VicPez- Thanks for the ego boosting, and sorry about the commas. I just am
WAY too verbose at times- so yeah, that results in commas. My fault, not
yours, but thanks for rubbing it in! j/k (just kidding)
Kayla Silvercat- Scanned story, couldn't find paragraph, ate a banana. Sry, You might be thinking of the third paragraph, and no, Jyda said that all! And Ashlyn's arrows are not stone tipped. They are just sharpened stakes, so they really don't break off if you know what you're doing. And this girl is good. She could do damage with a twig. Girl Power!
Redwallgrl- Weeeeeeeell he'll be there, let's say. Not in charge, but he'll be there, you can be sure of that.
Melissa- BOB, MARCY, AND ASHLEY!!! Thanks for reading. Glad you like it, and yeah, Twyler is all you babe. BFF! The oc, hmm maybe I should start watching it if you think it's THAT good. Carly has been ranting about Jeremy Sumpter for a long time, I keep trying to tell her he's yours but- Peter Pan is just too cool (and hot) I guess.
Arwen-Galadriel- Gelsey sounds kinda funny don't you think. And it's creepily close to my real name (Kelsey) but I like Ebony a lot, keep reading, she might turn up at Sampetra. Thanks for your support.
Emily Ramsey- Hey glad you liked it. Too bad you can't remember you're nom de plume so I could read your stories!
A1- I had to look up exposition, but now that I understand- Thank you very much! Glad (though apprehensive) that you like Kessy.
Wow, that was a lot of people. I debated so long on Riverglen. It was Moonglade and then Pippindell and then- oh it went on and on. Hope you like the name, and don't worry, you'll learn more next chapter.
***
Of Cooks and Outlooks
By: Catty Engles
Jyda, Kessy, Twyler, Nanda, Freya, Friga, Brini, Ashlyn, Lyn, and Wyn all threw themselves at the Ren. He disappeared in the stifling mass. Chorls blinked owlishly in the nonexistent light. The hare was thrown sideways as the oar binding him to Ren was tugged. The mass of bodies slowly drifted away from the young squirrel.
Chorls looked sideways at his friend, "Wot the flippin' bally well happened? Did I miss somethin' me pal o' pals?"
Ren rubbed at his thoroughly kissed cheeks roguishly. "No mate, I did. I missed three seasons away from the best batch of friends ever. I've missed you all." Ren was seated on the ship's deck, silent tears streaking his red fur.
Nanda, the mousemaid, seated herself firmly in Ren's lap and brushed away his tears. "You remember me Ren?" Nanda asked in a small voice.
Ren caught her small paw in his, smiling through his tears. "Of course, Nanda. You were a lot smaller then. You haven't grown much since though!"
This statement seemed to start a barrage of reacquaintments. Chorls sat flabbergasted as the shrew twins, Lyn and Wyn, Brini and her good friend, Twyler, Kessy, Ashlyn, and Friga all hugged and or kissed Ren. Ren remembered them all. Chorls was uncommonly quiet. He realized how important this moment was to his squirrel friend.
Freya and Jyda, the two squirrelmaids, approached Ren last. Freya kissed both of Ren's cheeks. Though she was considerably older than him, she sat on his lap coyly. Ren's eyes widened in helpless bemusement. He cocked his head in Jyda's direction. Her shoulders shook in silent laughter, and she shrugged back at him.
"I'm too chuffed ta bread meself ta speak, ya brilled brown-noser." Ren looked slightly taken aback. Freya had obviously picked up cockney after they had last seen each other.
"Then chip the dodgy dolly and get yer aris off the rory!" All heads turned to see Chorls sitting next to Ren, his arms crossed.
"You can parle Chitty Chitty, me chestnut?" Freya whispered in astonishment.
Chorls scoffed at her. A particular pair of hazel eyes had caught his in the dim lantern's light. He milked the situation for all it was worth, winking and smiling at Ashlyn. "Why of course, m'lady. Anyone can speak cockney if they know what they're flamin' well about! I, myself, am somewhat of a bally linguist, very versed in all sorts of flippin' foreign languages."
"Like those of a love-struck, hungry hare, right?" Ren cut in ungracefully. Chorls nodded sagely, too preoccupied with Ashlyn's tiny giggles. Freya was also a bit preoccupied as she heaved herself off of Ren's lap and onto Chorls'. Chorls was rather put out by this shift in attention, for he had convinced himself that Ashlyn was winking and smiling back at him.
