Swords & Claws - A pirate's tale [for EbonyFox]

[Silvery_Lady]

It was almost noon and a powerful wind was inflating the sails of the "Red Jewel", pushing the ship forward to the horizon, while a bright sun was shining over the sea.
It was one beautiful day, one of those days when being a sailor seemed like a blessing, when the waves were cuddling the ships like a benevolent mother and the seagulls were screeching in the sky.
The "Red Jewel" had left Saint Michelle's port at dawn, directed to Isla Lobo, the nearest pirates's town, where the Captain was planning to cast anchor for a week or two, before deciding the new route.
She knew that the crew would have approved and appreciate a little license.

Claire and Logan were on the quarterdeck, the first one sat on a barrel, carving a parrot from a small piece of wood using one of her daggers, the other with his big hands on the rudder, watching over the sailors who were working on the main deck, and they were chatting and laughing like usual.
The huge lion man, wearing nothing else but a pair of black pants and his boots, turned his leonine face to his Captain, after that she had just ended one of her little stories, and she smirked at her.
-That's not true. We were together and that's not how things went. You were too drunk to remember, i carried you back on board, passed out on my shoulder like a baby...- Logan giggled -But if you want to play the hero, be my guest. I'll bite my tongue.-
Her blue eyes focused on him the very moment that he stopped talking and she smiled too, but that was something menacing in the way she did it...like always, to be honest.
-You will stick to my story, kid.- she playfully ordered him, her long tail lazily moving from side to side, behind the barrel -And i wasn't that drunk, anyway. It's just way much comfortable to lie on your back than to have to walk across the whole damn town to reach the port.-
Said that, the cheetah woman lowered her head again, resuming her work with the dagger, whistling softly.
Her slender but sinewy body was covered by a simple white shirt with wide sleeves and a pair of leather pants, her hind legs crossed like if she was some indian chief, while her long black hair were tied in a braid, which was lying over her shoulder.

Their relaxed conversation was interrupted a few minutes later, by one of the sailor's voice, coming from the lower deck.
-Captain! We have a stowaway kitty here!- a manly voice called, and immediately most of the crew members popped out on the deck to see what was happening, while Claire simply rolled her eyes and huffed, jumping up.
-Great...- she muttered, sarcastically, putting aside her wooden parrot and sliding her blade into the sheath that was hanging to her belt.
But a second after, before stepping to the stairs, she suddenly grinned, turning to Logan and, after pulling out a red neckerchief from the pocket of her shirt, she tied it around his wrist -I'm bored, let's play a little.-
He sighed, grumbling a bit, but then he nodded.
-Right, as you wish.- that was one of their oldest tricks and Logan was used to it.
The whole crew were aware of that little game and they knew that, when the lion man was wearing the red neckerchief, he was going to play the Captain role for a while, allowing her to observe people's reactions from a different perspective.
So, finally the two of them walked down to the main deck, Logan first, putting on his best intimidating expression, and Claire after him, looking like if she had found herself on that ship almost accidentally, totally nonchalantly.

[EbonyFox]

It had been around four, five weeks since Koti had decided leaving Saint Michelle was for the best. That wasn't to say Saint Michelle was a terrible place to live in, but… he had reasons, one being that he couldn't stay here forever, H couldn't keep up the 'arrangement' that he had with the tavern-owner. Most, if not practically all of Koti's stolen goods were passed onto the tavern-keeper. That left Koti with very little money, barely enough to pay for food and the like.

The solution to all his problems was to wait for a ship to arrive, possibly a trader's ship, and either sneak onboard or join the crew. Preferably the former, because Koti didn't much like the idea of near-constant hard work. He was far from being a lazy individual, but given his lack of experience aboard a ship, he wasn't in any position to be learning. All that he needed was a safe means to leave Saint Michelle, swapping his home for any other port town.

At just 16 years-old, Koti was shorter than average for someone his age, with a lean build and golden-yellow fur covered in black rosettes. He wore plain leather and cotton clothing; a lace-up vest atop a white long-sleeve shirt, knee-length dark pants with a small hunting knife strapped to the belt. He wore no accessories except for a simple metal hoop in his left ear; nothing expensive, because he'd rather spend his coins on food.

Getting onboard the ship was easier said than done, but he was fortunate enough to board unseen. The layout of the ship was a little familiar, and only because he'd listened to numerous stories from sailors and less-noble crew. Sooner rather than later, Koti planned on finding a spot on the orlop deck below the berth, or sleeping quarters area. It sounded simple enough, but apparently he did something wrong, or perhaps the crew of the Red Jewel wasn't quite what he assumed.

