Disclaimer: Pirates of the Caribbean… How SPICY!
A/N: DMC spoilers. Avast.
It had been three days, and there was still no sign of them.
Squirrel peered over the tops of the trees from her vantage point of the crow's nest, her eyes squinting up the mountain sides, trying to discern any movement, any sign of them. Half the crew had vanished while searching for water. That alone was cause for alarm. But Squirrel had her own private worries as well.
A few days ago she'd called Jack Sparrow a liar in her head. Now she wasn't so sure it was that simple.
"Run! Land!" He'd woken the crew with panicked bellows and flailed about like a landed fish, then crawled into his cabin and stared out at nothing, saying that "nothing" was wrong. He'd abandoned his hat at sea with a fearful "leave it!" and then smiled at the incredulous looks the crew had given him. For Jack to abandon his hat - one of the things he held dearer than his own life - was as unthinkable as Jack Sparrow deciding to abandon the Black Pearl. It was… unimaginable.
And yet… he was afraid enough to do so. Squirrel had been the only one watching the hat as they'd sailed away.
Squirrel frowned to herself. Something about the open ocean frightened Jack Sparrow. Unbelievable! Unfathomable! The sea was the wind beneath that pirate's wings. But now he trawled the shallows like… well, like Squirrel herself would do. After all, she couldn't swim.
It was as if Jack Sparrow was now afraid that he couldn't swim either.
Squirrel scanned the trees again, unable to fight the queasy feeling in her stomach. She'd always been 'sensitive' to matters outside her experience. That was how she'd been able to read people back in the tavern of Tortuga. There was something on this island that made her mind afraid, but she couldn't name it. It may have something to do with the silence of the island. It may have something to do with half the crew missing. It might have something to do with Jack's bizarre and barely-concealed fears.
But it was certainly something.
She looked down. Jack was pacing back and forth on the still deck of the Pearl, looking at that compass of his and muttering to himself. Even though the ship was beached and no longer rocking to and fro, Jack still swayed from side to side, marching to his own rhythm. With a soft sigh, Squirrel grabbed hold of a rope and slithered downwards towards the deck. Clearing her throat, she announced herself. "Captain…"
Jack jumped, whirled, snapped his compass shut all in one movement. "What! What?"
Squirrel blinked, alarmed. "It's just m-me, J-Jack."
Jack bared his teeth in what might have been a smile but wasn't. "Oh. Gave me a bit of a fright, love." His compass slowly receded into his sleeve, hiding like some reclusive shellfish. "Next time, a bit of a yell'll do you some good."
Squirrel fought with a frown. "Captain, I don't y-y-yell."
"Ooh," he purred, "But you should." Jack grinned, cocksure and charming once more. Squirrel felt herself flushing. Jack winked at her, obviously enjoying her embarrassment. "What can I do you for, love?"
"I th-think we sh-sh-should go and look for the c-crew."
Jack raised an eyebrow, and appeared to genuinely consider that offer. Then he grinned again. "What makes you say that, darlin'?"
"B-because I d-d-don't like it here," Squirrel said, the words tumbling out of her. "I w-want to leave!"
Jack's face shifted slowly from one expression to another. Squirrel marvelled at how flexible Jack's face was - one moment smiling, and then a merest twitch of an eyebrow and he looked downright awkward.
"Leave?" Jack laughed, but the laughter sounded feeble and forced. "Now, why would you want to leave, eh, Squirrel?" He put one arm around her shoulder and lead her to the railing, keeping her close to him. "We've got the sun, the sand, fresh air, fresh food…" He looked sidelong at her, "Beautiful… scenery…"
Squirrel wished she could sink into her cloak and vanish. But on the other hand, she was so close to Jack Sparrow…
He grinned at her. "Why would you want to leave?"
Squirrel just shook her head, unable to say anything. Unable to think.
Jack sighed, looked bored. "Yeah, you're probably right." He peeled his arm off Squirrel - a source of relief and pain - and looked out at the jungle. "Alright, let Gibbs know we're going lookin' for those worthless swabs what have decided not to come back with the water. All hands, mind you. Because I don't trust anyone with my ship but me." And he sauntered off, whistling to himself.
Squirrel realised she'd been holding her breath - she released it, her heart pounding in her ears. Damn you, Jack Sparrow. You rogue. You kohl-smeared, gold-toothed rogue. She quickly licked her lips to wipe away the silly smile that was forming.
Maybe she was wrong. It was just an island. And there was a casket of rum missing. The crew would be fine. They'd find them half-plastered somewhere and all would be well.
And maybe Jack wasn't afraid of the sea. Jack had just had nightmares. Yes. That was it. Sometimes she was just too paranoid. Even months at sea couldn't change the nagging feeling that someone was about to throw a skillet or a broken glass bottle at her. But what was she thinking? This was… well, this was freedom… basically. She wasn't trapped in Tortuga anymore. She was out in the wide world; it was her oyster. There was no need to be afraid - or paranoid - anymore.
'Course, she thought, giving the back of Jack's head a slight glare, the happy feelings fading away, Around Jack Sparrow, anything's possible. Especially with the fears he's trying to hide from us. And failing.
