Double Take

[Tooley Bostay]

Tooley hit the ground with a grunt. Ignoring the heavy pull of his muscles, he shoved his paws beneath himself and hopped once more to his feet. He?d lost count of how many times he?d tried and failed to climb the cell bars, but it didn?t matter. He had to keep going.

A shuffling above drew his attention. A throng of strange-eyed, half-naked beasts hovered at the edge of the pit, chattering and motioning down at Tooley.  Several of the smaller Strange-Eyes lobbed some small stones into the pit, but were quickly reprimanded by the larger ones around them.

He blinked at them. Had they been there all this time? He touched a paw to where his hat should be, but found only sweaty, coarse fur. He was already forgetting things. He suppressed a shiver and tried to shake off the feeling that the Strange-Eyes weren?t the only things he?d forgotten.

He looked at the bamboo poles, and at the otter leaning back against the wall just beyond them. This much he could remember, and he wouldn?t let himself forget.

Chak killed Daggle. Chak ain?t a good beast. Chak needs t? pay for what ?e done.

As he repeated the words in his head over and over, Tooley gritted his teeth and started towards the bars. His walk turned to a run, and soon he was sprinting. He leapt at the bars, paws and feet grappling at the slick bamboo for a hold. He managed to claw his way up several lengths before his paw slipped, and suddenly he was falling.

Tooley had enough time to suck in a lungful of air before he once more slammed into the rough dirt. He wheezed out the breath he was holding, grimacing at the sting running down his back.

As soon as the pain turned to throbbing, he rolled over and set about pushing himself up again. Dirt dug into paws that had been rubbed raw hours ago, and his arms began to tremble. He bared his teeth and pushed harder.

Finally he managed to prop himself up onto his knees. He took a moment to steady himself, shutting his eyes from a sudden wave of nausea that threatened to send him face first back to the ground.

?Give it a rest, lad,? a voice muttered. "You're pushin' yourself too hard."

Tooley cracked open an eye at the corner of the cell. A hedgehog was slumped there, wearing the tattered remains of a Waverunner uniform. He'd been thrown into the pit along with several other beasts, though that was some time ago. Whether it had been hours or days, Tooley couldn't remember.

The hedgehog reminded Tooley of Robert. They looked similar, even sounded somewhat similar, but the eyes were wrong. When Robert looked at Tooley, there was a genuine concern there. It was comforting and soft. It reminded Tooley of something, though he couldn't put a claw quite on it. The way this hedgehog regarded Tooley, however, bespoke only a weariness and carefully restrained irritation.

"'M fine," Tooley muttered, turning away from the hedgehog. Locking his gaze onto Chak, he tried to push himself back up onto his feet. Halfway up, something in his leg pulled painfully inward, and he collapsed back onto his knees.

?Oh, would you stop already?? At first, Tooley thought this was the hedgehog, but the voice wasn't right. It was grittier, and had none of the imposed kindness that the hedgehog's did.

Tooley turned around. A squirrel was hunkered down in the opposite cell adjacent to Tooley's. Tooley recognized him as Chak's surviving slave, though the squirrel's name escape him. From the stern look directed Tooley's way, the slave didn't seem keen on sharing.

Tooley moved to look away and ignore the slave, but a question in his mind kept his gaze on the squirrel.

"Why stop...?" he asked, more to himself than to the squirrel.

The slave scoffed. "Because I can't get any sleep while you jump around like a dibbun?"

"Ye 'ad 'im right there in front o' ye," Tooley continued, louder this time. "Coulda fixed everythin', an' ye stopped."

Realization crossed the squirrel's face briefly, then he flashed Tooley a strange look. "What's it matter to you?"

"'E deserves every lashin' 'e could get. 'E ain't a good beast, an'... an' I don' unnerstan'!"

"You think I don't know that?" The squirrel huffed and folded his arms tightly to his chest. "We're about to be led to our deaths, or who knows where. Just felt like it, I suppose, okay? There's your answer."

"No!" Tooley shook his head hard. "That ain't a good 'nough answer! I need t' know!"

Tooley half-expected the squirrel to snap back with some comment, but he was still. For a long time, he just stared at the ground. Eventually, he spoke up, his voice hushed and careful, "I guess... it was something Nimbleton said."

"What'd 'e say?" Tooley asked, catching his breath as an answer seemed to be near.

