| Subject: **Nods.** I'll continue me tale then. This is where the story really begins. |
Author:
Rigg
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Date Posted: 03:57:09 04/03/04 Sat
In reply to:
Log-a-log Rigg
's message, "**An old shrew sits by the fireside.**" on 13:19:01 03/28/04 Sun
The Summer of the Stormy Seas
The Fishbait bobbed up and down in the choppy waters of northern seas. Nakrobi the rat, the weather expert, leaned on the rail on deck, shaking his head at Cap'n Limbleg. "Tis a storm, sure enough cap'n. We'd best batten down the 'atches afore it 'its. Twon't be long in comin' either." Churl scratched his scraggy beard as he gazed at the darkening sky. "Huh, blasted storm. We'll probably 'ave t'move south arter this. Better weather there, an' better pickin's too. Now, where's me first mate Dodge?"
Dodge climbed nimbly down the mast and jumped into a front pawspring, landing near his captain. "First mate Dodge reportin' fer duty, cap'n!" Limbleg nodded at him. "There's a storm comin' on. I need those sails furled and loose gear tied down, afore we 'it bad weather." Dodge looked up at the gray sky. A fat drop of water plopped down on his nose. "Aye aye sir." The weasle strode out along the deck, roaring, "All paws on deck! Batten down the 'atches! Tie everythin' down! Storm's acomin'!"
The corsair crew stumbled out on deck. Pinky led most of them up into the rigging, while a fox called Mako, who was second mate, made sure that all loose equipment was secured. Cap'n Churl patroled the deck as the rain began to pour down, watching the proceedings and berating his sailors for not being faster. (This they were used to, so it didn't bother them in the least) Mako was busy tying down a longboat when the first big wave came. The ship was lifted high, then came down with a booming splash on the water. Mako's boat skidded and lurched away, breaking through the deck railing. The fox's eyes went wide as it teetered for a moment on the edge. Then another wave came and swept over the deck, taking the longboat with it. Mako ran to the break in the rail, looking on in dispair as the longboat flipped right side up and began floating away.
Churl Limbleg saw what happened. He was as the rail in a twinkling, despite his wooden leg, bawling at Mako angrily. "Yew blatherfaced oaf, look wot you gone an' done! That was a good boat, an' you just let it go bobbin' off! Did you think it would come back all of its own, eh?" "I'm sorry cap'n, the waves came, I couldn't-" Cap'n Limbleg grabbed the fox by the scruff. "You couldn't tell night from day, idjit!Dodge Spiketail had been watching the whole thing. Mako was his shipmate, and he didn't like to see him punished because of an accident. He tried to placate his captain. "Don't worry cap'n, once we get ashore he kin make another one, or mebbe two. Come on now, there's a storm brewin', we gotta get our work done 'ere..."
Limbleg glared at him and grunted. "Yew stay out o' this, picklepaws. I know wot I'm doin'! Fox lost the boat, an' now e's got ter get it back!" With that, the captain heaved Mako up by his tail and scruff and tossed him over the side of the ship. Dodge blinked in surprise, then peered over into the lashing waters. The fox's pitiful screams sounded far away, until there was only the sounds of the storm. He turned on Churl. "Yew didn't 'ave t'do that! I liked that'n! All yew did was waste a perf'ctly good beast there. Ye could've just had 'im make more boats, or swab the deck, or somethin'. Ye 'ad no reason t'go chuckin' 'im away like that!"
Singe Arro watched from behind some extra canvas sail as Cap'n Limbleg kicked Dodge with his wooden leg. Churl drew his sword and chopped downward, pinning Dodge's right ear to the deck. He roared above the pained screeches of his first mate. "Yew don't talk t'yore cap'n like that! I'll 'ave you whipped sorry fer that'n. Yew ever say nothin' like that t'me agin an' I'll slay ye! Now git below deck; yore face is makin' me sick." Dodge crawled away, holding his bleeding ear and gritting his teeth to stop from crying out. The weasel stood and scrambled to get away from the scene of his defeat. Singe Arro glanced at his captain, an evil plan entering his mind that would rid the ship of Dodge Spiketail and put him in control.
The last sail was being furled as the storm really struck. Rain lashed down in torrents as waves broke constantly over the windtossed ship. It was so bad that Pinky lost his grip on the rope, and the sail unfurled and billowed out in the strong wind. The furless creature was almost flung from his perch, but managed to grab a rope at the last second. This sent Limbleg into a fine old temper, and he performed a hop-cloppity jig on deck, yelling angrily. Pinky grunted and hauled himself up again and went about restraining the flapping canvas.
Below decks, Dodge was busy bandaging his ear. He routed through his chest of loot for something he could use, muttering. "Shouldn't put meself in trouble, standin' up for others. Mako shoulda been watchin' out. What'd 'e ever do for me anyway? Huh, only took dog watch fer me one or three times. That ain't nothin'." When Dodge couldn't find anything for a bandage, he sighed and ventured on deck. There was most likely a strip of canvas sail somewhere that he could use.
