Chapter 12: Over the river and through the…rainforest?
"How much longer do you think it'll take to reach…?"
"The Pantano River? I've no idea," Jack answered, digging the blade of his knife into the table disinterestedly. Around an hour after Maccus and his crew had left the room, Ichabod had fully mastered the concept of Deception, and had won over twenty games consecutively. Jack, who was rather put out at losing the traditional seafaring game for the first time, gave up, and retreated to the corner of the room. Ichabod set down the Deception cup he'd been examining, and looked up.
"I meant, how long will it take to reach…Tia Dalma, is it?"
"Same thing. She lives at the North most point on the Pantano River," Jack stated flatly.
"Oh." The room was quiet, save for the muted mutterings of the crew. Ichabod was just contemplating on whether or not he should ask another question, when the Dutchman suddenly lurched upwards, making him topple backwards over his chair. He quickly scrambled to his feet, and noticed that Jack had managed to remain upright, and was chuckling to himself. Ichabod glared at him, feeling more than a little disgruntled.
"What was that?" He asked, annoyed at the amused look on the pirate's face.
"I believe that was the Dutchman surfacin', which probably means we've arrived." Jack walked over to the door, yanked it open, and ran straight into Will.
"Jack?"
"Captain Eunuch!" Jack exclaimed cheerfully, ignoring the frown that had formed on the Captain's face. Will brushed off the insult.
"We've arrived outside the mouth of the river. I'd like to take as few people up to Tia's shack as possible, so I've arrange for two boats to be taken ashore. The first will hold Ichabod and yourself, while the second will hold Maccus and I. I thought it safest to have Maccus in my boat, considering the fact that he seems to dislike both of you."
"You thought correct," Jack muttered, rubbing his sore shoulder.
"Meet me up on deck in a few minutes—I'm not fond of this island, as you might recall," Will said, glancing at Jack, who grimaced. The time spent on the nearby Isla De Pelegustos was not something that he wished to re-live.
--
Once on the boats, Jack ordered Ichabod to start rowing, shoved his hat over his eyes, and promptly leaned against the side, already trying to fall asleep.
"Excuse me, but why exactly am I doing the all work?" Ichabod queried, slightly irritated.
"You need the experience and the exercise. I, however, am a veteran of rowin' boats, so there is no need for me to waste precious energy tha' I should be savin' for later," Jack said, without looking up. The constable stared at him in disgust, then grabbed the oars, placing both in the water on either side of him.
"I'm not even sure where I'm supposed to be rowing." The pirate glanced over at Will and Maccus, who were rowing in their separate boat, and flicked a hand in their general direction.
"Just follow Captain Eunuch and his barnacled friend. Tha' much you can handle, I assume?" Ichabod didn't answer, but pulled the wooden oars backwards, and started rowing in the general direction of Will's boat.
--
Half an hour into the excursion, the river narrowed out, and the thick trees towered over the water, blocking out most of the sunlight. Ichabod was grateful for the shade, since it was a nice reprieve from the scorching Caribbean sun. But as he took in more of his surroundings, he found the setting to be rather foreboding, and hoped that he had only imagined the shadowy figures lurking within the rainforest. Unfortunately, as it seemed since he had arrived, luck was not on his side.
"Erm, Jack…? Who are they?" The constable asked nervously, pointing towards the human-like figures glaring at the passing boats through the foliage. Jack sat up quickly, pushed his hat farther up his head so that it wasn't covering his eyes, and peered into the ever-thickening cluster of trees.
"Oh, them? They're just Tia Dalma's watchmen. They're not a threat to us….I think."
"Well, that's quite the comforting thought," Ichabod muttered sarcastically. Suddenly, what little light that had been present disappeared, and the rainforest around them was shrouded in darkness. Ichabod's heart quickened, and he gripped the oars as his eyes tried, and failed, to adjust to the darkness.
"Jack?"
"Aye?"
"…Please tell me that was just a leaf that brushed past my face."
"Actually, there are several things tha' it could've been," Jack answered, after a few seconds of thinking it over. Ichabod gulped.
"Such as…?"
"Well, seein' as were in a rainforest, it's safe to assume tha' it could've been a leaf, unlikely, a bird, a snake, or a very large spider." There was no answer, only a thump that made the boat dip forwards.
