Furry-Within

Willem pulled his pistol and pointed it at the barrel Kar had just bumped. "OI! SPRING OUT YE WEE BASTARD!" The captain could be heard sighing and locked the wheel. "Willem, I swear to the gods, old and new, if you shoot one more barrel of fine mead open just to kill a damnable RAT."

Willem turned, glaring at the wolf and and pulled back the hammer before glaring at the barrel again. "That wasn't a rat . . . never met one, could knock a damned BARREL." The Captain stepped down the stairs, and pulled his pistol down. "And as long as you keep your damned mouth shut, the rats will be fine . . ." The way he spoke made it seem that he wasn't truly talking of rats. Then he pulled the pistol from the man's hand, pushing it's hammer forward, careful to keep it from firing. "No one knows what's in the cargo that doesn't need to know. You, and I . . . and the rats that chew on our crumbs and our boxes. None other."

Willem was glaring at him "it was folley putting something so foul and dread on this ship, on ANY ship . . . where in the hells below did you even find . . ." he looked toward the stairs again, and then back to the Captain. "No, I don't want to know . . . you probably pulled it from the cold burning claws of the Dark One himself." He shook visibly and came to the rail again, coughing over it and puking up his hastily eaten dinner and drinks. The Captain came past the barrel, looking directly at Kar and saying nothing, but the eyes that stared down at her burned red even in the darkness of the night around them, the stars vanishing with that look, withering everything, even the wood seemed to smell rotted for that moment, then things moved back to normal again. Before he turned away, he lifted the hat, scratching his diamond, then putting the hat back down and turning in freezing silence.

He came to smack Willem on the back. "Stop retching and take the wheel . . . I've a mind to check the cargo, make sure nothing's . . . broken." He turned back to the stairs, walking slowly "The men should like to see their captain among them . . . I should spend less time confined in my cabin, I know they grow leery of my absence."

She was pretty sure that she heard a pistol being pulled, the sound of metal on fabric and that's one sound she'd never forget. She sighed, hung her head and pressed herself further between the walls, willing herself invisible. She could hear the captain fuss at Willem and he was right, it wasn't a rat. It was a very nosey dragon who was going to get herself killed if she didn't keep her nose out of things.

She pulled her hood tight around her head as she listened to the conversation. Kar couldn't move from this spot until they left, she had gotten herself effectively trapped and she had no choice but to stay put and pray to the Gods that she wasn't found. She thought she was in the clear until the captain came sauntering by, locking eyes with her directly. She paled and swallowed hard as her stomach plummeted to her feet. She'd been caught.

She was about to open her mouth to make up some bullshit excuse as to why she was lurking around but the look on his face told her to keep her mouth shut. Everything seemed to change in the instant his eyes changed color. Red.

She felt like she was going to vomit and she clutched her stomach doubling over... The wind changed... did she smell something rotting... This whole encounter was unsettling.

She watched him as he lifted his hat and scratched his forehead and she could hear the rasp of his fingers against his diamond. As he moved off he said something about checking the cargo and she wasn't sure what he wanted her to do. He was a man of little words, apparently.

As the captain left, leaving Willem at the helm of the ship she slid down the wall, gagging softly.

Her options at this point were heavily limited, she could effectively try to blend back in with the crew and hope for the best but even then with her being found out the possibility of the this going under the rug, so to speak, was slim to none.

She decided it was best to pull herself together and make her way back to the Galley. If he was going to have her killed, or removed, he would have done it by now.

When she came to the galley, there was a small note on the door, held in place with a dagger that was stabbed into the door. The elaborate hilt was ebony with silver filigree, and a pale grey stone at the very end. A dagger the Captain kept on his left leg, a dagger he was frequently fingering and rubbing the stone of idly.

The note itself said only 3 words. "Kar. Captain's Cabin." in the twisting elegant hand of the captain. There was a strange coldness to the air around the door, inside the voices could clearly be heard still singing and telling tales, drinking and throwing things.

As Kar crept down the hallway to the galley she couldn't shake this feeling of dread. She shuffled along until she got to the door. She was just about to put her hand to the door when she noticed a note, written in beautiful, silver filigree.

She wished her stomach would stop doing somersaults.