"I say, marm! Get OFF!" Freya smiled mischievously.
"Nor' until ya say a bi' in Chitty Chitty, me chestnu'!" Chorls struggled vainly against Freya's bulk.
"Get the ballyflippinjollyflamin well off and let me queen!" Freya grinned widely and hopped off of the hare with infuriating ease. He pitched forward onto the very solid deck. His nose temporarily turned red.
"Ud, Ren! Help be!" He tried to clutch his nose with his paws, only managing to clunk the injured appenditure with the oar that still bound his paws. Jyda rushed forward and immediately started to chip away at the rusty metal with her small dagger.
She shouted to the crew as she did so, "Wot's the matter with you idle layabouts! Can't ya see we've got guests aboard! Rile up the kitchens and wake that dozy old harewife, make her earn 'er keep! Let's have a feast!" A resounding roar came from the crew. Paws pounded on the deck in a wild scramble to the ship's kitchens.
Jyda had been deftly working at the corroded metal through her short speech, and abruptly it gave way. She sat back on her haunches looking pleased with herself. Chorls rubbed the circulation back into his numbed paws. "Thanks marm. This daft squirrel here," He pointed to Ren, "had not the sense of one such as you! Brains and beauty have graced themselves upon your able paws!"
Jyda looked sternly at Chorls, "There'll be no sweet-talking me, mister chestnut. I'm either Jyda or Captain to you, no marming."
Chorls sniffed disdainfully, "Well, I guess all squirrel types are just horrid creatures. I'll pop off to the kitchens and tickle a bite out of the cook if that suits you fine, CAPTAIN." Chorls turned and flounced off in the direction the crew had run in.
Jyda sniffed unappreciatively and remarked nonchalantly to Ren, "Those RABBIT types have no class at all." Chorls stiffened in mid-stride. His ears stood up rigid, and he whirled around in an indignant rage.
Jyda continued to converse indifferently to Ren, "If another one of those RABBITS talks to me like that again, I'll see that he doesn't get so much as a scrap of food while aboard my ship." Chorls' ears drooped and he spun around quickly, double-marching off to the kitchens, a fist in his mouth to keep himself from rebutting.
Jyda and Ren hesitated a beat and then fell against each other laughing. Jyda chipped idly at Ren's shackles. He smiled at her, and the squirrelmaid looked away sheepishly. She busied herself with the task at hand. After a moment's worth of hacking, the metal gave way with an overly loud clatter.
Ren rubbed his thoroughly chaffed paws. Jyda kept her eyes on the manacles, keeping very quiet until she sniffed loudly, wiping at her eyes. Ren's shoulders shook in silent laughter. Jyda noticed, and her temper flared. He was mocking her!
She made to slap him, but he deftly caught her paw. Bewildered, Jyda glanced up at Ren.
"Missed me, Captain." Jyda's anger melted away instantly at his familiar smile. She hugged him fiercely, as if he would slip through her paws if she let go.
Ren had seen Jyda's overly bright eyes. It finally began to dawn on him what had happened to his childhood friend: abandonment, scorn, but most of all determination. To her, he must be coming back from the dead.
Ren clutched Jyda to him, feeling her body tremble. She was crying.
"Here now, what's all this?" Ren's voice was gentle and concerned. Jyda sniffed again, burying her face into his shoulder. Ren noticed that he must have changed too. Once Jyda and him could see eye to eye. Now, the squirrelmaid could cushion her head into the crook of his neck.
Jyda shuddered, finally stemming her unbidden tears. She made to pull away from Ren. Above her head, Ren smiled mischievously. He didn't let her go.
"Ren?" Jyda's voice was muffled against his shoulder. His paws tightened, daring her to try and get away. Jyda's temper flared again.
"Ren!" She began to strain against him. He laughed warmly, wrapping his brawny, oar-strengthened arms around her.
"REN!" Jyda struggled wildly until his firm grasp loosened slightly. She rocketed away from the squirrel, lowering herself into a defensive stance. Ren chuckled, and lunged at Jyda, tickling her lightly.
Jyda convulsed into a fit of giggles, all ill feelings forgotten. "Ren the Rogue, you haven't changed at all!"
