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(UNFINISHED) The Blacke Letter; Part 9 |
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Roughly an hour before my entrance to the bar, Lapis, Old Jerek and Shinara had made it back to The Silencer. They had gathered on deck and let their charges mill about as they waited for my return. It was uncanny how easily one could tell which of my three beasts had recruited who. The types they recruited all seemed to reflect it so well. As they looked over each others' finds and assessed such applicable crewbeasts, there were musings as to my whereabouts and my time of arrival.
"This doesn't seem like the makings of a very large crew..." mused a distant Lapis as she brooded over the railing.
Jerek acknowledged her even though she spoke to both himself and Shinara. "Aye, but they're all hand-picked. 'Sides, we dunno 'ow big a crew Chase wanted. This lot could be too much fer all she told us'ns."
"True. We can only hope that Chase brings a larger assormtment if she wants it." Lapis nodded a tiny bit, an almost unnoticeable movement, to emphasize her words.
Shinara couldn't help but scoff. "Tchah! Don't count on it! I saw her going treasure-happy over near some taverns. She's too caught up in stealing; she's probably forgotten."
At this, Jerek had to step forward. "Hey now! Chase wouldn't fergit! This is bin 'er dream since she was a liddle kit! She wouldnae give up on it so easy-like!" He waggled a stern paw under her nose as he defended me.
Shinara gave him a look that would have slit a boulder and withered a mountain. Just as it looked like she may bite Jerek's paw off, she rolled her eyes and scoffed as she stalked off. She was not convinced.
Lapis voiced her concerns aloud "But what are we supposed to do until the Captain returns?"
The old Sirin shrugged. "All's we really kin do is wait, I s'pose. May as wull tell these guys the Cap'n is gunn be a likkle late."
Jerek was probably right about me being late; I was still feeling a bit heady from that strong drink and almost thought better of standing atop the high stool in that condition. Even as I was thinking of what to say in the announcement I found myself speaking aloud to those present in the bar.
"Awright yew senseless rabble!" I didn't shout, but did speak quite loudly; it wasn't very noisy in here. I just needed to get everyone's attention. "Who's ever ain't blasted, stan' and walk the straight line to meh! I've a proposition for any likely sailing-beasts!"
The tavern was mostly packed with a mix of Priffin, Cheen and Flurid and one half-drunken skunk type creature called a Lairan. Most of each of these species stood among low questioning murmurs amongst themselves and gradually gathered about me to listen to my offer; I was right, many of these beasts needed a job. I walked out of the tavern and beckoned they follow as well.
As I stood them up along the tavern front wall in the dying light of sunset, I looked them over, immediately dismissing several very drunk Cheen who even were trying to sing an old barrack's-room ballad in their squeaky and slurred voices. Two other Flurid and a Priffin were also dismissed, leaving me with a bountiful nine to work my magic upon, along with the Lairan. I was tempted to send her away too as she swayed visibly on her footpaws and couldn’t seem to keep her eyes open. I thought I’d give her a chance though; that could very well be signs on depression or exhaustion that I was seeing too.
“Awrighty yew lot, Ah’ve got a ship all ready to head out on a nice lil venture; just needs goodly supplies an’ packin’ befer we kin move out past Occhrael. But Ah still needs a crew; some able-bodied sailor types sich as the likes a yerself, shipmates.”
I gave them all a friendly smile and saw four start to walk away and the Lairan too. Apparently she was no sailor, and equally as apparent was the fact that she was sober enough to know this. As I watched the huge lustrous tail sway behind her as she walked away I found myself calling to her. “Hey you there! Stripetail!”
She stopped and paused before turning to look back at me a feral smirk on her snout. She resembled Shinara quite a bit, in stature and facial features. I swallowed hard at that look she gave me but told her more softly “Stay awhile, I might ‘ave a spot fer ya.”
She smiled again, this time more nicely and retook her place on the far limits of the little crowd gathered there.
I winked at Lonna who stood questioningly by and gave the group an appraising glance.
“Okie then, so yer the few who think yer good enough to sail unner Chase Esse’el, eh?
 Wolf of Winds · Tue Jun 19, 2007 @ 03:08am · 1 Comments |
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