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Three lunar cycles before the events at Kolyat's Stand, trouble was brewing elsewhere in Dhairkhova. The Magistrate, Kessa Valsomna, issued a major proclamation across all provinces within her domain, excluding Retsana which had bought its independence as a sovereign nation just weeks before, from her citadel in Arconus City. Corsairs out of Aeyr-Lun, the city-state in the Hovarre Archipelago in the far western Audest' Ren Ocean had become such a threat to not just the eastern territories, but to the rest of the mainland's major ports as well. As such, until the Lunnite government decided to respond to the marauders, all trade would be suspended between Aeyr-Mestd and the island chain, isolating the Corsairs and rooting them out of hiding. The immediate response of many mainlanders was applause, lauding the Magistrate for stepping up to deal with the problem the foreigners presented. Many Lunnites came under suspicion and resentment, as Aeyr-Lun had never fallen completely in line with the central Mestdaren way of doing things. Raids and attacks on merchant vessels soon increased in frequency and brutality, and soon after that, an increase in civilian casualties as a result of the attacks were reported. For those along the coasts, sailing to another land was a risky proposition. However, as Ravviin was the southern most province of Dhairkhova, the Corsair attacks had been light thus far, though steadily growing as the weeks rolled by. To escape the risk of being targeted by the raiders, many fled inland, while others who sought more freedom in their business made their way to safer waters to the east. This was the case with two Sen of the Nesuut Clan, on their way to Retsana.

Wooden hulls creaked and crashed loudly against the azure waves of the Strait of Rett, three ships cutting through the choppy water as they were carried on by the wind. Seabirds shrieked and flew high above the decks of the large vessels, watching the curious two legged beings on the deck below scurry about with menial tasks seemingly without end. From the helm of the lead ship, an Sen of 34 years observed the crew, her Captain working with the crew and shouting orders to his shipmates as they grunted and talked among themselves with their work. Among the sailors, several passengers stood watch at the rails along the sides of the ships, taking in the sun's light as it began its descent towards the far horizon, some with their young perched atop their shoulders to allow the pups a better view. Below deck of the lead ship, a lone boy who'd seen no more than his sixteenth summer lie in his hammock, swaying side to side with the ship as he covered his eyes with a furry arm, a leg hanging lazily from the side. Despite the sharpness of his people's senses, he could not hear over the crew and the sea as a pair of soot black paws made their way towards him across the wooden floor. Whether from inability or inattention, the boy was unable to react when he suddenly found himself flipped from his bunk and falling ungracefully onto the floor and onto his muzzle. As he rose and grunted from the discomfort of having his muzzle being slammed into the wood and brushed himself off, he was welcomed by the sound of an almost youthful giggling from not three feet away. He shook off the small pain in his nose and sighed aloud, disapprovingly glaring at the prankster before him.

"Re' Va, Ma, did you have to go and do that? If you couldn't tell, I was actually quite comfortable for a bit!" His glare was cast slightly upwards at the woman in front of him, now laughing happily at her son's stern look.

"Oh yes, Kaille, I could tell you were just content as a jovan, so far from home and sulking all by yourself, hehehe. Maybe I should let you stay here and work with the sailors while I go ashore? I'm sure the first mate would like to get a chance to know you. I hear she just "loves" fresh meat that's too depressed to help out." A childlike smile crossed her lips as she laughed at her son, who planted his forehead into one of his paws and shut his eyes in embarrassment.

"Ma, you know I hate being out on the open sea. We had a good thing going back in Dravva. People came all the time to use your services, and I never had to set a bleedin' paw near the docks. Plus I even got to beat on the occasional Va'xen who got any bright ideas! Why, for Hollows' sake did we have to leave, Marscella?!" Kaille's first answer came when he removed his paw from his face and received two fingers poking at the space between his plates on his forehead. His mother just grinned at him as he growled in frustration, then changed her tone to a more serious note.

"I know you had your life back in Ravviin, Pup, but thigns were getting too dangerous for us to be so near the coasts. We could've moved inland, I suppose, but the Magistrate's lot have been making business harder the closer you get to the capital. I've got friends out in Retsana who can help us get started again. And with those forest-born plates having bought their sovereignty from ol' Valsomna, there's more opportunity there than elsewhere, not to mention the major ports are all directly protected by some of the Marshals there, we're safer there too. Oh, and for future reference..." a loud crack echoed through deck as the woman smacked her son across his face sharply, sending him back into his hammock and falling over it and onto his head as he hit the floor again.

"I'm still your mother, Pup! And I shall remain such to you until the day you see me in the ground! Until that day, you don't call me anything but dear, sweet, loving Ma, got it?" As Kaille got up again, he chuckled a bit and looked back at her as she glared at him with authority.

"Sweet and loving, huh? Heh, What kind of mother beats on her own flesh and blood out of the blue like that? "Sweet and loving" my tail, Ma, haha."