"I know you too well, Jyda!" Ren laughed wryly as he stepped away. Jyda gasped breathlessly, and winked at her friend. Rain began to sprinkle on the deck.
"Well maybe, but you can't catch me!" And with that, Jyda sped off, barreling towards the ship's kitchens.
Kessy was straddling their galley table, bellowing at the top of her lungs. It was a shanty she had made up herself. The tune was catchy, and everybeast heartily sung out the chorus.
The rolling wave
And churning seas
Rocked my cradle
Gent-i-ly
Heave ho and now you know
A bonnie wee lass was me
I grew up strong
In bod and mind
My captain never
Was unkind
Heave ho and now you know
A bonnie wee lass was me
And as I grew
In thick or thin
I'll stick by you for
Lose or win
Heave ho and now you know
A bonnie wee lass was me
On moonless nights
An' sunless days
I'll work until
I earn my ways
Heave ho and now you know
A bonnie wee lass was me
I love my ship
I love my lot
A finer life
Cannot be bought
Heave ho and now you know
A bonnie wee lass was me
Jyda sidled into the mess, trailing Ren. Twyler clasped both of their paws warmly before returning to clapping along with the lively beat. Jyda tipped a wink to Twyler and jumped onto the table, towering over the seated Kessy. The mousemaid shrank away in mock fear. Jyda strutted proudly, belting out her impromptu verse.
I'm the captain
Of the queen
A finer crew
You've never seen
Heave ho and now you know
A bonnie wee lass was me
Cheers accompanied this complimentary installment. Twyler bounded onto the tabletop and hollered into Jyda's face.
Our captain never
Shirks her chores
But look out gals
At night she snores
The crew laughed raucously while yelling out the chorus.
Heave ho and now you know
A bonnie wee lass was me!
Jyda smiled patronizingly at Twyler amid gales of the crew's laughter. She dashed after the mate, yelling wildly, "I do not snore you lying piece o' flotsam!"
Chorls took no notice of the two. He was too preoccupied singing. Unfortunately, the young hare couldn't remember any of the verses, so he sang out the chorus at the top of his lungs while dancing in front of Ashlyn, "Heave ho and now you know a bonnie wee lass was me-eeeee!" Chorls pitched the last note into an outrageously off-tune octave above the original key.
Ashlyn and Kessy nudged each other, giggling wildly. "And what a bonnie wee lass you are, mister Chorls!"
As Twyler was rounding the table for the second time, closely pursued by Jyda, Auntie Enn strode out of the connecting kitchen. "Who's makin' such a flamin' ruckus out'n 'ere!" Jyda and Twyler froze in mid-step. Like tiny ones caught with their hands in the cookie jar, they hung their heads in shame. Nanda hung onto Auntie Enn's apron strings. Her smile was so wide that she had to cover it with a paw, for fear of the old hare noticing. "It's dinner time an' you bounders insist on warbling and caterwaulin' out'n 'ere!"
Chorls shook his head pityingly, and whispered to Ashlyn, "Who is that monolithic, mad monstrosity in a dress?"
Ashlyn whispered back, a paw to her mouth and a twinkle to her eye, "That's Auntie Enn. Jyda doesn't know it, but she's the real ruler of the ship." Ironically, at that moment Auntie Enn was towering over the shame- faced partners in crime. She berated them long and loud. Jyda kept her head down in a seemingly regretful position, but her shoulders kept jiggling awkwardly. Ren knew that stance. Many a time he had been right beside her, as Twyler was now. Jyda was laughing!
Auntie Enn seemed not the notice as she continued to, in the words of Freya, "go off on" the captain and the mate. Ren stealthily crept behind Jyda.
"What a disgrace! Dishonorable behavior, bad example to crew, acting like leverets! Why if you were my child, Jyda Saltbrush, I'd tan you hide!"
"Oww!" Jyda stood up rigid. Her hands went to her backside.
"I didn't spank you yet. No point in deafenin' the flippin' lot of us!"
Jyda winced, and rubbed her tail. "Not my fault, marm. Ren pulled my brush!" Auntie Enn's mouth dropped. She looked past Jyda to a very sheepish looking Ren. The squirrel wrung his paws behind his back as Auntie Enn advanced slowly on him.
