trophyThe Right ReasonsFinnick’s tail swished against the deck as she put her front paws up on the side. Reaching for the edge of her line, she pulled it back up in her teeth, using a paw to guide it. The deck she threw her fish-filled net onto was bathed in sunlight. Squinting, she gazed up at the sails of the Razor Wind. Different ship; same job. Finnick was a white otter with black and grey markings, and, just a few short months ago, she was employed by the Slimy Oyster, a grimy fishing ship with a beaten down crew. They worked long hours and made very little. Finn had been sorting through the day’s catch when they arrived. There was a deafening boom, and the ship devolved to chaos. There were coworkers running to and fro, and pirates herding them into corners with swords and shouts. Finnick was knocked to the ground by one of her crew mates and looked up just in time to see one collapse as though he’d died instantly. In a desperate bid to get away from the fighting, Finnick had darted across the gang plank and into the only quiet place around - the empty other ship. There, she hid amongst their crates and sat frozen in fear for hours, When the boxes were eventually moved aside and she was discovered, they were nowhere near her original ship anymore. Just like that, whether she wanted it or not, the Razor Wind was her new home. The crew kept her in the brig for a short while before they eventually let her do odd jobs here and there. Swabbing the deck, cleaning the bunks. But, once they’d discovered she could fish, it became her full time job. Turned out, the Razor Wind had been raiding a fishing ship for a reason - none of her crew knew how to fish, at least not well enough to feed themselves. Finnick wouldn’t have said she <i>loved</i> her new job. It, so far, had mostly been fishing, which she was <i>good</i> at, but wasn’t precisely <i>fulfilled</i> by. She could tell her new crew mates didn’t think she was cut out for pirate life. And, to their credit, Finn didn’t exactly think she was cut out for it either. She wasn’t cut throat enough for plundering. She wasn’t confident enough for swindling. She was clumsy and panicked in the face of danger. Yet, something seemed to be keeping her on the Razor Wind all the same… There was a tap on Finnick’s shoulder and she turned to find Talisminn, their fearless captain, standing behind her. Finnick felt her fur stand on end. <i>“C-Captain!”</i> Aliss hadn’t been what Finnick had been expecting for captain of a cutthroat pirate ship. She was a little shark-wolf — with a velvety pink coat, gorgeous blue eyes, and thick, dark lashes. She had large, pointy ears that sat forward on her head, hooding her expressions, and a messy waterfall of bangs. She had a rough blue shark tail that swished behind her as she walked. “I want you to accompany Shen and Shrimpi in town today,” Aliss began, cooly, “if you’re going to be a part of my crew, then you need to learn how to offload our plunder.” <i>“Aye!-”</i> Finnick inhaled so quickly, she choked on her own spit. She shakily saluted as she lowered her head to cough. <i>“Aye-aye, Captain-”</i> She choked out. Aliss gestured with her nose towards the back of the ship. “They’re in the storage room gathering supplies. Why don’t you join them? Shrimpi will tell you the rest.” Finnick nodded weakly and padded off in the direction of the ship’s storage, her head hung low in embarrassment. By the time the Razor Wind had docked, the market was bustling. Children ran underfoot, vendors shouted - competing for the crowd’s attention - and carts hustled back and forth. “We like to come when the market is busiest!” Shrimpi continued to explain, looking back over her shoulder at Finn. She was a little pink shrimp cat with a long whiskers and a chitin tail. “It’s easiest to slip in and out unnoticed.” Finnick nodded nervously. “What are the Captain and her first mate up to…?” “Oh! Those two are usually off doing more important stuff. But, that’s okay! <i>We’re</i> doing the fun job!” Shrimpi said. Finnick glanced at Shen, Shrimpi’s fiancé. He was the ship’s navigator and very quiet. At least… he didn’t speak much to Finnick. His fur was blonde, yet he had bright blue jellyfish-like skin on his chest, ears, and fish tail. She caught his eye and he looked back at her with what Finnick could only interpret as polite disdain. Shrimpi stopped near the edge of the market and Shen threw down a crate, which both held their wares and they’d also use as a table. “For the next two hours, you, my friend, are Finnick - saleswoman extraordinaire!” Turned out, the “Saleswoman extraordinaire” was extraordinarily <i>bad</i> at offloading the plunder. Finnick didn’t know what to say or how to get people’s attention. “E-excuse me, sir?” The man kept walking. If he heard her, he gave no indication. “Ma’am, can I interest you in some of our wares…?” Finnick asked another passerby, holding up a metal contraption. The woman frowned. “What on Earth is that?” Finnick looked down at the metal in her paws. She actually had no idea. “Uhm! I!