YES! Only a few more days and then we'll finally remove the cast from my arm so I can go back to writing and drawing! Typical me to feel super-inspired and creative after becoming temporarily crippled -.-...

Anyway, let's FINALLY go back aboard the Clotilde and see what the other's been up to ;P! As always; we'll meet everyone else at the end and hear what they've done while the Africa gang, especially Bentley, Prissy and Caleb, will be... Well, busy ;P

*** Chapter Fifty-One : Land! ***

The Clotilde, six weeks after departure...

The sea was calm. The dark, greenish blue waters steadily rippled in new waves and kept rocking the three-masted schooner onwards. The white, slightly old, sails crunched softly as a gust of wind grabbed them and gave the ship a push forward. Even life on the Clotilde was calm; the sailors worked while her passengers were doing whatever they could do keep themselves from getting bored.

Flitch and Fledge were helping out, Fledge was obviously having the time of his life while his big brother only tagged along as a translator. He looked like he'd much rather go back to sleep and just snore away until they reached shore. Caleb was engaged in a game of dice with a couple of crew members who were on their breaks, though they really could do without the teens snarky remarks every now and then. Hicks on the other hand, was sitting by himself. Cleaning his gun for probably the fifth time that day, muttering something about the salty sea water ruining everything.

Few paid any attention to Priscilla when she climbed up from below deck. The sea really wasn't agreeing with her, so she'd often feel seasick and would then bunker herself up below deck until it passed. It had taken the crew a while to warm up to everyone in the gang, but things went a lot faster after that incident with those 'sirens', in which Priscilla, as the only female who could withstand their singing, saved the entire crew and ship from certain death. Even Tip was thankful for that, though he wasn't as keen on showing it as his crew. When they did notice that she returned to the top deck, they greeted her with silent waves and nods, and she returned them before looking around to see if she spot a certain someone.

The crew had even accepted Bentley into their crew, however he himself wasn't especially thankful. He didn't want anything to do with either this ship or her crew, even less be their friend! Ever since they had gotten back on the Clotilde, he had gotten more and more introverted and reserved. He kept his distance from the others and would rather withdraw into some stalwart shell than spend time with the others. There were even days when he didn't even want to talk to Priscilla, and would signal that by climbing up to the crows nest and sit there and mope.

He had gotten beyond the point of impatience, and was now edgy and more unstable. While she was feeling sorry for him, and knew exactly why he was acting and feeling the way he did towards this particular crew and ship, she couldn't help but to be slightly annoyed with his behavior as well. It really wouldn't hurt to give them a chance, after all...

He wasn't hiding out in the crows nest however, and she quickly found him by the bow. He was sitting on his knees next to the bowsprit, with his arms folded on the railing and his chin dully resting on his arms. He was emptily gazing at the horizon, just waiting for any signs of land approaching, just like he had done for a couple of weeks now.

She sighed lowly when she saw him by the bow of the ship. Ever since they began the journey across the Atlantic, he had been so... Different. They hadn't talked for real for so long, and she was getting worried by now; something was obviously wrong with him and he ALWAYS told her what was bugging him! After a bit of nagging or if it was a real emergency, of course. Determined to finally find out what was irking him, she turned to head towards him and when she came up to him, she carefully put a hand on his shoulder. He jumped from her touch and looked up at her with a slightly distant look on his face. His left eye had begun to twitch every-so-often once again.

"Sorry" She says lowly and moves her hand down to his shoulder blade as he turns his attention to the sea again. "Still nothin' out there, huh?"

"Just a couple of small islands..." He replied with a bitter mumble and tilted his head to her when he once again rested his head on his folded arms. "A big clusterfuck of nothin'..."

"Well, ya know; Tip says that we should see land any day now!"

"He's said that for a week..." He lifted his head again and looked at her, his eye twitching again before they both widened. "Prissy, what if he's lyin' to us?! What if this is just another one of his tricks?!"

