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Writing/Ceylon/Others - \r\n\t\t\t\t\t
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Cameos - Greenwing, Nalothisa, Vasmeth, TheallSeeingEye, others.
Part 1 - http://www.furaffinity.net/view/21316599/
Part 2 - http://www.furaffinity.net/view/21424637/
Hoo boy, here we go. In this story, a young malamute by the name of Rachelle finds her place on a pirate ship as the designated gem tracker, but things aren't quite as they seem...
Sorry for no longer description, story is too long and I got a little overzealous! enjoy!
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Bad Luck to Steal From the Captain
\tDay thirty-two. Rachelle the malamute was laying on the beach overlooking the ocean with a set of thick-leafed fronds keeping her in the shade. It had been a few weeks since she had come to the port city of Rendost in the hopes of finding a ship and a crew that could use her to her maximum potential, and so far the closest she'd come was as meat for a pack of wild dragon types. She had an ability that would make her valuable -especially to the likes of a treasure hunter or pirate – but none were willing to give her a chance.
\tThe amethyst gem that hung off her neck was an aid in her natural ability to find other gems, especially ones that had abilities or enchantments in them. Her mentality when leaving her comfortable home in the wilderness of southern Yelfrit was that any treasure hunter would be lucky to have her on their ship or in their crew, and that it'd take only hours to find herself out on the open ocean.
\tHowever, the reality of the situation was far more than that. More than thirty days later and she was starting to run out of meat, bread, and money for food. She had no job, no savings, no home to call her own, and little more in her possession than the gem around her neck and her unbreakable spirit. Sadly, neither of those fed her belly, and the only way she got any affection was by raising her tail to the locals. That was not the way she intended to sustain herself while in Rendost, but every passing day made it just a little more viable.
\tAs a normal, quadruped canine, she was seen as weak, vulnerable, and useless on a ship. The few captains she'd approached told her as blunt as they could that she'd be a liability and likely to end up a nauseous, vomiting nightmare for the rest of the crew. As it turns out, dogs were considered bad luck on a ship, whether it be by royal decree or by the lawless brethren of pirates that sailed through the Ijimulian region. After that first encounter with captain Ilorek, she was starting to lose hope that she would one day end up a valuable member of a travelling crew.
\tHer biggest fear would be that one day, someone would steal her amethyst gem from her necklace and try to use it for their own purposes. Without it, her natural gem-finding abilities were quite weak, and it served only to amplify her skills yet was virtually useless on its own. Apart from her, the gem just looked pretty, and apart from it, she would be useless. Luckily, when she did inform people that she was a gem-finding canine, they simply didn't believe her, so they never bothered to steal from her, assuming such a foolish bitch would likely be faking her spoils as well as abilities.
\tRachelle laid out on the sand, with her chin on a log and tail curled up over her back. Her belly growled a bit and she hoped for something to go by that she could eat, such as a crab or fish. Anything at all, really. Ideally she'd preferred a fruit, but they were all high in the trees and the most she could do was throw sticks and rocks, hoping to knock a pineapple or uriel fruit from the treetops. In the distance, she could hear the faint sounds of clamor and music as the night progressed. The sun was setting, and the beachfront village was coming alive with folks looking to have a good time.
\tDuring the day, the massive ships of the CDA (Coastal Discipline Authority), a massive multi-nation alliance of royal navy ships would dock, barter, trade, and enjoy meals at the local bars and pubs. When the day faded into evening, though, they would leave the port and disappear over the horizon, making way for the pirate ships of the NLF (Nautical Liberation Force) would come and make a glorious mess of the place that the locals would have to clean up. She smiled to herself as the faint images of sails disappeared into the distance, blending into the night's cover. Soon, the ruffians of the sea would be here and she'd be able to sell herself to one of them.
\tThe thought of whoring herself out for bread was not a pleasant one, but without her feminine wiles, she had very little to help her survive in the port city; her mentality shifted to one of treating this compromise as a solution to all her problems. Not only would she feed her belly, but her desire for affection would be sustained as well! Win-win for both herself and whoever it was that was interested in mounting a feral-looking dog.
\tWhen it came to time alone on the seas, she assumed virtually anyone would be itching for a warm place for their cocks. She wasn't wrong.
\tAs she squinted, the form of a new and original looking ship came into view from around the cliffs to the east. It was an immensely large ship – one of the biggest she'd ever seen – with white sails that were adorned with black highlights, spots, and stripes. The wood of the ship itself was a golden brown with darker chestnut looking railings, black cannons poking out the side, and an ornate looking snake that looked like it was ready to strike carved into the wood of the hull. It was close enough that she could see some of the crew darting around, climbing the rigging and tying up the sails one at a time since they were getting very close to port.
\tShe got to her feet and stepped out from the shade. Her paws were sensitive to the hot sand that shifted and slid up between her claws, so she bounded forth until she was stepping in the cold, wet part of the beach so the surf could tickle at her toes. This was not a ship she was familiar with, so her intention was to meet them when they docked up, meet the captain, and offer her services. Hungry or not, her enthusiasm would never die as long as it had a body to anchor itself in!
\tRachelle kept pace with the ship as its final sail helped it make its way to the dock area. The closer it came, the clearer she could see the title etched on the dark brown of the railings. “The Spirit of Dalonia.” She said aloud to herself as she hopped along the shore line. Her head was turned to the open ocean, so she didn't see the person directly in front of her before knocking her head into their knees.
\t“Watch where you're going there, pup!” A somewhat drunk looking human cautioned her, bottle of spirits in his hand.
\tShe lowered one ear in disdain. “I'm not a pup, but alright.” Her voice seemed to surprise the human, who stared sidelong at his bottle before tossing it into the surf. Rachelle would normally have grabbed the bottle to clean it up, but the shores were messy with bottles and vomit from the perpetually partying locals, so it would be futile. Instead, she stepped around him and kept up along the surf until she caught back up to the ship. She had to hop up onto some of the docks, where dozens of folks of all species and walks of life were standing around, some drinking, some eating, some walking down the pier.
\tThe eager little canine slid through legs, under the bellies of larger quadrupeds, and hopped over barrels of wine and ale to eventually make her way to the base of the dock that the Spirit of Dalonia looked to be making port. As it turned – with snake-striking bow aimed directly at shore – the orange of the setting sun slowly disappeared from deck to crow's nest, leaving it in shade. The port city was facing east, and the mountainous regions were blocking out the sun. Her eyes weren't the best at night, but she was able to make out the form of a few peculiar folks all darting up and down the length of the ship, tossing ropes and tying up the last of the sails in the process.
