Cabin Boy Jude
Cabin Boy: Jude
Original characters and storyline by: Rakko
Written By: ToKu
There was a flash of white followed all too quickly by crushing darkness. He didn't know if he existed or was simply a thought, a memory that had happened to break free the consciousness of an individual being. Thoughts crossed him like smiles crossed children at play, complex, world altering thoughts that forced him, if he really was a solid thing, to ponder how he might have come to be. He swam in the darkness like an ocean between the worlds of consciousness, shifting through the primordial soup of thought and reason. The fact that he was indeed a living thing only barely brushing his realization as he drifted, moving while standing still, or laying still, he couldn't tell. He felt like he had an objective but wasn't sure, or all to worried about what it might be or even who he was.
The realization that he was suddenly conscious however shook him quite violently. Light flooded his perception, blinding white light that burned and stung his eyes, preventing any real images from forming behind his retina. He felt around as he lifted his head from the flat but rough surface it had rested. Smells reached his nose before anything solid reached his finger tips, and not all too friendly smells at that. Sewer reek noxiously mixed with the blend of hundreds of species and wafted together with the strong scent of the sea, the ocean even.
Sounds came next; he heard voices, far off and in two directions; behind and in front. He tried to push himself further up off the ground; he realized he was lying on coble stone, rough and sea worn and probably filthy. His arms pushed, paws pressed into grimy stones but his muscles spasmed in weakness and his body tingled in a strange sensation he couldn't explain. Vision was returning to him, slowly, and he could finally see his paws in front of him. It almost surprised him to see the familiar otter paws, not that he thought he was something else but the fact that he didn't know who or where he was worried him.
He brought himself up into a sitting position, heavy tail sprawled out behind him as the image of a narrow, trash littered alleyway came into focus. Two buildings; two stories each rose up around him. Chipped white plaster, peeling paint, and riddled with cracks showed the years of poor maintenance and exposure to salty elements. He followed the roof tops, missing shingles until he noticed the alleyway ahead where passerby could be seen for a fleeting moment before disappearing. It was then he noticed his brown furred legs sprawled out in front of him. He leaned forward and tested his foot-paws and sinewy legs; they didn't seem broken or hurt but the painful tingling of numbness felt like needles under his fur.
He was dizzy, the smells and sounds flooding in from either direction caused his head to spin as he huddled in the darker shade of the alley. It was either right before or right after midday and he couldn't tell where the sun was or if it was half up or half down. The shadows of the buildings were disorienting, the blue sky couldn't be accounted for its source of light and the darker alley told the otter it could have been dusk.
He gingerly rose to his feet and stood stalk still as he waited for his legs to regain their footing; he didn't want to chance falling from a false limb test. It gave him a moment to gain his bearings but the only thing he knew was obvious; he was in an alley, in some noisy city, and it was sometime around mid-day. It didn't help much.
"Where am I?" The otter mumbled to himself a little too loudly. It made him jump in surprise; he truly didn't think his voice would come out that loud. He felt timid and weak but his voice seemed to work just fine.
"You're in the Port District, where else?"
The otter looked up and almost squeaked to see the large walrus towering over him. He wore a dark red, gold embroidered, petticoat, unbuttoned and stained with food, drink and other unrecognizable spots. He wore simple black pants cut beneath the knees, because unlike the animal walrus, he had strong legs that nearly threatened to break the hems of the britches. He dressed like a merchant, but the wind bitten tricorne hat he wore gave him a rougher look. His tusks were shiny Ivory, obviously void of scurvy. They rose up out of his grinning mouth like fierce white daggers. His mustache was clean, but unruly. And despite his size the otter could see muscles in his pectorals and biceps. He stared up at the walrus with wide eyes; his mouth open a bit and had to be brought back to earth by an abrupt chuckle.
"What," the walrus boomed, his words almost making the otter tremble, but not so much in fright, as his belly bounced with the noise. "Never seen a Walrus before?"
The otter stared, expression blank but mind racing a mile a minute. He had indeed seen a walrus before, but never in person. He couldn't describe what he felt then, but knew it wasn't anything he had ever felt before. He felt odd beside the larger mammal, but couldn't figure out why, but it sent a strange tingle, apart from the numbness in his legs; all the way down his tail. The walrus chuckled again, apparently at the otter's appearance and took a breath. The air was heavy with the smell of trash from the alley, but the otter could make out the scent of salt and fish could be recognized easily.
"Name's Elliot," The walrus spoke again, his grin faltering only long enough to annunciate the 'o' in his name. "Might I ask what a boy of your age is doin' in an alley like this, and in not but his fur?"
The otter looked down and for the first time realized his was indeed naked. He instantly covered himself and cowered away from the walrus a bit. This just seemed to amuse him, his smooth, exposed belly bouncing as he laughed outright, his fin like paws clutching around his middle. The otter just stared up, not sure how to take his reaction to his embarrassment.