She frowned in confusion. "Huh? Bentley...?"

"What if he's still in the slavery business and has kidnapped us to sell us!? Especially you?!"

"Bentley..." She paused and sighed. "You don't have to worry; ya KNOW the slavery ended more than ten years ago-...!"

"In the states, yeah; but that doesn't mean it's gone! It's still going on pretty much EVERYWHERE!" He made a wild gesture with his arms before lowering them and glance behind him at the crew with fear in his eyes. "Plantation slaves ain't the only kind of slave, ya know..." He gave her a meaning glance.

She sighed once again and tiredly kneaded her forehead with her fingertips. "Bentley, ya got NOTHIN' to worry 'bout, hun. I promise!"

He didn't reply. He just looked at her in worried silence for a minute, then leaned his head back on the rail. "If you say so..." He finally mumbled and flattened his ears. "But don't blame me when I say 'I told you so', when we men gets robbed and sold to Mauritania, and you get trafficked to like, Bulgaria to b'come a sex slave for filthy rich, Slavic pervs!"

"Bentley!" She snapped back, her cheeks were flashing red. "That's sick! Are you hearing yourself?!"

"Loud n' clear! I know EXACTLY what I'm talkin' 'bout, Prissy!" He turned back to her again, this time looking angry, for once. "Although you could get lucky and get shipped to New York instead, at least there you'd speak the language and understand what those sick bastards wanna do to you!"

Priscilla hurried to clamp her hands over ears. "Shut UP, Bentley! Why the FUCK are ya talkin' 'bout this?!"

"Hey! I know another fun place he might take you too, that's a lot closer! IF we're actually headed to Africa, that is" He continued, ignoring her. "How about Nigeria?! That's a fun place, especially if you're a woman! He might sell you off for a wad of cash to one of those baby factories, b'cause that's so classic Tip!"

"ENOUGH!"

He paused to quickly eye her up and down first, then snort loudly. "Unless they deem you worthless for childbirth 'cause of yer narrow hips and flat-...!"

With an angry scream, she balled her fist and punched him on the side of his face as hard as she could. He stumbled backwards, but didn't fall since he was still standing on his knees and managed to put an arm out just in time to support himself.

"What's the fuck's WRONG with ya?!" She growled loudly. "I came here to talk to ya for a bit to see if I could get ya to cheer up! NOT to hear a shitload of bullcrap yer sick mind keeps tellin' itself will happen, even though it's painfully obvious it won't! Tip is workin' for us now, and he's got NOTHIN' to do with... Anything as disgustin' as that!"

Bentley looked at her in silence for a moment, then he rubbed his cheekbone where she had hit him and looked to the side. When she turned her head as well, she noticed that the entire crew had stopped and just looked at them with wide eyes. She winced and shook her head, then grabbed Bentley by the scruff of his neck and ignored his pained whimper as she forced him up on his feet. She then grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him down to her level.

"We gotta talk" She just said, then turned and dragged him along to the storage cabins.

She pushed him inside of the rooms, bolted the door and turned to him with a frown. He was still rubbing his aching face, shamefully looking down at the ground while his eye was twitching like mad. She impatiently tapped her foot on the ground and folded her arms. She could instantly tell what he was thinking at the moment.

"Yeah, ya better be sorry now, hun!" She said with a scoff. "'Cause if the crew heard ev'rythin' ya said and reports it to Tip he might git-...!"

"Sorry, Prissy..." He mumbled and stopped rubbing his cheek, but didn't lower his hand. "I'm sorry I insulted you..."

"Insulted me?! Ya did more than just that; ya freak me out!" She let her arms drop to her sides. "Bentley, what's wrong with you? You've barely said a word to me since we sailed out on the Atlantic and now when we finally talk for real again ya start yapperin' 'bout this shit?! Just... Why?!"

"B'cause...!" He started, but trailed off and averted his twitching eyes. "You're right; somethin' like that won't happen... 'Cause I'll protect you..."

