[Igorina]

As Arth and Martin got settled in, the curtain was pushed aside once more by a pale lad with a bit of peach fuzz on his chin and upper lip. He made his way straight to William, saluted and stopped midway and then said nervously. " Ca...sir. We've lost two more. Wesford and Skipton. Cook says he saw 'em boarding a sloop that just left port a while ago. "
William grunted. He sorted through the coins in the bag on the counter and then tucked it away.
" Well..we need more men to replace them don't we? " he said laconically. " That man's money talks nice but I don't think I want to take chances with having less than a skeleton crew if he doesn't show. "
He glanced across the bar to the pair of men who had just come in. The wiry one seemed to be in a more jovial mood than the larger fellow and laughed and joked loudly. William's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

---

[travs the bean]
As William and his men conversed, Calous found his way through the streets with his men- It was getting dark and he was getting antsy- he hated this floating piece of deadwood and would have been long gone if it hadn't been for that traitor on his ship. He lumbered down another alleyway and found himself face to face with what was left of his crew. They were a tough lot and the shadows hid their faces but Calous could still feel their anger. With ease he soothed their frustration and laid out his plan

---

[Igorina]
William turned to his men and they conversed quietly for a bit. Then he nodded and motioned the bartender closer. After a little bit more of quiet talk, money and a glass vial exchanged hands discreetly and the bartender nodded. William and one or two of his men stood up and walked closer to where the two men sat.
" Anck! Ye old dog, thought it 'twas you! " William gave a friendly cuff to Arth and acted embarassed when Arth turned and gave him a hard glare. " Upps...pardon mate, no worries...Mistook ya for someone else, " laughed William. " Honest mistake. Say...ye wouldn't happen to know a fellow named Anck would ya? " He continued to talk. Arth remained reserved but Martin, ever the friendly one listened and began talking with William and his men. The light conversation went on and when Arth and Martin's drinks were empty, William cheerfully offered to buy them another one apiece "...cause we're all mates here right? Right! " The bartender took away their empty mugs and came back with a pint apiece of not the watered down swill they had been drinking but strong pale ale.

---

[Asryth]

Arth took a fair-sized mouthful of the ale. It went down smooth, yet there was an odd taste about it. Something not entirely 'ale'.

"Martin," Arth whispered under his breath.

"Oi?," McFiread replied, not as quietly.

The man called William gave Arth a quick glance.

"There's somethin' not right about this ale. I smell somethin' in't."

"Ah... That's jus' th'hopps. They got a different taste 'round these parts. I've drunk hunnerds of these," He slurred.
With that Martin emptied his entire pint in one swift, if not entirely coordinated, toss. Wiping his face on his shirtsleeve, he seemed to stagger a moment. Then he blurred out of focus.

What's this?, Arth thought to himself. But he knew. There had been something in the drink. It must have been some strong stuff to effect Arth, being the lumbering hulk he was, after only one swallow. As the room got blearier and darkened, the last thing Caleb noticed was that Martin was being lifted off the floor by one of William's men.

It took a great bit of huffing and puffing, but William and his other mate got Arth out the door and around the side of the Nymph. If he could've gotten a hand free, William would have given her a pat on the way out. They were going to need all the luck they could get.

---

[Asryth]

The Ursa Minor sailed smoothly out of port. Smythe stood at the bow looking off to starboard. Arth had been a somewhat fair Captain, but in principal Smythe couldn't bring himself to serve no 'animal'. Besides, he was Captain of the Ursa now. He named Grady his Right Hand. He had been a fine mate.

The two newcomers from the Old North Star had fit in nicely. Wesford and Skipton took right to work. Their lack of faith in their former crew had worked to Smythe's advantage, and the Ursa Minor was now one man up.

---

[Igorina]
Martin was fairly easy to lug, Arth being a bit more difficult. William went on with a few of his men, carrying Martin as it was getting close to nightfall and William knew the man would be expecting him. He left three men to watch Arth in a open-air storage area back behind the Sea Nymph a bit, until he could conduct his business and return later for his other new crewmember.
The men lounged around in the darkness, talking quietly and passing around a few quids of tobacco. A few feet away, by some barrels of rum, Arth lay on his side, his eyes shut tight, breathing heavily.
None of the men noticed a shadow slink across the rooftops and drop down quietly into the storage area. It slid on its belly from one pile of junk to the next until it had reached Arth.
Something sharp-smelling passed under his nose. Arth snorted and came back to semi-consciousness. One of the men glanced over at Arth, watching him nervously but when he failed to stir he went back to talking with the other men.
Pale yellow eyes emerged from behind one of the barrels and twinkled with mirth. The shadow slipped closer to Arth and began to undo the knots around his hand and his feet.

