The Start of Something...

[Skipper Of Sea Otters]

The Skipper stood up and stretched. He walked over to the Infirmary and stood at the door. It was a bloody mess. There were several otters on cots. Some dead, Others just barely alive. There was blood everywhere though. Both dried and wet. Several of the skippers crew were tending to them. Some had injuries themselves. In the far corner out of site two of the infirmary beast were holding down an otter. All that could be seen was a shadow.

"No lemme go! Its not that bad! It'll heal!"
"Mate! Its rotting away! Your going to infect the whole crew it it stays!"
"No! No it'll heal!"
Undertaker walked past them into the Infirmary to the otter. He had his meat cleaver out.
"Wait...No! Stop! It'll heal! Get some of those Jars! Whats in those jars?! Will it help!?! Stop! Please! GAH!!!! AAAAHHHH!!!"

The shadow of Undertaker and his cleaver could be seen swinging downward with a spray of blood followed by the poor otters screams. "Give me a jar of Reddust and some wrapping..." Said Undertakers voice. The Skipper looked in with an unchanging expression turning to Natasha. "Poisoned Arrows...These otters were scouting the shoreline last night when they were attacked by unseen beast...they dont know 'ow many but they were hit...slaughtered..." he said stepping into the infirmary, into the pools of blood.

[Scarlet]

Silently, Natasha followed Skipper towards the room which she would soon know to be the infirmary. When they reached the entrance, she began to feel uneasy, her fur prickling as she beheld the vast amounts of dried and moist blood that seemed to line the entire room that was filled with injured and dead otters. She tried hard not to show how uncomfortable being around so much blood made her. Even as she had been around such gore and disgust that would make a normal creature faint or vomit, this was beyond her experience with such things. A scent of rust and salt assailed her nostrils, and caused her throat to constrict and feel as if she were choking on something. This feeling quickly passed though, as she forced it to go away; She had no wish to be remembered as the weasel captain who came and threw up everywhere.

Natasha tried desperately to keep her face as composed and expressionless as Skippers, but she knew she did not entirely succeed. She couldn't help but flinch as Undertaker brought the meat cleaver down on the poor creature's leg, slicing through muscle and bone alike.
" Terrible." She managed to say, her voice a little tight as she forced out the word in sympathy for what happened to Skipp's crewmembers.

[Skipper Of Sea Otters]

The Skipper could tell she was having a hard time in the room. The guided her out of the room by the shoulder leaving bloody paw prints as he walked. "You okay matey?" he asked concerned for her. He led her into the kitchen...maybe a bad choice considering the mixture of smells her snout would be experiencing from Blood and death to kitchen odors. "This is where we do all the preparation cooking for the crew before we head out and when were resting here...You can go around and taste things if you like..."

[Scarlet]

Natasha was touched at Skip's concern for her " No, no I'm fine really. Just a little overwhelmed by the sight is all." She tried desperately not to glance down, but she did and caught sight of what she had thought would be there; Bloody paw prints trailed their way backward, disappearing into a pool of blood within the confines of the infirmary. As Skip led the way to the next room on her guided tour, Natasha braced herself for whatever may come to her attention.

This time, Natasha was better at hiding her discomfort as she went from a blood filled room to the kitchens. After seeing such gore in the infirmary, Natasha wondered why Skip would lead her to the place where food was cooked and baked. She thought that he was, most likely, used to the smell of blood so therefore the transition of smells from blood to food did not affect him in whole.

"I see... No, I'd rather not right now; Still full from that delicious soup you fed me earlier." She said, trying to sound as normal as possible. She wasn't far from her goal of sounding nonchalant, but there was still a sense of tightness in her voice that could only belong to her being so tense.

[Skipper Of Sea Otters]

To tell the truth the only part worth staying near was the middle of the cave. The pool of water in the middle was crystal clear and had a blue/green light glow illuminating from it. The pool of water went down, down. One could even follow it a quarter of a mile to the cove where the Skipper kept his ships. The pool of water was the one true spectacle of the cave. Several of the crew were sitting around it. Every now and then one would jump in and another would jump out.