She flinched. "Wh-what?! Y-you...?"

"What? You don't think I can do it either?" He got a frown between his brows and he slowly looked back up at her. "Well, I can! I know what ev'ryone thinks of me; they all say I'm nothin' but a good-fer-nothin' wimp who can't even take care of himself, and they're right: I AM a god damn pussy!"

Priscilla winced and rubbed her temple, which had begun to hurt again. This time not because of the seasickness. "Bentley, please... Don't-...!"

"I know ya agree, Prissy, so don't try to tell me it ain't true!" He cut her off and finally removed his hand from his cheek. "An' I'm real' tired of bein' that wimp who can't stand up for himself, even less for you; the one I care 'bout most in the world! Ever since we met, you've been the one to stand up for me and always protected me when people lined up to kill me! You're even takin' all the hits the bountyhunters throws at me and you have no idea how bad I feel for exposin' ya to that!"

"I do, actually..." She mumbled. "This ain't the first time you're sayin' somethin' like this, y'know..."

"And most of all; I'm real' sick n' tired of always hearin' behind my back how you deserve someone better 'cause it's... It's true... It's so true it hurts..." He paused, and she felt her throat tighten up with worry when he first seemed to be on the brink of tears, but then he shook his head and he got the same angry frown again. Accompanied by the twitching eye. "I know you deserve someone better than me, someone who actually can take care of you, but I refuse to give you up to someone else! I love you more than anyone else can and I'll prove it to you! From now on I'll protect you with my life! I'll prove ev'ryone wrong! I'll NEVER let another man hurt you in any way 'cause he'll have to go through me first!"

She winced again and shook her head. "Bentley, honest question now..." She said and looked up at him again, her eyes locked on his crimson red ones. "Did'cha really hear people say those things 'bout'cha, or was it just another dream?"

He instantly opened his mouth to reply, but stopped himself and clamped his mouth shut again. His angry frown was replaced by a lost and confused look and looked around, his eyes darting around in their sockets. "I... I don't know, actually..." He started walking backwards as he dug his claws into his hair. "I dunno... M-my dreams... I don't know! This... THIS could be a dream too, for all I know!"

Priscilla frowned and walked up to him when he finally made contact with a crate, making him stop walking backwards and put a hand on the crate. "Bentley?" She asked carefully, and he glanced at her from underneath his dark, dread-like bangs. "Wanna tell me 'bout yer dreams? Ya don't even sleep down in the cargo with the rest of us anymore, so I have no idea what's wrong". He didn't reply, so she sighed and put her hands on his arms and pulled them down from his head, making it easier to look him in the eyes again. "Please? Ya know you feel better after you've told me! Most of the times, at least..."

His ears drooped and his eyes darted to the side again before twitching again. "They... They're never the same anymore..." He eventually said with a low, careful voice. "They're always different, except for one thing... One thing never changes..." He gulped and looked at her for a second, then looked away again and mumbled something incoherent.

"What?" She asked, slightly impatiently. "What're ya dreamin' 'bout?"

"You..." He whispered, and she raised both of her eyebrows in confusion, but didn't interrupt him. "I dream 'bout you gettin' hurt and killed. Sometimes I'm the one gettin' hurt, seein' you with Kayden at your side or... Or beatin' the livin' shit outta me... You whipped me once... Or twice, I can't really remember..."

He started trying to pull his hands out of her grip, but her grip tightened without her knowledge and the color of her face changed into a slightly pale green tone. He bit on his lip, a tad worried, but continued.

"And sometimes we have fights, just like this one! That's why I thought this was another dream-...!"

"I'm sorry, Bentley..." She said, eventually interrupting him after all. "I-is that why you've been avoidin' me? B'cause ya think I'd actually...?"

He shook his head after her voice trailed off. "No, definitely not!" He smiled carefully. "I mean... You wouldn't actually call me all those bad words and make me bleed like that, would you...?"

