The Quest for Romance: The Hunt for the Lashkeel

[W0NWILL]

OOC: I'm a bit behind...should we say that Birata is a prisoner?

[Rainshadow]

  OOC:  You can if you like.  Hmm, that would make a good plot for the second...  Can you hear the gears in my head turning as I type?  *Screeeeech*  *Creak*

[BrookSkimmer]

OOC: Oh yes, I like that idea!

[Mattio]

Mattio jumped up on the deck, and walked up to Cooper, "Isn't this what you wanted? Raven's dead an' you an' yer sweeteart are both livin'. Well if it isn't then stick your chest out an' yer chin down an' march along proudly." He patted him on the back. Then he turned to go back below decks to sleep and sharpen his new blade he had found.

[Rainshadow]

  Cooper nodded, but the freed slave's words didn't mean anything to him.  He had never had trouble killing before.  Why now?  Why did he feel such regret?  Maybe it was because the creature was someone he had known.  Sure, Raven had been cruel and evil, but still, she had been a beast Cooper had known.
  Cooper sighed and continued staring off into the distance.

[Dannflower Reguba]

"Hallooo! Sea to Cooper!" Lusiphi knew this look, he hadn't seen it often, but he'd seen it none the less, "Somethin' wrong mate? You look as if'n ya' had gotten a raw fish and salt water shoved down yer lungs."

[BrookSkimmer]

Brielle came up from below deck where she had been helping Acorn and a few other attend to the injured. She took in a breath, relieved that the dead from the battle had been disposed of. The she cat hated the thought of killing and death but what had been done was for a greater cause. Evil had been vanquished for a time and good had prevailed. The slaves had been freed and the evil captain of the Lashkeel now slept on the bottom of the sea.

She saw Lusiphi speaking to Cooper. The male wildcat had his back to the deck and was looking long out to sea. She knew that stance and she knew what was going on in Cooper's mind. They had discussed his feelings on the battle just last night. He was mourning the occurrence of death. There was nothing wrong with that. Brielle admired Cooper for his connection to his feelings. He was not just a hardened fighter, he was deeper than that.

Rikkendo came up behind Brielle. The mouse had been helping below deck as well. He stood alongside Brielle and nodded in Cooper's direction.

"He's takin' this hard isn't he miss?"

"Yes, that's his way. It will be a a few days, or maybe even months before he gets over all of this."

"Aye, I've known that type of beast before." The mouse took a deep breath of clean sea air, his eyes resting on the horizon. "When you two start away from here, that will help him I think."

"Yes, you are right Rikkendo. And you? Will you return to the abbey that you came from?"

"Someday, yes. My spirit always flies back to Redwall. It is my home."

"Would you stay at sea longer if I asked you to?"

"Aye Brielle, for you and Cooper I would." The mouse's allegiance to the wildcats had grown tenfold since they had set sail together.

"Good." She smiled at Rikkendo for a moment. "I'm going to talk to Cooper about the Lashkeel. The ship itself is a good one, her masters were the cruel ones. I think we could start a good life aboard this ship... and we will need a crew."
---

Later Brielle went to Cooper. She draped a sea cloak over his bare shoulders and came to stand alongside him. She cast her gaze out to sea, hoping to find the spot Cooper had fixated on.

"Cooper?" She turned to look at his face. His features showed many feelings. "Tell me you thoughts." She spoke softly and turned her gaze again out to sea.

[Dannflower Reguba]

OOC: Isn't that technically PPing? Because Cooper never responded to me.

[BrookSkimmer]

OOC: No, she can still respond to your post and then jump forward as I don't think he would be having a multiple post conversation with Lusiphi at this point. Remember, we are trying to quickly wrap up this thread.

We decided we would end the thread after one or two posts more. There will most likely be a follow up thread to this one set at some point in the future where these characters can continue to be developed.

A post informing everyone about ending the thread within a short span of time was posted in the OOC thread about QFR a couple days ago.

[Rainshadow]

  Cooper didn't turn to look at Lusiphi, he just continued looking into the distance.

  "Somethin' wrong mate? You look as if'n ya' had gotten a raw fish and salt water shoved down yer lungs."

  "Hmm?  Oh, uh, no, everything's fine."  Cooper sighed and then ignored the otter.  He wasn't in the mood to talk.

  *  *  *

  Later Cooper heard another beast walk up to him.  He was about to tell them to go away when they draped a blanket over his shoulders and started speaking.

  "Cooper? Tell me your thoughts."

  "I dunno, Brielle," Cooper answered, looking at the pretty shecat.  "I just don't know at all.  Why am I grievin' for the beast that caused others so much grief?  Why?"

[BrookSkimmer]

OOC: This will be my last post in this thread. We have arrived at a good place to end this story!

BIC:
"I just don't know at all.  Why am I grievin' for the beast that caused others so much grief?  Why?"

Brielle sighed and took Cooper's paws in her own as she had done so many times before. She smiled a sympathetic smile and then looked out to sea. A cold breeze whipped through her head fur and caused her to shiver a little.

"It's your heart Cooper. You have a good heart. You feel hurt even for those who do not deserve it." She looked back into his eyes and purred. "Perhaps that is why I love you."

[Rainshadow]

  Cooper's heart skipped a beat as he heard Brielle's last words.  He had known that she had trusted him, and obviously liked him, but love?  Then a smile grew on his face as he realized one fact.  "I love you too, Brielle."  Then he leaned forward and, without even thinking, kissed her.

  Within a few days of sailing, both the Lashkeel and the Freebeasts made it to a large, forested island.  Cooper stood in the sand, one hand on his sword as he watched the few remaining vermin being led off the Lashkeel.
  "Alright, you sorry lot, yer gonna be stayin' on this island, whether ye like it or not."  He stopped as he started hearing groans.  Glaring at them, he said,  "I don't wanna 'ear one peep out o' ye!  An' I never want to see ye again, ye got that?"
  The small gang nodded their heads, reluctantly agreeing.
  "Good," Cooper said, turning to the ships.  He heard some of the others freeing the former pirates, giving them a bit of food and sending them into the forest.  He had decided to let the beasts free, thinking it was the right thing to do.  And now that they were gone, he could start thinking about the Lashkeel.  It would be a waste to burn it, and he couldn't just leave it there.
  An idea formed in Cooper's mind.  He grinned and boarded the Lashkeel, making his way to the mast.  Climbing up a ways, Cooper looked at the beasts standing around, some looking up to him as if wondering what he was doing.
  "Everybeast aboard this ship, I declare that we make this a new ship.  No longer will it be remembered as the dreaded Lashkeel, but as the Hope Bringer, a ship that 'elps others.  We won't go about fightin' goodbeasts, but protectin' the innocent from those who try to bring 'em harm.  An' if ye'll accept me, I'll be yer cap'n."
  He watched expectantly as many of the former slaves nodded, others shouting out an "Aye!"  He grinned, climbing down from the riggings and walked over to Brielle, saying, "An' Brielle will be my First Mate."  He smiled and took her paw, saying, "'Ow's that for an idea, eh?"
  Grinning at her, Cooper then turned and watched the pirates being led away from the ships.  Today was turning out to be a good day!

  OOC:  And that's the end of this one!  Stay tuned for a second!  If you guys want to help out, please post in the QFR thread with your ideas for the sequel.