As things turned out, Mad Dog hadn't been lying. Camdyn did indeed find the catwalk and leaned over the edge to shout at the angry bear.
"WAIT! Mina! Don't leave!"
Mina looked up from where she was prepping her plane to see the vixen scrambling to find her way down. She waited impatiently and when Camdyn finally managed to get there she was tapping her foot.
The..captain said...that you...can...teach me." Camdyn panted as she stood next to the bear.
"There's a catch somewhere isn't there?"
"He said that you had to take me off the ship to do it."
"Bah. I knew he'd come up with something." she said stepping away from her plane. "Well, come on. No time like the present."
"We're leaving NOW?" Camdyn looked back toward the beak and then back at Mina. "It's the middle of the night."
"Yes, so it is." Mina said moving off at a quick pace.
"But why?" Camdyn said jogging along beside the bear.
"If we wait we'll miss the port. I have friends there But first we have to find you something to wear other than that." Mina gestured at Camdyn's dress. It had definately seen better days. Camdyn followed Mina back to the crew deck, edging their way past a group of pirates who were blocking the hallway.
"What are they doing?!"
"Cockroach races. Don't step on anything."
"I'll try not to." Camdyn made a disgusted face.
"What do they do? Catch free range roaches?"
"Nah, they keep 'em if they're good." Mina said grinning at Camdyn as she opened a door. She slid an old fashioned steamer trunk from a corner and opened it up. It revealed a mass of odd items, books, papers, photos, a teddy bear, and some clothing. Mina pulled out the ball of clothes and began to pick through it. She would hold something up occasionally, then shake her head and mutter. Finally she seemed content with what she had picked out and stuffed the rest back in and locked the trunk.
"Here. Put these on." Mina said, stepping out of her room and pushing Camdyn inside. She pulled the door closed and watched the races as she waited. Presently Camdyn opened the door and peered out.
"Hrmph. It'll have to be taken in here and there, but it'll do for now." Mina grumbled, turning Camdyn about and examining the outfit with a critical eye.
"You can keep those. They sure won't fit me anymore."
Camdyn couldn't imagine the big bearess ever fitting into the black and silver flight jacket, but said nothing about it, only murmuring a small "Thank you."
"Well, we'd better get out of here." Mina said jovially as she began to lead the way back to the hangar. "But I'll be back so you'd better keep you're disgusting greasy mange-ridden hides outta my room! Or you'll have Cassomina Bayr to deal with!" she shouted back at the pirates.
Her statement was met with rather humorous comments.
"Right!"
"Hey! We're pirates, ain't we supposed to theive?"
"Like anyone wants to dress up in yor clothes Mina!"
"Yeah! Dumptruck is the only one who'd fit 'em!"
The pirate in question slapped the one who'd made the comment, a gray-furred weasel.
"Hey, I didn't know you cared..."
"Well, ya know what they say, just reach out and slap somebody..."
Their voices and racuous laughter faded out as Camdyn and Mina continued along the corridor. When they got back to the hangar, Camdyn noticed several others there as well.
"Hrmph." the bear glanced at the others, they stood watching expectantly. "These are the ones rooting for you to fail kid." she said softly.
Mina swiftly climbed into the cockpit Camdyn stood looking up at her.
"Well? What are you waiting for? Come on." Mina said looking out at her.
"Okay..." Camdyn scrambled onto the wing. As she stepped on the pawhold she slipped and hit her chin on the edge of the cockpit.
A chorus of laughter greeted her misfortune.
"She's gonna fly like a rock!"
One of the pirates made a circling motion with his hand complete with whistling and crashing sounds. Up on the catwalk, Don Karnage shook his head.
"Try again." Mina said. Camdyn tried again, this time managing an ungainly scrabble, but getting into the cockpit. She was trying not to cry, both from humiliation and pain.
As soon as Mina was sure Camdyn was in, she fired the engine and they were moving swiftly toward the open beak. Camdyn nearly panicked for a moment as they felt nearly weightless, then the air caught the wings and they were speeding off toward the town of Port Parides.