***
First song! Second song comin' soon! Also explanation and more corsairs! A bit of bad weather as well! I know this wasn't much of a cliffhanger but I'd much appreciate continuing to get reviews!
Kayla Silvercat- Scanned story, couldn't find paragraph, ate a banana. Sry, You might be thinking of the third paragraph, and no, Jyda said that all! And Ashlyn's arrows are not stone tipped. They are just sharpened stakes, so they really don't break off if you know what you're doing. And this girl is good. She could do damage with a twig. Girl Power!
Redwallgrl- Weeeeeeeell he'll be there, let's say. Not in charge, but he'll be there, you can be sure of that.
Melissa- BOB, MARCY, AND ASHLEY!!! Thanks for reading. Glad you like it, and yeah, Twyler is all you babe. BFF! The oc, hmm maybe I should start watching it if you think it's THAT good. Carly has been ranting about Jeremy Sumpter for a long time, I keep trying to tell her he's yours but- Peter Pan is just too cool (and hot) I guess.
Arwen-Galadriel- Gelsey sounds kinda funny don't you think. And it's creepily close to my real name (Kelsey) but I like Ebony a lot, keep reading, she might turn up at Sampetra. Thanks for your support.
Emily Ramsey- Hey glad you liked it. Too bad you can't remember you're nom de plume so I could read your stories!
A1- I had to look up exposition, but now that I understand- Thank you very much! Glad (though apprehensive) that you like Kessy.
Wow, that was a lot of people. I debated so long on Riverglen. It was Moonglade and then Pippindell and then- oh it went on and on. Hope you like the name, and don't worry, you'll learn more next chapter.
***
Of Cooks and Outlooks
By: Catty Engles
Jyda, Kessy, Twyler, Nanda, Freya, Friga, Brini, Ashlyn, Lyn, and Wyn all threw themselves at the Ren. He disappeared in the stifling mass. Chorls blinked owlishly in the nonexistent light. The hare was thrown sideways as the oar binding him to Ren was tugged. The mass of bodies slowly drifted away from the young squirrel.
Chorls looked sideways at his friend, "Wot the flippin' bally well happened? Did I miss somethin' me pal o' pals?"
Ren rubbed at his thoroughly kissed cheeks roguishly. "No mate, I did. I missed three seasons away from the best batch of friends ever. I've missed you all." Ren was seated on the ship's deck, silent tears streaking his red fur.
Nanda, the mousemaid, seated herself firmly in Ren's lap and brushed away his tears. "You remember me Ren?" Nanda asked in a small voice.
Ren caught her small paw in his, smiling through his tears. "Of course, Nanda. You were a lot smaller then. You haven't grown much since though!"
This statement seemed to start a barrage of reacquaintments. Chorls sat flabbergasted as the shrew twins, Lyn and Wyn, Brini and her good friend, Twyler, Kessy, Ashlyn, and Friga all hugged and or kissed Ren. Ren remembered them all. Chorls was uncommonly quiet. He realized how important this moment was to his squirrel friend.
Freya and Jyda, the two squirrelmaids, approached Ren last. Freya kissed both of Ren's cheeks. Though she was considerably older than him, she sat on his lap coyly. Ren's eyes widened in helpless bemusement. He cocked his head in Jyda's direction. Her shoulders shook in silent laughter, and she shrugged back at him.
"I'm too chuffed ta bread meself ta speak, ya brilled brown-noser." Ren looked slightly taken aback. Freya had obviously picked up cockney after they had last seen each other.
"Then chip the dodgy dolly and get yer aris off the rory!" All heads turned to see Chorls sitting next to Ren, his arms crossed.
"You can parle Chitty Chitty, me chestnut?" Freya whispered in astonishment.
Chorls scoffed at her. A particular pair of hazel eyes had caught his in the dim lantern's light. He milked the situation for all it was worth, winking and smiling at Ashlyn. "Why of course, m'lady. Anyone can speak cockney if they know what they're flamin' well about! I, myself, am somewhat of a bally linguist, very versed in all sorts of flippin' foreign languages."
"Like those of a love-struck, hungry hare, right?" Ren cut in ungracefully. Chorls nodded sagely, too preoccupied with Ashlyn's tiny giggles. Freya was also a bit preoccupied as she heaved herself off of Ren's lap and onto Chorls'. Chorls was rather put out by this shift in attention, for he had convinced himself that Ashlyn was winking and smiling back at him.
