FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Once everyone had eaten their fill for the morning, Maggie began to pack all of her desired belongings and entire pantry of food. For a moment, the raccoon appeared sad as she looked through her home a final time.

"I feel a little guilty for taking you out of your home." Mickeyila admitted. "It's such a cozy little place to live by the sea."

"It's alright." The raccoon managed to maintain her heartwarming smile. "Sitting here, growing old, and being alone isn't much fun either." She explained.

"We'll have a lot of adventures together." The captain promised.

"Let's set sail then!" Maggie said excitedly.

Mickeyila, Isabel, and Hibbary helped carry all of her few desired belongings down and food to where their ship was the docked. Everyone was quickly loading everything on the deck as Mickeyila hurried down the ramp to retrieve the last food on the dock. However, the canine found something amiss.

"What the..." The canine blinked at the empty spot. 'It was right here...' She rubbed her chin at the curious disappearance.

"Hmm?" After turning around and pacing several times, the canine spotted a rat tail laying beside a barrel on the edge of the dock. 'I smell a rat.' Her nose wiggled. She carefully crept closer along the dock, careful not to step on a squeaky board. Once she was within striking distance, she made her move.

"Aha!" Mickeyila jumped around and heard a squeak of surprise. Looking down she found a poor female rat huddled behind the barrel. Scruffy white head fur was disheveled; and her entire fur coat was white, but dingy and grey from eking out a poor existence. Her trouser pants and shirt were dirty, worn, and torn in several places. In her pink hands was a piece of half eaten bread and small bag of food that Maggie had prepared for lunch.

"You're that rat from before... You were stealing food from Maggie!" Mickeyila recognized her. "And now you're stealing our food!"

"Please don't turn me in!" She begged. "They'll beat me until I can't walk!"

"They?" The canine tilted her head.

"The soldiers and jailers." The rat meekly explained. "They treat anyone poor like me horribly."

"Hmm..." Mickeyila didn't like the idea of throwing the rat to several jailers and soldiers who were known to be ruffians. However, simply leaving the rat at San Marello meant she would remain a petty thief until capture. Didn't this mean she was a lady in distress?

"You're pretty quick witted and fast." The canine mentioned and rubbed her chin. "What's your name?"

"I-It's Elena." She said after hesitating.

"How about you come aboard with us instead of staying on this island?" Mickeyila offered. The rat blinked in a mix of confusion and surprise as the canine offered a hand to her. Elena handed over the food and followed her aboard the Damsel.

"I'm the captain of a new pirate group, and we could use your talents on the high seas." The canine explained. "Or I imagine they'd be valuable when we are on land. Any questions?" She turned to ask the rodent. Elena looked at Mickeyila curiously.

"Why is your chest exposed?" The rat asked.

"We're the Topless Pirates!" Mickeyila proudly boasted with her hands on her hips. The rat blinked in confusion. "We don't require shirts aboard our ship."

"Why not?" She innocently asked.

"Because we're pirates!" Mickeyila triumphantly explained.

"She means no clothing rules out here." Their heads turned to Hibbary seated nearby in the middle of a large rope bundle on the deck. The coyote was holding up two coconut halves to her ears. "We don't need to cover our chests since there are no men here to hide them from. We make the rules." She plainly explained.

"Exactly what the coconut listening coyote said." Mickeyila agreed with her crew mate.

"Oh. Okay." The rat still appeared somewhat unsure about it though.

"Everyone gather around!" She yelled when Isabel and Maggie returned from below deck. "We might have someone wanting to join us as a new crew mate." She announced. The lioness and raccoon were quick to walk across the deck, but once the raccoon was closer, she stopped in her tracks with a look of surprise on her face.

"You're the rat who steals food from everyone in town!" Maggie frowned and approached the rat.

"Hold on! I'm sure we can think of something to resolve this..." Mickeyila jumped in between them.

"But she will steal from us now." The mature raccoon insisted.

"She can't steal anything while we are at sea. We are all on a single ship." Isabel pointed out.

"I don't know..." Maggie folded her arms with a frown.

"How about this." The captain offered. "Elena can help you with cooking and cleaning until you feel satisfied with her work."

"Hmm." The raccoon thought for a second. "I also want a foot rub from her every night before bed."

"That's an odd request." Isabel mumbled. The others seemed to agree but Maggie wasn't dissuaded.

"Running on cobblestone with your bare feet for years hurts when you're my age." Maggie insisted. "Especially when your chasing someone who has stolen from you." She glared at the rat.

"Okay..." Mickeyila turned to Elena. "That's better than being beaten in a prison, or constantly starving for food, right?"

"Yeah." The rat quietly nodded.

"Is everyone okay with her joining?" Mickeyila asked.

"Sure." Hibbary said.

"I'm fine with it." Isabel didn't mind. Maggie didn't appear too happy in her silence, but at least the raccoon wasn't frowning anymore.

"So what do you say? Would you like to join us," the canine offered the rat a friendly grin, "and became a pirate? No pay, no... Crap. We didn't read our pirate code to you, Maggie!" Mickeyila looked at the older raccoon. "Where did we put it?"

"I'll go get it." Isabel offered and walked away.

"It's alright." Maggie waved a hand.

"Don't worry, I'll read it to both of you." The captain insisted as Isabel returned with a paper in hand. "Thank you." Mickeyila smiled and cleared her throat before reading what they had written. "One: all crew members are topless, and no men can join our crew. Two: no prey no pay. You have to fight for what you earn. Three: no lights below deck after dark. Four: no smoking below deck, because we don't need fires on board. Five: all fighting to resolve quarrels will take place on land. We don't need to damage the ship. And rule six: we always offer to help a lady in distress." She finished reading what they had written so far.

"About rule two... Are we going to fight a lot?" Maggie looked concerned.

"The hope is that we won't, but we will be prepared if we have to!" Mickeyila triumphantly spoke.

"If we are prepared then... Okay. I agree with those points." Maggie grinned. Elena nodded in turn.

"Perfect. So what do you say Elena? Do you wish to be a member of our crew?"

"I'll join." She softly spoke with a grin. Elena slipped off her tattered shirt revealing her slender build with small, wide spaced breasts all covered in snowy white fur.

"Hooray for the fifth member of our crew, Elena!" Mickeyila cheered. Hibbary clapped as she hopped up from the pile of rope. The rat removed her tattered shirt over her scruffy head revealing her naked chest. The white furred rat's breasts were very modest in size and spaced, but the pink rings of skin were no less feminine than anyone else's on board. She didn't seem embarrassed at all, after all she had lived a dangerous life of thievery. Going around half naked was much easier by comparison.

"That brings our crew to five people." Mickeyila happily remarked. "Does anyone have any questions?"

"I have a question." Maggie politely spoke.

"Sure! What is it?"

"Where do we sleep?"

"A good question." Mickeyila paused and looked around the deck. "I know they have a cabin in here for sleeping quarters somewhere..."

"I'm exploring the ship then." Hibbary went to one of the doors that led below deck.

"A brilliant idea." The canine captain grinned. "Let's explore!" She waved a hand. Everyone scattered as they headed to different parts of the ship. Mickeyila and Isabel headed to a door above deck. It had a large bed and private room completely furnished with a desk, chair, little bookshelf, and even a small closet with drawers.

"This must be the captain's quarters." Isabel presumed.

"I love it! I'd like to have this room." Mickeyila's tail wagged as she sat down on the bedside. "It's perfect for a new pirate captain." She ran her hands along the covers.

"Then it's yours to keep." Isabel mused.

"I wonder what's in all of these drawers and the cabinet?" Mickeyila hopped off the bedside, and curiously rummaged through the former owner's belongings. However, there wasn't a lot to look for. A spare button, thimble, plenty of dust, illegible notes, and even a crust of bread was stowed away. A few old or torn clothes were folded or hanging up; but there was nothing fancy like a captain's coat.

"Sheesh, the last captain must've been destitute or selling this ship." Mickeyila hummed and checked the final drawer. Her ears perked up hearing a thud as she opened it.

"Wow!" The canine exclaimed.

"What is it?" Isabel stepped closer.

"Nice! It's a pistol." Mickeyila picked up the finely made weapon.

"That's a good firearm." The lioness agreed.

"I'm definitely going to keep this fella on me." She slipped the pistol into the hem of her trousers. "Let's see what the others found." She turned around.

