Whoo, took us long enough. My fault, though; I kept forgetting to upload the thing. --glares at self--

--grin-- see? can't blame me! I had this thing done for.. literally.. months!!! now, enjoy!!!

"What better way to get fish than to go fishing?" Glaybo shouted, laughing, and raising his bowl of soup. "And who better to fish with than me?"

"And he's humble, too," Skyborne chuckled to Skipper, then raised his voice to yell at Glaybo over the hubbub of otters. "Hey Glaybo, put that soup down before it lands on your head!"

"And what a hearty hunger-hating hat I'd have," Glaybo countered, to the groans of the table at large, but put the soup down.

"He's a bit full o' himself," Skipper offered. "It's 'is first lone fishin' trip tomorrow."

"Not completely alone; I'm going!" Skyborne pointed out.

"But I'm the commander, young Master Skyborne," Glaybo corrected.

Skyborne laughed, but nodded obligingly.

"That's fine with me, but it's the first I've heard of it. I thought you were coming to help m–"

"Plans change, laddo," Glaybo said airily, waving his spoon around and narrowly missing Oshena's eye.

"Watch it, big 'ead," she giggled, shoving his spoon back into the hardly touched bowl of soup that was already stone cold.

"Better a big head than a big gut," Glaybo said with a wink.

Oshena rolled her eyes, but smiled and kept eating.

"How long d'ye think ye'll be gone, commander?" Skipper asked Glaybo.

"I'm a commander, not a bookkeeper, Skip!" Glaybo said indignantly. "Go bother the first mate 'bout any numbers or travel information."

"Several days," Skyborne answered to Skipper, who was shaking his head.

"D'you think Glaybo kin stay 'way from Oshena for that long?" Cockle said devilishly, joining the conversation. "I'll take wagers on that 'un."

Cockle ducked his mother's corrective paw.

"Cockle, now, be nice to the lad," she said reprovingly. "In a few seasons you'll find a girl of your own, too!"

Cockle grabbed his throat, choking and staggering around before falling dramatically at his mother's footpaws.

"May searats tame me 'fore that day," he groaned.

"Cockle!" she reprimanded harshly. "Don't say things like that."

"It's alright, Cealin," Treylor said, looking over his shoulder from his conversation at the table. "It's just an expression."

"A morbid one," Cealin muttered.

Cockle quickly made himself scarce and began taking bets on the other side of the room. The sixteen season otter had a mind for haggling that made him one of the newest recruits to the traders, a feat he was fiercely proud of.

Oshena laughed loudly with her friends at a joke one of them had made. By the time they'd finished laughing, no one remembered the joke, which made them all laugh more.

"Hey, it's Glaybo," Cyan whispered, nudging Oshena.

The other girls stopped laughing and started whispering and giggling as Glaybo walked up to the group. Other otters would be intimidated by the number of girls congregated in one place, but Glaybo walked as one determined.

"Oshena, could I see you a moment?" he asked, his courage faltering a bit when he actually had to speak.

There were a few ill-disguised squeals.

"Sure," Oshena said, throwing looks at the maids with paws clasped firmly over their mouths to keep the giggles from escaping.

She stood and left the circle of girls, joining Glaybo as he walked out of the cave mouth toward the beach.

As soon as they were out of earshot, the girls burst into excited talk and laughter. After all, this was the first time Glaybo had done anything specifically with Oshena.

"So, I'm going fishing with Sky tomorrow," Glaybo said, somewhat awkwardly, looking out over the ocean.

"Yup," Oshena replied. "I'm sure ye'll catch a lot of fish, especially with Sky there to 'elp you."

"I think I'd catch more if you were there," he said.

"Oh? Why's that?"

"I always do everything better when you're watching," he said with a grin.

"I'd love t'come, but there's only room in the boat for two."

"That could be a slight problem," Glaybo chuckled. "So, I suppose I'll have to wait 'til I get back to see you again."

"Since when 'ave you cared whether you saw me or not?" she asked.

"Since I've realized that your eyes are the color of the ocean on a summer day," he replied, surprisingly quickly.

"They are?" Oshena laughed, then sobered. "That's very nice of you, Glaybo."

"I only speak truth," he said seriously.

"Rather creative truth, ye must admit," Oshena chuckled.

"Alright, I do admit that. But the bit about your eyes was not creative at all."

"Thank ye for pointing that out," she said.

There was a bit of silence, in which they both looked at the moonlight shining on the ocean as they walked.

"Oshena," Glaybo said suddenly, stopping.

"Yes?" she replied, stopping also, and looking at him.

"I have something... I made for you. If you want it," he said, seeming to say it just before he lost his nerve.

"Really?" she said with a smile. "Of course I want it, what is it?"

"Close your eyes," he said.

She did so, and felt something slip over her head – a necklace.

"You can open them now."

She opened her eyes and held the pendant, looking at it closer. It was a small clamshell polished and engraved with intricate patterns.

"Wow, Glaybo, this is –"

"Open it up," he interrupted.

She found a small latch on it and carefully opened it, her smile widening as she saw the carefully padded interior that housed a small pearl.

"Glaybo... thank you," she said, closing it.

"You're welcome," he said, smiling too.

Then she hugged him, surprising both of them.

"This means a lot to me, Glaybo," she said softly as she let go of him, fingering the shell, as if unwilling to let it hang unprotected around her neck.

"It means a lot to me that you're willing to wear it," he said.

They started walking again, chatting idly, and they were holding paws by the time they made it back to the cave mouth.

"Goodbye!"

"Good luck!"

"Don't eat all the fish before you get back!"

Glaybo and Skyborne waved, calling back various replies, then began to leave in earnest, heading out to sea with the rising sun behind them.

Morning was fading to afternoon when the mighty horde of Chillaxe Otterbane stepped into a clearing – the clearing which was the home of Skyborne, the clan of Skipper Jamin.

As he stepped forward, all activity stopped and eyes went to him. In the middle of the throng there was a pretty ottermaid, clutching something close to her heart. She locked eyes with Chillaxe, then turned tail and ran.

And... the end. Have fun speculating as to what happens to their clan --grin-- and REVIEW!

Bohahahahaha! whoever can guess gets a... Key Lime Pie (couldn't think of anything green that wasn't nasty) and HAPPY SAINT PAT"S DAY!!!!! GO GREEN!!!