The Shade Of Poison Trees

[Keane]

If there was anything Keane hated more than being wet, it was having the ground dance and sway beneath his footpaws.  The fact that both were happening at once could only mean that the Fates had a personal vendetta against him. 

The wildcat huddled, miserable in his hammock, blowing on his paws to warm them.  He could hardly remember what it felt like to be dry, how it felt to have his fur lie smooth instead of fluffing out in all directions in an attempt to lose the constant dampness.  Somehow, he'd managed to keep the treasures inside his coat dry, though, and he clung to that reassurance.  As long as he had them, he would get through this. 

But if they should get wet, if the rank seawater should ruin them...

Keane didn't dare let his mind go there. 

Eating had almost become a foreign task, as well; after it became clear that nothing was going to stay eaten for more than a few minutes, Keane found it easier not to try, for the most part.  He was hungry enough to gnaw his paws off ? except that the thought of vomiting them up afterward was too horrid to think about. 

The cat gave up trying to breathe warmth into his paws.  He was cold down to his bones ? if someone were to cut him open, he felt certain that they would find a skeleton of ice. 

Strangely, he didn't want to kill Venril for any of this.  He just wanted to get off the accursed boat as soon as possible and forget about everything. 

Still, he supposed, not everything had gone bad; there was still Rath.  Keane frowned thoughtfully.  He'd seen the ferret only a few times since that first day on the ship, but the beast seemed friendly enough.  The cat scratched his ear, trying to remember where Rath had been assigned ? oh, yes.  Guarding the brig.  It had to get lonely down there, Keane reflected, in the belly of the terrible leaky prison.  Surely, the ferret wouldn't mind a visit.  After all, they had agreed to look out for each other. 

Finding his way down to the brig wasn't difficult, though his stomach lurched when he passed the kitchen and breathed in the array of scents from within.  His mouth watered and he swallowed, forcing himself to go on. 

?Hello,? he called out in greeting as he stumbled down the stairs to the brig, pupils widening as his eyes adjusted to the dimmer lighting.  ?Rath?? 

?Aye??  The ferret met the wildcat's gaze evenly from his perch on an overturned barrel. 

?Did 'e bring dinner??  Keane's ears flicked as a female voice reached him.  "I'm so 'ungry I could eat a 'ole vole!" 

Keane stepped further into the light, eyes flicking about the brig as he noted that there were two females behind the bars ? the stoat that had spoken, and a pine marten.  The latter was almost pretty, but for the scars that marred her elegant features.  Keane found himself staring, wondering how she'd acquired them, and then looked away when he realized she was glowering at him. 

?I didn't bring food, I'm sorry,? he apologized to the whole room.  ?I haven't been hungry much myself, see...  Don't they feed you??

?Porridge,? groaned the stoatess.  ?An' not near enough.?

?It's not fit to eat,? the marten conceded, though she looked loathe to agree with her cellmate. 

Keane cleared his throat awkwardly.  ?I'll bring something next time.  How've you been getting on?? he addressed Rath. 

The ferret shrugged.  ?Fine.? 

Keane hid a smile.  The ferret was so terribly stiff!  He wondered what it would take to make the beast open up, and had to fight to keep the corners of his mouth from quirking ? because he probably had it with him. 

?You haven't been seasick, have you?? he asked idly. 

"Only the entire time we've been on this floating bucket of filth."  the marteness broke in.   

Keane made a mental note to bring peppermint tea as well the next time he visited.  Possibly with laudanum mixed in ? the marten could do with some rest, he decided. 

?Sorry t'hear that,? he remarked. 

?Makes you the first,? she replied snidely, and turned away. 

Was she always this crabby?  Keane found his hackles rising and looked back to Rath, who wore a look of mild amusement on his scarred face. 

?Must be interesting down here with these two,? the cat observed.  ?Does it ever get dull?? 

?Sometimes.?  Rath scowled, casting his eyes upward, the direction Venril was most likely to be in.  ?Not much anybeast can do about that.? 

Keane chuckled.  ?Oh, but...? 

He bit his tongue. 

Why was he so good at this? 

They loved him.  He was kind.  He listened to their problems.  He beckoned them in and said, ?Come, talk to me.  Be my friends.  Give me money and I will ruin your lives.?

?...I might have something.? 

It was still a living. 

~

Restless, the cat's paws led him to the deck, where the fresh sea breeze did its best to lull his stomach into a state of relative calm.  Bawdy tavern dirges floated up through the planks from the Mess; apparently there was some sort of celebration in process. 

Keane knew he should be there ? making friends with the crew, picking out prospective customers, making this whole disaster into something more than a nightmare, but just now, he preferred the solitude of the deck.  The stars shimmered companionably down at him, and Keane felt that if he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, he would breathe in their brilliance...

?Oi.  Yew.? 

The cat jumped; he hadn't realized that he was standing only a few feet from the steersbeast.  ?Pardon??

?C'mere, 've go' a job f'r yew.?  The rat's growl left no room for argument, and Keane moved closer. 

?What is it, then?? he asked, resigned. 

The rat beckoned him closer and gestured for him to take the tiller.  ?Take over f'r me f'r a bit.  I'm goin' below.? 

?...Er.?  Keane stared helplessly at the rat.  ?I've got no... I've never done this.? 

?Nothin' much to it,? the beast returned airily.  ?I'll be back in an hour 'r so.  I'll bring yew back a drink, shall I??  He clapped the cat on the shoulder and scurried off toward the Mess without waiting for an answer. 

Keane stared after the departed and then looked at his paws, gripped around the wooden tiller.  He could do this, he decided, turning the tiller experimentally.  And it was only an hour.  An hour wasn't so long, when you thought about it...

