New Tactics

[Rath the Whirlwind]

Rath blinked, and immediately regretted the action, wincing as sunlight assaulted his vision.  ?Hellgates.?  The ferret shielded his eyes with a paw.  A groan and a growl fought to escape his throat and in the ensuing tussle ended up as a sort of coughing bleat.  

Too much? The malevolent sunlight speared him through the air and filled his head with a painful white void.  For a moment, he made a game of counting the spots in his vision before giving up and attempting to remember what exactly had happened.

He?d drunk a good deal. That was clear.  He even remembered what had done him in; rum warmed to comfort his paws.  He felt as if he was floating in the stuff, buoyed up and down on gentle waves.  The ferret barely remembered a cat, and some weasely little stoat who kept asking him questions.  Wouldn?t stop talking, that one.   Rath squinched his eyes and ground his teeth at the memory.

Or was it a dream?  The beasts were hazy and indistinct, and even though he could see them in his mind?s eye, they were always maddeningly beyond his sight.  Every time he tried to focus on a whisker or eye, they?d shift and warp like light glimmering off a glassy pool.  He couldn?t even recall just when he?d fallen asleep.  One moment he was drinking and the next? here.

The ferret snorted.  Of course it had been a dream.  He knew for a fact that the rum he?d ordered would have been cold.  

His mind made up, the ferret sat and blinked, his face turned away from the sun.  And then he blinked again.

Crewbeasts ran here and there about the deck, seeming to ignore the warrior.  Whipping around, he saw that his ?bed? consisted of lengths of coiled up rope.  A ship.  

Blinking, Rath realized that he?d been clutching his axe haft in a death grip.  He sighed; Well, wherever I am, at least I?ve still got my axe.  Levering himself up with the weapon, he staggered a pace on the yawing deck as he got his footing.  Rath turned his head from the murderous sun, took two steps and found himself face to face with a fox.

?Well, hello there!?  The fox offered a winning grin.  ?Welcome to the crew!?

Rath blinked.  "What??

?I was wondering when you?d wake up.  Name?s Matukhana.  I?m the Captain.?

The ferret?s brow knit, but before he could open his mouth to object, the captain continued. ?Now that you?re up and about, I want you to go and guard the brig.?

Rath?s hackles rose at the fox?s casual tone and he tightened his grip on the axe.  ??n what if?n I refuse??

The Captain didn?t seem at all fazed.  ?Well,? he quipped, ?I could always just have you thrown in.?  He shrugged.  ?Or slice you to pieces and toss you overboard for insubordination.?

Rath opened his mouth, noticed the abundance of corsairs aboard the ship, and then closed it again. ?Guardin? the brig?ll be fine, Cap?n,? the ferret murmured, glowering.  

The dogfox grinned in such a bright and cheery manner that Rath fancied chopping his block off right then and there.  ?Splendid!  It?ll be an easy job.  Only got one beast down there: cheeky little marteness with a loose tongue.  A fine big brute like you shouldn?t have a problem guarding her.?  

And with that, Captain Matukhana strode off, leaving a muddled ferret in his wake.  Rath glared at the fox?s retreating figure and tried to recall what he had ever done to deserve this.  

Despite his confusion, Rath turned and trudged off, watching the bustling crewbeasts with a budding interest.  Of all the positions to be stuck in, a corsair didn?t seem to be all that bad.  The sea air did wonders for his aching head and he let out a chirr when he peered overboard and saw nothing but a shimmering blanket of water spread out right to the horizon.  

Matukhana? The ferret gnawed on his lip as he traced the letters in his mind.  Ma-too-ka-na? hellsteeth.  Why does it sound so familiar? Feels like spreadin? ?is luck a bit??who said that?  Ferret.  Worked for?  He bit down so hard that he tasted blood.  Fangs flecked with bits of crimson, the ferret snarled.  Stoat.

?Hullo there.?  