Below deck on the other side of the ship, Elena, Hibbary, and Maggie found the crew's sleeping quarters. It was a pair of rooms connected by an entryway with several beds.

"There's a few cots and bunks down here." Maggie noticed there was enough sleeping space for a modest sized crew.

"Wow. It feels really soft." Elena laid down on a comfy bottom bunk, letting her feet and tail dangle off the end.

"I'll use the hammock." Hibbary shuffled into the hanging bed.

"I was wondering what the beds would look like." Maggie mentioned and sat down on one of the simple beds. "They're comfy enough."

"Hey! What did y'all find down there?" They heard Mickeyila say as she walked down the steps from the doorway with Isabel.

"Beds!" Hibbary called back.

"I'm coming to look." She said as her footsteps approached. "Oh cool!" Her head peeked around a corner and found the other three in the beds.

"There's a second room with beds over there." Maggie pointed. "Although, it has one larger bed. I might want that one." She mentioned.

"Great! That's plenty of room for us." The canine captain was happy.

"Where are you going to sleep Isabel?" Mickeyila asked.

"Wherever there's an open bed." The lioness didn't seem picky about the sleeping arrangements.

"There's a few cutlasses down here." Elena noticed and slipped out of the bunk bed. The rat walked over to a barrel where three sheathed blades were.

"That's great!" Mickeyila hopped over to her. "Who needs a cutlass? You definitely get one since you found them." Mickeyila let the rat have one.

"Th-Thank you." She grinned and picked up the blade.

"Hibbary."

"Yep?" The coyote lifted her head from the hammock.

"You'll get one." Mickeyila gladly handed one over to her.

"Cool." She admired the weapon.

"Maggie, did you want one?" She offered the last glad to the raccoon.

"I don't know." The older raccoon rubbed her hands. "I hope I don't have to fight anybody."

"Ok. Did you want it Isabel? I already found the pistol in the captain's room."

"Sure." She accepted the weapon.

"What else have y'all found down here?" Mickeyila looked around the beds.

"Not much." Hibbary nearly fell out if the hammock but caught herself. "There's plenty of musty smelling wood and dust down here; empty barrels; and rope with extra sail." She brushed her belly fur, and walked over to a nearby barrel. "Cool... They even have a black flag." Hibbary looked inside and pulled the fabric from a barrel.

"Great! We need to design our own pirate flag to fly." Mickeyila pointed towards the sky as she thought aloud.

"Let's find some paint and create a design!" Hibbary gathered the black flag and headed above deck with Mickeyila and Elena. Their footsteps clamored over the wooden boards until they dissipated into mere soft thuds above deck.

"This is an energetic crew." Maggie smiled as the sleeping quarters fell silent.

"Mickeyila has a contagious charisma around her." Isabel mumbled.

"I see." The raccoon nodded. "Is that why you joined?"

"I had nothing better to do since I was going to become a criminal anyway." The stoic lioness shrugged. "Better to stay in a group and share the risk I suppose."

"There's always safety in numbers." Maggie agreed. "But why were you going to become a criminal anyway?"

"I worked on a navy ship, but I was laid off a while back. With nowhere to go and no money to spare, I was left in the same island town that Mickeyila and Hibbary lived on. I never knew either of them, but I have seen Mickeyila before. She used to tutor kids or something." Isabel mentioned.

"I'm sorry to hear that you were laid off." The raccoon said consolingly. "But it's great that Mickeyila asked you to become the quartermaster."

"Yeah, it's much better than spending time in a jail for petty theft." The lioness looked away, deep in thought. The mature raccoon brought some of her stuff to lay on the larger bed in the other room.

"So where are we sailing to next, Isabel?" Maggie approached the lioness.

"I'm not sure. Mickeyila hasn't decided yet." The lioness shrugged and returned above deck with the older raccoon.

"I'll ask her then. Thank you." The raccoon walked around the deck in search of Mickeyila. The older raccoon found her captain painting on a large black flag with Hibbary while Elena watched.

"Are you two painting our flag?" She curiously watched what they were doing.

"Yep!" Mickeyila happily smiled as she finished a few final touches. "What do you think?" She stepped back to show her the design. Maggie's eyes widened as a smile grew along her face.

"Oh my... Are they breasts?" The raccoon covered her mouth only to giggle.

"Boobies." Hibbary held back a laugh. "Blobs of fatty tissue."

"That'll certainly catch everyone's attention." Maggie managed to say.

"What's that?" Isabel walked over to see what was going on.

"It's the symbol of our freedom!" Mickeyila proudly held up the flag.

"It's two curves and two dots, Mickeyila!" The lioness rubbed her forehead.

"They are really basic in design." The coyote agreed. "But there's a good aesthetic feel to simple drawings."

"What's wrong with it? We are the Topless Pirates." Mickeyila waved part of the large flag happily. "I like it."

"You should put a skull or something on the flag so people know we are actually pirates." Isabel pointed out. "Otherwise we're flying a pair of tits for a flag."

"Heehee." Hibbary snickered.

"Well, it has a black background like any pirate flag so I don't think anyone will mistake us for something else." The captain reasoned.

"Please put a skull, a skeleton, or hourglass on it." Isabel wiped her face with a hand.

"Okay okay. There's room for improvement." Mickeyila insisted. "But we're not getting rid of what we have so far."

"They're not even symmetrical." The lioness scoffed.

"They rarely are." Hibbary and Maggie said in unison.

"I guess a little unevenness never hurt anyone though." The older raccoon giggled. "But men love them anyway."

"Why do men love them so much?" Mickeyila folded her arms in question.

"They love yours. No one wants them saggy like mine." Maggie held hers up to prove her point.

"Guys like all the round squishy squishy, bouncy bouncy." Hibbary said making Elena giggle. "Bunch of pervs." She added.

"If everyone likes them so much then why are they banned from view?

"Wouldn't people stare, or grab them in public if women didn't cover up?" Maggie winced at the thought.

"Men stare anyway." Mickeyila wiggled her nose with a subtle frown. "And if anyone dared to grab me, I'd kindly slap some sense into their empty skull. Besides, it shouldn't be such a big deal. They're for nursing young children... and hanging around the rest of the time."

"They're good at catching a sailor's eye or two." The mature raccoon grinned and winked.

"Men love them because they don't have any." Hibbary mentioned.

"What do you mean?"

"If we had giant horns on our heads, or triangles on our foreheads, then men would love them just as much." The coyote insisted. Isabel rolled her eyes at the ridiculous conversation.

"I think they like triangles enough as it is..." The lioness mumbled before clearing her throat. "This is ridiculous. Maybe we could talk about what we're going to do next rather than our anatomy." Isabel spoke up.

"Ah, that's a good idea." Mickeyila nodded. "Hibbary, do you still have all of your maps with you?"

"Yep. I can go get them." She hopped to her paws.

"Great!" The canine exclaimed. "We can sail to the closest uninhabited island and come up with a few plans before we start pirating." She happily rubbed her hands together.

"Visiting an island sounds nice." Maggie smiled as Hibbary ran across the deck to retrieve her maps. The coyote was quick to return with one in hand.

"I guess it depends on where we want to go, or what we want to do." She mentioned. "But the closest island is just a short distance WNW." She showed them.

"It's uninhabited, right?" Mickeyila asked.

"Yep. We can make it there in no time at all." The coyote rolled up the map.

"Excellent." She smiled. "Are there any objections?" The canine asked the crew, but none were offered.

"The paint is dry now." Elena looked at their flag.

"Let's hoist the flag!" She declared and carried it to the main mast. Isabel groaned and rubbed her face as the flag was quickly raised. The breeze gently blew the pirate symbol for all to see.

"Best pirate flag I've seen." Hibbary grinned.

"Perfect." Mickeyila proudly looked up at their new flag with admiration. "We've done so much in a single day... Oh! Wait!" She exclaimed causing everyone's heads to turn. "We haven't christened this ship with a new name yet."

"Can that wait?" Isabel asked.

"No. We need to have a name before we set sail again." The canine captain insisted. All five crew members stopped and thought for a moment.

"The Flying Maiden?" Maggie offered a suggestion.

"Hmm. I like it." Mickeyila hummed.

"What about The Duchess, or is that too fancy?" Hibbary asked.

"No. That's good..."

"Rags to Riches?" Elena suggested.

"Hmm... These are all great ideas." Mickeyila loved them all.

"We could be crazy and name it the Shit ton of Wood." Hibbary snickered. Everyone looked at the coyote wide eyed, but didn't say anything.

