Round 2: BloodSpine Crew (To the Coast)

[BrookSkimmer]

Visefang winced as he took the steps to the deck of the BloodSpine. The wound on his back had opened up again despite his healer's efforts.

"I'll gut tha' vixen." The King of all Seas ground out the words as he made his way to the deck. The storm had died down and as he looked to the east he could see land fall. A shoreline was lit up for just a moment as the clouds parted. The sands glittered for a moment and a slim smile spread across Visefang's maw.

"Golfar! Skral! Git yer hides over here." He waited until the crew beasts had obeyed his command. "I want this ship turned towards that coastline now." He pointed to the shore and then glowered at the crew beasts. "Get to the ship's wheel and get us going in that direction now. I don't want us sailin' by this pretty find."

It was perfect. The storm was clearing and a shore line had come into view. They could put in there, fix the ripped sails, stock up on supplies and fresh water. And who knew, perhaps there were some unsuspecting creatures dwelling there. Possible plunder made a sparkle appear in the Captain's eye.

"Navarre, Farril!" Again he waited until the crew beasts were listening to his orders. "The two of you will take the scouting boat to shore. Find out who or what is out there and then report back to me."

The scouting boat could move much more easily than the BloodSpine. It would see Navarre and Farril to shore with enough time to come back and report before the larger ship made berth just past the tide line.

"The rest of ye, prepare to make berth!" A ragged cheer came up from the crew which Visefang quickly squelched.  "Whot are you blunder heads cheerin' for eh?" His eyes narrowed dangerously. "Sculrig! Anybeast not about his duties, send 'im teh me." His lips raised in an evil half smile. "Understood?"

He winced again before turning to go to his cabin. "Vela, you worthless excuse for a healer! Attend me."

[Kitsune]

*Farril was excited! With just him and Navarre, it was highly possible that he could be in charge! Fighting to control his emotions, he saluted and walked as normally to the boat as he could.  It would be bad for his reputation to run to the boat and bounce in it like a youngbeast in a wagon about to go to the fair.

While waiting for Navarre, he made sure that the right amount provisions were packed for a day or two of scouting on shore. There was smoked fish and seaweed grog in the sacks. As long as I eat, it's fine Farril thought. It looked like enough.

He started to lower the small craft when he noticed Navarre still hadn't arrived. "Navarre!" He called. "Move your paws! We haven't got all day!" Then he remembered something vitally important. He climbed back onto the deck. He walked up to the captain and saluted. "Captain! May I have permission to lead the scouting party?" He hoped that the answer would be what he wanted.

[Redwaller]

* As the captain roared out the orders, Gavin-Asher hurried to prepare the ship for accosting to shore. He was checking the ropes and pulleys, when he noticed a ferret trying to sabotage the ropes of the sails. taking his crossbow, he took aim and fired. A splash resounded across the ship as the limp form came in contact for the last time with the sea. "They'll show those ruffians I'm not messing around today!" He grunted, as he went back to his business.

When his job was done, he went for a quick snack to the galley, where he found the cook and his assistants stuffing themselves with fried cod and nettle grog. "What do ya think yore doin' here?" He exclaimed, taking the rats by surprise. "Gimme some food afore I tells the captain what you're doin'!" Taking the food they handed to him, he went away to find anything to fix.

[Tam and Martin]

Sculrig nodded to Visefang. "Yes Cap'n anybeast that ain't doing 'is or 'er's job will be sent immediately to you."
He made his way off checking to make sure the other crewbeasts were doing as they should.

[321tumbler]

Vela nodded at the captain, "Sorry captain. I think I might have to stitch it up." She reached into her bag and to out some thread that sparkled even though the clouds blocked the sun. "Let us go into your cabin. It is lighter there."

[BrookSkimmer]

Visefang eyed the vixen and then complied.

"You best double stitch it vixen, I've a feelin' I'm goin' to need it." He let out a small breath and made for his cabin. Better to get this done with now than let it keep opening and fester. He cursed the otters as he lay down and prepared for the fiery pain that came with stitching.

[Romsca]

*Navarre had been searching all over the Bloodspine for the weasel Carr Marsh. He couldn't have just disappeared! He has to be here somewhere... she thought, but no matter where she looked, she just couldn't find him.

While she was belowdecks, she heard somebeast shout for her. She ran up to where they were, and found Farril talking to the captain. She overheard their conversation that Farril was planning to lead the scouting party. WHAT? she thought, Why would Farril want to lead the SCOUTING PARTY??! He probably doesn't even know the difference between scouting and drinking! She hid her emotions from Visefang and Farril so they wouldn't know how irate she was.  The captain left, leaving the two of them near the smaller boat that was ready to leave. "Well," she challenged, "so you think you're in charge now?"

[BloodGullet]

*After hearing the captain's orders, Golfar jumped to the helm and undid the lashing, turning the helm to head the great ship in a gradual turn to the starboard, toward the now approaching coastline. Ah, it's good to finally be doing something that makes sense!  Too bad it took this long to get to this point, this ship is nearly ruined. But there is a nice break in the coast, and if I am right, and I usually am, that is the entrance to the cove near the cave dwellings she thought to herself.

Turning her head toward the aft, she then bellowed out to some crew-beasts that had momentarily, found themselves unoccupied "Avast!, ye bilge-rats! get off those lazy paws of yours and take in all the sails, save the jib and the main! We can't be going in at a full clip! You heard the Captain! We're a'goin ashore!"