All but cornered at one end of the ship, there was no place for him to go except over the railing, but that wasn't going to happen. Not any time soon, that is. The young jaguar anthro reached behind him to take hold of his knife, but he did not unsheathe it. His ears faced forwards as he waited, pressed up against the side of the ship, anxious. He hadn't seen neither the captain or their first mate; he'd heard voices, but voices weren't easily trusted. For all he knows, this captain would send him back to Saint Michelle, or worse.

When he spotted a tall, absolutely massive lion step onto the poop deck, Koti's ears flattened and his eyes widened. His mouth suddenly got dry, so he swallowed, staring up at the lion, frozen in place. Without fully realizing what he was saying, Koti was talking, rushed and a little desperate. "I— I don't want any trouble..! I'm not h-here for anything, just, just…!" It was clear why someone his age was on board and had been hiding, but he did not want to admit to such a thing. It wasn't anyone's business why or how he'd come aboard, so long as people knew he wasn't going to cause any problems. If he wanted to do that, he'd have stayed in town.

[Silvery_Lady]

The bull man who had cornered the young "guest", took a step aside when Logan and Claire approached, noticing the red neckerchief and smiling slightly.
Meanwhile all the crew had reached the deck and now a bunch of inquiring eyes were fixed on the jaguar kid, but the most interested person was clearly the only woman on board, who was peeking at him from behind the lion back, silent.
-Well, well....what do we have here?- Logan asked rhetorically, getting closer and towering over him, frowning -So, you don't want any trouble and you hide on a pirate ship? Not very smart of you, i'm afraid.- the man told him, sternly, his golden eyes half closed in a menacing way, like if he was ready to eat him alive.
Logan took another step forward, his tail moving slowly at his back.
-Exactly what do you expect us to do now?- he asked -Maybe we should turn around and bring you back to Saint Michelle...-

And at this point, a female voice interrupted him, with an amused tone.
-Or maybe we could just make him jump overboard and forget about him.- Claire suggested, finally showing herself a bit more, with a sarcastic grin -How old are you, cub?- she asked then.
-....we are not throwing him anywhere.- that was the lion again, who rolled her eyes while saying that: he was aware that she was only playing with the boy, but the other one seemed scared enough already, so he tried to reassure him a bit.
As a response to the fake Captain, the cheetah woman shrugged.
-As you please...- she said, before focusing once more on the new arrived -Do you have a name?- she asked again, tilting his head on a side a little, observing him like a curious cat.

[EbonyFox]

Koti didn't like the look of the bull, but that crew member was marginally better than the lion man: the captain. At least, the lion looked the part; none of the others, those that Koti had seen so far, seemed more likely.

The jaguar had noticed the red material tied round the lion's wrist, and didn't think much of it. It couldn't mean anything significant, so Koti dismissed it as soon as he saw it. His gaze remained on the lion captain, his long tail flicking nervously. "I'm not smart, but I'm not stupid, either." He could feel his fur stand on end, short though it is. Saying anything else to the captain would be a bad choice, but how could Koti keep quiet? He didn't like the lion's tone or what was being implied. Getting on this ship was Koti's only chance at leaving home, and he had to take it.

When the lion suggested returning to port, Koti's eyes widened further, and he brought both hands forward, forgetting about the knife at his back. "N-no, you can't! What-" Suddenly, a second voice spoke up, interrupting Koti's little outburst.

The stowaway blinked, lowering his hands to his sides. Narrowing his eyes, he shot a dark look at the second stranger, a cheetah. "Will it matter?" Hesitating, he added, "I'm sixteen. Crews have had younger, I've heard of it." He didn't know if it was all true, though. Maybe what he's heard in busy taverns was all fiction, not fact.

Glancing back to the lion, Koti took a step backwards, his hands flexing at his sides, uneasy. "....I'm sixteen, and my name's Koti." Repeating his age appeared to give him more confidence, if only slightly. He looked to either side of the feline duo, almost as if he was looking for a chance to dart past them. He hadn't come on board to have a chat with the captain. There was a chance he could say something that would spoil the moment, or in reality the chances of him staying on board.

[Silvery_Lady]

Logan frowned even more, showing to the kid one really annoyed face at his response.
-You're no one to tell me what i can or i can't do.- he growled -And since you are here without permission, you should better keep your eyes on the floor, if you don't want to piss me off.- he warned Koti.
By his side, Claire giggled a bit; she had always found funny the strict side of her lieutenant, knowing him since he was a teen.
It was impossible to her looking at him like a threat.