\tFar up in the crow's nest, a blue, green and gray gryphon hopped out with wings spread before gliding around in a series of tight spirals around the mast before descending to the deck, where he met up with a mostly green lizard that was speckled with yellow, blue, and white. The two of them chatted a bit, while a very large horse in a kilt with a dozen piercings came up from behind and patted them both on the shoulder. It was clear he was encouraging them to help with the docking, because they both scattered and started work on getting the ramp connected to the dock. A golden brown snake weaved its way through the rigging to meet with a quadruped dragon with green scales and yellow fins while another, larger snake did the same from the starboard side of the ship, this one thicker and darker colored.
\tFinally, a black and white gryphon stepped forward from behind the wheel, standing tall with the wind of the seas whipping his feathers and ears. He shouted something to the crew before the lot of them all came to the ramp, hopping off the ship one after another, leaving only the smaller of the two naga on board.
\tRachelle remained with a broad grin on her face, maw open, as the crew came down the dock towards her; others on the pier paid them no mind, but she was keenly focused on this ragtag looking group that had two different quadrupeds on board. It was clear that the gryphon was the captain, since he was the last one off deck and the one who was piloting the ship, so she waited until most of the crew walked by her and started to disperse into the various taverns and merchant stands on their own. The gryphon of blue and green feathers even spread his wings and flew off into the distance. With just the black and white gryphon and larger naga left next to each other at the base of the dock, Rachelle hopped up to them and extended her front paw to shake.
\t“Hey there! I'm Rachelle, and have I got a deal for you, if you're willing to hear me out.” She smiled, panting lightly in excitement as her tail wagged in a curl up over her haunches.
\tThe gryphon drake cocked his head to the side and extended his front talon out to shake back, giving her a gentle tug on the arm before letting her go. “I'm listening.” He said, voice deep yet soft, as if he emanated strength and compassion at the same time.
\tBoth of Rachelle's ears perked up and she stood straight with one paw folded on her chest. “R-really? You're not going to just dismiss me out of hand?” The smile faded and was replaced with a blank expression of disbelief; She rarely got the chance to even explain herself before the captain and crew would disappear into their various forms of drunken stupor.
\t“Why would I do something like that? You seem cute, and I don't have any plans. So tell me, what's the deal you have in mind? It's not sexual, is it?” He grinned with a gaped beak, winking once as he flicked his ear. The naga leaned into him with head on his shoulder, tongue flicking.
\tShe glanced up to the serpent's wide head and back to Ceylon. The flame of her enthusiasm was doused a little and her expression dimmed. “Well, no, but I suppose if you really wanted-” She started, before being interrupted by the naga.
\t“Don't take him seriously, dear.” The clearly female naga insisted, voice surprisingly lacking the drawn out hiss that Rachelle had expected. “But go on, what sort of offer did you have in mind?”
\tAgain, the canine was taken off guard by the odd but encouraging turn of events, so she hesitated a moment to gather her thoughts before speaking. “Well, miss naga, mister gryphon, I may be but a canine here in the port city of Rendost, but I have a....wait, why are you so eager to hear my rehearsed spiel? There has to be something more going on here.”
\tboth the gryphon and naga glanced at once another for a moment, with the snake's tongue flicking out gently just in front of the avian's beak before the both sighed heavily and chuckled gently. The gryphon leaned down close so that nobody else would hear. “Well, a spot in our crew just opened up due to poor behaviour, and if you have something to offer, I'm curious to hear what it is. Anyone can tie rigging or ignite a cannon, but if you are different, then I want to hear it.” He stood back up and plopped his haunches down on the wood slats of the dock, allowing the naga's tail end to curl up around him, their tails entwining.
\tShe went to speak, but got caught up in the thought of what would constitute punishment on a ship crewed by such an eclectic bunch. Maybe they walked the plank, or were left on an island somewhere. What if one of the naga just ate them! She heard sailors and pirates alike grew quite hungry on the open seas, and a serpent could be the hungriest of all!
\tWhen it became clear her imagination was taking hold of her, she shook off the peculiar thoughts and carried on with her pitch. “Well, I may not be able to do some of the things a crew is expected to do, but I have a useful ability when paired with this here gemstone.” She patted the amethyst dangling from her neck. “It amplifies my ability to find other gems, especially ones that have special enchantments imbued upon them. Both it and I are drawn to the power of a magical crystal, and it has the ability to find normal, mundane-but-valuable crystals as well. I imagine if you're a treasure hunter of any sort, or even just someone who could go with a bigger haul of booty, my services would be quite valuable!” She remained standing tall, her telltale hind end betraying her desire to be candid by swaying back and forth with excitement.
\tThe gryphon and naga both nodded as she gave her spiel, glancing at each other for a moment before nodding in approval.
\t“So, what do you think?” Rachelle asked, broad smile across her face.
\t“Sure, why not? Welcome aboard the Spirit of Dalonia!” The gryphon said, bowing gently towards her. “I'm Captain Ceylon, this here's first mate Leera. Pleasure to have ya aboard.” While Ceylon was bowing, Leera rested her head on his shoulder and nodded, tail flicking.
\tRachelle's eyes narrowed. “Wait, really? It was that easy? Something doesn't seem right here.” Though her spirit was indomitable, that proved to be a little too easy. “What's the catch?”
\tLeera shook her head, shrugging as well. “No catch, but if you prove yourself to be less than valuable, well, it's a long way to doggy paddle back to shore.” Another tongue flick came from her before she rubbed her cheek to captain Ceylon's. “Now, if you don't mind, this drake and I are going to go have some fun. I'd eat, but in the wake of our last failed crew member, I'm not that hungry and won't be for a while.” She winked and slithered past Rachelle, with Ceylon in tow behind her.
\tHe hopped past the canine, calling her to follow. “And if you want something to eat, might as well join us. You look positively emaciated, could use the meat on your bones. Seriously, you'd make a poor meal in the event of your disappointment.” With that, the two disappeared into the crowd, Leera's long snake tail slipping up between two hind legs of a dragon.
\tTheir ominous warnings and borderline threats were a little off-putting, but Rachelle had confidence in her abilities and was sure she wouldn't be a disappointment, so she followed. Like the two of them, she darted through a dense jungle of legs and tails to eventually find them both relaxing at the feral section of an outdoor cantina, with Ceylon sitting on his haunches and front talons on the bar, with Leera coiled up around him with her head resting up between his arms. Rachelle jumped up onto the nearest stool and plopped her rump down on it, tail sticking out between the back rest bars. Even so, her head was just barely up over the side of the counter. “So tell me more? When do we leave? What alliance are you with? NLF or CDA? I'd bet NLF, you look like a liberated type, not a regulated type.”
