The Start of Something...

[Skipper Of Sea Otters]

"Well go on! Unload watcha' want to mate...Oh a chest!" he said walking over to a chest by the door in a corner. The opened it up and threw its contents to the floor. Just a few odds and ends. nothing important. "You can use this chest 'ere as yer own personal storage space. I'm sure they'll have a lock in the brig if ya want one." he said as he walked over to his large table in the middle to the charts.

[Scarlet]

Natasha smiled. " Thank you, Skipper." She said simply, and, picking up her haversack, began unloading it's contents nice and neat into the chest. While folding a pair of spare trousers, she glanced up at the Skipper, who was, at least she though, working on charting the course.
" How long again until we reach the island? Two weeks, you said?" She asked, merely trying to break the awkward silence.

She moved onto folding her emerald green dress, which she normally wore with a brown leather vest laced tightly over. She had brought it just in case, as she normally did. It was her favorite outfit of all; The dress was a deep emerald, knee-length dress, made of a rough woven silk material. The sleeves were well fitted to her elbows, ending with a simple gold stitched hem. The vest that she wore over was a very tough, dark leather, laced tightly with dark golden dyed ribbons.

[Skipper Of Sea Otters]

"How long again until we reach the island? Two weeks, you said?"

"Aye...two weeks." he said plotting a course. "And clicks due east...." he continued this time, talking to himself moving the setters two clicks over. He looked at the compass. "What!" he shouted grabbing the compass from the table and throwing it against the wall, shattering it into pieces. He grabbed the side of the table and heaved it over in anger and frustration, the Table contents falling to the floor with a loud crash. His chest heaved in and out as he recovered from his tantrum. He glanced over at Nat. "I'm sorry...Make yourself at home here....We'll be sailing soon..." he said bounding out the door and slamming it shut.

[Scarlet]

Natasha was, to say the least, a bit shocked. At first she thought it was something she must have said, but then she realized it wasn't. Odd, and slightly scary, were Natatsha's thoughts on the incredibly unpredicted action. She didn't say anything, though, even as a quill pen skittered across the floor and stopped an inch from where she knelt in front of the chest. Trying to seem as normal as possible, Natasha finished folding the dress, and placed the vest on top of where it now sat at the bottom of the chest. " Okay!" She said, right before the Skipper dashed from the room, slamming the door behind him.

"For God's sakes, what have I gotten myself into?!" She cursed quietly to herself, for only now did she realize just how mad the Skipper must be. What the bloody hell was the beast thinking?! I'm gonna have to watch myself around him, I am. And with this thought in mind, she finished unloading her haversack and placed the chest by the wall.

Breathing in deeply of the salty air, she stepped out of the cabin, nearly jumping as a loud clash of thunder erupted from the dark skies. A passing crew beast tried in vain to hold in a snicker at this, but stopped when Natasha gave him a harsh glance. When he was gone, a satisfied smile couldn't help but creep upon her lips. Although the Skipper may be mad, I know I shall not regret this decision. And, thinking upon that, she wandered about the deck, trying to figure out exactly when they were going to shove off.

[Skipper Of Sea Otters]

The ship had already undocked and was idling just outside the cave while the rest of the beast tended to the rest of the process. The Skipper was at the front of the ship. leaning on the railing and looking out. He was very distressed and looked like he was on the edge of snapping. He looked backwards to Nat and motioned her over. "I've gotten ya' into somethin' matey...We might not come back from this voyage...Its something that must be done....but where were going we...there's a big chance we may not come back...I understand if you want to leave..." he said a little disappointed in himself, wishing he had charted the course before inviting someone that he didn't wish to be involved. "I-...I can understand. He said turning around waiting for an answer, but not wanting to look her in the eyes. There was something about her he couldn't put a paw on that he liked...but perhaps it was something of her he didn't want to see end...even if they made it back undiscovered. It would be a large risk...

[Scarlet]

Natasha threw a worried glance at the Skipper. What the bloody hell was he talking about? He certainly didn't mention this before, and why he would have waited was a mystery to her. She watched him carefully. He didn't meet her eyes. This was bad, very bad, and yet, Natasha nodded. She could easily deal with this, for why would she care for her life? Because she promised Pierre she'd be careful.... Well, she would be careful. She would carefully try not to get killed on this dangerou adventure.