---

[Igorina]

Meantime, William having got his man on board waited nervously by the pilings for the stranger to show. He wished desperately for a smoke right about now to calm his nerves. His men around him were also alert and tense.

---

[travs the bean]
A huge lurking shadow in a large overcoat made his way through the dark maze of rubble and buildings. Wharf rats scurried out of his way. He hummed a tune to himself - his cane rapping itself along the planks. He was surrounded by several other men- each dressed in like manner- none spoke and eventually they found their destination- a ship sitting in the harbor guarded by a little man named William.

"Ahoy..." Calous called out.
William turned rapidly and saw the group -
" I have come to inspect the ship and make sure things are up to my specifications. " Calous smiled- he did not sound as the unlearned man from the tavern and his voice was cold and dark.

---

[Igorina]

William rubbed his face. " Watch yerselves, mates, " he murmured under his breath. He waited until Calous had come up to him, then straightened his shoulders and tried to look less of the slovenly drunk he had been at the bar only a few hours before. The stranger had a way of sobering one up faster than a cold shower and coffee could ever do.
" She's a good ship, bit of maintinence needed maybe...what's left of the crew has five years and up of sailing experience, " William said. His throat felt dry and he cleared it before going on. Ordinarily he'd be asking the man about his sailing experience and his creditenals but the man made his skin crawl and turned his backbone to jelly. " I've been First Hand almost as long as the Old North Star's been around. I do my job well, I keep my men in line and I...I don't ask questions. Sir. Nobody wants her now...so if you're interested in commandin' her...name yer price." He shut his mouth and waited. Cold beads of sweat touched the sides of his temples.

---

[travs the bean]
"How many in the crew are left?" His voice was cold and calculated.

---

[Igorina]

" What you see here, sir, " William answered, indicating the men behind him with a slight jerk of the head. " Cook's on board...and young Allen, our cabin boy. That's it. The captain's death on board spooked everyone else. A woman done it...they said that's double bad luck. We're all that's left. "

---

[travs the bean]
"I see." Calous said with a smile. He rubbed his chin for a moment- " How many guns does she have and her top speed, and her last cargo- and her captain's name...dead he may be, one that sails the seas on a deadman's boat would like to know what they are in for." His eye glistened a maddening red in the firelight as he pulled a hand rolled cigar and lit it. He took a long drag as the sailor watched the smoke slowly rise amidst the eerie glow across his face. " I want to know everything about her."

---

[Igorina]

And William talked. He babbled his damned head off. He couldn't stop talking beneath the piercing gaze of those eyes. He told him everything he knew and more...

---

[Asryth]

Caleb dreamt. He never dreamt. Must be the drug. Those eyes. Those damned, yellow eyes. He could smell 'fox'. This was a pretty vivid dream.

Why was he thinking about her, especially now? He couldn't stand the loony wench. Was meeting up with Martin bringing back some desire to be around other Onai? Had it really been that long? True, he had some fierce run-ins, but why had he been avoiding New Onai for so long?

Arth reached up to scratch his right ear. HE REACHED.... He was free... and awake! That meant that...

He turned about, making as little noise as possible and saw her. Her yellow eyes practically shone in the dark.

If I were a human, I just might say she was easy on the eyes, Caleb thought, a smirk on his face. His smile dropped as his brain registered what his 'inner bear' had just contemplated.

Suddenly, he was angry. Very angry.

Through clenched teeth, he quietly growled, "I ought to put a knife in yer side, wench. I assume ye pawned me earring the first chance ye got, eh?"

---

[Igorina]

A hand clamped over his mouth. A voice barely above a breath murmured in his ear " Shut up an' save thy rage for those gobs when the time's good, eh? " She vanished.

A moment later, one of the men sitting off by himself felt an slender arm slide around his shoulder. " On shore leave, matey? Care to sport wit' th' likes o' me? " whispered a voice and teeth nibbled playfully on his ear. Before he had time to be interested or surprised, the butt of a gun dropped him to the ground.