\tLeera flicked her tongue again and angled her head up to boop Ceylon on his lower beak. “Seems our little scare tactic didn't work on her, dear. What do you suppose we do?”
\t“Exactly what we said we would.” He responded to her, then turned to Rachelle. “NLF of course. Petty beurocrats and politicians will never conquer the seas of the Ijimulian region!” He tapped his long, curved talons on the wood of the table, clicking his beak at her. “And are you telling me you've never been on a ship? Have you ever left Yelfrit in your life?”
\tShe had a hard time not wagging her tail, the prospect of finding herself a crew too pleasing to restrain herself. “I have, went to Arrenthen once, but I slept through most of the trip. I have sea legs, I don't get nauseous, but I've not spent more than a few days on a ship, so I was mostly referring to pirate life. Manning the deck, opening the sails, actual work. I find my value comes in the form of my booty-magnetic crystal, not my physical prowess.” Though she had more to say, she stopped there for fear of sounding useless.
\t“That's fine, we do need more booty. Loot. Gems and enchanted items, gold, coin, and anything else. Does your little amethyst necklace find anything other than gems?” Ceylon asked.
\t“N-no, but I've never heard of a stash that didn't include gems, so I imagine that once we find the gems, we find the hoard, right?” Her tail was slowing down as once again her enthusiasm waned in the wake of another admission that she may not have been as valuable as she'd sold herself as.
\tCeylon half-smiled and nodded. “Clever girl. You sure you've never been pirating before?”
\tShe energetically shook her head as her tail revved back up into full gear. “Nope, but I read a lot and talk to a lot of the sailors or liberated sea folk who stop in here. Learn a lot about what it's like on the seas. Folks get real chatty after I've exhausted them.” She winked, hoping he'd catch her innuendo.
\t“Indeed they are.” Leera agreed, her laughter a hybrid of chuckle and hiss. “Anyway dear, go ahead and order something. We'll cover it this time, and if you don't prove your worth when we're sailing, well, I'm sure we'll find a way to take it out of you.” Her sleek snake neck curled around Ceylon's upper leg to glare at Rachelle, a sly grin peeling at the corners of her wide maw as her tongue flicked slowly. This was a clear sign of her predatory nature, and another casual reminder of what happened to the last one who disappointed them.
\t“Aye-aye, miss Leera!” She saluted as best she could to the snake, eager to please. “Now sir, I'd love a bowl of your heartiest, meatiest stew and three slices of buttered bread on the side!” She demanded of the bartender.
\tIt was Akander, a favorite of hers to chat with in between courting the sailors, a stout looking cervine with a hearty rack of antlers on his head known as a moose. He came over and looked down at the relatively tiny little dog. “Beef, Chicken, or Other?” His disinterest was one of his most endearing qualities.
\t“Other? What's in Other option?” Her ears flopped down and she got a worried look.
\tThe barkeep huffed with enough force to create a tiny cloud of dust on the counter. “Other stuff, as in not beef and not chicken. Kind of a mishmash depending on the day. It's pretty good, though, surprisingly. Plus the helpings are a bit bigger since so few people want it.”
\tShe tongued at the roof of her mouth as she thought, eventually agreeing with herself that as long as it was meat and hearty, she'd enjoy it. “I'll take it!”
\t“Can do.” The cervine agreed. He turned to one of the stoves that had three massive pots steaming and bubbling and smelling delicious. He grabbed a large bowl and scooped a few ladles of the stew into it, not even bothering to clean the sides when some of the thick broth dribbled over. He tossed the bowl onto the counter in front of Rachelle, then turned to cut a few slices of bread for her.
\tHowever, Rachelle was so hungry that she didn't wait. The smell was surprisingly good, and it incited her feeding instincts with the ferocity of a starved wolverine! She buried her snout in the bowl, hardly caring about how hot it was as her tongue lapped at the broth and her teeth dug around to find chunks of potato, carrot, celery, and at least four kinds of meat. Best she could tell it was pork, fish, beef, and something else, maybe reptilian or avian but she wasn't sure. As she chewed and swallowed, her mind slowly came to the revelation that others were keenly watching her.
\tWhen she raised her head to look around, she saw Ceylon, Leera, and Akander all staring at her, messy gravy matted lips and cheeks and all. Ceylon and Leera were both smiling, while Akander had a look of shock on his face. When he leaned in to give her the thick slices of bread, he kind of half tossed them forward as though he was worried she'd bite his hand off!
\t“What?” She asked, tail wagging as she looked to the others. “I'm hungry.”
\t“We can see that.” Leera acknowledged.
\tCeylon interjected with a raised talon. “Aha! I got it! Rachelle, your pirate name shall be Rachelle the Repugnant! Look at that face! She'll rip yer throat out if you cross her!”
\tShe smiled broadly with chunks of meat and drops of gravy dribbling off her chin. “Love it!”
\t“I think you'll make a fine addition to our crew there, girl. Now slow down or the combination of a full belly and the rocking of the ship will coax that food right back out of you. Trust me, even the most sturdy of nautical folk can't handle the woes of a full belly if the seas have anything to say about it.”
\t“I'm sure I'll be fine.”
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\tShe was certainly not fine.
\tAfter their meal and the crew's various indulgences, Rachelle, Ceylon, and Leera made their way back to the ship, with the intention of leaving that night as the sun fully set. Their time at port was to eat, get some goods, and head back out to the open sea. Problem was, the 'other' flavored stew was proving to be a little heavy in her belly even before she left the stability of land. When she did step foot on the deck, she almost immediately dove to the railing and hung her head over the side.
\t“What's wrong with her?” The green dragon asked Ceylon.
\t“She had a huge meal before coming aboard. Give her some time and I'm sure she'll be fine.”
\tThe dragon chuckled a bit. “Yup, she'll only make that mistake once, we all did.”
\tRachelle's back was to them, so she couldn't see their expressions, but she imagined it was one of amusement and a touch of pity. She didn't feel like she was going to throw up, but she certainly felt unwell, like she was on the verge of doubling over in cramps. She stayed there with her upper body hanging over the side of the ship as the others returned from their various pirate activities. Probably a bit of raping and pillaging, or maybe just sensual time in a brothel. She didn't really know, and her mind certainly wasn't on that, it was on the twisting sensation in her gut.
\tOne at a time, they each stomped their way up the ramp to come onto the ship, asking their own variation about the presence of this canine girl who was about to puke on the hull of their ship. Ceylon and Leera took turns explaining until all of them were back, and they were ready to depart. She felt terrible about not being able to help, but Ceylon assured her that she got one freebie, and she'd have to help next time.