I can read him. He is afraid. There is no denying it. Even my silly, foolish love for the man can't hide that fact.
With a sigh, Squirrel crossed the decks of the Pearl to go below, to find Gibbs and rouse what remained of the crew.
The crew grumbled, wiping sweat from their brows and slapping at persistent mosquitoes as they plunged on through the trees. As Jack led them through the jungle, singing raucously at the top of his lungs and hacking through the undergrowth with his cutlass, Squirrel couldn't help but feel uneasy. Her fears had come and gone with the tide - or, rather, her fears had changed depending on her proximity to the Captain. She'd been wrong before, especially about Jack Sparrow. Could she have been wrong this time too? The way he crashed through the trees, announcing his presence to all living things, made Squirrel think that maybe Jack really hadn't been here.
But still, there was something here that was not quite right…
Marty tugged on the corner of Squirrel's blue-grey cloak, waking her from her thoughts.
"Ey, Miss Sk'irrl… Where's Jack taking us?"
Squirrel shrugged slightly. "I d-don't know. Where we think the c-c-crew were headed, I g-guess."
Marty's frown just deepened, and he quickened his pace. He had to run to keep up even with Squirrel's slow walk. "Well, then, it's a good thing that we…" Squirrel stopped, and Marty nearly ran into her. "Missy?"
Squirrel closed her eyes and listened. Behind the adventuring party were the sounds of the sea - the tide which had beached the Pearl like some ungainly whale. Behind them were droning cicadas, the sounds of soft birdcall.
But before them, aside from Jack's off-key singing and the sound of floral decapitation… nothing. Just silence. Dead silence.
"Jack?" She called, and was surprised she managed to get his name out so clear.
Jack whirled, putting a bored look on his face. "Yis?" He called.
"Wh…" Squirrel took a breath. "Where are we g-going?"
Most of the crew continued marching ahead, muttering about whiny females; Jack marched through the parting pirates like some sozzled Moses. "We," he smiled a little belittlingly, looking down at Squirrel, "Are going deep into the jungle. You know, where all the trees are. And quite a few leaves as well, I'm told. But don't take my word for it." He smiled dazzlingly.
Squirrel gave him a critical look. "And we'll f-f-find the crew there?"
Jack continued smiling, completely unaffected, then turned back to try and regain the lead.
"You don't h-hear that?" Squirrel said softly.
"Wot?" Jack whirled back.
"Listen," Squirrel looked up at the trees. "It's too quiet."
Jack rolled his eyes and sighed, then waved Gibbs, Marty and Cotton over. "Intervention, gentlemen! Miss Grey here believes it's far too quiet!"
Squirrel felt herself turning indignantly red. She looked down and shuffled her feet. "Well, it is," she muttered, embarrassed.
After a few moments' pause where the five pirates stood silent and listening, Gibbs, Cotton and Marty looked at Squirrel. Then, all four of them looked at Jack, Squirrel somewhat smugly.
Jack tried to look innocent. "What?" He frowned slightly. "So the jungle's not exactly Tortuga on a Friday night. Big deal. What's a few bugs and birds to…" he slowly stopped talking. He paused a moment. Then, he looked strangely at Squirrel. "Yeah, you know, you're right. Far too quiet." He craned his head, peering through the underbrush. "Where's the rest of the crew got to?"
Squirrel sighed heavily. "I'll go see," she said, knowing Jack would have ordered her to go anyway. Jack seemed to favour the 'if it's dangerous, send the girl' tactic. It was either because he knew she could handle herself… or because he felt awkward around her. Either way, it was a relief to move out of Jack's shadow. As Squirrel pushed past the captain, she kicked him in the shins. It was the least she could do.
She delved into the foliage, hearing Gibbs and Jack arguing behind her. She smiled a little at that, but still felt uneasy. There was still something very wrong here.
She looked up at the sky. Of course. That's why it all felt wrong. The trees were so thick that their branches formed a roof. And back in Tortuga, I never walked under a roof… I walked on it! With a small grin, Squirrel clambered up the nearest tree. Once safely in the branches, she cast her eyes around, looking for signs the crew had left behind three days ago. A few minutes searching, as she was able to see them, discern them from the passing of the crew a few minutes ago. Broken branches, snatched of ragged clothing, footprints in the mud… Keeping half an eye on the ground, Squirrel manoeuvred herself through the branches of the trees, moving as quietly as she could.
She nearly fell out of her tree when she heard Jack yodelling off in the distance.
Dammit, Jack Sparrow! She quickly hauled on a vine before she completely lost her balance and pulled herself back onto the branch. Next time I see that wobbly-legged… Wait… yodelling? Squirrel listened more intently before the voices faded completely into the jungle.
"Don't eat me! Don't eat me! Don't eat me!"
Squirrel blinked and frowned. "What?" She couldn't help but whisper.
Then there was a different kind of whisper from the branch above her. Squirrel felt something sting her arm, and cried out… and then everything went black.
A/N: I'm having fun putting Squirrel in the movie. And she should have been! Hehe.