| Subject: PART FOUR |
Author:
Dakkan
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Date Posted: 02:29:41 09/30/03 Tue
In reply to:
Dakkan
's message, "PART THREE" on 02:23:27 09/30/03 Tue
Brine sat next to Kib as the ferret popped grilled shrimp into his mouth. “You gots a funny tail,” the babe bluntly observed, running a tiny paw through the long fur of Kib’s tail.
“Brine!” chastised Salpik, trying not to crack a smile. “Let that ferret eat ‘is food in peace.”
The mischievous otterkit clapped a paw to his mouth in mock horror. “Ferret? ‘E be’s a vermin then, Mista Skip, mate! Where my ‘arpoon?” Seizing a stick, Brine tapped Kib firmly in the chest with it.
A wisp of a grin on his face, Kib dropped his shrimp and fell backwards off the driftwood log he’d been sitting on. “Arrgh, ye’ve got me, ‘earty!” he gasped dramatically, imitating corsair slang and letting his tongue loll out.
Brine dropped his stick in horror. Climbing frantically up on Kib’s stomach, he seized his whiskers in both paws and shook hard. “Mista Kib ferret! Wake up, I not mean t’hurt me matey!”
Kib stayed where he was, sprawled on his back in the sand. Brine started to shake more desperately. “Kib!!”
“Rrrrraaagh!” roared the ferret, sitting up suddenly and throwing the young otter off. Brine squealed in fear and surprise, but joined Kib’s laughter after he’d calmed a bit. “Heeheehee, mista ferret me funny mate!”
Rockspar stood in the shadow of the holt entrance, leaning on his harpoon, brows furrowed. His son was playing. With a vermin. The big otter growled to himself. This ferret may not be a murderer, but how was his son to grow up and fight if he didn’t even have a clear picture of what a vermin was? With a snort, he stood upright and stalked into the sunlight.
Kib was busy tickling Brine (“Ohahahahahaheeeheeehee! Please, no more tickle me, mate!”) when Rockspar grabbed his tail and hefted him into his arms. “Time for nap,” he grunted by way of explanation.
The ferret sighed as the two otters disappeared into the holt. “Doesn’t trust me yet, I s’pose.”
Salpik smiled and spilled another ladleful of shrimp onto Kib’s plate. “It’ll take him a while, mate,” he reassured with a smile. “Now, tell me more about your family.”
Kib stared at the ocean. “They were the kindest beasts I’ve ever known. My father was the Skipper, but he only ruled over his wife and three sons…and me. He used to have a holt further south, but soon after I joined the family he got restless for the open sea. So we built ourselves a small ship. She was light and fast, and only big enough for us six beasts. We sailed all over, exploring and mapping. When we got wind of treasure, we went after it. It gave us somethin’ to do. But after we heard of the badger’s treasure…that was different. See, we heard it off a searat we found floating in the sea one day. He’d been cast overboard for some minor offense and was close to death. Anyway, his captain was planning on finding that treasure. Not for the riches, however…apparently there was a piece of that treasure that Badger Lords would value above all other things. Perhaps even their mountain. If this corsair captain finds the treasure, we fear that he’ll try to buy Salamandastron with it, and worse, that the current Badger Lord will accept. The only way we could stop this was to follow the pirates. We were going to either take it from them once they found it…or get there first. But our ship was sunk, and there’s no hope now.”
Salpik looked at Kib, a strange light in his green eyes. “Perhaps there is…”
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