Chapter 5! Finally! Sorry for the wait, but I was VERY busy. Okay, in this chapter, You find out why Tiller became a pirate, and you'll find out the captain's name. Enjoy!

Tiller actually enjoyed being in company of his captain. He felt as if he had known her all his life. He felt a more friend-like relationship with her, rather than just a crewbeast and captain.

As she spoke of past plunders in her early years as pirate, he sipped the ale, knowing her friendly ways will most likely change as soon as they were around the rest of the crew and on the open sea. That made him sad.

"The bloody hare chopped the captain down, then and there. I remember the blood that splattered my face. I knew then it was best to retreat back to the ship, so I gathered what was left of our crew and swam out to the ship. Not all of us made it. The creatures on the shore began firing arrows and stones. One arrow grazed my shoulder, but I paid it no mind. I hoisted myself up the anchor chain and let loose the sails." She started chuckling to herself.                                                                                                 "We sailed the ship with only five crew beasts," she laughed. "Five! Can you believe it? One of those five was Riptail, and he's been my best bosun ever since!" She smiled and tipped her head back, upending her tankard.

"That's how I became a captain. But the ship that we had sailed off in was in need of extensive repair. It looked like a great floating barrel, really. Anyway, it started taking on water and what can five beasts do about that? Nothing!" She banged on the table with the tankard and a fat stoat swaggered up and replaced the empty tankard with a full one of frothing ale.

"Me thanks t' ya, Bulfret!"

That stoat nodded and waddled off to fill more tankards.

"Now where was I? Oh yes! That rusty bucket of a vessel began to keel over! Bloody impossible to stand straight!" She winked.

"We would have been done for, but one of the beasts caught sight of land, which happened to be this very island. So we piled up all we could on the port side and pulled hard at the sails, trying to tip it back up. It worked long enough for us to steer in to the dock." She started laughing again.

"Ha! You should have seen it. A great plank sailing in, leaning on it's starboard side! We were the laughing stock for a short while, then everyone learned that we were only five beasts! That shut 'em up!"

Tiller smiled and sipped his ale.

"What happened to the ship?"

"Ah, well, we napped in an inn until next morning, and then we went to the docks and, low and behold, the bloody ship was gone! We thought someone had commandeered it!"

She snorted into her tankard and took a large gulp.

"On closer inspection, we found the crowsnest sticking up out of the water! The thing had sunk overnight! And it's was still tied to the dock!" She sighed thoughtfully and sloshed the ale around, watching a bit of it run down the side of her tankard.

"That was long ago, but I still remember it as if it was yesterday," she said. "Wouldn't be surprised it the ship's still there, silently watching the other vessels pass over it." She sighed again, almost sadly. "'Tis a sad end for a ship, Tiller. Wrecked at the bottom of an harbour," she said, shaking her head. "Nope. A ship should end it's days where it belongs. The open ocean. That's how any honest pirate should go," she murmured.

For a long while she was silent. Tiller eyed her, waiting for her to say something.

After what seemed two minutes, she looked up.

"There's something you should know, Tiller." She paused, squinting through the darkness.

"I'm being all friendly now, but all that's going to change as soon as we head out."

Tiller's heart sank. He knew it.

"You'll be my crewbeast, and I'll be your captain, and nothing more. Seventh rule. Pirates don't make friends. I have a feeling you knew that when before you came to me. So why did you."

Tiller sighed inwardly. Once again, it wasn't a question, and once again, Tiller was being forced to bring up a touchy subject. He remained silent, staring at his reflection in the ale.

"Tiller, I know this goes against what I said, but I want you to be honest and tell my why you came here."

He took a deep breath.

"My village…was attacked by pirates…" He didn't want to continue.

"Ah, I see. Revenge, is it." She shook her head. "Tiller me lad, do you really expect me to believe a rat like you would seek revenge for the death of his family?"

"I don't expect anything from you. You're my captain."

She gazed at him, deep in thought.

Tiller didn't like the uneasy silence. He continued.

"It's more than revenge. Where else would I go? What else would I do? There weren't very many choices. Besides, you only just met me. How would you know I wouldn't seek revenge?"

She gave him an irritated glare.

"I'm a pirate, Tiller, and a captain of a crew. Lesson eight. Know your crewbeasts…and your enemies. Everybeast is capable of feeling vengeful, but very few are able to act upon it. You are one of the many who can't and won't."

Tiller was stung by that comment.

"Who says I can't?"

The captain furrowed her brows in anger.

"I do, Tiller."

Tiller put his tankard down, perhaps too forcefully. He was getting angry. His captain knew nothing about him, really. Or did she? She acted like she did…And that only made him angrier.

"Why does it matter to you why I'm here? Why are you a pirate?"

The captain leaned forward, her voice hardening.

"Why does it matter to you? Now, if I were you, I would shut that trap of yours. Remember your place."

"It's something to do with the Tempest and it's captain, isn't it," he said, deliberately making it a statement.

The captain straightened slowly and stared him in the eye. Tiller immediately regretted saying that. Although she seemed composed on the outside, inside, she was fuming. His captain seemed to be burning a whole in his very soul.

"Get out." Her voice was quiet, but the fury was waiting to burst through.

Tiller hesitated.

"Get, out."

He didn't move.

"This tavern is for the public-" he murmured.

"DO YOU THINK I BLOODY WELL CARE?! WHEN I SAY GET OUT, I MEAN, GET OUT!!!!"

Tiller was shaking as the captain towered over of him, eyes ablaze with wrath. Everybody in the tavern had turned to look. She growled and upturned the table, spilling the ale over the floor.

She brought out a long and deadly cutlass, stained red with dark blood.

He panicked and ducked as the captain slashed at him. Tiller sprang up and dodged another swipe before scrambling across the tavern for the door.

Breathing hard, he was nearly at the door when Riptail grabbed his arm and wrenched him around to face him.

"'Old up there," he grated evilly, "who's gonna pay fer th' spilled drinks?

Terrified, Tiller viciously belted him on the nose with his free claw, knocking him over.

He ran straight out of the door.

He had very little time to close it as a tankard came flying towards his head. He slammed the door as it smashed against the wood, splinters flying and ale lazily dripping down it.

Panting, he leaned against the tavern wall and wiped sweat away with a shaky paw.

He saw his shipmates staring at him in surprise.

"What in th' name of 'ellgates 'appened, lad?" Asked a bewildered Clipfang.

His heart threatening to burst from his chest, Tiller peered at them apprehensively.

"I didn't keep my mouth shut."

Oooh, Tiller hit a soft spot in his captain! Something obviously happened to the captain (Who's name is???) You'll find out soon enough… R&R!