A.N. - Finally, it's the eighth chapter! Listen, I'm really sorry, guys, feel free to beat me with a stick for taking so long. I've had LOADS of revision to do for exams, but I've been ill again this weekend so I finally snapped and wrote Chapter 8. I could never leave you guys hanging ;) Fortunately in the next few weeks you should be hearing a lot more from me, because it's the final term until the summer holidays and my birthday *dances*

Taz: *facepalm* She's ridiculous.

Normal P.O.V.

A skinny doe sprinted in an manic fashion through the forest, eyes flickering as she skidded to a halt, turned right and arrived at the foot of a sinister-looking ice wall. A chuck of the frozen water had been ripped away to create a towering archway, covered by a large boulder that could only be moved by a creature of enormous strength. Liberty cleared her dry throat and spoke into the darkness in a loud whisper:

"Hello?"

"Who is it?" A cheery voice, evidentally Flynn's, replied.

" 'Tis I, Liberty Armada the Third, daughter of the rabid pirate known as 'Snag' and first mate to Captain Gutt Esquire." she smiled at her last few words. Since Shira had left, Liberty had assumed her original position as First Mate. It pleased her to know her hard work, at last, was being recognised, as it made a change from being treated as just a mere Navigator.

A few moments later, Flynn responded with an "Okay!" (which he probably would have done even if she was a complete stranger. He never had the best of brains, unfortunately) and heaved the boulder open a crack to allow her to slip into the lair.

Inside was a vast cave, at the very back of which the rest of the crew resided around a small campfire. Liberty gulped and hopped over as her peers' faces were illuminated by the flames. Gutt's appearance was even more volatile than before the encounter with Manny and his herd. There were scars to match her own drawn all over his body as a result of the siren attack, and his black eye was still healing from his unfortunate encounter with a log the mammoth had used to send him hurtling through the sky into the ocean. His head turned towards her and he grinned wickedly, displaying several gaps in his teeth where they had gone missing.

"Ah, my little minion," he adressed her, as the others copied his expression, "How did your first mission go?"

"Very well, thank you, sir," Liberty stiffened up, her brow furrowing into as serious an expresion as she could muster. "I obtained several new pieces of information."

"Oh?" asked Gutt, peeling a banana, "What new information might that be?"

"First of all, Shira seems to have formed a relationship with the buck-toothed sabre we know as Diego. He is soft as wool, but I have a strong feeling we may be able to use him as part of our plan," she explained. Everyone else nodded.

"You observed more than that, surely?" The ape fixed an ice-cold gaze on her. "Go on, amuse us."

"Well... there is a newcomer." Liberty confessed. "A possum, possibly around the age of the mammoth's daughter. She is in good shape and has sharp wit. I say we attempt to convert her to our side."

"You know, Liberty, that does sound like a good idea," Gutt said, pretending to look impressed, "But I have a better one. It is obvious, that if she is one of them, she'll want to stay, be loyal, so to speak." Gutt spat the words out of his mouth as if they were rancid mango. "She'll be too brainwashed by the stupid little do-gooders by the time our plan is fully formulated. No, I think we should... dispose of any extra rivalry, just to make life a little easier."

Liberty's pupils contracted a little. "What do you mean by that, Captain, sir?" she asked, both curious at his idea and repulsed by his attitude.

"You are to follow this... possum. Become friends with her, get her to trust you. They're all gullible, that herd, I dare say they'll trust you too. Then, when the time comes, get her alone... and run her through!"

Gutt's lip curled into an sickening leer, accompanied by the sound of the crew yelling, "ARRGH!"

Liberty's eyes widened. "But... Captain... wouldn it not be better if we just tried..."

The sea-monkey growled as he leaned in to her, focusing on her little bunny head, and wondering what it would taste like roasted on a skewer. "You may be First Mate, but you are to follow MY orders - unless, of course, you want to be in our little friend's position..."

The rabbit froze except for a frantic nod. "I understand, Captain, I'll follow orders, I promise!"

Gutt smirked and turned to the others. "Get to bed, you lot. I need to refreshed for tomorrow, when we begin our revenge!"

Pretty short chapter, but I wanted to upload this one quickly, for your sake. And GASP! Liberty's not as innocent as she seems! Thanks to lorithemolehog123 for the inspiration to make her 'not as good as she seems'. Anyway, I need to go and do some Chemistry revision... *sigh* See you guys next time!