The Skipper then led her to the Weapons store where the crew kept extra weapons and and things they didn't immediately need. It was more for storage. Next he led her to The crew's barracks. He walked through the tunnel and it came into another opening. Almost as large as the main portion of the Cave. Sometimes the entire crew would sleep in here. Others preferred to sleep in the main opening or out under the stars at the ledge of the overlook at the entrance. Of course they're were always a good portion of the crew at the cove with the ships and those that were already at sea on the ships.

He then led her to his quarters. It was a good size little room. He had his cot which was actually the cleanest in the entire cave. There was his his trunks which held all his special items and weapons, and few shelves built in on the sides of the cave wall. There were several torches on the wall providing exceptional lighting. There were books on the shelf as well. Some readable others just barely. On the immediate right wall, closest to the main chamber of the cave there were blood stains splattered as if a beast had been killed by knife(other than that it was a clean room. On the far right wall in the corner, there was a tall object, just over the size of an otter. It was covered by a cloth that draped down to the floor.

"You'll will sleep here tonight matey. I wont have ye anywhere else. Its the most comfortable place in Holt anyway. I'll have some crew best sleep by the door to make sure ye stay safe." he said beginning to exit through the tunnel.



((i'll have to draw this place for ya. Its pretty cool....))

[Scarlet]

Natasha followed Skip as he continued showing her different rooms and sections of the holt. She was amazed at the vastness of the entire place; It really was enormous. She often thought to herself what a brilliant place Skip had picked out to have his holt. It had plenty of room for his crew members and weapons and food and everything.

As Skip led Natasha to his quarters, she grew a bit nervous of what she would find there, for Skip was no pansy. He was a fierce creature from what knowledge she had acquired of him over the last hour. But he was also kind, and in that way his personality was very complex. As she glanced about his room, it appeared fairly nice. It was clean and rather organized. Only two things kind of spooked her a bit; The tall cloth covered item in the corner and the blood splattered wall. She wondered what had happened there that there would be blood strewn on his wall, but she didn't bother herself about it. At his words of her staying here for the night, though, she wanted very much to protest. She restrained herself though, for it would be exceedingly rude if she did so.

" If you insist then I shall. Thank you, Skip." Natasha spoke with deep respect. It was a great action of respect toward herself, what Skip offered.

[Skipper Of Sea Otters]

The skipped turned his face and nodded to her. "Sleep well...I'll make sure breakfast is ready in the morning..." He glanced behind him once more before exiting again, concerned the infirmary was too much for her.

He stepped out into the main chambers of the holt and stretched. Walking over to the holt entrance he looked outside. It was dark and rainy. It even seemed that the wind was picking up. This storm could go on longer than expected. He stepped away and walked over to the pool. He set his things down, jumped in the water and began swimming. This was the Skipper's way of relaxing. It was a way to relieve stress and clear his mind...which was what he needed. The matter at hand was the slaughter of his crew on the beach. Of the 25 beast sent out only 8 returned...but not with cost. The poison causes the flesh to rot slowly over time. Unfortunately for some it was too late. The poison had rotted away the vital organs.

The Skipper seemed to glide through the water, weaving in and out between the stalagmites and the stalactites, snatching up small fish in his mouth when it came in his way. The massacre on the beach troubled him. The only explanation he could come up with...as unnerving as it was...Dannarth Tolrak. The Skipper began to slow his pace at this thought. He had to know...he had to know if it was The wildcat or something he didn't know about. He hoped it was something Unknown....He would deal with this later though. Now he was growing tired. He surfaced the water coming up in the cove where the ships were docked. It was a whole half-mile from the main holt. He climbed the rope ladder leading up to the cold stone floor.