\tWithin minutes, the ramp had been withdrawn and the ropes had been untied from the dock, freeing them up to glide out into the open seas. For about five minutes between their tethers being undone and them raising the sails, she seriously considered hopping off and doing that doggy paddle back to shore, but found that the longer she waited, the better she felt.
\tA heavy clopping of hooves stomped their way up next to her, and she glanced up to see the absolutely massive, thick-built equine standing over her. Though she was on her hind legs, she still barely came up over his knees, and she nearly chuckled when she realized that she could have likely angled herself just right to get a look under his kilt. “You alright?” He asked, kneeling down next to her, gently patting her shoulder.
\tShe slowly backstepped off the ledge and did her best not throw up by taking a series of long, drawn out breaths. “Yeah, I'll be fine. I guess I should have listened when they told me not to eat so much, but that's what happens when I go nearly a month on scraps and garbage. Anyway, sorry your first impression was less than stellar; my name's Rachelle, and I plan on doing my best to help you find the finest booty in all the-” she stopped mid-word to gulp heavily, keeping herself from vomitting. When she was sure the sensation had passed, she shook it off and extended a paw to rest on his thigh. “-finest booty in all the seas.”
\t“A noble cause!” He agreed, taking her paw in his massive hand and giving the back of it a gentle kiss with his equally large lips. “The name's Vasmeth, my dear, and trust me when I say that your impression is better than most so far. Most blokes who get a need for booty are considerably more aggressive; they try to be dominant and that gets them lost at sea.” He said with a grin, patting his crotch.
\tRachelle sat her haunches down and took in another deep breath while closing her eyes, trying to internally stabilize. “I'm certainly getting that impression. You can rest easy knowing that I'm not that kind of girl. I just want to help, get my share of the booty, and enjoy myself. I'm still young, so I have a lot of time to put some nautical miles on my soul.”
\t“How young?” Vasmeth asked, clearly a touch worried.
\tShe chuckled, realizing that as a quadruped her age wasn't clear. “I'm an adult, don't worry.”
\tHe mocked wiping sweat from his brow. “Glad to hear it. The crew on The Spirit of Dalonia can be a little...affectionate towards new crew members, if not with each other. I doubt your age would be a deterrent if you weren't mature.”
\t“They're pirates, I knew what I was getting myself into.” She declared with aplomb and a growing sense of pride. “I'm sure I can prove myself worthy one way or another.”
\tHe nodded and offered her a gentle salute. “Good to hear. I have to get to handling some of that rigging now, so feel free to roam and get to know the rest of the crew while you're here. They're all itching to properly meet you, the gryphon atop the mast most of all. His name's Toumak, and he's quite the rapscallion.”
\tShe stumbled to all four legs, with each paw spread out for maximum balance. “I look forward to meeting him, and everyone else.”
\tJust then, the golden brown snake came up towards the bow of the ship, weaving in and out of the rigging with his tail grabbing a hold of the thickest ropes. “The captain said I should come and introduce myssself to you, so fine. My name's Yetzer. Pleasure to meet you, I guesss.” He extended a hand towards her, but his eyes were dead and uninterested.
\tShe balanced on her hind lakes and gave his hand a shake. “Good to see a snake that hiss-talks! I was a little disappointed when co-captain Leera talked normal. Where's the fun in that right?”
\tHe shrugged. “Sure. I got stuff to do, I'll get Dolus.” He spun back around with a silky fluidity to make his way towards the back end of the deck, where the the two green scaled reptiles were. The first was the quadruped with yellow fins, the second was the biped with blue and white splotches. Both got a brisk talking-to by Yetzer before happily walking up the deck towards Rachelle.
\tThe biped spoke first. “Hey there. My Name's Vinn, and welcome to the Spirit of Dalonia! As always, I hope you stick around. I hear you've got some contraption to help us find loot. Any truth to that?” He was rubbing his long-fingered hands together, gently swaying back and forth in time with the rocking of the ship against each of the mild waves.
\tRachelle nodded. “Please do meet you; I'm Rachelle, I'm sure you head. And yeah, this gem here amplifies my natural ability to find stuff like that. Here's hoping it'll bring us to some impressive hauls. Of course, it has its limitations, I can't just say go north and expect to find a stash in three days.” She was quickly finding her sea legs again, as her legs went from somewhat sprawled out to natural, her paw pads adjusting and moving with the motions of the deck to keep balance. “But once I'm close enough, I'm sure we can find all the treasure troves. You guys get me to the island, I'll get you to the booty!”
\tThe other dragon looked her up and down, scanning her relatively petite form. As he got a closer look at her amethyst gem, he held the amulet on his chest. “Interesting. This amulet has a similar function on finding magically enchanted items, but we've not been able to utilize it properly. I wonder what yours does that mine doesn't. I don't supposed you'd be interested in letting me get a closer look at it, would you?” He stepped forward with his claw outstretched, eager to grab her necklace as his own amulet started to faintly glow.
\tShe backed away and lifted a paw to protect herself as Vinn rapped him on the snout with the back of his fingers. “Cut it out, Dolus. You can be creepy scientist pirate later.”
\tThe dragon rubbed his snout a bit and flared up his fins. “Come on Vinn, this is interesting to me, don't cock block me like that.” He protested.
\tVinn just rolled his eyes, then turned back to Rachelle. “Don't mind him, he's a little focused on magic and enchantments, even if it means he's a touch off-putting.” He paused to glare at Dolus, as if he was daring him to contest this declaration. “Anyway, I'm the ship's medical officer. I help patch folks up, ensure we all get back to shore in one piece, and this is Dolus, our....I don't even know what he does other than fixate on magical artifacts and enchantments. Whatever. Anyway, Pleasure to meet you, but I hope I don't have to see you too soon in the future. If that nausea doesn't go away in the next hour, I do have a potion for that.”
\t“And I have a few spells for that.” Dolus piped up. “But Captain Ceylon says no magic on the ship, spells are to be practiced on land only. Something about irreparable hull damage or something. Anyway, I'll be on my way, get well soon!” He, too, turned and resumed his duties on deck.
\tThe lot of them were all doing their thing now. Yetzer was woven into the port side rigging, while Leera was on starboard. Ceylon was behind the wheel, steering the ship, while Dolus and Vasmeth were acting as muscle, moving things around and tying rope. Vinn had gone below deck, leaving only Toumak the gryphon up in the crow's nest.
\tShe glanced up trying her best to focus in the evening dark, but found she couldn't see the bird anywhere. The sky was dark and his blue feathers would have blended into the skyscape; in addition to that, her eyes weren't the best at night, so there was a good chance she just couldn't see him, but that didn't stop it from feeling unnerving, like a presence was watching her from afar. Instead of focusing on that, she glanced back to shore, where she saw the port city growing ever smaller as it disappeared into the horizon. She hopped up onto the banister, ears drooped as she struggled to hold back a howl of homesickness.
