Chapter 7 Race Against Time

With the charts, the Pearl and Dragon reached the Caribbean, with a stop in at Tortuga. Leah had seen a groth spurt in Hunter, which should not happen. He was half-human, so he should age like one for several years.

"There's no way, " Inuyasha said.

It was a hour after sundown, and both were on deck. Inuyasha was holding the two month old Hunter while Leah inspected So'unga.

"Even I didn't grow this much."

"It could be due to the time jump. Billy aged normally, and he's demon," Leah suggested. "Then again, he was raised in this era and it could end before the age of ten."

Leah knew the sail back into time killed precious time in finding the Fountain. The deal was in Calypso's favor if it was not found; and the pirate did not like it.

"Could you not just use your true form to find it," Inuyasha asked.

"I could, but that ain't pirate-like."

"Not pirate-like," Kas said, appearing from below deck. "I thought deal breaking was pirate-like."

"Not a deal with Calypso."

Kas fell silent. She knew of Calypso, and that a deal with such a goddess was not to be broken.

"Who's Calypso," Inuyasha asked.

"The Sea Goddess. As harsh and untameable as the sea itself," Leah explained, sheathing the sword.

She sat down next to Inuyasha. He was surprisingly gentle with the infant. She was grateful that she had some people on board now to help tend to Hunter; but Leah still bore the brunt of the raising. Inuyashas handed Hunter off to Leah when the infant began to squirm. He went below deck and turned in for the night. Leah went to the bow and over looked the sea before the Dragon and Pearl. It was a race to the Fountain and Leah hoped that they found it before the deadline.

Island hopping was not on their side time wise, but it was the best way to find what they sought. Two months later, Hunter was now four months old and was wide awake during the day. Strapped into the carrying basket, he watched all the going-ons of the pirates. When Leah did not have him, Inuyasha, Marcus, or Billy had him. No one could explained why Hunter was drawn to just them, but the common thought of the growing bond between him and Inuyasha was that he felt a connection to him.

"Another dead end," Miroku said.

The Dragon was sailing away from yet another island that was a dead end. According to Jack, who was hard to believe even in the best of times, the pool they found was not the Fountain.

"This is pointless. We're wasting time," Inuyasha said.

Leah sighed as she pulled out the charts. She would have if Jack did not take them from her. In place of it, the compass was brought out. Like Jack's, it pointed to what one wanted most; and Leah wanted the Fountain. Jack, who was on the Dragon, came up behind her and looked at it over her shoulder. At the next island, Jack took point. Hunter tuggest at his mother's hair as the pirates followed Jack. When he stopped, the distance sound of water was heard. When the party finally found it, no one moved.

"Is this is," Kas asked.

"Don't know, kid."

Leah knew it was not just by the smell. A harsh smell of sulfur nearly overwhelmed her, which resulted in her turning and beginning her way back to the beach. Billy and the group from Feudal Japan followed. They felt no supernatural feeling from the pool or small waterfall.

"It's not it," Leah said when Jack questioned her.

"One feeling..."

"I didn't feel anything,' Billy said.

Jack fell silent as he climbed into the longboat. The year was almost ould, and Leah was worried. If she was right, Hunter would be about six months old when the year was out.

Two weeks later, and the pirate ships left the last island that held hope. Leah and Jack were going over both the sea and changeable charts. A month from Florida, that was their last real hope.

"Jack, this is my last chance before the year's out," Leah said.

"Why are you so bent on finding it, kid?"

"It's a deal I ahve with Calypso."

"A deal; why?"

"To return Nick to the living."

"And of dear ol' cousin Will?"

"If I find it within the year. Other wise Will returns to the living, Nick moves on, and I become the captain of the Dutchman."

Jack kept silent as he thought of what Leah said. She had her very life riding on the deal; and losing her son was hard.

"Alright, Kid."