"Well, out there on the deck. They're way too huge to fit in our tunnels. You're safe enough here. You'll have to show a bit more courage than this though if you hope to be a Bilgerat." Now that Tackle is recovering a bit from the shock of having Pepito brought in in such a state some of his old cockiness is starting to return.
"Hahaha yeah I'm just joking" Rocea laughed "Hey would your lover , black was it ? Know where they keep the rums in here ?"
~~~~~~ "Just because I am not that happy hearing about humans doesn't mean I am a coward , Tackle " Ventus argued
Tackle fold his arms across his chest and grins at Ventus. "Ha! You've got pluck. I like it. Keep that up and you'll do well here." Tackle turns to Stint. "You could raid the galley if you like. The ship was restocked at that island so it's high time our stores were stocked again too."
"Sure, go together. The more rate you have the more you can carry. In fact, go and find Pinch and have him send some extra rats with you to help out. He can tag along himself if he has nothing else to do. You can be in charge of this mission, Stint." Tackle acts as though sending the both of them together was his idea in the first place.
~#~#~
In the infirmary, Pepito gradually begins to calm down. His bandage slips over his damp eyes and he tiredly shoves it back out of the way before waving the healer over. "Doña, may I have a drink please?"
hypernovatic wrote:"You really like rum. Why is that?" Dune asked, tilting her head in curiosity.
"Not much there is to it really" Rocea said , lying down and looked up at the clouds above "Rum is made to be enjoyed after all , and I like enjoying myself , so why not "
~~~~~
Ventus just nodded , he would've said something about the rat's attitude but frankly , he's seen worse , beside he's still the new rat around , so it wasn't the best time anyway
Blacks was now in the galley. The smell of fish being prepared wass in the air before it came to a cooked smell. Blacks had a pair of gloves on to limit some of his fur from getting into the food as he passed spices and gave some tips to cooking. The cook whistled a tune and seemed to dance as he cooked every now and then asking blacks for a vote in what to use on what fish. blacks had his sword and pistol lying down in a corner to limit harming the ship if rats were to enter the galley and he'd have to catch them. Blacks looked around now for the cooks knives he called for every one he found he threw at the wall nearby only to lodge into the wood and have the cook easily yank it out for use then slam it back into the wood wall. "Grab some of the rum in the high cubbard for the drum and tuna dog. this fish well feed everyone a hearty meal!." he laughed as blacks moved again. "oh and after so get to cutting up some potatoes to boil. that will add to make it better. then get some spices for it. well make these working sea monkeys drool as they work" the galley cook chuckled as he opened one small hole to the main deck letting the smell of cooking food seep out to the crew.
---------
Pinch however was with his special force of rats as they stood for a small inspection. he eyed one as he took different stances in the green and brown cloak. "ok last stance is for hiding. go" pinch said and the rat soon knelt onto one knee head low the cloak covering his whole body. pinch nodded and let him stand. "they seem ready now" pinch thought
"Oh okay." Dune said. "How did you actually end up on the island?" she asked, sitting down next to Rocea.
------------------- "So where is Pinch exactly?" Stint asked.
"That's terrible. So, do you want to help me find Blacks?" Dune asked.
------ "Okay, follow me." Stint said, leading Ventus. After a while, he found Pinch. "Hey Pinch." Stint called.
Pinch looked at who called. "ah stint how are you now? what can i do for you?" pinch asked
------
blacks stood in the galley now chopping potatoes and setting them into a pot of boiling water. he then grabbed some rosemary, salt and pepper and began mashing the potatoes into a soft pulp before passing it to the cook he took a small taste and added some butter before mixing it again and lettying out a hearty laught as he began setting a large table with fruit, food, bread and drinks.
--------- "yes pepito here"tackles mom said passing some water
"Sure , this is a small enough ship , shouldn't be that hard to find him , any ideas where to look first though ?"
~~~~~~~~~
After a small greeting wave toward Pinch , Ventus just stood there listening to the conversation
"hm, alright. but im coming along. you four here get ready. meet at the main exit in a few minutes" pinch said as his group of cloaked men scattered slowly before pinch left to grab his things.
"alrighty , not sure if it's risky to do this but , if you want hon we could checkout the galley..." Rocea suggested , with a small grin
~~~~ "I hope so too mate"
"Gracias..." Pepito sips at the drink. "Does... does it get easier?" he asks.
