Chapter Fifteen: Friends, Old and New
On board the Sayladar, none of the remaining crew could enjoy the beautiful and fiery sunset. The fox Lieutenant Scaplax gripped the wooden deck railing of the for-ard deck, peering out to the North. He squinted his dark eyes against the glare of the setting sun upon the calm waters. He could see no ship, but he trusted Talongaze's razor-keen sight... If the lookout said there was a ship on the horizon, there surely was one.
It was this fact that stuck like a lump in Scaplax's throat. The red fox had been in charge of the ship for hardly a day, and trouble was arising. A ship. With the full force of Captain Morgan's corsairs, a ship would be a delightful chance for trade or plunder. However, with the bare skeleton crew, Scaplax feared the worst.
The Lieutenant did not know how long he had been standing and watching, but it must've been a long while. His eyes and head ached, paws sore from gripping the deck rail with white-knuckled nervousness. Even the good-humored ferret twins, Kolya and Kuzma, could not ease their friend's anxiousness, as they were feeling the same themselves.
Sandstar, the vixen navigator, and Brilik the weasel, sat rolling some bone dice, with looks of misery upon their faces. They were gambling for amounts of beautiful and bright-colored shells, with Sandstar having the most. As Brilik threw the dice, a small rock flew over the deckrail and collided with the dice as they were about to come to a rest. The dice rolled a little further away and stopped. Brilik cursed and turned on Sandstar, more than a little upset.
"You cheater! You threw that! I was about to win!"
The vixen blinked with surprise, then grew slightly angry.
"I did nothing of the sort! You're just angry because you're not having any luck!"
The two went on bickering, while Scaplax turned to look. Before he could step in to break up the argument, his eyes fell on the rock. Tilting his head to the side with curiosity, he moved over to it and picked it up, examining it. He glanced over his shoulder to Sandstar and Brilik, who were still debating animatedly, and Scaplax shrugged. The rock had a small scrap of parchment attached, tied with a thread, apparently from clothing. Unwrapping the parchment, he read the crude charcoal scrawl.
"Starboard side. Look."
Quizzically, Scaplax dashed to the starboard deck rail, looking out over the sandy shore. To his surprise, he saw Tygura, accompanied by his Tigerpaw gang and two strangers. Sergeant Tygura was waving, and the fox waved back. Wearily the group came trotting silently up to the ship. The broad gangplank was lowered, and they all piled back onboard their treasured ship, with Siduri and Ashmoon bringing up the rear. With hope in his heart, Lieutenant Scaplax greeted Tygura, praying for news of the Captain.
The stoat Sergeant explained all that had happened, and Scaplax's heart sank quickly. When presented with the water, Scaplax was a little comforted, and also by the fact that his skeleton crew now had a bit more muscle. As Tygura and his Tigerpaws departed to their cabins for rest, others gave out rations of water. Scaplax had caught sight of Siduri and Ashmoon. The wolf he found puzzling, wondering why any creature would walk on all fours like this beast did. The vixen, he found even more intriguing. Attractive and unusual, Scaplax was caught in a spell for a moment, turning thoughts of the newcomer over in his mind, and Siduri caught him staring.
The mystic vixen smiled slightly, moving over to the fox and shaking his paw. Scaplax seemed more than a little embarrassed.
"Siduri Star-of-Dusk, I am called. I hear you are Lieutenant Scaplax? A Nightstorm, I see."
She gestured to the unusual tattoo emblazoned in black upon the red fox's upper right arm. He blinked and nodded, puzzled.
"Yes... Scaplax of the Nightstorm line... How did you know that?"
The vixen smiled, the expression was like an enigma.
"I can read the pictograph symbols...but this is not important right now. I can bring you more supplies later as well. However, what is more important is that I know who rules this isle, and I know the fate of your companions..."
On board the Sayladar, none of the remaining crew could enjoy the beautiful and fiery sunset. The fox Lieutenant Scaplax gripped the wooden deck railing of the for-ard deck, peering out to the North. He squinted his dark eyes against the glare of the setting sun upon the calm waters. He could see no ship, but he trusted Talongaze's razor-keen sight... If the lookout said there was a ship on the horizon, there surely was one.
It was this fact that stuck like a lump in Scaplax's throat. The red fox had been in charge of the ship for hardly a day, and trouble was arising. A ship. With the full force of Captain Morgan's corsairs, a ship would be a delightful chance for trade or plunder. However, with the bare skeleton crew, Scaplax feared the worst.
The Lieutenant did not know how long he had been standing and watching, but it must've been a long while. His eyes and head ached, paws sore from gripping the deck rail with white-knuckled nervousness. Even the good-humored ferret twins, Kolya and Kuzma, could not ease their friend's anxiousness, as they were feeling the same themselves.
Sandstar, the vixen navigator, and Brilik the weasel, sat rolling some bone dice, with looks of misery upon their faces. They were gambling for amounts of beautiful and bright-colored shells, with Sandstar having the most. As Brilik threw the dice, a small rock flew over the deckrail and collided with the dice as they were about to come to a rest. The dice rolled a little further away and stopped. Brilik cursed and turned on Sandstar, more than a little upset.
"You cheater! You threw that! I was about to win!"
The vixen blinked with surprise, then grew slightly angry.
"I did nothing of the sort! You're just angry because you're not having any luck!"
The two went on bickering, while Scaplax turned to look. Before he could step in to break up the argument, his eyes fell on the rock. Tilting his head to the side with curiosity, he moved over to it and picked it up, examining it. He glanced over his shoulder to Sandstar and Brilik, who were still debating animatedly, and Scaplax shrugged. The rock had a small scrap of parchment attached, tied with a thread, apparently from clothing. Unwrapping the parchment, he read the crude charcoal scrawl.
"Starboard side. Look."
Quizzically, Scaplax dashed to the starboard deck rail, looking out over the sandy shore. To his surprise, he saw Tygura, accompanied by his Tigerpaw gang and two strangers. Sergeant Tygura was waving, and the fox waved back. Wearily the group came trotting silently up to the ship. The broad gangplank was lowered, and they all piled back onboard their treasured ship, with Siduri and Ashmoon bringing up the rear. With hope in his heart, Lieutenant Scaplax greeted Tygura, praying for news of the Captain.
The stoat Sergeant explained all that had happened, and Scaplax's heart sank quickly. When presented with the water, Scaplax was a little comforted, and also by the fact that his skeleton crew now had a bit more muscle. As Tygura and his Tigerpaws departed to their cabins for rest, others gave out rations of water. Scaplax had caught sight of Siduri and Ashmoon. The wolf he found puzzling, wondering why any creature would walk on all fours like this beast did. The vixen, he found even more intriguing. Attractive and unusual, Scaplax was caught in a spell for a moment, turning thoughts of the newcomer over in his mind, and Siduri caught him staring.
The mystic vixen smiled slightly, moving over to the fox and shaking his paw. Scaplax seemed more than a little embarrassed.
"Siduri Star-of-Dusk, I am called. I hear you are Lieutenant Scaplax? A Nightstorm, I see."
She gestured to the unusual tattoo emblazoned in black upon the red fox's upper right arm. He blinked and nodded, puzzled.
"Yes... Scaplax of the Nightstorm line... How did you know that?"
The vixen smiled, the expression was like an enigma.
"I can read the pictograph symbols...but this is not important right now. I can bring you more supplies later as well. However, what is more important is that I know who rules this isle, and I know the fate of your companions..."