- Well?” Shrimpi bounded between them. <i>“This</i> little baby is one our high ticket items! You have a good eye, my friend!” She took the contraption from Finnick’s paws. “It’s a great multipurpose item from far foreign lands. It can help with gardening, cooking, cleaning - you name it!” Finn backed away from her mess, stumbling right back into Shen. He gave her a look. “…What??” Finnick asked. “I didn’t know what it was.” Shen flicked his ears back in annoyance. “Neither does she.” He hissed, his voice low. “You’re selling them a performance, Finnick - not a product.” Finnick watched Shrimpi regale a gathering crowd with all the amazing things that strange hunk of metal could do, her whole body seeming to tell the story. Shen shook his head. “Just get some more supplies from the crate, would you?” Padding over, she found a strange man inspecting the crate. Finn cleared her throat. “Can I interest you in some of our wares, sir?” “Perhaps…” He said. “A lot of these items aren’t from here. Do you and your friends travel much?” Finnick nodded. “Yessir. We just docked today. We won’t be in town long.” “I see…” Aliss and Flapjack had already returned by the time Finnick climbed back onto the boat. She was exhausted and felt hapless. Then, Aliss smiled at her and she stood up straighter. “How was her first day?” Aliss asked once they’d set sail. “Oh!” Shrimpi began, “it was!- Well…” Flapjack, the ship’s first mate, leaned around Aliss to look at the crate Shen dragged in. “Doesn’t look like you sold much.” “We were too busy saving Finnick’s sales to make much of our own.” Shen explained curtly. Finnick opened her mouth, looking for the words to defend herself. Then, the Razor Wind shook, knocking them all to the ground. “Pirates!” A familiar voice called, “You are under arrest by royal decree! Prepare to be boarded! Do not try to resist!” Finnick looked over the edge of the Razor Wind to find another ship fast approaching, and the strange man from the market on its bow. Their gangplank landed on the deck and members of the royal armada flooded onto the ship. Finnick turned to run, and saw Shrimpi bounding between attackers, causing them to hit each other as they tried to capture her. Shen slapped fighters with his tail, and the little stingers in his skin caused them to collapse. Flapjack fought off several attackers with a sword, with even his seagull, Mimi, pulling at the raiders fur and pecking their heads. A large man with a sword rushed towards Finnick and she bolted, weaving around barrels and fighters and crates. Then, her ankle tangled in her net, causing her to thump to the ground so hard she thought she may have cracked teeth. Finnick braced herself for the slash of steel, closing her eyes tight. And then… nothing. There was the sound of blades clashing and Finnick tentatively looked up. Aliss stood over her, holding a sword handle in her teeth and valiantly fighting off Finnick’s assailant. She stood close enough that Finnick could smell the salt in her fur and feel her heavy breathing. There was a steely determination in her eyes. Before Finnick knew it, the other crew was retreating back to their ship, the pirates herding them back in that direction. After they were gone, Flapjack, Shen, and Shrimpi celebrated with congratulations and shouts. Finn stood shakily. “We did it..!” She shouted half-heartedly. The three stopped cheering, giving Finnick a cold look. After a moment, they all turned away from her. Shrimpi gave a very weak smile and opened her mouth, clearly trying to say something - anything, really. But, after a moment she closed it again, shaking her head and walking off. Finnick pinned her ears back. She couldn’t take it. She clearly wasn’t meant to be a pirate anymore than she was meant for any of her other meaningless jobs and she was tired of feeling like a moron. They could take her back to shore or execute her or whatever it was they did with former crew mates. She was done. Finnick turned to go find the Captain, only to thump right into a velvety-furred chest. She stumbled back and Captain Aliss watched her quietly. “…Are you alright?" “C-captain!?