The squirrel chewed at his lip before continuing, "Somethin' about how I was acting like Chak was this evil beast, but that there was more to him than just what I saw. I thought the mouse had gone soft, but... those scars..." His eyes flicked up briefly to glance past Tooley. A storm of emotions crossed the beast's face and he bared his teeth. "I hate him. I hate him so much... but... but to think that, at one point, he could have been just like Atcus, or Tawney, or Podge... or me. That a long time ago, he was one of us..." The squirrel drew in a long breath and ran a paw over the unkempt fur on his forehead. "I guess Nimbleton was right, in a way..."

Tooley felt his gaze trailing back to look at Chak. He'd seen the scars. He didn't know beasts could have that many scars, and that deep. He shook his head and focused back on the squirrel. "But... but that don' matter! 'E killed Daggle an'... an' 'es gotta pay fer it!"

The squirrel sighed. "Killin' for killin' for killin'..."

Tooley furrowed his brow. "What's that surposed t' mean?"

"Y'know, Daggle weren't no saint. Only reason Chak killed him is 'cause of what that rat did to us." The squirrel chuckled dryly. "So I guess, really, you're no better than Chak, are you?"

Tooley blinked at the slave. Fiery, loud objections rumbled in his chest, but they died in his throat as soon as he tried to voice them. That wasn't true, was it? Before he had the chance to think through the squirrel's words, a loud banging crashed out above the pit.

Tooley looked up to see that the Strange-Eyes were scurrying around the edge of the pit. Many ran off, but most stayed behind and began to hop and jitter in wild motions, their loose necklaces and odd bracelets making hollow, jangling sounds. A line of the beasts crossed over a small bridge suspended over the pit, then quickly scattered to the various cells.

A spool of rope was tossed down just several feet from Tooley. He looked to see another thrown into the squirrel slave's cell, and heard a third land in Chak's. Tooley scurried back and failed to suppress a shiver as he saw one of the beasts descending down into the cell. Another loud bang rang out.

They were coming to gather them. He didn't know why, but he'd seen enough of the beasts to know it probably wasn't good. He glanced over to his hedgehog cellmate, who had shifted up from his sitting position, and seemed prepared to fight.

Something suddenly grabbed at Tooley's wrists, and he turned to find a pair of piercing, brown eyes staring straight at him.

"You do tis?" came a heavily accented voice.

Tooley nodded automatically.

The beast clacked his tongue, a strange, aggravated sound. He whipped out a strip of leather from a cord tied at his waist and yanked up Tooley's paws. In lightning-quick movements, the beast tied Tooley's paws together and pulled the strip into a final, taut knot.

"Lessee you makkee oudda tis, ayah!" the beast announced with a toothy grin, then he tugged roughly at Tooley's arm. "Onna your feet! Going t' da Fiyah Kodd!"

Before Tooley could ask what a "Fiyah Kodd" was, he was lifted onto his feet and shoved forward. Quick as before, the beast gathered up the rope and tied it around Tooley's chest.

"Back for you, spikeback!" the beast said, directing his grin back at the hedgehog in the cell before making a sharp whistling noise.

Tooley felt the rope suddenly pull. He scampered along on his tiptoes before another tug came and yanked him up against the dirt wall. The banging outside of the pit began again, this time with a ferocious intensity. Slowly, Tooley was dragged up and along the wall. He struggled to breathe. The rope felt like a noose around his chest. Finally, he was pulled out of the pit and dragged forward, where he gasped in a long breath of air.

A pair of paws were grappling at him and he felt himself being hoisted to his feet again. Another one of the Strange-Eyes loosed the rope from his chest and threw it back into the pit before pushing Tooley forward.

It was dark. The moon was out, half-obscured under a thick, heavy cloud. A thunderclap struck out in the distance, and Tooley shuddered. Pirates spoke often of weather omens. This was bad sailing weather, and it didn't seem any better on land.

As Tooley was led across the small bridge, he first took note of the Strange-Eyes gathered around the outer ring of the prisoner pit. There were dozens of them. Most were clustered near some sort of crude drum, which was nothing more than a large, circular piece of wood with a tanned skin stretched tautly over it. One beast in particular - fur painted shades of red - smashed a cudgel against the drum. Each time the drum was struck, the Strange-Eyes jittered with energy, dancing around with wild, uneven movements.

Tooley looked away from them as he stepped off the bridge. Behind him, he could see that several other beasts from the cells had already been taken out. Chak's slave, several hares, and Robert had all been lifted out. Robert was shouting for the squirrel to stop struggling, though it seemed like the three beasts around the slave had him well under control despite his efforts. Tooley caught sight of something orange being hefted out of the back of the prison, which he soon recognized as a fox. A big smile crossed his face. It was Vera. She had survived the sinking of the Maiden as well!

