It was about halfway to noon, and already the sun was beating down pretty heavily, as Tavin and Schorl made their way to the river. It had been an especially hot and humid summer. The mornings were clear and the skies were blue, but then after midnoon it would get cloudy. It seemed as if everyday the skies would rip open into a rainstorm. Schorl looked up at the already graying sky.

"It seems as if it is goin' to rain earlier today."

"We had best be 'urrying then," Tavin said, looking up at the sky that was blackening with ominous clouds. "It be lookin' like no ordinary rain shower either."

The pair climbed the next hill and looked down to see the river weaving its way through the foothills. The river ran swiftly down to the sea. It was so clear that you could see the pebbles at the bottom. The two otters strode to the waters edge and sat down.

There was a rustling in the grass at the top of the hill. "I b'leve that there is a couple o' beasts watchin' us, eh Schorl."

"I think yore right." Then Schorl put on a face of mock fright and said, "Wotever shall we do. Two poor 'elpless beasts like us bein' stalked by big brutes."

Tavin quickly caught on to what she was doing, and joined in on the fun. "Aye. Us, bein' all alone, and away from 'elp."

"Must be very clever vermin."

Then a voice sounded from the top of the hill, "Yarr! We be pirates come ta pillage an' burn yore village."

Another beast spoke from the hiding place on top of the hill, "Methinks it's the other way around. I think we're apposed ta burn an' then pillage."

"Yew idjit! Wot d'ye expect t'get from an already burnt village."

"Yarr. Ye be right. Won't do much good pillagin' from a place wot's already burnt."

An audible sigh was heard from the top of the hill. During the two beasts conversation, both Tavin and Schorl were nearly exploding from trying not to laugh. Through barely suppressed giggles, Schorl managed to get out a reply.

"I take back what I said about them bein' clever."

An otter popped out from his hiding spot, "'Ey! Wot's that supposed ta mean."

Another otter stood up from her hiding spot. "Now look what you've done. You've gone an' ruined our game," Sturm yelled at her brother.

By this point, Tavin and Schorl were rolling on the ground laughing, unable to hold it in any longer. The two otters on top of the hill were staring wide-eyed at the two usually refined otters. It was quite a funny sight to behold, two fully-grown otters laughing their heads off as if they were little otter babes. Sturm and Drang looked at each other, neither knowing quite what to do. Eventually Tavin regained his composure, but Schorl, on the other hand, could not stop giggling.

"So what are ye two doing down here anyway?" Tavin inquired.

"Lilly sent us to come and 'elp you guys get some water. And we decided to 'ave a bit o' fun," Drang said.

The four of them then filled up the water jugs, none too soon either. A few large drops fell from the sky, and then there was a loud crash of thunder. With that the clouds ripped open and the rain started falling in sheets. The four otters quickly picked up the water jugs and ran back to the caves.

A large battered ship was sitting in the darkness of night, the wind whipping cruelly at her sails. Through the rain and lightning, she was quite fearsome to behold. The sails were in a state of disrepair, it was amazing that they still functioned because there were a great many holes in them. Clearly this ship had seen numerous battles, as had its captain and crew. They say that its captain was one of the best trackers that had ever sailed the high seas.

Gorvin Terass, the stoat captain, sat perched on the bowsprit of his vessel, the Deathwake. He was a fairly large stoat that wielded two twin sabres as his weapons of choice. His eyes were an icy blue, and he had a gaze that would pierce right through your soul. His presence commanded respect, which indeed it did, for the most part.

"Yew wanted ta see me Cap'n?" the first mate, Bilgeclaw, asked.

Gorvin Terass stared straight ahead into black night and did not reply. It seemed almost as if he did not hear the sea rat. There was a moment of awkward silence, and then the powerful stoat spoke.

"Aye. Ah wan' ye tae go up tae the crow's nest an' tell me wha' ye see."

"But Cap'n, it's pitch dark an' there's lightnin'."

"Did ye 'ear wha' ah said, or would ye rather me ge' a new first mate?" Gorvin Terass said in a deathly calm voice.

Bilgeclaw hurried off to do as he was commanded, but not before muttering something under his breath once he was sure that he was out of hearing range. While this was happening, a gull had wheeled around the top of the mast once and then flew off to the south and west.

Back at Halfmoon Isle the rain had slowed to a very light drizzle. A meeting had been called because for the first time it seemed as if the island might be in danger of an attack. A gull, that was slightly smaller than normal, had seen a large ship that belonged to a corsair, and had come back to warn the inhabitants of the island.

At the head of the long table in the center of the room, was a tortoise named Theta. He was old and spent the better part of his days sunning himself. Also, since he was so old, he was very wise and was a very good creature to go to get advice.

"Many thanks to you, my friend, for bringing us news of a possible vermin attack," Theta said to the gull.

"Call me Bonaparte. If you need any assistance, I can rally up some other gulls to help fight," said the gull.

"Let us not point any unnecessary attention to ourselves. For now I think that it would be best for you to keep an eye on the ship." After a pause Theta concluded, "It is late, and I think we are all very tired. We will think about this more come morning."

Thanks to Jade TeaLeaf for reviewing, it is greatly appreciated. As for Gorvin Terass' accent, it is supposed to be Scottish. Remember to review, and you will make me very happy.