| Subject: PART FIVE (new) |
Author:
Dakkan
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Date Posted: 02:31:18 09/30/03 Tue
In reply to:
Dakkan
's message, "PART FOUR" on 02:29:41 09/30/03 Tue
That night, a small circle of light on the beach marked the otters’ supper gathering. Faces highlighted by the dancing flames, the holt members dined on roasted fish while a twosome performed a lively duet on shell flutes.
Salpik chewed on his meal slowly, trying to think of a good way to present his proposal to the holt. The badger mountain was in danger, he was sure of it. The more he pondered, the worse his backfur prickled, which was never a comforting sign. Swallowing the last bit of fish and taking a deep breath, he stood, holding a paw up to silence the players. “Can I have yore attention please…”
Conversation ceased and the otters fixed their gaze on the Skipper. “Thanks. What I’ve got t’say will be difficult for some of ye t’believe. I’ve heard from our new matey Kib here that the mountain of Salamandastron is in great danger. Vermin have a blackmail plot in th’works that may actually gain them the badger stronghold. We need to send an expedition out to prevent somethin’ like that from happenin’. Anybeast with me?”
Only the sound of breaking waves broke the silence that followed. Finally Rockspar stood and addressed his friend, an almost pitying expression on his face. “Mate, this all sounds a bit farfetched. No Badger Lord would give up the mountain. Not for anythin’!”
Kib spoke quietly from the driftwood log he was sitting on. “You wouldn’t say that if you knew what the vermin were after. There is something about that treasure that badgers would give anything to not fall into vermin paws. Maybe even their mountain. I heard this all off a rat, a half-drowned member of a crew that knows where to look for it. This is the same crew that pillaged my boat and killed my family.”
Rockspar snorted. “So what you want is revenge, eh?”
Kib’s expression was indignant. “You think I would lead a holt of otters out into dangerous seas just to return a murder? I may be a ferret, Rockspar sir, but my thoughts aren’t all little strategies to make beasts get me what I want. If I meet up with the corsairs I’ll deal with ‘em…but I won’t put you all in danger on my account.”
Rockspar was annoyed deep inside…he knew the ring of sincerity, but he just couldn’t bring himself to trust the ferret. He met himself halfway with a stiff, short bow. “I apologize.”
Breaker stood at Salpik’s side. “I’m with ye, mate. I, too, may need to get used to our new matey Kib…but I trust our Skipper if he trusts the ferret!”
A black otter stepped out of the shadows into the firelight. “Aye, count Shadwave in!”
With a groan, a middle-aged holtbeast rose to his paws and blinked his single eye at Salpik. “I’ll go too. Been rovin’ a fair few times in my day; you’ll need some experience.”
Several other otters joined in. “We’re with you, Skip! Adventure would suit us nicely right now!”
Rockspar crossed the circle of otters and stood by Salpik. “All right, I’m in too. Let’s go tan some corsair hide!”
Late that night, as Salpik lay in his hammock, he reflected on the journey he was to begin the following day. The main thing that was arousing his curiosity was the nature of the object the Badger Lords supposedly valued so highly. What sort of thing would cause them to give up something as important as the mountain? He fell asleep without being able to answer himself.
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