"My dear boy, you ain't got to shield yourself from me," Elliot spoke over his laugh, clutching his sides as if a cramp had seized him. "It ain't nothing I haven't already seen, but I must say you look awfully thin, when's the last time you've had a good meal?"
"I-I..." The otter tried to speak, but more as a way to prove he hadn't gone stupid with humiliation, and not to really answer his question, but then he realized he couldn't remember. "I can't remember."
"Not a good sign." Elliot said as he shook his head in disapproval. "Means you ain't got a place to be, ain't that right? What's your name, son?"
He made to open his mouth but froze as his first real worry came over him. Not only could he not remember when he had last eaten but his name wasn't coming to his muzzle. It was like searching in a sea of nothingness for something that wasn't there to even begin with. He knew he had one, but it was like all memory of it had been wiped clean from his skull.
"It's that bad huh?" Elliot said looking down at the young otter as he scratched a paw along his bare chest under his coat. The otter himself just stared blankly, worried, scared that he couldn't remember anything. The walrus appeared to be thinking about something; chuckling under his breath as he sized up the confused pup. "How 'bout, Jude?"
The sudden noise nearly sent the otter back to the ground in shock, he looked up at the walrus who returned an ivory smile; warm and caring. The otter didn't know what to say at first, but the rising of warmth inside him sent a tingling sensation that ended up in his groin. He grew red and tried to cover himself with his paw, becoming self-conscious all at once. Elliot chuckled again and shook his head.
"Can't have ya runnin' about the docks in only your fur, can we Jude?" He said with a sudden swift movement. His coat came slipping of his shoulders and came flying over the otter until the heavy coat was draped over him like a cloak. The heady smell of walrus musk filled his nostrils and sent his head swimming. He felt himself grow stiff between the legs but was able to cover himself with the warm coat; clutching the edges close with his paws. It felt right, even the name; Jude. He looked up at the walrus and tried to speak. "How about you and I head for my ship. I know someone who can cook up a decent meal and if you don't mind me saying, you're in dire need of a good hearty meal. That is, if you'd be willing to come with me."
"I...Thank you...Uh, I mean, yes, please, that is if it's not too much" Jude tried to say looking up at Elliot's shirtless form. He was huge and strong, a big belly, but his arms had solid muscle stretching out under the velvety layers of fur and flesh. The sun peeked over the edge of a building overhead and sent golden light cascading over the brown fur. The dreary alleyway lit up and suddenly became a much brighter place; it didn't look so bad in the sunlight either.
"Not a problem my dear otter." The walrus said bringing the otter close to his side as they; meaning the walrus pulling the otter along, began to take a few steps toward the mouth of the alley. "I couldn't live with me-self if I had left a poor boy like you out in the streets, naked and hungry with not even a name to call himself. I have too big a heart for such a thing. Besides, you look like a sea otter anyways; you were born with sea legs."
Jude felt a little twinge of guilt somewhere in the back of his mind. He could swear that at some point in time he had not been so poor or nameless or hungry. The sudden generosity the walrus was gifting was almost too much to handle. But the sudden rumbling in his stomach told him he would follow the walrus where ever he took him if it meant food.
"First thing's first, though, Jude my boy. Finding a decent place to eat in this city can be tough." Elliot said as he held the boy close to him, his large paw placed only just tightly enough around his coat covered shoulder. Jude couldn't help but press his face into the walrus' side as the pair exited the secluded alley. The scents of countless furs came rushing forward, bombarding the young otter's senses along with the salty smell of the sea. He held on to the seams of the walrus' coat as his senses were bombarded; the many species of furs, the smells and sights, the very light from the mid-day sun, all was far too much for the poor otter.
The Port District fell down before them, like layers of white stone houses, each step leading further down to the grand expanse of sea beyond. Jude had never seen anything like it in his life, or at least he thought he hadn't; he couldn't remember. But it was beyond a doubt that it was quite breathtaking. The flags floating in the breeze, the masses of ships in the docks; it was only half of it. Or so Eliot said, behind him raised the rest if the city until it fell over hills that led a fur beyond to the Center District, the main bustle of the city. To Jude; the overwhelming bustle of hubbub of the Port District alone was shock enough; he hardly could imagine what the rest of the city was like.
They made their way through the assortment of furs, dogging this way and that; the sight of the sea growing closer and closer with every white stone building. On multiple times Jude thought Elliot was about to duck into one of the many bars and inns along the way. More than one would have a welcoming scent wafting from within; a scent strong and savory enough to make the poor otter dizzy with hunger. The walrus just kept an arm tightly wrapped around Jude like he was lost pirate treasure, heavily guarded under large muscular arms. And more than once he would find himself breathing in the salty musk that he carried about him. It wasn't a bad smell, nor did he smell un-bathed. But Jude could tell he was a man of the sea. Then it got him to thinking.
"Pirate?" Jude breathed to himself, but obviously not as quietly as he had hoped. Elliot let out a loud grunting laugh that was nearly swallowed by the rest of the noise of the crowds. Jude knew only he could hear the walrus's booming laugh, which led him to wonder how the older walrus had heard his meek words to begin with.