\tAt least, that was until she heard a light scratching behind her. When she turned to look, she saw Toumak crouched down on the very tip of the bow, right above the striking snake ornament. He was slowly folding up his wings on his back as he kept squatting, loincloth the only thing keeping his modesty. He wore a bow over his back with a quiver of arrows between his wings. “So, you're the new recruit, eh?” He pined, rubbing his lower beak. “Not the most imposing figure, but quite the looker.”
\tShe glared at him a bit, not sure how to react to his forward nature. “Thanks? I mean, I never really thought of myself as anything other than normal, but I appreciate the compliment.” After shaking off her discomfort, she shifted into her introduction. “Anyway, I'm Rachelle. I imagine you're the Toumak I've heard absolutely nothing about aside from your name. You're the crow's nest lookout, right? Shouldn't you be high in the mast?” She didn't mean it to be demanding, mostly just a blend of curiosity and eagerness to show off her knowledge.
\t“Probably, but I had to come and get a closer look at you. I have to say, you're quite delectable looking, miss. But you're right, I really should be up in the nest; do you have a few minutes to join me?” He immediately leapt off the forward stabbing outcropping with wings outstretched before she could protest. He wrapped his talons around her relatively small form and flapped hard, dragging her off over the side of the ship and over the choppy waves below.
\tShe panicked at first, flailing about and yelping uncontrollably in an attempt to make him let her go, even turning around to bite at his ankles, but she quickly halted such defensive actions when she saw that she was over the water, and if he let her go she could drown or be attacked by sharks or something crazy. Her eyes were wide in fear, but she had enough wherewithal about her that she was able to calm her nerves as she self-assured that he was just taking her to his nest in the mast.
\tHer serenity was soon rewarded, for it became clear that he was doing precisely that. His powerful wings flapped and he flew in broad circles around the ship, slowly gaining altitude until he was well above the very top of the highest point of the ship. She got a good look down to see all the different folks working, barely pausing to take note of the fact that he'd preyed upon her so callously, which was further proof that either this was normal behaviour or that she was about to be a gryphon's meal. Either way, there was little she could do to stop it, so she kept herself bundled up until he swept by low over the nest and dropped her a dozen feet into it.
\t“Ow!” She yelped as she landed, rolling and quickly getting to her feet. Her one hind leg was a little sore from the fall, but she seemed overall fine as long as she didn't put too much pressure on it. She stepped gingerly a few times before building the muster to hop up onto the ledge of the nest, getting a proper view of the horizon. The view was incredible, even if she had a slight fear of heights. With the dark sky spotted with the light of a million stars and a huge nearly full moon, she felt like she could see everything around her. Entranced, she barely noticed when Toumak made a proper landing on the other side of the nest.
\t“So anyway, as you were saying?” He started, his voice silken and a touch sinister. “I hope you like it up here, I'm quite fond of it myself; unless there's a storm or we're at port, I hardly ever leave this place.” He leaned back with his wings once again folding up on his torso, same as before, only this time Rachelle noticed a distinct bulge in his loincloth.
\tThat little flap of fabric wouldn't maintain his modesty for long.
\tShe hopped down from the side of the nest and plopped her rump down. She knew what was on her mind, and though she wasn't properly prepared for such advances, she wouldn't make it easy for him. At least she was kind of expecting it, especially after Vasmeth's warning; they were pirates, after all, and rape was only one of the pillars of a pirate's life. “Well, I guess I'm stuck up here, aren't I? I don't suppose you wanted my company for gazing into the skies, eh?”
\tHe grinned, stepping forward as he undid the ties on either side of his loincloth. “Well, you are the newbie, and as the lowest rung of the totem pole, it's kind of your job to make sure the more tenured crew members are kept satisfied.” The loin cloth fell, exposing his bulging sheath and pointed, pink tip stabbing out the end of it. “So you might as well enjoy your new companions, right? I've always wanted to be with a bitch; have you ever wanted to be with a gryphon?”
\tRachelle didn't say anything in response. What could she say? She was a guest here, and his prey by the looks of it; plus, she had nowhere to go. Best case scenario, she hopped over the side of the nest and landed in the water; with any luck she'd not die immediately and be plucked from the water. Besides, she hadn't been with anyone for weeks, and her desire had slowly built. She would have preferred a more compassionate partner, but he was a pirate.
\tWhat else would she expect from such a rapscallion?
\t“Come here, pretty girl.” He said as he crept forward on his knees, member slowly growing from its sheath and angling down with the weight of its mass. He reached out to caress her cheek, dragging claws through her fur in a way that actually felt pretty good, enough so that she leaned back into his touch and started wagging her tail.
\tIt wasn't conscious, but she did want it and she didn't mind if he was a bit aggressive since she preferred her partners to be dominant with her. Far as she was concerned, this was just part of the package, and she'd sold her body to pirates before; this wasn't really any different than the things she'd done in the port's back alleys. Still, if she was going to play with him, she might as well actually play with him, tease him a bit. If he was going to have her, he was going to earn it!
\tAs he caressed her fur, she growled a bit and bit down on his wrist with enough pressure to leave indents but not draw blood. When he pulled away in pain, she hopped back and raised her rump, chest to the ground and tail wagging in a playful manner. Toumak didn't seem to appreciate this, so he pounced at her, grabbing at her and getting a good grip at the base of her tail. She dug her claws into the wood to get away, but was whimpering with desire and panting over her shoulder.
\tWithin seconds, he's grabbed her and forced her into place, one hand tight around the base of her tail while the other fumbled at the opening of his sheath to peel it back, exposing the entirety of his length in one juicy motion. The fluids that fell around his girth glistened in the moonlight for a brief moment before he forced it down to stab at her canine vulva.
\tIn typical estus bitch form, she arched her back and twitched her pelvic muscles to align her pussy up close to her rump, ensuring ease of penetration while also futilely kicking off against his thighs. She yipped and growled, but then panted in desire, teasing his dominant nature while also triggering some of her own latent desires.
\tToumak kept a firm grip on her tail while his other hand squeezed his own member, forcing its barbed tip down to tease at her lips for a brief moment before bucking his hips forward, plunging every inch of his member into her depths without proper prep. She felt her flesh stretch and burn for a second, since she hadn't been properly lubed, but the combination of her fluids and his together made her quivering walls come to be still, even as her toes curled in pain.
\tIn spite of his aggressive nature at first, Toumak turned to be a bit gentler once he was restinc comfortably inside her tight walls. Slowly, he began pumping in and out while leaning his head back with beak agpe in pleasure; his flesh rubbed to hers, his entire length sliding in and out with knot pressing tight against her plump triangular canine vulva.