She didn't even bother to answer him; she just threw her arms around him and tried to swallow to make the knot in her chest go away. Sure, it was just in his dreams, but there was something about these things he told her that made her sick with worry. The knot dissolved somewhat when she felt him hug her back.

"But..." She pulled away slightly, but kept her arms at his waist. "Why avoid us? An' why not talk to me 'bout this?! Ya know I listen, dont'cha?"

"Yeah..." He said and smiled slightly as he put a hand on her head and hugged her close against his chest again. "But I dunno... Gettin' on this ship again is one of the worst things I've been through, but you're always there to cheer me up..." He paused and sighed. "I guess I'm just a-..."

"A big crybaby?" She cut in, and he first got a surprised frown on his face, but then he sighed and nodded. "Well, then you might have done the right thing in stayin' away from Hicks, seein' how much he hates crybabies..." She continued and rolled her eyes when she tried to pull away again. "But I don't care 'bout that, at least not when it's you. I love ya, y'know? The wimpy act, quirky craziness an' all!"

He couldn't help but to arch an eyebrow. "But... Why?"

"Hell if I knew" She chuckled, which turned into a laugh when she accidentally pushed him back against the crate. Almost making him fall backwards over it. "And don't ask 'why?' when someone tells ya they love ya, silly!"

"Sorry!" He chuckled sheepishly, trying to smile to hide the guilt he felt. That wasn't the real reason he had been avoiding her. Or the others for that matter. Or the only reason he's been so begrudging... "I just..." His smile vanished, and she got worried when the solemn look on his face returned. "I just really do love you... But I don't-...!"

"Don't start again!" She winced and he instantly went silent as he averted his eyes. "I swear, if ya don't give me a smile right this instant I'll take a rowboat an' row all the way back home again! Alone!"

At first he didn't even budge. But then he slowly turned his eyes back to her and the corners of his mouth carefully went up in smile. It wasn't the most convincing grin he had ever done, but it would have to do. She returned it and slowly shook her head.

"Cant'cha just stop worryin' for a while? For both of our sakes?"

He hesitated slightly, then he nodded. "I'll try" She responded by smiling wider and hug him closer.

"I can't wait for you to be back to your normal self again!" She said, her voice was somewhat muffled from speaking into his chest.

Bentley tried to smile wider as well, but a glimpse at one of the dreams he had flashed in his mind and it almost made him throw up. Not to mention that voice he'd always hear after he woke up...

"But I'll never trust Tip!" He said through clenched teeth and closed his eyes, as if to shut the nightmare out. "What if he ain't what he say he is? What if he really IS gonna sell us as slaves or murder us?! He's done it b'fore, ya know, and habits are really tough to break! Trust me; I've been tryin'a stop sittin' down peeing for years!"

She winced and pulled away from the hug again. "First of all, Bentley: NOTHIN' is gonna happen to us! I ain't ever gonna ask ya to trust Tip, but ya trust me, right? So please, trust me when I promise ya nothin' like that is gonna happen! Second of all..." She paused and arched a skeptical eyebrow at him. "Ya sit down when ya piss?"

"Yeah..." He answered lingering and lowered his head with an awkward blush on his cheeks. "But let's NOT discuss my potty training any further, okay? I ain't ever even SEEN a shitter b'fore I got to the plantation! It was... Scary an' traumatizin'!"

For a moment she just stood there, watching him with a weird look. Then she burst out laughing and had to lean her forehead against his chest. His eared flicked back in confusion and he glanced down at her.

"Umm... Prissy?"

"That's the spirit! That's the Bentley I know!" She giggled and looked up at him again. "Can ya promise me one thing? That no matter what happens to either of us; ya DON'T let yourself go down b'cause of it! Try to NOT go crazy, okay? B'cause if I can be honest with ya; you kinda scare me when you're actin' like that" He averted his eyes once again before nodding at her. His eye was still twitching, but she ignored it and smiled as she put a hand on the side of his face. "Good! Ev'rythin' will be fine. You're just havin' bad dreams again, that's all!"