"Pirate you say?" Elliot grunted and shook his head with tears of laughter in his eyes. Jude almost wasn't sure what it meant, but couldn't help but hold on to the thick mass of walrus, his eyes wide as they stared up at the mustached fur. "Not many pirates in these parts, not for many years. As for I; me and my crew be a simple bunch of sugar traders. Sure we started to dapple in cinnamon and other rare spices, but I assure you son, pirates we are not."
Elliot continued to chuckle to himself as the white stone buildings fell away to makeshift wooden dock houses built with mitch-matched planks, or so it seemed. The very ground they now treaded upon was no more than an intricate weave of pier of wharf, zigzagging its way between shacks and fisherfur's houses.
Ships of all sizes were docked in every available space; rare was it to find an empty stretch of still sea water, murky and mysterious. Jude found himself staring at his reflection in the dark water as they passed along; foot paws thudding against the sun warmed wood planks. He wasn't even sure if he recognized himself; bringing an even heavier empty feeling to the pit of his stomach. He wasn't sure if he could trust the walrus, but then again something told him he could. It certainly felt good being this close to him. He wasn't a pirate, or so he said, and that had to count for something. His only home now was where they were going to find this 'food' the walrus had spoken of.
It wasn't long before Elliot gave a start, but without breaking his far stride he breathed out words in a loving voice. "There she is." Jude looked up from there his cheek was resting against warm velvety fur to see a beautiful ship anchored not twenty paces off down the wide expanse of dock. Her haul was normal, about forty feet long, but the edges of the deck rails were painted a brilliant jade green while dark royal blue adorned the walls of the cabin, encrusted with a pail ivory and gold. It was the most uniquely colored ship the otter had ever seen and...
"It's all ours." Elliot said with a proud sparkle in his eyes, Jude could see them glinting off the light from the sun. It made him smile from the breathtaking ship to the mass of walrus that he wanted to get closer and closer to. He wasn't sure where these feeling were coming from, but the longer he held on to Elliot, the more and more enamored he felt. "She's been everywhere, from the ends of the earth to the far off shores of the east. Sugar is in high demand now a day, a bit with your tea, or a bit with breakfast, mixed with cinnamon on toast." Elliot said the last part with a near purr and looked down at the otter hugging his waist with a kingly smile. "I'm sure Michael can whip something up for us, if he hasn't made the crew lunch already. That's why we docked today, needed more provisions to last us another three months at sea. Damn fox cooks everything in sight."
They turned down the dock and came up on the loading ramp in seconds. Two shirtless furs were lifting heavy crates atop their shoulders and dashing up the ramp with ease. The first was a wolf with dark blue eyes like glowing sapphires. His fur was grey with small patches of pure white around his chest, forearms, legs, and face, almost like tribal markings. He was strong, with rippling muscles that didn't seem to object to the heavy loads he was lifting. Not even his face showed signs of strain.
The other fur wearing only a pair of britches and a kerchief around his forehead was a huge brown bear. If the wolf's arms were muscular, then his were beyond huge. Jude figured both his paws wouldn't reach around his biceps; coming short about five inches apart. Despite his large belly, unlike the toned form of the wolf's stomach, he appeared to be having even less trouble taking the large crates of supplies aboard the ship.
"Zachary, Frank, set those bloody things down and come meet our new guest." Elliot said as he neared the runway to the ship. He placed a single foot-paw on the ramp and both wolf and bear turned in mid stride as they reached the deck of the ship. Their faces lit up to see the captain and only after a few pleasant 'ahoy captains' the wolf noticed the small form of Jude, still clutching at the warm form beside him.
"Go on then captain," Zachary said in a loud booming voice, him and Frank both balancing the heavy loads aloft with a single arm. Frank slapped a bear paw to his knee and nearly sent his load into the water but was easily able to save it before it was lost. "Where'd you find this one, in a nursery?"
The two furs smiled but Jude noticed they were warm smiles, not the kind a fur wore when making fun or ridiculing. If anything they were making fun of Elliot. He had taken someone aboard his ship before. It suddenly made him feel jealous, like he was just another fur, but he didn't have the whole story and didn't want to jump to conclusions. Besides, he loved the walrus's presence too much already to just turn and run away on a whim.
"Find another pretty bottom captain?" The bear said in a thick southern drawl_. 'Now what did he mean by that?'_ Jude thought to himself and the only thing that ended up making sense made him blush deeply. The furs simply grinned before they turned to finish talking their loads to the brig. Elliot chuckled and peered down at Jude, holding out his arm in a welcoming gesture.
"Welcome to the Wave Dancer," Elliot said as they began to climb the ramp. "I call her that because it's exactly what she does; dances with the waves. She's a smooth sailing ship. Even in the roughest of storms, if you're below deck, you'd hardly know."