~#~#~
After the other rats have gone, Tackle returns to the now empty bilge. Finding a quiet, unobserved corner deep in the devastated city, he finally allows himself to grieve for his lost soldiers, his uncle and his near loss of Pepito. He leans against a wall, slumps into a sitting position, buries his head in his paws, and weeps.
Dune made her way towards the galley. Once they got there, she saw Blacks putting food on a table. "So this is where you went." she said.
------------------- "Yeah we should." Stint said, walking towards the main exit.
"Ugh. Should ah eaten them when ah had tha chance. Them rats are too much trouble sometimes..." "I heard that!" A voice squeaks from between Jin's ears to which Jin just scoffs.
"Well, on zeh bright side." Rhyme quips as she walks over to the cat, resting her arm loosely around his neck .
"Ef I were the one to have spread zat rumor. I would have av made sure you could not live it down."
"An thas suppose tah make me feel better?" Rhyme feigned surprise. "Et does not?"
Shaking his head, the cat ignores the dog for a minute to address Cedric.
"So, Cedric. Besides my barrel blunder *Rhyme snickers* what news do yeh have for me today?"
"Sleep is due to me... And I have a dream to live."
"Well the rats have paid off the otter for something but I've no idea what. Aside from that there's no news since you already know that the cats are gone. I heard the captain say something about Castillo Pato too. My guess is that that's where we're headed."
~#~#~
Eventually Tackle dries his eyes and takes in his surroundings. He resolves to explore the city for a while to determine the extent of the damage and whether or not it's repairable.
Pinch hold his men at the main gate, he tells them of whos in charge and to await the other two rats. with that he leaves with two of his own men to the destroyed city. george now was the man in charge, within the ranks were pinchs own group. george looked at the many rats now waiting on stint and ventus.
after a long walk pinch found his way to the decimated city and let out a small whistle. he stood on where the cats entered and looked around. he then moved to a higher spot before looking around again.
-------- "hmm? oh hey, yeah i did some fishing and came here. the officers and the men will be eating well" blacks said finishing the officers table before grabing multiple wooden plates and setting them aside. the cook grabbed the few silver and metal plates and silverware and began setting everything together.
"wow.....I know Tackle said the more the better but...." Ventus muttered , obviously impressed by the number of rats waiting for them in the distance , it's not that much and seriously in the old ship he had seen much more , but from what he gathered around earlier morning , these ones were just attacked by a bunch of cats , so this was still pretty impressive
~~~~ "Not bad , not bad at all mate , so! " Rocea smiled , suddenly whispered into Black's ears so no one else could hear.....hopefully "ya know where the rum be ?"
Tackle hears Pinch's whistle and moves himself carefully further back into the shadows, trying not to attract attention, in no mood to talk to anybody.
pinch moves around disapeering past a pile of scraps. he soon moved silently, he found a pile and moved a few things he listened carefully before moving on. soon he went to a corner and spotted movement. "who else is here?" pinch thought sinking away silently now more attentive to whats around him.
george wved at stint and ventus approaching. "well pinch says that these men are ready for the raid, a total of fifteen rats including myself. are you ready to go?" george asked.
----------
blacks was about to answer when the cook went to the door and shouted that the food was ready and began ringing a lunch bell.
"Yes I'm ready. How about you Ventus?" Stint asked.
------------------- "Oh is it time to eat? Because I'm starving." Dune said, her hand on her stomach.
tackles mom looks at pepito. she nods, "yes it does, so many pass it only seems natural not to mourn amymore"she says
--------------
pinch looks around some more, he slowly comes into tackles view with a wide brim hat on with a very small feather in it, a spear in one hand, and a shield in the other while a bag was on his back. he looks around spotting tackle in the corner of his eye. "come on out ye knave, or im coming at you. ill come at you like a chicken after a worm!" pinch says comedically with a french accent. (think monty python)
--------
george nods to the two rats before leading the way to the galley
blacks however was now aiding in handing out plates of food to the crew and watching for rats at almost the same time as the coom kept shouting at him to do each task.
Dune walked over to Blacks. "Hug Blacks, ní gá duit aon chabhair? Because I can if you need it." she asked.
Hug Blacks, ní gá duit aon chabhair? = Hey Blacks, do you need any help?
------------
When they were almost to the galley, Stint heard voices coming from it. "Wait, I hear people in there." he told the others.