-” “You snagged your leg pretty bad on that rope. Let me see it.” Taking Finn’s hind leg carefully in her paws, Aliss inspected her sore ankle. Finnick wondered if the Captain could feel the heat radiating off her fur. “It might be sore tomorrow.” They made eye contact; Finnick’s heart skipped several beats. “Are you okay?” “I-I’m fine.” It didn’t hurt anymore. …Had it ever? Finnick wasn’t entirely sure. “I’m sorry, Captain! For all the plunder I didn’t sell a-and you having to save me!” She looked away shamefully. “All of it…” Aliss shook her head. “We haven’t taught you any self-defense, or what to do in a raid, so this is really on us.” She gave Finn a slightly teasing look. “Especially considering how you ended up on the Razor Wind in the first place. We knew how you reacted to conflict.” Finn flicked her ears back and looked away in embarrassment. Aliss’ teasing smile faded. “Are you sure you want to be here? This isn’t for everyone.” Finnick watched Aliss quietly, trying to find the words. How did one tell a pirate you quit? How did one look into those blue eyes and <i>ever</i> tell her no? Eventually, Finn just nodded. “It’s not for everyone, but it is for me, Captain.” That something keeping her on the Razor Wind nodded. “Very well…” Finnick’s tail swished against the deck as she put her front paws up on the side. Reaching for the edge of her line, she pulled it back up in her teeth, using a paw to guide it. The deck she threw her fish-filled net onto was bathed in moonlight. Sighing, she gazed up at the moon. Fulfilling or not, it seemed fishing was the only thing Finnick was truly good at. Flapjack drifted up beside her just as she cast out again. “Lovely night,” he said. He put his front paws on the side of the ship, looking out over the dark waves. “Uhm… Yeah, I guess so.” Finnick mumbled. She couldn’t look at him. Whatever he had to say about the mess she’d made today, she just hoped it’d be quick. “You know, Finnick? I’ve known Aliss a long, <i>long</i> time. We grew up together, actually. Being a pirate was her first love. In some ways, I think it’s her <i>only</i> love.” Flapjack gave her a look and then sighed. “Have you ever done something you loved so much, you thought it was your calling?” Finnick had had countless jobs. She had hated all of them. “…I don’t really think I have a calling, sir.” Flapjack shook his head. “Ah, everyone is meant for <i>something.</i> Being a pirate requires dedication. We give up a lot to ride these waves and seek our adventures. It’s… not for everyone.” Flapjack put all four paws back on the deck, turning to look at her fully. “It’s a great sacrifice and you should make sure you’re making it for the right reasons.” He looked in the direction of the captain’s quarters before turning his attention back to Finnick. “Do you understand me?” Mimi swooped down, landing on his back. Finnick nodded. Flapjack turned away from her. “Think about it, okay?” He walked off, leaving Finn to her fishing, the only light on the deck coming from the window on the Captain’s Quarters’ door.trophyA New RumorThe door to the antique shop whined on its hinges as Talisminn opened the door. The dusty shop was filled with the sound of whispers. Talisminn’s pointed ears flicked, her pink coat bristled, and her rough blue tail swished as she padded across the floor - she loved a good mystery. She found them at the back of the shop, right near the counter and huddled in together. Casually inspecting the wares of the shelf, she slowly drifted closer to the group. Her ear twitched. “But, didn’t you hear about the Wive’s Tail?!” One of them hissed urgently. “They say it sank off the coast of Allspyne.” “I heard the Razor Wind sank it!” Another replied. “Allspyne?! That’s not far from here!” The third replied in horror. “What if the Razor Wind comes here?! We’re so close to shore!” “What’s the Razor Wind??” A new voice asked. “You haven’t heard?! It’s a pirate ship!” The second voice explained. “Almost no one who encounters it lives to tell the tale. No one even knows the Captain’s name!” Talisminn could hear the floorboards creak as the owner of the voice leaned in. “They just call him the ‘King of Terror.’” The final member of group scoffed. “The King of Terror isn’t real. He <i>and</i> the Razor Wind are just a scary story for pups and kits. You don’t really <i>believe</i> that?” “Oh no! He’s real!” The third voice insisted. “My father’s cousin knows a guy who worked with a guy who had a run-in with the King of Terror himself! Lost a paw! Barely survived!” “I heard he was 6 foot tall at the shoulder, 9 foot from nose to tail-tip, and <i>all</i> muscle.” “Please, <i>no one’s</i> that big.” <i>“I</i> was told he has three rows of teeth! <i>All canines.”