by Kyle Spencer
Just a sliver of sun stands above the horizon, blazing orange and looking like a firewyrm’s scale. As it sinks lower and lower everyone holds their collective breath. Just as the very last tip touches the deep blue line that separate sea from sky the top edge of the sun turns a startling green. We all watch as that green edge kisses the horizon and…
Everyone gasps as the entire evening sky erupts in a bright emerald flash, like it was struck from out of nowhere by some otherworldly heat lightning. Yips and hoorays rise up from the crew and even the captain looks pleased. My three companions just stare at the darkening sky; the sun finally laid to rest.
One of the otters runs up to me and plants a huge kiss on my cheek. She then turns to the others and does the same. Soon the entire crew has us surrounded, shaking our paws and kissing us. Talia just looks confused by the whole ordeal; Archy and Susi flounder as they try to escape the clutches of the crew. Me, I don’t mind this.
Saltana laughs. “Le Rayon Vert is a good omen for outgoing ships. My crew seems to think it was you four that brought it. I’m slightly inclined to agree with ‘em.” She leans lazily on the wheel but her voice is razor sharp as she barks orders to her crew. “Alright you lot! Our guests inform us that some unsavory characters might get it in their thick skulls to come after this ship and cause trouble. So until I say so we’re going to have double lookouts at night. And if any maadher chod even dares try to put one paw on my ship…” She doesn’t have to finish the thought as a bloodthirsty cheers erupt from deck.
***
“Can’t sleep?” A soft voice above me.
“Just enjoying the sweet night air.” I reply jovially. Truthfully, I’m up on deck because my stomach is trying to cartwheel out of my throat. Fortunately, stomachs can’t do that. But their contents can. I barely made it to the railing in time.
“Yup. Gotta love that sweet night air.” The otter that showed us to our quarters, Myra, swings down from the rigging to the deck besides me. She puts a paw on my back and rubs it in soothing circles. “Don’t worry. You’ll get your sea legs in a few days.”
“Urp! That’s what the last crew told me. Hurk!”
“I bet the last crew didn’t have this though.” Her paw opens up to reveal a cream-colored knot. “Ginger root. Gnaw on this when your stomach starts to do a jig. Hey now! A little goes a long way.”
She’s right; the nausea is starting to subside. And the ginger also rids that vomit taste in my mouth, too.
“Thanks.” I keep chewing until the ginger dissolves and I look up at the sky. “Shame that it’s cloudy; I would’ve like to see the stars.”
“I’ll make sure to bring you up here on a clear night then.” Her tail brushes against my leg.
“So tell me,” I don’t try to stop her, “How did I lovely lass like yourself become a pirate?”
“Merchant.” She bristles and straightens up a bit. “Even if those goods happen to be-”
“Pilfered, poached, purloined, or even plundered. I already got that from Saltana.”
Myra smiles sheepishly.
“You’re pirates.” I go on. “Or privateers at best. Either way I’m perfectly okay with that.”
“Good.” She slides a bit closer to me. “But we were actually merchants once. Well, the captain was. She and her husband had a small vessel that traded along the coast and even upriver sometimes. Good business and good money. Until they were waylaid by actual pirates one day.
“A slaver ship caught up to them, killed her husband, imprisoned her crew, and their captain took her for himself. I don’t know how long she stayed on that ship, but from what I’ve heard it was a while. Turns out that she was just biding her time.
“One night she breaks free and cuts open the captain’s balls and throat in his sleep. She then goes and frees the rest of the slaves on the ship and they mutiny. Took no prisoners. You remember Niani, the one at the helm this evening? She was one of those slaves. Most of the others here joined up sometime afterward.
“We’ve been sailing around ever since. Mostly we target other pirate ships but when times are tough we’ll go after some of the smaller merchant vessels. But there are rules, be sure about that. We avoid killing as much as possible. It’s bad for business and leaves a sour taste in the mouth. When we capture a ship - pirate or otherwise - we take the loot but leave the crew and ship intact. Any big decision is put to everyone for a vote, with the captain as tiebreaker of course. And spoils are shared by everyone; no one gets more or less than the others. Oh! And you gotta be able to read. I didn’t when I first joined up, but the captain held classes for me and a few others in the evenings until we could.”
