Disclaimer: POTC belongs to someone defiantly richer than me.
The Pearl roared through the waves, sending up huge cascades of foam. Squirrel stood on the prow, as far forward as she could, squinting into the spray and the wind, scanning the horizon for any sign of Paolo's ship. There was nothing on the horizon.
Yet Ana seemed to know precisely where to go.
Squirrel looked down, at the angelic form of the Black Pearl's figurehead. Squirrel had always wondered about that bird the angel held in her hands. Was it a dove of peace? Or a sparrow of freedom?
"Jack once said that he'd only let a woman aboard his ship if she was easier on the eyes than Pearl was." Anamaria's voice carried over to Squirrel. "Looks like you passed the test, missy!"
Squirrel smiled, but did not laugh. Nothing was making sense anymore. The Black Pearl was moving practically on its own accord. A sudden wind had come out of nowhere to only fill out the Pearl's sails, and not even ruffle the ocean surface. Anamaria was reading Squirrel's mind. Anamaria was here.
Squirrel shook her head. "How much longer till they come into sight?" She called.
"Not much longer!" Ana laughed back. "Take a look for yourself!"
Squirrel picked up the telescope that rolled across the deck and held it to her eye. There was Paolo's ship, a tiny merchant vessel that housed only half the number of pirates that were aboard the Pearl, yet ten times the ferocity and desperation. Spaniards. Squirrel's lip curled in a sneer. She did not hold the Spaniards in high regard. Especially since they were often the ones responsible for cursed treasure.
"We're catching up." Squirrel said softly, lowering the telescope. As if reacting to her words, the Pearl rushed forward. Squirrel lost her balance, and clung to the railing for support. As she did so, she looked down.
The sweeps, the wide, strong oars that took three men each to lift them, were cutting through the water, faster than she'd ever seen them move before. Squirrel's eyes grew huge.
"What?" Anamaria called over, "You think we're the only ones aboard?"
Squirrel managed a weak smile, but her blood was running cold. She looked up, into the rigging, as she made her way towards Anamaria. Her cloak was still there, and the tangle of ropes inside it gave it the appearance of a body. Squirrel put a hand to her chin, considering it, trying to forget the fear that sped through her.
"I take it you've a plan to get everyone back aboard, Miss Grey?" Ana said gently. Over the roar of the spray and the splash of the sweeps and the bellowing of the wind, Squirrel laughed.
Below decks, the cannons rolled into position, and the cannon ports raised and tied themselves into place.
Inigo was listless. This usually happened after a fierce battle when he never got to kill anyone, or at least give them a badly bleeding wound. He was a swordsman, and a fighter! He wanted glory, honour, a good bloody battle now and then… Join up with the pirates, they said, see the world, they said… Inigo sighed, then scanned the horizon.
He couldn't stand the sea. All that depth, the blackness, the unknown critters that lived there… It made him nervous. But he couldn't let anyone else know that. They wouldn't listen to him anyway. They were all getting plastered. Like they did after every successful raid. Inigo thought this last point over briefly.
There weren't that many successful raids nowadays. The Royal Navy was coming down on pirates, and coming down hard. With a sigh, Inigo turned to head down to his bunk to try and get some sleep.
As he turned, he saw something which made him cry out in alarm.
A ship! On the horizon! Chasing after them in broad daylight! Inigo fumbled in his pockets, looking for his telescope. Was it a Naval vessel? Or just another pirate ship?
It was another pirate ship. Inigo felt his jaw drop and his heart stop.
Short drop sudden stop. The cloak of the dead pirate swung in the breeze.
It was the ship they'd raided only a few hours ago! And it was gaining on them! But how? The crew of that ship were all below deck, locked in the cells of the cargo hold… Weren't they?
Inigo hurried to the lifeboats. Like all pirates, he was superstitious. And like all pirates, he was a rat. And rats always abandon a doomed ship.
A/N: Yes, I know the chapters are short. It's a short fic. Breathe in and out, people.
Hugs for all reviewers and for people who leave thank-you notes and candy. A short and painful death for those who 'Add To Favs' without saying so. That annoys me no end. ARR!