She gritted her teeth and snatched the note. "Kar. Captain's Cabin." was all the note said, three words that made her utterly sick to her stomach. With a sigh Kar pocketed his dagger, figuring he'd wanted it back and stuffed the note into the hidden pocket in her right sleeve. Why she kept it, was unknown, even to her.

The little dragon really wished she could get something into her stomach before she did the walk of shame, but there wasn't time for that. She could hear the rest of the crew, things being thrown and the clink of silverware on plates and bowls, but she didn't want to keep him waiting or prolong what ever punishment he was going to dish out on her.


With a grumble of her stomach she made her way towards the captain's cabin. She wracked her brain with all kinds of scenarios , many of which that had a high probability of never happening. He'd probably hang her from her toes and beat her, or something. She laughed, fiddling with the hem of her shirt, making the edge really raw. This part of the ship was eerily quiet and her boots made soft thumping noises as she crossed the hallway.

She finally came to his door and with a pit of dread in her stomach, she knocked.

There was no reply to the knock, but the door softly creaked open toward the inside of the room. The cabin was massive, it spanned the back section of the ship from the top deck down to the lowest one, divided from the rest of the vessel with a thick wall of wood.

The door opened into a section that showed a large desk, a map rolled out over it showing the open sea, various nations and islands and things marked across it. In one corner was a suit the captain clearly wore from time to time, very regal and well decorated.

Across the walls there were stuffed fish and animal skulls, with a large set of jaws at the wall Kar had just come throguh, making her step over the lower set, the teeth clearly razor sharp. The whole room was lit with small lanterns, candles, and small oil sconces.

The captain was standing over the map, his back to her, brooding over what seemed to be an empty space. As she came in, he stayed silent, not even looking up or turning toward her.

You know, Kar was getting a little sick of all this "odd happenings" stuff that just seemed to follow her everywhere. Weird ass boxes, doors that open by themselves, spaces that snuffed out candles. She just rolled her eyes and stepped through the door, being careful to step over what seemed like a massive set of jaws.

She was honestly surprised by the size of this cabin as she scanned the room, taking in the space while noting skulls, bottles and the sort. She spotted the Captain leaning over what seemed to be a map of sorts.

"Sir," she started, not sure if he'd noticed she came in. "You requested to see me?" She rocked back and forth on her heels, extremely nervous now. She half expected the door to slam shut.

The door stayed open, but a raven could be heard squawking and flapping. Then the bird flew into the room, and somehow, in a storm of feathers there was suddenly a tall thin woman standing where the raven had been flying earlier. She wore a low cut dress that sat below her shoulders, dark black material that shimmered in the flickering fire light. The edges of her dress were trimmed with black feathers, she was clearly human, her head lacking any hair, but her eyes were black as obsidian, a pair of shining coals like holes in the white of her eyes. She smelled like salt, and herbs and perfume.

The woman closed the door behind herself, walking up toward Kar. Mikkaddo suddenly spoke "Sayoko . . . you need to stop entering unannounced, I'm sure the poor boy's terrified." She stepped directly up behind Kar, moving her hands to the girl's shoulders. "It would be hard to do that since she's not a boy." She gave a lilting laugh that seemed to have a cold edge to it.

The captain stood tall, turning to face them, and looked at Kar again, squinting and staring hard. "You heard something you shouldn't have you know little one." The woman, silent behind Kar moved a hand around to Kar's throat, her nails were long and ink black and shined like the feathers of her dress. When the nails touched her throat it was clear they were very sharp.

"I can't risk you telling the crew . . ." The woman smiled though, her other hand pulling down Kar's hood, and she leaned forward to bite at the dragon's ear lightly. "Mmm, leave her alone . . . she doesn't know what she heard, it was just talk . . . not like she's been down to the hold to see them." Mikkaddo glared straight at the woman and gave a soft growl. "She didn't need to know there were more than one either."

He stared at Kar again, locking eyes with her. "I hear a single word from anyone other than Willem about them . . . I'm coming straight to you."

A raven? Before she could even process this new development the raven transformed into a woman. As if things couldn't get any weirder there was a shapeshifting woman to add to the mix and she was extremely beautiful. Everything about her held the color of raven's feathers and Kar was completely taken aback by her choice of wardrobe, too. Not to mention her perfume was extremely intoxicating.