\tShe grunted and moaned a bit, her one hind leg up and resting on his thigh as he kept a hold of her hip and tail. He was trying his best to be caring, but she felt that knot pressing against her flesh with every hip thrust and she demanded it inside her, so she buried her paws into the ground and leaned back as hard as she could. Her motions put all the pressure of her weight mixed with the added leverage of his arms to use until she felt his bulbous knot squeeze and slide into her, the sudden lurching sensation of throbbing flesh expanding inside.
\tAn uncontrollable howl erupted from her maw as she called to the skies, declaring the pain and pleasure in equal measure as the pressure built within her hind end. In response, he leaned forward and wrapped his fingers around her maw, catching tongue between teeth as he silenced her. She got the message and shook him off, threatening to bite in the process. Still, she leaned back into him and gently swayed her hips from side to side, maximizing the sensation of his member shifting about inside and stabbing at her depths.
\tThough he was being nasty, his beak was gritting shut as his knot lobes continued to swell inside her, pressure building to the point where he could see a clearly formed bulge of her lips pressed out against the underside of her tail, with every bit of her flesh distended outwards thanks to his tugging knot. He tried to tug a bit more for added stimulation, but she leaned back into him and started grinding her hips to his, clenching to tug on the base of his knot while her tail stayed high and curled over her lower back He eventually let go of the base of it, knowing she wasn't going anyway, and he wrapped his hands around her hips like a sire, holding her in place while he bounced his hips back against hers.
\t“That's more like it.” Rachelle managed to squeak out in between grunts and moans. “Nothing like a good knot to make me feel fulfilled, right?” She winked and panted, tongue out as she glanced back over her shoulder, still grinding and tugging against him in alternating motons.
\tAfter slamming her rump end back against his thighs, his claws dug into her hips and he let out a drawn out screech into the night sky, his hip gyrations becoming erratic in a satisfying way before a warmth erupted into her, spreading from womb to distended and sore birth canal. The added pressure made her grunt and squint one eye, biting down on her lip. She didn't know what to do now, since it was clear he had already climaxed; That was good for her, since she was happy to have him finish soon, but now they were tightly tied together with his knot swollen inside her, keeping his seed in her depths.
\tShe tried kicking off him, but the extra pressure made him twitch and fall forward over her, coaxing another spurt of gryphon seed into her depths. As he slammed his hands down on either side of her head, he leaned in close and whispered in her ear. “Remember how I said I only needed you for a few minutes? Well, I lied; Gryphons tend to stay knotted overnight.” With that, he violently thrust his hips into her with enough force to knock her off balance, sending her scrambling before he collapsed onto his side, weight of his form tugging her down with him.
\tRachelle flailed around a bit, trying her best to find a better position to stay comfortable, but every motion and shift made her pussy feel even more sore, with added pressure. He was laying on his side, nearly in a fetal position with his back resting against the many planks of the wall of the crow's nest, cock throbbing inside her as he slowly fell into a sleep. It was night time, and as a nautical liberator, he likely had to be up nice and early, so it didn't surprise Rachelle.
\tIn time, she managed to find a proper position with herself laying on her belly with tail up and rump aimed towards him, her snout pressed up against the side of the mast. The pressure of her weight on her belly made it clear that his knot was big enough to form a bulge there, but that only made her even more into it! Eventually, after the better part of an hour in that position with him asleep in the crow's nest, she lifted a leg to lick at her plump lips, coaxing some of his seed from her depths through the groove on the underside of his knot lobes. She was happy to taste that it was a little tangy, but she was still sore from the brisk but violent ordeal.
\tTo her surprise, her licks seemed to encourage his member to deflate from within her, its girth popping out of her with an accompanying splash of his seed all over the deck between them. She fervently lapped at her folds to clean as much of herself as possible, also offering the slightest of licks up the length of the sleeping gryphon's shaft before limping over to the opposite side of the nest.
\tShe curled up like a normal dog, watching him as his member went flaccid and disappeared into his sheath. Within minutes, she had also fallen into a sleep atop the gently waving crows nest high atop the mast, thoughts of revenge and payback in her mind. That was, until she realized that she just wanted a piece of him when it was mutually desired. He was aggressive, but she liked that! That thought carried her into slumber, and even invaded her dreams.
\t============================
\tThe next morning, Rachelle was awoken by the sensation of a light claw tapping on her snout. She stirred awake and yawned wide, licking at the inside of her teeth as she cleared herself of the sleep that gummed up her eyes. She was greeted with the sight of a blue and green gryphon sitting next to her. Instantly, she peeled her lips back in an instinctive growl, the sight of him reminding her of the tenderness and soreness under her tail.
\t"Yeah, I know. I know." He apologized, lowering his head in shame. "Sorry about last night. Pretty lady like yourself all alone on the ship, I have to admit that I have a hard time controlling myself when it comes to restricting behaviours that have become commonplace on the open sea." He leaned back against the side of the crow's nest, wings splayed out to line the inner rim and keep her from seeing out in that direction over the ocean. His loincloth was equipped, once again maintaining his dignity.
\tShe kept her head low and back fur on end accented by a low growl, a clear display of disapproval. She wanted to stay mad at him for his more aggressive actions the night before, but then her memory was flooded with bits of information from her end that reminded her that she kind of encouraged it and even enjoyed it. There was some internal cognitive dissonance, but she decided to let it go, this time. With that in mind, she got up to all fours and shook her head off. "Fine, whatever. Just next time ask, okay?" Rachelle was no victim, nor was she weak, but she was a tiny little female in the company of pirates. shameful or not, she knew what she was getting herself into.
\tBefore he could say another word, a bell began to rang down on the deck near the stern behind the captain's wheel. Toumak darted to his feet and leaned over the side of the crow's nest, and Rachelle poked her head out between the rungs. It was Leera, her tail roughly slamming the bell's clapper from side to side as she steered the ship. "Hey, wake up! Land ho! Time to put the bitch to the test!"
\tNaturally, both in the nest turned to look toward bow-side, seeing a large island cresting the horizon with jungle-laden mountains stabbing into the sky and an exceptionally large beach spreading out before them. To the port side, a series of smaller islands and a larger one with a tall pointed mountain jutting out from the sea. Best she could tell from her vantage point, it was a semicircle or crescent of smaller islands with the largest one in the middle. She turned to Toumak, salivating a bit. "So how do you guys know there's any gems on that island?"
\tHe smiled, conspicuously not answering while he got up to the ledge with his wings spread, the gentle sea breeze catching on his feathers and nearly knocking him off balance. He grabbed Rachelle and held her close to his chest, and without answering, he dove off the mast and banked tight to fly circles around the ship before landing heavily on the bow, dropping her on all fours. "Alright, let's do this. Who's going in the party to shore, who's staying on deck?"