The other men looked up as a woman came out of nowhere and strutted into the midst of them. " 'Allo boys, " she grinned and without warning, her leg shot out to the side and slammed into the nearest man's groin. She whipped out her cutlass, giggled merrily and stamped her feet and shook her head like a little girl who had just been told the funniest joke in the world. Then with a feral snarl, she abruptly charged into the midst of them, her cutlass flashing...

---

[Asryth]

Arth was on his feet before the second sailor hit the ground. His cutlass, Cleaver, and his pistols had been confiscated. Well, it would have to be brute strength, this time around.

He barreled into the third man, fists flying. He intended to drop him, jaw broken. That, however, did not happen. The sailor had eluded Antonia's wild antics, as she had become more interested in playing 'cat and mouse' with the second sailor. The youth, his full attention on Caleb, side-stepped and sliced at his midsection with none other than his own cutlass. Arth jumped back, but not far enough. Cleaver had a long reach. It cut a wide slit through the front of his coat, vest, and shirt, leaving a scratch on his stomach.

He flinched, only slightly, and grabbed for the sailor's wrist. Fingers crunched as Arth crushed the hand holding Cleaver. It fell to the ground with a clatter.

The man was driven to his knees as Antonia, bored with her game, swiftly and merrily dispatched her sailor.

"Where... is... Martin McFiread?"

---

[Asryth]

Martin, still out, lay in the hold of the Old North Star like a sack of potatoes. Next to him, Allen the cabin boy, sat with specific instructions to thump him over the head if he were to wake.

McFiread stirred. Allen jumped.

---

[Asryth]

Aboard the Ursa Minor, Kite stood before Rooks, Crina, Vasco, and Jonas relaying the information that had been unsaid, when Smythe 'took over' for the Cap'n. He had a knack for overhearing things.

"Onai?!," Crina queried. "Must 'av 'ad wanna dem 'moskstones'."

"Doesn't surprise me one bit," put in Rooks. "Always flinchin' 'round luc'fers. Didn'a smoke hisself."

"And wots wrong with 't? Did any of ye ever complain when he gave ye extra pay? Did any of ye gripe when we had an extra day of furlow?"

Jonas was peeved, to say the least. "Did his bein' a Onai make him less a Capn' when it counted? I'm through with the lot of ye!"

With that, he pulled out a chain from beneath his shirt. A chain with a chunk of pale yellow gem hanging from it. He ripped it from his own neck, and a feline face looked back at the stares of astonishment.

Smythe was in his cabin, and completely unaware of what was happening on deck. He looked out the window, seeing the dingy being rowed back toward Elysia, and turned to Grady.

"Are we missing someone?"

---

[Igorina]

" Martin? Eh? " Antonia grins and shrugs. " Don't know what th' 'ell thee's talkin' about. As for thy silver earring..." She smirked. " Call me sent'mental matey...I kept it...but thee's ain't gettin' it back "

---

[LoReilly]

From the rooftops a pair of shadows watched as the Onai took up arms against their captors. A pair of fingers traced the thin lines along a crossbow. A slight modification had been made so that the weapon now fired half-arrows; small, six-inch shafts, with four-inches of needle on the tip. These particular arrows had been dipped in harune. A poison to which the Onai were particularily vulnerable.

---

[Igorina]

Antonia's eyes suddenly narrowed. She whiffed the air and then without warning, slammed into Arth's ribs knocking him and her both over.

---

[LoReilly]

An arrow buzzed the black fox's tail and slammed into the alleyway with a resounding thud.

"Den devil," a voice barked, "ye'll not caz me ta miss m'mark a second time!"

---

[Igorina]

Antonia giggled hysterically to herself as she untangled herself from Caleb and yanked at him. " How's about thee keep movin' ould bear...I smell onai about and I dinna like what I smell..." she muttered.

---

[LoReilly]

Two arrows suddenly burrowed themselves into Antonia's left hand. Another landed in her right shoulder and two more found way into her lower back. " Got 'er! That oughter keep 'er fer a cupla hours. Let's get down there quick.."

"Scrags and scallions, Rim, ye're not s'pos'd ta kill 'er."

"Eh, she'll b'alight, bit sick 'at all. 's the bear ye oughta be more worried 'bout."

---

[Igorina]

Antonia sagged suddenly against Arth's arm as they emerged from the alley. " Hell..." she muttered, her eyes glazing over.