The click of the door shutting brought Kar back to attention. Something about this whole situation was extremely odd.

Kar took a step to the side, trying to move out of the other woman's way when the Captain spoke. She swung her attention back to him, still brooding, it seemed?

Sayoko, eh? She looked back at the woman- who looked like she was going to eat Kar alive- and shivered. Terrified was an understatement. Weirded the fuck out would be more apt.

She was just about to open her maw to speak when the Raven woman dropped a bombshell by outing her to the captain, laying her close kept secret out for all to see. How'd she figure it out? It wasn't that obvious, though...

Fuck.

She gulped and was about to plead her case when the raven leaned down and nipped her ear. With a moan that betrayed her body, she took a step back. She liked to toy with people, apparently.

She listened to them talk amongst themselves while going on about the cargo and how she wasn't supposed to know there was more... But the thing was that she knew all about it..

"I..." she started, her voice had all but failed her now. So much for that extremely tough exterior. She couldn't tell what was sapping her courage. She'd always felt weird around the captain, but this was new and she didn't like it.

"I won't tell a soul. I promise.."

The Captain was silent, all but glaring at her, and the woman gave a laugh that almost sounded more like she was purring, and whispered to the girl "Mmm, that's an understatement, if you do, I'll know even if he doesn't." She bit the dragon's ear again, making a soft moan herself, her hand gripping the girl's throat, the other moving down from her shoulder to grab one of her small breasts.

The Captain, seemingly satisfied with that answer turned back to his map again, using some tools to mark out a path on the map, a small model of a ship out in the open ocean itself. The woman licked along her ear slowly and then backed up, moving around her to lean on the back of the Captain. Her hands running up his back and down his arms. "You still aren't sure where to find it? I've told you what I saw . . ." The Captain growled and looked back at Kar. "Now . . . is not . . . the time."

She gave another laugh and kissed his neck, moving to nip his ear the same way, then looked back to Kar, her pale white skin a stark contrast to the black feathers of her dress, and the black of her eyes. "She won't tell . . . besides, you already told me, if she does . . . I get to have a special feast." The Captain growled again. "Oh hush, it's fine if she knows . . . it might motivate her." She grinned at Kar, making a kissing motion to her, and then licking her lips.

Kar shivered at the nip to her ear, again. What was her game here? Turning her on? She hoped not, she didn't need the captain scenting her out that way. She was about to protest to her ear being nibbled on when the raven woman grabbed her by the neck and pulled her head back. Not rough, but just enough to get the girl to moan, long and loud. Oh god. She wriggled in her grasp when her breast was grabbed.

"Hnn... D-don't." She mewled.

Obviously satisfied, Sayoko moved off to turn her attentions to the captain and left Kar hanging there, mildly hot and bothered. what was with her?

She kind of stood there with a deer in the headlights look when she started bothering the captain, who didn't seem all that interested in her attentions. Was is because of Kar?

She locked eyes with the captain and shivered. She took a few steps back and pressed her body against the wall.

"I really won't tell... I'd rather not... well. I'd rather not be subject to whatever she," Kar pointed at the Raven Woman. "Has in mind, personally..."

She idly played with the hem of her shirt, just listening.

"Motivate me...to do what?"

The Captain was quiet, and tight lipped at that, almost looking carved out of stone. The woman however, was grinning and came up to Kar, tracing a single sharp claw up along the center of her chest, to her throat, moving her hand to hold the girl's throat again. "To keep our secrets, and your silence. A few days from now, we'll be at our destination . . . and you'll get to find out what we're after." She turned to the Captain, who was growling again.

"Let her leave, she's not yours unless she can't hold her tongue." The woman gave a frown and pulled Kar toward her, looking her in the eye, and licking her lips again. "Feel free to call on me . . . when you get lonely." Her smile was wide, but the look in those black eyes said volumes. She slowly walked around behind Kar, trailing her sharp nails along the girl's throat, then opened the door behind her. Only the flapping of wings gave the clue that she was gone.

The Captain was still there, brooding over his maps and then looked up. "Remember what we said . . . there's a few days until we reach where we're going, get back to your work, and before you know it we'll be at our destination. Then . . . then I will have a use for you again."