\tRachelle hopped forward and shook herself off, fluffing up her fur while looking around. Every one of the crew was there, waiting to see what the captains would do. Vasmeth, Vinn, and Dolus were near the base of the mast, with Yetzer and Toumak closer to the bow, the tiny canine in the middle. There were two more next to Ceylon and Leera, a normal sized human with a thick beard and an adventurer khaki shirt, as well as a tiny sky blue amphibian with red fins.
\tCeylon spoke up from beside Leera at the wheel. "Alright, simple enough. I will be going ashore with the newbie, I'd like two of you to come with. Vasmeth, Vinn, I think you two would be best for this task. The rest of you, weigh anchor and keep an eye on the horizon. If you see any others approaching, ring that bell and execute with extreme prejudice. Unless you identify them as the Ademane's Venomous Death or The Storm of the Rift. If they arrive, welcome them." He leaned in to kiss Leera's cheek, then bounded past the rest of the crew to stand tall on the forward stabbing bow above the serpent in the hull. "Mates, we strike it right today!"
\tShe had so many questions going on in her mind right now. What brought them to this island? How did they know there was any treasure here? Who was the amphibian and human? What would happen if there was no treasure on the island? Would they trust her when she said there was nothing? Could she trust herself. She hopped from side to side in excitement and anxiety, eager to see what happened next, be it good or bad. As the ship made its way closer to shore, Dolus and Vasmeth helped to tie the sails, while Vinn and Yetzer prepped the dingy to go to the island. The anchor was tossed into the deep at the same time Ceylon guided them all onto the boat, and Rachelle's anxiety hit its peak.
\t"Okay, so here's how this is going to work. Vinn, you're the map guy, see what you can decipher as we go. Vas, you've got our digging utensils, shovels, picks, etc. Rachelle, you use that crystal to guide us, and I'll be sure to keep an eye on you all. When we hit the shore, we're following you, Rachelle." He leaned in and bowed to her. "And you better find something or our trip will be in vain."
\t"Uh, okay cap'n!" She said as she gulped, saluting. Despite her anxiety, she was getting quite excited at the prospect of being out on an adventure! Her life was boring on land, and she had been dreaming about treasure hunting on the seas; within one full day, she'd found a captain, a ship, and a crew, and was already in a boat going ashore with a gryphon, a lizard man, and a massive pierced equine in an ornate looking kilt! Of course, the fear of failure remained in the back of her mind, and it did give her heart a bit of a flutter, but she doubled down with confidence and laid her faith in the gem and her own natural abilities. If there were gems on this island, she'd find them.
\tBut what if there wasn't? What if there were no gems on this or any of the other islands? How would she know? What if there was and she just lost her skill? It had been a long while since she'd actually used her gem-finding abilities, she might be rusty. In retrospect, she really should have asked if she could practice on any booty they had saved in the brig. She didn't sense anything on board overnight, but maybe she just wasn't looking for it! Suddenly, her mood shifted from cautious but eager to anxious and concerned.
\t"Everything okay there?" Vasmeth asked, kneeling next to her. His massive hands stroked down her back and scratched at the base of her tail. His deep voice and warm body were calming amidst the cool air of the sea.
\tShe nodded, tail gently wagging against his arm. "Yeah, I think I'll be fine. Just need to find some gems; once I do it'll be fine." She hopped up so that her front paws were on the leading edge of the boat, next to Ceylon. The gryphon was standing tall with his beak aimed forward towards the shore like a regal bow decoration of his own. When they got to shore, Vasmeth hopped out, hooves digging into the wet sand while he grabbed the front of the boat to tug it onto land. All of them filed out and Vinn grabbed the map out of his satchel, unrolling it to show them all.
\t"Okay, so according to this map, the gems should be buried between two trees that cross over a boulder. It tells us that we have to follow up the beach until where the creek meets the ocean, and we can start there." He explained, pointing southbound over the island.
\tBut Ceylon interjected, raising one of his front talons. "Actually, I have a better idea. Rachelle, carry on." They all paused and turned their head to stare at her, expecting her to perform.
\tInstantly, her heart clenched in her chest and a flow of cool adrenaline surge through her body. She lowered her chin to press the amethyst to her chest, waiting to feel its activation. It had been a few months since she had last used it, so she wasn't sure if she was reading it right, or if there was anything to read yet. When a familiar tingling sensation started to buzz through her chest, she knew she was onto something. Over the course of less than a minute, her senses all started to light up, growing extra sensitive to different stimuli, pointing her to different things.
\tHer sense of smell started focusing on the scent of rock, metal, and mineral, while her ears were hearing a ringing coming from a nondescript location. A tingling buzz reverberated through her body, stronger in her nose and neck than anywhere else, and the world seemed to glow around her the faintest of amethyst – same as her gem. Rachelle lifted her snout up, sniffing at the air to catch some sort of scent while her ears remained perked up. Like a squirrel or bird, she zipped to one side, aiming herself toward the treeline, then jerked around to the other side.
\tRachelle's motions were erratic, shifting and adjusting constantly in brisk, rapid motions until she was sure she'd found the direction she needed to go. The world around her had turned to a blur, and all she could hear was the gentle hum that emanated around her; she was completely oblivious to the others who had come ashore with her. They could have been talking to her, asking questions, demanding explanations, but she didn't hear them, and barely saw them out of the corners of her peripheral. Her focus was aimed, and the draw of the source of the hum was enough to get her moving.
\tShe kicked off the sand and started running down the beach's shore, sniffing at the ground while stopping occasionally to perk her head up and gauge her location. Was she getting closer? Was the hum getting stronger? She leapt from one location to another, turning her head, shifting her body, and adjusting at every step to ensure she was on the trail of the nearest cache. To her, this was like a hunt, and while the pathway wasn't lit up like a scent trail, she could tell when she was getting closer or when she was heading in the wrong direction.
\tAfter about ten minutes of fervently darting up and down the beach, she suddenly leapt into the foliage to wiggle her way through the underbrush, disappearing in an instant. She knew what direction she had to go, and if what Vinn had said was correct, it was leading to the foothills of the tallest pygmy mountain on the island. Still, she had no idea of knowing if she was on the right trail, but she had a sense of where she was going, and that was good enough for her, even if her intensity was at the expense of her lucid thoughts.
\tDeeper and deeper into the bush she went, head down and ears up. The sound of humming was growing stronger the farther she went, while her vision was getting blurrier around the edges to the point the thick foliage around her seemed to blend into one mass of mostly green mess with dots of blue, red, and yellow where the flowers and certain ferns popped out. This allowed her to further focus on the task at home, even if it meant she'd completely lost the other members of the crew sometime between there and the beach.