"I say, marm! Get OFF!" Freya smiled mischievously.
"Nor' until ya say a bi' in Chitty Chitty, me chestnu'!" Chorls struggled vainly against Freya's bulk.
"Get the ballyflippinjollyflamin well off and let me queen!" Freya grinned widely and hopped off of the hare with infuriating ease. He pitched forward onto the very solid deck. His nose temporarily turned red.
"Ud, Ren! Help be!" He tried to clutch his nose with his paws, only managing to clunk the injured appenditure with the oar that still bound his paws. Jyda rushed forward and immediately started to chip away at the rusty metal with her small dagger.
She shouted to the crew as she did so, "Wot's the matter with you idle layabouts! Can't ya see we've got guests aboard! Rile up the kitchens and wake that dozy old harewife, make her earn 'er keep! Let's have a feast!" A resounding roar came from the crew. Paws pounded on the deck in a wild scramble to the ship's kitchens.
Jyda had been deftly working at the corroded metal through her short speech, and abruptly it gave way. She sat back on her haunches looking pleased with herself. Chorls rubbed the circulation back into his numbed paws. "Thanks marm. This daft squirrel here," He pointed to Ren, "had not the sense of one such as you! Brains and beauty have graced themselves upon your able paws!"
Jyda looked sternly at Chorls, "There'll be no sweet-talking me, mister chestnut. I'm either Jyda or Captain to you, no marming."
Chorls sniffed disdainfully, "Well, I guess all squirrel types are just horrid creatures. I'll pop off to the kitchens and tickle a bite out of the cook if that suits you fine, CAPTAIN." Chorls turned and flounced off in the direction the crew had run in.
Jyda sniffed unappreciatively and remarked nonchalantly to Ren, "Those RABBIT types have no class at all." Chorls stiffened in mid-stride. His ears stood up rigid, and he whirled around in an indignant rage.
Jyda continued to converse indifferently to Ren, "If another one of those RABBITS talks to me like that again, I'll see that he doesn't get so much as a scrap of food while aboard my ship." Chorls' ears drooped and he spun around quickly, double-marching off to the kitchens, a fist in his mouth to keep himself from rebutting.
Jyda and Ren hesitated a beat and then fell against each other laughing. Jyda chipped idly at Ren's shackles. He smiled at her, and the squirrelmaid looked away sheepishly. She busied herself with the task at hand. After a moment's worth of hacking, the metal gave way with an overly loud clatter.
Ren rubbed his thoroughly chaffed paws. Jyda kept her eyes on the manacles, keeping very quiet until she sniffed loudly, wiping at her eyes. Ren's shoulders shook in silent laughter. Jyda noticed, and her temper flared. He was mocking her!
She made to slap him, but he deftly caught her paw. Bewildered, Jyda glanced up at Ren.
"Missed me, Captain." Jyda's anger melted away instantly at his familiar smile. She hugged him fiercely, as if he would slip through her paws if she let go.
Ren had seen Jyda's overly bright eyes. It finally began to dawn on him what had happened to his childhood friend: abandonment, scorn, but most of all determination. To her, he must be coming back from the dead.
Ren clutched Jyda to him, feeling her body tremble. She was crying.
"Here now, what's all this?" Ren's voice was gentle and concerned. Jyda sniffed again, burying her face into his shoulder. Ren noticed that he must have changed too. Once Jyda and him could see eye to eye. Now, the squirrelmaid could cushion her head into the crook of his neck.
Jyda shuddered, finally stemming her unbidden tears. She made to pull away from Ren. Above her head, Ren smiled mischievously. He didn't let her go.
"Ren?" Jyda's voice was muffled against his shoulder. His paws tightened, daring her to try and get away. Jyda's temper flared again.
"Ren!" She began to strain against him. He laughed warmly, wrapping his brawny, oar-strengthened arms around her.
"REN!" Jyda struggled wildly until his firm grasp loosened slightly. She rocketed away from the squirrel, lowering herself into a defensive stance. Ren chuckled, and lunged at Jyda, tickling her lightly.
Jyda convulsed into a fit of giggles, all ill feelings forgotten. "Ren the Rogue, you haven't changed at all!"
"I know you too well, Jyda!" Ren laughed wryly as he stepped away. Jyda gasped breathlessly, and winked at her friend. Rain began to sprinkle on the deck.