“So that’s where you went to!” A laughing bark calls down at us from above. Crouching on the lowest arm of the mast is another otter. “You know what happens if yer caught lazing about on lookout duty.”
“I know, I know.” Myra shuffles her feet. “I was just trying to get him his sea legs is all.”
“More like you was just trying to get him between your sea legs.” Another barking laugh. “Well, you can do that when your shift is over, let’s go!” And with grace and dexterity that belies her gruff accent, she shimmies back up the rigging and melds into the night.
Myra looks at me and shrugs. “Guess I should go too.”
“What’s the punishment for lazing about on lookout duty?” I ask.
“You gotta give a one hour massage to every member of the crew within the following week.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad.” I say, imagining the typical fifty lashes or keel-haul.
“It is when you’re working on sailors who have knots on their backs that would put these to shame.” She shakes a rope at me, the knot tied into it the size of my fist. “By the end of it your hands turn to mush. And that’s on top of your normal duties on the ship.”
“Then I guess you better get going. I think I’ll wait up here on deck until your shift ends. Oh!” I jump a little as Myra smacks my butt and dashes off to climb up the rigging.
“I don’t like her.” I jump again at Leena’s voice. She’s been quiet for so long I forgot she was still swinging off my neck.
“You’re just jealous.” I prod.
Silence.
“Something doesn’t feel right.” The water spirit changes the subject.
“Hmm.” I grunt. I know what she’s talking about, but I can’t put a paw on it. There’s a bad feeling deep in my gut and it’s not the sea sickness.
“Zara!” Myra’s voice rings out and the ropes that run from the railing to the top of the mast pulls taut then slacks out. “Zara where did you go?” A rope beside me goes tight and a rough buzzing closes in on me. I move to the side as Myra zips down and plants her feet on the railing. “You haven’t heard a splash or anything, have you?” Her eyes are wide with panic and her chest heaves up and down.
I shake my head.
“She just...disappeared. If she fell overboard one of us would’ve heard something.”
Everything clicks.
“We need to wake everyone up. Now!” I reach for her paw to help her down.
“Why? What’s going on?” She leans down and reaches out for me.
Just as the tips of our fingers touch she flies forward, knocking me to the ground. Her deep brown eyes, blank and dead, stare into me. Suddenly, two large leathery wings erupt from her back and with a single flap she hurtles backwards into the night sky.
Blood and Bat Wings
Jeet tejee se aao!
- Otter war cry
“Oh shit oh shit!” Scrambling on my hands in knees I reach Captain Saltana’s quarters. “We’re under attack! Wake up wake up wake the fuck up!” I pound on the door until my fists go numb. Behind me a series of chirps and chitters draws closer. The door flies open and Saltana stands there with the regal air of a queen and wearing a lacy pink nightgown which barely covers anything. Two silver glints flash in her paws before she sends them forth. A whistle and a pair of thunks mark a fallen Ko�
�mori behind me. Without pause two more daggers appear in her paw as if by magic. Again they fly out, causing another shriek as they find their target.
“All hands on deck! Utho! Utho! Utho!” She bellows. I cover my ears against the thunderclap of her voice. Even our attackers give a startled chirp.
Two strong (incredibly strong!) paws grab me by the scruff of my neck and yank me indoors. The hilt of a sword presses into my chest as I stumble to my feet. It’s a strange weapon, something I haven’t seen before. The blade is flat and wider near the tip. The double-edge curves sharply near the end giving it the look of a fat talon. A surprising light, deadly-ass talon.
“Oh my gods they’re real.” Watery eyes stare into nothing for a second before snapping back into focus. She grabs my arm and leads me to the corner where her hammock is strung. A quick flick of a dagger releases the netting-turned-bedding and the crumpled heap of ropes is kicked out of the way. Underneath is a tiny latch; I don’t even notice it until Saltana bends down to unhook it.
Blue light pours from the opening in the floor. She motions for me to follow and jumps down through it. A few seconds later I fall through. Fortunately, someone had the foresight to place cushions at the bottom. Gathering my bearings I see the entire crew looking at us. Not a soul is still in bed. Each and every one is armed to the teeth (some literally) and waiting for their captain’s command. Archy towers over them, a tiny pouch slung at his waist and one of my warhammers gripped in his right paw. Talia’s head pops up and down amongst the crowd as she tries to get a good look at what’s going on.