Several beast were sitting around a fire talking amongst themselves. As the skipper walked by they started to stand in acknowledgment. The skipper quickly waved them back down. "Watcha were doin' mates...watcha were doin'..."He said continuing his walk. He spotted Blade standing near the entrance to the cove, staring out at the rain with his arms crossed shivering. Skipper approached him. "You okay mate?" he asked. Blade looked behind him seeing Skipper. "Aye Skip...Just a little tired..."He said leaning against the cove wall. Skipper put a paw on his shoulder. "Hows yer..." He asked referring to when He kicked him. Blade smiled. "Im fine...Look i'm sorry I-" the Skipper held up a paw. "Its okay. I shouldn't have kicked ya...but...Lets not talk about the Undertaker's past...If he wants beast to know about it...which I doubt he does...He'll tell 'em 'imself..." He said patting Blade on the shoulder. "Yeah...Yeah I gotcha' Skip..." he said with a tired smile. "You comin' back to tha' Holt tonight?" The Skipper asked. "Na'...I think i'll stay 'ere tonight..." The Skipper patted him on the back one last time.

He stepped out of the cove and into the rain. He decided to Sleep out in it. It reminded him of the sea...and brought back memories. He walked a good distance up the cliff and above the holt entrance. Finding a comfortable spot on the rocks and went to sleep, letting all the rain hit face and fur.

[Scarlet]

Natasha was a bit uncomfortable, being put up in Skipper's quarters. She gingerly made her way across the room and sat on the edge of the cot. She sat there for a long time, thinking about everything that had transpired throughout the day. It was an odd day, and even though Skipper showed no deceiption and she had no reason not to trust him, she felt a little endangered being with such a fierce group, especially Skipper himself.

Natasha stood, and took off her array of weaponry, though she kept the small dagger she always had strung about her neck and hidden beneath the cloth of her tunic. It has saved her life many a time before, when treachery was the order of the day. The dagger was about the length of her paw and quite wide. The hilt was bound with tattered black cloth, the metal plain steel with no adornment visible.

She looked around the room, her eyes lingering on the cloaked figure in the corner. It was rather eerie, and Natasha's mind was filled with a strong curiousity to know what lie beneath the cloth. She also felt she didn't want to know, but this feeling she supressed with her extreme curiosity. She walked over to the figure, and with a slight hesitation, lifted the cloth away from the figure to expose what it had hidden a moment before.

[Skipper Of Sea Otters]

As the cloth came off It was both scary, shocking and intriguing all at the same time. On the right side was the skeleton of an otter. There were many blade marks all over it as if the otter had been in many fights. Blood stains could be seen where skin was once attached. It was mainly a clean skeleton though as if it has been well prepared. In the middle on the floor a slightly smaller skeleton. That of a wildcat. A young one. It had not bee treated at all. It seemed as if the only treatment was being soaked in the sea and letting the sea rot flesh away. In the chest of the wildcat was a rusted dagger and in the neck was another. On the very end was a evil looking medallion. It was A Grey-ish black, flattened, leafed medallion. In the middle was a Wildcat skull with red gems inlaid as the eyes. It was truly nobody in their right mind would think about carrying. Also on the floor was metal shoulder armor with the same design inlaid on each side. The shoulder armor was rusted over with dried blood. There seemed to be bloodstains on the floor around the object as well. Surprising it didnt smell...if anything it smelled of the sea. But it was extremely eerie and unerving looking.

[Scarlet]

Even if Natasha were tough and used to disturbing and disgusting sights, this was far too eerie and haunting for her to stand. She quickly let the cloth drop back over the figures, but not before letting loose a little gasp in her shock. It was indeed very shocking and disturbing to find the skeletal remains of an otter and wildcat in the room your host has put you in for the night. Natasha wondered why on earth Skipper would have these skeletons in his room, but tried to push the matter into the farthest reaches of her mind as she walked back to the cot and sat down.

The night was long and tiring, for Natasha could not help but feel a bit frightened now that she had uncovered such a haunting sight. She constantly glanced over at the cloth covered figure, almost scared that the ghosts of the creatures whose skeletal remains lie on the other side of the room would be there. She eventually fell asleep, though, because she was very tired.

No sunlight was there to wake her as she lay sleeping in the cavern, but she instinctively woke up a little past day break. She stood and stretched, wondering for a split second where she was before realizing it. She yawned and strapped her weaponry back on, not daring to leave it out of her sight out of habit. She opened the door and wondered what sort of breakfast Skipper was going to feed her, if any.