He didn't reply, so she stood on her toes and planted a kiss on his lips. He didn't hesitate to return it, but for once he was the first one to break away. He carefully stroke a strand of her black hair out of her eyes, but lowered his head and stared down at the floor when he couldn't get himself to look her in the eyes.

"I'm sorry, Prissy..." He mumbled, and she barely managed to hold back a restrained sigh. "I'm just not in the mood... Not on this ship..."

"I know" She nodded and added with a mutter. "It's been a while, though..."

He chuckled pathetically. "Yeah, I know!"

"LAND AHOY!" The voice came from far up on top deck, so it was very faint and muffled when it reached the storage rooms. But when it came, they both heard it and Bentleys ears instantly perked forward as he tensed up.

"P-Prissy?" He said carefully without looking up from the ground. "Did... Did you-...?"

"Yeah, I heard it too!"

He looked up at her and they stared at each other for a few beats, then Bentley let go of her, unbolted the door and sprinted up the stairs. She followed him short after. Up on deck there were crewmembers running from left to right, so they both had to zigzag to reach the front of the ship. It was like the entire ship had been waken up from a slumber, and now everyone was rushing to their chores.

At first when they looked over the bow to the horizon, neither of them saw anything. But after just a short while they spotted it; a thin strip of emerald green somewhere far in the distance.

Bentley dug his claws into the railing and his eyes widened. So far it wasn't more than a faint new color by the horizon, but he knew it. He just FELT it: it was his home. He was finally home again! With a sudden, loud and happy laugh, which almost bordered on to a maniacal one, he sprang up from the railing and turned to Prisicilla. Before she could register what was happening he had taken her head between his hands and pressed a firm kiss on her forehead. He then let go and leaped up onto the railing and the next thing she knew, she saw him balancing on the bowsprit, using the tassels of ropes to keep himself from falling off.

While she was happy for this sudden turn in mood, she also got worried as she saw in her mind how he slipped off the slippery bowsprit and fell screaming into the dark waters. But he never did, and when he reached the end of the bowsprit, he sat down with his legs dangling down the sides, watching the strip of land slowly edging closer with a wide grin on his face.

"Moron" She chuckled at him and shook her head while the others approached the front to see the land come closer as well.

"Fuckin' finally!" Caleb growled bitterly and folded his arms. "I can't WAIT to get off this stinkin' boat!" Which was followed by a choir of offended 'Hey's from nearby crewmembers. "I'm soo sick of hardtack and sauerkraut! And don't get me started on the shitbucket!"

"For once I agree with him" Hicks mumbled and turned his attention down to the waters below as the strong wind ruffled his ashblonde hair.

Flitch and Fledge sided up with them as well, and Fledge laughed as he pointed at the strip of land. He said something in Spanish, but instead of translating Flitch just slapped his palm against his face and groaned.

When they suddenly heard someone clear their throat behind them, everyone except Bentley turned around, only to find Tip standing there with the same serious frown on his face. "I need to talk to you" He said and nodded to his cabin. "Come see me in my cabin" He paused and glanced at Bentley. "ALL of you"

Hicks nodded, and Tip left again. The coyote then turned to Priscilla and she rolled her eyes when she knew what he wanted her to do.

"BENTLEY!" She had to yell to be heard over the waves crashing against the bow and the wind howling in his ears. He turned his head around to her and saw her wave at him to come back.

He sighed, but got up and scurried back to the deck. Shortly after landing on the deck, he was still so happy and excited that he couldn't help but to scoop Priscilla up in his arms with a sly laugh. She screamed a short scream in surprise, but then laughed as well, especially when he started kissing her throat and jawline.

"Can't y'two just do that later?!" Hicks pointed out, but Bentley just snorted and tightened his arms around her.