"How about... The Damsel?" The lioness proposed.

"Ooh. I like that one." Maggie piped up. Elena nodded in agreement.

"All in favor of The Damsel, say aye." Mickeyila stated.

"Aye!" The entire crew spoke.

"Excellent! Now that The Damsel has been christened with a name... Let's disembark!" The captain exclaimed.

"Meep merp." Hibbary squeaked and suddenly fell down to the deck on her back much to everyone's surprise. Little X's formed over her eyes.

"Oh my!" Maggie and Isabel gasped.

"Is she alright?" Elena crouched down beside the motionless coyote.

"Sorry, she hasn't had much sleep." Mickeyila realized and hurried over to help. "She was up most of the night keeping us on course."

"I'll bring her to the hammock." Elena offered and grabbed Hibbary's arms.

"We could all us a little rest once we're at sea." Mickeyila mentioned.

"You three definitely need it." Maggie watched as the coyote foamed at the mouth and flailed her arms while she was carefully dragged to the cabin. Everyone else quickly went to work. The anchor was gradually pulled up, and the sails were unfurled.

"Uh oh." Mickeyila paused by the edge of the ship.

"What?" Elena hurried over from the cabin.

"We've got nosy visitors." Both pirate ladies peered overboard and spotted a trio of men; a silver fox, a badger, and a skunk were all standing at the dock. Each one was well dressed, although the skunk appeared to be wearing a uniform of some sort.

"Why is this ship back here today?" The fox inquired, but the others were equally perplexed.

"Do you think Bartholomew had to come back for some emergency?" The badger wondered.

"But there was no storm..." The fox didn't understand either and shrugged. "He's paid his customs and the inspection was cleared."

"Who are they?" Elena asked while they talked amongst themselves.

"I don't know." Mickeyila shook her head. "I was going to ask you."

"Is that a woman?" One of the astute men observed.

"Huh?" Both women blinked.

"This is Lord Attington's vessel!" The badger yelled. "Who are you and what are you doing on board?"

"My name is-!" Mickeyila was promptly cut off.

"They're naked prostitutes!" The skunk looked at the topless Mickeyila and Elena with shock. The rat didn't seem to care about the insult, but her captain became infuriated at the accusation.

"What did you call me?" She rhetorically asked. Maggie quickly approached and intervened.

"Goodness. They're just officials, Mickeyila" The older raccoon explained and tried pulling her captain away. "Leave them be. We're departing."

"Filth like you have no right to board Lord Attington's vessel. Have you kidnapped him?" The fox demanded to know and continued the unbridled insults.

"Filth?! We're not prostitutes! Go away or we'll shanghai you!" Mickeyila nearly jumped and barked at them. Curses and foul words were exchanged as the ship edged away from the dock. With Isabel at the helm, they left the bay having only fired several salty words at the officials standing at the docks.

"Why in the hell were you yelling?" Isabel demanded to know.

"These pompous fancy dressed baboons started calling us prostitutes and filth." Mickeyila frowned and blew a heated sigh. "The nerve of them..."

"I tried telling you they were officials." Maggie sighed. "They collect dues, inspect ships, and sign approved papers for the government. Those sorts of things." She explained.

"Oh. Whatever." Isabel relaxed. "They couldn't get on board anyway." The lioness looked back at the docks growing more distant.

"Well I can't just take an insult like that without saying something." The canine folded her arms.

"Just ignore their words." Maggie reassured her. "When they leave your house, you can swear at them all you like." The raccoon firmly spoke from experience with her hands on her hips, and a little grin to cheer her captain up.

"You're right. I should cool my head from the sun." Mickeyila felt guilty for snapping.

"What did they say, other than insults?" Isabel curiously wondered.

"Something about Lord Attington's vessel, and why it was back here." Elena wasn't sure.

"Whoever's ship this was, they know it is probably stolen." The lioness reasoned only to yawn.

"You should get some sleep." Maggie spoke like any warm hearted mother. "You two and Hibbary have been up much of the night. Elena and I can man this vessel for a few hours." The older raccoon held up an arm and flexed with little extra muscle to show.

"Thanks. Just stay on course westward." The lioness said and lazily walked back to the cabin.

"Your pancakes really hit the spot Maggie." Mickeyila gave the raccoon a brief hug. "Thank you for joining our crew."

"You're more than welcome." She warmly smiled.

"And thank you for joining too, Elena. We need all the help we can muster."

"Thank you for this opportunity." The rat grinned.

"Wake me up if something bad happens." Mickeyila went to the captain's quarters leaving the older raccoon and younger rat alone together.

"I know you're not a thief anymore, but I have my eye watching you." Maggie turned to Elena and spoke neutrally. "You can rub my feet once we go to bed." The rat's ears folded back, but she didn't respond as the raccoon walked away.

"Hmm. Hm. Hmmm..." Maggie was humming as she folded the sheets to her bed. The gentle rocking of the ship occasionally made the wooden vessel creak below deck to accompany her little tune. However, the area was completely silent of footsteps and other people. It was mid morning and everyone else was above deck. The older raccoon admired her handiwork with a hint of satisfaction.

'The others can be a little messy when they are in a hurry for breakfast.' She grinned and peered outside to the other sleeping quarters. Hibbary's hammock was orderly of course. Isabel's bed was partially made, or maybe it simply appeared that way; but Elena's sheets were a mess.

"Tsk. Tsk." She approached where the rat slept and started making her bed as well.

"Hey! Elena just spotted land!" Mickeyila yelled from the doorway at the top of the steps.

"Oh! I'm coming up!" The raccoon quickly folded the bedspread neatly before running up the stairs, her breasts swinging side to side in rhythm with her bobbing braided hair. Upon reaching the deck, she shielded her eyes from the strong sunlight, and caught her breath.

'Ah. I am getting old.' She thought to herself. Maggie gradually peeked across the deck and could see Elena, Isabel, and Mickeyila standing at the edge of the ship. Towards the horizon there was a shoreline and greenery. The land mass was small, but hilly. The hills and slopes were covered in green forests looming above the blue sea, but were no less enchanting being situated in the middle of the calm waters.

"Wow. The island is beautiful." Maggie remarked.

"St. Alon is its name." Hibbary informed everyone. The coyote was sitting in the middle of the deck with the map spread out before her. Mickeyila smiled as they approached. The scattered clouds in the sky were large and puffy like celestial ships, but didn't promise of any rain or a storm. The occasional breeze whipped by ruffling clothes, hair and fur alike. The ocean spray nearly reached the deck when they sailed through a low wave.

"I hope I never get used to seeing islands like this." The canine sighed with a big smile and refashioned her bandana.

"And there's not a ship in sight." Elena looked out with a hand telescope.

"Perfect. No one will see us there so we won't have to worry about sneaking around for once." Mickeyila remarked. "Drop anchor." She ordered.

"Yes ma'am." The rat quickly said.

"Good thinking on visiting an island without people." Isabel commended her captain. "A group of bare chested ladies is bound to garner extra attention wherever they roam." She explained.

"Yep." She nodded with satisfaction. "We can go where we please when our crew is large enough anyway." Isabel looked doubtful but didn't object.

"What are we going to do while we are here?" Hibbary asked. "Create plans on how to seize a ship and steal its valuable cargo?" The coyote sneakily rubbed her hands together. "I can check the maps." She offered to run across the deck.

"Let's use this day to practice fighting." The lioness suggested.

"Yeah. That's okay, I guess..." Hibbary shrugged as something else caught her attention.

"That's a great idea, Isabel!" Mickeyila beamed a smile.

"Does anyone here know how to fight?" Isabel turned and asked everyone. Maggie shyly looked away and Elena shook her head.

"I can run." The rat modestly spoke. "But that's because I am used to stealing items."

"I can throw a punch or a rock and run!" Mickeyila held up a clenched fist. Isabel looked over to where Hibbary was laying across the deck with an outstretched arm. A snail was slowly crawling towards her.

"Oh no..." Hibbary spoke in a soft voice. "He's gonna get me!" She whispered as the snail very slowly came closer to her. "Noooo." The coyote almost giggled as she feigned fear. The lioness's face didn't look pleased at the responses and observations.

"Get your cutlasses, we'll practice swordsmanship on the beach. While we are safe at this island, we should learn the most basic ways on how to fight just in case something goes awry."

"Can we learn how to fire a cannon first?" Maggie asked.

