna's eyes were cutting, but also questioning. "You spared my life at the last second when you kicked me against the wall. I know what death looks like in a beast's eyes, and you intended to kill me. But in that last second, you saw something about me that made you stop in pure shock. What was it?"
"I .." Romsca suddenly realized she'd been about to actually tell the mouse the reason, and stopped herself with a sneer. "Yer me prisoner, I don't have ta tell ya nothin'. I ask the questions around here, mousewife."
Sayna acted like she hadn't heard the threat in Romsca's voice, acted like she hadn't even spoken. "Then you asked me about my mark, and what it means. You've been very demanding, ferret, taking us from our home, locking us down here, and feeding us filth that would poison a lesser beast."
In this moment, she gave Durral a look, then continued. "So it's time you answered my question. Why would a pirate spare a woodlander over a mark?"
"How do ya know I spared ya cause a that?" Romsca scowled. "Ya might just be a little somethin' fer me emperor."
"You do not care for your emperor, I can see the hate in your eyes when you speak of him. No, I am not a fool. What I saw in your eyes was a personal matter." Sayna blinked once, her gaze remaining hauntingly steady.
Romsca swallowed a little, the creak of the ship and the dark shadows in the brig making her paranoia worse. What spell had this witch cast upon her?
She slowly slid her gloved left paw over her gloved right one. Her father had warned her never to show or tell anybeast about the mark, for fear it would be considered a threat to Empress Meili or a curse of the elements and that she would be executed.
She growled to hide her fear. "It is personal. An' that means it's fer only one beast ta know .. me."
Romsca hurried away, slipping out of the door. But Sayna's voice echoed in her ears anyway. "I wonder .."
Romsca shivered, making for the sunny deck.
She wondered what?