He reminded himself of this countless times, but his eyes drifted shut of their own accord as he leaned sluggishly against the tiller. 

The stars smiled down on him, singing a sweet lullaby as the cat fell prey to sleep. 

~

He wasn't sure why he had woken up, except that his legs ached from the upright position he'd held against the tiller.  The stars had been drowned out, as well, by a most unpleasant groaning coming from... the ship? 

Befuddled, Keane unwrapped his paws from the tiller and yowled as pain shot through them.  He was stiff. 

?Y've gone an' crashed th'ship!? a grey blob screeched in his face.  Keane blinked and rubbed his eyes, and the blob resolved into the steersbeast from before. 

?Oh, you're back,? he mumbled.  ?Am I finished?? 

?I'd say so!? the rat spat.  There was an ominous cracking through the ship, and drunk crewbeasts ran amok on the deck.  ?An' if we can't get off th'blasted thing b'fore she sinks, we'll all be finished!? 

Keane frowned as the rat turned and ran, calling out some unintelligible order. 

?What'd I do?? he asked, bewildered. 

A passing crewbeast gave him a Look.  ?Hardly matters now,? the beast pointed out, ?But I'd say you had no bloody idea how to steer a ship.  And if you want to live to see tomorrow, then you'd better get onto one of the dinghies.? 

?Oh.?  Keane blinked again.  ?Oh.  Oh.? 

For a moment he stood frozen.  Dinghy... yes, he had to get into one ? he had to keep his coat as dry as possible.  The cat dashed toward the row of small boats, untying one from its rack.  Through his fervor, a frightened scream from below tore at his ears, and he slowed, thoughts turning to the brig.  Would Rath know what was happening in time to escape? 

The sound of the ship tearing apart ground at his senses.  Keane swore and ran for the stairway that led to below. 

Water rushed in through the widening cracks in the ship, and Keane shrugged out of his coat, folding it and hugging it to himself in a small bundle.  The cat fought through the tide of crewbeasts surging for the upper decks, and his heart sank when he didn't see Rath's face among them. 

Keane cursed again; he only hoped the ferret hadn't already tried the sample Keane had given him. 

When at last he reached the brig, the water came up to his hips.  Keane took stock quickly and breathed a sigh of relief; Rath was fighting to open the cage door and release the two females, both of which were clinging to the bars as if they thought this would somehow expedite the process. 

?Do you need help?? he shouted over the roaring water. 

Rath's head whipped around to identify the intruder.  ?What in 'gates happened?? he bellowed. 

Keane hurried to the cage door, still clutching his coat and shivering hard.  ?No time!  What's holding things up here?  Can I help?? 

The ferret shook his head.  ?They never gave me a key.  Just stand back and let me finish with the hinges.? 

Keane stepped back and looked down, ears flattened.  The water was up to his waist.

?Is that it?? 

Keane looked up and found himself face to face with the marteness. 

?You're just going to...  to stand there and hope that he succeeds??  Her words bit into him, sharper than any cold. 

Keane's arms tightened around his precious bundle.  ?Looks like it.? 

The pine marten stared at him, and Keane could almost see what her opinion of him must be.  Fortunately, Rath gave a mighty heave and lifted the door off the hinges before she could open her mouth and confirm it for him. 

The females tumbled out, and the cat grabbed the marten's arm, helping her through the water and up the stairs.  The moment they were out of the flooding, she pulled away from him, sending him a spiteful glare.  Keane let her be. 

They regrouped on the main deck and Keane led them to the dinghies, putting his coat back on as they walked.  Several had already been put to use, he noticed.  He gestured for Rath to help, and they lowered one of the small boats overboard.  The ferret clambered down first, using the rope ladder that hung over the edge of the ship, and Keane sent the females down after him; the cat went last, hopping lithely into the dinghy and rocking it. 

For a moment, they all stared at each other, and then the stoat spoke for all of them. 

?An' what now?? 

Rath picked up one of the oars that rested in the bottom of the dinghy.  ?We row.? 

The others followed his example, each taking an oar.  There was a space of silence as the other three rowed, and then Keane nodded to the females. 

?I don't believe we've been introduced,? he said. 

"My name's Revel," the stoat said cheerfully. "An' all I can think about right now is food."

Keane refrained from gagging and looked to the marten. 

?Eliza Lacrimosa, if you must know,? she snapped. 

Keane would have said 'Pleased to meet you' in other circumstances, but just now, he felt terribly honest. 

?Hellgates,? muttered Eliza, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen. 

?...What??  Keane blinked. 

The marten sent him a glare.  ?This dress is going to be ruined.? 

The stoat, Revel, studied her for a moment and then said calmly, ?Don't worry.  It'll match your face then.? 

Keane watched with interest to see what Eliza's reaction would be.  Her response caused a raised brow; she smiled.  The cat shrugged to himself.  Took all kinds to make a world, he supposed.  He dug his oar into the water, flicking his ears when he heard Revel humming a kit's song off-key.  Keane found himself rowing in time to the tune, and he started when it cut off mid-verse with a resounding THWOCK!

The cat blinked as Revel crumpled into the bottom of the boat; his gaze turned to Eliza.  The marten dipped her oar into the ocean and smiled innocently. 

Keane decided it would be prudent to keep silent. 

It took longer to reach the shore with only the three rowing ? Eliza wasn't much help, in the first place ? but Keane's relief at being back on firm ground was only greater for it.  The cat helped pull the dinghy onto the sand, but he didn't stay to see if Revel was all right or if Eliza needed any assistance. 

First things first.  He checked all of the inner pockets of his coat, grimacing when he found that some of the lower ones had gotten wet.  He would have to throw the contents out later. 

Still, he wasn't entirely ruined; he was on land again and he was alive.  He would get through this.  Somehow.