"You're just jealous YER girl ain't here too!" He grinned cockily and planted another kiss on her forehead.

Hicks didn't move a muscle. "Tip wanna to see us all in his cabin. I think he wanna tell us somethin' important"

This time Bentley flinched and nearly dropped Priscilla. "W-wh-wh-...?!" He stuttered, but trailed off when Priscilla brought his nose down with a firm grip on his chin.

"R'member what I told'cha earlier?" She said, and he nodded quietly. "Good!" She kissed his cheek and jumped down to the floor again.

The others started walking, but Bentley threw a last glance back at the approaching strip of land and grinned, before following the others downstairs.

"ANGOLA?!" Everyone yelled out in unison after Tip explained where they were heading, and the old fox winced from the loud noise.

"Aye"

"I thought we agreed on you to take us all the way to our destination in Point Noire!" Hicks exclaimed angrily.

Bentley pulled his lips back in a threatening growl and wrapped a protective arm around Priscillas shoulders. His ears were flattened to his neck and his mane bristled as he did his best to keep any invisible attackers away from them both. She shuddered, more scared of his enraged look than what she knew he was thinking.

"Not exactly" Tip shook his head. "What we agreed on was that I take ye and yer people to Congo and back safely. 'Tis the safest way to go about as I CAN'T dock anywhere in Congo, either Brazzaville or ta Democratic Republic without risking everyones necks" He paused and gritted his fangs. "Let's just say that me an' ta Congolese aren't the best of mates..."

"And I do wonder why..." Bentley was heard saying through the deep, rumbling growling.

Hicks motioned to Bentley to be quiet, but he didn't stop snarling until Priscilla had enough and told him off too. Though he just went silent and kept glaring at Tip, ignoring everything else.

"Then where are we s'posed to go from here?" Hicks continued.

"I'll send ashore few of me men to find a guide an' a crew fer ye, who'll take ye straight ta yer destination" Tip continued, unfazed by Bentleys remark and behavior. "I do apologize fer ta sidetrack"

"Ya should've told us that ya couldn't go straight to Congo from the very beginning!" Hicks shook his head, still watching Tip with a bitter scowl. "How long time does it take for us to make it Congo from here then?"

"Dunno" The fox shrugged. "All from two weeks to a month. Depends on yer tempo an' how much trouble you'll encounter by ta border"

A disgruntled mumble spread among them, and they exchanged glances. Good thing they were a month early for the date on the coordinates, but they had hoped that they'd get to use that time to be snooping around.

Without waiting for anyone else to speak, Tip turned his back to them "We'll arrive in a town fairly close to the border by nightfall. When we dock I want everyone to remain on the ship 'til me men returns with a guide. This place is not like any other place you're used to; walking ta streets 'ere by night be far more dangerous" He paused and glanced at Priscilla.

Bentley growled lowly again and tightened his arm around her shoulders. "Bullshit! I wanna get off!"

Fledge and Caleb nodded in agreement. "Yeah! We're sick of this boat already!"

"And the bucket..." Hicks added with a low mumble.

"She be a ship" Tip pointed out with a growl. "And nobody gets off this ship until I give me say so!" For the first time, he turned to Bentley and they locked eyecontact, even if Bentley instinctively was the one to step back. "And that goes for ye and yer missy too, Kiddo"

Without replying, Bentley let out a faint snarling snort and pulled Priscilla closer to him. While she wasn't sure what to think of the situation, so she silently leaned against him as well. Just hoping he wouldn't get too frustrated and run away anyway and get hurt, or something...

YAY! Finally, I've been wanting to write this for sooo long :D! Now begins the REALLY long and action-filled part of this story, hope you're as psyched up for it as I am ;)

If only I could get my right hand back in action soon -.-...

Oh, and I do apologize for Bentleys behavior in the beginning ^^"... He hasn't had a very good time, y'know xD