His smile faltered as a bang was struck into the night and his eyes locked on another beast.

Chak.

The others were being led across the bridge, now, and the beast that had brought Tooley had let go of him. He glanced at the beast, who had a short dagger stuck through the cord at his side. It was dull, but it'd be sharp enough.

Tooley felt his breathing hasten. His paws were tied, but his feet were free. No one was paying him any attention.

He looked back at the bridge. Robert and the squirrel were the last ones being led off, with the squirrel hollering out various curses at the tribal beasts. They were crossing the threshold now. If he wanted to get to Chak without enough beasts around to stop him, it was now.

You're no better than Chak, are you?

Tooley could hear himself breathing now, practically gasping. His eyes flicked between Chak and the dagger. He shook his head hard and sucked in a deep breath.

This wasn't a time to think. It was a time to act. Daggle must have said something like that before. He couldn't remember, but it sounded right.

Tooley took a step towards the beast, bound paws reaching out for the blade.

Thwop!

Tooley winced as something was slapped on top of his head. He curled instinctively, expecting pain to follow, but nothing came.

"You can thank me later," came a whisper.

Tooley glanced up to see the oddest squirrel standing beside him. Or, at least, he assumed there was a squirrel underneath all the feather, shell, and bone ornaments smothering the beast. The squirrel smiled brightly at him, an almost unsettling gesture with the way the white paint near her lips curled, but there was a softness to her eyes that he recognized. Squinting, he leaned closer to the squirrel.

"Miss Crue?"

Crue nodded before casting several wary glances over her shoulder. "I can't stay. Look, I don't know what's going on, but I'll do whatever I can to help." She turned back to him and gripped his shoulder. "We're all in this together now."

Tooley bit his lip, resisting the urge to look at Chak. Slowly, he nodded. "A-aye. All in this together."

Crue patted his shoulder then darted away. The beasts around offered her suspicious glances, but no one stepped out to stop her. Tooley wondered why they didn't. Maybe they knew how nice she was as well.

Something itched at his head, and he reached up to scratch. His paw met the familiar feeling of rough fabric, and Tooley's eyes widened. He looked back up to try and find Crue, but she'd already disappeared into the crowd of beasts. He blinked back tears, feeling a sudden wave of guilt wash over him. Suddenly, the only thing that mattered was whether or not Crue had known what he was planning on doing.

I ain't like Chak. I ain't a bad beast.

Another bang on the drum rang out, and he found that he couldn't shake those thoughts. A loud roar, however, did bring his attention back to the prison pit. A dozen of the Strange-Eyes were gathered around the pit placed within the inner circle, each with a rope grasped in their paws. The drum banged again, and they began to heave. Another roar bellowed out from the pit. Whatever they were pulling out, it was big, and very, very angry.

Soon, the head of something black and white appeared. The drum began to pound rapidly, and cheers from the beasts rose up.

Tooley gasped. It was the Waverunner captain. The massive beast who had just days before cut down swaths of corsairs upon the Silver Maiden. He was missing his armor, wearing tattered clothes that just barely managed to cover him, but his face was stretched in a wild, vicious expression. And for the first time, Tooley saw his eye. A red swirl of anger that seemed to shimmer even in the darkness. He snapped at one of the beasts pulling him up, who dodged deftly to the side, prompting the Waverunner captain to let out a furious snarl.

Tooley took a step back, even though the beast was at least a stone's throw away. This was someone he never, ever wanted to be near.

The captain was led - more shoved - across the bridge, which was tiny in comparison. The Strange-Eyes whooped and hollered more loudly than they ever had.

"Fiyah Kodd! Fiyah Kodd!" rose a cheer from the crowd.

The red eye of the beast scanned everyone around, stopping only for the briefest moment on Tooley. It was enough to cause the weasel to turn, and he felt his breath catch in his throat.

The Strange-Eyes were pulling the last of the beasts out from the pits. Tooley caught sight of Plink, who was saying something to a young hare beside her. He remembered Crue asking about a hare. Maybe this was the one. Briefly, he looked for Vasily, curious if any other crew members from the Maiden had survived, and that's when he saw her.

The captain. A massive smile began to work its way across his face. He drew in a breath to shout out for her, but hesitated. The image of her standing above him with a cutlass raised flashed through his mind. His smile faded, and he watched Ciera stride evenly forward, head held high. Despite both missing her captain's coat and having her paws bound, she looked as much in authority here as she did upon the Maiden.