Rath half-turned to see the cat from the bar (Keane, was it?) pad toward him.  ?Water you looking at?? The cat chortled at his own play on words.  Rath nodded, doing his level best not to cringe, and Keane stood beside him.  ?Nice to see a familiar face, at least.?

?Bloody stoat,? Rath rumbled.  He could almost see Venril?s simpering features warp and twist in the water and it only made his blood roil.  ?Should?ve known he wos up ter no good.?

The ferret saw Keane shrug out of the corner of his eye.  ?Aye.  But there?s nothing we can do about that now.?

?Aye.?  Rath sighed.  The silence that followed was almost an entity of its own, joining the two beasts to gaze out over the sea.

?It isn?t all that bad.?  Rath turned to Keane, who had an odd sort of not-smile across his face.  ?I mean,? the cat went on, ?at least we were made crew ?n not just tossed in with the slaves.?  

The ferret nodded in response.  ?Right.  Speakin? o? which,? he murmured, hefting his axe over one shoulder.  ?I?ve got work.?  Rath offered a terse nod, and blinked at the paw thrust his way.

?If we?re stuck here,? Keane said, whiskers twitching, ?we might as well look out for one another, aye??  

The ferret hesitated, but finally relented and offered his own paw.  ?Fine.?  With that, Rath turned and strode off.  

Only a few paces away, a pressing thought caused the warrior to stop in his tracks.  He blinked. What in hellgates is a brig?

--

After a good while of wandering, Rath blinked as he descended into the brig.  This darkened room was an oasis against the chaos above decks, and for the moment, he was its master.  Swelling with pride, the ferret strode into the center of the room.  

?You, there!  I demand you let me out at once!?

Rath started, and nearly tripped over the last stair.  Regaining his balance, he edged closer to the crude cage where the marteness was kept.  He turned his head and squinted his good eye to get a better picture in the dark.  The marten sat with her arms crossed, glowered up at him, but Rath?s attention was captured by the scars that were etched into the side of her face.  Questions bloomed in his mind.  Where did the scars come from?  Her fur was too soft and her bones too delicate to be that of a fighter.  Was she some sort of spy or assassin?  Or perhaps?

The maid sniffed.  ?Can?t you speak, or are you really just as stupid as you look??  

?I?m not lettin? you out,? Rath said, bristling.  ?So you?d best stop goin? on about it.?  

The marteness? protests only increased.  ?Do you know who I am??  She sneered, standing up as tall as was possible in her current condition with her tail bushed out in indignation.  ?My father will know about this,? she lectured, eyeing the ferret as if he was a particularly loathsome insect.  ?And I will personally ensure that he hunts you all down and has each and every one of you hanged.?  Her eyes hardened.  ?Especially you!?

Rath snorted at the prospect.  He slumped down against a barrel, closed his eyes, and attempted to ignore her.

?I wonder,? the prisoner went on, ?just how many helpless beasts you?ve chopped to bits with that great, overgrown hatchet.  Well, it won?t be long before you pay with your worthless hide.?  

Rath?s shoulders shook in what appeared to be an odd fit of barking laughter.  The marten gripped the bars of the cage.  ?What are you laughing at?? She hissed.  

?I ain?t never even been in a raid,? he said, turning his head to get a better look at the maid.

The marten?s ears flicked upward.  ?What sort of rubbish is that?? she huffed.  ?I?d imagine a brute like you?d be first in line for the slaughter.?

Rath shrugged.  ?I?m only crew ?cause I was dragged here from an inn this mornin?.?  

The ferret did glean some amount of satisfaction from the shocked expression that crossed the marteness? face.  ?Oh.?  She sat down again, looking quite a bit put out.  

?Sorry I?m not as excitin? as ye hoped,? Rath murmured.  This time, the maid stayed silent, although her expression had darkened considerably.  

Not that it was any of his business.  The ferret lay back and closed his eye.  At least now he?d be able to get a decent rest.