Jude was nearly taken away when they reached the deck, while not quite as breath taking as the Port District view; the Wave Dancer was twice as nice as the ships around her. The very deck was as polished and smooth as marble flooring, making the docks look like you'd get a nasty splinter from a single step. A single mast rose up out of the middle, casting shadows with its white sails soaring up into the sky. Jude had to crane his neck to see the top and only after a few moments until he noticed a new fur climbing down from the look out; a ram from the look of it, and one much older than the two strong furs from before.
"Ah, William, taking the day off, are we?" Elliot called up to the horned Ram as he climbed down the mass with ease. Jude thought he'd be another strapping young fur but as he got lower and lower he noticed the ram's age. While not impeding his maneuverability among the ropes, Jude could see the gray in his tan fur, the age in his face, the many years gone by in his dark eyes.
"Just trying to find a little alone time away from the, head strong, cock strong young furs about your ship captain." The ram said touching hooves to deck finally. He had an old leather bound book tucked under his arm and a pair of spectacles that rested on the bridge of his nose that he quickly snatched off his face and tucked away in a coat pocket. He straightened out a crick in his back before noticing the otter at Elliot's side. "And what do we have here Elliot, a new cabin boy or some such silliness?"
William smiled as warmly at Elliot had and held out a paw in greetings. Jude hesitated a bit, looked up at the walrus and waited for a nod before he took the ram's in to his own paw and shook.
"You don't have to be shy, no one is discrete here laddie." William said with an air of sarcasm. Again Jude wasn't sure what the comment had meant but before he found the strength to ask, the two furs from before came back from below the deck and bounded over to the three by the mast.
So what's your name little guy?" Zachary asked as he took a chomp out of an apple, eating half in one bite. "Been a mighty long time since we had a new fella a board the Dancer."
"Eating the provisions already, Zachary?" William said with a muted voice, it only made the wolf grin. Jude couldn't help but smile too, before he noticed all too suddenly that Elliot had left his side. He spun around and saw him walking towards the second story cabin door; almost in a waddle. Before he could raise his voice the door was opened and shut behind. Jude felt alone just then, scared, worried.
"Don't worry, you ain't got notten to fret 'bout," Frank said looming over the otter.
"You look hungry." The wolf cut in with a smile. "Mikey can fix us up something quick like."
William rolled his eyes but smiled too. "Come laddie, you look famished, we can fix that right up, can't we boys?"
Three paws were suddenly on him, pushing him along toward the first floor door. Jude just held his breath as he was hustled through and into darkness. It took a while for his eyes to adjust, it being so bright out and so dim inside. He wasn't sure what happened next but found his sight adjusting as he was set down at the foot of a rectangular oak table. The walls came into view and port holes along the far side where a stove and oven sat, boiling pots of something or another. Adjusting further, he almost gasped when he saw the wolf standing near a bare-chested fox as they kissed ever so passionately. While smaller than the wolf, in size mostly, it was strange to see two males kissing, tails wrapping around bodies, twisting together and paws interlacing.
It was even weirder when Frank walked by and paid them no mind. Then William; bowing himself from the room with a final nod to the otter as he sat confused at the clean, polished table with a very large dinner plate before him. Then, noticing the coat was off of his shoulders and that he was entirely exposed save for his bottom, he gathered the coat up around him and shivered.
"Hey,"
The voice made him jump, but he looked up and around so suddenly he nearly dropped the coat again. When he saw that it was only the fox, the wolf just leaving through the door, he relaxed a bit and nearly sighed in relief when he saw the bowl in the fox's paws. He almost looked just as anxious as Jude, but with a little more experience. A bright grin crossed his muzzle as he set the bowl before the otter. It was vegetable stew with, if he smelt right, fish! He nearly lifted the bow to his mouth when the fox handed him a spoon. Jude took it and found himself grinning in response to the fox's own smile.
"Name's Michael." He said as Jude began to bring spoonful after spoonful of hot stew to his mouth. He didn't even care if it burned; it felt too good as it slid to his stomach.
"Jude." He said in response but through a mouthful of fish and carrots. "This is very good."
"Almost everything I make has fish in it, it's all around us." Michael said blushing from the comment. "The crew hardly notices through, I usually mask it with other things. I don't mean to brag."
"No, it's really good, never had fish in vegetable stew before. It's almost sweet." Jude said
"A dash of sugar," The fox said and smiled. "Keeps the salty taste down."
Jude replied by taking another spoonful, hardly chewing his food before swallowing it. It felt good to have sustenance again. He couldn't remember the last time he had eaten, or the last time he did anything, until today. He wasn't sure why. Why had Elliot offered to take him on board his ship? Was it pity?
"It's nice to have someone on board who's my own size again." Michael said suddenly. Jude looked up to see the fox resting his head in the palm of his paws as if he were studying the otter. He was soft spoken, the fox. His words just seemed to float out of his mouth and mingle with the air; far from feminine, just soft. Jude could tell he wasn't a talker like Frank or Zachary, and was more likely to be a listener. "Lots of big guys on this ship, nice to see a skinny guy for a change. Don't get me wrong, I like my bigger guys. It's just; I don't feel so left out. I'm not really fit to do any heavy lifting. And I don't think the captain hired you for anything like that."