"Well maybe, but you can't catch me!" And with that, Jyda sped off, barreling towards the ship's kitchens.
Kessy was straddling their galley table, bellowing at the top of her lungs. It was a shanty she had made up herself. The tune was catchy, and everybeast heartily sung out the chorus.
The rolling wave
And churning seas
Rocked my cradle
Gent-i-ly
Heave ho and now you know
A bonnie wee lass was me
I grew up strong
In bod and mind
My captain never
Was unkind
Heave ho and now you know
A bonnie wee lass was me
And as I grew
In thick or thin
I'll stick by you for
Lose or win
Heave ho and now you know
A bonnie wee lass was me
On moonless nights
An' sunless days
I'll work until
I earn my ways
Heave ho and now you know
A bonnie wee lass was me
I love my ship
I love my lot
A finer life
Cannot be bought
Heave ho and now you know
A bonnie wee lass was me
Jyda sidled into the mess, trailing Ren. Twyler clasped both of their paws warmly before returning to clapping along with the lively beat. Jyda tipped a wink to Twyler and jumped onto the table, towering over the seated Kessy. The mousemaid shrank away in mock fear. Jyda strutted proudly, belting out her impromptu verse.
I'm the captain
Of the queen
A finer crew
You've never seen
Heave ho and now you know
A bonnie wee lass was me
Cheers accompanied this complimentary installment. Twyler bounded onto the tabletop and hollered into Jyda's face.
Our captain never
Shirks her chores
But look out gals
At night she snores
The crew laughed raucously while yelling out the chorus.
Heave ho and now you know
A bonnie wee lass was me!
Jyda smiled patronizingly at Twyler amid gales of the crew's laughter. She dashed after the mate, yelling wildly, "I do not snore you lying piece o' flotsam!"
Chorls took no notice of the two. He was too preoccupied singing. Unfortunately, the young hare couldn't remember any of the verses, so he sang out the chorus at the top of his lungs while dancing in front of Ashlyn, "Heave ho and now you know a bonnie wee lass was me-eeeee!" Chorls pitched the last note into an outrageously off-tune octave above the original key.
Ashlyn and Kessy nudged each other, giggling wildly. "And what a bonnie wee lass you are, mister Chorls!"
As Twyler was rounding the table for the second time, closely pursued by Jyda, Auntie Enn strode out of the connecting kitchen. "Who's makin' such a flamin' ruckus out'n 'ere!" Jyda and Twyler froze in mid-step. Like tiny ones caught with their hands in the cookie jar, they hung their heads in shame. Nanda hung onto Auntie Enn's apron strings. Her smile was so wide that she had to cover it with a paw, for fear of the old hare noticing. "It's dinner time an' you bounders insist on warbling and caterwaulin' out'n 'ere!"
Chorls shook his head pityingly, and whispered to Ashlyn, "Who is that monolithic, mad monstrosity in a dress?"
Ashlyn whispered back, a paw to her mouth and a twinkle to her eye, "That's Auntie Enn. Jyda doesn't know it, but she's the real ruler of the ship." Ironically, at that moment Auntie Enn was towering over the shame- faced partners in crime. She berated them long and loud. Jyda kept her head down in a seemingly regretful position, but her shoulders kept jiggling awkwardly. Ren knew that stance. Many a time he had been right beside her, as Twyler was now. Jyda was laughing!
Auntie Enn seemed not the notice as she continued to, in the words of Freya, "go off on" the captain and the mate. Ren stealthily crept behind Jyda.
"What a disgrace! Dishonorable behavior, bad example to crew, acting like leverets! Why if you were my child, Jyda Saltbrush, I'd tan you hide!"
"Oww!" Jyda stood up rigid. Her hands went to her backside.
"I didn't spank you yet. No point in deafenin' the flippin' lot of us!"
Jyda winced, and rubbed her tail. "Not my fault, marm. Ren pulled my brush!" Auntie Enn's mouth dropped. She looked past Jyda to a very sheepish looking Ren. The squirrel wrung his paws behind his back as Auntie Enn advanced slowly on him.
***
First song! Second song comin' soon! Also explanation and more corsairs! A bit of bad weather as well! I know this wasn't much of a cliffhanger but I'd much appreciate continuing to get reviews!