"Mate?" Silence. "Ichabod?" Still nothing. "He passed out, didn't he," Jack stated to himself. The silence that greeted him was more than enough of an answer. The pirate sighed. "Now I have to do the bloody rowin' all by meself," he muttered crossly, picking up the oars, and setting them in the water. He had barely pulled them back twice, sending the boat gliding through the water, when he saw a faint outline of lights ahead of him.
"Jack!" The whispered call broke through the unnerving silence.
"Wait a minute!" He hissed back, casting wary glances around him. As he rounded the corner, Tia's shack came into view, and he spotted Will and Maccus on the porch. Once he had docked, he stepped off of the boat, and bowed mockingly to Will.
"You called, Captain Turner?" Will ignored the taunt.
"Last time we came here when we were looking for Jones's chest, Tia demanded payment, and several times when I have come to visit her without payment, she's kicked me out. I didn't bring payment this time!" Jack waved a dismissive hand.
"No worries, mate. She'll agree to help us with or without payment." The Dutchman's captain looked skeptical, then seemed to notice that Ichabod wasn't with them.
"Where's your friend?"
"Acquaintance," Jack corrected, then indicated the boat. "He's in there."
"…Don't you think you should bring him over here?" Will asked pointedly, after a long pause. Jack rolled his eyes and walked over to the boat, nudging the still unconscious Ichabod with his boot.
"Oi, mate, wake up!" The constable stirred, then bolted straight up. Upon seeing that it was just Jack, he sighed, and stood up.
"Have we arrived, then?" He asked tiredly, as if this was routine. The pirate felt rather bad that he had caused him to faint, but how was he to know that Ichabod would react that way?
"Aye," he answered, "we have." He indicated Will and Maccus.
"Shall we head inside, then?" Ichabod nodded, and they all made their way over to the ladder. Just as Jack grabbed the side of the wooden ladder, Will cleared his throat.
"I'm still not comfortable about not brining payment. You've never seen her when she gets that angry before." The flickering fire reflected in Jack's dark eyes, and as Will glanced at him, he felt a cold shiver run down his spine.
"As a matter of fact, I have," he said quietly. Ichabod and Maccus exchanged confused glances, their dislike of each other momentarily forgotten. The pirate looked up, and his whole demeanor changed. "But in any case," he said cheerfully," you don't need to worry—after all, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!"
--
"What d'you mean, no?" Jack crossed the room in four slightly exaggerated swaggering steps.
"Tia, love, you can do ol' Jack one little favor, can't you?" He asked, getting slightly desperate. Tia drew herself up, and stared Jack in the eyes, power seeming to radiate from her. Jack, Will, and Ichabod tensed, and even Maccus seemed intimidated. The voodoo priestess let out a sigh, then crossed over to her table.
"I'll tell ye what, Jack Sparra'—I will help ye wid your desires if you will bring to me a certain item of value."
"Done!" Jack said triumphantly, without thinking of the consequences. Will shot him a glare, and the pirate captain grinned sheepishly. He bit his lip nervously, then turned back to Tia.
"What is it, exactly, that you would like us to retrieve?" Tia gave a sly grin, her black gums startling the constable.
"My pendant, that my sweet lova' gave me, has been stolen. I want ye to go and get it back for me. Den, I will help ye wid yer request."
"Agreed," Jack stated, shaking Tia's hand. He looked questioningly at the three in the back. Will nodded his consent.
"Agreed," Ichabod said, as Maccus also nodded. Jack flashed Tia a gold-toothed grin.
"Just tell us the predicted location of your pendant, and we shall be on our way!" He exclaimed with a smile.
"I have reason to believe dat my pendant is on a nearby island dat you two," she pointed to Will and Jack, "know very well." The two captains stiffened. "It is called, the Isla De Pelegustos."
--
A/N: Ha, ha, sorry I haven't updated in a while. School has been brutal…And yes, I saw Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End again…for the fifth time. It is still THE most amazing movie I've seen in my life. Anyways, this chapter was a killer to write. I kept putting it off. Finally, last night, I had some extra time, so I sat down and forced myself to start on it. I only just finished it today. So…please read and review! Thanks to all of my reviewers—I love you guys:D