She was the last to be led across the bridge. As she was placed in the circle of captives, her eyes focused on one beast.

"So, Chak, I heard tell that you murdered Mister Daggle."

"Arrr..." Chak grunted, nodding slowly.

"Would you mind explaining why?"

"'E wasted a lot o' resources, that 'un." Chak paused, then added, "'E were in derelec-shun' o' 'is duties, an' it cost us a 'ole crew o' what coulda been vury useful workbeasts."

Ciera regarded the otter coolly. Tooley had to smile. He'd seen her give that look to other pirates before. She never believed them, either.

"Or more likely they'd have been a liability, outnumbering and turning against us."

Chak's lip twitched, and he stood a little straighter. "Ye be doubtin' me ability ta keep me own slaves in check? Yarrr, cap'n, 'ave some faith."

"Such a punishment was not your decision to make, though. Those were my slaves, technically."

Tooley watched as Chak seemed to consider this for a moment, glancing at his remaining slave who was busy jerking away from the prodding touch of the beasts around him. The otter sighed and nodded. "Aye. Yer right. Mayhaps I shoulda waited til we found ye."

A great round of strikes rang out from the drum, this time almost musical sounding. The dancing and chattering instantly died down, and an uncomfortable silence settled over the group.

"We'll discuss this later," Ciera said and turned around. Her gaze rested on Tooley briefly, and she dipped her snout. "Mister Bostay. I see you're well."

Tooley beamed. His doubt from before seemed to wash away at once. She wasn't mad at him. "I am now, cap'n!"

Ciera looked away, focusing on the crowd of Strange-Eyes that encircled them. A low hum began to spread out among the crowd. Slowly, it turned into an almost gasping drone. Tooley saw several of the beasts begin to shake, the bone accessories they wore beginning to rattle. The drone grew in noise, and then turned into a heavy, repetitious beat of variously pitched voices.

The crowd began to move, collapsing in on the captives and forcing them into a tight circle.

"What're they doin'?" Tooley heard Plink ask, a tremble in her voice.

"Stick together!" Robert said, holding his paws out to shield as many as he could from the approaching beasts.

For a moment, Tooley thought they would draw their assortment of weapons and attack. Instead, they began to move as one, forcing the group of captives forward.

"I think they're leadin' us somewhere..." the young hare beside Plink muttered worriedly.

The pace was slow, but the group was so cramped that Tooley could smell the hot breath of the beasts all around him, and nearly tripped several times on the footpaws of the other captives.

As the group moved further and further, the sounds of the beasts began to shift into words.

"Fiyah Koddah, Fiyah Koddah, Fiyah Koddah," they sang in a dull tone.

Over the shoulders of the beasts, he saw that they were nearing a cliffside, where he could hear the crash of ocean waves humming steadily below. At the cliffside were two tall torches, tops alight with steadily wavering flames. In-between the torches was a large, rope bridge.

Tooley's gaze followed the bridge. It was easily thrice as long as the Maiden was, stem to stern. His eyes trailed across the bridge, then upwards. And upwards. A massive mountain rested on the other side of the bridge, haloed by the dim moonlight above. He recognized it from when Maurick had captured him and Plink.

"Fiyah Koddah, Fiyah Koddah, Fiyah Koddah," the beasts continued to sing, the rhythm speeding up the closer they got to the mountain.

As soon as they reached the edge, the Strange-Eyes stopped, though their chant continued. Tooley looked around at the group of captives.

"W-what's a fy-yah-codder?" he asked.

"Fire God," Ciera said. "They're taking us to be sacrificed."

Tooley gulped and looked back at the mountain. Was that where the fire god lived? He wondered what a god looked like. He pictured a massive beast, not unlike the Waverunner captain, but on fire.

Suddenly, the throng of Strange-Eyes began to shift. They moved until an opening to the rope bridge appeared, then they began to push inwards towards the bridge. The only place to move was forward, and Tooley found that he was steadily approaching the bridge. He grasped the rope supports on either end and stared down through the cracks between the planks of wood. The hum of the sea was practically a roar when standing at the edge.

"Fiyah Koddah, Fiyah Koddah, Fiyah Koddah!" the beasts shouted out.

Tooley looked back at the captain. She nodded at him, and he smiled, turning back to the bridge and taking his first step onto it.

The captain was alive. She was here. He didn't have to be strong anymore. He didn't have to struggle with those hard choices. She'd fix it all, and everything would turn out right.

After all, what was a fire god to a captain?