---

[Asryth]

Arth quickly pulled the darts from Antonia's shoulder and back. He was a bit more careful with her hand. Looking up to the rooftops, he noticed that nobody was there anymore.

"Cursed, bloody hunters. If they got Martin... And now they're after us. Hell! Well, 'Miss' Read, we best be getting lost."

With that, Caleb slung the now semi-consious Antonia over his shoulder. Something crossed his mind.

"...I kept it...but thee's ain't gettin' it back "

"Well, well." he said to himself, as he shuffled quickly from alley to alley. "We'll be seein' 'bout that."

Arth ducked down the last alleyway, on his way to the docks. Setting Antonia down behind a barrell, he fished through her pockets. Not too thoroughly. They weren't on those kinda terms. In her right pocket, he found a small bag.

He paused a second, hearing commotion by the docks. Nobody was near. He opened the sack and spilled the contents onto the spongy surface of the ground.

There were several coins, and... there it was. He grabbed the earring and hurriedly put it in.

"Ha! None the worse fer wear."

Scooping up the coins, he stuffed them back into the bag and almost pocketed them for his trouble. He hesitated.

"Naw... It weren't right to take yer coin an' leave ye here ta be skinned by those animals. I'll havta smuggle ye aboard the Ursa."

He chuckled as he realized he was basically talking to himself. Antonia was completely out. If her looks weren't magically induced, he might have thought she was getting pale.

"Best be hurryin'."

He still pocketed the coins, telling himself that he was just 'holding them for her'. He shouldered her again, peering around the corner. He gripped Cleaver in his right hand. He couldn't see as well, as it had steadily been nearing dusk, and a mist had formed on the water.

He couldn't be sure, but there was only a dingy tied up where the Ursa had docked.

"Where the hell is me ship!?" he rumbled. "Smythe! Damn that ol' sea dog! It's mutiny!"

He looked around for any signs of watchers. Caleb saw nobody. He made for the dingy as quick as possible. Someone stood up in it.

"Cap'n?"

"Jonas?!"

A poison dart, just like the ones that shot Antonia, stuck fast into Jonas' chest. He winced and pulled it out. Sniffing the tip, he started to get woozy.

"Hell. It's harune."

His eyes got big.

"Cap'n! look out!"

---

[LoReilly]

A tall man, with broad shoulders hurled himself into Arth, knocking him off balance, while another person-a woman-snatched the drugged fox from his grip.

---

[Asryth]

The two men tumbled to the ground. Caleb knew he couldn't get a good slice in if he was this close, so as they got to their feet, he shoved the other away.

Rounding on him, he took one quick swipe at his midsection. The man doubled over in pain. What was Jonas doing here if the rest had left in the Ursa? He saw the lad sway and fall into the dingy. As he turned back to see the woman with the crossbow hauling Antonia off, the other man ran at Caleb.

"Bad move, Matey," Arth said into his ear after running him through. "Very bad move."

---

[Igorina]

The man slumped to the ground, blood between his fingers. He coughed weakly and grinned, watching Arth turn his head around trying to see where the woman had gone with Antonia.

" Mebbe...yours twere the bad move..matey...once she's found her prey...she doesna stick around..." he said hoarsely.

(continued in Chapter five on main page)

---

[LoReilly]

Tala hauled tail through the back alleyways of Elysia, crossbow slung on one shoulder, the fox firmly slung across the other. Normally she wouldn't dare put an Onai in reach of a weapon but this traitor had enough harune in her blood to knock out an elephant for a fortnight. Some quick calculations told her that waiting for Rim at the rendezvous would be pointless. Man was too much of an idiot to survive a fight with a swashbuckler. Besides, he'd almost let them get away.

Nearing sight of the vessel, she slung Antonia down and pretended to struggle a bit as she drug the limp female. One couldn't be too careful with as many eyes as Nathan had spying for him and the ease with which she carried the fox would surely be noticed if she didn't put a bit more style into it.

"Caught ye an'th'r 'un, Tal?"

"Aye, Onai 't tha'." She nodded firmly to one of the mates. "Fi'thy wretch." Tala made a show of spitting on the slumped form as she dropped Antonia to the deck.

"Tell Ketch've got 'm a rel prize th's time 'round."

---

end Chapter 2

Driftwood