"I do not want to possibly attract any attention when we are going to spend time on shore. I can teach everyone once we get back on the ship." Isabel said.

"Alright. Let's do it!" Mickeyila clasped her hands together with a smile. Everyone gathered their swords and climbed down into the dingy after it was dropped to the water. Land was a short row away with the waves carrying them to shore. They jumped out of the dingy and touched wet sand as a small wave foamed around their paws. The pristine beach was level, a perfect place to spend the day. The palm trees rustled in the breeze a short distance away as the waves gently crashed onto the shore.

"Driftwood..." Mickeyila sang and picked up the modest stick partially covered with sargassum. "Shouldn't we use sticks instead of swords?"

"Not unless you want to use them in a fight." Isabel retorted.

"Just thinking of safety..." Mickeyila tossed it aside.

"Are those bones?" Elena pointed towards the edge of the trees.

"What?" Mickeyila looked around.

"They're definitely people bones." Hibbary noticed them on the beach too. "This is definitely a femur." She walked over and picked it up.

"Maybe someone was moored here by accident?" Maggie's face turned into one of concern.

"Or on purpose." Hibbary presumed.

"That can happen." Isabel placed a hand on her hip. "Or it could've been from a duel."

"Oh yeah. You mentioned it was better to do that on land for disagreements so a ship wouldn't be harmed." Mickeyila remembered.

"He died from a duel?" Maggie didn't like the sound of that and became nervous. "Do cooks get a fighting exemption?" She hesitated to ask. The others paused for a moment.

"She has a point." Mickeyila rubbed her chin.

"Maggie's our cook, so she'll be spending a lot of time on the ship feeding us already." Hibbary spoke up.

"Not to sound impolite, but you are older." Isabel added.

"I think that settles it." Mickeyila said.

"You can sit this one out." The lioness offered.

"Oh! Thank you!" The pudgy raccoon gave the stern lioness a big hug. Mickeyila giggled at the sight.

"Uh. You're welcome." Isabel carefully pulled away once the raccoon stepped back.

"Anyone else wanna hug the beefy lioness?" Hibbary grinned and wiggled her eyebrows.

"No." The lioness flatly said. "Let's get to work."

"What do you suggest we do?" Mickeyila asked.

"Arm yourself." She drew her sword. "Each one of you will fight me so I can determine how skilled you are, and how much I need to teach you three swordsmanship."

"You first, captain." Hibbary offered her sword and took a big step back with Elena. Mickeyila looked over her shoulder with subtle dread, and couldn't help but notice Maggie was already strolling down the beach behind them.

"Thanks." She hesitated to accept the coyote's blade, but turned to face the intimidating lioness anyway. 'I just became the captain of a pirate crew. I am not going to be afraid of my own quartermaster.' The bull lurched mutt told herself with a little confidence. Isabel readied herself as Mickeyila jumped forward.

"Hiyaaa!" She yelled and clashed with the feline with a resounding ping of metal biting metal. However, the captain was quickly knocked flat on her back from a swift move. Mickeyila blinked, stunned as she looked up at the lioness looming over her. She quickly rebounded and jumped back to "attack" Isabel with ferocity while Elena and Hibbary nervously awaited their turn...

***

The late afternoon sun was beginning to cast longer shadows as the evening began. The waves hadn't ceased lapping along the sandy beach, and the wind was apt to gust on occasion. Maggie's pants could be seen flying on a stick in the sand, whipping to the sea breeze. The older raccoon was laid out in the sand, enjoying the sun's warmth in her bare fur. A pair of conch shells rested at her side from beach combing earlier. She slowly stretched with a yawn and opened her eyes. She glimpsed a little crab scuttle away into a hole in the sand. Her ears perked up hearing silence.

'Looks like they're done.' She noticed it was quiet, and sand was no longer flying in the air. Looking over, the rest of the crew had been practicing swordsmanship and hand to hand fighting for a couple of hours. Only one person was still standing.

"Ugh... I'm sore." Mickeyila huffed as she sat in the sand with enough energy to stare ahead at the sea. The canine's splotchy pink skin underneath her fur appeared a little red from prolonged the sun exposure. Isabel was standing nearby, but the lioness hadn't broken a sweat all afternoon.

"You won't be able to move tomorrow then." Isabel wasn't very pleased.

"Oh, c'mon!" The captain huffed. "Running around and fighting in the hot sand all day is a lot of work." She rotated a shoulder only to wince. The others were too exhausted to complain. Elena was tired as well. The rat was sitting by an overhanging coconut tree, enjoying the little shade while she could. Hibbary fared no better and was laying on her back, sprawled out in the sand.

"Did I push y'all too hard?" She rubbed her head.

"Eh... We're not novices anymore." Mickeyila shrugged.

"That's true." The feline acknowledged. "But a life at sea is very demanding, and it would benefit all of us if we prepared for it earnestly."

"I'm going to feel like a noodle for the next two days." Mickeyila sighed and managed to rise to her paws without too much soreness.

"Ugh... Yep. I'm an old noodle too." Hibbary stretched her arms out with a tired look in her eyes.

"Hey. I'm the oldest noodle here." Maggie dusted the sand out of her fur, and put on her pants once again. She walked over and helped the coyote up to her paws.

"Thanks." She shook the sand out of her fur.

"I'll help anyone else who needs a hand." She looked around.

"I'm ok." Elena managed to stand on her own, but her back popped as soon as she did.

"All of you will perk up once you have a good night's sleep." The cheerful raccoon promised.

"Hnnn." Hibbary grumbled. "We're perky. You're saggy." She poked the mature raccoon's chest.

"Saggy... Saggy Maggie!" Mickeyila chuckled only to cover her mouth. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't say that. It's rude!" The canine snickered anyway.

"Oh, that's fine. It's definitely the truth!" The older raccoon laughed. "By the way, why did you ever become a pirate, Mickeyila?" Maggie asked. "You're so good natured and friendly. It's nothing like the rough seamen and soldiers that I know of."

"Hmm... I always loved the idea of an adventure." Mickeyila paused for a moment and thought. "I had last thought about it a few days ago, before I was fined for indecent exposure. I guess I kinda snapped when the judge threw the book at me." She grinned sheepishly and pressed two fingertips together.

"Sounds like there's a story to tell." Maggie happily guessed.

"Yep. I'll happily explain when we're on the ship." She promised as they walked across the beach.

**

The warm breezes and winds passed through the island of Berry Town. The colonial seaside settlement was relatively quiet with the palms rustling in the sea breeze more than anything else. The late morning and early afternoon was the typical time to rest and have lunch when the tropical heat was at its peak. In the shade of an alleyway a few people were playing a game of skittles and dice to pass the time. At the street corner, a german shepherd sailor and fossa merchant were discussing the latest events with a newspaper in hand.

"That new tax law is going to drive more fishermen to smuggling when foreign ships pass through these waters." The fossa mentioned.

"I wouldn't be surprised if half the local fishermen in all of the colonies were part-time smugglers." The sailor spoke frankly. The curious ear of a canine mutt took note of their conversation as she walked by them to the printing press next door.

"Thank you." Mickeyila said as she bought a small newspaper for herself from the island's printing press. The canine quickly started reading.

"Oh wow." She hummed and read one section on the cover. 'Small pirate crew with a bounty of three thousand pounds spotted near Cape Xavier after attacking a Spanish treasure fleet.'

"How interesting." She said to herself and read over the details. 'Think of how much gold was onboard.' The mere thought of its value made her dizzy. After reading through the entire paper, Mickeyila headed down a nearby street towards a husky lady wearing modest clothes with a wide straw hat in her lap. The canine was under the shade of a brick building where the sea breeze could pass through with ease. A blanket was spread out before her where a few cantaloupes, apples, pears, oranges, coconuts, and small bags of rice were placed. They were likely extras or leftovers that had been bartered down from a merchant vessel unloading extra goods to make room. The husky was a little rough around the edges, but if you haggled with merchants and townspeople all day then it was a necessity.

"Good morning Florence." The mutt greeted the husky. "Or is it noon already?"

"Hello Mickeyila. Can I offer you a bite to eat?" She waved a hand over her section of produce.

"No thanks. I'll come by a little later this afternoon and buy something."

"Fine. How's teaching been going?' She asked. "It has to be better than swabbing decks and cleaning at the tavern."