Michael grinned and Jude tried to, but there was a strange feeling that arose in his chest then. He couldn't describe what it was, not even to himself. Jude knew it was from the comment the fox had made; he said he liked big 'guys'. The only thing he 'could' do was ask.
"Why were you and the wolf, Zachary, kissing?" Jude asked, forgetting his stew for the time being. Michael raised his brow in question, taken aback slightly, but grinned.
"Isn't it obvious?" He asked, crossing his arms on the table top where he twisted two fingers around the other in example. "Were together, you know, a pair."
"You two, lay together?" Jude asked, but not with disgust, with curiosity and wonder. It didn't seem too weird to him. In fact, something in the back of his mind, a long forgotten memory, told him that it wasn't strange at all. That it was good thing.
"Of course. You don't think two furs would kiss one another if they didn't first have feelings for the other." Michael grinned and turned a little red as he scratched the white fur on his chest, though it was hard to see against his orange face fur. Jude tried to take another bite of stew but couldn't help but grin himself. He wondered if the other crew members were like this. He wondered if Elliot was like that.
"The captain." Jude asked hoping to god the fox would understand what he meant before he had to say it. "You don't think, Uh, I'm not very good at lifting stuff, did he hire me because..."
"What do you think?" The fox said and rose from his seat; he paced over to the oven and placed a large heavy lid over the only steaming pot on the stove. "I think he hired you to be his personal cabin boy. He's been lonely these past few months, but you can always come down here and help me and Zachary peel potatoes in your spare time."
Jude could hear the underlying meaning behind peeling potatoes. It made him turn red hot and smile down into his lap that was exposed again, though this time he didn't make to cover himself, remembering William's words only a short while ago. If no one else was discreet, then he didn't have to be either.
"Finish up your stew and come top side, I'm sure there are a few things the boys can find for you to do before dinner." Michael said with his paw on the cabin door. "And I'm sure I can find you some proper clothes. I know you don't want to be running about the ship in only your fur. We do have some decency."
Jude nodded and the fox left the otter to his thoughts and his stew. Only after he finished did he finally draw the coat around his shoulders, not being too keen on keeping himself fully covered. He left the spoon in the bowl and proceeded to the deck. It was still sunny out but the sun was already sinking in the sky. Michael spotted the otter and rushed him to the second floor, up oak stair cases and in through the door Elliot had used earlier to find a narrow passage with wooden doors on either side. The fox led him to the second door on the right and Jude found himself staring at a full wardrobe of clothes.
"It's warm yet, so a simple pair of britches will do." He said and pulled a pair out from the stuffed closet. They were a simple brown, only slightly darker than his own fur. Michael sat down on his bed; big enough for two furs, and watched as Jude shyly let the coat fall before stepping into his new clothes. They were loose and comfortable but he had to roll up the legs, having been made for foxes that were normally taller than otters.
"They're perfect," Jude said as he peered into the mirror that hung beside the bed.
"And that stew seemed to do the trick." Michael said reaching a paw out to pat the otter's belly. "You're not so concave anymore."
Jude blushed with his own paws on his stomach and chuckled. It did feel good being full, but before he could thank him again the fox took him by the paw and lead him back out on deck. The rest of the crew was hard at work preparing the ship for departure. They all looked labored; Poor Zachary was panting, his tongue flopping from his muzzle, but when the two showed up and Michael said: "The new and improved Jude" The three fur's turned about and cheered as Jude came stepping down to the deck, cheeks burning in embarrassment. He found though that he liked it, the attention. It was good, it made him feel wanted, made him feel like he had a place to be. And beside his memory loss, he couldn't help but feel like he hadn't had a feeling like this even before he woke in that dark alleyway.
The crew truly seemed to welcome him and after asking if he was well enough to work, then sent him about making sure ropes were tied, and pulleys were secure. A few times, with the help of Michael, he'd help lift the remaining crates marked 'suger' aboard the ship, stashing them below deck with the rest of the provisions.
By and by the sun was falling in the sky, getting closer to the horizon and before long the anchor was brought up and the dock was drifting further away. Or the ship was at any rate. With a steady south west breeze at their backs they left the port behind to meet calm open sea, the sun a glowing sphere above the water many miles out. Jude found himself at the stern of the ship, looking out at the expanse of ocean as the rest of the crew maintained the course. Elliot had not yet come top side since they had first showed up on the ship and he was beginning to wonder if he would the rest of the night.
When dinner came along, the crew, Jude included, sat down around the rectangular table, being noisy and obnoxious as Michael served more stew along with fresh bread and cheese. William poured cups of ale from a large wooden cask and distributed them among thirsty sailors. Jude had never drunken ale before; at least he thought he hadn't. He wasn't sure of his age, but would guess it not older then sixteen at most. He took a good bite of bread before washing it down with the warm drink. It didn't taste very good, but it wasn't that bad either and the more he drank, the more it made him drink.