\tStill, she kept at it. The tiny girl's body slipped and crept under ferns and between tree trunks, leaving the bugs and birds of the world around her in her tail's wake. AS time passed, the humming got so loud that it was unpleasant and uncomfortable to listen to, and it became clear that she'd completely lost track of herself. Didn't matter, she had a goal and a desire to prove her worth! She wouldn't stop until she was standing atop the buried treasure!
\t“How bloody loud is this humming going to get before I've found my mark?” She muttered to herself, but was unable to hear her own voice. The tingling in her snout was starting to feel like her flesh had gone to sleep and was being woken by a dozen quills all at once, all she could smell was minerals, and the humming was so intense that she felt like it was drilling a hole in her skull. When she passed through two close trees in a relatively tight little clearing, she found that the after the sensations hit a sharp peak, they were starting to grow dull again.
\tShe'd passed it.
\tThe canine hopped in a spinning motion, then stepped between the two trees and looked up to see their thick, multi-layered trunks were angled into one anther. Where they touched, she could see the two trunks had spiraled into one to the point where they had basically become one tree, with their branches indistinguishable from one another. The trigger point of her most powerful readings were right below the point where the tropical plants met and became one. She looked down and started to dig in the dirt, tossing clumps of grass and pebbles out behind her between her hind legs.
\tWithin minutes, her claws scraped across something hard that wasn't a rock. When she gently brushed away the dry dirt, she saw the distinct, bowed gold of a treasure chest's lid.
\tAn immense swell of pride bubbled up in her chest until she released it to the world in a series of loud, dominant howls. She cried to the skies as her gem's abilities slowly faded, leaving her to wait until the others caught up to her by the sound of her voice.
\t============================
\t“Holy shit she actually found it, Captain.” Vinn marveled as he sat on a nearby log. He had the map open on his lap and was scanning it for details, tracing the steps they would have made if they followed the instructions. “According to the instructions, as best I can decipher, the series of steps we would have to take would take us three times around the outside of the island hitting various landmarks and distinctive geographical locations before we'd be led here. She got us here in less than half an hour! Impressive!”
\tShe stood tall with her chest puffed out and head held high, tail wagging excitedly behind her with an enthusiasm that shook her entire rump end.
\t“Looks like you're worth having around.” Ceylon complimented her. “And now for our work on the actual loot. Vinn, go get Dolus and Yetzer, tell them to bring extra shovels. Vas, feel free to start working on excavating this whole they're away.”
\tThe horse offered a salute and immediately slammed the blade-tip of the shovel in next to the chest and violently threw as much dirt away as he could in one go. Vinn got up to leave, with Rachelle, Ceylon, and Vasmeth alone together in the clearing.
\tRachelle wanted to help, so she hopped forward and started using her front paws to keep digging, gently tossing dirt to the side until Ceylon instructed her to hold off.
\t“No need to worry about that, my dear. Vas here has this covered, and when Dolus and Yetzer get here, the muscle will take over. No need to overwork yourself with something you can't do much to help.” He explained.
\tNaturally, she wanted to protest, but figured that it wasn't worth it to argue with the captain. In the end, what he said was the final say in any situation, as he was the captain and this was his ship. Instead, she simply stayed to the side and watched as Vasmeth did all the work, slowly digging deeper into the dirt around the large, golden-lined trunk of treasure.
\tAn hour passed before Dolus and Yetzer arrived with Vinn, guiding them back to the clearing. Once they were all there, they each pitched in digging at different locations to find not just one, but four trunks of loot half buried in the area. When it was all said and done, a three meter wide gaping hole was clawed out of the dirt beneath the entwined trees, with four different chests poking their way out. Only then, when all the heavy work had been done, did Ceylon lean in and grab one of the handles to help pull open the first trunk.
\tRachelle was shocked to see his strength. After how long it took to unearth them, Ceylon did the last bit with ease, yanking the metal and wood box out of the dirt with one fluid motion. It was then that She thought that it seemed unfair that the crew was doing virtually all of the work, since Ceylon was larger than any of them and seemed like a perfect fit for excavation, yet seemed too dainty to want to get his talons dirty. Only when the work had been done, was he willing to pitch in his strength.
\tThat was the first indicator that Ceylon wasn't what he said he was.
\tWhen the chest was open, all six of them leaned in to see the most glorious, shimmering pile of gold and gems any of them had seen for months.
\t“It's beautiful.” Rachelle commented. “And I found it!” She grinned broadly as she looked around to the others before they each erupted into fervent hooting and hollering. Once they'd calmed down, they plucked the remainder chests from the dirt and hauled them each out back to the ship.
\tAs it turned out, this cache was big enough to satisfy their needs for months, maybe more! It wasn't the biggest haul Ceylon had ever seen, but for most of the crew it was a revelation. They'd been on the hunt for this treasure for months, and with the help of one tiny female dog, they found it!
\t============================
\tBack on the ship, it was cause for celebration. Hauling each of the trunks from shore to the Spirit of Dalonia took most of the day, but once the booty was back on board, the haul was divvied up between the crew members, and Rachelle followed Vasmeth down below deck to see how it was getting taken care of. To her mind, it would be ten equal shares, but to her distraught, two of the four trunks ended up in the captain's chambers while the other two were divided between the remaining crew.
\t“Wait, that can't be right.” Rachelle protested. “I was the one that found it, I think I deserve an equal share! Even just the gems, I'd be happy playing with some of the gems. I just want gems and enough coin to”
\tShe was cut off by Vasmeth, chopping at the air to physically cut her off as well as verbally. “You are getting an equal share, hun. An equal part of what the crew gets. We all pitch in on deck and below deck, and in return we all get our part.”
\t“But why does the captain get so much more?” She growled a bit, feeling cheated.
\t“Because they're the captains. This is Ceylon and Leera's ship, they have to pay for repairs and stuff. Don't let it bother you, Rach, you've proven yourself worthy of the crew, there will be plenty more booty to plunder. For now, come on and let's go have a party. No need for sulking on this ship, especially not with such a glorious occasion upon us!” He patted her and scratched behind her ears with his thick fingers before hopping up the stairs to the main deck, where the entire crew was singing and partying and shouting in between hearty drinks and meaty snacks.
\tRachelle didn't want to let it go just yet, but Vasmeth was right. Now was not the time to be dour. This was a good thing, and she had plenty of time to bring up her concerns later. She let out a series of excited yelps as she followed Vasmeth up the stairs to join the others; for the moment, it was time to get shiggity ship-wrecked!