"It's much better than swabbing and cleaning." Mickeyila contently spoke. "I prefer working with kids any day than what I used to do. Teaching them basic skills and knowledge is very nice."

"Then you ought to be glad that my son Cody hasn't shown up to your lessons." The husky said with a half grin. "He was pulled out of a fight with an older kid yesterday. Apparently it was about some game they were playing."

"He's a rambunctious little fella for six years of age." Mickeyila rubbed her head with a grin. "Where's Cody at?" She looked around for the little husky pup.

"He's probably getting into trouble as we're speaking now." She said with a little grin.

"Sounds like he takes after his mother." Mickeyila giggled.

"He could be taking after his father too." Florence mentioned. "Although, I guess that's what will happen when you don't have a father." She shrugged. The husky lady was an unmarried mother, and she only met the father of her child one fateful evening and night. However, she never saw him again and had to bear her pregnancy alone.

"When you have kids one day Mickeyila, you better find the right man to stay at your side." She gave her advice.

"I don't think I'm ready to raise a family yet!" Mickeyila half chuckled. "Did you see in the newspaper about the pirates." She handed over the folded paper.

"No, but I heard something about three criminals being hanged yesterday." She remarked. "They were guilty of stealing and mugging from people."

"Yuck." Mickeyila shuddered and stuck her tongue out. "Anyway, I read something about a bounty for a small pirate crew. It said they raided a treasure fleet once they explored a section of coast along the jungle continent." Her eyes gleamed. "I would love to sail the seas with a crew. It would be very exciting."

"Why don't you go sail then?" The husky asked. "Plenty of smugglers and pirates stop by this island on there way across the seas. You could join one of them."

"No." The canine shook her head. "They're almost all men and don't allow women. Besides, I wouldn't want to be on board a vessel at sea where a bunch of guys would jump me at any moment."

"That's true." She wiggled her nose with a frown, and gazed at her produce for a moment. "But it shouldn't stop you from sailing the seas. You could be your own pirate if you wanted."

"I'm no pirate." Mickeyila wishfully thought. "I don't have a boat, and I would need a lot of help."

"You'd need a lot of help." The husky chuckled and agreed. "But who knows? Don't give up on your dreams."

"Maybe one day." She hummed in thought. "I'll come by later this afternoon to get a cantaloupe if you haven't sold out." Mickeyila winked.

"I'll save one for ya." Florence rolled one closer to her.

"Thank you!" Mickeyila said before walking down the street once again. The mutt meandered her way down towards the sandy beach, away from the docks. The houses were at a distance, mostly obscured on land by palm trees. Prying eyes wouldn't see her so easily. Mickeyila walked down to a quiet section of the beach where few ventured during the afternoon. She looked around and made sure no one was around before removing her shirt. The canine's large breasts came into view with her splotchy nipples contrasting against the white fur.

'Ah, the wind feels wonderful right now!' Mickeyila felt happy as she bared her chest towards the sea. "Time to get a little sun and fresh air, girls, while I take a nap." She chuckled to herself and laid back in the warm sand with the waves lapping close to her paws...

**

"And that's why I became a pirate." She finished.

"That's why you became a pirate?" Elena and Maggie were both surprised. Isabel did not look surprised in the slightest. Hibbary chuckled before yawning. Everyone had gathered around in a circle on the deck of the ship while listening to Mickeyila explain a typical day in her life before becoming a pirate.

"You became a pirate because you were seen topless?" The raccoon's eyebrows were raised.

"Yep." She nodded.

"Well, our pirate name really is fitting then." The raccoon grinned.

"Indecent exposure is a catch all law." Isabel acknowledged. "But it's tougher for women. You have to cover up more."

"It was the perfect time to sunbathe too." Mickeyila frowned.

"You can sunbathe anytime you want now." Elena grinned.

"Yep! That makes me happy." The canine smiled.

"I also didn't know you were a teacher." Maggie said with interest. "If you have an education then I'd imagine you'd get paid very well, or find a good job."

"Yeah, she has a point." Isabel mentioned. "Why make a rag tag pirate crew?"

"Eh, I don't exactly have a formal education." She shrugged. "It was one of many odd jobs that I have had. I just taught kids a little bit so they'll stay out of trouble, and their parents pay what they can. Sometimes it's just food."

"Ah, well that's better than nothing. Plus, you're helping some kids who wouldn't have a lot of opportunities anyway."

"I hope that I made a positive difference for someone." Mickeyila spoke with a hopeful tone. "Hey, I should've asked Florence to join our crew, but she has a kid to watch after." She realized.

"Yeah, piracy isn't exactly for kids." Isabel said.

"Hnxxk..." A soft snore caught everyone's attention. Looking over, Hibbary was laid out on the deck asleep.

"Hibbary has the right idea." Elena stretched her arms. "It's been a long day."

"I'll get her into the hammock." Isabel scooped the passed out canine into her arms.

"Sleep sounds perfect right now. Thanks for listening to my story. If I don't get up by noon then just pull me out of bed." Mickeyila yawned

"Okay."

"I'm too tired to rub your feet tonight Maggie." Elena stood up with a noticeable lack of energy like their captain.

"I'll be a good sport and rub yours then." She offered a kind grin and placed a hand on the rat's shoulder.

"Thanks. I appreciate it." She sighed with slumped shoulders.

"You've earned it. I think I've been a little hesitant to accept you as a crew mate." Maggie admitted. "I'll cook everyone a big breakfast tomorrow morning!" She promised. "That should wake everyone up." She smiled and walked to the door for the crew's sleeping quarters.

Despite the explosiveness of the Topless Pirates first few days into their journey, their subsequent time at sea had calmed down considerably. Adventure and excitement had their lazy days. Four days had passed since Isabel taught Elena, Mickeyila, and Hibbary the basics of swordsmanship on St. Alon. However, none of the crew had an opportunity to display their fighting prowess.

The sails of the Damsel enjoyed a prominent seaworthy breeze while the crew lounged around the deck. Maggie quietly whistled while she cleaned a pair of bowls in her lap. Elena kept a watchful eye towards all sides of the horizon. Isabel quietly manned the ship, steering their course. Mickeyila and Hibbary were looking over a map together.

"We haven't seen a soul since we left San Marello." Mickeyila remarked. "Are we on a good course, Hibbary?"

"Despite having the best map of the whole sea, there's still a lot left uncharted." The short coyote told them. "We don't know what ships go where, or any of the important routes to find a merchant vessel to attack and board. There's always the possibility we could run into the Royal Navy."

"We may need to chart a new course then." Mickeyila rubbed her head.

"Other captain's will likely have their own maps detailing specific routes. It will do us a lot of good to obtain something like that." The coyote mentioned.

"You're right, but we have to catch a ship first." She rubbed her chin next. "Or steal something on land, which is going to be difficult."

"Yep, and tiny coastal towns will likely not have any useful maps. We'd have to dock at a larger port which means our group of five will be outnumbered."

"What's the closest large port town?" Mickeyila looked over the coyote's shoulder and asked.

"That would be... Grand Madreiga." She looked over her map. "We'd need to change our course in a day or so to not pass it by entirely."

"Alright. Il'l ask Isabel that we will be changing course." Mickeyila looked for the lioness steering the ship.

"There's a ship!" Elena's voice interrupted them.

"What?" The canine's head twisted around.

"On the horizon there! It's flying the Union Jack, Mickeyila!" The rat shouted and pointed towards the east. Mickeyila ran across the deck with Hibbary scrambling to keep up, and peered ahead. Maggie set her bowls aside and joined them. A modest vessel was clearly visible on the horizon, moving near them slowly.

"Is it a merchantman or the navy?" Mickeyila asked.

"I think so..." Elena hesitated.

"Are there cannons everywhere?" Hibbary held a hand above her eyes and squinted.

"I only two or three... There's a few crates on board, and most of the people aren't moving around much."

"Crates?" Maggie thought aloud. "That should be a merchant's vessel." The older raccoon reasoned.

"It looks like a few barrels are out too." The rat observed.

"I say we attack them!" Mickeyila declared and smacked her palm with a tightened fist.

"Alright. I'll bring the ship closer." Isabel called out.

"Ah! They've spotted us. They're trying to change course!" Elena watched the ship begin to turn.

"The wind is at our backs. We have the speed to catch them." Mickeyila remarked.

"Be prepared to fire when we are within range!" Isabel yelled and steered the ship. Mickeyila and Hibbary loaded a cannonball, and Maggie set up the charge while the Damsel bobbed from the sea.