Susi is nowhere to be seen.
“Alright! Prisha and Aami! You two and the monk will follow me back up to my quarters. You lot! Take this enormous bastard here and rush the main staircase! You two stay and guard the girl! The rest of you take care of any wounded and reinforce when needed!” She raises too daggers high into the air, blades crossed. “Bole so Nihal!”
The crew roars back, “Sat Sri Akal!” and begin moving as a flock of birds or school of fish would move - no confusion, everyone knowing their place as well as their neighbor’s.
Prisha and Aami boost Saltana and me back through the escape hatch then clamor up behind us. The long wall of windows has shattered inward; shards of dingy glass litter the floor and table. Two Ko’mori are making their way through the opening, ignoring the shreds and tears in their wings from the broken windows. Prisha dashes past us towards the intruders. She carries no blade or other weapon I can see. The closest bat sees her coming and emits a horrifying scream, but before it can make it through the window the otter brings her left paw high and swipes it across the creature’s neck. Blood gushes forth, pooling below and staining the remaining glass. The other Ko’mori struggles to free its claws but the remaining pieces of window has snagged the leathery flaps. Prisha takes advantage by raking her other paw down the it’s face, leaving four long gashes that butterfly open like a basilisk steak.
The Ko’mori screams and snorts clouds of blood from its squished, leaf-shaped nose. Prisha responds with a flurry of slaps to its face and neck, leaving it in ragged tatters. It gives one more pitiful squeak as the otter grabs the top of its head and slams it down on a crag of glass sticking up from the bottom of the frame.
“Holy fuck.” I gasp as Prisha runs back to the rest of us. The whole onslaught lasted all of six seconds. “What was that?”
“Bagh Nakha.” She holds out her palms. Strapped to them are metallic plates with nasty claws where the fingers should be. Blood and strips of flesh dangle from some of the tips. “The perfect tool for scaling the side of a ship or shredding an enemy’s face.”
“Gods that’s so hot.” I breathe.
“What?”
“Nothing! Let’s get to the deck!”
The sounds of the melee outside are deafening even before the cabin door is opened. The three otters and I burst out to a ballet of shadow and blood. And Archy is the prima. He towers over everyone else at the center of the deck, spinning and twirling. His momentum turns his warhammer into a metallic blur that doesn’t so much as strike the surrounding Ko’mori as go through them, taking whatever body part with it. He fights just like the legendary warrior monk 弁慶, if he was a really big, really pissed-off bear.
Talia stands beside the professor. A thin fog envelops her and the tips of her fingers glimmer with ice. A Ko’mori flies out of the night, streaking towards the her. She ducks the brown missile and strikes upward with a paw. A white sheen grows ever the bat’s wing and it clips one of the masts, shattering into a million snowflakes and sending the rest rolling tail-over-teakettle on the deck. Before it can try to get back up, three otters descend on it with swords.
Streaks of blood cover the deck where the wounded were dragged below. The wounded…the wounded…oh shit! I dash off towards the staircase just as Prisha and Aami scatter to help their comrades. Behind me Saltana barks orders and sends daggers singing through the air.
Dropping to my knees, I slide the last ten feet on the thick layer of blood that’s pooled around the staircase. Using both paws I swing my new sword through the knees of a Ko’mori as I pass by and then tumble halfway down the stairs. Pain shoots through my abdomen as I land awkwardly on my stomach and the old stab wounds rear their ugly, painful heads.
“Is anyone bitten?” I shout into the beehive of activity in front of me. Hammocks are filled with the wounded as their crewmates buzz around them. Even the ship’s cook is involved: she hurries around with a large bucket of some liquid - onion soup by the smell of it - and gently ladles a few spoonfuls into the otters lying in the hammocks. She then sniffs their stomachs and gives the caregivers a quick thumbs-up or down. If its a thumbs-up, the crew swarm around with fresh bandages and ointments. On a thumbs-down, however, only one comes forward and feeds the wounded a strange caramel-colored fudge. During all of this they’re ignoring me.