Golfar had no desire for chasing woodbeasts around for plunder, but the thought of all the opportunities for revenge while anchored and half the crew gone on sorties and missions, made her smile again.  It didn't hurt to have a good ship and the helm under her paws.  yes, I could get used to this, .... perhaps when this is all over .... a ship of my own ...

With the ship now set in the right direction and speed, Golfar lashed the helm once more and made her way below deck toward her cabin to grab a quick meal from her small private stash she kept.  Unfortunately, while she was bent over earlier to grab the rope to lash the helm, for a moment her ruby pendant had slipped out from her tunic and flashed in the sparse sunlight that was beginning to make its way through the clouds.  She put it away quickly and looked around to see if any beast saw it, not wanting to show anything that might lead to questions.  From behind the main mast though, and out of sight of Golfar, Carr had witnessed the whole thing.  His eyes bugged out at the sight of the precious gem and made his head spin with all he could buy at some seaport with the jewel.  He decided he must have it.  

As Golfar went below, she didn't notice she was being followed at first.  However, years of training and the poor conditions of the planks on the deck let her know fairly quickly that she was not alone.  She also knew what the beast was after.  Her cabin was pitch dark save for a bit of weak light coming in the port hole to one side, near a shelf with some boxes she used to keeps some odds and ends in, mostly her extra food she saved up, and it was to there she made her way, slowing up on purpose so that her follower, that she knew would be looking around the corner of her door, could see her put the ruby in the container on the shelf. She then quickly left.

It wasn't long before Carr had the ruby in paw, lifting it up to the porthole to see it glimmer in the light, not noticing the pair of narrowed red eyes glowing in the dark with murderous rage.  Neither was it long before the smooth leather thong with the wooden grips on either end slipped quietly over his head. The last any beast would ever see of Carr was his paw, slowly sliding down the window of the porthole, and the last sight he saw was the ruby in his other paw, as it lay on the floor.

In all the turmoil on deck, it was easy to move Carr back to his own cabin and slip back to the helm before any beast noticed. Good riddance, I say, and such as this to any beast who dares to lay a paw on my Mother's last gift was all she could think as they headed the ship into the cove.

[Kitsune]

*What?! Farril thought, Visefang was so distracted by his wound, he didn't even notice me! He must be mad. His thoughts were distracted by Navarre.

"Well, so you think you're in charge now?"

Farril thought fast. "The captain didn't think our scouting party would need a leader, since there are only two of us. He... thought that it would be best that we encourage the quality of shipmate, uh, teamwork to the other crewbeasts by working together. ...Of course, that's my take on it. Maybe he was distracted...  Anyway! Let's get on that boat before were too near the coast!" He said with sudden urgency, seeing Golfar undoing the lashing on the helm.

He moved quickly to the boat, motioning for Navarre to do the same. He checked to make sure he had his sword and scabbard, and started to lower the boat. Once in the water, he flexed his arms and back, preparing for rowing. He wondered if they would find any useful information that night...

[321tumbler]

*Vela nodded to the captain and took out a needle. She was worried about the look the captain gave her and decided to lay of her hatred for the captain so she could do a better job. "This thread came from a rare plant down south. It's fiber is soft and silky so it won't scratch along the wound." she told the captain. When they got to the cabin, she noticed that the needle was very blunt so she reached in her bag to find another one. After checking for a minute, she found not a needle, but a whetstone. "I guess I'll have to just sharpen my needle." she muttered to herself.

It took about a minute more to sharpen and when Vela was done she told the captain, "Don't tighten your muscles captain. It will take longer to finish and a blood vessel might pop." The vixen slowly pressed the needle into the flap of skin and pulled it out until the thread was taut. Then she stitched in a zig zag pattern down the wound and up the wound in a horizontal pattern. "That will keep it from opening again." Vela said as she secured the string. She put the needle back in her bag and asked the captain, "Anything else you need me to do captain?"

[BrookSkimmer]

(Time jump! I'm going to say it took a few hours to get the stitching job done to give the shore party time to explore.)

Visefang grit his teeth as Vela went about her work. He tried to relax as the needle jabbed into his skin, closing the wound up for good... hopefully. Once she was finished, the Captain responded to her question.

"Aye, there's something you can do, vixen. Get out of my cabin! Move yerself up on deck and get my crew assembled. The shore party left long enough ago. It's time to ready to crew for shore. Navarre and Farril will have had enough time to get the lay of the land by now. We'll meet up with them, find out if they've found anybeast on these shores, and then take what comes out way!"

------

Later the crew of the BloodSpine was assembled on deck. The fox Captain looked over his crew, satisfied in their readiness to take plunder from whatever unlucky beasts were on shore.

"We'll move in closer to the coastline, then take the boats to the shore! Each of you keep your wits about you, whatever wits you've got! We'll plunder whoever inhabits these shores! Slaves, booty, treasure! It's ours for the taking!"

------

It was not long after that when the flaming arsenal of the Swords of Freedom came into effect. The Captain could do nothing but watch as the mast of his ship was splintered into flames. Order were made to put the small boats in the water and make for the shore. Whoever these beasts were, they would pay for what they had done.

"Take no prisoners! Death to those who burned my ship!" The Captain roared from his position at the bow of the lead boat. He would have his revenge!