"The sailors are running around!" Elena excitedly spoke as she watched through her hand telescope. Maggie, Mickeyila, and Hibbary quickly prepared a second cannon as they neared the enemy vessel.

"I think we're within range." Hibbary looked ahead.

"Get ready to fire..." Mickeyila said as Maggie covered her ears.

"They surrendered!" The rat yelled. "Their white flag is up!" Everyone felt a mixture of excitement, surprise, and relief.

"Oh, wow!" Maggie jumped up and clasped her hands.

"Yeah! They're a bunch of cowards!" Hibbary roared with a big smile.

"Signal that we're boarding!" Mickeyila shouted. "Let's sail right up to their broadside." The pirate crew hurried and maneuvered the Damsel towards the idling merchantman. They could see a few of the sailors darting around deck, while others stood by and watched them approach.

"Alright. We can't let them know we have a really small crew size." Mickeyila paced around excitedly, yet nervously. "Everyone look intimidating." She pulled out her pistol. Hibbary glanced at Isabel and mimicked the stoic lioness's face by growling. A few planks were laid out to bridge the ships together.

"Maggie, you wait here. Everyone else, let's head over." Mickeyila waved with her pistol in hand.

"Aye, aye!" The crew resounded. The canine walked over with Isabel, Hibbary, and Elena at her sides. She stood triumphantly on the opposing vessel's deck with a smile of satisfaction across her face.

"You're women?!" Several of the crew were surprised, and gawked at the sight.

"That's right!" Mickeyila boasted proudly. "Who else were you expecting?" She pointed at their pirate flag waving high above them.

"Uh. Men?" One of the sailors spoke.

"What? No!" The canine chuckled. "Look at the flag." They peered up and squinted.

"What is it?"

"I can't tell."

"They are breasts!" She held up her hands to her chest. Several mods of realization passed through the merchantman crew.

"They're stupid." Isabel mumbled.

"Maybe we're stupid." Hibbary shrugged.

"Whatever..." Their captain had run out of patience. "Bring everyone above deck!" Mickeyila shouted and fired her pistol into the air. The loud shot snapped everyone into action. The rest of the crew filed up onto the deck with equal surprise at who the attacking pirates were.

"I'll search for any valuable maps." Hibbary went ahead to scour the captain's headquarters.

"Elena, you go with her and look for anything valuable." Isabel commanded. The rat nodded and hurried along with the coyote in search of money. The sailors could only watch as the two women seared the ship.

"Are there any ladies among you?" Mickeyila asked. The bewildered crew looked around for a moment before answering.

"We have two females on board."

"Where are they?" Mickeyila scanned the crowd. "Bring them here." Several sailors moved and within minutes a red vixen was brought to her. She was none too pleased at being hauled around the deck by the men. The red vixen frowned as she was forced to step forward. Her bushy tail swished in agitation.

"Are you a member of this crew?" Mickeyila asked.

"No!" She looked up wearing a scowl on her face. However, her expression quickly changed seeing the topless canine standing before her. "Who are you?" The questioning look of surprise was clearly evident in her eyes.

"I am Mickeyila Rose." She happily introduced herself. "Captain of the Topless Pirates. The fox's eyes lifted in surprise at the title. "May I ask what you do on this ship if you aren't part of their crew?"

"My name is Roxanne. They force me to swab the deck and clean their ship like a rotten servant." She glared back at the crew. "They'll jeer and say plenty of rude comments." Mickeyila wasn't pleased to hear what she had said.

"You said there were two women on board. Where is the other?" The female captain asked the merchantman crew.

"Someone's bringing her." One piped up. Just then, a noise was heard on deck. The sound of metal dragging over wood sounded unpleasant to the ear. The crew watched as a female wolf was brought forward in chains. The metal bonds were attached to her wrists as well as her ankles. Unlike the red vixen, the wolf was starkly naked like a medieval prisoner of war. Her grey and brown fur was plainly visible to see, but so were other physical characteristics. The wolf was strongly built, making the chains appear necessary to restrain her. Her abs were toned, and her legs were well defined. Even her arms looked strong for a woman. Her breasts were modest, but fairly rounded. The thick bumps of flesh poking freely on each was a clear reminder that the wolf was indeed a woman. She glared at the two men bringing her across the deck. However, the wolf didn't talk as she was brought forward.

"What's your name?" Mickeyila asked, but received no response. The wolf's gaze didn't meet her own as she stood still like a block of stone. "What is her name?" She asked the others.

"I believe it is Ruska, ma'am."

"Rukis?"

"Ruska..." The wolf muttered.

"Oh. Ruska." The canine captain nodded. "Has anyone mistreated her while she has been aboard?" She asked.

"No!" Several crew members shook their heads, and professed their innocence.

"We're kind of... scared of her." Another answered.

"She's hit at least two of our crew before." A third spoke up to her surprise.

"Huh... Wasn't expecting that." Mickeyila admitted and scratched her neck.

"She was meant to be sold as a slave for breaking the law." One of the merchant's crew explained.

"I don't believe in keeping people in bondage." Mickeyila answered. "Bring me her keys." The crew hesitated before hurrying off and returning with a pair of large wrought iron keys.

"Here you are ma'am." One sailor nervously handed them over before taking a few steps back. The chains fell with heavy clunking sounds as Mickeyila freed the wolf. Everyone including Roxanne was surprised. The grey and brown wolf rubbed her wrists and stared at her hands almost in disbelief.

"Thank you." Mickeyila grinned appreciatively.

"I've got a few maps!" Hibbary returned across the deck with a few rolled pieces of parchment in hand.

"Excellent!" Mickeyila smiled as Elena returned as well with a small bag in hand.

"I didn't find much... A pair of pistols, some coins, buckles, and a knife, but that's about it. The crates and barrels have some musty water and half spoiled food."

"That'll do. Thank you!" Mickeyila patted Elena's back before the white furred rat returned to the Damsel. Her focus returned to the two ladies standing before her. "While I'm on this ship," she announced to them, "both of you have two options." The canine held up two fingers. "You can either stay aboard this ship wherever it may take you, or you can join my crew as long as you abide by our rules." She declared to their surprise. "No prey then no pay; no lights below deck after sunset, no smoking, no fighting aboard the ship; and um... I know I'm forgetting one." Mickeyila turned to Isabel.

"All major decisions can be put up to a vote." She said.

"Ah, that's right!" She smiled. "Like Isabel said, we put all major decisions up for a vote... We also offer to help any lady in distress, and we are an all-lady crew so we are topless like the name suggests." The canine captain concluded. "So what do you say? Will you join us for plundering and exploring?" She asked them. A response was given immediately.

"Aye, I'll join!" Roxanne exclaimed with the look of disbelief still lingering in her eyes. Mickeyila looked at the wolf expectedly next.

"Aye." Ruska quietly affirmed. The grey wolf was already completely naked, and simply stood in her spot while Roxanne removed her shirt. The red vixen's breasts hung forward naturally as they were freed. They were covered in white fur like the rest of her front, however her breasts had a perky conical torpedo shape with puffy nipples. Poking ahead, they were like snouts eagerly looking straight ahead. Mickeyila, Hibbary, Elena, and Maggie cheered at the newest crew members while the merchantman's crew watched in bewilderment.

"Two beefy ladies!" Hibbary lifted her eyebrows several times wearing a toothy smirk.

"Where is the captain of this vessel?" Mickeyila looked around. Several of the crew members looked around before parting, and forming a pathway across the deck. Hiding in the back of the group was a terrified cowering lynx. His clothes were sharp and fancy, much like his expertly combed facial fur, the exact opposite of his personality.

"W-What about me?" The merchantman's captain feigned innocence.

"Tie him up." Mickeyila ordered. Isabel and Roxanne had no qualms about tying up the ship's captain. The merchant crew stood aside and didn't interfere.

"Looks like the world has a sense of justice after all." There was a strong smile on the red vixen's lips as she helped march him to Mickeyila alongside Isabel.

"What are you going to do with me?" He stared dumbfounded at the topless canine. The canine's gaze hardened as she glared at him.

"I know what to do." She calmly said before turning her attention to the merchant crew. "We'll ransom him back to you!" She offered with a sneaky grin. A few of the ladies looked at her questioningly.

"No!"

"Keep him!" The crew surprisingly yelled back.

"He treats us like galley slaves." One person spoke up.