Singe Arro watched the weasel move past him. The stoat glanced at the captain. Nobeast was looking. "Ahoy, cap'n, yore Dodge ain't below decks like ye told 'im!" Churl whirled around and grunted. "Wot? Arr, I'll flay 'is rotten eyes when I catch up to 'im!" Cap'n Limbleg stumped off in the direction Arro had pointed. Singe grinned wickedly as he drew a dagger and pursued the peglegged rat.
Dodge returned from the galley, his ear wrapped with strips of rag. The weasel strode out boldly on the swaying deck, and was confronted by Singe Arro, Truvva, and a gang of pirates who didn't particularly like him. Dodge took in the scene; the angry accusing eyes of the group, the puzzled and doubtful faces on Dodge's friends, Nakrobi and Pinky, and the body of the slain Cap'n Churl Limbleg.
Singe stepped forward, pointing a claw at him and shouting. "There he is! The murderer, the very one who slew our cap'n!" Dodge scowled at him. "Arr, ye've gotter be daft, stoat! I was in the galley, fixin' my ole lug up. What proof would ye 'ave of it?" Singe smiled craftily as he pointed at the silver hilt of the dagger sticking from Churl's back. "Well, that's yore dagger, ain't it?" Dodge's eyes went wide. He glanced from the dagger to the smirking Singe, then to the shocked face of Pinky. He turned and snarled. "Yew dirty liddle theif! Yore the one who slew 'im! That dagger weren't in my chest this mornin', cause you stole it!"
Singe took a step back, but still remained confident. He drew his sword and waved it high, roaring, "I say we tie 'im wid rocks an' chuck 'im overboard! All that'n is is a liar an' cap'n murderer!" One of Singe's followers set up a cry. "Down wid Dodge, Singe fer cap'n!" The assembly began pressing in on Dodge. The weasel drew out his bolas, growling dangerously. "Back off! Nobeast knows nothin', so 'tis paw t'paw combat!" Pinky supported him. "Aye, 'ow d'you know this ain't Singe's plan t'get himself made cap'n? I say they battle it out, mates!"
Singe narrowed his eyes and spat. "Fine, a fight it is then." He plucked the dagger from Limbleg's carcass and jumped at Dodge with a yell. The weasel hopped back, swinging forth the bolas. Singe ducked and chopped at Dodge's legs, but they weren't there to chop. The weasel dealt Singe a kick on the bottom, roaring with laughter as the stoat landed on his face. "Haharr, me name ain't Dodge fer nothin'!" The stoat leapt up, his eyes blazing. "You cheeky filthyfaced noodlenose, I'll gut ye fer that!"
The vermin tussled all over the deck, with the excited crew following behind, egging them on and betting on who would win. Singe Arro was older and more experianced, but heavey set, while Dodge was nimble and lithe. The weasel led Singe a merry dance around the ship, baiting him and then dodging out of the way. He waited until Singe began to grow weary, then he struck. The weasel hopped beside Singe and swung his bolas hard, cracking the stones into the stoat's back and sending him sprawling on deck. Then Dodge stepped on his bruised back and swung several times at Singe's legs, cracking and injuring where ever they hit.
Dodge took a step back from the stoat, who lay doubled up on the deck, hugging his injured legs and groaning. "Stan' up, ye scringey whiner." The weasel hefted Singe up by the scruff of his neck and set him on his footpaws, but Arro slipped back again, moaning louder. Dodge laughed cruely. "Hahaharrhaharr! Look at 'im, the great baby!" He leaned close to Singe. "Now listen up, yew filthy pile o' slops, yew got two choices. One, I kill ye right 'ere an' now, put ye out o' yore misery like. An' two, yew hop into a longboat an' sail off t'sea, where you'll most likely drown in the storm or die o' thirst an' hunger. Now which is it?"
"Uhnnn...no more....take boat...Oooohh!" Dodge nodded and smiled. "Good. Pinky, Nakrobi, get this'n into a boat an' get 'im outta here. Somebeast kin get ole Limbleg an' chuck 'im away. I'll be takin' a snoop around the cap'n's cabin." The weasel turned as if to go, then swung back, setting his bolas whirling and clacking. "That's if'n anybeast 'as any objections?" The pirates looked down at their footpaws or up at the masts. "Dodge fer cap'n! Good ole Cap'n Spiketail!" Pinky roused the vermin assembly.
Dodge grinned. "Well, I don't know wot t'say. Suppose I'd best accept, eh? Hahaharr!" The weasel strode off across the wet deck, towards the comfort of the captain's cabin as Pinky and Nakrobi lowered Singe's boat into the storm-tossed waters. The lamed stoat curled in the bottom as the longboat was swept away, swearing between his teeth and cursing the day Dodge Spiketail was born.
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