When the food was gone, the captain still had yet to appear, but the crew had broken out in song. Jude didn't know the words but he hummed like he did. It wasn't until after Michael and Zachary slipped away to their room and Frank had fallen asleep at the table, mug of ale in his paw, when William came in through the door. Jude didn't even remember him leaving. The ram came around the table and placed a hoofed-paw on the otter's shoulder.
"Captain told me he wanted to see you." He said quietly. Jude's ears sprung up and he was being lead up to and down the corridor above the dining hall before he knew it. William took him to the final door at the end and with a simple knock they let themselves in. Elliot was behind a large red oak desk, strewn with papers. He was writing something by candle light; quill in paw, moving over parchment with particular speed. He looked tired and frustrated, the candle burning on the corner of his desk sending haunting shadows across his walrus face. And though his tusks did shine in the flickering light, his eyes looked dark and sunken.
"Sir, Jude, here to see you." William said and put an end to the scribbling sounds from the quill. Elliot looked up, and for a moment Jude thought a flash of frustration cross his eyes as he regarded the two and worried he might yell or shout, but it dissolved and a smile came over his mustached face as a warm 'ah' rose in his throat. He reached for a small steaming cup and brought it to his lips, drinking the remaining contents before he dared to speak.
"Thank you William, that's all, you can return to your post." Elliot said in the same warm voice that Jude had remembered. William nodded, his old leather bound book under his arm and said "Goodnight captain" before bowing himself out. Elliot stared at the door for a moment before turning to the otter, almost as if he had just noticed him. "Ah, Jude, I am terribly sorry for slipping away like I had. You see," He rose from his chair and shuffled a few piles of paper about his desk. "Whenever we make port and buy new necessities, it comes with a ton of paper work. I would have loved to have joined you lot in the hall but if I would have put this off, it would never have gotten done. I hope you can find it in yourself to forgive me for being so distant the last few hours."
"It's alright." Jude spoke softly twisting his paws as he watched the way Elliot moved. The ale inside him was made him feel weird; his face and ears were warm and he was noticing the way the walrus moved, and found a longing to be right there at his side; nestled in the crook of his arm again, smelling him and feeling him.
"Do you like my crew?" Elliot asked without looking up from his papers for more than a second. Jude knew he was busy, but why would he have called him here if he wasn't ready for him yet. 'Ready for what?' Jude thought to himself. He still wasn't sure what he expected from the walrus, but he knew he wanted something, maybe what Michael had with Zachary, but that was silly to think. Elliot was a real manly walrus, captain of a ship, but then again, Frank had said something about a bottom... What was that supposed to mean?
"They're all really nice." Jude spoke steadily, trying to push his thoughts towards the back of his mind, away from the situation at hand. He could feel himself getting particularly hard in his southern region and was thankful for the baggy pants Michael had given him. "They already accept me as one of the crew."
"I'm glad you're fitting in." Elliot said without looking up this time. "I sure hope my ship is better than that lonely trash bin of an alley. Dirty and cold I can imagine."
"Yeah, I'm thankful." Was all he could say; his mind was wandering again, eyes running over the walrus' exposed chest. In fact he became so engrossed that he nearly didn't hear the walrus speak.
"Go ahead and take off those nice new pants of yours." Elliot said as he finished organizing his desk. Jude felt his insides drop out and not stop even after it hit the water below the ship.
"What?" He asked, surely convinced that he had heard wrong. That Elliot had simply been complementing his pants, and not asking him to remove them. But when Elliot spoke again it was the same, only when he came around his desk Jude found a walrus naked from the waist down. In fact, he was only wearing the coat from earlier; one of the crew must have brought it back to him. The otter's eyes found themselves transfixed on the velvety sheath that contained something Jude had wanted to see for the past few hours. Elliot crossed the room, pausing only to push open a small window near his large four post bed. The breeze that fluttered in carried the walrus' scent towards him and all Jude could do was take the remaining steps towards him so that he might bask in that familiar essence.
"At a boy," He sighed deeply, reaching his arms out to place his walrus-paws on Jude's arms. It made him shiver but not from a chill. It was warm in not stuffy inside the cabin and if not for the open porthole it would have been stifling. A nearby lit fireplace cast light out across the fine embroidered rugs placed about the floor and crated enough heat to feel comfortable in only his fur. Elliot's paws moved quite expertly along the contours of the otter's furry body, moving with the natural flows of fur until they reached the pull string on the trousers. They fell instantly and all Jude could do was step out of them. "There, that's the otter I know from the alley."
Jude nearly squeaked when the paws cupped his exposed sac and tugged gently, his eyes nearly rolling to the back of his head; his vision blurring as the sensation nearly overwhelmed him. Elliot just chuckled and continued to play with the nicely sized orbs of fur. Only after a few minutes of euphoric foreplay did Jude notice that his shaft was sticking up out of his sheath, pre dripping into walrus hands and pulsing with blood. Jude was nearly shocked, but before he could react Elliot let his balls go and was pulling him backwards; onto the bed and into a kiss.