</i> <i>“Well, I</i> heard a rolling fog follows his ship <i>everywhere.”</i> Talisminn flicked her ears back. Her long shark tail swished on the dusty floor behind her as she lifted onto two legs to delicately inspect one of the books on a high shelf, a paw resting on one the shelves below to support her weight. “I heard the Captain of the Razor Wind drinks blood.” Talisminn said. She shot a glance back over her shoulder, narrowing her eyes so her sharp lashes stuck out like knives. The gaggle of townsfolk had all frozen to look at her. <i>“Surely not!”</i> The first one shouted. “No, no! I heard that from someone else too!” The second one insisted. Returning all paws to the floor, Talisminn pulled the book from its display. It was a guide to runes, and she found the contents intriguing. She carefully placed the leather backed book on the counter. “Just this, please.” The woman behind the counter flipped through it. “Ah, runes.” She was the owner of the final voice. “Lots of religious travelers believe these things hold cosmic power. Are you a vagabond?” Talisminn smiled cooly. “You could say that.” “Two silver.” Talisminn reached into the bag draped just behind her dorsal fin and dropped the coins on the counter. She made eye contact with the store owner. “I’m sure you’re right - the rumors of the Razor Wind are probably heavily overblown. But… they must come from <i>somewhere.”</i> Her eyes narrowed as she smiled. “Stay safe out there.” Several minutes later, Talisminn was weaving her way through the overgrown woods. She growled each time her fins snagged on a branch. Bodies like hers weren’t meant to tromp through undergrowth. She shook her pink coat out upon reaching the shore. The sun was glistening off the polished planks of the Razor Wind. She was home. Her crew saluted as she reached the top of the gang plank. “Hello men. I assume you had a good day in town.” “Shen and I offloaded a lot from our last plunder!” Shrimpi cried, her whiskers twitching excitedly. “Good.” Reaching into her bags, she tossed a sack of food at Shen. “I trust you bought a new sextant with some of your earnings.” “Yes, Captain.” Shen nodded. “Excellent. The town is talking - apparently they heard about our little ‘run-in’ with the Wive’s Tail.” Her first mate, Flapjack, sighed behind her. “She was a beautiful ship. Shame, really.” Talisminn ignored him. “Pull up anchor and get us moving. I don’t want anyone nervously watching the shore to find us.” Shen saluted silently. She tossed another sack of food at Shrimpi. “Go check on our little ‘stow-away,’ would you darling?” “Aye-aye, Aliss!” Shrimpi saluted as well before pivoting on her heel and bounding across the ship, her shrimp tail dragging behind her tiny body. Aliss turned, thumping Flapjack with her shoulder as she walked past. “Come to my quarters, would you?” Flapjack obediently turned to follow, his dolphin tail swishing against the deck. “Anything for you, Captain.” “There was a lot of whispers amongst the townsfolk today about ‘the King of Terror.’” “Oh, really?” The dolphin-dog asked, his blue tail subtly wagging. “What’d they say?” “They added yet <i>another</i> foot to my height,” Aliss began, walking into her low-ceilinged Captain’s quarters with ease. “I now have <i>three</i> rows of teeth - all canines, of course. Annnnd I helpfully informed them that the captain drinks blood.” Flapjack shot her a look. “What?” Aliss asked. “You can never be too careful. Who knows when I could strike?” Her smile faded. “They still think I’m a man.” “I understand it bothers you, but perhaps you should take it as complimentary - all those stories depicting you as a powerful beast of a man.” Flapjack shrugged offhandedly. “Yeah? Wellll, I <i>don’t.”</i> Aliss rolled her eyes. “It’s insulting everyone hears stories of a terrifying captain and never consider I could be anything other than a <i>man.”</i> “Well, who would they hear it from? The survivors you leave won’t have the confidence to say they were bested by a pink, petite <i>woman.</i> They’d never live it down.” “…You’re absolutely right. <i>They</i> would never say it.” Talisminn straightened her shoulders. “Jackie, darling, you and I are going to spread a <i>new</i> rumor.” Talisminn watched from the corner of her eye as Flapjack tugged a piece of parchment toward himself, quill in his other paw. Aliss smiled, beginning to pace slowly as she spoke. “I will no longer be known as this ‘King of Terror’ as the riffraff has judged me, but rather as the ‘Tyrant <i>Princess</i> of the Southern Seas.’” Her volume dropped, but her voice sharpened. “Let them know <i>exactly</i> what sank those ships - a <i>woman.”</i>trophy