She really needed Sayoko to leave her alone, but that wasn't going to happen by the looks of it. She just had to take this unwanted affection and with another moan her body betrayed her again and she felt weak in the knees. By no means was Kar a lesbian, but this was her first encounter with a woman. She grunted, she was a virgin for gods sakes, so she wasn't even 100% sure herself of what she liked.

"Hn.." She mewled, feeling the other woman's hands at her throat again, feeling utterly helpless. Well, check that off the list of things she liked.

At this point all Kar could do was nod and take in what they were saying. A destination of sorts, no matter how vague it was she could tell it was extremely important to The Captain.

The instructions were clear enough, though. Keep your mouth shut and you're golden. That was easy enough. Who did she have to talk to? Willem? She laughed to herself. He was already aware of what ever was going on here.

As quick as the Raven Woman came, she left, but not before molesting Kar on the way out, talking about seeing her if she's ever lonely. Kar just shivered.

A use for her. "Yes, sir," she managed, finally finding her voice as she quickly turned on her heels and all but ran back to her room, slamming the door behind her.

The next week or so would pass mostly uneventfully, sometimes Willem or the Captain would be seen coming out of the cargo hold at the bottom of the ship, and often she would see the Raven on a railing, sitting in the frame of a port hole, always watching her, and if the Captain is around, squawking and making sure he looked to see her. For his part, he stayed mostly silent, rarely if ever talking.

The ship ran up and down through swells, which seemed to get worse each day and night that they traveled, the men started joking that the ocean was trying to throw the ship into the sky. Then, one afternoon a pair of men passed by Kar, seeming to not notice her. "I'll say it one last time . . . I saw it, meself . . . the Green Horizon, it's real!" The other man gave a long sigh "Gods be damned, there's no such thing!" The first one refused to listen.

"I tells you, it's REAL, ask the Captain if you don't believe ME." The other man laughed "Aye, and have him looking at me like I've asked if water is wet for me trouble." The first man was not through arguing though. "OI, it's true, he's seen one himself, Will-"

"Yeah, Willem said so, I'm sure he did . . . just like the Captain got his Diamond from a Narwhall, just like Willem and the Captain was on a crew fought a ship crewed by the damned that was burnin in the water as it sailed, just as he was captured by Davey Jones hisself and SOMEHOW escaped alive." The men kept arguing as they passed Kar by, never noticing he was around and soon vanishing into another deck.

As the time passed, Kar mostly kept to herself. Out of site and out of mind was the best course of action here. She laughed to herself, thinking at one point that she actually thought she could stowaway on this ship; though to give her credit that was before she noticed the hyper-sexual raven lady.

The rocking and falling of the boat didn't bother her as much as she thought it was going to and she seemed to rather enjoy the movements the longer she was on the ship and the transition to land was going to be rather interesting. And, speaking of land? She wondered where they were really going...

And, as usual, the crew was bickering amongst themselves. Despite being on the boat with them for a while now, she still hadn't made any friends. Not that it truly bothered her, but sometimes she wished she had someone to talk to.

The ability to be invisible was great, but she knew there was one person who'd always see through her cloak. The captain and the Raven. With a shrug she pushed her way though the men arguing about something that probably happened, but they refused to believe. Half of the tales Kar had heard, although farfetched, most likely happened. She shook her head, for gods sakes, a raven turned into a woman. She wouldn't be surprised if they all were true.

With a sigh she made her way to the other deck to get away from the noise and the crowd. Over head, the Raven watched her and she casually rolled her eyes at her before leaning over the edge of the railing to look down as the waves crashed and broke over the hull.

As she watched the water, a shadow darkened behind her. "What I hear, half the crew thinks you've gone and disappeared from the ship . . ." after his voice, the sound of a claw scraping bone proved it was indeed the Captain. "Part of me thought I had seen the last of you after all, maybe you'd jumped off the ship and decided to swim for land, maybe you'd tied a stone to yourself and decided to breathe sea water . . . but here you are."

There was a squawking from behind her as well. The Raven was on his shoulder. He had a small smile, just a bare turn at the edge of his lips, and only on one side. He was staring down at her, standing within only a foot or two from her. Making the difference between them more clear than ever. The crew was behind both of them, milling about doing their daily work, setting things right, tying things off, and scrubbing the deck.