"He's a rotten fella." Another agreed.

"Go ahead and take him!"

"Huh..." Mickeyila was dumbfounded and looked to her quartermaster for an explanation. Isabel shrugged without a word.

"He must be a horrible person to work for." The lioness guessed.

"How much are you willing to give me to keep him?" Mickeyila asked. The crew members immediately began talking amongst themselves.

"Whatever it is, it won't be enough." Roxanne frowned at the tied up captain.

"I have a shilling!" One shouted and raised an arm.

"I have two!" Another dug into his pockets. Other began crying out for money and collected it into a hat until they had a little sum to offer the pirates. Mickeyila waved a hand for them to stop once they began offering the shirts off their backs. The canine pirate captain looked at the money with hesitation at first. The men were nervous as she decided what to do.

"We'll take him!" Mickeyila announced much to the captain's dismay. Several of the merchantman crew cheered and clapped as the wretched lynx captain was hauled off crying by the lady pirates.

The shimmering sparkle of the sun reflecting off the pristine ocean blue resembled sparkling diamonds. The sea was calm, almost resembling a giant lake than a tempestuous sea. The Topless Pirates had grown to a crew of seven after their very first act of piracy resulted in a success. The mood on board couldn't have been happier. The newly fashioned captain was thoroughly enjoying her first plunder.

"I love this captain's coat!" Mickeyila wore the former merchant captain's jacket on her shoulders with pride. The mutt stepped and spun around a few times.

"Aww. It keeps falling off my shoulders..." The leaned over and picked it up off the deck. "Maggie! Can you sew it so it won't fall off?" She called out to the older raccoon who was enjoying the ocean breeze against her fur.

"You're supposed to at least wear it with your arms through the sleeves." The raccoon grinned with amusement. "But I'll see what I can do." She walked over and took the garment.

"That's no fun." Her tail wagged as Maggie carried the jacket below deck.

"You're in a great mood, captain." Roxanne, one of their newest recruits, approached Mickeyila. The red vixen was in a good mood herself. Wearing a wide grin, she fully embraced the odd requirement of being topless. Both pink nipples on her white furred torpedo shaped breasts seemed to poke out ahead, enjoying their newly found freedom.

"I'm so stoked about our first attack!" Her tongue lolled out as she smiled. "We didn't get much in terms of booty, but our first victory is still something to feel proud of. We also have two new crew mates." She hummed happily.

"I'm thankful for that much too." Roxanne nodded.

"How did this happen? Why did it happen...?" A mumbling voice nearby caught her ear. Looking over their shoulders, the lynx captain of the merchantman was still on board their vessel, albeit, tied up to the main mast. He only wore a plain pair of trousers and white undershirt since Mickeyila repurposed his coat.

"I can't believe a women pirate crew..." The feline mumbled to himself.

"Pipe down you!" Hibbary shook her fist at the immobilized lynx. She stuck her tongue at the captive, and began making faces at him.

"Get away from me!" He pleaded in vain.

"Her away! Her away from me!" She squawked.

"Is she a woman?" He looked over at Mickeyila pleading to be let free.

"Sometimes I'm not sure." Mickeyila giggled as Hibbary continued squawking like a bird. "Hey, Hibbary." She interrupted. "What maps did you find from the other ship?"

"They were shipping routes!" The coyote informed her.

"Excellent! Thank you." Mickeyila smiled sneakily as the coyote resumed bothering the lynx. "Now we will have a better chance of tracking down vessels, especially ones with treasure."

"I like the sound of treasure." The vixen grinned happily as Maggie returned from below deck.

"Maggie! Did you mend the coat already?" Mickeyila excitedly asked her.

"No, I set it aside to work on later." The raccoon approached them and held up an entirely different garment.

"Aww..." She pouted.

"I made you a new shirt from what you gave me, Roxanne." It was a simple vest-like shirt very similar to the one that Isabel wore, but it was shorter and didn't have sleeves.

"Thank you!" The vixen smiled graciously. "I came from a poor family, so I rarely received new clothes that weren't made at home." She happily donned the open vest designed garment. "No buttons." She left the front open. "But I guess that's intended." She snickered.

"Your pointy breasts would poke right through it anyway." Maggie chuckled.

"Fair point." She grinned and looked at her naked chest. "But thank you again. I was lucky to hang onto my old shirt while sailing on the merchantman. Those men were just so... rude and awful." She huffed and sighed.

"How did you end up on that merchantman swabbing decks under the hot sun?" Mickeyila curiously asked.

"I've been on board that ship for over a year." The vixen's smile faded into a little frown as she placed a hand on her hip. "Like I said, I came from a poor family; seven siblings, we lived in a little dirt floor house, and everyone was poor where I grew up." She explained. "When I was old enough to leave on my own, I worked in sewing shops and babysat kids. I tried being a wet nurse but that didn't work out. At one point I was offered to work on a ship to mend sailors' clothes, and wherever we landed I was guaranteed a place to work. Fancy how that didn't happen..." She grumbled.

"Is that how you ended up being a servant on the merchantman?" Isabel presumed.

"Yep. I was a menial servant doing whatever the captain or his underlings told me to do. I had no idea where I was at sea, so I couldn't say no." She admitted. "And if I disobeyed them I am sure there would've been consequences." The vixen glanced over her shoulder and glared at their prisoner.

"I don't exactly feel sorry for him." Roxanne added.

"We don't blame you." Isabel calmly spoke.

"I don't take kindly to people who mistreat others aboard their vessels." Mickeyila agreed. The lynx remained quiet to not attract more trouble.

"Thank you so much for saving me." The vixen looked at her new captain gratefully. "I don't know how I can help you aboard this ship, but I'm more than happy to!"

"Of course! We are happy to have you on board as a new recruit!" She smiled. The others nodded affirmatively. "Speaking of new recruits... Where is Ruska?" Mickeyila asked.

"Oh. She's sitting at the side of the ship." Elena pointed where they could see the grey wolf calmly seated in the shade. The wolf was still completely naked, but unbothered by the fact. Her gaze was listless as she watched the horizon longingly.

"It's like she is staring out at sea for something, or somewhere... I don't know." Mickeyila couldn't figure it out.

"I never thought I would be intimidated by someone's appearance like Isabel." Elena mumbled. The lioness lifted a brow at the rat.

"Does Ruska typically do something like this?"

"I never talked to her." The vixen informed them. "Ever since she was brought on board from Maylargo, the captain of the merchantman had her chained in the hold. I was told that she was guilty of murder, but I have no idea if that's true."

"Murder?" Elena looked squeamish at the possibility.

"Has she always been this naked?" Mickeyila asked. "It is peculiar. I mean, it's no big deal to us since we're half naked, and everyone will think we're strange anyway."

"I think so." Roxanne confirmed. "I'm not sure why though. I used to fear that the men took advantage of her... Oh!" The vixen remembered something. "One time someone didn't secure her chains properly. She beat two of the sailors pretty badly. They had to receive proper medical attention at one island afterwards."

"Dang!" Mickeyila was surprised.

"Wow." The rat grimaced at the story.

"Why did she beat them?" Isabel asked.

"I dunno." The red vixen shrugged. "They could have been harassing her or something, but didn't realize she was partially unchained. She's a mystery to me."

"Maybe she is a murderer." Elena feared.

"Let's not jump to conclusions." Maggie worried over the idea of a murderer in their midst.

"I will go talk to her." Mickeyila offered with a friendly grin. "Criminal or not, Ruska is on our ship and welcome onboard if she likes. Maybe she's very sweet and open, but dealing with something personal."

"That's... naive." Isabel was skeptical as she folded her arms. The quartermaster's words were waved off as the canine marched across the deck to the seated wolf.

"Hey there Ruska," she approached the brown and grey furred wolf, "my name is Mickeyila." The canine kindly introduced herself. The wolf looked up at the cheerful captain, but didn't say anything. The blank hardened expression on her stoic face didn't change in the slightest. The captain blinked from the odd silence.

"We are the Topless Pirates." Mickeyila gestured to her bare chest. "You don't have to be completely naked. We still wear pants, earrings, and whatever other garments you can think of." As she spoke, Ruska rose to her paws and turned away with a look of indifference in her eyes.

"Okay... You're walking away..." Mickeyila watched in surprise as the wolf walked away. Isabel approached to console the canine.