He pulled him up, with only the strength in his upper arms until they were up against the head board of the four post bed; Jude lying on top him like a lap dog who was simply giving his master innocent kisses, but Jude knew now that they weren't innocent. Then again, in a strange way, maybe they were.
His head swam in ecstasy as the thick tongue filled his own mouth, wrestling with his own. Jude felt Elliot's moustache scratching alongside his own whiskers; his tusks rubbing up against his muzzle. It was slightly awkward, but Jude soon found himself exploring the exterior of his new lover; his paws running up his velvety smooth belly until he came to his hard pecks and his even more defined biceps.
He noticed too that Elliot would moan every time his hard member would rub up against his soft sheath; pink cock dripping modest amounts of pre. It was only after Elliot began to press his hips up into the otter's thrusts, when Jude decided to divulge both their desires. He worked a single paw down, past his soft belly to his even softer sheath where he took hold of it, still flaccid, and aligned his own cock with it.
Elliot let out a deep, rumbling groan as the otter's five in a half inch cock slipped into the Walrus' sheath with ease. Jude could feel his hard dick slide in next to the soft one that belonged to Elliot and nearly whimpered as he began to hump slowly; his paw keeping firm to the sheath. Their mouths never broke apart, tongues now intertwining like serpents in a death match. Elliot, unlike Jude; who wanted only to feel every inch of the walrus underneath him, simply thrust up as he took the cock in and out of his sheath. It was only after a solid minute of muffled moans and consistent heaves, that Elliot took both paws and firmly took hold of the otter's rump; clawed paws only digging slightly into furry flesh as he pushed the otter's thrusts into his own sheath. Jude gasped as he was forcefully shoved deep inside the walrus, Elliot's own doing. Their kiss broke but was replaced by their faces rubbing up against one another as they made taboo love.
Jude wanted more, he didn't know why, but he wanted more; more things going on, more things happening. He wanted to be filled like he was filling Elliot and before he could find the courage to ask, to do; Elliot was pressing a sharp, nail tipped finger against the fleshy part of his ass. The tender area that had been aching, he just noticed, for something to fill it.
The digit slipped in; lubed with saliva, it sunk in up to the knuckle. Jude couldn't hold back the moan that escaped his mouth and could only bury his face into Eliot's chest as he was worked with skilled fingers. He couldn't even hump anymore, his young otter-hood, docked motionlessly inside the walrus' warm sheath, like a sword.
"My boy, are you going to tell me you're a virgin?" Elliot seductively whispered into Jude's ear. "I can honestly say I'm honored to be the one to take it."
Jude was glad too; he couldn't remember if he had had sex before. Taking his age into consideration, he seriously doubted it and was more than willing to share it with Elliot. He had saved him, or so it felt like it. Jude had nothing, not even a name, or his own clothes. But when he thought about it, as those warm padded finders dug deeper inside him he realized he had those things now. He had a place to be, a name, and clothes. He was Jude; cabin boy aboard the Wave Dancer.
"Do you want me inside you, Jude?" Elliot asked softly in his ear; the words resonating inside him, sending shivers throughout his young body.
"Yes, I do." He replied. He didn't even need to think about it. He wanted Elliot to have him, it was the least he could do to repay him for everything.
"Go ahead and pull yourself from me so I can get free then." Elliot said and without further instruction lifted his head from the warmth of the walrus' chest. Slowly he pulled his sensitive member from within the velvety sheath only to find a very thick member begin to emerge. Jude sat back on his ankles and watched Elliot grow to full length in a matter of seconds; walrus paw stroking the fat sheath to coax the succulent meat from within. While it was about the same length as Jude's it was more than three times as thick. It was no wonder he was able to dock with him so easily, the sheath was hiding a monster.
"Don't worry, I'll go slowly, I promise." Elliot said, the muscles in his groin flexing and causing his cock to bounce a bit. The musk hit him then. It wasn't bad, or good, just strong and smelled heavily of Elliot and, well, cock. Jude inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of his new lover, his captain. Old leather, sea salt, parchment, sweat; all those smells coagulated into one sweet smell that Jude was sure was intoxicating him far more than the pints of ale in his belly.
It made Jude's own hard-on ache as it throbbed at the sight of it. Already slick and dripping with a steady stream of what Jude knew to be pre cum; he wanted to taste it, but wanted it inside him even more. He managed a wondrous grin before climbing back on top Elliot, knees on either side of his waist, foot-paws digging into the feather down blanket; the strange homoerotic feeling inside him urging him on as he found that warm mustached mouth with his.