Anyway, she got distracted by the following answers of the young jaguar, and her attention went back on him.
-It matter, yes. Usually we don't hire children.- she told him, taking a step forward, her most braggart attitude on display -But...maybe we could take him as cabin boy. After all, some one to clean the decks and the latrine could be useful.- she said, throwing a glance to the taller lion man, winking at him -Let him stay, i'll take care of him.-

The "Captain" looked at her, shaking his head and his mane with a sigh...he couldn't understand why she was enjoying that so much.
But he could read between the lines, so once again, he spoke to the kid, bending over to him to stare him right in the face, wanting to intimidate him a little more.
-You heard her...if you want to stay, you'll have to work. And work hard, if you want to eat too.- the lion told him -Or else, i will close you in a cell and i will let you starve.-
With these last words, he held out his right, huge hand, in his direction.
-Do we have an agreement, cub?- Logan asked, adopting that sort of "nickname" that Claire seemed to have chosen for the boy, ignoring his name.

-If you accept, i will teach you the rules.- the female cheetah added, staring at him with her sarcastic smirk, strangely amused by the situation.
All around them, the whole crew was observing them, laughing and whispering one to each other because of the Captain's prank.
It was something new, since that exchange of identity usually was their favourite trick to deal with other pirates, not to fool a teen stowaway.

[EbonyFox]

Koti didn't know what the lion was capable of: and he didn't need to be told anything. The jaguar could fill in the blanks, himself, and he didn't like what came to mind. When the lion warned Koti, the jaguar simply glared back, but not for long. He glanced to the deck floor, then back to the cheetah. She seemed to be the more reasonable, level-headed of the two big cats.. that much Koti believed in.

"Sixteen doesn't mean I'm a kid." He spat, his fangs bared just for a second. Though he's young, that didn't mean he was a cub: someone too young to look after themselves. He had some ideas of what someone his age could be hired for, but he didn't count on latrine duty. Koti bristled, but said nothing for the time being. Doing work was better than being sent overboard, or back to port.

After a moment, he opened his mouth to protest, but the captain's sudden move changed Koti's mind. He promptly shut his mouth and gazed up at the taller cat, fear crossing his features. "Th-that's it...? Work, or starvation...?" If he could, he'd have turned down both. Staying alive, and relatively well-fed was his main priority. The lion sounded genuine with his threat; what kind of position was Koti in, if he wanted to argue?

Even so, the jaguar slowly held out one hand towards the captain's, cautious. He knew everyone on deck was watching them, and it was almost humiliating. This wasn't supposed to be a public event, but it couldn't be fixed now.

".....I guess I've got no choice, then.. Is that all I'll be doing, cleaning?" As he spoke, he looked to the cheetah, hopeful that the woman would truly be the one to teach him. She didn't have a loud voice like the captain, and she didn't dwarf him in size, basically. Although trusting others was very hard for him, he honestly felt a tad more safer with the cheetah than with the lion.

[Silvery_Lady]

-I could be your mother, so yes, you are a kid.- Claire laughed at Koti's response, but her good mood seemed to abandoned her for a moment, when the young jaguar showed his fangs -...you better keep those cute little fangs hidden, while you're talking with me.- she added, suddenly with something in her voice, like a small hint of rage...but that disappeared right away.

On his side, Logan gave Toki an interrogative gaze, when the other seemed so shocked for the deal that was offered to him, his big, golden eyes fixed on the small figure of the teen.
-What do you expect? You are damn stowaway, on other ships you would have been whipped to the bones for this, or killed.- he said -Do you think that you can hide in someone else ship, probably with the intention of stealing some food, to reach your destination? You should be grateful for the offer.- the lion concluded, now a bit annoyed, but this time for real.

But, just like before, Claire interrupted the scene, to answer the final question of their youngest uninvited guest.
-Not really, but it's very simple, actually.- she explained, with a calm tone -You will do, what we tell you to do. If you obey and behave properly, you'll be fed and you'll have a mattress. If you don't, you'll get punished.- once more, she shrugged, like if they were talking about something so obvious that it was useless to waste time on it -And maybe, in time, you could even ending up liking this kind of life, who knows? You don't seem someone who has a place to go back to...am i wrong, cub?- she interrogated him, at last.