"The kind who has a lazy rascal like you for a son, that's what. Come on, love, we should be getting close enough to the port that you can see Retsana from here. Let's head up onto the deck and see if the cap'n needs a helping paw."

"I'm coming, but you really should just admit it, Ma. You fancy that sea-mad Qes, don't you?" Marscella's deep orange fur turned to scarlet as she turned and walked towards the stairs to the upper deck, Kaille laughing to himself as he followed, tail swishing behind him happily. The sun struck Kaille's eyes head on, the orange-yellow light complimenting his own silvery-gold irises as he took a breath of the salty air and looked for the first mate. His mother wasted no time in rushing to the captain's side and helping him haul materials back and forth between decks, much to Kaille's amusement as he caught sight of her tail twitching excitedly. He climbed the short flight of railed stairs to the helm above and approached the helmsman. She was a Sen, like him, but taller and with fur of a mocha color, complimented by black patches on her hands, feet, and tail. Most notable to Kaille was the narrow patch of black on the center of her forehead, only just visible under the white bandana she wore.

"Helmsman, I was wondering if there was anything that I could do to lend a paw? You being first mate and all, I figured you'd know if something needed doing." Kaille looked at the woman earnestly, admiring her subtly. Despite the fact that she was more than twice his own age, she filled out her outfit well. She wore a sleeveless top made of sail cloth and adorned with silvery etchings down the shoulder straps, under her bust and down her stomach to the bottom. A silken black sash with matching embroidery to her top was tied around her waste and hung loosely above her tail. Her legs were covered by tsovik leather chaps over white cloth that extended down her legs to her ankles. A true testament to Lunnite beauty, in Kaille's mind as he tried not to stare at the attractive woman. Without looking at him, she reached into a pouch under her sash and pulled from it a brass key, holding it up before Kaille's nose.

"In the Captain's quarter's, there's a drawer in his desk that carries the charter for his shipping company. He wanted me to get it for him today before we make port so he can barter with the Marshal of Versa Bay for potential business ventures. He didn't want to lose them or have them stolen, since having the original charter bearing his company seal indicates who controls his enterprise, so he trusted me with the key to the drawer in his room. Be a good lad and get them for me will you?" Dismissively, she handed Kaille the key and sent him on his way. The Captain's cabin was actually directly behind them, but Kaille nodded and did as he was asked, figuring that since neither the captain or first mate were at the moment available, he thought it made sense for her to ask him to retrieve the documents. The task was simple enough, and having retrieved the requested documents without incident, Kaille handed them over to the helmswoman. She looked at him for a moment and studied him briefly as she took the charter. Kaille, though young, was built well. He had a typical tunic on, nothing special about its design or make. Unlike her attire, which had the look of a sailor woman's choice wardrobe, Kaille wore a simple leather jacket and white under tunic, with leggings appropriate to someone who was used to moving around a lot and working hard. His own fur was burnt orange with light grey patches across his paws. A fit young man, judging by his posture and form. His eyes caught the woman's attention, however. Silvery, golden irises, like the two metals in liquid form and glittering in direct midday light. They reflected the light well, her own eyes of a deep ruby color staring the boy's down for what felt like minutes. She turned her gaze back towards the head of the ship and dismissed Kaille as she folded the papers and stuffed them into her pouch. Kaille stood there for a moment, thinking an appreciative thanks might still be coming. When he realized it was not, he resignedly walked away and back to the lower side rail of the deck, leaning against it and staring off at the horizon.

His inattention was brought to another abrubt and violent end, however, as a sudden ear splitting crash sounded on the side of the ship, sending Kaille hard against the rail he was facing and then jerking hard backwards onto his back as the vessel quaked and shuddered violently. For the moment he could, Kaille saw many others thrown about the same way, like the whole world was shaking for a brief second and sent them all off of their feet. As he tried to get a paw under him, a second explosion was heard behind the ship, with a third sending him sliding back towards the shore-facing side and smacking his plates headlong into the rail wall. He looked up, and through sun blinded eyes, saw Marscella hugging the mast for dear life. Before he could call out to her, she looked over and saw him against the wall. She reached out a desperate hand towards him, and in a fiery display of charred and splintered wood, she was gone from Kaille's sight as he found himself flung into the ocean with scattered debris. He scrambled for air, grabbing hold of the nearest plank and pulling his chest onto it heavily, coughing sea water and blood as he struggled to keep his bloodied eyes open. His vision blurred and ears ringing, he could just make out the sounds of screaming and more detonations, along with the sight of several smaller boats floating adjacent to the ships as they burned and bellowed smoke upwards into the sky. Throbbing in his head gave way to numbness as a severe weakness overtook him, the last image in the young castaway's conscious mind the sight of his mother's desperate and terrified face surrounded by flames and black smoke... then, simply darkness.