“I said is anyone bitten?!” I scream through the flaming poker jabbing my stomach.
“No! You doofus!” Susi yells back. She zips in between all the others with pawfuls of fresh bandages.”I made sure that’s the first thing we check. Now are you going to lounge there or do something?”
“Duly noted. Take care!” I shake the stars out of my view and clamber back up the stairs. Just as I reach for the top step a large shadow spreads its wings over me. The shriek it emits splits my skull in two. Two clawed hands, already dripping blood, reach for me. The cry rises to unbearable levels then ends abruptly with a wet spluch!
A large metal spike pokes through its chest. It’s squarish and four-sided, like some elongated pyramid. With a mechanical ka-chunk it begins to blossom, with each ‘leaf’ folding back on itself. Suddenly the flower disappears back into the bat’s chest, taking a good amount of meat with it. The Ko’mori’s wings flap frantically as it grasps at the newly formed tunnel in its chest. Aami peeks through at me from the other side and smiles just before the bat collapses. In her paw is a punch dagger of sorts.
“Katar.” She smiles again and waves the spike at me. “Much better than Prisha’s little kitty claws. Hey, you’re pretty good with that. Saw you take out one of their legs. Keep it up! Screee!! Screee!!” She dashes towards another scrum, mocking the Ko’mori’s cries along the way.
Holy shit. They’re all crazy.
But I guess for situations like now, crazy is a good thing.
The battle is going in our favor; it seems the Ko’mori grossly underestimated the bloodthirst of these pira…merchants. Most of our attackers lie dead or dying on the bloodslicked deck. And it seems like retreat is simply not in the vocabulary of the Ko’mori.
Talia grabs one from behind and puts her paws on either side of its head. Within seconds it becomes an ice statue that Archy smashes to pieces with gusto.
Another one grabs a crew member with its feet and begins to take off, only to be brought back to earth by one of Saltana’s dagger in its throat.
Prisha and Aami team up, leaving a whirlwind of carnage in their
wake.
The battle rages on for what could be seconds or hours until there is one bat left. It stands proud on one of the lower mast arms, surveying the destruction of its brethren below. One of its ears has been lopped off and the bindings over its eyes is gone. I really wish they were still there; two soulless, empty orbs peer down at us. Its left wing is hanging on by a thread. Without a sound it takes off into the night, flying in awkward circles due to its injuries. It’s followed by two more of Saltana’s daggers but they miss.
A tired cheer rises from the crew. Saltana whistles twice and everyone sets about with the grim business that follows all battles. The Ko’mori receive no ceremony, they are simply dumped over the side. The rest are gently carried below deck.
Talia, the professor, and I step aside as the crew tend to their dead. As we watch Aami carry the body of Prisha below deck the other firefox collapses in a shivering heap. The blood around her begins to form a thin layer of pink frost. Blue lips barely move as Archy and I take off our clothing and throw it over her. “T-t-too m-m-m-much…”
“Indeed.” Archy scoops her up as if she were a cub and hurries towards the stairs. “We must get her in dry clothes and near all the warmth we can find. Pardon. Pardon! We have another wounded here!”
Archy’s blood-splattered head disappears below deck as Saltana walks over to me. She says nothing. Her face says nothing. She simply looks at me for a few seconds, then around at her crew as they wash the deck, and then back at me. A clenched paw gently raps twice my chest and then she walks away.
On the Trail
I love the forest. So much…life!
- Ubel von Zerfallen
“Good riddance to bad rubbish.” Ubel spits and straightens his tie.
The gray feet of the mountains are turning to a soft green.. Ahead of us, the road winds along like a river heading towards a brown ocean topped with verdant clouds. The Ivywood.
“I was getting quite used to the place.” I say haughtily. Truthfully, I was. Aodh’s keep had an old world, barbaric charm to it. There was no room for any frivolities or cozy luxury. The stone walls and dark corridors spoke of only one truth - The Truth: there is only room in this world for those with the wisdom to seek power and the will to wield it and all others suffer what they must. “But honestly, dear, did you really have to salt the earth? It’s the mountains, nothing grows there anyways.”