They kissed as Elliot began to massage the monstrous cock against Jude's underside. All Jude could do was hold his tail high and breathe; Elliot's warms breath mixing with his as his hole was slowly stretched. Jude winced, but like a champ, held his breath as the bulbous intruder found its way inside him. His vision blurred so he shut his eyes and let his other four scenes take over. Elliot came to him in those forms; the taste of his mouth, the smell of his velvety neck, the sounds of his grunts and Jude's soft moans, and the feeling of Elliot's male-hood working its way in and out of Jude's insides like a serpent on the prowl.
It was unlike anything he had ever felt, each mini thrust was like a thousand years of forgotten pleasure, of bliss, of nirvana. He held tight to those large arms, held on for his old life as a new life seemed to be flooding into him in the shape of a cock. With each wave, each stroke of gentle force, what had been '____ ' was slowly and entirely becoming 'Jude', the otter cabin boy, and he didn't mind one bit.
With his eyes still firmly shut, he rode Elliot slowly, only taking about half of the entire length each time his bottom sank down onto that giant rod, but those few inches were more than he had ever had in his life. It felt like it was turning him inside out, only in a good way, if possible. Each stroke sent semi-painful shocks through his body, telling every fiber of his being that what he felt was good, regardless of the slight pain.
"Elliot," Jude whispered half a moan; he didn't know what he wanted to say, if anything at all. He only wanted the walrus to know that he was there, that he felt him; gods did he feel him! It became euphoric, everything seemed to become slow. The consistent stabbing of the cock in his ass remained the same, but his breathing slowed. All he could to was hold on for dear life as he squirmed on the length of meat that was half inside him.
"I'm here, my boy." Elliot breathed. The voice was almost distant. To Jude, he barely heard it above the slurping sounds of Elliot's sex entering and slipping from within him. "You feel so good, Jude."
Elliot felt good too, not only on the outside; his thin, flesh like fur, but the monster from within this sheath, its slippery length making him feel things he never knew had existed. He noticed that every other thrust inside him would do something; trigger a particularly wonderful shock of pleasure. He felt it throb in his groin, his cock, and in his soul. It almost felt like something was pleasuring him from the inside out. In fact, Jude came to the conclusion, though nearly lost in his own cloud of gratification, that that was exactly what was happening. Every time he'd lower himself onto the walrus dick, he'd feel his own member pulsate as the shock of pleasure rippled through his body. That, along with rubbing his length across Elliot's belly, was enough to bring him closer and closer to the edge of sexual explosion.
"Jude," Elliot whispered cupping a paw to the back of Jude head, his other paw holding the otter's rump, as if guiding him up and down his walrus-hood. Jude was only slightly aware of the voice; lost in ecstasy and lust and love. When his 'new' name reached his warm ears again, he heard the polite voice of his new, older lover. "Jude, I want to mate you. Let me fill you."
"Mate me." Jude wasn't sure what that meant, but something told him that it would be good. He tried not to think about it too much, however, concerned only with his own approaching orgasm and the delight it was giving him. He simply kissed the walrus in reply and planted his cheek against his strong, soft, chest.
He felt Elliot's muscle's tense, starting from his torso then down to his groin where the red rod of meat tried to thrust faster. Some lost forgotten instinct came to Jude then, from somewhere in the windworks of his mind, and told him to ride on. He sped up his ups and downs, his own tender cock rubbing in near pain against Elliot's furry belly; screaming for release. The walrus groaned; a roar worthy of waking the dead straight from Davey Jones; or the crew a bored the ship, at least.
Jude felt the paws on his neck and rear tighten; though not painfully, only lustfully as Elliot filled him with what Jude could only describe as warm jelly. In reality; hot gushes of seed flooded the pink insides of the otter, splashing against his tenderly kneaded prostate. Jude's eyes clamped shut as he felt the final burst of pleasure erupt somewhere from within his loins. He pressed himself against the walrus and groaned a squeaky moan of pleasure as his own male-hood erupted into Elliot's belly button.
Jude's breath only returned after he was sure he was completely spent, his cum beginning to run down the walrus' curves, dampening the fluffy, feather down blanket. It slowed and became normal and soon matched the rumbling breathes of Elliot's. He could feel the 'jelly' shifting inside him every time he'd try and reposition himself on the large belly upon which he lay, eyes only just open enough to make out the candles still burning on the large desk nearby.
He felt heavy, and knew he wouldn't be able to speak even if he wanted to. He wasn't sure if Elliot was smiling, or sleeping or if he wanted to say something to him. He was barely conscious himself, and knew that Elliot would be able to tell. Any conversation he wanted to have with the otter would have to wait until morning.
'I think I like it here.' Jude thought lazily to himself, feeling quite warm on top the great mass of velvet fur. He liked the crew, he liked the ship, and he figured it was safe to assume that he loved the captain. A powerful word, but it was the only one he knew to describe how he felt. So when he took one final deep breath of Elliot's sleeping scent, he heard him begin to snore. It made him smile, and tired. He closed his eyes and listened to the soft inhales and lapping of sea water against the hull if the ship, and he fell asleep to the smell's he had grown to love in so sort a time.