"Give her some space." She advised her captain. "If the wolf was in chains then she's likely endured a lot of pain. There's also the possibility that she only wanted to join our crew to escape that wretched merchantman. She might want to depart on an inhabited island or a town in the continent."

"You're right." Mickeyila sighed and rubbed her neck. "But either way, we're going to treat her like she's a member of our crew." The canine held up a confident fist.

"There's a vessel on the horizon!" Elena shouted, catching the entire crew's attention.

"There's a ship on the horizon!" Hibbary ran around the deck and repeated the information. Mickeyila, Isabel, Maggie, Hibbary, and Roxanne gathered where the rat was pointing. A vessel appeared small on the horizon, but it had many sails.

"Is it another merchant vessel?" Roxanne asked.

"I dunno." Elena shrugged. "I can't tell." Everyone watched with uncertainty as the ship neared cautiously at first. No one said a word as the Damsel lightly rocked and swayed from the calm sea. No one was certain on what they should do just yet.

"It's coming closer... and quickly." The rat whispered.

"It's not flying another country's flag." Isabel used her own short telescope to look out. "It has a black flag."

"What?"

"They're pirates." She didn't sound happy relaying the news.

"Uh oh." Maggie clutched her necklace.

"Are you sure."

"Positive." The lioness affirmed. "They are flying a black flag with a sword design.

"Do pirates attack other pirates?" Mickeyila whispered to Isabel.

"Rarely, but it isn't unheard of." The lioness told her.

"Crap." the canine captain slouched down to the deck with a look of despair across her face. "We were doing so well..." She hung her head.

"Now our asses are gunna get beaten pretty bad." Hibbary frowned.

"We're a little slow to sail away too." Isabel didn't like it. "Any ideas?" She turned to Mickeyila only to find e canine sprawled out below her. "Why are you laying on the deck?"

"Ugh..." She responded. Elena lifted her hand telescope and looked out before excitement overcame her.

"Wait. He wants to board!"

"Alright!" The canine captain jumped to her paws once again. "We're not sinking yet!"

"Very optimistic of you..."

"Signal that we aren't going to fire on them." Roxanne quickly ran over to find the appropriate flag to hoist. The mysterious pirate ship quickly approached while the female pirate group awaited their fate.

"That's a ship." Hibbary slowly nodded. "A pretty big ship." She emphasized as it loomed beside their own.

"Good thing we don't have much that can be stolen." Isabel placed her hands on her hips.

"That's a filthy crew." Maggie folded her arms and looked away from the men on board.

"I suppose they think we're a bunch of scantily clad prostitutes." Roxanne guessed.

"Well..." The older raccoon rubbed the back of her head. "Yeah, I can't blame them for thinking that. I just hope they stay on that ship."

"Sheesh..." Mickeyila gathered herself as many eyes looked them over from several yards away. "No respect for a woman at all..." She rolled her eyes at their obvious gawking. Planks were dropped to "connect" the ships and provide a moderately safe way to cross. The sea gently rocked both vessels as a few figures approached. A bulky male wolverine crossed the planks along with a cheetah, grey fox, and a skunk. Only the wolverine was armed as a sign of good faith, and he was heavily armed with a rapier, a cutlass, and three pistols that were visible along his belt.

"I've seen it all." The large wolverine remarked at the topless women standing before him.

"Who are you?" Mickeyila questioned.

"I am Greybeard, captain of the Greybeard Pirates." He introduced himself. The canine glanced at Isabel and shrugged.

"What is your name?" He curiously gazed at the topless canine.

"It's Mickeyila Rose." She proudly answered.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mickeyila." He gave a short bow. "I didn't believe it when I heard it." He said. "But it's true that there's a female pirate crew prowling these waters on the open sea."

"That's right. We are the Topless Pirates." Mickeyila grinned and pointed to herself, and then the rest of her crew.

"This is quite a sight to see." Greybeard remarked. "Some of you don't even wear clothes." He noticed Ruska standing not too far away, keeping a close watch on what was unfolding. "What a joy it would be to ride on this vessel for a time."

"Sorry, Greybeard." She denied entertaining the idea. "No men allowed."

"Then I feel honored to be aboard." He half chuckled.

"What did you want to board our vessel and talk about?" Mickeyila asked.

"Ah, to the point I see. To my knowledge you recently took a certain captain captive from a merchant vessel. A Bartholomew Cartier." He glanced over her shoulder.

'So that's his name.' Mickeyila realized. "Wait. He's not going anywhere for free." She waved a hand. "We were paid to keep him."

"Is that so?" Greybeard lifted his brow in mild surprise. "Well, then I guess I could compensate you."

"Willing to make a bargain?" Mickeyila was interested and put her hands on her hips.

"Yes. I'll give you one pound of silver for him." He offered. "That's how much they're uh he is worth."

"Hey. Eyes up here." Mickeyila caught his gaze falling lower to her chest.

"Sorry miss." He flashed a quick apologetic grin. The canine captain wiggled her nose in thought for a moment. Mickeyila looked back at the captive lynx who was silent as a ghost now, looking even more terrified than when they had boarded his vessel.

"Hmm... Who's to say I can't get three or four pounds of silver from ransom?" Mickeyila slyly suggested. "I mean, if you want him this bad then someone else could pay a higher price for him."

"Such nonsense! Do you see any other bidders around here?" He gestured between their two ships alone in the sea.

"Not yet." She played innocence.

"I'll give you two pounds. That's my final offer." The joy had left his voice with the second wager. Mickeyila paused to think again for a moment. The badger seemed short tempered, and bargaining any further with him would give dubious results at best. Something told her that he would end up with the lynx one way or another.

"Alright then. Deal." She extended a hand and they shook.

"Get me two pounds of silver, Clarence, and don't short change the lady." The badger firmly ordered.

"Aye, sir!" The grey fox spoke up and hurried back to their own ship. He was barely gone for a moment before returning with a tied bag jingling in his hand.

"You can't make off with this, or we'll sink you right here." The badger grinned as he handed over the bag.

"I guess we can take each other out if that's the case." Mickeyila retorted and loosened the tied string. She peered inside the bag and her eyed widened at the contents. A multitude of silver coins gazed back at her with a brilliant silver stare.

"You can have him." She stepped aside. "Cut those ropes loose girls." Maggie and Elena quickly did so.

"It's been a pleasure doing business with you miss Mickeyila." Greybeard offered a testy smile before turning his attention to their prisoner.

"No! Please don't! Please save me from him!" The lynx became hysterical as he was handed over to Greybeard. A few roars and cheers erupted as the captain returned to his ship.

"Pleasure doing business with you too!" Mickeyila waved as the planks were withdrawn and the ships parted ways.

"That went better than expected." Maggie felt relieved as the ship grew distant towards the horizon.

"I'll say..." Isabel mumbled in agreement.

"You handled that wolverine pretty well Mickeyila." Roxanne commended her captain.

"Mmhm." Elena nodded.

"Let's get this counted and divided appropriately." Mickeyila handed the bag over to Hibbary. "Everyone gets their share."

"Aye, aye." The coyote happily rolled out a mat and began counting.

"I think I found my best two negotiators." She giggled and cupped both of her breasts. Maggie, Roxanne, and Elena giggled.

"You need to work on negotiating." Isabel mentioned with a sigh. "There's a lot of smart people who won't fall for that."

"A little nip and luck doesn't hurt either." Mickeyila stuck her tongue out and smiled.

"There's nothing little about them, or the need to get carried away." The lioness wisely spoke.

"You're right... You're right." The canine conceded with a grin. "But I am taking all of my feminine advantages."

"As we should." Isabel agreed.

"Should we feel bad about what's going to happen to that lynx captain?" Maggie interrupted them. "Does he deserve what's coming to him?"

"Heck no, I don't feel bad." Roxanne frowned. "He's treated his entire crew like disposable planks of wood. They've complained as much about getting paid as I had about getting off that horrible vessel."

"We probably spared his crew from getting blasted by cannon fire." Hibbary itched her chin. "We pulled the bad guy away from that group of sailors, so he couldn't hide behind them."

"Ok. I just wanted to know." The raccoon felt at peace.

"I can only imagine how he treated Ruska." The fox glanced over and looked at the silent naked wolf standing at the opposite end of the ship. The others wondered the same thing, but the air of excitement was still coursing through their captain.

"We have two pounds of silver for our troubles... Let's keep sailing!" Mickeyila cheered with excitement ringing in her voice. Most of the others cheered in response.