[EbonyFox]

Koti hadn't expected to hear that comparison, and so the look on his face was genuine: and a bit comical. "If you were, then I wouldn't be here." He growled, not quite challenging the bigger cat. Even though the cheetah looked more friendly than the lion, that didn't mean Koti would lower his guard. "If I don't, what could you do..?" Despite what he said, he actually didn't want to be given an answer. It was just a bluff on his part, an attempt to look more confident than he really felt.

What the captain said made perfect sense, even to Koti's limited experience or lack there of. Being whipped, to the bone or not, was a punishment he never wanted to experience first-hand. Or even to watch, now that he thought about it. It was too harsh a punishment, and he couldn't think of what action would justify it.

"No, I didn't think... not for long, anyway.." The jaguar always knew it was impossible to stay hidden for the entire journey. How could anyone stay hidden for weeks and weeks, aboard a ship? He couldn't turn invisible! Feeling just a little ashamed of his poor plan, Koti looked to the deck and mumbled something, frowning. It would have to be alright, doing jobs here and there.. what could go wrong with that? Naturally, the idea of punishments made him twitch and begin to protest, but he quickly quietened and nodded.

"What.. what if I don't know I can do? Are you going to tell me, or do I have to figure it out?" Flicking an ear, he turned to the cheetah. "No. You're right." He didn't sound at all pleased that she had correctly guessed why he was here, but he wasn't going to comment on that. It was bad enough that the feline duo now had some idea of why he wouldn't go back home; he really didn't need the rest of the crew eavesdropping and hearing everything.

[Silvery_Lady]

His words made clear that he hadn't a family waiting for him somewhere, just like Claire was thinking, but the following small provocation that he threw to her, make the cheetah woman react immediately.
Quick as an arrow, she reached him, stopping just a step away from him, a powerful growl leaving her wide open mouth, her white fangs completely on display, her ears pinned against her head in an attacking pose.
-I could show you mine, for a start.- she growled at him, deadly serious -And trust me, cub, you wouldn't like that.- she warned him.

At her snap, Logan seemed to take a step forward, to stop her, but in the end he stayed still on his place; despite their little play, he was aware that challenging her in a moment like that would have meant a really unpleasant "private conversation" in her cabin, later.
The rest of the crew too, looked at the scene without daring to say anything, letting the new arrived alone, dealing with her.

Anyway, after her instinctively demonstration of supremacy, Claire responded at his last questions.
-Someone will teach you. We don't expect you to be an expert...how could that be possible? You have never stepped on a ship in your life, i can tell just looking at you.- she concluded, now moving away a bit and giving one rapid glance at the lion man.
-So...it's settled?- she asked, giving the illusion that he was the one to decide, and Logan slowly nodded.
-Yes, he can stay.- the man told him, before realizing that during the scene the whole crew had been fooling around instead of working, and his lieutenant's habits forced him to look around, before shouting at everyone -What the hell are you still doing here?! Get back to work, everyone! Move!- she ordered, with a roar.

Pointless to say, in less than a minute, only three of them were still on the deck.
The female cheetah smiled at the boy, recovering her previous good mood.
-Great, then...come with me, now. I'll show you the ship and i'll tell you the rules. And what happen to the ones who break them.-

[EbonyFox]

Koti hadn't hoped his comment would be taken seriously; after all, he was just a cub. What harm could he do on board this ship? Nevertheless, he was taken aback when the cheetah darted forward, her growl reason enough for him to change his attitude, even just barely. "R-right-- trust m-me, you won't have to!" The jaguar's own fangs (and claws, for that matter) were deadly enough, but he wasn't an experienced fighter. That, and he wasn't interested in fighting with anyone such as the cheetah.

His flat flat against his head, Koti tried to ignore the rest of the crew. Whatever they heard and saw couldn't be changed by him, so he would have to live with that fact. At the very least, he was grateful that the captain hadn't stepped in and escalated things, though Koti could easily do that on his own.

"Someone.. " He wanted to ask 'who' that someone would be (now that he had a change of heart about the cheetah's friendliness), but he didn't get a chance to ask it. Instead, he nodded again. "It's settled, for what it's worth.. I can't go back." 'Can't' and 'won't were to different things, but to him they were the same.

The stowaway flinched when the captain called out to the other crew, ordering them back to their duties. He pulled at his vest, self-consciously, and sighed softly when the cheetah told him to follow.

"There aren't too many rules... and punishments, I hope(?) Do I have to start work right away, er..." Trailing off, he realized that he didn't know what to call the cheetah. Well, in his mind he had a name for her: Wildcat, as she truly felt like the wildest of the two big cats. It wasn't a good name, but that was the whole point.