"I'll go." Natasha said simply, the worry gone from her face and replaced by some wierd form of satisfaction and happiness. Or maybe it was carelessness and despair, it was hard to tell. Maybe is was a mixture of all four. She smiled. " Just one thing; Exactly why is this errand so dangerous?" Her curiousity was light and airy, seemingly carefree, as she said this. Maybe that was truly how she felt. She was frightened a little, grant it, but only a little; Not enough to cause her to rethink her decision.

[Skipper Of Sea Otters]

Not a smile ran across his face as she sealed her decision to go. He even ignored the question...

"Furl the sails!" he shouted walking towards his position on the steering platform up the stairs. "All crewbeast to your positions! Paws at the ready and on tha' ropes! Lock down the guns and baton down the hatches!" he shouted continuing the continuous barrage of commands. The Skipper seemed less enthusiastic about the trip than he did before. Why....is this the only way there... he asked himself. So much frustration and anger was building up in him, The past was approaching him all too quickly again...He didn't like it...He tried to stay as far away from his past a possible.

"Make yourself useful and grab a rope!" he shouted down to Nat a bit rudely. Thinking about his past was beginning make him act like he used to be...he needed to calm down...

[Scarlet]

At first, Nat was not upset, because it didn't truly matter to her why the errand was so dangerous. She thought that he didn't want to tell her because if would worry her or some such. And who was she to badger the Skipper about it anyway? She let it go, and got ready to shove off and into the dangerous storm, and onto something far more dangerous than any storm.

"Make yourself useful and grab a rope!" The Skipper shouted at Nat, very rudely. A little hurt and angry, she grabbed the first rope she saw and proceeded to help the crew with the normal to-dos when about to sail into a storm like that. Natasha had done this several times before, and knew what she was about. Although the noise of the increasing wind, thunder and lightning would be considered to squash one's own thoughts, it was almost as if it was helping Natasha to have clearer thoughts.

Why the hell wouldn't he tell me? I've a right to know what the flippin' big deal is..... I will find out, eventually! Nat promised to herself angrily while helping the crew to furl the sails. She was balanced precariously near the top of the mast, and any sudden jolt would most likely send her flying. It's a bloody good thing I've this life line 'round my waist! She exclaimed in her mind as the ship rocked about.

Sails secured, she descended down the mast nimble as any squirrel, and leapt back onto the deck. Seeing as everything was in order to set sail, she made her way over to the Skipper and stood beside him, waiting for him to say something over the loud sounds of the storm.

[Skipper Of Sea Otters]

The Lancebreaker was now miles away from shore. The waves were increasing in size and the clouds were growing darker. The ship would increase in motion with each dip of the hull as they came off each wave. Now normally, the Skipper would be laughing his head off at the excitement and the crew would laugh with him because they knew it would be okay. But the Skipper had more on his mind than the near death experience of sailing in a storm. His thoughts were on actual death. The Skipper lived for fear, he enjoyed it, especially when it was placed on others by himself. But when it came to certain things...its what leads up to death that actually had him thinking. Why was the Skipper so quiet? Every one of the Skippers crew members were thinking on this, but they dare not say a word.

The ropes were growing tight around the front mast, dangerously tight. The Skipper saw this and reacted. "On that rope! Some beast loosen that rope!" he ordered pointing to it with a clawed paw. "Aye Skip!" an otter said that was holding on for dear life. The Beast grabbed hold of the rope and began untying it. It wouldn't move! "Somebeast give me a hand!" he shouted. the rope was almost at a breaking point. "Nat!" the Skipper shouted. "Give that beast a hand!" he ordered. Not in a rude way but still with a tone of authority. Suddenly the rope snapped. The end of the rope struck the otter in the head killing him instantly and badly thrashing anybeast within a yard of it. The Otter fell to the deck and rolled against the railing.

The wind begun to kick up the sail the rope was holding. Several other smaller gauge ropes began snapping until the sail broke away from the ship. The skipper cursed aloud attempting to keep the Ship on course...which he did quiet expertly...

[Scarlet]

Nat narrowly missed being hit by the thrashing rope, witness to the gruesome sight of an otter being killed by the force of it. With a few staggering steps backward, she nearly fell to the deck, the ship being rocked about violently by the deafening storm. Struggling to regain her balance, she bounded over to help the crew with the ropes. Paws grasped tightly to a rope here and there, Nat and a few other crewmembers tried not to let anything else be whisked away into the howling sea.

Her paws busy doing the laborous work, legs pushed hard into the deck as she tried not to slip and fall, Natasha could barely think.